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Further education (often abbreviated "FE") is post-secondary, post-compulsory education (in addition to that received at secondary school). It may be at the same level, at a higher level, or at a lower level than secondary education, anything from basic training to Higher National and Foundation Degree. The term is mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom.

A distinction can be made between FE and higher education ("HE") which is education at a higher level than secondary school, usually provided in distinct institutions such as universities. FE in the United Kingdom therefore includes education for people over 16, usually excluding universities. It is primarily taught in FE colleges (which are similar in concept to United States community colleges, and sometimes use "community college" in their title), work-based learning, and adult and community learning institutions. This includes post-16 courses similar to those taught at schools and sub-degree courses similar to those taught at higher education (HE) colleges (which also teach degree-level courses) and at some universities.

Further education lecturers are not specifically required to be teacher-trained, nor do they have to register with a General Teaching Council. However, most colleges prefer to appoint staff who have teaching qualifications and when appointing staff without teaching qualifications the college usually specifies that they attend lecturer training courses to gain qualifications such as the Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (FE) comparable to the post-graduate teaching certificate required by schoolteachers.

Contents 1 England 2 Wales 2.1 Qualifications 2.2 High school sixth form 2.3 See also 3 FE/sixth form colleges in England and Wales 3.1 England 3.2 Wales 4 See also

Since 2001, further education in England has been managed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), the largest government agency funding education provision. The LSC has a budget of some £13 billion and is organised on a regional basis through around 47 local councils. The LSC has a particular mission to improve and expand further education provision, driven by the UK government's desire to increase standards in post-16 student retention and achievement, particularly in skills-based vocational provision in FE colleges. Recent government-driven LSC and Department for Education and Skills (DfES) policies, such as Success for All and the Skills Strategy, articulate this vision.

Good quality teaching is indicated by the award of Centre of Vocational Excellence status in an initiative to improve the quality of provision for vocational education.

Since June 2007, the sector is overseen by the new Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, although some parts (such as education and training for 14-19 year olds) fall within the new Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Further education in Wales is provided through:

• Sixth form colleges
• FE colleges
• High school sixth form within secondary schools

Further education in Wales comes under the remit of the Welsh Assembly Government and was formerly funded by ELWa before its merger with the Assembly.

• Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification
• Key Skills Qualification

• Year 12 or lower sixth, age 16 to 17 (AS-level examinations)
• Year 13 or upper sixth, age 17 to 18 (A2-level examinations. Both AS-levels and A2-levels count towards 'A'-levels.)

• Education in Wales

Main article: List of further education colleges in England

• Aberdare College
• Barry College
• Bridgend College
• Coleg Ceredigion
• Coleg Glan Hafren
• Coleg Gwent
• Coleg Harlech
• Coleg Llandrillo Cymru
• Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor
• Coleg Menai
• Coleg Powys
• Coleg Sir Gâr
• Deeside College
• Gorseinon College
• Llysfasi College
• Merthyr Tydfil College
• Neath Port Talbot College
• Pembrokeshire College
• Pontypridd College
• St Davids VI Form College
• Swansea College
• Treloar College
• Welsh College of Horticulture
• Yale College of Wrexham
• Ystrad Mynach College

• Education by country
• Community college
• Continuing education
• Graduate school
• Lifelong learning
• Technical and Further Education (Australia)
• National Union of Students of the United Kingdom
• Vocational education
• AoC NILTA
• Workers Educational Association