The government’s Data Service has today, Thursday 13 December,  published inaccurate Qualification Success Rate (QSR) reports for the second year running.

Providers use the reports to support the interpretation of their success rate results. Several colleges were quick to spot problems after the reports were made available for providers to download this morning, forcing the Data Service to issue an update on its website just hours later.

This follows similar problems last year when the QSR data had to be republished after qualification units were incorrectly included.

Our investigation into this issue has determined that there is an error and we have therefore removed the reports temporarily.”

A member of a forum for college data staff emailed members: “Ours are way out – it’s showing over 10,000 more starts! Also comparing last year’s QSR the 10-11 numbers are different by similar amounts.”

At about 4pm today the Data Service posted: “Following our earlier announcement we have identified a known issue with the sub-contractor reports in the 2011/12 Classroom Based Learning Qualification Success Rate reports published today. We are currently working on a revision to these reports and will shortly advise on arrangements for publication of this revision. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

The sub-contractor reports, which have already been identified as causing the problem, are new. The guidance notes for the QSR report states: “New subcontractor reports have been added to the report set. These show the success rate of the non-subcontracted and subcontracted provision, and the success rate of the subcontractors used by the provider.”

Jerry White,  director of planning and performance at City College Norwich, told FE Week: “It appears that the classroom QSR reports published today contain inaccuracies . . . If that is confirmed to be the case, then it is very disappointing that these important national data sets will need to be withdrawn and reissued for the second year in a row.”

More recently the National Success Rate Tables (NSRT), publicly available information about provider performance also produced by the Data Service, had to be temporarily withdrawn.

In June the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), on behalf of the Data Service, told FE Week: “The NSRTs had an unusually high number of unknown notional levels in the ‘other’ qualification type category.

“Our investigation into this issue has determined that there is an error and we have therefore removed the reports temporarily.”

As FE Week went to press, a spokesperson for the Association of Colleges said: “The AoC has not, as yet, had direct complaints or concerns raised with us from any of our members.”

The government has given Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) “sign-off” on granting colleges and training providers chartered status.

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock told FE Week that LEP approval was needed for providers to be given the stamp of quality. His decision has been criticised by the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), which said it hoped the government would not make a “final” decision until the results of a consultation were published next month.

 LEPs are crucial to ensuring that the right skills are drawn-down in an area.”

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has been consulting since late November on plans for chartered status.

In its consultation document, the government said status would help institutions to build their reputation, gain recognition for what they had achieved within their communities, raise the status of FE, and help the UK Border Agency to recognise legitimate providers.

BIS said it would expect the sector to have set up a body to award chartered status within two to three years and that the stamp of quality would last four or five years.

Mr Hancock, who described chartered status as a demonstration of quality, told FE Week: “The chartered status would require the sign-off of the LEP, so that the college or provider is working in a way which is consistent with the local skills strategy.”

He added: “LEPs are crucial to ensuring that the right skills are drawn-down in an area.”

AELP chief executive Graham Hoyle is concerned that LEPs have been given the power of approval. “While I can perfectly understand where the minister is coming from on this, I would hope that this wouldn’t be an immediate requirement,” he said.

“Some LEPs are very small in terms of resources, and while they might know about the colleges on their patch, it is extremely unlikely that they will know all about the many work-based learning providers spread across what can be a very wide geographical area.

“I hope that the government will hold back on making final decisions until it has seen the consultation’s findings.”

Joy Mercer, director of policy at the Association of Colleges (AoC), said it would respond to the consultation.

“It is imperative that chartered status does not replicate the mistakes of other initiatives such as the Training Quality Standard that promised a return for colleges on their investment in a quality approach to employers, but yielded little,” she said.

“LEPs are very different from area to area in their focus, representation, maturity and geographical coverage. If LEPs are to be involved in chartered status we would want to see a much more consistent approach that reflects the current best practice of college involvement in some areas. Colleges are very keen to work in partnership to design locally responsive programmes with LEPs as they are a crucial element.

“Any work with LEPs will, of course, be done on a collaborative basis.”

The consultation came after Lord Lingfield’s suggestion in October that a chartered body would raise professionalism in the sector.

The government has confirmed the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) will stop receiving funding from August 2013.

