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Progression payment for traineeships

The government has launched a long-awaited consultation on moving to a new traineeship funding system in which providers are paid based on learner destination.

Progression into apprenticeships, jobs or further learning could be incentivised from 2015/16 under the proposals.

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said: “This consultation will test whether a funding approach designed specifically for traineeships, rather than based on existing arrangements, could produce better results for young people.

“We also want to make the experience more consistent, regardless of which department is responsible for funding.”

It comes after the Skills Funding Agency published new requirements earlier this year for traineeship providers to record outcomes such as progression into work as part of the individualised learning record funding returns.

The consultation will also ask about the need for greater consistency in funding arrangements between the 16 to 18 and 19 to 24 age groups.

It is understood the minister is keen to bolster the programme with FE Week having revealed in May that just 4,160 online applications were made for 3,480 traineeship vacancies in the first eight months since the programme’s launch in August last year.

And the consultation comes after the 16-hour rule that restricted the amount of learning trainees could do and still claim benefits was removed in March. And from August, 24-year-olds can do traineeships, while providers will be given greater flexibility to arrange work placements.

Teresa Frith, senior skills policy manager at the Association of Colleges, said: “We’re pleased that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is asking a wide range of questions to ensure they can carefully consider all the potential consequences of any proposed changes to the funding of traineeships.”

Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) chief executive Stewart Segal said: “AELP has consistently recommended more flexibility in the delivery of traineeships and we are pleased that these issues are being considered.

“We do need to move quickly on some of these issues to make a real success of the programme. One example of this in the consultation is a commitment to review the eligibility criteria for providers who deliver the programme.”

The results of the consultation, which ends on August 14, will be announced in the autumn.

Full-time learner concerns lead to EFA review on planned hours

Fears that a new planned hours system of funding 16 to 19 study programmes was being misused have prompted a review by the Education Funding Agency.

It is understood that the agency was alerted to possible problems after greater proportions of learners were registered as being in full-time study than were previously seen under the old funding system. It now pays per learner, rather than by qualification, as recommended in Professor Alison Wolf’s 2011 review of vocational education.

And for learners to qualify as full-time under the new system providers must record them with at least 540 planned hours, but it is understood that learners who would previously have been funded as part-time were now being funded as full-time.

The agency, FE Week understands, is concerned that providers were either not delivering the full 540 hours or, where delivered they were condensed into periods of as little as four months. However, it announced on Thursday (June 19) that it would be conducting a review this summer to ensure all data and funding claims were valid.

An agency spokesperson said: “The agency will ask institutions that have had the most significant increase in full time programmes to complete a straightforward return highlighting the main reasons for the increase. Institutions selected for funding audit, that have had an increase in full time programmes, will also be asked to complete this return.”

In order for planned hours to qualify for funding, the activity done in that time must contribute towards a coherent study programme for the student, be timetabled, organised or supervised by the provider and be within the provider’s normal working pattern.

The spokesperson added: “All institutions should ensure that planned hours recorded for the 2013 to 2014 academic year meet these criteria. EFA will continue to monitor the returns it receives to decide if further audit work is necessary.”

The chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, Stewart Segal, said: “We were expecting a review on the impact of study programmes at some stage and we would welcome input into it. AELP supports the flexibility of study programmes and hope that the review will reinforce that flexibility rather than create too rigid a definition of the learning activities.”

In her 2011 report, Dr Alison Wolf laid out her arguments for funding by student, rather than qualification. She said the move would “focus… management and staff attention on student programmes rather than the minutiae of individual qualifications’ fees” and “make it much easier for institutions to collaborate in offering different components of a programme”.

Ofsted sees ‘insufficient progress’ at inadequate Lesoco and Stockport

Two colleges branded inadequate by Ofsted last year have both emerged badly in the latest of three monitoring visits each from the education watchdog.

Lesoco, in South London, and Stockport College have shown weaknesses during previous monitoring inspections and both were again making “insufficient progress” in key areas, said inspectors who visited last month.

A Skills Funding Agency spokesperson said: “We aware of the findings of the recent Ofsted monitoring reports and continues to work with Lesoco and Stockport College as they implement their improvement plans.”

The most recent visit for Lesoco, formerly grade three Lewisham College and grade four Southwark College, found there had been insufficient progress to improve quality of teaching, learning and assessments, learner attendance rates, or in strengthening tutorial and learning support arrangements.

However, it had made “reasonable progress” in improving maths and English provision.

The college’s initial inadequate grading in November led to a visit from the FE Commissioner and the resignation of the principal Maxine Room.

Her successor, Ioan Morgan, said: “Since the last monitoring visit and the helpful comments from Ofsted, the pace of improvement has increased.”

