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Today, Lord Sainsbury’s Report of the Independent Panel on Technical Education and the accompanying Post-16 Skills Plan have both been published. The report has been long-awaited and will have a significant impact on the awarding sector, and especially on the development of post-16 qualifications.

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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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A recently released report has stated that better understanding is needed of why young people choose oversubscribed career paths. The AELP-published study, Routes into Work… it’s alright for some, aimed to explain why youth unemployment has remained high as the economy recovers.

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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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More learners than ever are achieving Level 3 vocational qualifications, while the number of learners taking A Levels has fallen. The number of learners earning Level 3 vocational qualifications by the age of 19 rose by 0.8% in 2015 to 18.4%, representing an increase of more than 15% over the previous 10 years. In contrast, the number of learners studying A Levels has fallen by 0.3%; this is the first time the number has fallen since 2008.

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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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We’ve recently celebrated National Apprenticeship Week and saw the Annual Apprenticeship Conference 2016 take place. Apprenticeships are still at the forefront of the education sector, but are perceptions of the programmes improving outside of the sector? Apprenticeships have long been perceived as a secondary route for young people to take in their education, particularly in comparison to A Levels or university. One of the key Ofsted Annual Report 2014-15 findings was that some schools and colleges weren’t promoting Apprenticeships equally, with many still pushing university as the default route. We’ve also seen anecdotal evidence to suggest that parents have been inclined to think the same way, and it’s often down to a lack of information on Apprenticeships.

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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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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has voiced his support for lifelong learning and the vital role that Further Education colleges play in this. Speaking at the University and College Union’s (UCU) Cradle to Grave conference, Mr Corbyn highlighted the necessity of access to education at any age, in a time when the UK faces a troubling skills gap crisis.

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The National Union of Students launched its #FEunplugged campaign on 29 January, with the aim of making sure that the learner’s voice is heard in the area review process. This builds on growing concerns in the sector that the area review process is being pushed through without due consideration for the institutions it will affect.

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Blog posts for tags:Vocational, Colleges

Sainsbury Review and Post-16 Skills Plan published

Key points from Ofqual corporate plan

Choosing the right career path

What does the future hold for Technical and Professional Education?

Vocational achievement on the rise

Improving social mobility through education

The changing perceptions of Apprenticeships

Saving vocational qualifications

Further Education is "crucial" and must be protected

Keep learners at the heart of area reviews

Authors

Lindsay Plumpton

David Grailey

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Esme Winch

Michael Lemin

Categories

Archive

Blog posts for tags:Vocational, Colleges

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Authors

Lindsay Plumpton

David Grailey

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Esme Winch

Michael Lemin

Categories

Archive