Government agencies for education

Education Funding Agency

The Education Funding Agency (EFA) is an executive agency of the Department for Education.

‘[EFA] manage £54 billion of funding a year to support all state-provided education for 8 million children aged 3 to 16, and 1.6 million young people aged 16 to 19’ [1]

The Further Education (FE) sector of 1.6 million learners between the ages 16-19 are allocated from this £54 billion annual fund. EFA provides funding for the 16-19 year olds or up to the age of 25 for those with learning difficulties and / or disabilities.[2]

Youth Contracts Fund

Youth Contracts or funding for people in Youth Offender institutions whereby training centres or institutes that have specialist courses for up skilling and employability programmes receive Youth Contracts funding.

16 to 19 Bursary Fund[3]

Eligible organisations include schools, academies, FE colleges, sixth-form colleges, training providers, independent specialist providers and local authorities.

Independent Specialist Provider (ISPs) and maintained\non-maintained special schools

High Needs students are eligible for the new funding. Each student is allocated a payment of £6,000 under this year’s funding arrangements. The independent specialist provider, maintained special school and non-maintained special school have been added to the EFA allocation to show the allocation of High Needs funding within these institutions.

European Social Fund (ESF)

ESF funding primarily entail funding through co-financing organisations (CFOs). They fund ESF projects delivered by providers from both the private and public sector through the CFOs.

ESF funds are distributed through 'Co-financing Organisations' (CFOs). CFOs are public bodies which bring together ESF and domestic funding for employment and skills so that ESF complements national programmes. The Skills Funding Agency, the Department for Work and Pensions Delivery Directorate and the National Offender Management Service are CFOs across the whole of England. A few local authorities are also CFOs.[4]

Skills Funding Agency (SFA)

SFA is an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (DBIS). Students aged 16 to18 on apprenticeships and most students who are aged 19 or over are funded by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA).

[SFA] fund skills training for further education (FE) in England. We support over 1,000 colleges, private training organisations, and employers with more than £4 billion of funding each year.[5]

Flexible Fund for unemployed individuals

The Flexible Fund is aimed at providing a flexible fund to meet emerging local needs

English and Maths provision for the employed

This is a nationwide programmed which will delivery Award and Certificate level English and Maths qualifications to employed individuals, together with an element of employer support.

Skills Support for Work Programme participants in employment

This programme will provide skills support for individuals who have recently gained employment through the Work Programme.

Student Loan Company

24+ Advanced Learning Loan

Learners over the age of 24 can apply for a 24+ Advanced Learning Loan to help with the costs of a college or training course. The course fee is paid direct to the colleges and training providers. The course must have started on or after 1 August and meet the minimum criteria i.e. Level 3 and Level 4 courses include A levels, Access to Higher Education Diplomas and other Certificates and Diplomas.[6] Loans have to be paid back, however, repayments do not start until April 2016 and learners do not have to pay anything until they earn more than £21,000 a year.

Task 1 (i) (b) A government policy initiative which affects the LLS

Funding termination for LLS’ Sector Skills Councils

Sector Skills Councils (SSC) are independent, employer led UK wide organisations. They aim to develop high quality skills standards with employers which support productivity and profitability growth and enhance competitiveness in UK and overseas markets.

There are 18 Sector Skills Councils in their respective industry.[7] Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) was the first independent employer led sector skills council for Further Education.

Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK)

In 2004 the Government asked Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) to develop new professional teaching standards for the whole FE system, as announced in Equipping our Teachers for the Future in response to calls to raise standards from Ofsted in November 2003.[8]

LLUK was responsible for the professional development of all those working in community learning and development, further education, higher education, libraries, archives and information services, and work based learning across the UK.[9] Once the standards were developed Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) funding was ceased as of March 2011 and remaining responsibilities passed down to LSIS.[10]

Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS)

According to its archived website

“The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) was formed to accelerate quality improvement, increase participation and raise standards and achievement in the learning and skills sector in England.”[11]

LSIS closure on August 2013

The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) initiated a managed exit after the government announced plans to cease funding it by August 2013.

According to LSIS website in March 2013 LSIS began a phased a phased winding down of the delivery of courses, training conferences and other support, including the provision of grants direct to providers. The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) closed on August 2013

Different tasks and responsibilities are being taken over by different organisations, such as LSIS online learning environment. The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) have confirmed their commitment to maintaining the Excellence Gateway of LSIS as currently structured in the short-term.[12] ETF will undertake a review of the sector’s needs in relation to resources and materials to inform their longer-term position.

