Blog posts for tags:Functional Skills, policy

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Cabinet changes in FE and skills

By Michael Lemin, Policy and Research Manager, Tuesday 19 July 2016

michael blog.jpg

It’s all change in the government. Theresa May has been sworn in as our new Prime Minister, and there is wholesale change across the political Cabinet.  In education and skills, there are several ministerial changes, and responsibility for skills, along with Higher Education, has returned to the Department for Education (DfE). We look forward to seeing how bringing education, universities, FE and Apprenticeships under one minister’s remit will ensure joined up decision making for the benefit of learners.

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Key points from Ofqual corporate plan

By Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, Policy Leader, Wednesday 18 May 2016

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Last month saw the refreshing of Ofqual’s corporate plan for 2016 through to 2019. It sets out a number of key objectives that Ofqual wants to achieve over the next 3 years, and reading between the lines, we can also get an inkling of the challenges Ofqual will be facing during that period. Ofqual has set out its key objectives in this plan; “covering standards maintenance and reform in both general and vocational qualifications, as well as our own organisational development.” This sets the theme for the plan, focusing on the introduction and regulation of new qualifications in the GCSE and Functional Skills spaces, continued rigour around Technical and Professional Education (TPE) and efficiency savings in the way Ofqual operates.

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An update on academisation

By David Grailey, Chief Executive, Wednesday 18 May 2016

David Grailey

It’s not often that education takes centre stage in British politics, but when it does, you can bet that it’ll capture public opinion. The government had probably not expected that its proposal to force all schools to convert to academies in the Educational Excellence Everywhere white paper would prove to be such a political hot potato. 

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What does the future hold for Technical and Professional Education?

By David Grailey, Chief Executive, Wednesday 18 May 2016

David Grailey

Here at NCFE we’re anticipating the forthcoming publication of the skills white paper which will, in part, include the findings of the Sainsbury Review of Technical and Professional Education (TPE).   Although this wasn’t referenced in the Queen’s Speech on 18 May as expected, rumours are that the final recommendations and report will be published at some point later, before the EU referendum Purdah begins on 27 May.

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What will the National Funding Formula bring?

By David Grailey, Chief Executive, Monday 18 April 2016

David Grailey

In March the Department for Education (DfE) published the long anticipated ‘stage one’ consultation into the National Funding Formula (NFF) for schools. The DfE believe a change to the way schools are funded will create a“fair, transparent funding system where the amount of funding children attract for their schools is based on need and is consistent across the country”. The consultation essentially proposes a transition so that by 2019-2020 “a pupil would attract the same amount of funding to his or her school no matter where they are in the country”. As the amount each pupil at a school would attract is determined on a national level, there would be less of a role for Local Authorities under these proposals.

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Improving social mobility through education

By Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, Policy Leader, Monday 18 April 2016

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Last week the House of Lords Select Committee on Social Mobility released its Overlooked and left behind: improving the transition from school to work for the majority of young people report. The report follows a 9 month inquiry in the senior chamber, and makes a series of conclusions and recommendations for the government. The committee feels that “Non-academic routes to employment are complex, confusing and incoherent. The qualifications system is similarly confused and has been subjected to continual change”. It also notes that non-academic routes don’t guarantee entry into quality employment and are poorly understood by employers.

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Budget 2016 - Employer outcomes

By , Thursday 24 March 2016

Having previously focused on the news for the education sector following the Budget 2016, here’s our update on the main outcomes for employers. It looked to be a positive Budget for employers and businesses, both big and small, as a number of tax cuts were announced.

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Saving vocational qualifications

By David Grailey, Chief Executive, Wednesday 23 March 2016

David Grailey

The Further Education sector may have avoided additional cuts in the Budget 2016 announcements, but we’re not out of the woods yet. The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) could end full funding for 524 qualifications – around 20% of the total qualifications currently fundable. The SFA held a consultation between 10 and 29 February on removing full funding from a number of qualifications for 19-23 year olds; this was met with criticism from the sector, including the Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB) because 5 of those working days fell during half term. FAB has complained directly to the SFA, as the timescale made it difficult to garner the required support from colleges and training providers. 

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What will the Adult Education Budget (AEB) bring?

By Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, Policy Leader, Tuesday 22 March 2016

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

This month saw the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) set out its qualification eligibility principles for the new Adult Education Budget (AEB), set to replace the Adult Skills Budget (ASB) from August 2016. This year, in line with the previously published Simplified Funding Rules for 2016-2017, the SFA is changing the way in which it creates an approved, publicly funded qualifications offer for learners. For 2016-2017 it’s introducing a new process that reflects both their policy to simplify the Further Education funding system and to place more of the decision making into the hands of learners, employers and localities.

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Government promises ‘Educational Excellence Everywhere’

By Michael Lemin, Policy and Research Manager, Thursday 17 March 2016

michael blog.jpg

As promised in yesterday’s Budget announcement, the government has today released a white paper on schools, entitled ‘Educational Excellence Everywhere.’ Forget the 3 ‘R’s – it’s all about the 3 ‘E’s. The key headlines include a couple of new initiatives, and some further details on policies that have been emerging for some time:

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