Latest news from FE Week

The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace) has demanded that the next budget tackle the “crisis” facing adult skills in England.

A new advancement service for the jobless, extension of the apprentice charter, a citizens’ curriculum for employment support allowance claimants and partnerships to help loans boost participation in education are all suggestions made by Niace in its budget submission.

The organisation has made its submission (pictured below right) to Chancellor George Osborne ahead of this year’s budget, which is due to be published on March 18.

In the document, Niace commends its idea of a “national advancement service”, with career coaches and personal budgets for job-seekers, to the Chancellor, along with a proposal to extend the apprentice charter across trailblazers as a “co-designed mark of high quality” to improve standards.

Niace has also proposed the establishment of a citizens’ curriculum for employment support allowance claimants because “current employment programmes are not delivering for disabled people” and asked Mr Osborne to fund local partnerships between employers and providers to make loans work.

David Hughes (pictured above), Niace chief executive, said: “The skills crisis is at the top of every discussion about a stronger and more sustainable economy, and the UK is suffering with chronic low skill levels.

“Our proposals match the rhetoric on skills with tangible policy solutions to better help millions of people trapped in low paid, low skilled jobs.

“We want to see productivity boosted through a new national advancement service that could help 5m low paid workers, an apprentice charter so employers and apprentices get the most from the experience and a citizen’s curriculum approach to basic skills provision for ESA claimants.

“The imbalance in skills funding between younger entrants to the labour market and a comprehensive, all-ages approach needs urgent attention. We call on the Chancellor to back our proposals and build stronger foundations for a higher skilled, higher earning Britain.”

It comes after Niace announced it had been commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to evaluate the success of the government’s FE reform programme, following previous research about the sector and potential future developments in 2010 and 2013.

Alongside BMG Research and CFE Research, Niace will conduct a telephone survey and interviews with FE providers to examine how partnerships between local enterprise partnerships (Leps), local authorities and others have helped local provision evolve and try to “understand how providers have reacted to changes in funding and the new requirements around apprenticeships”.

Dr Fiona Aldridge, assistant director for development and research at Niace, said: “The results of this research will be used as the basis for future developments in FE in the next Parliament.

“This is why it is vitally important for the FE sector to be involved and share with us their views on the impact and outcomes of the FE Reform Programme. We need to know what’s worked and what hasn’t, and how learners have been affected as well as providers.”

An “apprenticeship guarantee” will create 80,000 more starts a year by 2020 if Labour forms a government in May, Ed Miliband will pledge today.

In a speech at a Jaguar Land Rover plant in the West Midlands, the Labour leader will outline plans for a guarantee he claims would allow “every school leaver who gets the grades…to begin a high-quality apprenticeship”.

Mr Miliband will claim new measures requiring firms recruiting from outside the EU or bidding for government contracts to hire apprentices, creating a new apprenticeship fast-stream in the civil service and giving employers more control over the government’s apprenticeships budget will add up to 80,000 more apprenticeship starts a year by the end of the next Parliament.

He is expected to say: “For too long this country has believed we can succeed with just some people having access to world-class education, training and skills. So our plan begins with a revolution in vocational education: A new gold standard vocational baccalaureate in our schools; new technical degrees at our universities; and real high-quality apprenticeships as well.

“At the moment just one-in-10 employers in England offers an apprenticeship. Six times fewer high quality apprenticeships than Germany.

“We can do better, and with our plan we will: the public sector playing its part with thousands of apprenticeships; every firm that wins a major government contract required to deliver apprenticeships; every firm recruiting from outside the EU required to do the same; with businesses having more control over the funding.

“It is time to match the aspirations of our young people with the high quality apprenticeships they deserve. So under the next Labour government, if you get the grades at 18 you will be guaranteed an apprenticeship. That is what I mean by a better plan for working people, a better plan for Britain.”

According to the party, the increase in apprenticeships will be paid-for by “reversing the Tories’ rebadging of in-work training schemes for existing employees”.

This relates to Labour’s pledge to scrap apprenticeships below level three and those which are less than two years in duration and comes after a survey revealed that 93 per cent of apprentices over 25 years old already worked for their employer before starting their apprenticeship.

Labour has also said half of the new starts will come from efforts to “reverse the trend” away from young people doing apprenticeships, but has not explained how this will be implemented.

Martin Doel, chief executive at the Association of Colleges, said: “Apprenticeships are important in helping young people into work, and we welcome political support for them. But they are not the only option.

“Employers and colleges should be given the flexibility to work more closely to develop learning programmes and qualifications which are relevant and up to date, so that young people can gain the skills required for the modern workplace.

“Not everyone is ready to start an apprenticeship – particularly those aged 16 to 18 – and a strong pre-apprenticeship programme should be developed to make sure they are prepared for the world of work.

