This paper is about HE in FE (higher education in further education) in England. The content reflects on the nature of this form of higher education by presenting research findings from a qualitative inductive research study. The policy-makers ideally wish to see higher education leading to vocational expertise and employability. The research has explored whether or not the perceptions of the policy-makers are shared by selected academics and students. The research findings reveal that although some of the participants reflect some of the views of the policy-makers, other interpretations of HE in FE are present that differ from the policy documents. The paper interprets this educational context according to a theoretical framework that is based on interpreting theories of literacy as social practice. This enables the content to make an original contribution in knowledge to an under-researched form of higher education in England.