More, Different and Better

The press coverage has started to die down on No stone unturned in pursuit of growth. The Chancellor has told us it is “bursting with ideas” and intimated that he favours the local budget proposals – the Autumn Statement on 5 December will give some indications of the next stages.

I read the report on a train returning from one of our Making Sense of Impact seminars. A key part of that discussion was how we evidence and present the impact of adult learning and skills, so that it plays into the much wider agenda. We need to move from a discourse that revolves around outputs into one that positions the sector to engage in wider discussions on outcomes, commissioning and the shaping of locality and place. The Heseltine Review, with its proposals on how business and government change the way they interact to promote economic growth, places a new urgency on this for our sector.

The report sparked various mixed feelings: nostalgia, excitement and trepidation. Nostalgia, because parts of it took me straight back to my City Challenge days in the Black Country working in the community to provide the learning that was actually needed at the time it was needed. Excitement, due to the opportunities to do things differently with a real perspective on localism to change the thinking and step beyond the status quo. Trepidation, because of not being able to see quite how this might work on the ground.
This report is potentially a major game changer that none of us can afford to ignore. So here are my initial thoughts that we will be developing as part of our policy position as the agenda progresses.

I like:

• The cross-government thinking and moving outside functional areas and the recognition that education and skills are critical to growth and prosperity – this is an argument we have been making for a long time. We need much better synergy between Government departments for learning and skills; the recognition that there is a joint responsibility between localities, communities and the state  – stakeholders need to work together to shape a local vision for a long term strategy for growth.
• The recognition that it is a joint responsibility of localities, communities, employers and the statement and that it is has to be stakeholders working together that shape a local vision for a long term strategy for growth.
• The focus on working with employers.
• The recognition of the critical role that Higher Education, wherever it takes place, has in the local growth, innovation and research agenda.
• The focus on the need to develop leadership and management capabilities and their integration into the education and skills system at every level.

I am reassured by:

• The explicit reference to keeping statutory entitlements for adults in English and Maths provision.
• The statement on a view of education in its widest sense.

I want more discussion about:

• The mechanics of the single funding pot across government. There are many advantages to combining budgets locally to meet local needs, however, we are also seeing a perfect storm of changes that are impacting on participation in adult learning and skills – see our 2012 Annual Participation in Learning Survey. It is the most vulnerable learners, especially those who have missed out at an earlier stage whose needs are not being met. This is an opportunity to remove the blockages in the current system.
• “The triple bottom line” – the report is clear about economic value and environmental value, however, it is quieter on social value. There are opportunities here to focus the role of learning and skills in the commissioning processes. We welcome the view of seeing education in its widest sense, although we are not clear how it will be implemented, particularly in the communities with the greatest needs. We would like further discussion on the steps that many adults take to progress back into learning and work and the vision for the broader view of all types of learning.
• The role and responsibilities of local growth teams in relation to learning and skills – we do not want a re-shuffle of bureaucracies without a change in thinking.
• The need for local accountability for local learning and skills provision. This vision may do it, but we would like much wider discussions on the place of local democratic accountability and the interaction of learning providers with the proposed new system.
• The role of education and skills provision up and down the supply chain and how we make this a broad vision and link it with local communities, the proposals on lead trade associations and the developing thinking on the new FE Guild.

These are my initial thoughts. Please share yours on the opportunities and threats by commenting below or by sending them to Jenny.Sherrard@niace.org.uk.  

Image from Paul M. Smith blog.