More than 60 MPs have written to the apprenticeships and skills minister, backing a campaign in support of a return to widespread ‘night schools’ and demanding more government commitment to adult education.

The signatories, who included Angela Rayner, shadow education secretary, and Gordon Marsden, shadow skills minister, warned Mr Halfon of a “gaping skills gap” holding back the economy, which is “about to get a lot worse if we leave the single market”.

They also cautioned: “We can no longer afford to ignore the people and communities who feel ‘left behind’ – the parts of our country where many people feel trapped in low-income jobs with little prospect for change.”

The letter followed an adjournment debate called by David Lammy, MP for Tottenham, on Friday Jan 13, on the topic of Adult Education and the Future of Night Schools.

Mr Lammy launched the parliamentary campaign to try and counter the far-reaching cuts the government is making to adult education, with learner numbers falling by nearly 40 per cent since his time as skills minister.

Ahead of the debate, the MP told FE Week that he would be calling for a return to the traditional concept of “night schools”, which he wants provided either by local authorities or FE colleges.

According to government figures, there are around 1.5 million fewer adults aged 19 or over participating in further education than there were during Mr Lammy’s stint as minister between 2007 and 2008, when the figure stood at 3.75 million.

Mr Lammy’s stand on the issue provoked the letter from MPs, which focused in on the government’s Post-16 Skills Plan from July and its “promise to ‘say more about’ the government’s ‘approach to lifetime learning for adults’ at some point in 2016”.

The 61 MPs who signed called on Mr Halfon to explain exactly when a clear strategy for adult education would be published, requesting “a national strategy that works across departments in recognition of the huge range of beneficial outcomes that adult education has for individuals, our economy and society in general”.

Their  letter also highlighted that although the adult education budget “has been frozen in cash terms” this will mean “a cut in real terms” which follows “40 per cent cuts to the adult skills budget between 2010 and 2015”.

It also noted that “the number of adult learners fell by 10.8 per cent in just a single year between 2014 and 2015” while the number of adults achieving level four awards or above has fallen by “a staggering 75 per cent in just two years”.

The letter concluded with a reproach against the government, saying: “When education and skills provision does not keep up with a changing economy and jobs market then inequality is exacerbated and it is those at the bottom who lose out most.”

Other key names backing the demands were Clive Lewis, shadow secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, Kate Osamor, shadow secretary of state for international development, and Chi Onwurah, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Adult Education.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Adult education is a vital part of this government’s aim to empower everyone in our society to succeed and create the skilled workforce we need. 

“Measures like the new apprenticeship levy and advanced learner loans means there is more funding to support adults in further education than at any time in England’s history. 

“And we’re going further by conducting a review into gaps in support for lifetime learning so more adults get the chance to climb the ladder of opportunity to secure quality jobs.”

It is not the first time Mr Lammy has spurred MPs to support a cause in FE – in September 2016 a group of 51 MPs led by David Lammy signed another letter to Mr Halfon, urging him to reverse apprenticeships funding cuts exposed by FE Week.

This was followed by FE Week’s successful #SaveourApprenticeships campaign, and a subsequent government u-turn on the cuts.

The Association of Colleges has sprung to the defence of its members after key performance statistics unveiled today by the Department for Education showed a lack of progress in English and maths among 16 to-18-year-olds.

The English and maths progress measures, included in today’s 16 to 18 performance tables for 2016, compares learners’ performance at GCSE to their grade at the end of post-16 education in these key subjects.

It is based solely on the achievements of learners that did not gain at least a grade C at GCSE, and who therefore must continue to study the subjects post-16.

It’s one of a number of new 16 to 19 accountability measures introduced in this year’s performance tables, which rank the achievements of 208 general FE colleges and 91 sixth form colleges.

On average, colleges scored minus 0.27 for English, and minus 0.29 for maths – which means that, on average, learners at FE colleges are not progressing in these key subjects.

In comparison, sixth form colleges scored an average of 0.47 for English and 0.41 for maths.

David Hughes, chief executive at the Association of Colleges, said the issue of English and maths was “complex” and it “raises many questions”.

The “vast majority” of students who need to continue to study English and maths post-16 do so at colleges, he said, “and that means for some colleges the numbers are quite staggering”.

“Overall around 70 per cent of students moving onto colleges need to re-sit one or both exams and in many cases this equates to over a thousand or even over 2,000 students.

