Outgoing ESFA chief takes “personal responsibility” for Learndirect decisions

The outgoing head of the ESFA has claimed personal responsibility for the decision not to terminate Learndirect’s adult education budget contract after its ‘inadequate’ Ofsted rating.

Although the DfE’s permanent secretary Jonathan Slater denied at the same meeting that the UK’s largest training provider had been given special treatment, Peter Lauener insisted it had been his decision to “take a different approach”.

The ESFA rule is to “typically terminate the contract and seek a better provider, subject to protecting the interests of learners”.

However, even though he first became aware at the end of March of Ofsted’s intention to hand out a grade four, Mr Lauener made the decision to allocate Learndirect £45 million of funding to pay for current and new courses for 12 months until July 2018.

Meg Hillier, the chair of the public accounts committee, asked Mr Lauener if Learndirect “was too big to fail” during a meeting on October 12.

“No, it wasn’t,” he replied. “In fact, we had a contingency team set up to allow us to put in place our standard closure arrangements if we judged that was the right thing to do.

“But, and I take personal responsibility for this, I looked at the case very carefully, and I felt the right thing to do in terms of continuity of provision for learners and other service users – Learndirect runs two big testing processes with significant numbers of people getting tests for citizenship and teacher skills tests – so I took the view that we should take a different approach in this case.”

Mr Slater added that his decision not to issue a three-month termination notice came about because of the impact for learners and because Learndirect had received grade three ratings in several categories despite an overall grade four – something Ms Hillier described as “hardly a ringing endorsement”.

“Learndirect have written to me welcoming the NAO and their team in to look at their books, so their books will be open to the NAO too as I understand it,” she went on.

“And we will no doubt consider whether we will invite them in as well and it’s likely to be in January so just to give you warning. I think, Mr Lauener, it will be your successor we have to invite.”

Mr Slater then jokingly encouraged her to “invite him back”.

Mr Lauener is due to retire from his post at the end of November, but insisted he would be “happy” to come back and face the committee.

“Oh, you shouldn’t have said that,” joked Mr Slater, the DfE’s most senior civil servant.

Mr Lauener added: “We considered very carefully what was the best thing to do. Our starting point with an Ofsted ‘inadequate’ expansion is the presumption what we would terminate the contract with three months’ notice.

“We’ve had 27 cases in the last two years, but in four of those, not counting Learndirect, we’ve terminated with more than three months’ notice – with between four and six months’ notice.”

Ofsted’s report on Learndirect was made known to the DfE in March, but was not published until August when the company failed in both a judicial review to quash the report and a gagging order to prevent FE Week from publishing the story.

The National Audit Office has opened an investigation into the affair, and how the government has handled it.

The provider’s chairman, Ken Hills, said the provider would fully comply with any investigation in a letter addressed to comptroller and auditor general, Sir Amyas Morse, dated September 14.

“I would welcome the NAO undertaking an investigation as a means of correcting gross reporting inaccuracies and establishing a clear evidence case for a more informed political and public debate around a complex issue,” he wrote.

Learn from recent history to avert apprenticeship disaster

Government figures have revealed a dramatic 61-per-cent drop in apprenticeship starts between May and July, compared with the same period last year, following the levy launch. As the sector waits to see if this forces a major rethink, FE Week’s deputy editor Paul Offord looks back to another apprenticeship policy catastrophe that sparked a quick U-turn.

The massive drop-off of apprenticeship starts comes as no surprise.

It has long been made clear to us by many providers, employers and those lobbying on their behalf, that the reformed system, rolled out from May 1, would have a slow start and many unintended consequences.

The idea of introducing what amounts to a tax that should force more companies to invest in training was a sound one, but the decision to let employers choose to spend it all on senior management training, allied with the ongoing farce around non-levy allocations, has left us in a mess.

Then-business secretary Dr Vince Cable, who now leads the Liberal Democrats, faced a nightmare scenario that bears comparison back in December 2013.

