The Priorities Driving Funding

1
The Priorities Driving Funding

• Edexcel Funding Network
• 17th December 2007
• Mick Fletcher

2
Priorities and more priorities

• Grant Letter to LSC
• LSC Statement of Priorities
• Machinery of Government Changes
• FE Act 2007
• FE Bill 2007
• Train to Gain Plan for Growth
• Speeches by Denham and Gordon Brown

3
LSC Grant Letter, 2008-09

• 3 priorities and 84 instructions for LSC, on
• 14-19 reforms
• adult skills
• sustainable employment
• system reform
• Sticks to the Leitch Agenda, with
• an expansion of Train to Gain
• the roll-out of Skills Accounts
• Read more at http//www.dius.gov.uk/publications/
  LSC-Grant-Letter-2008-09.pdf

4
LSCs Annual Statement of Priorities, 2008-09

• No surprises more caution, but no real change,
  on the Leitch Agenda
• A common funding system for school sixth forms
  and colleges, but still no common rates
• Further consultations promised on adult funding
  (PCDL), apprenticeships and schools funding
• Read more at http//readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/Na
  tional/nat-statementofpriorities-nov07.pdf

5
Budget 85 demand-led by 2015
6
The new formula in 2008-9
(SLNs x NFR x PF) ALS
Programme Disadvantage Area costs Success rate
GLH 450
With transitional relief
Individual calculations
Max 1.75
7
Changes to the machinery of government

• Following the creation of DIUS and DCSF, a
  shake-up of LSC and of several quangos (CEL/QIA
  and QCA) the purchaser-provider split, again?
  The under-19/19 division reflected more fully in
  the quangocracy? Lyons moves?
• Transfer of 16-19 funding to LAs, but debate over
  the formulae and powers
• Education depts seek a national formula and
  funding based on participation, not residence
• Read more at
• http//www.dfes.gov.uk/furthereducation
  and http//www.dius.gov.uk/publications/letter_Jo
  hnDenham20_EdBalls.pdf

8
FE/HE comparisons

• The FE/HE funding gap is highlighted by the
  creation of DIUS

9
SECTORS AND REGIONS

• UNTIL 2010/11
• Commission for Employment and Skills April 08
• - new Chair -
• - new Chief Executive - Chris Humphries
• Regional Development Agencies
• - devolution of regeneration to local
  authorities
• - still a role in skills

10
QCA changes the new regulatory body

• Government is concerned about securing full
  confidence in standards, so QCA is to be split
• QCAs regulatory functions will transfer to a new
  body (with a new name and acronym, t.b.a.), which
  will be legislated-for shortly
• The new body will be responsible for securing
  standards of qualifications, tests and assessment
  and value for money
• It will also accredit qualifications, recognise
  awarding bodies and regulate the AB market
• Key aspect it will no longer be accountable to
  ministers (as is currently the case) this
  follows precedents across the public services

11
QCA changes what remains

• QCA continue to be responsible for curriculum
  monitoring and development
• Its remit will now be for reform and delivery of
  qualifications, curriculum and assessment
• It will deliver the national curriculum tests and
  vocational qualifications reform
• Also developing criteria for public
  qualifications (e.g., GCSEs, A-levels, Diplomas)
  although these will be regulated by the new
  body
• Read more at http//www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/pnattach/
  20070170/1.html_ftn2

12
The Further Education and Training Act, 2007

• Allows FE colleges to award foundation degrees
• Allows the DIUS Secretary of State to dismiss
  Principals
• Allows the London Mayor (and possibly others,
  elsewhere?) to determine adult skills strategies
• Abolishes the 47 local LSCs, and establishes 9
  regional ones instead
• Read more at http//www.dius.gov.uk/press/23-10-0
  7.html

13
FURTHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACT

• Powers of Direction over 19 LSC Funding
• -

14
The Queens Speech a new Education Bill

• Raises the learning leaving age (compulsory
  participation) to 18 by 2013
• Requires LSC to give priority to Skills for Life
  and first Level 2
• Requires LSC to provide apprenticeship places for
  all those who want them
• Read more at http//www.number10.gov.uk/files/pdf
  /3.Apprenticeships20Draft20Legislation.pdf
• and http//www.number10.gov.uk/files/pdf/2.Edu
  cation20and20Skills20Bill.pdf

15
Learning leaving age

• The Leaving Age timetable is driving the agenda
• Read more at http//www.cfbt.com/evidenceforeduca
  tion/PDF/91161_Raising_the_Leaving_Age.pdf

16
Participation forecast 16,17s
17
Train to Gain Plan for Growth

• Lessons learnt? less bureaucracy promised,
  especially re brokers and cross-region working
• Growth plans forward on L.3 more focus on
  apprenticeships a revised offer to employers
  Public Services Skills Compact more sectoral
  tailoring providers transformation programme
• Also re-training at L.2 for priority unemployed
  groups extension to self-employed/third sector
  LM support up from 4m to 30m stand-alone S4L
  provision where needed, and at all levels
• Read more at http//readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/
  National/nat-plan-for-growth.pdf?WT.mc_idttgho760
  WT.mc_evclick

18
14-19 What we know now

• Shape of LSC system for common 16-19 funding
  framework. Delivering World Class Skills.
• Shape of DCSF proposals for funding practical
  learning. Schools, early years and 14-16
  funding consultation
• Choice of school purchaser LA purchaser mixed
  models for allocation
• Amounts of transferred IFP (36 m.) and earmarked
  DSG (40m to 110m)
• Funding for 16-19 transfers to LAs from 2010

19
14-19 What we should know soon

• 16-18 learner numbers and funding LSC Annual
  Statement of Priorities November
• Allocation of Diploma Grant DCSF end
  November
• A framework for costs that schools should be
  charged for diplomas DCSF undated
• Minimum Funding Guarantee and other details of
  CSR October/November
• Will LSC powers transfer to LAs with the money?

20
Final straws in the wind

• John Denham Advancement agencies Fabian
  Society
• John Denham Future scenarios for further
  education. Querying mergers
• Gordon Brown In the old world you had colleges
  for everything that happened after school. Now
  we need a new focus on 16-19 year olds in 6th
  form centres.and a similar focus on community
  colleges with state of the art training
  facilities that increasingly specialise in adult
  vocational excellence