Memorandum submitted by the National Audit
Office (NAO)
ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN DELIVERING THE
GOVERNMENT'S SKILLS AGENDA IN ENGLAND
The following five function maps and table represent
the functions and relationships of the key organizations in England
with a role in delivering the Government's skills agenda. It is
important to note that they represent the situation at March 2007
and that this will change with time.
The first map and table present alternative
representations of the organizations that are involved in the
various partnership arrangements that exist in England. Partnerships
have been represented separately because they seek to raise collective
action and collaboration and therefore inherently increase the
complexity of any attempt to map the roles and relationships of
the many organizations that form them.
The remaining maps represent the roles of organizations
in relation to four groups of end-users: young people under the
age of 19 in education; employees; adults not in work; and the
teaching workforce. A single diagram representing all four groups
would be very complicated and difficult to understand.
The Department for Education and Skills has
reviewed the maps and is in broad agreement as to their accuracy.
The Department has commented that some bodies could be said to
have an interest in delivery, but are not part of the landscape
that the Department has itself put in place. Examples would include
the Association of Learning Providers, the Association of School
and College Leaders, and the University and College Union.
LIMITATIONS
A number of types of organization are not represented:
— offender education institutions;
— Scottish/Welsh/Northern Irish specific
institutions;
— business sector specific institutions
(eg CITB-ConstructionSkills); and
— organizations involved in education
research and policy development.
The maps are representations of functional arrangements
and relationships and not an analysis of those arrangements.
The maps attempt to balance necessary detail
with a summarized overview:
— The five categories of functional
relationship are necessarily broad in their meaning, eg inspection/regulation
is used to describe the relationship between schools and Ofsted,
and also young people and awarding bodies.
— Some organizations will have ranges
of functions which are summarized in the diagrams; for example,
organizations which primarily represent groups of organization
or individuals will generally also provide support to their members.
— In order to keep the number of maps
to a reasonable number some represent what might seem odd juxtapositions
of institutions and functions, for example, Higher Education Institutions
on the "Adults not in work" map.
March 2007
Roles and remits of organizations involved
in delivering the Government's skills agenda
ADULT LEARNING
INSPECTORATE (ALI)
A non-departmental public body accountable to
the Secretary of State for Education. It inspects provision for
learners aged 19 and over in FE colleges, those in work based
learning from age 16, adult and community learning, UfI learndirect
provision, prison education and Job Centre Plus. Its role includes
raising standards and quality improvement, promoting good practice,
and providing advice to Government, partner organizations and
national decision makers. From April 2007 will be merged with
Ofsted.
www.ali.gov.uk
ASSOCIATION OF
COLLEGES (AOC)
Represents the interests of further education
colleges in England and Wales. Provides a broad range of services
to its subscribers including consultancy and training services,
dissemination of examples of good practice in policies and procedures
developed by colleges, and a work shadowing scheme.
www.aoc.co.uk
ASSOCIATION OF
GRADUATE CAREERS
ADVISORY SERVICES
(AGCAS)
The professional association for Higher Education
careers practitioners. Its role is to lead and support the delivery
of careers services within the HE and related sectors.
www.agcas.org.uk
ASSOCIATION OF
LEARNING PROVIDERS
(ALP)
Represents independent learning providers throughout
the United Kingdom. Its purpose is to influence the education
and training agenda to secure a national skills strategy that
meets the needs of employers and learners, and a 14-19 learning
curriculum where academic and vocational options are equally valued.
The majority of its 400 members are private, not-for-profit and
voluntary sector training organizations. Membership is open to
any provider committed to provision of quality work based learning
(WBL) and includes over 50 FE colleges involved in WBL.
www.learningproviders.org.uk
ASSOCIATION OF
SCHOOL AND
COLLEGE LEADERS
(ASCL)
A professional association for leaders of secondary
schools and colleges. It represents headteachers, principals,
deputy and assistant headteachers, vice-principals, and bursars.
