Skills for growth and the proposed funding methodology

[Background] [Aims] [Audience] [Programme] [Event Information] [Application Conditions] [Application Form]

Background

On 22 July 2010 in a speech at Hackney College, John Hayes, the Minister of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) launched two consultations that will impact on the delivery of adult learning.

• A briefing and discussion on Skills for Sustainable Growth: a consultation on the direction of skills policy (www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/furthereducation-skills/docs/s/10-1073-ski...
• Technical briefing on A Simplified Further Education and Skills Funding System and Methodology (www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/f/10-1070-fe...)

This provides a challenging context for reform of the skills system, but also presents a real opportunity to focus public investment on what’s most important for greater economic and social benefit. BIS welcome our views on the direction set out. The twelve week consultation period ending on 14 October offers the opportunity for discussion on the right areas for investment through the Spending Review and comments received earlier are more likely to influence this process.

A full strategy for skills will be published after the Spending Review in October which will set out in more detail how BIS intend to support learning and skills priorities. This will accompany a paper setting out how BIS will create the conditions for sustainable growth which will be published around the same time. This consultation starts the debate about the choices Government makes as we enter the Spending Review round and embark on a deficit reduction process that is ambitious in both its scale and speed.

NIACE believes that the policy aspiration has much to be commended but the proposals can be improved or sharpened. The devil will be in the detail, for instance:

• How will the freedoms and flexibilities that are proposed for colleges and training organisations lead to better learning opportunities for a wider range of adults?
• How will the reinvigoration of adult and community learning play out locally?
• What are the implications on minimum contract values on the quality and diversity of provision and equality of opportunity?

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Aims

The policy briefing event on Wednesday 22 September 2010, will outline the policies, give NIACE’s initial reactions and to seek delegate views to inform NIACE’s response on behalf of the sector.

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Audience

This policy briefing will be relevant to all Further Education and Adult Education providers.

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Provisional Programme

12:30   Arrival and registration (sandwich lunch, tea/coffee available)

13:00   Welcome and introduction to the day
Chair: Alastair Thomson, Principal Policy Officer, NIACE

13:10   Keynote address:
Making sense of: "Skills for Growth"
Skills for Sustainable Growth: a consultation on the direction of skills policy
Mark Ravenhall, Operational Director, NIACE

13:40   Keynote address:
Making sense of: "The proposed funding methodology"
A Simplified Further Education and Skills Funding System and Methodology
Alastair Thomson, Principal Policy Officer, NIACE

14:10   Questions and discussion and closing remarks

14:30   Next Steps
Mark Ravenhall, Operational Director, NIACE

14:45   Evaluations

15:00   Close of policy briefing (tea/coffee available)

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Event Information

• Arrival and registration is at 12:30pm for a 1:00pm start. The event will end at 3:00pm
• Event fee per person per event (includes sandwich lunch, tea/coffee):
  £85 (NIACE members)
  £100 (Non NIACE members)
• NB: NIACE does not charge VAT on event fees
• Places can be reserved online via: www niace.org.uk/events Alternatively completed and signed application forms can be faxed or posted to NIACE by the closing date. Reservations by telephone cannot be accepted
• Places will be allocated in order of receipt of completed application forms (one form per person) and restricted to the Local Authorities sector
• Participants should be prepared to take their own notes as there will not be handouts for all sessions
• Application forms are individually acknowledged by e-mail. Joining instructions, including map and directions, will be e-mailed out one week before the event
• Video cameras may be in use at this event. If you do not wish to be photographed or appear on the video outputs please indicate this on the application form and make yourself known at registration
• If you have not received an e-mail confirming your attendance and joining instructions 4 working days before the event please contact:

  NIACE Events Team
  Tel: 0116 204 2833
  Fax: 0116 254 8368
  Minicom: 0116 255 6049
  E-mail: events@niace.org.uk

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Application Conditions

Event: Wednesday 22 September 2010
Closing Date: Thursday 16 September 2010

• Cancellations are non-refundable
• The full fee is payable prior to the event
• Substitutions are to be advised 5 working days prior to the event
• A 10 working days notice period is required for provision of electronic note-takers, sign language interpreters and transcription to Braille.

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Application Form

(For people not using the online reservation system above)