He added: “The appointment of new and experienced leaders working with a streamlined existing team will ensure momentum is evidenced and that outstanding provision present in parts of the college are replicated throughout.”

Stockport College, which fell to inadequate having previously been outstanding, had made insufficient progress in creating and implementing a post-inspection action plan, improving maths and English and in performance management by senior leaders.

It was, however, was judged to have made reasonable progress on teaching and learning and curriculum change planning.

It too was visited by the FE Commissioner and saw principal Stephen Carlisle replaced by Ian Clinton.

Mr Clinton said: “Following the FE Commissioner’s intervention… a range of measures and targets were agreed, many of these relate to financial matters and the curriculum agenda. The college remains on track to achieve these targets by the end of the academic year.”

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills declined to comment.

Colleges work together to build and paint racing car for disabled people

Staff and students from Yorkshire-based Dearne Valley College and Specialist College Doncaster joined forces to build and paint a racing car that can be driven by people with a variety of disabilities. The vehicle was donated to the Speed of Sight charity run by record-breaking blind racing driver Mike Newman, writes Paul Offord.

The thrill of driving at high-speed around a track need not be something only able-bodied people with 20-20 vision can enjoy.

A kit car that FE staff and learners helped build and paint has been specially-designed so it can be driven by people with a wide range of physical and learning disabilities.

It belongs to the Speed of Sight charity, which allows disabled people who are unable to use ordinary cars to experience the adrenalin rush of driving more than 100mph.

The car was designed by Doncaster-based firm MK Engineering, in consultation with record breaking blind racing driver and charity founder Mike Newman, aged 52.

The firm’s technicians fitted the engine and dual-steering and pedal controls to a basic chasis, then handed it over to South Yorkshire-based Dearne Valley College last November.

Mr Newman, who launched Speed of Sight 18 months ago, broke the land-speed record for a blind person last September on a test track in Brunting Thorpe, Leicestershire, by reaching 186mph in a Porsche GT2.

He said: “I find driving fast exhilarating and had this idea of helping other people who have been told they can’t drive to experience the same thing.

“This is the charity’s second racing car and it has already been used by around 15 people with a variety of disabilities — including a 10-year-old lad who couldn’t see.”

A group of 14 level one to three motor vehicle repair learners designed, cut-out and fitted the car’s aluminium dashboard, mudguards, and metal runners for the fibreglass seats, under the guidance of tutors and technicians.

They also modified and fitted the brakes, wheels, oil coolers, electrical wiring, seats and bodywork that came with the kit car pack provided by MK Engineering.

Tony Austin, automative body repair tutor, said: “This project took a lot of hard work, skill and dedication.

“For example, the seats on those kit cars are normally bolted to the chassis, but we made special runners so they could be moved forward to suit people for people with shorter arms and legs.

“It wasn’t just students who did the work, several members of staff including mechanical technician Brian Butcher worked extremely hard on the project with me.”

One of the students Daniel Weaver, aged 17, who helped install the engine’s wiring, said: “I’m a big Formula One fan, so it was exciting to work on a racing car. It was nice to think about all the people who will benefit from it too.”

The car’s fibreglass bodywork was also painted white and red and its wheels black at Communications Specialist College Doncaster, by level one and two motor vehicle maintenance students with hearing and other communication difficulties.

Andy Boothroyd, programme leader for motor vehicle technology, said: “We were up against the clock as we only had about two weeks to do all the work, but the students did really well.”

The charity paid MK Engineering £6,000 for the basic kit car and modifications carried out by its mechanics. Mr Austin estimated the two colleges saved the charity a further £6,000 in parts and labour costs through their work.

The Dearne Valley students who worked on the car were invited to test drive it at the Yorkshire Aerodrome, near Selby, in May.

Mr Austin is also now a regular support mechanic when it is driven by people with disabilities. He said: “The car can be driven by people with almost
anyone, whether they are blind, have learning difficulties, or mobility problems, so
long as they are with a qualified co-driver.

“It can be very moving. I’ve seen people get out of the car and start crying, not out of sadness but with happiness because they’ve fulfilled their dream.”

Visit speedofsight.co.uk to find out more about the charity.

Cap: Martin Harrison, principal of Dearne Valley College (far left) , blind racing driver Mike Newman (seated in the car), and Andy Boothroyd, programme leader for automotive vehicle technology at Doncaster Communication Specialist College (back row, fourth from left), with representatives from the Speed of Sight charity and staff and students from Dearne Valley College and Specialist College Doncaster. Inset right: Level one automative body repair students Alex Kent and Josh Ward, both aged 17, work on the car. Inset left: Kane Haggarty, aged 10, who has Downs Sydrome, in the car with racing driving instructor Ashley Miller.

