Learning and Skills Section

 

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Understanding NEETs - lessons for policy and practice

This report summarises the presentations and discussion at an LSIS seminar with John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, to discuss the findings and implications of a major research project with young people and adults outside of employment, education and training.

Download the report

YPLA - National Commissioning Framework

Developed by the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA), the National Commissioning Framework sets out the new system for planning, commissioning and funding education and training for young people in England.

The National Commissioning Framework and its annexes  scope out a new system to plan and manage around £10 billion of public funds and sets out in some detail the roles and responsibilities of all the participants in the process.

An independent Single Equality Impact Assessment of the consultation draft National Commissioning Framework was undertaken, and informed the development of the final documents.

Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) Research Reports 2009-2010

A summary report outlining the key findings, issues and recommendations arising from the research reports can be found on the LLUK website. The summary includes the following reports:
  • Staff Individualised Records (SIR)
  • Further Education in England Workforce Reforms awareness and implementation survey
  • Further Education in England Sector Skills Assessment
  • Impact of Standards and Qualifications on Further Education in England providers
  • Training Provision for Skills for Life Teachers

The summary report plus the full reports can be found by clicking here.

To find out more about LLUK's research work, or to get involved, contact the research team at research@lluk.org

Additional further education video case studies released

Lifelong Learning UK has released additional case studies to enhance our source of useful and relevant case studies which cover the wider further education sector.

The new case studies focus on specialist colleges and the continuing professional development of teachers/tutors/trainers.

A complete list of further education case studies can be found at http://www.lluk.org/case-studies.htm. Video case studies are available for use on your own website.

For enquires about the case studies please contact the communications team at marketing@lluk.org

Employability application guide arrives

Through consultation with stakeholders and the relevant community of practice, Lifelong Learning UK have produced an application guide that defines the skills, knowledge and understanding that any teacher, tutor or trainer will need to support the development of employability skills in their learners.

The application guide focuses on the four personal skills required of learners to progress in the world of work.
These are:

  • Self-management
  • Thinking and problem solving
  • Working together and communicating
  • Understanding the business.

The guide is an application of 'The New Overarching Professional Standards for Teachers, Tutors and Trainers in the Lifelong Learning Sector' and provides detail for the standards relating to employability.

To download a copy of the guide please visit www.lluk.org

 

LSIS Guide to Services 2010-11

The new LSIS Guide to Services is out today highlighting the extensive range of programmes on offer to the learning and skills sector.

The guide, entitled LSIS: accelerating the drive for excellence, provides an overview of all the programmes LSIS offers as well as highlighting forthcoming events and resources available to the FE sector.

The comprehensive 57-page prospectus also features guidelines on how to enrol on a programme or sign up for a conference with all the programmes categorised by symbols to enable practitioners, leaders, managers and organisations to find exactly the courses geared for them.

Information on all the other services LSIS provides is also featured as well as details on signing up for an LSIS account- the virtual credit scheme which allows organisations to pay for courses and conferences.

Download the guide


Workforce Wheel: Outcomes tool

How effective is your organisation's workforce?

The Workforce Wheel is a tool that takes an outcomes approach to all aspects of people management.

The Wheel is easy-to-use and aims to help voluntary and community organisations understand where they want to get to as they grow into their full potential. Effectively, it is a model of a high performing organisation with strong leadership.

The Wheel is intended to be used as a joint process involving a range of people - managers, staff, trustees and volunteers. It can be completed with an external facilitator, such as an advisor or development worker, or with an internal facilitator such as a trustee.

Upon completing the tool and identifying where you are as an organisation, you can then develop a plan to address the areas you are weakest in and build on where you are doing well.

The Workforce Wheel is one of a family of tools available from NCVO that take an outcomes approach to organisational capacity building. Others include Governance and Sustainable Funding.

Download the Workforce Wheel (.pdf, 405Kb).

 

Developing Learners' Employability Skills

An application of the new overarching professional standards for teachers, tutors and trainers in the lifelong learning sector.

Through consultation with stakeholders and the relevant community of practice, Lifelong Learning UK have produced an application guide that defines the skills, knowledge and understanding that any teacher, tutor or trainer will need to support the development of employability skills in their learners.

