30 Jul FTA Continues to Enhance Learner Experience Through Continuous Improvement

As home to the Fashion Technology Academy’s (FTA) Islington campus, FC Designer Workspace is more than a creative hub for fashion businesses – it is a centre for developing the next generation of skilled garment technologists, machinists and product developers.

The Academy’s latest Interim Quality Report for 2025/26 demonstrates how ongoing investment in teaching quality, learner support and governance is delivering excellent outcomes, while reinforcing its commitment to continuous improvement.

Despite a smaller learner cohort due to reduced funding, the Academy has achieved an outstanding 98.81% learner retention rate, alongside positive progression into employment, apprenticeships and further education. More importantly, learner feedback continues to shape the way programmes are delivered.

Throughout the academic year, the FTA has introduced a range of enhancements designed to improve the learner experience, including clearer assessment materials, strengthened careers guidance, additional Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for tutors and more personalised learner support.

These improvements have been further strengthened through the expertise of Kurt Hintz, Interim Principal and CEO at HSDC Further Education Consultant, who joined the Fashion Technology Academy as a Non-Executive Director (NED) advisor following the Academy’s Ofsted inspection.

Working closely with the education team, Kurt has supported the implementation of a more robust quality assurance framework, helping ensure that learner feedback is translated into meaningful action.

One key development has been the redesign of learner surveys, providing richer insights into teaching, learning and assessment, allowing the Academy to identify opportunities for improvement more effectively and respond to learner needs more quickly.

The Academy has also continued to strengthen its approach to inclusive education. Working with SEND specialists and education providers, tutors have received additional training to better support learners with different abilities while reviewing how learner progress is monitored and how barriers to learning can be reduced.

As a result, the Fashion Technology Academy is creating an increasingly inclusive learning environment where every student can develop confidence alongside technical skills.

The benefits extend beyond the classroom. Located within FC Designer Workspace, learners are immersed in a professional fashion environment, surrounded by designers, manufacturers and industry experts. This unique ecosystem creates opportunities for collaboration while helping learners develop the workplace skills required by today’s fashion and textile industry.

Alongside its full-time education programmes, the Academy continues to deliver specialist training, apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps and industry-focused professional development courses, supporting both new entrants and experienced professionals looking to upskill.

Fashion-Enter Ltd CEO Jenny Holloway welcomed the findings of the Interim Quality Report. “I am delighted to see the Interim Quality Report from our Head of Education, Lan Leeder, who has worked with the tutors on an amazing CPD programme. We are delighted to have Kurt Hintz as a Non-Executive Director advisor for our Fashion Technology Academy and he’s been brilliant.

“We now have a new quality assurance monitoring system and I’m particularly proud of the work we’ve done in SEND provision, including working with SEND schools, reviewing how we monitor learner progress, eliminating barriers to learning and really focusing on the needs of every learner. We’re very proud of these results and thank everyone involved.”

Lan Leeder, Head of Education at Fashion-Enter Ltd and the Fashion Technology Academy, added: “It has been great working with Kurt Hintz as our NED advisor. His feedback has been invaluable, and we’ve implemented a number of recommendations, including improvements to our learner survey so we can capture even more meaningful feedback about the learner experience.

“We’ve also continued to work closely with SEN organisations, delivering specialist training and workshops that help us create an even more inclusive learning environment for students with different abilities.”

The latest quality report reflects the Academy’s philosophy of continual improvement. By listening to learners, embracing expert advice and investing in teaching excellence, the Fashion Technology Academy at FC Designer Workspace continues to strengthen its role as one of the UK’s leading centres for fashion and textile skills development.