DIUS FE and Skills e-Newsletter

 Audience:  FE college principals/governors, 14-19 Partnerships, schools, academies, national skills academies, local authorities, training providers, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders 

The Department’s new policy framework for structural organisation within the FE system, “Further Education Colleges - Models for Success” was published on 1 August 2008 on the DIUS website. The purpose of this document is to:

• Briefly summarise our expectations of the future shape of the FE college and provider landscape;
• Describe a range of business models available to the sector;
• Set out the criteria against which future proposals to create, close or “merge” colleges will be considered, taking account of the changed environment; and so 
• Set the framework within which the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) consider proposals for structural reorganisation.
  The policy framework is supported by a decision-making toolkit and case studies setting out examples of collaborative activity - also available at www.dius.gov.uk/policy/furthereducation.html under the link at “Governance and Legal”.

“Further Education Colleges - Models for Success” and the supporting toolkit / case studies can be found at www.dius.gov.uk/policy/furthereducation.html and follow the link under “Governance and Legal”.

Contact for further information: Martin Wilson, Governance and Organisation Team, Tel: 0114 259 3121
 

Audience: All those in the FE and Skills sector

A consultation on the Draft Statutory Guidance on Forced Marriages was launched on 23 July and is open until 15 October. The guidance sets out the responsibilities of all agencies dealing with forced marriage issues.

This consultation is an opportunity for practitioners and the public to comment on the draft guidance. It lays out statutory requirements that agencies must have with regard to tackling this issue, which will build on their existing responsibilities to protect children and vulnerable adults.

The guidance will play a key role in the fight against forced marriage. It will help make sure that victims and potential victims receive the response and support they need. 

The consultation document is available to download from www.fco.gov.uk/fmconsultation

Audience:  FE college principals/governors, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders

Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education Bill Rammell wrote to all colleges in England on the 21st May to remind them of the issues surrounding forced marriage.

He outlined their responsibilities and to advise them of forthcoming materials that are now being despatched to colleges. The materials may also be of interest to other providers working with young people. Copies of the materials can be downloaded by following the link below.

Additional copies of the materials can be downloaded via the following link - http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/resources-and-practice/IG00331/

Audience: FE college principals/governors, all staff and managers of FE college and independent providers, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders

Office of Fair Trading and LLU+ at London South Bank University have organised a series of events across the UK to launch ‘Skilled to go’, a free web-based toolkit using everyday consumer situations as contexts for learning literacy and numeracy.

Developed for use in further education settings, the toolkit develops consumer skills, knowledge and confidence and has been successfully piloted in two colleges.

Skilled to go is designed for learners at Entry 3 - Level 2 (Access 3 and Intermediate 1 and 2 in Scotland), and includes content for ESOL learners. It has tailored versions for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

To find out how Skilled to go can be used to motivate and engage learners, book your place on a free launch event by contacting Trevor Jones at LLU+ on 020 7815 6260 or jonest2@lsbu.ac.uk

•  Wednesday, 10 September - London
• Friday, 12 September – Edinburgh

For more information, please check out www.oft.gov.uk/skilledtogo

Audience: All Stakeholders

Tuesday 16 September 2008 - Manchester University

The DIUS One Year on Exhibition will be packed with stimulating content – each delegate will have a personally designed agenda that will include:

• a key note speech from the Secretary of State
• informative workshops and seminars covering various aspects of the department's and stakeholders' work
• field trips
• ministerial panel
• interactive exhibition

This is a one day event, running from around 10.00 to 16.00.

Why come?

The Expo will give you the chance to learn more about DIUS and its agencies and understand our future direction, in particular how Great Britain:

• develops the skills of all people
• carries out world class research and scholarship
• applies both knowledge and skills to create an innovative and competitive economy get more engaged with our work to deliver this

You can also meet with colleagues from across the Department, our partner organisations and other stakeholder organisations.

For more information and to register visit - https://secure.symphonyem.co.uk/DIUSExpoOneYearOn/ or call the Event Helpline on +44 (0) 115 947 5666 or email: stakeholder@brackenevents.co.uk

Audience: FE college principals/governors, College principals and HR Managers

A quick reminder that the consultation to amend the existing regulations requiring all newly-appointed principals of Further Education Institutions to hold or be working towards the Principals' Qualification closes on 12th September 2008.

The consultation proposes to amend the existing regulations to:

a) Require principals moving to a different principal's post to be qualified; and,

b) Set a time limit of three years from the date of appointment for both newly-appointed principals and those principals who move post to achieve qualified principal status.