It provides professional development courses, leadership and management
training, consultancy support to schools and colleges, and headteacher
induction training.
www.ascl.org.uk
BASIC SKILLS
AGENCY (BSA)
A not-for-profit, independent organization,
funded by the Department for Education and Skills and the Welsh
Assembly Government. It focuses on finding and sharing good practice,
and operates six programmes designed to disseminate ideas and
innovation in basic skills teaching and learning. It plays a particularly
important role in Wales where it is responsible for overseeing
the implementation of the Welsh Assembly Government´s National
Basic Skills Strategy for Wales. It promotes quality standards
for schools; family literacy and numeracy programmes; work with
voluntary and community organizations; open learning; financial
literacy, and workplace basic skills programmes.
www.basic-skills.co.uk
BRITISH EDUCATIONAL
COMMUNICATIONS AND
TECHNOLOGICAL AGENCY
(BECTA)
The Government's lead agency in the strategic
development and delivery of its Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) strategy for education. It works with Government
and key agencies to ensure continuity and communication across
sectors and across different elements of the strategy, and brokers
and manages partnerships to secure coherent delivery. It aims
to increase the number of educational organizations making strategic
and effective use of ICT in order to improve educational outcomes.
www.becta.org.uk
BRITISH CHAMBERS
OF COMMERCE
(BCC)
The national body for a network of 60 local
Chambers of Commerce, serving individual businesses and the wider
business community across the UK. It is a non-political, non-profit
making organization, owned and directed by members, democratically
accountable to individual businesses of all sizes and sectors
throughout the UK. It provides services, information and guidance
to members, and representation at senior levels of UK decision-making.
The BCC works with Government to shape policy affecting UK businesses
and focuses on key areas including international trade, skills
development and business services.
www.chamberonline.co.uk
BUSINESS LINK
NETWORK (BLN)
A network of not-for-profit organizations operating
at a regional level. It offers a support and advice service for
small businesses, providing free, impartial and comprehensive
advice to businesses to help them start up and grow.
www.businesslink.gov.uk
CENTRE FOR
EXCELLENCE IN
LEADERSHIP (CEL)
A national agency, CEL's remit is to foster
and support leadership improvement, reform, transformation, sustainability
and quality improvement in the learning and skills sector. It
serves the existing and future leaders of all providers within
the further education system, including FE colleges, training
and work-based learning providers, adult and community providers,
offender learning, specialist colleges and voluntary organizations,
through programmes, events, support services and consulting assignments.
www.centreforexcellence.org.uk
COALITION OF
MODERN UNIVERSITIES
(CMU)
Represents post-1992 universities, many of which
were formerly colleges and polytechnics, now funded through the
Higher Education Funding Councils. It presents a joint approach
on issues that particularly affect them due to their history and
different patterns of recruitment, curriculum content and structure.
Collectively the universities educate more than half a million
students, 50% of whom are part-time. It supports targets to widen
participation in higher education.
www.epolitix.com/EN/Forums/Campaigning+for+Mainstream+Universities/home.htm
CONFEDERATION OF
BRITISH INDUSTRY
(CBI)
The CBI's mission is to help create and sustain
the conditions in which businesses in the UK can compete and prosper
for the benefit of all. It works with the UK Government, international
legislators and policy-makers to help UK businesses compete effectively.
www.cbi.org.uk
CONNEXIONS
Connexions is the Government's support service
for all young people aged 13-19 in England. It also provides support
up to the age of 25 for young people who have learning difficulties
or disabilities. The Connexions Service consists of a central
unit, the Connexions Service National Unit, based in the Department
for Education and Skills, and 47 local partnerships. The nine
Government Offices for the Regions monitor and support the Service
locally. Connexions provides information, advice, guidance and
access to personal development opportunities for young people.
It aims to remove barriers to learning and progression, and ensure
young people make a smooth transition to adulthood and working
life.
www.connexions.gov.uk
FEDERATION OF
AWARDING BODIES
(FAB)
Represents organizations that award vocational
qualifications in the UK, initially formed in 2000 by the four
largest vocational awarding bodies: City & Guilds; Edexcel;
Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations Board; and the London Chamber
of Commerce and Industry Examinations Board. In 2001 it was launched
as a wider network with 85 members. Its aim is to develop qualification
system that meets the differing needs of candidates, employers,
education and training providers and awarding bodies as well as
offering value to funding bodies and taxpayers. Members range
from organizations offering vocational qualifications for a particular
industry, to larger generic awarding bodies offering vocational
qualifications across sectors.
www.awarding.org.uk
GENERAL TEACHING
COUNCIL (GTC)
The professional body for teaching in England,
independent of Government and funded through an annual registration
fee payable by registered teachers. Its overall purpose is to
help improve standards of teaching and the quality of learning.