BIS publishes summary reports from FE Commissioner visits

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has today published summary reports of FE Commissioner Dr David Collins’s visits to colleges.

Dr Collins’s interventions are triggered either by a grade four Ofsted rating, a notice of financial concern from the Skills Funding Agency or Education Funding Agency, or failure to meet national minimum standards of performance set by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills or the Department for Education.

The commissioner has so far visited LeSoCo, Barnfield College, Stockport College, City of Liverpool College, K College, City of Bristol College, Weymouth College, Bicton College, City of Wolverhampton College and Stratford-upon-Avon College.

See edition 107 of FE Week for more.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW REPORTS

Labour to announce plans to scrap JSA for 18 to 21 year olds and replace with a youth training allowance

Ed Miliband, the labour leader, will today endorse proposals to introduce a youth allowance linked to being enrolled in training.

Targeted at those who have not obtained a level three qualification, the youth allowance will replace job seekers allowance (JSA) payments with a parental means-tested youth allowance for those aged 18 to 21 years.

The Guardian reports that this welfare reform will effect around seven out of 10, of the 18-to-21-year-olds currently claiming JSA, and initially save £65m.

The youth allowance is a proposal from the final report of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), Condition of Britain programme, published today.

During his speech at the report’s launch later this morning Mr Miliband will say “Britain’s young people who do not have the skills they need for work should be in training, not on benefits.”

Government reveals new 16 to 19 SVQ quals

New level two qualifications called substantial vocational qualifications (SVQs) have been revealed by the government today.

They have been designed to help 16 to 19-year-olds with basic skills needs to go straight into a skilled trade or move onto a related Tech-Level.

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said: “Substantial vocational qualifications at level two provide students aged 16 to 19 with a route into a skilled trade or occupation, where employers recognise entry at this level — most construction trades, care work and hairdressing, for example.

“They will also provide access to Tech-Levels. All of these qualifications will require public backing from employers, giving students confidence that the qualification they are taking is genuinely valued.”

A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said SVQs, available from September next year, would, “meet tough new criteria, including rigorous assessment arrangements and a requirement for employers to be involved, for example through work placements or projects set by industry practitioners”.

Official guidance on vocational qualifications for 16 to 19-year-olds, out today, also said SVQs could “provide a ‘licence to practise’ or exemption from professional exams”.

Mr Hancock also announced that new technical awards — vocational qualifications for 14 to 16-year-olds — would be available from September next year.

The awards will be studied alongside a minimum of five core GCSEs, including maths and English and could be studied in University Technical Colleges.

The DfE spokesperson said they would “have to meet tough new criteria on employer value, marking them out as gold-standard qualifications”.

Mr Hancock said: “Technical awards will give students the opportunity to learn practical skills which are valued by employers from the age of 14 and are recognised in the school performance tables.

“They can be studied alongside core GCSEs and offer a crucial first step towards securing a high quality vocational education.”

Free pampering for local residents

Community centre users enjoyed a relaxing pampering day with level two beauty therapy students from South Cheshire College.

The learners provided manicures, pedicures and massages free-of-charge at The Georges Community Centre, in Crewe.

They were invited along by the Wishing Well Project, which organises community-led activities that help improve the health, wellbeing and personal development of local residents.

Sandra Smith, beauty therapy lecturer, said: “The benefits of supporting the Wishing Well Project were two-fold.

“We were supporting the community and helping learners get the experience of working with people that they needed at the same time.”

Beauty therapy student Charlotte Galloway, aged 19, said: “We met people from a wide range of backgrounds and I found it really rewarding and touching.”

Cap: Local resident Kim Robinson enjoys a relaxing foot massage from beauty therapy student Ally Allen, aged 17

In the frame for Mayor-making

Students from Hopwood Hall College were official photographers as Rochdale’s new Mayor Carol Wardle accepted her chains of office.

The college has close links with Rochdale Council and Ms Wardle herself asked if students could take photos of the Mayor-making ceremony at Rochdale Town Hall.

Course tutor Darren Comer selected three first year students studying for an extended diploma in creative media production who had shown a particular interest in photography.

As well as taking snaps of the Mayor, Catherine Lynch and Chloe Helm, both aged 17, and Chanelle Catlow, 16, also photographed and sold prints of the images to guests.

Catherine said: “With the logistics of working with such a large of group of people, and with such time restraints, I found it a very challenging, yet very rewarding experience.”

Sales of photos taken of guests raised £200 for the Mayor’s chosen local charitable causes Springhill Hospital, The Moorlands Children’s Home and Heywood Youth Link.

Chloe said: “This opportunity has broadened my knowledge and understanding of working on projects outside of the classroom environment.”

Cap: Catherine Lynch and Chloe Helm.