“This scale of need makes it very difficult to compare colleges with schools where the numbers are usually very low indeed, often less than a class-full,” Mr Hughes said.

While some students arrive at colleges “requiring a little extra work to achieve a grade C” others need “more intensive support, time and motivation to help them progress,” he added.

A college’s score for the English and maths progress measure is based on how much their learners without at least a grade C in GCSE English or maths have advanced in those subjects between GSCE and the end of post-16 education.

Each grade better is worth one point, while each grade lower is worth minus one point.

For example, a student who got a grade D at GCSE, but who achieved a C at their resit would score one point, while a learner who went down from a grade D to an E would score minus one.

Students who are unable to sit their exam, or who do badly for reasons beyond the control of the institution, are also automatically given a score of minus one – although this raised concern about fairness.

The college’s score is the average of all its learners’ scores.

Today’s statistics come after apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon hinted at last year’s Association of Colleges conference that the government may be reconsidering its maths and English requirements for post-16 learners. 

Other headline measures in this year’s performance tables for the first time include student progress and attainment.

Again these show FE colleges faring badly in comparison with other providers.

The measures, first announced by the government in 2014, are designed to show all the key indicators of performance for colleges and school sixth forms much more clearly.

The student progress score measures learners’ progress from GCSEs to their level three qualification, when compared with others with the same prior attainment at GCSE.

Providers are given separate scores for A-levels, all academic qualifications – which include A-levels alongside other qualifications such as international baccalaureate – and applied general, or vocational, qualifications.

A score of zero means that a provider is exactly at the national average.

Today’s statistics show that, on average, general FE colleges scored minus 0.16 on both the A-level and academic progress measures, and minus 0.28 on vocational qualifications.

Sixth form colleges scored minus 0.03 on both A-level and academic progress, and 0.15 on vocational qualifications.

FE also scored lower on attainment than sixth form colleges.

This measure looked at the average grade achieved by learners in A-levels, academic qualifications, tech level and vocational qualifications.

The average grade achieved by A-level and academic students at FE colleges was D+, while for tech level qualifications it was a Merit+ and vocational qualifications it was a Dist-.

Meanwhile, sixth form college learners achieved a C average on A-levels and academic qualifications, and Dist on both tech levels and vocational qualifications.

FE Week asked the Department for Education for a comment on the English and maths performance measure, but had not received a response ahead of publication.

A fifth of sixth form colleges have started formal negotiations to convert to academy status, the academies minister has revealed.

Lord Nash made the announcement in front of more than 100 delegates at the sixth form college association’s conference in London today.

FE Week previously reported that around 70 per cent of SFCs had registered an interest in becoming an academy, following recommendations in their area review of post-16 education.

But Lord Nash’s comments today mean that around 18 of the country’s 93 sixth form colleges are now in official negotiations with the Department for Education to academise.

A Sixth Form Colleges Association spokesperson explained that a register of interest can be just a phone call or an email saying they are interested. But a formal proposal is when a provider takes the next step of filling out an official document provided by the DfE.

The peer told the conference: “As academies minister I am really pleased with the way in which sixth form college’s have responded to the opportunity of converting to an academy.

“Over half of you have expressed an interest in converting and a fifth have already started formal process to make the change.

“This will, I’m sure, bring great benefits to you, the schools you work with and the education system as a whole.” 

SFCs were first told about the opportunity to convert during the spending review in November 2015.

Former chancellor George Osborne said at the time that becoming an academy would allow a college to avoid paying VAT – which is on average £317,000 for each college. 

SFCs have the option to convert either as a standalone academy, or as a multi-academy trust – either by joining an existing MAT or setting up a new one.

Sir Dan Moynihan, chief executive of the Harris Federation which runs 41 schools, also spoke at today’s conference and urged all SFCs to convert. 

He said that while staying as a college would give leaders the “autonomy used by independent schools”, academy conversion would give them the opportunity to make a “system impact” and reduce costs during a time of declining budgets.

“Clearly there is the advantage of avoiding VAT, but there is much more than that,” Moynihan said. 

“You lead powerful and high quality organisations and in some ways you are a model for what the government ultimately wants the whole education system to look like.

“My contention is academisation will allow you to continue what you do now, but in a way that could further strengthen your colleges by broadening your reach, strengthening your finances and capacity and allowing you to have a system impact. 