“Careers advice and guidance needs to be improved to make sure young people can find information about what is available for them when they leave education.”

A spokesperson for the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) said: “We support the drive to increase the numbers choosing an apprenticeship and the commitment to ringfence the apprenticeships budget is very welcome.

“We believe that can be done by driving the demand by employers and young people rather than using legislation designed to require employers to employ apprentices.  On the idea that winning government contracts should be tied to offering apprenticeships, our view is that this might prompt companies to train more staff, but it is not something that should be used as a quota.

“Driving growth from legislation simply causes too great a risk of apprenticeships being created for the wrong reasons.

“However we do support Ed Miliband’s proposal that there should be a major increase in the number of apprenticeships in local and national government, government agencies and the NHS.”

The principal of an FE college is planning to take-on students left stranded after an academy trust dropped plans to open a specialist STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) school sixth form in Croydon.

STEM Academy Trust had originally planned to open the school sixth-form at the former South Norwood police station, in Croydon, in September last year.

This never happened and the trust announced on Monday (February 9) that it no longer intended to push ahead with the plans, even though the Department for Education said today that it had already bought the ex-police station in anticipation of it being turned into a school.

Frances Wadsworth, principal of Croydon College, told FE Week she had decided to put on a special session at the college’s next open day for up to 50 students and their parents that it is thought applied for places at the STEM Academy and now need to find an alternative place to study.

She said: “We already offer all STEM subjects to A-level and their equivalents, as well as apprenticeships in these areas. We are in the second phase of significant investment in STEM after creating two new labs last year, and we’re investing in enhanced engineering and science facilities and equipment ready for September.

“If we can help these stranded students and their anxious parents, we will.”

Tony Sewell, local chair of governors, STEM Academy Croydon Gateway, said: “We have taken the decision not to continue with our proposal to open STEM Academy Croydon Gateway, our planned 16-19 academy for Croydon.

“This has been a very difficult decision for the trust to make.

“However, setting up a free school is a major undertaking and at this present time we feel that we are unable to commit the level of resource required to successfully launch a new academy whilst also fully supporting STEM Academy Tech City, our existing 16-19 academy in Islington.

“We would like to thank everyone who has supported our proposal for an academy in Croydon. We remain committed to STEM Academy Tech City and to providing a specialist STEM education to our existing student cohort.”

STEM Academy Trust’s website states that it was founded in 2011 by London Skills and Development Network and The Skills and Development Agency in “recognition of the growing educational, political and business demand for high-quality, relevant and current STEM-related education provision”.

It, the website adds, opened Stem Academy Tech City in Islington, which currently has around 140 learners but has not yet been inspected by Ofsted, in 2013.

A DfE spokesperson said: “No final decisions have been made about the future of the [police station] site.

“When deciding on its future we will ensure we get the best possible outcome for the taxpayer.”

He declined to comment on how much funding DfE had already provided the trust to open the school sixth-form in Croydon.
However, he said: “All approved free school projects are paid a grant to cover costs prior to opening. Where a project withdraws from the programme, all future payments of the grant are stopped and we take steps to recover unspent funds.”

STEM Academy Trust declined to comment on repayments to the DfE.

It came after FE Week reported on Monday (February 9) that Suffolk New College, which runs the New Academies Trust (NAT), had been told by the DfE to hand over its 11 to 16 academy to new sponsors after inspectors gave it grade four results in every area following a visit in early December.

It was also reported in the paper last month that South Gloucestershire and Stroud College had announced that it would become the new sponsor of Forest Academy, formerly Heywood Community School, in Cinderford in the Forest of Dean from March.

The school, given a grade three “requires improvement” rating by Ofsted following inspection in May 2013, had been sponsored by E-Act (formerly EduTrust Academies Charitable Trust), which controlled more than 30 schools before the Department for Education asked it to scale down last year after Ofsted inspectors raised concern about a number of the chain’s academies.

The school, which converted to academy status in 2012, is the ninth to be given up by E-Act in response and the fourth taken on by a general FE college.

A singing science lecturer from Middlesbrough College is in the running for a $1m first-prize after making the top ten of finalists for a competition to find the best teacher in the world.

Dr Richard Spencer is the only teacher in Europe to make the shortlist for the $1m Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize.

The A-Level biology lecturer will be flown to Dubai, along with the other nine finalists, for an award ceremony taking place on Sunday (March 15) at the Global Education and Skills Forum.

He was chosen at random as one of three of the original 50 shortlisted candidates to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican in Rome on February 5, at the IV Scholas Occurentes World Educational Congress.

