Of interest to anyone involved in the improvement of further education provision. This conference includes a policy update and reports from the new pilots and projects that are being rolled out across the country, including the Quality Improvement Strategy, the Learning and Skills Council's Framework for Excellence Pilot and the Technology Exemplar Network Programme. The government is committed to continuing improvement and striving for excellence in all FE providers and to intervene where satisfactory provision is not being provided. Many of the recent reforms including the FE White Paper and Bill and the subsequent Further Education and Training Act 2007, along with the recommendations made in the Leitch review, highlight the need for flexibility to ensure that the needs of individuals as well as those of business are met. The recent announcement that the government is also going to raise the school leaving age to 18, reinforces the need to ensure that FE is able to respond to the demands of its learners. Key speakers: Andrew Thomson, CEO, Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) ; Bill Rammell MP, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further Education and Higher Education, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS); Barry Sheerman MP, Chairman, Children, Schools and Families Select Committee