New MPs’ investigation into adult literacy and numeracy under way

Adult literacy and numeracy levels in England came under the spotlight of select committee MPs for the first time this morning.

The Business, Innovation and Skills committee has launched its investigation into the findings of last year’s survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which revealed adults in England and Northern Ireland were falling well behind the rest of the world in English and maths skills.

The opening committee session heard from a range of experts in adult skills about the impact of social class on learning, the need for specialist teacher training and the potential of “peer-to-peer” training to help solve the problem.

They also heard about the role of the Job Centre Plus (JCP) in raising adult skills standards.

Dr Helen Casey
Dr Helen Casey

Speaking in front of the committee, Dr Helen Casey, executive director of the National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy, said it was difficult to identify adults in need of help with reading and maths.

“We have very high numbers of people in the adult population who are very good at hiding what they can’t do,” she told MPs.

“Nobody likes owning up to their weaknesses and once people come through the school system and into adult life it takes a lot of courage to admit the thing you’re not good at, especially when there’s a big social stigma attached to that.”

David Hughes, chief executive of the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education, pointed to evidence suggesting that socio-economic class, with people from deprived backgrounds tending to do worse at English and maths,  was “one of the key issues in the school system”.

When asked by committee chair Adrian Bailey MP what was contributing to this in schools and society, Mr Hughes said: “There are a lot of people who make it but the schools system is geared towards supporting people who are already supported at home and it stays with that child throughout their lives.”

Mr Hughes’ comments were echoed by Libby Coleman, whose book Yes, We Can Read teaches people how to tutor adults who are unable to read.

She told the committee: “Those of us who can read were given help long before school — a big target for us is young parents so that they read with their children long before they hit school.”

However, when challenged by committee member Brian Binley MP as to how the skills sector could change the situation, Mr Hughes, along with Dr Casey called for more qualified, specialised adult skills teachers, particularly for maths.

Brian Binley MP
Brian Binley MP

Dr Casey said: “We need to do something to combat the opinion that anybody can teach basic skills and there’s a feeling that if you can do it then you can teach it and that clearly isn’t the case.”

However, Ms Coleman spoke in favour of teaching members of the public to teach those who cannot read as part of peer-to-peer programmes.

“We are talking about people who are never going to go to classes or a group,” she said.

“It’s not an issue of specialisms, it’s about giving the confidence to go out and teach it.”

Also appearing before the committee was Neil Couling, director of benefit strategy for JCP at the Department for Work and Pensions. He told the committee that in the last year JCP had referred more than 500,000 people into skills provision.

However, he said: “We seem to be seeing the same people over and over again, so I think we’re quite good in identifying the problem, we’re less good at following through and making the problem is addressed.”

Despite this, when questioned by Caroline Dineage MP, Mr Couling said JCP did not measure claimants’ skills progress, only whether they remained on benefits or not.

Mr Couling said: “The primary responsibility of my organisation is not to address literacy and numeracy issues.”

Neil Couling
Neil Couling

The committee’s first evidence session on adult numeracy and literacy came a week  after the government said graduate maths teachers who choose to teach in FE colleges would get a bonus of up to £10,000 under a £20m plan to recruit 500 new maths teachers in the sector.

Under the scheme, graduates who choose to teach in the sector will receive a bonus of £7,500, payable in their first year, and rising to £10,000 if they train to support learners with special educational needs.

The policy will also reward colleges with up to £20,000 if they recruit a specialist grade maths teacher, and £30,000 for those which share teaching expertise with other colleges and learning providers.

The move was welcomed by the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, which called for the scheme to be extended to also cover English.

UCU rules out FE college strikes – for now

The University and Colleges Union has ruled out further strike action in FE colleges in the near future, despite an ongoing dispute over pay.

The union’s further education committee met on January 24 to review feedback from branches and discuss the next steps in its campaign.

The committee decided not to pursue further strike action at this stage, but is going to consult with branches with a view to building support for the next round of negotiations.