Dr Spencer, who encourages learners to join in science-inspired role-playing, YMCA-style dance routines and reworkings of popular songs with lyrics including ‘Don’t blame it on the phosphate’, said: “I still can’t quite believe that I’ve been shortlisted. I keep pinching myself.

“It’s a great honour to be chosen as one of the final ten candidates, all of whom are doing incredible things in the world of teaching and learning.

“I’m very mindful that the whole purpose of the global prize isn’t to make a celebrity out of a teacher, but to celebrate the teaching profession and the importance of teaching.”

Dr Spencer who has previously won the Salter Prize for Teaching Chemistry and two national STAR awards (Further Education Teacher of The Year and Outstanding Subject Learning Coach), studied for a PhD in molecular biology before becoming a teacher.

He was awarded an MBE in 2010 for services to science communication and was named as one of the UK’s Leading 100 Practising Scientists in 2014.

He is a member of three UK science committees — Science on Stage UK, Nuffield Bioethics Education Advisory Group and Commemorating Biology Working Group —and involves his students with presentations at conferences and festivals across Europe.

Dr Spencer, known to his students as Doc, said:  “What I love about teaching is the privilege of working with young people, to fire their passion and reciprocate their energy.

“The buzz of seeing those ‘light bulb’ moments when challenging topics start to make sense for students makes you realise that the hours of planning innovative learning experiences were worthwhile.
“Seeing my students develop in confidence, knowing that I have helped to prepare them for future success way beyond their time with me in the classroom is hugely rewarding.”

The competition, which was launched in March 2014, is widely referred to as the Nobel Prize for teaching.

The other teachers that have made the top the ten are from Afghanistan, India, Haiti, Kenya, Cambodia, Indonesia and the United States.

Zoe Lewis, Middlesbrough College principal, said: “It’s amazing news, we’re thrilled for Dr Spencer and for the college.

“Doc is an inspiration to staff and students and we wish him the best of luck when he travels to Dubai for the final.

“Of course it will be marvellous if he wins, but just getting to the top ten is a magnificent achievement and he’s already a winner as far as we are concerned.”

Main pic: Dr Richard Spencer dancing in the classroom with students. Inset left: Dr Spencer meeting the Pope. Inset right: Dr Spencer

A Labour government would protect 16 to 19 education as part of plans to protect the entire Department for Education (DfE) budget, party leader Ed Miliband has announced.

Mr Miliband set out his party’s policies on education for the May 7 general election in a speech at lunchtime today at his old school — Haverstock, a comprehensive in Camden, north London.

He raised sector hopes through the speech, in which he also said that a Labour government would address poor careers advice at schools and bring about a “revolution in apprenticeships”, that Labour was going protect the entire FE budget including adult skills.

However, this turned out to be untrue.

Mr Miliband said: “If we are to act on the principle that education is a passport to success in life for individuals and our nation’s economy we must be willing to invest in the early years, in schools and in FE.

“The next Labour government will protect the overall education budget, rising budgets protected in real terms every year, not cut as they will be under the Conservatives.”

But a Labour spokesperson later said that Mr Miliband only meant that Labour planned to protect the entire DfE budget, including 16 to 19 education.

He was not, the spokesperson said, referring to Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) education funding.

Mr Miliband’s spending commitment was still welcomed by FE sector leaders.

Martin Doel, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “Ed Miliband’s announcement that a future Labour government would protect education funding right the way through from 0 to 18 years old will be immensely reassuring and encouraging to young people and those charged with providing their education.

“Education and training of 16 to18 year-olds is too important to leave to chance.

“College and sixth form students have unfairly borne the brunt of funding cuts for far too long.

“Labour has recognised that in order to sustain and grow the economy our young people need to be supported in developing skills for the global workplace and be protected from future cuts.

“However, education funding still needs to be put on a more rational and stable footing and that’s why the next government of whatever hue needs to prioritise a once in a generation funding review of how money is spent at each stage of education to ensure we can adequately educate and train all children and young people.”

James Kewin, deputy chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges’ Association said: “This is an extremely welcome announcement that could throw a lifeline to the Sixth Form College sector. The Labour party has responded to the deep concerns of students, teachers and parents that sixth form funding has been cut to the bone over the past five years. Without real terms protection, some Sixth Form Colleges will close and others will only be able to provide an impoverished educational experience to students.

“This is an important step towards addressing the chronic underfunding of sixth form education. As young people are now required to participate in education and training until the age of 18, the current policy of ending funding protection at the age of 16 is absurd. As the Prime Minister confirmed last week that a future Conservative government would continue this policy, there is now a stark choice between the two main parties on sixth form education.”

A spokesperson for the Association of Employment and Learning Providers said: “Apprenticeships, traineeships and study programmes for 16 to 18-year-olds are very important for producing the skilled young workforce that employers are now demanding, so we would be very pleased if the DfE’s budget for these programmes was protected.”

