Supplementary memorandum submitted by
the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
Questions 76 (Mr Philip Dunne) & 93 (Phil
Wilson): Basic Skills and Level 2 Targets
1. SKILLS FOR
LIFE TARGETS
1a Skills for Life 2010 target
The 2010 Skills for Life target is to improve
the basic skills of 2.25 million adults between 2001 and 2010,
with an interim milestone of 1.5 million adults in 2006.
The target is measured by adding up the number
of different learners who achieve a recognised Skills for Life
qualification each year. There is an assumption that 10% of these
learners had achieved in previous years.
The progress towards the target is shown below.
Table 1
CUMULATIVE SKILLS FOR LIFE ACHIEVEMENTS FROM
2000-01 ONWARDS
| 2000-01 | 2001-02
| 2002-03 | 2003-04
| 2004-05 | 2005-06
| 2006-07 |
| Cumulative achievements (actual) | 159,000
| 345,000 | 521,000 | 762,000
| 1,137,000 | 1,610,000 |
|
| Cumulative achievements (forecast) |
| | | |
| | 2,121,000 |
|
| | | |
| | |
The table shows that the 2006 milestone of 1.5 million has
already been met. Current forecasts suggest that the 2010 target
should be met early.
1b Skills for Life 2011 targets and Leitch 2020 ambition
The Delivery Agreement for the Skills Public Service Agreement
(PSA) was published with the Comprehensive Spending Review in
October 2007. It describes the measure as the Proportion of people
of working age (ie aged 16-64) achieving functional literacy and
numeracy skills.
The 2011 National Target is for 597,000 people of working
age to achieve a first Level 1 or above literacy qualification,
and 390,000 to achieve a first Entry Level 3 or above numeracy
qualification in the three academic years 2008-09, 2009-10 and
2010-11.
The most recent baseline for the percentage of the population
with Level 1 literacy and Entry Level 3 numeracy is the Skills
for Life Survey carried out in 2003. At that time there were 84%
with literacy Level 1 and above, and 79% with numeracy at Entry
Level 3 and above. The 2011 targets are consistent with 2011 rates
of 89% for literacy level 1 and 81% for numeracy Entry Level 3.
The ambition for 2020, set in the Leith Review of Skills and endorsed
by the Government, is 95% of adults to achieve Level 1 literacy
and Entry Level 3 numeracy.
Table 2
BASELINE, TARGET AND AMBITION DATA FOR SKILLS FOR LIFE
| | |
|
| 2003 survey | 2011 target
| 2020 ambition |
| (%) | (%)
| (%) |
| | |
|
| Level 1 Literacy | 84 | 89
| 95 |
| Entry Level 3 numeracy | 79
| 81 | 95 |
| | |
|
| | |
|
2. LEVEL 2 TARGETS
2a 2010 Level 2 Target
The target that was set in previous Comprehensive Spending
Reviews is for the number of economically active adults without
a full level 2 qualification (equivalent to five GCSEs at grades
A*-C) to fall by 40% by 2010. Adults were defined for this target
as 18-59 for women and 18-64 for men. In order to meet the target,
the number of economically active adults with a level 2 or higher
qualification needs to increase by 3.6 million between the fourth
quarter of 2001 and the fourth quarter of 2010 as measured by
the Labour Force Survey. There was also an interim target of an
increase of one million between the fourth quarter of 2002 and
the fourth quarter of 2006. This was exceeded by 141,000.
Table 3
PROGRESS TOWARDS 2010 LEVEL 2 TARGET AND 2006 INTERIM
TARGET
| | |
| | | |
| Cumulative increase: | 2002
| 2003 | 2004 |
2005 | 2006 | 2010 target
|
| | |
| | | |
| since Q4 2001 for 2010 target | 405,000
| 599,000 | 785,000 | 1,228,000
| 1,546,000 | 3,500,000
|
| since Q4 2002 for 2006 interim target |
| 194,000 | 380,000 | 823,000
| 1,141,000 | Not
applicable
|
| | |
| | | |
| | |
| | | |
2b. 2011 Level 2 Target and Leitch 2020 ambition
The Skills PSA Delivery Agreement describes the measure as
the Proportion of working age adults qualified to at least full
Level 2.
In this instance working age is defined as 19-59 for women
and 19-64 for men.
