Welcome to the Learning and Skills Council’s monthly newsletter.

Each month we use this newsletter to bring you news and views from the education and training sector. Although the focus is largely on policy developments in the world of post-16 education and training, we also draw attention to other items of interest such as new research findings, examples of good practice or alternative perspectives on skills and employability.

We welcome any feedback on the newsletter which we hope provides a valuable resource for subscribers and casual visitors alike

The Whole Curriculum 14-19

Following its Annual Reports in 2004, 2005 and 2006, the Nuffield Review is producing Issues Papers on specific areas of concern with a view to widening the 14-19 debate, testing conclusions and seeking further evidence. One area of crucial importance is that of curriculum development for an ever more diverse 14-19 phase.

It is now 20 years since the launch of the National Curriculum for all young people up to the age of 16. Given the massive changes in society which affect all young people and given the problems which the Review has identified, is there not a need to re-appraise, not just the details of the curriculum, but also the very nature of ‘a National Curriculum’ and of ‘whole curriculum planning’?

This Issues Paper, therefore, examines the notions of ‘the whole curriculum’, ‘curriculum development’, the principles which should guide such development, and the role of the teacher in that development.

To access the paper click here

The Effects of Low Attainment on Young People’s Labour Market Outcomes

A recent article in the British Educational Research Journal looks at the impact of achieving low levels of educational attainment on young people’s later life chances.

Using data from a survey of Scottish school leavers, researchers at the University of Edinburgh sought to identify the long-term effects of low attainment and the extent of influence that family background has on young people’s, particularly labour market, outcomes. The article presents evidence that suggests that:

• The disadvantage of the low attaining group persists over time, with poorer labour market outcomes even at age 22-23.
• Family background affects the likelihood of being unemployed and has an impact on average earnings and occupational status as familial educational and labour market disadvantage is reproduced across the generations.
• Low attainment affects men and women differently. Proportionately more young men than young women are in the low attainment group, but it has a more severe impact on women with the gender gap in earnings at its widest among low attainers.
• Staying on at school has a positive affect for low attainers by increasing the chances of gaining additional qualifications, decreasing the likelihood of becoming unemployed and improving job prospects in terms of status and earnings.

The article concludes with a discussion on possible differences between Scotland and England and the potential impact of policies in the two countries.

The full reference of the article is: Howieson, C. and Iannelli, C. (2008) ‘The effects of low attainment on young people’s outcomes at age 22-23 in Scotland’, British Educational Research Journal, 34(2), April, pp.269-290.

Supporting People To Get On In The Labour Market

The Government has produced a discussion paper that reviews evidence on what is happening to help adults progress in work and aims to stimulate a wider discussion on how best to take forward research and policy. A desire is expressed to create a policy framework that enables people to find work, stay in work and progress in their careers.

The paper presents a social and economic case for providing these opportunities, noting the expected benefits of reaching the government’s targets to achieve world class skills in terms of wage returns and increasing social mobility. It then goes on to discuss the potential impacts of technological change and globalisation such as providing greater opportunities for more skilled workers and a possible polarisation of the labour market. Various skills issues are mentioned, such as what more can be learned about skills that drive business performance and provide individuals with higher wages. There is also a consideration of future developments with specific skills such as entrepreneurial, management and soft skills.

Finally, the paper looks at some recent labour market trends. These include rises in qualification levels, poor prospects for wage progression for some workers and falling unemployment. These trends are considered alongside questions about what factors influence progression in work and what barriers exist for particular groups.

Full details here

Foundation Degrees at Further Education Colleges

New regulations that came into force on 1 May mean that further education institutions in England can now award their own foundation degrees. These courses combine academic study with workplace learning and are designed in co-operation between education institutions and employers. This development is part of the government’s intention of increasing the proportion of workers with high level skills, from 31 per cent now to over 40 per cent by 2020. The motivation that comes from this and the fact that three quarters of the 2020 workforce have already left compulsory education has led to a desire to develop new types of more flexible courses alongside traditional models of higher education.

Full details here

Outcomes from an Audit of Work-Based and Placement Learning.

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has reported that there is now widespread engagement with work-based and placement learning and the introduction of employability skills into the curriculum. A summary of outcomes from 59 institutional audit reports identifies features of good practice such as encouraging students to organise their own placements and making innovative use of local and regional links. It also comments on support mechanisms for students, standards of learning and assessments. The reports illustrate an increasing focus on opportunities to acquire employability skills and institutions are recommended to ensure institution-wide consistency of practice in this area.

Full details here

Launch of the Training Quality Standard

An assessment framework that is designed to recognise the best organisations that are delivering training and development solutions to employers. The aim of the Training Quality Standard is to give employers a simple benchmark for choosing training provision and is therefore meant to reflect employers' priorities and expectations. The standard has been created by the Learning and Skills Council and is the outcome of a year-long process of development and testing. It is open to both publicly and privately funded organisations providing workforce training at all levels and helps employers by creating a quality mark that reflects high standards in terms of flexibility, relevance and commitment to continuous improvement.

Full details here and here

European Union Green Paper on Education and Migration

The central role of education in migrant integration will be underlined in a forthcoming Green Paper from the European Commission. The paper on Education and Migration is the first of its kind and is the result of collaboration between the Directorates for Education and Culture and Justice, Freedom and Security. A public consultation on the subject is expected to be follow by an Action Plan later in the year.

Full details here

In this edition we present two ‘hot topics’ of interest to subscribers and casual visitors alike.

Firstly we discuss the findings of the first national Train to Gain Evaluation.  Throughout Train to Gain’s existence there has been research conducted amongst employers to gauge their views on the service (primarily measures of employer satisfaction with Skills Brokers) but following the national roll-out of Train to Gain research has been completed to gauge the views of the learners themselves and taking more of a wider look at employers opinions.   Main findings from this first wave can be found here. 

Secondly we reveal the results of the 2007 National Employer Skills Survey (NESS07), published in May 2008.  NESS07 was commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and various key partners, with the overarching aim of providing robust and reliable information from employers in England on skills deficiencies and workforce development.  This will serve as a common basis to develop policy and assess the impact of skills initiatives. The results of this survey are examined here. 

Evaluation of Extending EMA to LSC-funded Entry to Employment and Programme Led Apprenticeships

Following the broadening of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) from full-time education to include young learners on two programmes within the LSC funded work-based learning family, Entry to Employment (E2E) and Programme Led Apprenticeships (PLA), from April 2006, the LSC commissioned Experian and Ipsos MORI to undertake an evaluation of the extension roll out in September 2007.

The objective of this research was to understand the effectiveness of the roll out of the extension of EMA, in particular in relation to the communication of EMA into the programmes; the operational procedures; and the impact on overarching LSC policy.

The research found that the communication of EMA to learners was effective as evidenced by the fact that 80 per cent of learners knew about EMA when starting E2E or PLA, but there was room for improvement when it came to communication with providers.  The operational procedures were extremely effective due to the EMASYS training courses and the relationship with the LSC partnership teams.  And finally, the research also concluded that the extension of EMA to E2E and PLA contributed to some of the core LSC targets and policies, by helping raise achievement and progression, as well as creating a more level playing field for learners.

The full report can be viewed on the LSC website here