The advanced learner loans system had been launched that April – only for students aged 24 and above – which was a first for further education.

Take-up was disappointing across the board, but particularly for apprenticeships, which saw just over 400 applications over seven months.

People clearly weren’t prepared to pay their own cash for apprenticeship training in the same way they would for a degree.

I had only recently started as a reporter with FE Week, and the palpable sense of fear from government that this was going to undermine its drive to drastically increase apprenticeship numbers, was clear to me even then, as a relative novice to further education.

On that occasion, Dr Cable, the self-proclaimed “saviour” of our sector, acted promptly and scrapped loans for apprenticeships.

We are now faced with a situation where some employers, rather than learners, appear reluctant to invest in training or will simply save on existing training budgets for managers.

FE Week first reported the unstoppable rise in the management frameworks over a year ago, and today reveal it’s has overtaken business administration to become the second most popular. 

Now, or rather since May, graduates can for the first time become funded apprentices, meaning big employers will look to invest as much as possible of the money they are being forced to invest in training, on upskilling older employees through, for example, management apprenticeship degrees.

This appears to be the shape of things to come in the post-levy world, as our editor Nick Linford warned in his editorial in this week’s paper, when what we actually need is for more young people to develop skills from a lower level to properly support the UK economy as Brexit approaches.

Something needs to change fast and removing levy and co-investment charges for all 16-18 year-old apprenticeships would be a good place to start for a government apparently determined to improve social mobility.

Governments are, perhaps understandably, always reluctant to admit to having made mistakes.

However, it seems to me that Dr Cable, his then-skills minister Matthew Hancock, and the old Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, set a good precedent for taking decisive and much-needed action.

Let’s hope the skills team now led by our current minister Anne Milton, who has after all repeatedly promised to listen to and act on sector concerns, will be prepared to learn from recent history.

BREAKING: First official apprenticeship levy figures show a 61% fall in starts

Total apprenticeship starts for May, June and July fell a staggering 61% compared to the same period last year.

Provisional figures published by the DfE this morning, as part of the Statistical First Release, include the apprenticeship starts after the levy system began on the 1 May.

All apprenticeship starts from May (with the exception of 16 to 18 year-olds at employers with fewer than 50 employees) will have involved, for the first time, a mandatory financial contribution from the employer, either from the levy account or the 10 percent co-investment.

The Department for Education said: “Between February and April 2017, there was an increase in apprenticeship starts compared to the same point a year earlier (174,100 and 118,800 respectively), an increase of 47%. Between May and July 2017 (quarter 4 of the 2016/17 academic year), apprenticeship starts have decreased to 43,600 from 113,000 over the same period in the year before (quarter 4 of the 2015/16 academic year), a decrease of 61%.”

Responding to the dramatic fall in starts since May, a Department for Education spokesperson said:“Our apprenticeship reforms have put control back into the hands of employers so they will gain the skilled workforce they need to compete globally.

“We know that the last year has been a period of huge change for employers but it is right that they are taking their time to plan ahead and maximise the opportunities the apprenticeship levy can bring.”

READ MORE: Why employer-ownership isn’t compatible with social justice

Mark Dawe, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers told FE Week: “Sadly we saw these numbers coming long before the levy even started because of the way the new funding system has been designed.  Until we see the September starts, we don’t know whether the three million target is under threat but the numerical target isn’t really important here.  What is needed are changes that will restore incentives for employers to recruit young apprentices and a guaranteed minimum budget for non-levy payers’ apprenticeships which will ensure that there are opportunities in the many areas of the country without large employers.  

“AELP is receiving plenty of anecdotal and factual evidence from its members that the government’s own social mobility agenda is being undermined by the levy reforms with fewer lower level apprenticeships available to offer a ladder of opportunity and the damage is also being done in sectors that are crucial for the post-Brexit economy such as hospitality and health and social care. 