It maintains a register of qualified teachers in England, regulates
the teaching profession and provides advice to Government and
other agencies on key issues affecting the quality of teaching
and learning. It supports teachers' professional practice, and
seeks to help set and maintain high standards of conduct and competence,
including by improving the quality of teachers' training and their
access to continuing professional learning and development opportunities.
www.gtce.org.uk
GOVERNMENT OFFICES
(GOS)
The Government Office network assists the Department
for Education and Skills to deliver its education and skills strategies.
Government Offices work with regional partners, including Learning
and Skills Councils and Regional Development Agencies, to implement
a range of Government policies including the National Skills Strategy,
which seeks to increase the influence of employers and individuals
over the supply of skills.
www.gos.gov.uk
GUILDHE
Formerly SCOP (Standing Conference of Principals
Ltd), represents organizations within the higher education sector.
Members comprise higher education colleges, specialist institutions
and some universities, which collectively educate around a quarter
of a million HE students. It aims to highlight the interests and
strengths of its members to Government, agencies, employers, potential
students and the wider community, to disseminate good practice,
and act as a primary source of professional support to its members.
www.guildhe.ac.uk
HIGHER EDUCATION
ACADEMY (HEA)
An independent organization funded by grants
from the four UK higher education funding bodies, subscriptions
from higher education institutions and fees from practitioners.
It aims to improve the student learning experience in higher education
by developing and transferring good teaching and learning. It
represents and supports institutions in their strategies for learning,
and supports professional development and recognition of staff
in higher education.
www.heacademy.ac.uk
HIGHER EDUCATION
FUNDING COUNCIL
FOR ENGLAND
(HEFCE)
A non-departmental public body funded by direct
grant from the Department for Education and Skills. Its role is
to distribute public money for teaching and research to universities
and colleges. It aims to promote high quality education and research,
within a financially healthy sector. It plays a key role in securing
accountability and promoting good practice.
www.hefce.ac.uk
INSTITUTE FOR
LEARNING (IFL)
Professional body for teachers, trainers and
student teachers in the learning and skills sector, covering adult
and community education, further education and work-based learning.
A partner in the reform of the learning and skills sector, IfL
will award the "licence to practise" as Qualified Teacher
Learning and Skills to all new teachers entering the sector from
2007.
www.ifl.ac.uk
INSTITUTE OF
DIRECTORS (IOD)
The professional body for business leaders,
supporting and representing individual directors from all business
sectors for over 100 years. It advances the case for business
to Government, the media and other influential areas. It provides
information and advice, and runs an extensive range of courses,
conferences, seminars, development programmes and services specifically
designed by directors for directors.
www.iod.com
JOBCENTRE PLUS
A government agency, part of the Department
for Work and Pensions, supporting people of working age from welfare
into work, and helping employers to fill their vacancies. It provides
help and advice on jobs and training for people who can work and
financial help for those who cannot.
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION
FOR HIGHER
EDUCATION (LFHE)
A charity, the Leadership Foundation provides
a support and advice service on leadership, governance and management
for all the UK's universities and colleges providing higher education.
It aims to develop and improve the management and leadership skills
of existing and future leaders in higher education. It was established
by the UUK and GuildHE and is funded by a combination of programme
fees, membership income and funding from the four UK higher education
funding bodies.
www.lfhe.ac.uk
LEARNDIRECT -SEE
UFI
LEARNING AND
SKILLS COUNCIL
(LSC)
A non-departmental public body sponsored by
the Department for Education and Skills. It operates mainly through
its nine regional offices. Its role includes: funding of providers
of further education, work based learning, adult education, and
schools' 6th forms; strategic planning of provision to meet Government
priorities; audit and review against targets and quality standards;
funding of programmes such as Train to Gain and Centres of Vocational
Excellence.