The national target is for 79% of working age adults in England
to be qualified to at least full Level 2 by the fourth quarter
of 2011 as measured by the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
The ambition in the Leitch Review of Skills, and endorsed
by the Government, is for over 90% to reach that level by 2020
and 95% as soon as possible thereafter.
The table below shows actual performance up to 2006 and the
2011 target and 2020 ambition. The figures up to and including
2006 are quarter 4 LFS actual estimates and later figures are
projections.
Table 4
ADULTS AGED 19-59/64 QUALIFIED TO AT LEAST LEVEL 2
| | |
| | |
| 2003 | 2004 |
2005 | 2006 | 2011 target
| 2020 ambition |
| (%) | (%) |
(%) | (%) | (%)
| (%) |
| | |
| | |
| 67.1 | 67.5 | 68.8
| 69.7 | 79.0 | Over 90.0
|
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
Question 78-9 (Mr Dunne): CSR Increases in priority learning
2005-11
Tables 5 and 6 below show how public funding has been allocated
for the previous Comprehensive Spending Review period (2005/06—2007/08)
and the next Comprehensive Spending Review period (2008/09—2010/11),
and the number of learner places associated with that funding.
They show how funding has been allocated to support expansion
of places in the identified priority areas. Further detail is
given in the LSC report, "Our Statement of Priorities",
published in November 2007.
Table 5
ADULT FUNDING 2005-06 TO 2010-11
| Subject area | 2005-06
| 2006-07 | 2007-08
| 2008-09 | 2009-10
| 2010-11 |
| £000's | £000's
| £000's | £000's
| £000's | £000's
|
| Adult Learner Responsive |
| | | |
| |
| 19+ Further Education | 1,731,703
| 1,785,188 | 1,612,655 | 1,576,452
| 1,504,867 | 1,510,199 |
| UfI/learndirect | 189,834 |
129,049 | 113,625 | 122,100
| 122,000 | 122,000 |
| Employability Learning | 0 |
1,713 | 24,409 | 29,102
| 35,529 | 41,770 |
| Adult Learner Responsive Sub Total |
1,921,537 | 1,915,950
| 1,750,689 | 1,727,653
| 1,662,396 | 1,673,968
|
| of which for planning purposes: |
| | | |
| |
| Foundation Learning Tier | 267,493
| 254,931 | 230,051 | 243,262
| 274,962 | 289,738 |
| Skills for Life | 576,800 |
567,365 | 539,082 | 568,337
| 590,037 | 606,114 |
| Full Level 2 | 165,483 | 179,629
| 197,233 | 217,064 | 233,293
| 259,521 |
| Full Level 3 | 248,061 | 253,928
| 268,392 | 313,141 | 372,842
| 412,374 |
| Developmental Learning | 729,524
| 659,727 | 515,931 | 385,850
| 191,263 | 106,222 |
| Employer Responsive |
| | | |
| |
| Employer based NVQs | 101,177
| 174,370 | 194,287 | 208,275
| 214,352 | 230,559 |
| Apprenticeships and work based learning |
232,157 | 216,884 | 275,010
| 290,068 | 317,024 | 333,646
|
| Train to Gain | 137,256 | 194,060
| 520,527 | 657,073 | 777,287
| 1,023,240 |
| Subject area | 2005-06
| 2006-07 | 2007-08
| 2008-09 | 2009-10
| 2010-11 |
| £000's | £000's
| £000's | £000's
| £000's | £000's
|
| Employer Responsive Sub Total | 470,590
| 585,314 | 989,824
| 1,155,416 | 1,308,663
| 1,587,445 |
| of which for planning purposes: |
| | | |
| |
| Foundation Learning Tier | 19,133
| 16,483 | 16,703 | 15,515
| 14,718 | 14,681 |
| Skills for Life | 13,415 |
27,445 | 47,767 | 51,794
| 56,994 | 61,997 |
| Full Level 2 | 228,016 | 306,196
| 570,864 | 666,969 | 769,563
| 834,683 |
| Full Level 3 | 35,612 | 41,557
| 88,309 | 142,531 | 167,659
| 362,081 |
| Apprenticeships (Excluding Skills for Life) |
161,015 | 178,895 | 250,542
| 269,715 | 297,286 | 313,795
|
| Developmental Learning | 13,399
| 14,737 | 15,638 | 8,893
| 2,443 | 208 |
| Adult Safeguarded Learning | 228,577
| 222,004 | 210,000
| 210,000 | 210,000
| 210,000 |
| Offender Learning & Skills Service
| 34,781 | 100,748
| 113,038 | 122,203
| 124,770 | 127,933
|
| Total Adult Participation (DIUS) |
2,721,308 | 2,823,646
| 3,063,551 | 3,215,272
| 3,305,830 | 3,599,346
|
Notes to Table 5
1. Main subject areas (or "budget lines") for 2005-06
and 2006-07 are from LSC published accounts. The more detailed
breakdown of the figures shown as "for planning purposes"
for 2005-06 to 2007-08 under the learner responsive and employer
responsive models are based on estimated activity in each of the
areas for the corresponding year.
