ESFA appoints Kirsty Evans as Director of Further Education

Kirsty has 25 years’ experience working in the education and skills system, and was previously responsible for ESFA’s adult funding operations. She has been leading the FE directorate as Acting Director since April 2020 and has also overseen the co-ordination of ESFA’s response to COVID-19.

Under Kirsty’s leadership, the FE directorate will deliver key priorities including supporting the sector to engage and identify skills needs of local learners, employers and stakeholders to meet the ambitions of the FE white paper, and enabling the sector to play a vital role in building back better and supporting recovery from the pandemic through high quality skills, training and job opportunities.

The FE directorate will help to realise these priorities by working across ESFA to promote financial health and efficiency in the sector through effective oversight, monitoring and where necessary intervention, as well as ensuring that providers as users of ESFA systems and services receive timely and accurate information, allocations and payments so they are in the best position to deliver world class training and skills.