EducationScape

Apprenticeship Funding Assurance Reviews for 2025/26
2026-05-06 10:00 - 13:00 (Europe/London)
With the continued evolution of apprenticeship funding compliance and the publication of new DfE working papers for 2025/26, the expectations placed on providers are once again shifting. To help you stay ahead of these changes, EducationScape is proud to present a focused, one-part webinar designed to give you the clarity and confidence you need ahead of your next funding assurance review.
Delivered in collaboration with Karl Bentley, Director of Funding Assurance at Validera, this in-depth session will concentrate solely on apprenticeship funding assurance reviews for 2025/26. The session will also explore key DSAT issues that providers are currently encountering and how these are being interpreted within funding assurance reviews.
Taking place on 6th May, this live webinar will provide practical, detailed guidance to help you understand the latest DfE approach and what it means for your organisation.
Apprenticeships remain one of the most complex and scrutinised funding streams in the further education and skills sector. With new DfE working papers now in circulation, it is critical that providers understand both the technical requirements and the practical realities of audit and review.
In this session, Karl Bentley will:

Walk through the new 2025/26 DfE apprenticeship working papers
Explain sample sizes, materiality and error thresholds
Clarify the 100% review process and what triggers it
Provide a step-by-step breakdown of key working paper questions
Outline the evidence auditors expect to see
Highlight key DSAT issues and what they reveal about funding data risks
Highlight common pitfalls, do’s and don’ts, and lessons from real funding assurance reviews

Karl’s insights, drawn from years of experience in funding assurance, will help you prepare thoroughly and avoid the common mistakes that lead to clawbacks.
A live Q&A will follow the session, giving you the opportunity to raise your specific concerns and gain clarity on areas of risk within your own provision.
Who should attend?
This webinar is essential for:

Senior Leaders
Finance Directors
Funding and Compliance Managers
MIS Leads
Internal Audit and Quality Teams

If you are responsible for protecting your organisation from funding risk and ensuring audit readiness, this session will give you the tools and insight needed to approach 2025/26 with confidence.
Spaces are expected to fill quickly – secure your place and ensure you are fully prepared for the year ahead.
Join live or watch later on demand at a time that suits you.

Preparing for Funding Assurance Reviews
2026-06-10 10:00 - 13:00
With the publication of the updated DfE working papers for 2025/26, funding assurance expectations across the further education and skills sector continue to tighten. Providers delivering 16-19 study programmes, Adult Skills Fund and other non-apprenticeship provision must ensure their controls, documentation and data are fully aligned to the latest approach.
To help you stay ahead of these changes, EducationScape is proud to present a focused, one-part webinar designed to give you the clarity and confidence you need ahead of your next funding assurance review.
Delivered in collaboration with Karl Bentley, Director at Validera, this practical session will focus on preparing effectively for funding assurance reviews in 2025/26. The webinar which takes place on 10th June at 10am will also examine key DSAT issues currently being identified by the DfE and what they reveal about potential funding data risks for providers.
Funding assurance reviews are high-stakes and increasingly detailed. With new DfE working papers now in circulation, it is essential that providers understand not only what has changed, but how those changes translate into on-the-ground audit activity.
This session will take a cross-funding view, helping organisations stress-test their readiness and strengthen their internal controls before auditors arrive.
In this webinar, Karl Bentley will:

Walk through the key themes within the 2025/26 DfE working papers (non-apprenticeship provision)
Explain how sample selection, materiality and error thresholds operate in practice
Clarify what triggers deeper or 100% reviews
Explore common evidence gaps in learner files and ILR data
Highlight frequent compliance risks across study programmes and adult provision
Review key DSAT findings and what they indicate about data quality and funding risk
Share lessons learned from recent funding assurance reviews

Drawing on years of front-line funding assurance experience, Karl will provide practical insight into what auditors look for, where providers most often fall short, and how to build a robust internal assurance framework.
His insights will help you prepare thoroughly and avoid the common mistakes that lead to funding adjustments and clawback.
A live Q&A will follow the session, giving you the opportunity to raise specific concerns and gain clarity on areas of risk within your own organisation.
Who should attend?
This webinar is essential for:

Senior Leaders
Finance Directors
Funding and Compliance Managers
MIS Leads
Internal Audit and Quality Teams
Curriculum Managers responsible for funded provision

If you are responsible for protecting your organisation from funding risk and ensuring audit readiness, this session will give you the tools and insight needed to approach 2025/26 with confidence.
Spaces are expected to fill quickly – secure your place and ensure you are fully prepared for the year ahead.
Join live or watch later on demand at a time that suits you.

Winter Data and Funding Conference 2026
2026-11-25 08:30 - 16:00 | 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.