“We therefore need a proper debate about future funding systems and approaches in anticipation of the levy being used up by levy payers.  This has to take a hard look at the barriers which are putting off employers from taking on apprentices such as the level of financial contribution required from them and the amount of time mandated for off-the-job training within an apprenticeship.”

And Neil Carberry, managing director of people policy at the CBI tweeted this:

This was followed by a statement in which he said the “disappointing data” would “come as no surprise to companies, who have repeatedly made clear that the current design of the apprenticeship levy system is not effective”.

“Businesses believe in apprenticeships but there can be no argument now –  reform of the levy system is needed urgently to ensure its success,” he said.

And shadow skills minister Gordon Marsden had this to say on Twitter about today’s statistics:

WorldSkills 2017: A school visit to remember for Team UK

Singing, dancing, glow-in-the-dark shows and a bird of prey; Team UK’s first outing in Abu Dhabi certainly had it all as they visited a local school ahead of WorldSkills 2017.

For some the highlight was the energetic rendition of S Club 7’s smash hit ‘Reach for the stars’, and for others it was the Scottish highland dancing, but every moment of Team UK’s visit to Al Ezza School, in Baniyas East, will be one to remember for the competitors.

Mechatronics competitor Tom Revell and hairdressing competitor Bridie Thorne pose with pupils and the bird of prey

The visit came as part of WorldSkills’ One School One Country programme in which all the competitor nations and regions are assigned to a school where children then find out about their team, get to meet them just days before competition and present their findings to the competitors.

Team UK entered the school via a red carpet this morning, and were met with screaming applause from the pupils, who then quickly got into position to perform some authentic Arabic dancing.

They were then moved into the school’s main hall where both the UK’s and United Arab Emirates’ national anthems were sung before a barnstorming rendition of S Club 7, by one the school’s own pupils.

Cooking competitor Ruth Hansom with the schoolchildren

A glow in the dark act took place shortly after this, followed by a shadow show and then a presentation by the UK’s team leader Jo Maher, who took the schoolchildren through the history of our country, including traditional dishes like fish and chips, and celebrities like David Beckham.

Workshops followed, where the pupils could have a go at some of the competitors’ skill areas, such as jewellery making and restaurant services, and the UAE’s national bird – the saker falcon – was on hand to pose for photos.

“The whole day has been so much more than I expected,” said Kaiya Swain, Team UK’s competitor in beauty therapy who trains at Sussex Downs College. “They’ve put so much effort into it and it really has blown us all away.

“It has definitely got us pumped up for the competition. It was the boost that we all needed.”

Al Ezza School pupils performing their glow in the dark act

The event will also without a doubt live long in the memory of the schoolchildren.

“WorldSkills means we can share our culture and skills with everyone and learn more about many things,” said 10-year-old pupil Salama Salim.

To see WorldSkills competitors meet their young Abu Dhabi hosts for the first time, is an “emotional experience that emphasises the power of forging relationships that know no borders”, added Simon Bartley, President of WorldSkills.

“One School One Country demonstrates that the world can be as small and interconnected as we want to make it. Skills are uniting these young people, and this programme makes it possible for them to develop their knowledge and understanding of cultures and values beyond their own.”

Pupils guiding Team UK around their school

WorldSkills UK chief executive, Dr Neil Bentley, was part of the visiting party all day and took to the microphone to say thank you to the school for hosting the team before joining in with traditional Ayala dancing, also known as the ‘stick dance’.

“For me this is one of the aspects of the competition that gives us that real cultural exchange, it has been a unique insight into education in Abu Dhabi and that is what this whole WorldSkills journey is all about,” he told FE Week.

“The school itself has put so much effort into it, this is the epitome the competition.”

 

Everest trek will fund bursaries at adult education college

A member of staff from London’s Mary Ward Centre is trekking to Everest in an effort to raise money for student bursaries to help people who can’t afford course fees.

