Memorandum submitted by Lifelong Learning
UK (LLUK)
LIFELONG LEARNING
UK
1.1 Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) is the independent
employer led Sector Skills Council for community learning and
development;[1]
further education; higher education; work based learning; and
libraries, archives and information services.
1.2 LLUK provides the strategic perspective
for workforce planning and development for the sector across the
four countries of the UK.
1.3 We are responsible for defining and
developing the Sector Qualifications Strategy and are licensed
by the UK governments to set standards for occupational competence
in the delivery and support of learning. These standards are used
to inform the recruitment and professional development of our
employer's staff.
1.4 LLUK leads stakeholders in the collection
and collation of workforce data and provides analysis on workforce
characteristics and trends to better inform future workforce planning.
We also work with partners to improve the dialogue between our
employers and those who look to the lifelong learning sector to
meet their own skills needs.
1.5 As the Sector Skills Council for the
employers in the skills system post-14 (outside schools) we have
a key role, recognised by Alan Johnson, Lord Leitch and others
recently, in ensuring appropriate and effective principals, vice
chancellors, teachers, tutors, trainers and support staff can
be recruited and have access to the right training and development.
We are currently working with DfES in particular on programmes
to reform the workforce across the skills system and discussing
how we can best support the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly
and Northern Ireland Department for Employment and Learning.
Further information can be found on our website:
www.lluk.org
2. ROLE OF
LLUK IN DELIVERING
14-19 DIPLOMAS
2.1 LLUK is one of the 6 key partners working
with the DfES on developing the Workforce to deliver the 14-19
Diplomas.
2.2 LLUK is specifically leading, with the
Training and Development Agency for schools, a programme to develop
the new and existing staff who will deliver the 14-19 Diplomas.
2.3 This programme has a number of key elements:
2.3.1 Report on good practice in delivering
14-19 pathfinders and increased flexibility programmes, specifically
looking at developing and supporting the workforce.
2.3.2 A Training Needs Analysis tool to support
those centres that pass through the "gateway".
2.3.3 Guidance as to the professional development
needs of teachers delivering the Diplomas.
2.3.4 Information, advice and guidance on
CPD and ITT service for schools, colleges and training providers.
2.3.5 Industrial updating programme.
2.3.6 An in-service route to QTLS (Qualified
Teacher Learning and Skills) status available from 2008 for new
teachers.
2.3.7 Review of the needs of support staff.
2.4 We are currently on track to achieve
our critical milestones as agreed with the DfES.
2.5 In all activities contributing to this
work we are working with the other workforce development partners
(the Training and Development Agency for Schools, the Quality
Improvement Agency, the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust,
the Centre for Excellence in Leadership and the National College
for School Leadership) and with the wider 14-19 Diploma steering
group partners including the Diploma Development Partnerships,
SSDA, QCA and of course the DfES.
2.6 David Hunter, Chief Executive of LLUK,
sits on the 14-19 Diploma Chief Executives Group chaired by Rt
Hon Bill Rammell MP.
2.7 Simon Bellamy, 14-19 Development Manager
sits on the DfES's 14-19 Implementation Group which reports on
risk and identifies blockages. Simon also sits on all the other
programme delivery boards associated with the 14-19 Specialised
Diplomas.
3. DETAIL
3.1 Below are summarised key issues in response
to your specific questions. As our area of expertise is around
the teacher and lecturer training we have just submitted specific
answers to this area.
3.2 We will forward a copy of the research
report titled "Excellence in supporting applied learning"
which is the evidence base to underpin the development of the
new and existing workforce that will deliver 14-19 Diplomas. This
research has been built on extensive desk research, including
a review of evaluations of existing programmes, plus interviews
with those delivering increased flexibility programmes and 14-19
pathfinders. The final version will be available from week commencing
8 January to be published formally in February.
3.3 The answers below arise from this evidence
base and our extensive engagement with colleges, training providers,
schools and key stakeholders with a role in delivering the 14-19
agenda.
3.4 Where we refer to "both sectors"
this means both schools and the FE system which includes colleges
and other providers.
4. RESPONDING
TO QUESTIONS
ON TEACHER
AND LECTURER
TRAINING
4.1 What are current levels of teacher/lecturer
training activity in preparation for Diplomas? Is this sufficient
to make Diplomas a success?
— Current levels in terms of courses
are few as Diploma specifications are not published yet.
— Difficult to do Initial Teacher Training
in both sectors prior to 2008 as trainees would be required to
do "teaching practice" in the Diplomas themselves and
these are of course not being taught.
— Therefore initially we are developing
Continuing Professional Development for existing teachers in both
sectors (schools and FE System).
— An "Evidence base" of current
best practice derived from Increased Flexibility Programme and
14-19 pathfinders will be published at the beginning of February
(agreed draft attached), and a toolkit which emphasises the desirable
characteristics of teachers of the Diplomas, based on our research
evidence, will be published at the end of February.
— An electronic training needs analysis
for aspiring Diploma teachers, based on the Toolkit, will be published
in April.