A spokesman said: “Although UCU remains in dispute over the 2013-14 offer, negotiations around the 2014-15 claim are about to start and we are currently consulting with sister unions to agree this year’s claim.

“It is clear that members remain aggrieved at their falling pay levels. It is time that the employers recognised that they cannot continue to cut real-term salaries and expect service as normal.”

Adult Skills Budget in line for 19 per cent funding cut

The government’s Adult Skills Budget is facing a cut of 19 per cent by 2016, the long-awaited Skills Funding Statement (SFS) has revealed.

The document, which was expected following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement in December, was released today.

It shows that the Adult Skills Budget will fall from its current rate of £2.467bn to £2.004bn by 2016, a cut of more than £463m, or 19 per cent.

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock has also announced that government funding will be extended to all apprenticeships after the failed application of the FE loans scheme to the programme for over 24s.

Mr Hancock confirmed that apprentices over 24 would be removed from the scheme, and the SFS document confirms that loans already issued will not have to be repaid.

He said: “The newly-available loans for FE have seen a high level of demand, however, loans for apprenticeships have not seen the same uptake.

“We will therefore remove apprenticeships from loans and offer a government contribution for all apprenticeships while continuing to expand the loans budget to deliver training on the ground.

“We are working hard to make sure that the skills system is both rigorous and challenging, meeting the needs of individuals, employers and the wider economy.

“Our continued focus on high quality provision will support learners to give them the skills they need to succeed in a modern workforce.”

Other changes in the document include the extension of the government traineeships scheme to 24-year-olds, and the introduction of a monthly limit to “strengthen the rigour” of a funding cap for learners introduced last year.

Download the BIS Skills Funding Statement 2013-2016 here. 

WorldSkills competitions open as learners fight for spot on plane to Abu Dhabi

Gold medal winner George Callow (Picture by Ellis O'Brien)
One of last year’s WorldSkills gold medal winners George Callow (Pic: Ellis O’Brien)

Apprentices and learners are being urged to put their skills to the test and fight for a spot on the plane to Abu Dhabi in 2017  by entering this year’s WorldSkills UK competitions.

Entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den panellist Theo Paphitis is leading the call for entries, after registration opened today. Applicants have until March 21 to enter.

Competitors who are successful in the regional heats will battle it out to be rated the best in the UK at The Skills Show — November 13 to 15 at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham — before the prospect of WorldSkills Abu Dhabi in 2017 is on offer.

Competitions cover a massive range of skills, from aromatherapy and forensic science to plumbing and web development.

Mr Paphitis, who is patron of The Skills Show, said: “The WorldSkills UK competitions showcase and celebrate the high levels of talent entering the UK’s workforce.  They reward real talent and I hope this will show everyone how apprenticeships and vocational training can lead to worthwhile careers.

“If you or anyone you know has what it takes to become the best in their industry, then please encourage them to get involved.”

Outstanding national finalists from the competitions who meet the qualifying criteria could be selected to represent the UK at the international WorldSkills competition in Brazil next year.

At last year’s event in Leipzig, Germany, the UK took two gold medals, one of which was won by cabinet maker George Callow (pictured).

He said:  “I would definitely recommend competing in WorldSkills UK competitions — it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.  Career-wise it sets you up and through the experience of taking part you are ahead of your peers.”

Selection and training for TeamUK 2015 is well underway ahead of next year’s World Skills competition in São Paulo, Brazil.

FE Week will bring you all the latest development on Team UK 2015 and 2017 as they prepare to compete on the global stage.

Visit www.worldskillsuk.org to enter.

Could another nosedive in apprentice numbers be around the corner?

Government figures this month indicated advanced apprenticeship starts had plummeted since the introduction of FE loans and with more policy changes afoot David Harbourne asks whether we could be in line for another big drop.

Official statistics have confirmed a massive fall in the number of adults (25+) starting level three apprenticeships.

In the first quarter of 2012/13, 24,400 adults started an advanced apprenticeship (the provisional figure had been 23,300).