“Whichever model you choose logically you would wish to provide central services from within your group and you will be able to charge a budget top slice to do this, and if done well it is an opportunity by which you can drive economies of scale and reduce your own costs.” 

He added that the latest funding agreements with the DfE allows the budgets of members in a trust to be “pulled and reallocated” based on different criteria, which creates the “flexibility to allocate funds based on needs”. 

Speaking to FE Week after his speech Moynihan said that while he could understand some leaders of SFCs may prefer to keep their autonomy and not convert, it is “probably a good move for the country for the majority to do it”.

The UK’s most promising apprentices and best employers will tonight be crowned the winners of the National Apprenticeships Awards 2016.

Nine apprentices and 18 employers will take centre stage at the ceremony in Grosvenor House, London, after battling it out to be recognised as the country’s most elite in each category.

Winners of the awards, which are now in their 13th year and are run by the National Apprenticeship Service, will be decided based on a year’s worth of work demonstrating how employers can grow their own talent with apprenticeships and how apprentices have made a significant contribution to the workplace.

Skills and apprenticeships minister Robert Halfon will be speaking tonight, where he is expected to say: “Apprenticeships work. They give people of all ages and all backgrounds the ladder of opportunity to get paid experience in work and a top class qualification at the same time.

“The National Apprenticeship Awards ensure apprenticeships get the prestige they deserve, while shining a light on the fantastic work that both apprentices and their employers do.”

Nominees, who this year include employers such as Mercedes-Benz and apprentices from Siemens and Rolls Royce, have had to go through a tough process to get to the national finals.

They had to submit applications that demonstrated how they benefited from their apprenticeship and detailed their contribution to the business objectives of their employer.

Their applications were first judged at a regional level, where a panel decided the top three finalists.

Each entrant then had to “enhance” their application before submitting it to the national judging panel. The national panel then decides the country’s elite apprentice and employer winners.

There will be three apprentice winners – one from each category – and one apprenticeship champion.

Six victorious employers will also be announced. Sue Husband, the director of the National Apprenticeship Service, said: “We should congratulate everyone who has reached this stage and been recognised as a finalist at a national level.

“Whatever happens on the night, each apprentice and employer deserves recognition for committing to and delivering on apprenticeships. For these individuals and employers, the level of success and impact brought by apprenticeships is huge.”

FE Week will be live tweeting from the awards ceremony tonight from 6pm, on Twitter at @feweek.

The finalists

Successful National Apprenticeship Awards 2016 national finalists are:

Unilever Small Employer of the Year
– Ebsford Environmental Ltd
– ISO Quality Services Ltd
– Blu Sky Tax

British Gas Medium Employer of the Year
– Troup Bywaters + Anders
– Metalcraft
– Michael and Margaret Naylor and Associates

BAE Systems Award for Large Employer of the Year
– Mercedes-Benz UK
– John O’Conner Grounds Maintenance Ltd
– Yorkshire Housing

EON Award for Macro Employer of the Year
– Whitbread
– Lloyds Banking Group
– Mitie Group Plc

Santander Award for Newcomer SME of the Year
– Great Annual Savings Group
– APTCOO – A Place To Call Our Own
– Craggs Energy Ltd

Rolls-Royce Award for Newcomer Large Employer of the Year
– Pickfords Move Management Limited
– Bond Dickinson LLP
– Softcat

The I-Can Qualifications Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year
– Cameron Baker, Business Administration, Rentokil Initial
– Charlotte Blowers, Nail Services, Exceed
– Ashley Haslam, Vehicle Maintenance and Repair, Wilson’s Autos

EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year
– Becky King, Life Sciences and Chemical Science Professionals, National Physical Laboratory
– Emma Goulding, Engineering, Siemens
– Adam Sharp, Advanced Engineering Construction, Sellafield Ltd

The Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Award for the Higher or Degree Apprentice of the Year
– Melissa Loonam, Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, Rolls-Royce plc
– Jack McCarthy, Supply Chain Management, Glaxosmithkline Pharmaceuticals (Ware) Ltd
– Holly Broadhurst, Engineering, J C Bamford Excavators Ltd

The director of assessment role for the new Institute for Apprenticeships has been likened to “a hand grenade with the pin removed”, by the head of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers.