Download the Application Guide - Developing Learners' Employability Skills

 

LSIS Brief Guide - National Employer Skills Survey for England 2009: Key findings report (March 2010)

LSIS summarise the UK Commission for Employment and Skills' National Employer Skills Survey for England: key findings report and detail the implications for the learning and skills sector and for LSIS. The report covers the incidence, extent and nature of skills needs facing employers. It examines skill-shortage vacancies, skills gaps and upskilling plans and also reviews employer training activity and training spend. The report also looks in particular at the impact of recession on employers' activities.

Download the Guide

 

The Quality Assurance System for Post-16 Education and Training Provision: Overarching Framework

The Quality Assurance System clarifies the roles and responsibilities of providers of post-16 education and training; local authorities; the Young People's Learning Agency; the Skills Funding Agency; and other delivery partners in ensuring that learning programmes are of the highest quality. It takes account of how young people's and adult learning will be managed and supported from 1 April 2010.

The Quality Assurance System describes the annual process for reviewing provider performance and sets out some of the evidence which may be taken into account during this process.

The Overarching Framework will be supported by further guidance, some of which is already available. A link to the Overarching Framework can be found here (PDF, 642 Kb) .

If you have any queries regarding the Quality Assurance system please send them to qasmailbox@bis.gsi.gov.uk.

 

2009-10 further education research reports

In 2009-10, Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) conducted various pieces of research work covering the wider further education sector in England.

A summary report outlining the key findings, issues and recommendations arising from the research reports can be found on the LLUK website. The summary includes the following reports:

  • Staff Individualised Records (SIR)
  • Further Education in England Workforce Reforms awareness and implementation survey
  • Further Education in England Sector Skills Assessment
  • Impact of Standards and Qualifications on Further Education in England providers
  • Training Provision for Skills for Life Teachers

The summary report plus the full reports can be found by clicking here.

To find out more about LLUK's research work, or to get involved, contact the research team.


Additional further education video case studies released

Lifelong Learning UK has released additional case studies to enhance our source of useful and relevant case studies which cover the wider further education sector.

The new case studies focus on specialist colleges and the continuing professional development of teachers/tutors/trainers.

A complete list of further education case studies can be found at http://www.lluk.org/case-studies.htm. Video case studies are available for use on your own website.

For enquires about the case studies please contact the communications team.


Employability application guide arrives

Through consultation with stakeholders and the relevant community of practice, Lifelong Learning UK have produced an application guide that defines the skills, knowledge and understanding that any teacher, tutor or trainer will need to support the development of employability skills in their learners.

The application guide focuses on the four personal skills required of learners to progress in the world of work.
These are:

  • Self-management
  • Thinking and problem solving
  • Working together and communicating
  • Understanding the business.

The guide is an application of 'The New Overarching Professional Standards for Teachers, Tutors and Trainers in the Lifelong Learning Sector' and provides detail for the standards relating to employability.

To download a copy of the guide please visit www.lluk.org

 

Learner Eligibility Guidance 2010/11

This document, Learner Eligibility Guidance for 2010/11 sets out the LSC successor bodies approach to, and the authoritative guidance for, learner eligibility across the various funding streams for 2010/11.;;It is a technical reference document and should be used with the other various funding guidance booklets that will be issued for 2010/11. All colleges, providers and other organisations that receive funding from LSC successor bodies for the provision of further and adult education are required to comply with this Guidance.

Download the guide (pdf - 163 kb)

 

Shadow SFA Internal Operational Guidance

The shadow Skills Funding Agency has produced internal guidance for its staff on managing provision during 2009/10. This guidance covers the main funding streams for post-19 delivery. Whilst this document is produced for internal staff, colleges and providers may also find it useful.

Download the Guidance

 

Skills for Growth

Skills for Growth: a national strategy for economic growth and individual prosperity published by BIS, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Skills are a key part of the BIS plan for economic recovery, and an urgent challenge. This country's future can only be built by people who have the skills demanded by modern work in a globalised economy. Skilled people are more productive and more innovative. Skills give individuals wider options; they climb higher, earn more and get more out of work. And skilled people are the foundation of successful businesses.
How will we rise to this challenge?