www.lsc.gov.uk
LEARNING AND
SKILLS NETWORK
(LSN)
A not-for-profit organization offering services
to policy makers, practitioners and organizations funding, managing
and providing education. It is funded by the Quality Improvement
Agency, the Department for Education and Skills and the Learning
and Skills Council among others. LSN delivers quality improvement
and staff development programmes, and provides research, training
and consultancy services directly to schools, colleges and training
organizations. It produces a wide variety of publications and
runs around 500 events a year, including conferences, training,
and opportunities for sharing good practice.
www.lsneducation.org.uk
LIFELONG LEARNING
UK (LLUK)
The Sector Skills Council responsible for the
professional development of practitioners working in further education;
higher education; community learning and development; libraries,
archives and information services; and work-based learning. Lifelong
Learning UK aims to provide workforce intelligence and information;
to build a framework of core standards and credit based qualifications;
to promote sector-wide career pathways and progression routes;
to improve recruitment and development of the workforce; and to
engage employers and stakeholders in boosting the performance
of the sector.
www.lifelonglearninguk.org
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
ASSOCIATION (LGA)
A voluntary lobbying organization that promotes
the interests of just under 500 English and Welsh local authorities.
The LGA exists to promote better local government and a better
future for authorities' localities and communities. It works with
Government to ensure that the policy, legislative and financial
context in which authorities operate supports these objectives.
Education policy is a core component of the LGA's work.
www.lga.gov.uk
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF HEAD
TEACHERS (NAHT)
Represents and supports over 28,000 school and
college leaders, covering early years, primary, secondary and
special school sectors. It provides information and guidance to
assist and support members in carrying out their duties and responsibilities,
and services for the professional development of members. NAHT
aims to contribute to high standards of teaching and education;
for example its Training and Development Programme provides opportunities
for leadership development linked to the National Standards for
Headteachers.
www.naht.org.uk
NATIONAL COLLEGE
FOR SCHOOL
LEADERSHIP (NCSL)
A non-departmental public body of the Department
for Education and Skills, which seeks to develop world-class school
leaders, system leaders and future leaders. It has four corporate
goals: to transform children's achievement and well-being through
excellent school leadership; to develop leadership within and
beyond the school; to identify and grow tomorrow's leaders; and
to create a fit for purpose, national College.
www.ncsl.org.uk
NATIONAL INSTITUTE
OF ADULT
CONTINUING EDUCATION
(ENGLAND AND
WALES) (NIACE)
A non-governmental organization to promote the
study and general advancement of adult continuing education and
support an increase in the total numbers of adults engaged in
formal and informal learning in England and Wales. It is a charity
funded through individual and corporate membership. It advocates
positive action to improve opportunities and widen access to learning
opportunities for those communities under-represented in current
provision.
www.niace.org.uk
NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL
STANDARDS BOARD
(NOSB)
Led by employers, the NOSB is an independent
group whose remit is to set the strategy and oversee the funding
of national occupational standards development, including quality
assurance arrangements. The board's membership is drawn from the
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), the Scottish Qualifications
Authority (SQA), the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment
Authority for Wales (ACCAC), the Council for the Curriculum Examinations
and Assessment (CCEA), the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA)
and up to six employer representatives. (National occupational
standards are statements of the skills, knowledge and understanding
needed in employment and define the outcomes of competent performance
covering almost every occupation in the United Kingdom. They are
developed by representatives of employment sectors UK-wide and
inform the development of vocational qualifications.)
www.qca.org.uk/2677_3327.html
NATIONAL SKILLS
ACADEMIES
National Skills Academies are employer-led sector-based
centres of excellence with national reach delivering vocational
education and skills training to young people (16-19-year-olds)
and adults. The Department for Education and Skills has not been
prescriptive about the form of National Skills Academies, and
options include stand-alone new institutions, delivery of training
through a network of approved existing training providers (FE,
HE, independent training providers), and courses delivered on-line.
Employers, working with their Sector Skills Council and other
employer organisations, will design the delivery of the training
to be provided.
