Memorandum 46
Submission from the Learning and Skills
Council
INTRODUCTION
1. This document is the submission of the
Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to the Innovation, Universities,
Science and Skills Committee inquiry into students and universities.
2. The purpose of this document is to inform
the Committee of the contribution made by colleges and independent
providers in the further education sector to the provision of
higher education in England. Whilst supporting learners progressing
into higher education, the sector makes a significant contribution
to the development of higher level skills for those entering work
and for those already in work.
PROGRESSION FROM
FURTHER EDUCATION
TO HIGHER
EDUCATION
3. Around 30% of 16 year olds who remain
in learning do so in general further education colleges, with
a further 10% progressing to sixth form colleges. Those figures
are broadly replicated in subsequent progression into higher education,
where over 40% of entrants are from the further education and
sixth form college sectors.
4. Fundamental to the work of the LSC has been
the promotion and support of achievement of a full Level 2 qualification,
as the minimum set of
qualifications needed to get on in life. The data
above make it clear, however, how important it will be to continue
to support and encourage Level 3 provision in the further education
sector, in order to maintain progress to the Government's aspirations
for higher education participation.
PROVISION OF
HIGHER EDUCATION
IN FURTHER
EDUCATION
5. Further education (FE) colleges in England
teach around 11% of the students studying on courses leading to
higher education and higher level qualifications (HE) in England.
The total number of HE students in FE is in the order of 200,000.
6. Over 300 further education sector colleges
(out of a total of 370) deliver some higher education, either
"prescribed" (as defined by the Education Reform Act
1988, and not eligible for funding by the LSC) or "non-prescribed).
7. Whilst for most further education colleges
HE is a relatively small part of their overall provision, it is
still significant, with as many as 5,000 full-time and part-time
HE students in some colleges. Indeed, since the incorporation
of further education colleges in 1992, a number of specialist
arts and agricultural colleges have transferred from the FE sector
to the HE sector as more appropriately reflecting the balance
of their provision.
8. Compared to the HE sector, HE students
in FE are more likely to be over 25, to study part-time, to study
locally to their home, and to come from areas with low rates of
HE participation. As such, HE in FE makes an important contribution
to widening participation in HE.
9. Higher Education is delivered by further
education colleges in a variety of ways:
— prescribed higher education directly
funded by HEFCE
— prescribed higher education delivered
under franchise or consortia arrangements with higher education
institutions and funded indirectly by HEFCE
— non-prescribed higher education funded
by the LSC
— prescribed and non-prescribed higher
education funded by other bodies.
10. Between 2002 and 2005, some 90% of this
provision reviewed by the Quality Assurance Agency received "confidence"
judgement in respect of academic standards, and 99% received "commendable"
or "approved" judgements in respect of the quality of
learning opportunities.
Prescribed higher education directly funded by
HEFCE
11. For the academic year 2008-09, HEFCE
has allocated a total of £176 million for directly funded
higher education at 124 further education colleges, ranging from
£14,000 at Totton College to over £10.6 million at Newcastle
College. Around 70,000 students are covered by this provision.
Prescribed higher education delivered under franchise
or consortia arrangements with higher education institutions
12. HE students being taught in FE under franchise
or consortia arrangements will be recorded as registered students
of the appropriate HE institutions, and may attend the FE college
for all, or part, of their programme. The number of such students
is not, therefore, easily identified from administrative data,
but a study by HEFCE in 2006 identified over 51,000 students registered
at HEIs but taught in further education colleges in England.
Non-prescribed higher education funded by the
LSC
13. The LSC will fund over 1,200 qualifications
at Level 4, and almost 150 at Level 5. This provision includes
qualifications such as the Diploma in Accounting awarded by the
Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). Around 75,000 learners
pursue these programmes.
Prescribed and non-prescribed higher education
funded by other bodies.
14. In addition to the groups identified above,
there are known to be small numbers of HE learners in FE who are
not funded directly by HEFCE or LSC. Examples of such learners
would include those fully-funded by their employers, which might
be private or public sector organisations.
Capital allocations for HE provision
15. The LSC has been working with the Higher
Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to help ensure that
there are no barriers to the development of new HE facilities
in FE colleges or the development of new FE facilities in HE institutions.
Depending on the circumstances of each provider, funding will
be available from different sources.
16. In particular where HE activity in FE colleges
is below 20% percent of the total provision, the LSC, as now will
provide capital funding for the totality of FE and HE activity.
Where FE activity in HEIs is below a certain percentage the HEFCE
has responsibility to provide capital funding for the totality
of FE and HE activity. In these cases the HEFCE would provide
capital funding to HEIs. Where an allocation/formula basis was
applied the formula would include both FE and HE activity;
Level 4 Apprenticeships
17. Progression for learners into, within
and beyond Apprenticeships is a key aspect of the World Class
Apprenticeships requirement for a new Blueprint for Apprenticeships.
Trials of Higher Apprenticeships at Level 4 have been developed
in some sectors, most of which include the NVQ at Level 4 and
a Foundation Degree. Consultation on the new Blueprint will include
a proposal to include Level 4 Apprenticeships across all sectors
as well as detailing clear progression routes within the sector
itself through professional qualifications. The LSC has recently
undertaking a project to align UCAS tariff points with a small
selection of Advanced Apprenticeship framework, thereby providing
a clear route for learners into higher education. Plans are currently
being developed to align all Advanced Apprenticeship frameworks
to this model.
PROVISION OF
FURTHER EDUCATION
IN HIGHER
EDUCATION
18. Finally, and for completeness, it should
be noted that around 30 higher education institutions enrol learners
who are funded by the LSC, totalling some £80 million. In
most cases these learners are on foundation year programmes leading
to progression to a degree programme at the same institution,
but in a small number of cases, mainly as a result of institutional
mergers, the HEI delivers general FE. A particular example would
be Thames Valley University, which merged in 2004 with Reading
College and School of Arts and Design, and has over 20,000 young
people and adults on roll who are funded by the LSC (resulting
in an allocation of over £19 million in 2007-08); the university,
as the further education provider for the area, is also involved
in the Young Apprenticeship programme for 14-16 year olds and
in the delivery of the new Diplomas.
December 2008
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