On Wednesday 11 November BIS published Skills for Growth: a national strategy for economic growth and individual prosperity. It takes some important decisions and marks a radical shift in some of the priorities of our skills system.

To download the Strategy Documents, Videos and Transcripts visit the BIS web site

 

LSIS user guide to self-assessment and improvement planningThis is a practical guide to self-assessment and improvement planning for providers in the learning and skills sector.

You can also find up-to-date references to policy (including changes to inspection), useful tools, links to information and examples of good practice here.

Also, the latest Common Inspection Framework for FE and Skills providers is now available, see below.

Download the LSIS user guide to self-assessment and improvement planning

 

Ofsted Common Inspection Framework for further education and skills 2009

The Common inspection framework for further education and skills 2009 - the common inspection framework - was devised by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector in line with the Education and Inspection Act 2006.

It is based on the common evaluation schedule which informs all of Ofsted's inspections. It sets out the judgements inspectors will make during inspection.

Download the Common Inspection Framework for further education and skills 2009

 

Improving awareness of voluntary sector organisations

Department for Children, Schools and Families commits itself to improving awareness of voluntary organisations, improving commissioning and communicating more effectively after third sector strategy publication.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has published a strategy for how it will work with third sector organisations. The document, Third Sector Strategy and Action Plan: Intention into Action, was produced in partnership with the department's third sector group.

Click here to find out more!The DCSF commits itself to improving awareness of the importance of the third sector among its partners and at a local level, improving the standard of third sector commissioning, involving the third sector in the design of services and communicating more effectively with third sector organisations.

James Cathcart, chief executive of the British Youth Council, one of the organisations on the DCSF third sector group, said the strategy lacked detail, but showed positive intent from the department

 

Next Generation Learning - The Implementation Plan for 2009-2012: Technology Strategy for Further Education, Skills and Regeneration - June 2009

The plan was first published in April 2008, covering the period to 2011. It is now updated to 2012, building on the progress made during the past year. You can read about this at www.becta.org.uk/feandskills/achievements0809 . We have written this version for practitioners, leaders and managers working in the further education (FE) system, for their representative bodies and interest groups and for national agencies and policy makers.

By FE, we mean the wide range of organisations that make up the learning and skills sector and the national partners responsible for planning, funding and quality improvement.

If you would like to offer your views on how technology could be used in the FE system, please join the conversations at http://altogethernow.ning.com and http://collaboration.becta.org.uk . We want to hear from colleges and providers, especially those that have not yet managed to be drawn in, and from learners and employers too.

We will report the progress of this plan on the Becta site (www.becta.org.uk) and our campaign site (www.nextgenerationlearning.org.uk) in newsletters and via other channels.

Download "Next Generation Learning - The Implementation Plan for 2009-2012: Technology Strategy for Further Education, Skills and Regeneration - June 2009"

 

Young people, education and employment: The NEET Tracker

This partnership between the Institute for Public Policy and Research, ippr, and the Private Equity Foundation will provide up-to-date information to practitioners and policymakers about the challenges facing young people not in employment, education or training in the midst of recession.

ippr and the Private Equity Foundation have come together to produce a quarterly newsletter aimed at everyone working with young people in the UK. The newsletter will provide an overview and commentary on new research, policy and data, with a particular focus on young people not in employment, education or training ('NEETs').

Our focus will be the effects of recession on vulnerable young people and the newsletter will cover diverse topics, including education, health, crime, employment and well-being. The newsletter - which we are calling the 'NEET Tracker' - will deliver accessible information and resources for busy professionals, as well as providing a space for opinion and debate.

Each newsletter will include:

  • New statistics at a glance
  • Research and policy round-up
  • Case studies and best practice, from the UK and abroad
  • Opinion pieces and commentary
  • Interviews with experts in policy, practice and academia
  • Debates and feedback

The first issue will be available in June 2009. If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter, please contact Kayte Lawton (k.lawton@ippr.org / 020 7470 6169). The newsletter will also be available from our website.

We would also like to hear from organisations and individuals who might have useful information, insights or case studies to contribute to the newsletter, so please contact Kayte about this too.

 
The Learning Revolution

On 23 March 2009 DIUS published the long-awaited White Paper on informal adult learning 'The Learning Revolution'.