Following two rounds of bids for National Skills
Academies (and a third round under way), the Government has approved
National Skills Academies for the Construction, Financial Services,
Manufacturing, and Food and Drink Manufacturing industries. Bids
from the nuclear industry, the chemical industry, the hospitality
sector and the creative and cultural industries have been invited
to prepare business plans. Employer sponsorship funds about 50%
of the capital costs of a National Skills Academy with about 35%
from Government and the remainder from other sources such as European
funding.
www.nationalskillsacademy.co.uk
NATIONAL STRATEGIES
National Strategies is an organization working
to Department for Education and Skills, comprising nine regional
teams that are taking forward the Government's reform programme
for school improvement. Within each region there are school improvement
partner co-ordinators for both the primary and secondary phases.
National Strategies offers support by providing strategy materials;
through consultants or the School Improvement Partners programme;
and by taking part in networks organised by Local Authorities.
www.standards.dfes.gov.uk
NATIONAL UNION
OF STUDENTS
A voluntary membership organisation comprising
a confederation of local student representative organisations
in colleges and universities throughout the United Kingdom. With
nearly 750 constituent members it represents virtually every college
and university in the country. NUS is one of the largest student
organisations in the world and represents the interests of around
five million students in further and higher education. It provides
research, representation, training and expert advice for individual
students and students' unions.
www.nusonline.co.uk
NATIONAL UNION
OF TEACHERS
(NUT)
The NUT is both a professional association and
a trade union which campaigns for better schools, more resources,
and improved conditions for pupils and teachers. It is commited
to the promotion and recognition of the professionalism of teachers
and provides training and development courses for members.
www.teachers.org.uk
1994 GROUP
The 1994 Group provides a framework for collaboration
between research-intensive universities in the UK. It aims to
influence national policy, raise the profile of member universities
in global markets, promote the need for research and teaching
excellence, and share good practice.
www.1994group.ac.uk
OFFICE FOR
FAIR ACCESS
(OFFA)
A non-departmental public body funded by and
reporting to Department for Education and Skills. It aims to promote
and safeguard fair access to higher education for under-represented
groups, in light of the introduction of variable tuition fees
in 2006-07. Its principal duty is to regulate the charging of
variable tuition fees through the approval and monitoring of access
agreements. It also has a role in good practice and advice on
access to higher education.
www.offa.org.uk
OFFICE FOR
STANDARDS IN
EDUCATION (OFSTED)
A non-ministerial government department accountable
to Parliament that is formally independent of government, with
responsibility for the inspection in England of all schools, nursery
schools, local education authorities, teacher training institutions,
youth work, 16-19 education and for the regulation of early years'
childcare, including child minders. From April 2007 Ofsted's remit
expands to include the inspection work of the Adult Learning Inspectorate.
www.ofsted.gov.uk
157 GROUP
A representative body, launched in January 2007,
comprising 22 of the largest further education colleges in the
country, which lobbies for the further education sector. Membership
is restricted to colleges with a minimum turnover of £35
million, with a minimum of a grade 2 for leadership and management
at their last Ofsted inspection.
QUALIFICATIONS AND
CURRICULUM AUTHORITY
(QCA)
A non-departmental public body funded by and
working closely with the Department for Education and Skills.
QCA's responsibilities include: developing and maintaining the
national curriculum; regulating the public examination system;
development, delivery and administration of high quality national
tests; accrediting qualifications within the national qualifications
framework; and overseeing the work of the awarding bodies.
www.qca.org.uk
QUALITY ASSURANCE
AGENCY (QAA)
An independent body with a UK-wide remit, funded
by subscriptions from universities and colleges of higher education
and through contracts with the main higher education funding bodies.
It works in partnership with providers and funders of higher education,
staff and students in higher education, employers and other stakeholders
to: maintain standards of academic awards and the quality of higher
education; communicate information on academic standards and quality
to inform student choice and employer understanding; and promote
a wider understanding of the nature of standards and quality in
higher education.
www.qaa.ac.uk
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
AGENCY (QIA)
A non-departmental public body funded by the
Department for Education and Skills. Working in the post-16 learning
and skills sector, it supports self-improvement and aims to create
a strong strategic focus on improving quality. It is responsible
for a range of programmes including Support for Success, Skills
for Life Quality Initiative, learning and skills Beacon status
and the STAR Awards, and the National Teaching and Learning Programme,
and it commissions and funds research, programmes and services
to support performance improvement and strategic change. From
April 2007 it will also be responsible for the Vocational Learning
Support programme, 14-19 pathfinders, Key Skills Support and Centres
of Vocational Excellence.
www.qia.org.uk
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AGENCIES (RDAS)
Regional Development Agencies are non-departmental
public bodies sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry
to be strategic drivers of regional economic development and regeneration.