But in the same quarter of this academic year, the provisional number was just 2,700.

The difference is, of course, funding.

At the start of the current year, the government stopped subsidising level three apprenticeships for adults.

Training costs now fall entirely on employers or individual learners.

It soon became clear that individuals awee reluctant to take out adult learning loans to pay for apprenticeships, and the government is due to suspend that part of the deal.

However, the figures show that employers, too, are reluctant to pay the full cost. I am not surprised.

Many small businesses choose not to invest much in training because they fear they will lose staff to rival firms.

However, the stakes don’t seem so high when someone else is helping to pay for the training. That’s one reason why successive governments have chosen to subsidise apprenticeships.

Indeed, many employers have become accustomed to paying nothing towards external training and assessment costs, though they do — of course — pay apprentice wages.

Research published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills showed that apprentice numbers would fall if employers were required to pay part or all of the costs of external training and assessment. The latest figures bear this out.

Late last year, the government announced that employers would be required to pay for training and assessment up front before submitting a claim for a partial refund.

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock didn’t rule out mandatory contributions even for apprentices aged 16 to 18.

Some larger employers will see the cost as worthwhile.

Major engineering businesses, for example, have long understood that training can reap long term returns: because staff turnover is low, the initial investment is recouped many times over in the form of improved productivity.

They are prepared to put time and energy not just into training, but also all of the associated planning, processes and procedures.

My worry is that outside engineering, many businesses — especially small firms — will see training and assessment as a short term cost, not a long term investment.

The cost and the fear of poaching will make them think twice about employing apprentices. They may also balk at managing paperwork previously handled for them by colleges and training providers.

If I’m right, apprentice numbers will fall sharply, just as they have for adult advanced apprenticeships.

If so, it won’t be long before the economy starts to suffer because employers will find it harder and harder to recruit the right people, at the right time.

And it’s not just employers who will lose out: the prospects of tens of thousands of people are at risk here.

The government has wisely decided that ideas for simplifying apprenticeship standards should be tested by trailblazers before being rolled out more widely.

With so much at stake, they should take a similar approach to funding. Or better still, think again.

David Harbourne, director of policy and research at the Edge Foundation

Sixth form college strikes put back a month

National sixth form college strikes planned for next week have been put back a month.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) had been expected to take industrial action over pay and pensions by Friday, February 14.

But the NUT announced today that a national strike would be taking place on Wednesday, March 26.

It was not clear why the strike had been put back, but the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) is due to meet next week to decide if it will take part in next month’s demonstrations.

It comes in response to government plans to introduce performance-related pay and change working conditions and pensions.

Graham Baird, director of human resources services at the Sixth Form Colleges’ Association (SFCA), told FE Week: “On behalf of sixth form colleges the SFCA has been monitoring the NUT position on the proposed strike action.

“The announcement that the proposed strike action is now planned for March 26 rather than mid-February, at least provides additional time to allow for discussions to take place between the union and government to try to avert the proposed action.”

Schools up and down the country will also be affected by the strikes, should they go ahead.

Christine Blower, NUT general secretary, said: “[Education Secretary] Michael Gove’s persistent refusals to address our ongoing dispute over pay, pensions and conditions of service, is unnecessary and deeply damaging.

“As a result, thousands of good, experienced teachers are leaving or considering leaving the job and a teacher shortage crisis is looming with two in five teachers leaving the profession in their first five years.

“The NUT and NASUWT met with government officials in October – now more than 17 weeks ago.

“Reassurances were given that Mr Gove would talk about a wide range of matters on implementation of pay and pensions and the direction of travel and implementation on conditions.

“Subsequently, he has put obstacle after obstacle in the way of talks, showing no serious attempt to resolve — or even to discuss — the matters in dispute.”

Chris Keates, NASUWT general secretary, said: “It was deeply disappointing to teachers that, having agreed in October 2013 to a programme of talks with the NASUWT and NUT, Mr Gove did not take the opportunity to progress this, despite planned strike action for November 2013 being called off to allow progress to be made.