With a fundraising target of £20,000, Sue Cragg, the head of adult and community education at the adult education college, will walk for 12 days to reach Everest’s base camp.

The centre runs classes in everything from ukelele and zumba to psychology and enamelling, with courses costing around £100.

“Working at the centre you see the difference that doing a course makes in people’s lives, particularly for those unable to afford the fee,” Ms Cragg said. “People gain more confidence and feel less isolated, and it’s getting people qualifications and back into work or into better jobs.”

Leaving for the expedition on November 2, Ms Cragg has been in training for the past year, taking yoga and strength and conditioning classes, walking five miles a day and going on training holidays to the French Alps and Italy.

She has already raised £330 of her target through an online fundraising page, which will be used to heavily subsidise or cover the cost of class fees for struggling students.

Feature picture: Craggs on a training climb in Italy’s Aosta Valley

College referee campaigns to get more women into football

A college referee campaigning to get more women into football has taken her crusade to Westminster, reports Samantha King.

Sunderland College’s sports development officer, Lucy Oliver (pictured top right), was invited to speak at the House of Lords through her involvement with Women in Football – a group of professional women with strong links to the football industry, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.

The group counts among its members Dame Heather Rabbats, former non-executive director and board member of the Football Association, and Eva Carneiro, Chelsea FC’s former doctor, who were both in attendance to encourage support for the diversification of football.

Oliver

“It is the aim of the FA to double the participation of women and girls in football by 2020, and in order to do that, we need the full weight of the government behind us,” Ms Oliver explained. “This is the first time the issue has been brought before the House of Lords and we hope that this has created a real buzz around the topic which will provide a catalyst for further change and ultimately, equality in football.”

Closer to home, Ms Oliver – who has been a referee for 13 years and is an FA ambassador – has introduced a number of initiatives to build the confidence of young women taking part in sport at Sunderland college.

Since her appointment as sports development officer three years ago, she has brought in a Women’s Football Leadership Programme and the Women & Girls Football Hub as part of her role to develop the college’s sporting offer.

“We have to change the way people view male-dominated sports from an early age, so it’s absolutely integral to educate and engage with young women at the earliest opportunity,” she explained. “The work I do at Sunderland College is an important aspect of Women in Football’s campaign, and it means we’re giving the younger generation a chance to cast inequality and under representation in football to one side.”

“We have come a long way in football in terms of promoting female participation and challenging gender stereotypes, but we still have a long way to go before we can honestly say the issue has been fully tackled. One day, it will seem ridiculous that it was even considered unusual or controversial for women to be involved in football.”

Lucy blows the whistle on the gender divide

Construction industry giants answer students’ burning questions during college Q&A session

More than 80 apprentices and construction trade students from London South East Colleges have had the chance to speak with some of the UK construction industry’s biggest names during a recent Q&A session.

Hosted at the college’s Bromley campus, aspiring construction workers had the chance to ask a panel of six chief executives and managing directors questions on anything from what qualities they look for in employees to how to maintain a positive online footprint.

Among the panellists were Charlie Mullins OBE, the CEO of Pimlico Plumbers (pictured right), Shenaaz Chenia (left), the managing director of Saint Gobain, and Andrew Stevens, the CEO of technical and digital education providers CNet Training – who chaired the panel.

“Construction is becoming a multifaceted industry and employers only want to take on ‘good people’,” said Stevens. “They want the best possible candidates and they are willing to train them to become experts in their field. That’s how it works.”

“I have an interview for an apprenticeship coming up pretty soon and the panellists gave me some great ideas today,” said Scott, a motor vehicle student. “It was very interesting and they made some brilliant points.”

First-ever cohort of degree apprentices begin studying with Leeds Trinity University

Leeds Trinity University welcomed its first ever cohort of degree apprentices this week.

The new course has taken on 15 apprentices currently employed at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, who will all study towards a level six degree apprenticeship in chartered management, accredited by the Chartered Management Institute.