They aim to enable the English regions to improve their competitiveness
and reduce the imbalances that exist within and between regions.
RDAs work with delivery partners and businesses on regional workforce
skills to meet the needs of the regional economy and develop skills
action plans to help match skills training to the needs of the
labour market.
www.englandsrdas.com
RUSSELL GROUP
An association of 20 major research-intensive
UK universities. The aims of the Russell Group are to promote
the interests of universities in which teaching and learning are
undertaken within a culture of research excellence, and to identify
and disseminate new thinking and ideas about the organization
and management of such institutions.
www.russellgroup.ac.uk
SECTOR SKILLS
COUNCILS (SSCS)-SKILLS
FOR BUSINESS
NETWORK (SBN)
Sector Skills Councils are employer-led strategic
bodies set up by Government to help raise business performance,
meet skill needs and shape relevant learning supply within a given
sector of the economy. There are 25 Sector Skills Councils, each
representing a sector with a workforce of at least 500,000, and
jointly covering around 85% of the UK workforce. They have a key
role in National Skills Academies' bids and business plans, co-ordinating
employer sponsorship, and working on curriculum content and liaison
with learning providers.
www.ssda.org.uk and individual SSC websites
SECTOR SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
(SSDA)
A non-departmental public body funded by the
Department for Education and Skills, whose role is to underpin
and develop Sector Skills Councils (SSCs). It assists employers
in sectors bidding to have an SSC; funds, supports and monitors
the performance of SSCs; promotes best practice sharing and benchmarking
between sectors; and gathers UK labour market intelligence.
www.ssda.org.uk
SMALL BUSINESS
COUNCIL (SBC)
The Small Business Council is a non-departmental
public body comprising 19 small business owner managers from all
parts of the UK and representing different business sectors. It
reports to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the
needs of existing and potential small businesses in order to increase
their opportunities for success and growth. It advises the Small
Business Service (SBS) and reports on the effects on small businesses
of the activities and potential activities of Government. The
Council works to establish procedures for policy makers always
to consult small businesses when proposing a change that will
affect them.
www.smallbusinesscouncil.org
SMALL BUSINESS
SERVICE (SBS)
An agency of the Department of Trade and Industry.
Its vision is to make the UK an enterprise society that is the
best place in the world to start and grow a business. It aims
to increase the number of people, regardless of background, with
the desire, skills and opportunity to start a successful business,
and support people to grow their businesses. It draws on the knowledge
of bodies including the Small Business Council, the Ethnic Minority
Business Forum, the Small Business Investment Taskforce, and the
Capital for Enterprise Board, and works with membership-based
business organizations: the Confederation of British Industry;
the Federation of Small Businesses; the Institute of Directors;
the British Chambers of Commerce; the Forum of Private Business;
and the Social Enterprise Coalition.
www.sbs.gov.uk
SPECIALIST SCHOOLS
AND ACADEMIES
TRUST (SSAT)
By 2008 almost all of England's mainstream secondary
schools, and substantial numbers of special schools, will be specialist
schools or academies with a specialism. SSAT, part funded by the
Department for Education and Skills, delivers the Government's
Specialist Schools and Academies programme. The Trust seeks to
give more young people access to a good education by building
networks, sharing practice and supporting schools. It is at the
centre of a growing network of over 2900 schools including primary,
secondary, special schools and academies.
www.specialistschools.org.uk
STAFF AND
EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ASSOCIATION (SEDA)
The professional association for staff and educational
developers in the UK, promoting innovation and good practice in
higher education. SEDA's activities cover four main areas: professional
development of staff working in higher education; conferences
and events; membership services, such as dissemination of best
practice; and publications.
www.seda.ac.uk
TRADES UNION
CONGRESS (TUC)
Consists of 66 affiliated unions representing
over six and a half million employees. Through its education wing,
Unionlearn, it helps unions become learning organizations, with
programmes and strategic support for union representatives and
officers. Unionlearn helps unions broker learning opportunities
for their members, provides advice services, researches union
priorities on learning and skills, identifies and shares good
practice, promotes learning agreements, supports union members
on learning and skills bodies, and helps shape sector skills agreements.