2. Employer based NVQ figures are estimates based on funding
for the academic year
3. A change in the classification of costs occurred for UfI
learndirect between 2005-06 and 2006-07
4. Train to Gain figures for 2005-06 and 2006-07 include funding
for the Employer Training Pilots
5. Developmental learning constitutes learning below level
2 and outside the national qualifications framework, and learning
that is above Level 3. Figures are indicative and subject to further
modelling
Table 6
FUNDED ADULT LEARNER PLACES FOR PERIOD 2005-06 TO 2010-11
| Subject Area | 2005-06
| 2006-07 | 2007-08
| 2008-09 | 2009-10
| 2010-11 |
| Adult Learner Responsive |
| | | |
| |
| 19+ Further Education | 2,465,000
| 1,679,000 | 1,451,000 | 1,372,000
| 1,127,000 | 1,154,000 |
| UfI/learndirect | 344,000 |
217,000 | 217,000 | 204,000
| 179,000 | 152,000 |
| Employability Skills Programme | 0
| 4,000 | 13,000 | 24,000
| 29,000 | 37,000 |
| Adult Learner Responsive Sub Total |
2,809,000 | 1,900,000
| 1,681,000 | 1,600,000
| 1,335,000 | 1,343,000
|
| of which for planning purposes: |
| | | |
| |
| Foundation Learning Tier | 397,000
| 361,000 | 364,000 | 368,000
| 372,000 | 374,000 |
| Skills for Life | 1,175,000 |
822,000 | 845,000 | 923,000
| 914,000 | 904,000 |
| Full Level 2 | 105,000 | 108,000
| 126,000 | 133,000 | 143,000
| 161,000 |
| Full Level 3 | 116,000 | 109,000
| 122,000 | 137,000 | 157,000
| 165,000 |
| Developmental learning | - |
- | - | 497,000 |
216,000 | 116,000 |
| Employer Responsive |
| | | |
| |
| Employer based NVQs | 145,000
| 155,000 | 177,000 | 185,000
| 195,000 | 216,000 |
| Apprenticeships | 96,000 |
92,000 | 106,000 | 114,000
| 124,000 | 125,000 |
| Train to Gain | 197,000 | 256,000
| 461,000 | 600,000 | 638,000
| 872,000 |
| Employer Responsive Sub Total | 442,000
| 505,000 | 745,000
| 899,000 | 958,000
| 1,214,000 |
| of which for planning purposes: |
| | | |
| |
| Foundation LearningTier | 13,000
| 11,000 | 11,000 | 10,000
| 10,000 | 10,000 |
| Skills for Life | 274,000 |
316,000 | 302,000 | 304,000
| 313,000 | 323,000 |
| Full Level 2 (Excluding Apprenticeships) |
294,000 | 319,000 | 505,000
| 603,000 | 637,000 | 664,000
|
| Full Level 3 (ExcludingApprenticeships) |
47,000 | 51,000 | 88,000
| 136,000 | 144,000 | 356,000
|
| Apprenticeships | 96,000 |
92,000 | 106,000 | 113,000
| 123,000 | 125,000 |
| Developmental learning | - |
- | - | 11,000 |
3,000 | 0 |
| Total Adult and Employer Responsive excluding Safeguarded Adult Learning
| 3,251,000 | 2,405,000
| 2,426,000 | 2,499,000
| 2,293,000 | 2,557,000
|
| Adult safeguarded learning | 786,000
| 658,000 | 666,000
| 630,000 | 605,000
| 585,000 |
| Total Adult and Employer Responsive including Safeguarded Adult Learning
| 4,037,000 | 3,063,000
| 3,086,000 | 3,129,000
| 2,898,000 | 3,142,000
|
Notes to Table 6
1. Figures for Train to Gain include National Employer Service
24+ and Additional Sector Activity learners
2. Figures for Employer Responsive Sub-Total also include
learners on Entry to Employment provision.
