DIUS FE and Skills e-Newsletter

Audience: FE college principals and other training providers in the sector

The Secretaries of State for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has today issued a joint Grant Letter to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for the 2008-09 financial year. The Grant Letter sets out the priorities and budget for the LSC for the period of the Comprehensive Spending Review beginning April 2008, and reflects the strategic direction set by the new Public Service Agreement targets.

This is the first Grant Letter following the creation of the two new Departments. The shared commitment of DIUS and DCSF to strengthen our adult skills base and secure the integrated support necessary for young people, their families and communities will provide the framework for the work of the LSC and the FE sector more widely in the coming three years.

Priorities include taking forward the next stage of the 14-19 reforms and the actions set out in 'World Class Skills', including innovative and flexible approaches to learning and the closer integration of employment and skills, and driving forward a real change in culture so that more employers and adults invest in learning for their own success and well-being.

Audience: FE college principals/governors, independent providers, specialist colleges, sixth form colleges, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers (all post-16 providers).

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Statement of Priorities is due to be published shortly. This will set out the planned expenditure on further education and skills over the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) period (2008-09 to 2010-11) and detail the funding strategy that will support this. Following the publication of Delivering World Class Skills earlier this year, the statement also confirms the new funding models and underpinning funding methodology for implementation in 2008/09 as well as a description of how a demand-led system will operate.

The document will be available via the LSC website once published.

• Learning and Skills Council

John Denham and his Ministerial team are visiting FE colleges and providers and Chief Executives of training companies around the country to see first hand the work they are doing. Ministers are using the visits to listen to the views of staff and students on the new Department of Universities and Skills and its key policies.

Since June 2007, they have visited the following colleges and providers:

• Waltham Forest Community Learning and Skills Service
• Sheffield College
• Gateshead College
• College of North West London
• Bury College
• Manchester Middleton Training
• Westminster Kingsway College
• Huddersfield College
• Park Lane College Leeds
• Newcastle College
• City and Islington College
• South Birmingham College
• South Trafford College
• South Thames College

In addition, Bill Rammell is half way through a series of regional meetings with FE college principals to hear views from front line practitioners and discuss the key issues facing FE.

Audience: Everyone in the FE system.

Following the Machinery of Government changes announced on 28th June, a programme of work is underway to manage the transfer of 16-18 funding, currently delivered by the Learning and Skills Council, to Local Authorities. Changes will be subject to full consultation and the passing of the necessary legislation.

There are two strands to this work, which we are conducting with partners:

• The transfer of 16-18 funding to local authorities, and
• The implications of this on the shape of the post-19 landscape.

In November we will publish a statement of objectives and principles in the form of a letter to our stakeholders, and a formal consultation will be launched in January followed by a series of consultation events during the Spring. We need your expertise and experience to ensure a smooth and effective transition so please take the time to contribute to our consultation next year.

Audience: FE Colleges, work-based learning providers, adult education services, people working in the sector (teachers, trainers) and stakeholders.

On 15 November 22 young people from across the UK will begin a gruelling 22 hour, 4 day skills competition in Japan, representing the UK in a range of skills from bricklaying and joinery to hairdressing and IT in the 2007 WorldSkills Competition.

WorldSkills is an international skills competition held every two years, where 48 member countries compete in 40 different vocational skills. The ultimate prizes are Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, with Diplomas of Excellence awarded to those who achieve a defined international standard.

UK Skills, a not for profit organisation which champions skills and learning for work, organises the UK entry to the WorldSkills Competition. In May 2006, UK Skills, with its partners, led a successful bid to host the 2011 WorldSkills Competition in London. In preparation for this high profile international competition, UK Skills is working with a number of partners (including DIUS, LSC, SSDA, QIA and the Devolved Administrations) to ensure that both the event itself and the UK team deliver award winning performances in 2011.

UK Skills want to encourage more individuals to enter skills competitions at both national and international level, and encourage more employers, work-based learning providers and colleges to get involved in competitions. UK Skills oversees 'WorldSkills UK' a network of 70 skills competitions running across the UK. Top performers in many of these competitions may get the opportunity to represent the UK at WorldSkills.

There are numerous benefits to getting involved in skills competitions; competitions help develop the skills of those who enter, they also associate the colleges, work-based learning providers and employers of those who win with excellence.

It isn't just competitors UK Skills are looking for, they also need to recruit organisations and individuals to help run, host, judge and sponsor competitions, as well as professionals to come forward and train and mentor the next generation of WorldSkills talent.