www.tuc.org.uk
www.unionlearn.org.uk
TRAINING AND
DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
FOR SCHOOLS
(TDA)
The TDA was formed in September 2005 from the
merger of the Teacher Training Agency and the Department's National
Remodelling Team. Its remit includes: maintaining demand for initial
teacher training from potential recruits through marketing and
a teaching information line; inspection of training, accreditation
of providers and allocation of training places; funding training
for teachers, teaching assistants, school business managers and
bursars; and the framework for professional and occupational standards
for the school workforce.
www.tda.gov.uk
UFI
Created in 1998 and funded by the Learning and
Skills Council, Ufi established learndirect, the largest e-learning
network of its kind in the world, which has delivered learning
to a mass audience (2 million learners since 2000) through a combination
of flexibility, accessibility and support. There are three strands
of the learndirect service—learndirect courses, learndirect
business and learndirect advice. Around 200,000 businesses have
used learndirect to improve workforce skills, and over 30 million
advice sessions have been provided.
www.ufi.com
UNIVERSITIES UK
A charity, Universities UK is the representative
body for the executive heads of UK universities. It works to advance
the interests of universities and to spread good practice throughout
the higher education sector.
www.universitiesuk.ac.uk
UNIVERSITY AND
COLLEGE UNION
UCU
Formed by the amalgamation of the Association
of University Teachers and NATFHE, UCU is the largest trade union
and professional association for academics, lecturers, trainers,
researchers and academic-related staff working in further and
higher education throughout the UK.
www.ucu.org.uk
WORK-BASED
LEARNING PROVIDERS
(WBL)
WBL providers organise placements for school
pupils in businesses and bring representatives from business into
schools. They seek to improve young people's employability and
enterprise skills. They concentrate on showing young people the
value of contributing to society and aim to show society the importance
of their contribution and continued participation. WBL providers
include private sector bodies (Trident-Edexcel) and charitable
bodies (Young Enterprise, Businessdynamics).
PARTNERSHIPS
AIMHIGHER PARTNERSHIPS
The Aimhigher programme aims to improve participation
in higher education by raising the awareness, aspirations and
attainment of young people from under-represented groups. The
programme particularly focuses on young people from disadvantaged
social and economic backgrounds, minority ethnic groups and people
with disabilities. The programme is managed by the Higher Education
and Funding Council for England on behalf of the Learning and
Skills Council and Department for Education and Skills. It requires
the development of partnerships between schools, colleges and
higher education institutions in order to raise aspirations and
attainment of young people.
www.aimhigher.ac.uk
EDUCATION BUSINESS
PARTNERSHIPS (SYNONYMOUS
WITH EDUCATION
BUSINESS LINK
CONSORTIA)
The Learning and Skills Council is responsible
for ensuring the provision of education business link activity
to young people. Education Business Partnerships work at a local
level to: develop and deliver a range of activities which prepare
young people for work; raise teacher awareness of the world of
work and the work-related curriculum; raise standards of achievement
via work-related contexts; support the business community in creating
a world class competitive workforce for the future; and promote
the benefits of lifelong learning. Partnerships of employers,
local authorities, Connexions Service, work-based learning providers
and Chambers of Commerce provide co-ordinated education business
links across regions, including Key Stage 4 work experience and
professional development placements for teachers.
www.dfes.gov.uk/ebnet
www.nebpn.org
14-19 PARTNERSHIPS
Local 14-19 partnerships are central to the
delivery of the 14-19 Education and Skills Reform Programme. Partnerships
are necessary because institutions acting on their own will not
be able to provide all aspects of the reforms and the full national
entitlement, particularly the 14 specialized diplomas. Schools,
colleges and training providers will need to work together with
local authorities, local Learning and Skills Councils and employers
to be able to offer the new entitlement.
www.dfes.gov.uk/14-19
LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS
AND NATIONAL
LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS
NETWORK (NLPN)
104 Learning Partnerships have been set up since
1999 to promote a culture of collaboration across schools, further
education, work-based learning and adult and community learning
and to rationalise existing arrangements covering post-16 learning.
