Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy

Mohammad Yasin Excerpts

Monday 20th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

As I said, next year, we will invest £800 million extra in 16-to-19 funding. We have sought to refocus the large programme uplift that sits alongside that investment on maths and STEM for those studying four or more A-levels, because we think that is important for our industrial strategy priorities, but there will be transitional protections for those schools affected. Students will still be able to study for the IB, and schools will be welcome and able to offer it through the funding streams they receive.

[Mohammad Yasin (Bedford) (Lab)]

I am delighted that Bedford college has been named one of 10 new construction technical excellence colleges, backed by £100 million of Government investment, to train the skilled professionals that the UK needs for housing and infrastructure. I also welcome today’s measures to strengthen vocational qualifications. The new qualifications to better prepare students for GCSE English and maths resits are positive, but can the Secretary of State confirm that those qualifications will be fully funded, given the current financial pressures on FE colleges?

[Bridget Phillipson]

We are investing more in further education, with £800 million extra next year. We are also committed to establishing 19 more technical excellence colleges on top of the 10 construction TECs launched in August—including Bedford, as my hon. Friend mentions. Those technical excellence colleges will act as hubs of excellence, raising standards across the sector and providing more opportunities for young people to move into careers such as those in construction-related fields. That is why we have also brought in new foundation apprenticeships, to give more young people the chance to understand a broad range of offers within an area before deciding to specialise.