Mark Dawe, chief executive of AELP, said in an exclusive FE Week webinar today he felt sorry for whoever takes on the new post, also warning that the government should not “duplicate” the job of qualifications regulator Ofqual.

Speaking on the responsibilities of the IfA, Mr Dawe said: “I imagine anyone taking on this role will feel like they have been handed a hand grenade with the pin removed.

“But the actual leg work – we don’t understand why that isn’t given to the government agency that’s there with the expertise in assessment, and that’s Ofqual.”

He said there were still many discussions to be had on the end-point assessment of apprenticeships, around whether it will be “valid, reliable, manageable across all the standards” and whether there are “actually organisations to do it”.

“We’ve heard maybe 50 per cent – maybe more than 50 per cent now – of standards have an EPA organisation,” Mr Dawe said.

“But you talk to those EPA organisations and a lot of them aren’t going to be ready for 12 months to actually deliver it.”
He added: “They [the government] could make their lives a lot easier if they just didn’t duplicate and actually commissioned Ofqual to do the work that’s needed.”

It is not the first time Mr Dawe has raised concerns about the Institute’s handling of assessment.

When the Department for Education published its Draft Strategic Guidance for the IfA earlier this month, Mr Dawe responded by saying: “Big questions remain on standards and assessment, which is why AELP is calling for a complete pause on the whole process. 

“In our view, there would be much less cause for confusion if Ofqual was given the overarching role on assessment on behalf of the IfA.”

FE Week questioned the DfE on why Ofqual would not be taking up this responsibility, but the department would not be drawn on the issue.

A DfE spokesperson said: “We believe that the SFA is best placed to maintain the Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations and has significant experience in quality assuring organisations to deliver services.

“We continue to work with all organisations who have a role to play in assuring the quality of apprenticeships in England.”

She added: “We are also consulting on how the IfA should carry out its functions.

“The consultation closes at the end of January and we will consider responses carefully.”

An Ofqual spokesperson was similarly reticent.

He said: “Supporting the development of high quality end point assessments is a priority for Ofqual in 2017.

“We are already working closely with the DfE, IfA, SFA and others to establish the optimum arrangements for maintaining standards. We will not be responding to the consultation.”

The webinar was hosted by FE Week editor Nick Linford, and conducted in partnership with NCFE.

The government’s new director of labour-market enforcement must protect apprentices from exploitation in the workplace, one of the UK’s largest trade unions has said.

Unison demanded that Sir David Metcalf urgently find a solution to ongoing problems with illegal apprenticeship wages, shortly after he was appointed to the position on 5 January.

The newly created post comes with responsibilities which include protecting both apprentices and lecturers paid below the minimum wage – bringing new hope for better treatment for people across the workplace.

According to the most recent Apprenticeship Pay Survey in 2014, carried out by the now-defunct Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, apprentices aged 16 to 18 were hit hardest by minimum wage non-compliance.

Nearly a quarter were found to be on the wrong pay levels, compared with 20 per cent of 19- to 20-year-olds, 17 per cent of those aged 21 to 24, and eight per cent of those aged 25 or older.

Nearly a quarter were found to be on the wrong pay levels

Overall, 14 per cent of apprentices of all ages and at all levels were paid under the minimum wage and just 26 per cent said they knew what the relevant minimum wage actually was.

Ruth Levin, Unison’s national officer for FE, told FE Week that Sir David needed to do more than just enforce the wage threshold.

“Simply enforcing the minimum wage won’t end the exploitation of vulnerable workers,” she said. “It’s important too that apprentices are not taken advantage of.

“FE staff must also be protected from the widespread and unethical use of zero-hours contracts.”

As the first director of labour market enforcement, Sir David will have to guide employment enforcement bodies in stamping out exploitation, using intelligence to help identify and improve vulnerable areas – including FE.

His work will be accompanied by a £1.7 million government campaign to raise awareness of national minimum and national living wage rates, including those for apprentices and lecturers on zero-hours contracts.

FE Week asked the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy about when the next Apprenticeship Pay Survey would be published to reflect the current situation, but we were told only that it would be published “in due course”.

Shakira Martin, the NUS vice president for FE, told us: “We welcome the creation of a director of labour market enforcement as an opportunity to protect the employment rights of students, young people and apprentices.”

Mark Dawe, the chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, said the sector should play its own part in ensuring Sir David’s work is successful, and that providers should explain to employers of apprentices what their contractual obligations are.