“The only way to resolve a dispute is for the parties directly involved to sit down to have serious discussions on the issues of concern.

“Mr Gove needs to take the window of opportunity the NASUWT has offered to him to build trust and confidence with the teaching profession and to demonstrate that he is willing to discuss their deep concerns.

“The NASUWT remains committed to securing genuine dialogue in order to resolve the current trade dispute.

“We are continuing to press Mr Gove to engage seriously in meetings focused on dispute resolution.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Parents will struggle to understand why the NUT is pressing ahead with strikes over the government’s measures to let heads pay good teachers more.

“They called for talks to avoid industrial action, we agreed to their request, and those talks will begin shortly.

“Despite this constructive engagement with their concerns, the NUT is nevertheless taking strike action that will disrupt parents’ lives, hold back children’s education and damage the reputation of the profession.”

Skills Funding Agency chief defends shock qualifications cull

Skills Funding Agency chief executive Barbara Spicer has spoken out to defend a shock public funding cut for adult qualifications.

An unexpected 15-credit threshold for public funding was revealed by the agency late last month, prompting concerns about a lack of consideration.

But Ms Spicer said there had been sector consultation and also hit back at the FE Week editor’s column in edition 91 (dated Monday, February 3) in which it was suggested that such a move should have been communicated to the sector via the Skills Funding Statement (SFS).

The 2012-15 SFS was published in December 2012 and contained a section on qualifications — but last year’s has still not been published.

The FE Week editor’s comment read: “Could it be the agency could not wait any longer, and the SFS information blockage is starting to leak?

“Providers, who try to plan and advertise their courses, should be the first to be informed.”

It continued: “Without FE Week bringing the change to the attention of providers, how long before they would have realised?

“The SFS (still not out at the time of going to press) serves to communicate such changes. It cannot come soon enough”.

However, Ms Spicer told FE Week the funding cut was not related to funding and the SFS – but, rather, the “the business rules for approving qualifications”.

“This is not about funding policy — it is about the business rules for approving qualifications and ensuring we have rigour within the offering,” she said.

The unexpected funding cut was made public on January 29 with the posting on the agency’s website of a document entitled Approval of Qualifications for Public Funding for Adult Learners: Technical Guidance for Awarding Organisations.

Under a section on business rules, it outlined how qualifications at Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) levels 13 and 14 would no longer be paid for by the taxpayer.

It followed an agency consultation late last year on a public funding cut to qualifications — but only in reference to qualifications of up to level 12 (awards).

The unexpected 15-credit (one credit equates to 10 hours’ learning) public funding threshold puts higher-credited certificates in the firing line, not just awards.

Ms Spicer confirmed there had been consultation on the 12-credit public funding threshold, but declined to comment on why there had been no warning of the 15-credit threshold.

“The agency completed a strategic review of the publicly funded offer in June 2013, in advance of and to support the wider review of QCF and vocational qualifications and we have been talking to awarding organisations and providers about these latest changes since autumn last year,” she said.

Skills Funding Agency chief executive Barbara Spicer’s rebuttal to the FE Week editor’s comment in full.

We write in response to your article ‘Shock funding cut for 1,500 adult quals’, in which the publication of the list of qualifications below the size threshold at level two and above that will not be approved for funding in 2014/15 is discussed.

We rebut the comments made within the editorial piece that this is linked to the Skills Funding Statement.

This is not about funding policy, it is about the business rules for approving qualifications and ensuring we have rigour within the offering.

The agency completed a strategic review of the publicly funded offer in June 2013, in advance of and to support the wider review of QCF and vocational qualifications and we have been talking to awarding organisations and providers about these latest changes since autumn last year.

We have also published technical guidance which sets out the process and rules we will apply to approve regulated qualifications for public funding.

As a result, we will have a publicly-funded qualifications offer that is focused on high quality, robust and occupationally relevant qualifications that have a clear track record of demand from learners and employers and can lead to employment and progression.