The performance of the FE sector has “stalled”, leading to a drop in overall Ofsted grades, according to the inspectorate’s deputy director for FE and skills.

Ahead of the launch of Ofsted’s annual report tomorrow, Paul Joyce told TES that the implementation of study programmes and the teaching of English and maths were a “concern” for inspectors.

Last month TES revealed that, according to the inspectorate’s latest inspection figures for 2014-15, almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of the general FE colleges inspected were rated as inadequate or requiring improvement, up from 38 per cent the previous year. In the same period, the proportion of colleges given the lowest grade doubled from 5 per cent to 10 per cent.

The overall drop was even more pronounced among sixth-form colleges, with none of the 15 colleges inspected in the last academic year found to be outstanding. The proportion rated inadequate increased more than six-fold, from just 3 per cent in 2013-14 to 20 per cent a year later.

“The rate of improvement in the sector has certainly stalled and we’ve certainly seen fewer providers achieving outstanding and good grades,” Mr Joyce told TES. “More providers are getting requires improvement grades and fewer providers are improving from requires improvement to good.

“So it is a concern. The sector is facing quite a few challenges and quality of provision… particularly around study programmes, particularly around English and maths, are some of those concerns.”

The “sheer number” of learners resitting English and maths GCSEs was a challenge for providers, Mr Joyce added. “Obviously that poses staffing issues, timetabling issues… but I think I many providers, due to the numbers that are involved, they are struggling to get that provision right, to get that delivery right, that compliments learners’ main programme of study and develops English and maths skills particularly well, as part of that wider study programme.

“We are seeing variable quality of teaching of English and maths. We are seeing some good practice but some lessons that aren’t particularly motivating or engaging. We’re seeing some attendance issues at some maths and English sessions in providers that haven’t yet got this right. So yes, we are seeing some quality of teaching issues.”

The poor quality of some 16-19 study programmes is also affecting overall grades for providers, Mr Joyce added. “Particularly where [providers] have been graded inadequate, there seems to be some issue with the implementation of the quality of delivery of those programmes,” he said.

Want to keep up with the latest education news and opinion? Follow TES on Twitter and like TES on Facebook