Winter Data and Funding Conference 2026
2026-11-25 08:30 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | BMet – Matthew Boulton College, 1 Jennens Rd, Birmingham, B4 7PS, United Kingdom
Join us at BMet’s Matthew Boulton College for a day of insights, expertise, and practical guidance.
EducationScape’s Winter Data and Funding Conference 2026 is a focused, one-day event designed specifically for data and funding professionals working across all aspects of further education and skills. Featuring a welcome and opening address from FE Week Editor Shane Chowen, this event brings current policy updates together with compliance and funding guidance.
This event will bring together sector leaders, funding specialists, and assurance experts to explore the latest developments, trends, and challenges across post-16 education funding.
What to expect:

Department for Education (DfE) Funding Reviews and insights: stay informed with essential updates from the DfE, including policy changes, and funding reviews, and how these affect colleges and training providers.
Common issues and how to avoid them: discover practical steps to avoid funding pitfalls, with expert-led sessions focusing on real-world case studies and assurance findings.
Guidance on useful support networks highlight some of the key challenges being faced by providers and how these can be overcome through strategic planning.
Case studies from across the sector share helpful strategies and the positive impact these have on staff, learners, and the wider organisation.
Live Q&A opportunities: engage with leading experts and ask your most pressing questions about funding data, assurance, and compliance.

Key sessions include:

Funding assurance themes from 2025/26: Delivered by Lisa Smith and Emma Gipson, RSM – get the inside track on the most common themes and issues arising from the latest round of DfE funding assurance reviews. This in-depth session will also look ahead to 2026/27, offering early insights into expected assurance requirements and working papers.
Collaborative Strategies for Funding Success: Learn how our host, BMet college group, adapts their organisational strategies to achieve what is required from regional funding challenges. Designed to share insights and useful solutions, this session will provide scalable practices to maximise impact within your own organisation.
Building Organisational Data Maturity: Discover how the use of Jisc’s Data Maturity Framework can help build stronger foundations for using data as a strategic asset. Drawing on sector insights, practical ideas will be shared on how to improve reporting, governance, decision-making, and organisational confidence in data.
PDSAT for 2026/27: Delivered by Karl Bentley, Director of Funding Assurance, Validera – this session will focus on PDSAT developments for 2026/27 (subject to release), highlighting what to look for and how to prepare your data for audit readiness.

More sessions to be announced shortly.

Who should attend?
The event is particularly useful for those involved in funding assurance or data management within further education colleges, sixth form colleges, training providers, and adult education institutions, including:

MIS teams
Senior Leaders
Finance Directors
Funding and Data Specialists
Compliance Leads
Internal Audit and Quality Teams
Funding managers
Governors that are responsible for audit and financial oversight

Venue
This event will take place at BMet’s Matthew Boulton College, Birmingham, B4 7PS.
Travel information for the campus can be found here. Please be aware that onsite parking is extremely limited, however alternative parking is available locally at Millennium Point (B4 7AP).

This is your opportunity to stay ahead of the curve in funding assurance and data compliance.
Spaces are limited, so don’t miss out!
Book your place now and benefit from a 20% discount. Offer ends on Monday 31 August 2026.