The Further Education Capital Investment Strategy[13] recently announced will go to an extent in injecting investment financially through SFA. Moreover Britain’s standing in Europe will be improved in up skilling the workforce for the future. As stated in the Government’s announcement for creation of a world leading research centre in behavioural science to improve adult literacy & numeracy.[14]

The Skills Funding Agency will deliver a new programme with three elements:

• A Project Development Fund – to support college project development;

• A College Capital Investment Fund – targeted at those colleges with the greatest need to improve their estates and those capable of contributing to the Government’s growth agenda; and

• Targeted Capital Allocations – to ensure the capital programme is alive to emerging pressures and demands and able to respond accordingly.[15]

With the enacting of The Education Act 2011 FE colleges can now borrow money without needing permission from the government. Colleges can also change the way they govern themselves, and those rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted no longer have to face routine inspections. [16]

Task 1 (ii) Professionalism in the LLS

Michael Tedder describes from his years of experience as a teacher in college of the various facets of professionalism in Further Education (FE):

“Many of us use the term ‘professional’ regularly to convey a range of meanings among which might be identified the possession of a body of knowledge & expertise, normally accredited with academic or vocational qualifications, the awareness of a set of values of a code of conduct that governs our relationships with ‘clients’, the ethics of our profession. Professionalism also implies a relationship with colleagues that includes responsibility for monitoring the standards in our practice and an acceptance of responsibility or a sense of accountability to the community we serve”[17] Tedder, 1994:74

Not only do I as a teacher need to work in the professional learning environment, however it is imperative for a smooth transfer of a student’s learning in the lifelong learning sector. This could be to augment on some of the core skills to carry out their work using the computer. So familiarity and use of mouse & keyboard, attaining a basic level of English, Maths and IT related courses is vital in being employable or gaining entry into Higher Education. This is where the relationships with other colleagues and organisations both internally and externally are vital in ensuring the learners are equipped for the next stage of their lifelong learning.

Funding may form the underlying support from the government and other agencies as discussed above main. However, there must be laws in place supporting the FE sector as well as organisations that are available for resource and direction such as Institute for Learning (IfL). IfL describes itself as:

‘the professional body for teachers, tutors, trainers and student teachers working in further education (FE) and skills.’

There are also organisations led by the employer such as the former Lifelong Learning UK who worked directly with the FE sector to promote what is in the best interest of the employers and define standards for the employment sector.

Recently there have been calls for all teachers to be qualified.[18] and a legal definition of the term ‘qualified teacher’ be drawn up both by NUT[19] who represents schools and NASUWT that represents FE staff in addition to schools & colleges. In turn it highlights the significance of qualified staff in the education sector and ultimately the quality of employable staff for the UK labour market.

Institute for Learning and Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) held a seminar with 50 members in December 2012to talk about professionalism in our sector.

The seminar was chaired by Professor Frank Coffield with Professor Ewart Keep both giving powerful presentations. This led to a group discussion about what being a professional in our sector means, the space to influence policy, and the key characteristics of a professional association.

IfL describes a model of teacher and trainer professionalism in Further Education with three fundamental tenets:

1. the highest standards for teaching, training and learning, supported by the professional body over a career;
2. the learners’ and public interest is central;
3. Professionals uphold ethical values.[20]

Half of young people start adult life without achieving level 2 English and maths. Adults who lack literacy and numeracy skills tend to be less productive at work, earn lower wages, are more likely to suffer from ill health and experience social exclusion.[21] I believe without the highest standards of being fully qualified teachers imparting knowledge and skills to our learners, the FE system will spout out half-baked part skilled adults. Not only doing a disservice to these vulnerable and socially outcast individuals however, we will not have earned the right to be called professionals at any stage both practically and morally.

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[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/education-funding-agency

[2]https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/277526/explanatory_text_for_16-19_ay2013-14_published_allocation_dataset_edited_copy_091013_v0_2pr.pdf

[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/16-to-19-bursary-fund-guide

[4] http://www.dwp.gov.uk/esf/funding-opportunities/

[5] https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/skills-funding-agency

[6] https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/courses/funding/Pages/24AdvancedLearningLoans.aspx

[7] http://fisss.org/sector-skills-council/

[8] http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/surveys-and-good-practice/t/The initial training of further education teachers 2003 PDF format).pdf

[9] http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/further-education-skills/reforms/lluk

[10] http://www.fenews.co.uk/fe-news/lluk-transfers-responsibilities-following-closure

[11] http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130802100617/http://lsis.org.uk/about-lsis

[12] http://www.leadershiplearning.org.uk/mod/page/view.php?id=15400

[13] http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/F/12-1340-further-education-college-capital-investment-strategy-plan

[14] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-sets-up-world-leading-adult-literacy-and-numeracy-research-centre

[15] http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/F/12-1340-further-education-college-capital-investment-strategy-plan

[16] http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/21/contents/enacted

[17] Tedder, M. (1994) Appraisal and professionalism in colleges, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 18(3):74-82

[18] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-27071953

[19] http://www.teachers.org.uk/resources/pdf/NUT-Rules-2008-09n.pdf

[20] https://www.ifl.ac.uk/our-work/professionalism/

[21] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-sets-up-world-leading-adult-literacy-and-numeracy-research-centre