For more information, please check out http://www.dius.gov.uk/consultations/con_090608_pqp.html

Audience: All with an interest in skills and employment, people working in skills for life, college staff, union learning reps, employers, voluntary organisations who work with the unemployed

The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is central to the reform of regulated vocational qualifications (VQs) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Since 2006, 50 projects have been testing the QCF, resulting in over 500 accredited VQs.

Evaluation of these trials demonstrates strong support for the QCF and its ability to deliver greater flexibility for learners. David Lammy, Minister for Skills, has therefore asked QCA and LSC to progress QCF development and prepare detailed plans so ministers can take a final decision in the autumn regarding the roll out of the QCF.

The Qualification Reform Support Programme is working to prepare FE providers for the reforms and to keep them up-to-date on ministerial decisions. A range of resources have been developed and are available online to help providers prepare for the reforms. 

• For further information on:

- VQ Reforms, including newsletters, visit www.dius.gov.uk/vqreform
- Qualifications & Credit Framework, visit www.qca.org.uk/qca_8150.aspx

• For accreditation of provider’s own training, please visit: www.dius.gov.uk/vqreform/issues/training.html
• For details and access to resources for providers, visit www.qrsp.org.uk

Audience: All those in the FE and Skills Sector

We are currently developing our five-year strategic plan and are seeking views on the following:

• What are the appropriate future goals for employment and skills systems for the next five years to 2014?
•  What strategies will enable us to achieve these goals?
• What changes does the current system need – some of which might be changes to the ‘demand side’ (e.g. employers and individuals) and some may be to the ‘supply side’ (education and training providers, employment services, qualifications bodies etc)?

Initial closing date for responses is on Friday, 15th of August 2008. Submissions should be no longer than four sides of A4 and emailed to strategic.plan@ukces.org.uk. A further opportunity to comment on emerging proposals will be available in September 2008.

For more information, check out www.ukces.org.uk and click on ‘strategic plan’ or 'phone Michelle Gardner on 01709 774870

Audience:  Leaders and managers at all levels throughout the FE and skills sector, senior women, equality and diversity directors and managers, HR and staff development directors and managers

The Women’s Leadership Network (WLN) is for women who hold or aspire to leadership and management roles at all levels in the FE and Skills sector.

To help ensure that women receive the support and encouragement they need in order to thrive, WLN is offering a comprehensive range of programmes during 2008-09, delivered by experienced consultants who come from diverse backgrounds and whose knowledge, skills and expertise have been gained from working within and outside the FE system.

The first programmes start in October:

• 08/10/2008: Facing the challenges of leadership
• 14/10/2008: Image and presence
• 16/10/2008: Career and life planning
• 17/10/2008: Stress down day at the Sanctuary Spa
•  21/10/2008: Gender equality duty
• 23/10/2008: Assertiveness and confidence

These events are taking place in London; group training can be delivered in-house. For further information and to book, visit the website at http://www.wlnfe.org.uk/events.html or call Tina Fahm on 020 7297 8449

Audience: Provider chief executives, FE college principals, HR directors, staff development managers and all FE and skills teachers, tutors and trainers.

Following the introduction of government reforms in 2007, learning providers that deliver further education provision through a contract or funding agreement with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) are required to ensure that all their trainers, tutors and teachers:

• register as members of the Institute for Learning (IfL) by 30 September 2008
• undertake at least 30 hours' continuing professional development (CPD) each year (prorated for part-time trainers)
• abide by IfL's Code of Professional Practice.

The reforms apply to learning providers operating in work-based, adult and community, offender and voluntary sector settings.

IfL will be hosting events for HR and staff development managers and senior leaders to understand the impact of the new regulations on their organisations, and the opportunities for staff development:

• London: 2 September 2008
• Birmingham: 3 September 2008 
• Leeds: 4 September 2008

Further information and registration details are available at http://www.ifl.ac.uk/services/p_wwv_page?id=169&session_id=, tel: 0844 815 3202, email: enquiries@ifl.ac.uk 

16-18 and post 19 Funding Transfer Bulletin

The first 16-18 and post 19 Funding Transfer Bulletin is now online. The Bulletin is aimed at those affected, involved or interested in the developing changes around 16-18 and post-19 funding. Our aim is to provide a forum that keeps you involved and informed about the changes on a regular basis. We also intend to use it to continue to highlight progress, issues on which we welcome views and to respond to the massive and ongoing number of requests for additional information.

Issued in the first week of each month, we will provide

• A short update on the progress being made across the pre and post-19 landscape;
•  A look ahead to the key milestones; and
• Implementation and success stories from regions and groupings.

We will also be producing information sheets on particular topics as part of our commitment to continued dialogue with those most affected by these changes being implemented by Government. These will be publicised through the Bulletin.
 

To view the bulletin in full, please click on the following link: http://www.dius.gov.uk/policy/documents/fundingtransfer_1.doc