— Conferences will be held at the end
of February for potential training providers (both Continuing
Professional Development (CPD) and Initial Teacher Training (post-14)
(ITT)) to introduce the Evidence Base and Toolkit and prepare
for the Training Needs Analysis.
— Planned development of a dedicated
website www.teach14-19.org as a "one stop shop" for
all enquires, information etc for those wishing to teach the 14-19
Diplomas.
— Please note—all of the above
involve close joint working between LLUK and TDA, The underlying
philosophy being that, if we are expecting colleges/schools to
work together, then LLU/TDA must be exemplary in presenting a
united front.
— CPD/ITT course development will start
from Easter 2007 as per DfES milestones.
— LLUK recommends that DfES continue
to support the development of generic training to build the skills
and competence of the teaching workforce for the 14-19 Diplomas
post-CSR 2007.
4.2 What is the current level of co-ordination
between colleges and schools in local areas?
— Information from regional meetings
suggests colleges on board, schools less so. Information from
Training providers patchy, but certainly larger ones are interested.
— Where Increased Flexibility Programme/14-19
pathfinder established cooperation good, probably less so in other
areas.
— Good where schools see Diplomas as
a way to improve KS4 results hence schools league table performance.
— Less good where schools KS4 results
good and where there is a "if it ain't broke" mentality.
— LLUK would recommend an audit of
cooperation via local authority 14-19 coordinators.
4.3 What are the barriers to co-ordination?
— Geographical spread of schools and
colleges in rural areas (eg North Cambridgeshire, West Cornwall)
where it is more than 20 minutes travel between sites and there
are a finite number of 14-19-year-olds or only a single provider.
— Long standing competition between
schools and colleges in urban areas.
— Lack of expertise and experience
in taking collaborative work a step further, eg in the pooling
of budgets.
— Perception that this initiative is
for the less bright.
— Wariness and lack of parity of esteem
between schools and college/training provider staff.
— Time to build strong partnerships.
— View from schools that "colleges
will do that" (specifically this said by a known assistant
head from a large comprehensive).
— Schools thinking that they can go
it alone eg school in Berks that has (allegedly) bought a big
warehouse to do the Diplomas in.
— LLUK strongly recommends keeping
the gateway for phases 1, 2 and 3 small, building on existing
strong partnerships so they can concentrate on delivering excellent
learning.
— LLUK also recommends that support
is put in place for those that fail the gateway to ensure that
by 2010-13 they are ready to start delivering the Diploma. This
is particularly important in rural areas.
4.4 What are the lessons that can be learned
from areas where there is strong co-ordination on 14-19?
— Innovative use of e-learning methods.
— Robust strategic management structures
are essential.
— Strong employer engagement essential.
— Strong "branding" of partnerships
essential.
— Concentration on quality rather that
quantity.
— Data used to plan and evaluate across
a partnership.
— On-going staff training very important.
— Industrial placements for teaching
staff essential.
— Teacher mentoring very important.
— Mutually inclusive Information Advice
and Guidance.
— Vertical and horizontal coherence.
— Robust Quality Assurance.
(This answer is specifically taken from the taken
from "Evidence base" draft report. This evidence base
is built from interviews with practitioners involved in Increased
Flexibility programme and 14-19 pathfinders)
4.5 What are intermediary bodies such as LAs
and LSCs doing to foster co-operation?
— All local authorities and LSCs have
14-19 staff (usually coordinators) in place.
— Most regions, counties and unitary
authorities have 14-19 partnerships in place.
— However some places have a very large
number—Suffolk has 14 which makes it complex for regional
and national partners to engage.
4.6 How engaged are head teachers and college
principals in the Diploma agenda?
— Those involved in Increased Flexibility
Pathways and pathfinder programmes have bought in, others are
cautious, particularly from schools.
— College principals and training provider
CEOs are particularly concerned about funding streams.
— Teachers/tutors/trainers are mostly
concerned about how this will change their jobs, with the possibility
for some of teaching a new age cohort, raising the issue of what
skills they will need to develop and how this development will
be provided.
— Research among a range of college
and learning provider staff who expressed an interest in delivering
the 14-19 Diploma indicates that the most commonly expressed concern
is how they will be able to deal with challenging behaviour.
4.7 How are the rules on post-16 expansion
likely to affect the rollout of Diplomas?
— The International Baccalaureate could
be perceived as aimed at the "cre"me-de-la-cre"me"
therefore Diplomas do not become "all ability".
— If all schools are to be able to
have sixth forms, small sixth forms will be dependent on partnerships
for provision and this could encourage partnership working while
at the same time raising challenges re co-ordination across multiple
providers.
4.8 Other points
— Funding is major concern for all
the partners.
— If the funding is given to schools
under "Local Management of Schools" the schools can
spend it as they wish, so a lesser amount of funding may reach
the other partners gearing up to deliver the Diplomas.
— Whatever funding system is used must
ensure that the money reaches those for whom it is intended.
— The money meant for Diplomas must
be expended, as directly as possible on the Diplomas.
January 2007
1 This includes Community Development, Working with
Parents, Youth Work, Development Education, Community Based Adult
Learning, Family Learning and Community Education. More detail
on request. Back
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