To find out more about entering skills competitions contact: 0800 612 0742 or email worldskillsuk@ukskills.org.uk

To find out more about running, hosting, judging or sponsoring competitions email: competition.info@ukskills.org.uk

To find out more about mentoring future competitors email: competition.info@ukskills.org.uk

The document will be available via the LSC website once published

• UK Skills
• World Skills London 2011
• World Skills

Audience: FE colleges, work-based learning providers, people working in the sector (teachers, trainers etc), stakeholders/Partners with an interest in FE (e.g., QIA, QCA etc).

The Further Education and Training Act 2007 received Royal Assent on 23 October. Most of its provision will be brought into force through specific commencement orders, made at least two months after Royal Assent.

The Act enables key aspects of the further education reforms described in the March 2006 White Paper. It includes:

• powers enabling further education institutions in England to award their own foundation degrees;
• provision enabling the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to intervene in the management of unsatisfactory further education provision;
• new requirements on the LSC and further education institutions to have regard to guidance on consultation with learners, potential learners and employers;
• provision for a restructuring of and new duties on the LSC;
• provision for specifying bodies to set strategies about how the LSC will exercise its functions in a particular area;
• provision enabling the Secretary of State to require all principals to achieve a leadership qualification;
• measures to facilitate the use of new and innovative delivery models, such as trusts and mergers; and
• provision widening the scope for the LSC to deliver shared services.

• The Act and Explanatory Notes

Audience: Principals and heads of providers and others within their organisations

Three challenge groups, led by independent chairs and with strong sector membership, are leading the drive to simplify policy implementation, communication and information collection and reporting across the FE sector.

The FE and Training Bureaucracy Reduction Group reviews the operation of existing policies and scrutinises the design and implementation of new policies to challenge unnecessary administrative burdens in the FE and Training Sector. The Group agrees its own work plan and reports to the DIUS Secretary of State and the LSC Chair. Its chair is Christine Tyler, retired principal of Eccles College.

The FE Publications Practitioner Panel defines and promotes standards for producing good quality publications for the FE system, as part of a communications gateway. It reviews drafts of new DIUS, DCSF and Learning and Skills Council (LSC) publications intended primarily for FE providers. The panel is chaired by Sally Dicketts, Principal of Oxford and Cherwell Valley College.

The information authority takes decisions on the data standards that will be used in collection and reporting and decides what data items will be collected, how often and to what quality as well as agreeing how information will be used, reported and disseminated. The principles of the information authority are to ensure that use of data is maximised and burden minimised. The information authority is chaired by Graham Jones, former Principal and Chief Executive of Sutton Coldfield College.

• Bureaucracy Reduction Group
• The Information Authority

Audience: FE sector colleges and workplace learning providers; stakeholders e.g. QIA and people working in the sector.

The UK-wide VQRP is intended to result in an increase in the number of learners undertaking and completing accredited vocational qualifications; and employers and learners having more clarity about and appreciation of the offer, value and currency of vocational qualifications.

The key strategy for achieving these outcomes is to make the system demand-led, in two key ways.

• By giving SSCs a much stronger role in identifying the vocational qualifications needed, advising the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) on those vocational qualifications which should be publicly funded, and being responsible for approving vocational qualifications for accreditation.
• By giving employers and providers a greater range of options for having their own training nationally accredited.

Other key aspects of the VQRP:

• Learners' achievements will be recorded in a Learner Achievement Record which shows the credit learners gain as they complete units.
• Learners will have better progression routes, including into HE.
• A Qualifications & Credit Framework (QCF) is being developed to replace the National Qualifications Framework for vocational qualifications. Based on unitised and more clearly titled vocational qualifications, it will improve understanding and increase flexibility for employers and learners.
• Funding methods are being changed to suit the reformed system.

Through 2006-2008 the changes to the system are being tested and a range of approaches are being piloted. A final report on the QCF is being delivered to Ministers in July 2008.

The first reformed vocational qualification was awarded Dec '06, but significant number of learners will only start reformed vocational qualifications from Sept '08, assuming acceptance of the summer '08 report. All vocational qualifications should be within the new system by the end of 2010.

Scotland already has a unit- and credit-based vocational qualification system and there will be fewer changes to the system there than in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. There will, however, be smooth read-across between the new system in England, Wales and NI; and the Scottish and European systems.

• Leading learning and skills
• Qualifications and Curriculum Authority

Audience: FE college principals, lecturers and staff, learning providers and adult education teachers and trainers

Since their introduction in the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), Public Service Agreements (PSAs) have played a vital role in public service delivery.

2007 CSR announces 30 new PSAs setting the vision for the Government's priority outcomes over the CSR07 period. The new PSAs set out the key priority outcomes the Government wants to achieve in the next spending period 2008-2011.

The three PSAs relevant to FE, HE and at 19 are tabled below with their outcome-focussed performance indicators which will be used to measure progress. Visit the HM treasury website for more information about other PSAs.

