Further Education
Further education is any kind of education which is after and goes further than compulsory education but not degree level, which is Higher Education; so anything beyond school that is not university. Further education can be available at Sixth Form High Schools, however, not all schools offer this, and in which case there are Sixth Form Colleges available; where AS levels and A levels are obtained. Other qualifications can be diplomas or foundation degrees. Some qualifications are more vocational and industry specific, whereas others, such as A-levels are a stepping stone to Higher Education at Universities. It is typical for students to take 4 AS levels, then drop one to take on 3 A levels, although some do continue with 4 A levels.
Further education can be abbreviated and referred to as FE. Typically, people in Further education are between 16 and 19 years old; although this does not prevent adults from seeking Further Education, there are some specific adult courses available at various colleges and institutes.
Further education institutes are supported by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), aiming to improve the quality of courses offered and to work together with other sectors to deliver strategic change.
Like Schools, Further education institutes are subject to Ofsted inspections regularly, and teachers must obtain the Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills qualification, which requires teachers to undertake 30 hours of developmental training every year. This is to ensure that high standards of education are upheld.