It came on the same day that the Liberal Democrats announced the party’s five priorities for the next five years, which included guaranteeing education funding from nursery to 19-year-olds.

Sally Hunt, the University and College Union general secretary, said: “For too FE has had to bear the brunt of funding cuts. We are pleased that Ed Miliband has pledged the sector will not suffer the same plight under a Labour administration.

“The Liberal Democrats have also put further education at the heart of their election pledges and we now need to see more details from all parties on their plans for education.”

The Conservative Party, which has so far only pledged to ringfence school funding, declined to comment on whether it would extend its commitment to 16 to 19 education.

Picture: Hannah McKay/PA Wire/Press Association Images

The government should top-slice from skills and careers budgets to pay for coaches to help people out of low-paid jobs, the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace) has said.

In the first of its Policy Solutions reports, No Limits: From Getting By to Getting On, Niace calls for £100m of existing funding to be diverted to pay for careers coaches and personal budgets for those trying to improve their employment opportunities, all through a proposed National Advancement Service.

The organisation claims the new service, which would be managed by cities and Local Enterprise Partnerships (Leps) could help 500,000 families and reduce the number of children in poverty by 150,000 by 2020, and could be cost-neutral if money for it comes from existing adult skills budget and National Careers Service funding.

The report says: “Britain faces a wages crisis, underpinned by low productivity. For the last seven years, people’s wages have risen more slowly than the prices in the shops. By 2020 people’s real incomes will still be 5 per cent lower than in 2008, a lost decade.

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“People also often become ‘stuck’ in low pay and cannot advance their careers: three in four people in low pay in 2001 were still low paid a decade later.

“This paper argues for a new National Advancement Service, providing people in low paid work a career coach and personal budget to put together a personalised package of support to build their career and boost their earnings.

“It would give low paid workers a place to go for help to get on. And it would help to rebuild the link between doing the right thing, and getting the help you need.

“This new service would be an engine of deficit reduction, helping people boost their wages and so increasing income tax receipts, a vehicle of public service reform, helping to maximise the impact of investment in skills and a supporter of aspiration helping individuals to achieve their ambitions and get on in life.

“It would be managed locally by cities and Leps, where they agreed to top up support through, for example, European Social Fund or Growth Deal monies.

“Local areas would also need to integrate support through the new service with measures to promote the living wage and boost economic and business development. This would help to integrate support with other local services, such as money advice and business support.”

For more information, read an expert from Niace deputy chief executive Stephen Evans here.

Labour leader Ed Miliband is set to stand by his party’s controversial pledge to scrap apprenticeships of less than two years’ duration and below level three in a speech today.

Mr Miliband will set out his vision for education if Labour wins the general election on May 7 in a speech this afternoon at his old school — Haverstock, a comprehensive in Camden, north London.

He will reiterate a series of proposals already set out by his party for FE, including raising “the quality” of apprenticeships so they all last a minimum of two years and are at least a level three standard.

He will also say that a Labour government would ensure that all young people studied English and maths until they are aged 18 and introduce a new technical baccalaureate for 16-18 year olds, including an employer accredited vocational qualification, English, Maths and work experience.

As part of a package of proposals which Labour claim would “prioritise the forgotten 50 per cent of young people who do not go to university”, Mr Miliband will also say that his party would launch new technical degrees as a next step for young people who “excel” in vocational studies at college and school.

A Labour government, Mr Miliband will claim, would also back new Institutes of Technical Education linked to local industry and charged with delivering its technical baccalaureate and revamped apprenticeships.

Labour lost a House of Commons vote on February 4 on its plans to scrap apprenticeships of less than two years’ duration and below level three.

A vote on a motion calling for the new standards was defeated 294 votes to 218, following a heated opposition day debate in Parliament.

The motion, submitted in Mr Miliband’s name and supported by Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna and Shadow Skills Minister Liam Byrne, was criticised by government ministers and MPs who accused the opposition front bench of “dismissing” level two apprenticeships.

But Mr Umunna said: “It is not to devalue them, it is frankly to bring them up to the same benchmarks as our competitors who are more productive than us.”

The policy was unveiled in September last year by Labour’s Skills Taskforce.

Its report, A revolution in apprenticeships: a something-for-something deal with employers, said: “To protect the apprenticeship brand, level two training should be renamed as a traineeship or similar.”

It proposed that apprenticeships be level three or above and last a minimum of two years for level three (equivalent to A-level) and three years for level four (university level).

However, the Association of Employment and Learning Providers urged Labour to scrap its policy three months ago, as it said the changes would stop employers from taking on an apprentice where they only had level two positions available.