Lasting three to four years, the course combines university study with work-based learning specific to each apprentice’s job role, from nurses and pharmacists to human resources workers and estate managers.

“This apprenticeship, and the many others we are currently developing, will create new opportunities for people from all backgrounds, including those currently underrepresented in higher education,” said Helen Wright, the university’s apprenticeships manager.

“This is a great opportunity to develop professionally, combining work-based learning with study to progress their careers.”

The degree apprenticeship is designed for businesses and employers looking to develop their employees in supervisor, senior management and first-line manager roles.

The CMI also announced a new senior leadership master’s degree apprenticeship this week, aimed at senior executives and business leaders.

Frustration as 5% tolerance on English and maths extended indefinitely

The five-per-cent tolerance on the notorious English and maths condition of funding rule will apply “until further notice”, the Department for Education has said today – but exasperated sector leaders want the policy to be scrapped altogether.

The rule states that any 16- to 18-year-old student who does not have at least a C, or a 4 or above,  in their English and maths GCSEs, and who fails to enrol in the subjects, will be removed in full from funding allocations for the next-but-one academic year.

The tolerance was first introduced for the September 2016/17 allocations, based on enrolments for 2014/15.

The government said the penalty would be halved, and would only apply to providers where more than five per cent of their students (by value) did not meet the funding condition.

This tolerance was then added to the 2017/18 allocations, and the DfE has now extended it “until further notice, in recognition of the continued efforts of post-16 providers to deliver the 16-to-19 maths and English policy”.

“We expect that the clarity over the level of tolerance in future years will provide providers with increased certainty on which to plan,” it said in its announcement.

But Mark Dawe, the AELP’s chief executive, said that instead of extending the tolerance “it would be much better to simply drop the compulsory resits policy”.

“Let’s do an upfront assessment of learners to determine whether they should do GCSEs or functional skills,” he urged.

David Hughes, chief Executive of the Association of Colleges, said it was “good news that the government has extended the tolerance”.

But he added: “We still need a proper strategy from DfE about English and maths.

More discretion  is needed, he said “about the best qualification for each student, curriculum changes, new qualifications, designing a new transition year, investment in teachers, realistic success measures for colleges, and building understanding of what works”.

Meanwhile, James Kewin, deputy chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said: “GCSEs are important for many of our students that have aspirations to progress to higher education and certain occupations, but they are not right for all young people and we would welcome the flexibility to offer alternative qualifications where appropriate.” 

And Gordon Marsden, shadow skills minister, said today’s announcement did not “address the real issue” and was “simply tinkering at the edges and leaving continuing uncertainty for providers, adding to the ordeal for  thousands of learners that the flawed resits procedure has become”.

He urged his government counterpart, apprenticeships and skills minister Anne Milton, to “have the courage of her convictions and finally order a fundamental review to see if a move to functional skills would address the negative and pressurised endless resits which are damaging outcomes for both providers and FE learners”.

Since 2013, all 16- to 19-year-olds without at least a grade C in GCSE maths or English have had to enrol in courses in these subjects alongside their main programme of study.

This requirement was tightened in 2015 to require all of those with a grade D – now a 3 –  in those subjects to sit a GCSE course, rather than an equivalent stepping-stone course such as functional skills.

But after last year’s GCSE results showed huge numbers of learners aged 17 and older failed to improve their grades in resits, many in the sector demanded the government to scrap the policy.

FE Week reported in December 2016 that colleges had lost almost £3 million in funding through failure to comply with the condition of funding rule.

The Education Funding Agency’s 2016/17 allocations, published in November 2016, revealed that £2,842,016 had been deducted across 26 general FE colleges, the first year deductions were in force.

And in December FE Week highlighted what was described as an “incredibly unfair” flaw in the rule, which made it impossible for colleges to achieve 100-per-cent compliance.

The Association of Colleges has previously called for the condition of funding tolerance to be made permanent.