• Public Service Agreements Tables

Audience: College Estate Managers, and other members of the senior management team or professional project team involved with capital projects

The LSC, in association with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)have launched a website to advise the Further Education sector on the design of its colleges and offer guidance to providers embarking on major capital projects. Aimed primarily at college principals and senior management teams, the web-based guidance tool provides information on both the process and the design elements of a capital project and provides colleges with examples of best practice from within the sector. The website is also designed to guide the professional project teams that support colleges and will be updated periodically to reflect development and innovation in building design and technology. It will allow users to access information which is particular to their own needs, and will also deliver information on areas of importance such as sustainability and ICT.

Visit the website at http://designguidance.lsc.gov.uk

• LSC Design Guidance Website

Audience: All leaders and teaching/training staff in FE sector

The Government is committed to a well qualified and professional workforce across the further education sector. To achieve this important reforms to the training and qualifications of all teachers, tutors, trainers, lecturers and instructors have taken effect from September 2007. The reforms include:

• revised teaching qualifications for new teachers and a professional status for all teachers in community learning and development, further education, offender learning and work based learning.
• continuing professional development requirements for all teachers.
• principals' qualifications for all newly appointed principals of further education institutions.

These reforms have an impact right across the sector. Read about how they affect you and your organisation at www.lifelonglearninguk.org/3272.htm

• Further Education Workforce Reforms
• Lifelong Learning UK
• Centre for Excellence in Leadership

Audience: All leaders and staff in FE sector

The new DIUS website is now live. Visit it at http://www.dius.gov.uk for information and the latest news on the role of DIUS, our Ministers and policy developments about science, innovation, higher education and, of course, skills and further education. On the further education (http://www.dius.gov.uk/furthereducation) page, you'll find sections on the New Relationship, the FE workforce reforms, reducing bureaucracy, safeguarding, the National Improvement Strategy, Apprenticeships and FE funding and much more. Visit the DCSF website for more information on reducing bureaucracy. The skills page (http://www.dius.gov.uk/skills) covers 'World Class Skills', the Skills Campaign, Skills for Life and information for employers, learners and providers.

Audience: FE Principals, Chief Executives of Training Providers

Involving partners in developing our policies and reforms on FE and skills is essential and we are doing this in a number of ways. We have a number of national stakeholder groups:

• The Ministerial Standing Group on FE is chaired by Bill Rammell and advises on implementing FE reforms and strategy.
• The FE Sounding Panel is also chaired by Bill Rammell and provides an opportunity for college principals and learning providers to discuss current issues with the Minister. The Panel has a rolling membership. FE Sounding Panel
• The FE Reform Board oversees the delivery of the FE reform programme
• The 14-19 Programme Board is chaired by Jon Coles (Director of 14-19 Reform Group). It enables key 14-19 delivery partners to play a strategic role in the delivery of the 14-19 Programme as a whole and ensures that these partners manage their particular remits in line with the overall needs of the Programme. Members of the 14-19 Programme Board are 14-19 management, leads from 14-19 delivery partners and key stakeholders.

In addition to these groups policy areas engage with FE providers and national stakeholders through consultations and other mechanisms. Ministers and senior staff in both DIUS and DCSF regularly visit providers and have regular formal meetings with national stakeholders and representative bodies.

Audience: All leaders and teaching/training staff in FE sector

Please note that the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) changed email and telephone numbers on Monday 12 November 2007.

The new email address convention is: Firstname.secondname@qia.org.uk. Previous email addresses will not work and emails sent to them will not be forwarded.

QIA's switchboard (0870 1620 632), fax (0870 1620 633) and helpline (0870 2113 434) numbers remain the same. 11-digit direct lines will change: the first 9 numbers change from 05511 4377 to 02476 6279, with the last two digits remaining unchanged. Mobile numbers are unchanged.

QIA's website is www.qia.org.uk.

• www.qia.org.uk

Audience: All staffing, all providers

The Commission for Disabled Staff in Lifelong Learning, coordinated by NIACE, aims to investigate and report on current practices in the employment of disabled people in the lifelong learning sector in order to make recommendations that positively influence culture and practice and promote career opportunities for disabled people.

Please respond by November 16th 2007 if you have personal experiences and information about employment practices to contribute to our evidence base. Visit http://www.niace.org.uk/projects/commissionfordisabledstaff for further details.

Please respond by 7th December 2007 to our interim report consultation questions http://www.niace.org.uk/projects/commissionfordisabledstaff

The final report will be published on 5th March 2008.

Whether you are disabled or not, working part time or full time, here's your chance to make a difference throughout the lifelong learning sector.