They are non-statutory, voluntary groupings of learning providers
and others such as local government, Connexions, trade unions,
employers and faith groups. Many Learning Partnerships exist as
the "learning arm" within Local Strategic Partnerships
where these operate. Learning Partnerships promote provider collaboration
in support of lifelong learning; and maximise the contribution
of learning to local regeneration. Learning Partnerships are involved
in 14-19 proposals and initiatives around Basic Skills, workforce
development, ICT and progression into higher education.
The National Learning Partnerships Network represents
the 104 local Learning Partnerships and 9 regional networks.
www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/llp
LIFELONG LEARNING
NETWORKS
Lifelong Learning Networks are partnerships
of higher education institutions, further education colleges,
sixth-form colleges, regional Learning and Skills Councils, Regional
Development Agencies, the Sector Skills Development Agency and
employers. They focus on progression into and through vocational
education and higher education. They aim to create new learning
opportunities; forge agreement across institutions on how qualifications
are valued; and produce publicity to help people understand how
they can progress through the system. Networks aim to clarify
existing progression opportunities and engage in collaborative
curriculum development in order to meet the needs of the vocational
learner.
www.lifelonglearningnetworks.org.uk
REGIONAL QUALITY
IMPROVEMENT PARTNERSHIPS
Regional Quality Improvement Partnerships identify
the improvement needs and priorities of each region, and produce
Regional Quality Strategies for the post-16 learning and skills
sector. They are led by the Learning and Skills Council and core
members are colleges, education and training organizations, the
Quality Improvement Agency, the Inspectorates and regional Government
Offices. The partnerships build on existing regional arrangements
and link up with other regional groups focusing on skills, 14-19
learning, post-16 teacher training and workforce development.
Quality Improvement Agency strategic partnership managers work
with the partnerships to make sure that regional priorities are
reflected in the agency's strategy and work programme.
www.qia.org.uk/aboutus/regionalqualityimprovement.html
REGIONAL SKILLS
PARTNERSHIPS
The National Skills Strategy "Realizing
Our Potential" (July 2003) invited each Regional Development
Agency (RDA) to lead on the establishment of Regional Skills Partnerships
(RSPs). These partnerships bring together the RDAs, Learning and
Skills Council, Jobcentre Plus, with other regional partners.
Their remit is to agree on how the delivery of adult skills, workforce
development, business support and labour market services can be
made mutually reinforcing in providing the best support for Regional
Economic Strategies. They seek to put employers at the centre
in determining the skills needed to achieve a productive economy,
while helping individuals gain the skills they need to be employed
in the region.
www.dfes.gov.uk/skillsstrategy/
21ST CENTURY
LEARNING ALLIANCE
[NOT ON
PARTNERSHIPS DIAGRAM]
The 21st Century Learning Alliance was founded
in January 2007 by key national organizations involved in education
including Becta, the National College for School Leadership, Ofsted,
Partnerships for Schools, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority,
the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, and the Training and
Development Agency for Schools. It brings together industry, government
and teachers and aims to: find and publish best and innovative
practice, especially in the strategic use of technology; create
a support network of teachers and senior managers; develop and
respond to a sophisticated understanding of schools' and learners'
needs for technology in support of learning; and challenge industry
to bring to market innovations that support 21st century learning.
www.21stcenturylearningalliance.com
YOUNG APPRENTICESHIP
PARTNERSHIPS
The Young Apprenticeship (YA) programme allows
motivated and able pupils to study for vocational qualifications.
They offer pupils the chance to gain a taste of real work and
lay the foundations for a post-16 Apprenticeship, while retaining
the full range of progression options for future training or study.
Pupils are based in school, and follow the core National Curriculum
subjects, but for two days a week they work towards nationally
recognised vocational qualifications delivered by their local
YA Partnership. The Partnerships which deliver YAs are tailored
to local circumstances, and include schools, colleges, training
providers and employers. Each Partnership aims to provide pupils
with an enriching range of learning experiences (including 50
days' work experience over the two years of the programme) and
forms a support network for learners, teachers and employers.
www.vocationallearning.org.uk/YoungApprenticeships
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