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Every year, Ofsted releases an annual report looking at the key findings and emerging themes from “over 5,000 inspections of schools, colleges and providers of further education and skills.” We've pulled together the key highlights for Further Education from the report for you. Adult Learning

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It was recently announced that most graduates are in non-graduate jobs, a statistic that has raised further awareness of the skills gap crisis the UK is facing. Many recent reports have backed this up; a Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) study showed the UK has the worst-equipped school leavers when it comes to essential employment skills, particularly in regards to careers in business.

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It’s a new academic year which marks a new start for many. But what about those learners who aren’t quite ready to take on an Apprenticeship or start work but need a little extra support to prepare them for their future? And what about the learners who are still a little lost as to which road to take? Traineeships are short periods of training and work experience designed for these learners. The flexibility of Traineeships offers employers the opportunity to help build a pool of high quality future recruits for their sector and they’re an ideal opportunity for young people, aged 16-24, who are motivated to get a job but lack the skills and experience that employers are looking for.

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As the new academic year begins, you’ll have a new influx of fresh-faced school leavers embarking on the next stage not only of their education, but also of their life. College is going to be completely new to these learners, so how can you support them in making the successful transition from school to Further Education? Whether your new learners are taking A Levels, a Traineeship, an Apprenticeship, or another vocational option, it’s important to understand what their aims and ambitions are. However, many young people are still confused about what they want to do after leaving education, and it’s vital they’re supported with making that choice throughout their education.

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‘Open traineeships up’ plea as starts hit 5K in first quarter (p2) – the government has been urged to open up more traineeships as ‘figures show 1,700 more people started on the scheme in the first three months of 2014/15 than in the entire first half of last academic year.’ Chief Executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) Stewart Segal said that he was encouraged by the figures – but called for a relaxation to the current rule that only allows Traineeships to be delivered by Ofsted grade 1 or 2 providers.

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£142m contractor top-slicing ‘extortionate’ 40% (p1) - Learndirect, the country’s biggest Skills Funding Agency (SFA) contractor, is under scrutiny after charging ‘extortionate’ 40% management fees on its contract value. FE Week has found out this information after new ‘duties’ were introduced on 24 November requiring SFA claimants to declare what they charge their subcontractors. Apparently "Learndirect failed to meet the new duty, but the 40% top-slice was declared in its range of fees."

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Skills Minister Nick Boles has revealed that new apprenticeship frameworks will no longer have to be graded using pass, merit and distinction. Instead, it will be assessed whether apprenticeships should be graded on a ‘case by case basis’ as a compromise position. The change in direction follows concerns raised by the sector regarding apprenticeship reform. However, it will only be a small number of cases where apprenticeships will be exempt from grading and there will need to be good justification to warrant this exemption.

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‘Dramatic changes’ lie ahead with Progress 8 (p6) – The forthcoming changes to school performance tables could lead to ‘hundreds’ of schools facing government intervention. Research by the Fischer Family Trust has measured schools performance in 2013 against the new ‘Progress 8’ target (which measures schools students’ progress across a broader range of 8 subjects); under this regime 325 schools would fail to meet the new minimum standards.

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More than one angle on GCSE grading (p7) Last week saw the announcement of the new GCSE grading system, which will support the introduction of new qualifications starting in 2015. The current A to G scale will be replaced with a 9-1 numerical system, with grade 4 being equivalent to a grade C, grade 7 to a grade A and the new ‘uber-grade’ 9 given to strictly controlled group of top performers.

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MPs are set to take a closer look at the effectiveness of Apprenticeships and Traineeships for 16 to 19 year olds, it has been reported. The House of Commons Education Select Committee has called for written evidence for the inquiry; particularly looking at whether Apprenticeships and Traineeships meet employers’ needs and prepare learners for work.

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Blog posts for tag:traineeships

Ofsted annual report: Further Education headlines

Tackling the skills gap

Supporting learners into work through Traineeships

Transitioning from school to FE

Policy Corner - 17 February 2015

Policy Corner - 9 December 2014

Changes to Apprenticeship grading

Policy Corner - 3 November 2014

Policy Corner - 9 October 2014

Apprenticeships and Traineeships to go under the spotlight

Authors

Lindsay Plumpton

David Grailey

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Esme Winch

Michael Lemin

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Blog posts for tag:traineeships

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Authors

Lindsay Plumpton

David Grailey

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Esme Winch

Michael Lemin

Categories

Archive