The news led LSIS to announce it had “no alternative but to begin a managed exit from its delivery of improvement services for the further education and skills sector”.

Dame Ruth Silver, former principal of Lewisham College and chair of LSIS since it was formed through the transfer of assets from both the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) and the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) in 2008, spoke to FE Week after today’s announcement.

One thing that will preoccupy me over the next month will be a legacy strategy.”

“LSIS is an Aladdin’s cave of riches,” said Dame Silver.

“LSIS will disappear as an organisation but its purpose will remain and the functions are on the shelf to be handed over, so one thing that will preoccupy me over the next month will be a legacy strategy.”

LSIS will cease delivering courses, training conferences and other support, including the provision of grants direct to providers, on a phased basis between March and August 2013.

The reins of LSIS will most likely be taken up by the FE Guild, which has begun plans to consult on the creation of a single body to set professional standards and codes of behaviour, as well as develop qualifications.

Details of when programmes and services will end are being discussed with BIS and partners. Decisions on specific end dates will be released in the New Year.

Chief Executive of LSIS, Rob Wye, told FE Week: “It is our aim to provide the planned high quality support and services we have already committed to at least until the end of this financial year, and in some cases through to the end of the academic year. It is vital that those who are committed to improvement activities over this period are not impeded in achieving their goals.

“For a significant proportion of the improvement services that LSIS has delivered so successfully for the sector over the last four years, it is expected that these will end completely by August 2013. We will also be exploring alternative destinations for our programmes and activities, so that the sector may continue to have expertly trained leaders and governors, continued support for teaching and learning, and assistance with its own improvement.”

Dame Silver added: “LSIS has accelerated the drive for excellence. Providers who have benefited from our support have demonstrated that improvement is possible. We know that those colleges and providers supported by LSIS improved by at least one grade in their next inspection.

“Consequently, the sector has leaders who are better equipped to face the challenges ahead and governors are clearer about the role they must now play. Practitioners tell us that having been supported by us they now are able to provide a more tailored and effective approach to teaching which better meets learners needs.”

More comment and analysis will be in the next edition of FE Week

One in four adults has the maths skills of a nine-year-old or worse and struggles with the most basic everyday sums, new research suggests.

The government last week released a 425-page report based on a Skills for Life survey that tested the maths and literacy abilities of 16 to 65-year-olds across England.

It shows that a quarter of the population — about a million more than a decade ago — can do maths to the same level as primary pupils aged between 7 and 9.

Between 2003 and 2011 there was a large improvement in adults at level 2 literacy and above, but 24 per cent (8.1 million people) lack basic numeracy, and 15 per cent (5.1 million people) lack basic literacy.

It’s vital that we ensure all adults are given the opportunity to learn the English and maths skills they need for everyday life.”

David Hughes, chief executive of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE), said he believed the government’s funding system could be partly responsible.

“This is complex but put very simply I am sure that the funding system has pushed people towards supporting learners who can make the jump to level 1 and level 2 — and who they are confident will achieve the qualification — rather than focus on those with lower-level needs who are less likely to progress to a full qualification quickly.”

The government’s recent Skills Funding Statement said pilots on how FE providers could be funded on the basis of skills gained by learners are now in place. Evaluation will be published next June.

Carol Taylor, director for development and research at NIACE, said: “There has been a huge effort from teachers, managers, volunteers and learners over the past 10 years leading to a significant improvement in the literacy skills of the country, albeit for those at a higher level.

“NIACE’s inquiries, and the government’s review of Skills for Life, have shown that those with the poorest skills have been the least well served. One in six of the adult population has some difficulty with aspects of reading and writing, and one in four struggles with maths. This means that they are seriously disadvantaged – in work, in health and in their role as parents.

“It’s vital that we ensure all adults are given the opportunity to learn the English and maths skills they need for everyday life.”

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said this research supported the government’s drive to boost basic skills across the country, with Skills Minister Matthew Hancock last month announcing a doubling of funding for English and functional skills qualifications in English and maths.

Mr Hancock said: “Good English and maths are vital for getting a job and playing a full part in society.

“I would urge anyone who is struggling to take advantage of the provision that is on offer that now includes maths and English GCSEs for adults who missed out the first time round.”