Spring Conference

Tertiary Colleges Group

Gill Clipson, Deputy Chief Executive

Overview of Presentation

• Politics and policy : where we are now

• Funding -the challenges ahead • Curriculum change: Apprenticeships

– the only growth in town? • Devolution • Autonomy and accountability • Politics – the emerging priorities

Politics and policy - where we are now

Politics – where we are now

Uncertainty •57 days until the 2015 General Election•Coalition governing parties in open disagreement•SNP, UKIP, Greens both doing well enough in polls to gain more MPs•Electoral system efficient at converting Labour votes into seats•Results currently difficult to call

Timetable•Budget, 18 March 2015•Dissolution of Parliament, 30 March 2015•Easter, 7 April 2015•General Election, 7 May 2015•Coalition negotiations, May 2015•Queen’s Speech & Spending Review, Summer/Autumn 2015

Connecting politics to policy affecting collegesEducation and skills policy• Schools, apprenticeships and university fees all big political issues• Current consolidation of reforms• Implementation of curriculum changes• Academy reform programme unfinished and unstable• Fair amount of consensus on skills & HE • AoC manifesto designed to secure helpful and feasible proposals

Public spending• Decisions on 2015-16 allocations made before the election• 2015 spending review (by November 2015?) sets budgets after 2016• National insurance increase already scheduled for April 2016• Public spending reductions inevitable in 2016-17 and afterwards

Funding - the challenges ahead

Funding

16-18: 2016-17 and beyond• Big question whether 16-18 is protected or not• Forecast that 16-18 population will fall by 8% from 2015 to 2020• Savings from end of Formula Protection & start of funding

condition• Further cuts either to rates, numbers or factors• Plausible to anticipate 2% (c£150 mil/year). Could be worse

SFA: 2016-17 and beyond• What happens to SFA funding depends partly on HE• Contradictory policies (devolution to cities vs employer ownership)• Extension of FE loans may reduce SFA funding further• Decisions may be made fairly quickly after the election• The bigger the reform, the less things change in the short-term!

Loans and HE

24+ Advanced Learner Loans: 2016-17 and beyond• Proposal in June 2014 to extend FE loans in 2016-17• Proposal to make loans available for all those over age of 19• Entitlements (100% funding) would stay for basic skills, first L2 & L3

Higher Education: 2016-17 and beyond• If there’s a Labour Government - £6000 fees• If there’s a Conservative Government… More deregulation at top end• It takes time for things to change in higher education • Employment-focused, locally recruited HE is where to focus on• New HE quality assessments to secure funding (end of QAA?)

Curriculum Change: Apprenticeships – the only growth

in town?

Apprenticeships

In 2015-16•Apprenticeships remain a priority but note political positioning•Budget for 16-18 and 19+ apprenticeships is ring-fenced•Tighter quality regulations in place from 2013 (eg 1 year minimum)•Concern that college apprenticeships are reliant on sub-contracting•Trailblazers involve testing new apprenticeship standards

In 2016-17 and beyond•Reforms initiated in 2013 could transform apprenticeships•Complete overhaul of the qualifications (more L3 and L4)•Proposal to route the entire £1.5 billion budget via employers•Cameron and Miliband both promised many more apprentices•Traineeships likely to be an important model

Devolution

Devolution

• Devolving power and control• National system delivered at a local level

or local ‘rules’• National entitlements • Apprenticeships delivery and funding • ‘Control’ of local budgets – maintain

spending levels• Skills, employment and education• Structural change – specialisation

Autonomy and accountability

Inspection

Inspecting what the Government purchases:•Study Programmes •Work Experience•Maths and English•Safeguarding- Prevent

Inspection outcomes to date:•Teaching and learning – challenge for the most able and support for the least•Curriculum planning – study programmes, meeting the needs of employers and the locality •Leadership - stability

Inspection September 2015

• Types of provision e.g. Study Programmes, Apprenticeships

• Observation of lessons will not be graded

• Personal development – separate grade

• Financial ‘sustainability’• • Monitoring of ‘good’ colleges

Accountability Measures

16-18 Accountability Tables – January 2017 •Progress•Attainment•English and maths•Retention•Destinations

19+ Outcome Based Success Measures•Learner Destinations (sustained learning/employment)•Learner Progression (to a higher level qualification)•Earnings

Shift remaining schools out of council control

Allow profit making in

education More free schools

Teachers don’t need to be qualified

Loans extension to 19+

New role for local authorities –’middle tier

Focus on raising vocational standards

Institutes of technical

Education, technical degrees

HE fees £6k

Return to AS Levels

All teachers (school & college) to be qualified

CONSERVATIVES

LIB DEM

Greater employer control

of skills (including ££)

Increase apprenticeshipsLiteracy/numeracy until

18Devolution

LABOUR

Discounted transport for young people aged 16-21

Protect education budget to 19Increase higher apprenticeships

Introduce lifelong learning accounts

Careers advice

Politics