NAVCA was pleased to be one of the early signatories to the informal learning pledge and to be chosen as the lead body to bring together a Third Sector Forum which will encourage joint working, build new partnerships and develop new delivery models to widen participation and reach out to new learners.

Anyone interested in discussing this development please contact John Harris on john.harris@navca.org.uk see also http://www.navca.org.uk/stratwork/learning/diusconsult.htm

To download the White Paper visitthe DIUS web site

 

Information Authority Annual Report 2007-08

"Raising the Standard"

The Information Authority set data standards for Further Education.

This is the first annual report of the information authority, including views from the board and secretariat, our achievements for 2007-08, and our priorities for 2008-09.

Download the Annual Report

 
  
Handbook for inspecting work-related and adult and community learning

This handbook provides guidance on inspection for inspectors and will be of use to providers of work-based learning, of adult and community learning, of provision funded by the Department of Work and Pensions, of learndirect provision, of nextstep provision, and of provision funded by the European Social Fund.

Please note, this document (particulalry in Word Format) is a large file and will take a little while to download. The download link below will open the Ofsted web site in a new browser window, offering the option to download the document in either Word or PDF format.

The handbook has been updated to cover the period September 2008 to August 2009. It includes new sections on the Framework for Excellence and the inspection of provision for children and vulnerable adults safeguarding).There is also further guidance on the inspection of equality of opportunity as well as updates to inspection remits.

Download the Handbook for inspecting work-related and adult and community learning

  
 
Reforms to the training, qualifications and continuing professional development (CPD) of teachers, tutors, trainers, and instructors.

Published by Lifelong Learning UK, this guidance is of relevance if you are responsible for the management of organisations that receive funding from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) to deliver Adult and Community Learning (ACL) or Offender Learning and Skills. The types of organisations that this applies to will also include Third Sector organisations and Local Authorities. It is also relevant if you are responsible for the development of staff who work in such organisations. You will need to understand the reforms, how they impact on your staff and what they need to do. The guidance will also be helpful for those who teach in these organisations.

Download "Reforms to the training, qualifications and continuing professional development (CPD) of teachers, tutors, trainers, and instructors".

 
Qualifications and Credit Framework Support Materials

Guidance documents have been developed to provide a clearer understanding of the technical features of the framework.

Documents available from the QCF web site include:

  • Level descriptors for positioning units in the QCF (version 2)
  • Guidance for using the level descriptors (version 2)
  • Guidance for submitting rules of combination (version 2)
  • Guidance for developing rules of combination (version 2)
  • Guidelines for writing credit-based units of assessment (version 2)
  • Imported units guidance

The are available from the QCA's QCF web pages, and have been revised in light of feedback from the tests and trials. The documents will be updated again in the autumn and will available in hard copy from the QCA order line.

 
Improved Services to People with Learning Disabilities

This Department of Health report emphasises the need for unity of thinking around strategic intent, funding allocations and performance review. The report is founded on principles of citizenship and social inclusion, the thrust of 'Valuing People', and is fully in line with the government's vision for adult social care.

Click here to visit the web site where you can view or download the main report. In addition you will be able to download both the Executive Summary and an Easy Read version of the report. 

 

Skills for Communities - A NIACE Guide

People with lower levels of literacy, language (also known as English for Speakers of other Languages or ESOL) and numeracy may be excluded in our society. It is important to build the confidence of individuals and communities to use these skills in every aspect of our lives.

Visit the NIACE Skills for Communities website where you will be able to view and download the guide for people working in and with communities. It will help you understand more about how literacy, language and numeracy issues may affect people you work with, the services you offer and what you and your organisation can do about it. The guide consists of a general section explaining some of the issues followed by brief specialist sections that put this in context for people in different agencies or settings.

 
Workforce Strategy for the Further Education Sector in England, 2007-2012

Implementation Plan: Transforming the future FE Workforce to become a force for change.

The intention of this plan is to guide the recruitment and retention of a responsive workforce that can meet the challenges and requirements of learners and employers focusing on upgrading skills, improving employability and ensuring equality and diversity is at the heart of it all.

Visit the Lifelong Learning UK web site to download the Workforce Strategy Implementation Plan.