Raising Expectations – Government Response

Plans to give local authorities more say over the education of young people and to streamline the adult skills system have received broad support according to government ministers.

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Children, Schools and Families have recently published two documents. The first, Raising Expectations: Enabling the System to Deliver – Summary of the Events and Written Responses summarises the responses to the 12-week consultation on the proposed Machinery of Government reforms.

The second, Raising Expectations: Enabling the System to Deliver – Update and Next Steps lays out the next steps following the consultation and answers some of the most frequently asked questions about the proposed new arrangements, including how the new Skills Funding Agency and Young People’s Learning Agency will work together.

The responses to the consultation, which was launched in March, will continue to be taken into account throughout the reform process. These reforms will require legislation, which will be included in the Education and Skills Bill (session four) due to be published in draft later this year.

Bill Rammell, Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, said:

“We want everyone to have the opportunity to improve their skills, whether that is to get a job or get on at work. The proposals we published in March will mean that the system is better set up to meet the demands of both students and employers and will build on the success of the Learning and Skills Council who are currently taking forward the skills agenda. I am pleased that our proposals have been supported by the sector.”

Welcoming the responses to the Machinery of Government consultation, Schools Minister Jim Knight said:

“By giving funding directly to local authorities we are ensuring that all young people will get the education or training they need to get a good job and make the most of their talents. But it is vital that this is done right, so that money gets to where it is needed and local authorities are equipped to respond to the needs of young people. That is why the responses to our consultation will be an invaluable part of the process of making these changes work.

“By 2010 every 16- and 17-year-old will have a vibrant and exciting menu of options from Apprenticeships, to Diplomas, A Levels and GCSEs. We are ensuring that young people can access the right qualifications and courses to fulfil their potential.”

After careful consideration of the options for the location of the new agencies, which included an assessment of value for money, ministers have decided that the national offices of both the Skills Funding Agency and the Young People’s Learning Agency will be based in Coventry.

LSC Reports FE Success

As some of you may have seen in the specialist press, the LSC’s annual report is reporting record success rates for further education.

The Annual Report catalogues success stories in engaging young people, adults and employers in raising their ambitions, developing their skills and improving their careers and life opportunities. Highlights include:

• More than 350,000 adults (a 16 per cent increase on the previous year) have taken part in a Skills for Life programme during the academic year 2006/07;
• From the roll out of Train to Gain in April 2006 to the end of March 2008, the service engaged with 88,000 employers and 420,000 learners;
• Completion rates for Apprenticeships have increased to 63%, up from 53% in 2005/06; Almost 2.3 million people have achieved the first qualification in literacy, language or numeracy; and
• More than 1.5 million young people are in education and training.

Colleges To Be Licensed?

New proposals from the government will mean that in the future colleges must acquire a licence from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) if they want to sponsor overseas students. This news story is reported on the ATL website, and in detail at eGov monitor.

Unions’ Model Agreement For Academies

The TUC, along with the six teaching and school support unions in England, has launched a model agreement to help secure pay and conditions for academy staff that are at least as favourable as those enjoyed by staff in all other state schools.

The agreement aims to give unions greater recognition in academies, improve their negotiating position and allow reps the right to have time off for union duties.

The agreement has been signed by the teaching unions (ATL, NASUWT and NUT) and the unions representing support and other professional school staff (GMB, UNISON and Unite).

The agreement follows a key recommendation from last year’s TUC report on academies – A New Direction – which called on the Government to require academies to recognise unions on the same basis as other schools. It also urged Ministers to offer pay and conditions to academy staff that are at least as favourable as the national frameworks for staff in maintained schools.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: “The attitude of academies towards unions so far has been mixed, with some showing scant regard for the role of unions in representing the workforce. All academies need to engage with all the school workforce unions and today’s agreement is an important step towards achieving this.

‘Ultimately the Government must change the regulations so that academies are no longer exempt from the national rules that all other schools follow regarding pay, conditions and union recognition. Otherwise, we could end up with a two-tier workforce in our schools, which would be a disaster for teachers and support staff, schools and, most importantly, our children.”