3. Developmental learning constitutes learning below level
2 and outside the national qualifications framework, and learning
that is above Level 3. Figures are indicative and subject to further
modelling
Question 82 (Mr Philip Dunne): Evaluation of the Education
Maintenance Allowance programme
The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) programme has been
subject to a comprehensive evaluation. The results indicated that
EMA increased participation of eligible young people in the pilot
areas by 5.9 percentage points. This is equivalent to an increase
in participation of all 16 year olds across the whole country
of 3.8 percentage points. There was particularly strong impact
for key target groups, such as young males, low-to-middle achievers,
and those from lower socio-economic groups. The results also showed
positive impacts on retention from year 13 to year 14, and also
on an individual's attachment to education as measured by the
number of terms in which they stay in education to age 19.
In the first two years since national roll out of EMAs there
have been increases in participation. It is not possible to say
that all these increases are attributable to EMA, but this was
the most significant programme operating in this area. Since the
national scheme was launched in 2004-05 for 16 year olds, 16 year
old participation in full-time education has increased by 6.0
percentage points. Since the national scheme was launched in 2005-06
for 17 year olds, 17 year old participation in full-time education
has increased by 4.5 percentage points.
The Learning and Skills Council published a report in early
December 2007 looking further at the impact of EMA on participation,
as well as attainment, by comparing EMA pilot areas with those
where EMA was not available. When controlling for background characteristics,
the analysis found positive and statistically significant impacts
of EMA on participation and attainment across the board. EMA was
found to increase attainment at Level 2 and Level 3 by around
2 percentage points for male learners and 2.5 percentage points
for female learners. The report suggests that to calculate the
impact on those who actually received EMA, these results should
be multiplied by 2.5 for outcomes at 16 and three for outcomes
at 17. This suggests the impact of EMA on attainment at level
2 and 3 to be 7 percentage points for female EMA recipients and
5 percentage points for male EMA recipients. The report presents
further analyses that highlight varying impact for different groups
of learners.
Question 88 (Phil Wilson): Employer training, regional
analysis
The data in Table 7 below are headline findings from the
Learning and Skills Council's National Employer Skills Survey
which involved interviews with around 79,000 employers (establishments)
in England during April-July 2007. The proportion of employers
providing any training at all varies from 65% in the West Midlands
to 70% in the North East.
The North East performs best (or joint top) on all these
four indicators and West Midlands performs worst. Between these,
there are some variations in performance—eg Eastern and
Yorkshire & The Humber regions have higher than average proportions
of employers providing some off-the-job training but slightly
lower than average proportions providing training overall.
On average, just under half of employers have a formal training
plan, varying from 45% in East of England and South West to 52%
in North East.
Formal budgets for training are less common. Only just over
a third of employers have these in place and there is relatively
little regional variation (34-37%).
More detailed analyses will be available in the full report
of the survey in spring 2008.
Table 7
EMPLOYER TRAINING—REGIONAL BREAKDOWN
| Establishments
providing any
training in last
12 months
| Establishments
providing any
off-the-job
training in last
12 months
| Establishments
with a training
plan
| Establishments
with a training
budget
|
| % | %
| % | % |
ENGLAND | 67 | 46
| 48 | 35 |
| East | 66 | 48
| 45 | 34 |
| East Midlands | 68 | 45
| 48 | 34 |
| London | 67 | 47
| 46 | 37 |
| North East | 70 | 52
| 52 | 37 |
| North West | 68 | 48
| 51 | 36 |
| South East | 69 | 45
| 48 | 37 |
| South West | 68 | 45
| 45 | 35 |
| West Midlands | 65 | 43
| 47 | 34 |
| Yorkshire & The Humber | 66
| 48 | 49 | 34
|
| Source: National Employer Skills Survey, 2007
| | |
| | |
| |
|
