HIGHER TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Rating: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 24/25-Q4 remained at AMBER. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ The decision was made that HTE programme will have delivered the majority of funded activity in its programme business case (PBC) by March 2025, and it is therefore appropriate to move towards to closure of the programme. Instead, resources will be redeployed efficiently, allowing the Department to pivot quickly, and to work in a more agile way, as the new ministerial team's future priorities and ambitions for Level 4/5 and HTQs are emerging. This was agreed with DfE senior leadership, Skills Portfolio, DfE Major Projects, NISTA (formerly IPA), and the HTE Delivery Board. Preparations for programme closure began in early 2025. There had been no response from the sector during the reporting period in response to the early closure of the programme. The uncertainty of the impacts resulting from the early closure influenced the rating for this quarter. During this quarter, the programme was still live and in delivery but moving quickly to prepare for the Gate 5 review, planned for mid-May 2025 (the final delivery confidence rating from that review was GREEN)

Schedule: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's end-date at 24/25-Q4 decreased from 01/09/2027 to 30/05/2025. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ The programme was set to deliver all funded activity in the programme business case by March 2025. A change in Government meant that the previous policy levers and ministerial ambitions were no longer in place. After the first Spending Review of the new Government, more funds were not made available for new activity not included in the existing business case. Subsequently, it was appropriate to move to close HTE as a programme and redeploy resource to support wider and ongoing work to drive up quality in provision, demand and accessibility at Levels 4 and 5.

Cost: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 24/25-Q4 (measured in £m) remained at 176. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ This is unchanged from last year.

Source: NISTA Annual Report 2024-25 (data)

Rating: The Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 is Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. There has been significant progress across the programme. However, this is a long-term endeavour to reform the Level 4/5 market and change entrenched perceptions and behaviours over a decade.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's end-date at 23/24-Q4 remained schedule to finish on 2027-09-01. This is primarily due to the following factors. The programme schedule remains achievable.

Cost: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's departmental-agree Whole Life Cost at 23/24-Q4 remained at 176m. This is primarily due to the following factors. [text ends here in the published file]

Source: IPA Annual Report 2023-24 (data)