We welcome the creation of a director of labour market enforcement as an opportunity to protect the employment rights of students, young people and apprentices

He added: “Conversations will take place between providers and apprentices to make them aware of their rights, and the skills minister issues a standard welcome letter to each apprentice along the same lines.”

In December 2016, apprenticeships and skills minster Robert Halfon released the latest version of the letter that providers are required to send to all new apprentices, which states: “You are entitled to an apprentice minimum wage starting at £3.40 per hour, if you’re under 18 or in your first year, increasing to £5.55 if you’re over 18, and in line with the National Living Wage if you’re over 25 and in your second year.”

Sending this letter has been a requirement since the first one was issued by former skills minister Matthew Hancock in October 2013 – following FE Week’s report which found hundreds of adverts for illegal, underpaying apprenticeships on a government-funded website.

Sir David, who was previously the chairman of the Migration Advisory Committee, will report to the secretaries of state for the Home Office and BEIS.

He declined to comment on specific FE matters, but said: “While the UK is by and large a fair and safe place to work, there are still rogue employers who exploit their workers. This will not go unpunished.”

The creation of his post follows the government’s decision in October to commission Matthew Taylor to conduct an independent review into employment practices to ensure rules are up to date.

Active IQ, the UK’s leading Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation for the active leisure, learning and wellbeing sector, has launched two Level 3 Diplomas in Personal Training for Health, Fitness and Performance.

Designed with FE Colleges in mind, these truly vocational programmes combine comprehensive theoretical knowledge with practical experience to prepare school leavers to work in the leisure and fitness industry or progress to degree courses.

The Active IQ Level 3 Diploma and extended Diploma in Personal Training for Health, Fitness and Performance are supported by two of the industry’s leading professional bodies – the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) and ukactive.

Combining college study and work experience with local employers, the qualifications ensure that students will enjoy full educational support and group teaching alongside time on the gym floor working with fitness professionals.

 

Two variations are available:

• The Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training for Health, Fitness and Performance is a smaller qualification that can be combined with other Tech Level, Applied General and/or A Level qualifications.
• The Active IQ Level 3 Extended Diploma in Personal Training for Health, Fitness and Performance is a full time course that includes additional modules to equip students with vocational skills alongside the research skills required for academic study to enable them to access higher education degree programmes.

Both qualifications aim to provide learners with the broad base of knowledge and skills to be able to work in a variety of customer-facing roles within the active leisure industry, including fitness instructing and personal training, as well as being able to access higher education degree programmes.

 

Who could do this qualification?

Learners must be 16+ years old and have basic skills in communication as discussing, presenting, reading and writing are all involved. A degree of physical fitness is also necessary. On achieving the qualification, learners will be capable of progressing to work as a fitness instructor, personal trainer or administrator in the active leisure industry.

 

What will they study?

Study areas include exercise and fitness knowledge, planning and instructing gym sessions, planning and instructing personal training, nutrition, technology in sport and exercise, entrepreneurship, marketing, customer service and managing personal and professional development. Students will learn how to:

• Develop their understanding of anatomy, physiology and nutrition and how it relates to exercise and fitness.
• Plan and instruct safe and effective exercise and physical activity sessions.
• Deliver safe and effective personal training sessions.
• Deliver exceptional customer service.
• Manage own personal and professional development.
• Develop enterprise skills.
• Market and sell products and services.
• Understand how technology is used within physical activity, fitness, sport and exercise.

 

What will they study?

A mandatory requirement is access to meaningful employer engagement such as structured work experience or work placements to develop skills and knowledge relevant to the qualification, managing projects set with input from industry practitioners and attending master classes. Employer engagement shows a clear line of sight to work, enriches learning and raises the credibility of the qualification.

 

Advanced study options

The qualification is designed to offer entry to employment; however it also provides the perfect platform for learners to progress on to the following qualifications and/or apprenticeship frameworks:

Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral

Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Personal Training

Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Instructing Pilates Mat Work

Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Teaching Yoga

Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy

Advanced Apprenticeship in Exercise and Fitness

 

Find out more by visiting Activeiq.co.uk, calling 0845 688 1278 or emailing businessdevelopment@activeiq.co.uk.

Alternatively, learners can progress to higher education degree programmes as the qualifications have been nominated for inclusion in the UCAS Tariff For Higher Education for entry from 2018.