Key Points

Media & Marketing Network, 27th November, AOSEC

• The AoC Communications Conference is due to take place on 19th March
• The aim of the vacancy matching service is to match apprentices with current employers, offering real jobs
• The LSC South East Learning & Skills Awards 2009 will take place on the evening of Wednesday 20th May at the Copthorne Effingham Park Hotel, Gatwick

Learner Support Services Network, 25th November, AOSEC

• SE Learning at Work Information Service – Learning Opportunities for Adults in the workplace www.sussexlearningnetwork.org.uk/learning-opportunities
• Feed any suggestions / concerns on the adult advancement and careers service into the ideas tree at http://ideas.iagreview.org.uk/ideas-forest/
• Email furthereducationcolleges@iris-london.co.uk to get your free "Want Respect Campaign" resources

Business Development Network, 14th October, West Kent College

• The skills upgrade agenda continues to dominate government priorities and colleges continue to respond to this agenda with extensive employer engagement activities, including Train to Gain solutions.
• KPMG and the World Skills support programme is operating in the South East –  http://wcs.excellence.qia.org.uk for details of events, dates and venues.
• Richard Beresford, Oxford Brookes University gave an update on the progress on the NESTA/SEEDA project focussing on developing innovation and enterprise in the college curriculum.  Opportunities for colleges to be part of this to build capacity and capability of FE.  The programme runs from September 2008 for 3 years. Contact: Richard Beresford rberesford@brookes.ac.uk
• Training Quality Standard and progress being made on this by colleges (Currently Basingstoke, Chichester, Hadlow, Isle of Wight and Newbury colleges listed on the website having achieved). A number of colleges are committed to achieving this by summer 2009.
• World Skills Competitions 2011 and opportunities for colleges to become involved and showcase the extensive skills acquisition and excellence demonstrated in colleges.  Contact details..  www.worldskills.uk.org /0800 612 0742/ or Amanda Reed SEEDA – 01483 501357,
• Customer Relationship Managent systems (CRM) -  the variety of systems being used by colleges, and their ability to provide fit for purpose data and respond to the interrogation possibilities and demands that colleges now require for their activities. Colleges were willing to share experiences on effective CRM systems.

Hairdressing & Beauty Therapy Network, 10th October, FCoT

• The four key areas which one college was inspected on by OFSTED were: tutorials; equality and diversity; employment links / WBL; and 14-16 programmes.
• Fareham College is hosting a monthly Diploma planning / joint working group in order to formulate Schemes of Work and other documents required for the Diplomas starting in September 2009.  All colleagues are invited to attend and please contact Mary Mussell for further information.
• UK Skills is keen to identify a larger pool of talent from which to select the UK team for WorldSkills 2011.  Those competitors selected will be identified from the regional heats in 2009. 
• JISC is promoting the use of e-learning and celebrating best practice in the field by holding the Hi5 Awards.  Colleges with examples of good practice in e-learning are invited to send nominations to v.markandya@kent.ac.uk by 31st December. 

Property Services Managers Network, 10th October, BCoT

• LSC are now living with the impact of the change in budget management as a result of the split in funding for General FE colleges and 6th forms.  There is no longer any virement between these budgets and this has meant an overspend on capital projects.
• The LSC are managing this by sequencing and prioritising projects.  Any concerns about projects should be directed to the relevant LSC property manager
• Semplice are available to advise colleges on clean technologies – (neeta.dalal@semplice.co.uk)
• BREEAM regulations – weightings have changed since 2006 and colleges are advised to ensure they are fully up to date with these regulations and their requirements.
• Waste management – colleges should be aware of regulations concerned the cost and disposal of waste from their sites.

LLDD (Founmdation Tier Learning), 7th October 2008, Highbury College

• The pilot for the Foundation Learning Tier shows that the plans are not yet set in stone, so colleges need to contribute their ideas to help shape how the FLT is rolled out.
• Findings from the Interim Report (July 2008) of the Entry 1 Common Units Trial show that there was concern that the units did not allow for lateral progress to be recognised.   Learners applying previously learned skills in a new context or to a new situation could not have these achievements recognised for a second time unless they had made vertical progression.  This was being reviewed.
• A personalised curriculum with realistic goals and planned exit strategies is the way forward for many learners with learning difficulties and / or disabilities.  Each student should have an annual planner, which details multi-agency work, and progress should be recorded using RARPA, which is good for inspections.
• College accessibility is a key issue for all staff, not just LLDD, and the QIA Excellence Gateway provides detailed guidance on "reasonable adjustments" that should be made.

Learning Resource Centres, 1st October 2008, at BCA

• The dawsonera collection of e-books has 70,000 titles available online.  There are no platform fees, no subscriptions and no minimum order – you can buy just one book.  See www.dawsonera.com .
• Key features of LRC new build include: wireless networks (for e-books), movable floor boxes for computer access, energy efficiency and the overall look.  Architects may not be professional library designers so it is necessary to find out as much about a proposed new build as possible, in order to pre-empt potential problems.
• The Cephalonian Induction method, using question cards to accompany a PowerPoint presentation, has proved a successful model for engaging students and incorporates different learning styles.

Personal and Community Development Learning Network, 2nd July 2008, AOSEC OFfices

• Global Online Assessment (GOLA) is City & Guilds integrated testing solution.  Tests can be downloaded anytime and anywhere with a networked computer.  Rules for invigilation offsite are the same as in the class-room.
• Future LSC policy developments for Adult Safeguarded Learning include clear fee expectations for PCDL and an improved sense of what constitutes value for money.
• LSC priorities for PCDL will be planned through PCDL partnerships.
• Union Learning Representatives work with employees to identify learning or training needs and then arrange the training with local providers.  They are uniquely positioned to help as employees usually find it easier to talk to colleagues about their learning needs, particularly literacy and numeracy. 

• The AoC Annual Employment Law conference will be on 14th October 2008 in London, with a keynote address from Hon. Justice P. Elias, President of the EAT.
• Under the proposed changes to the machinery of Government, Local Authorities will be responsible for the commissioning and funding of all 14 -19 provision locally, whilst a new Skills Funding Agency will house the National Apprenticeship Service, the National Employer Service and the Adult Advancement and Careers Service.
• The National Teaching and Learning Change Programme is designed to transform teaching, training, and learning in priority subject areas by developing and supporting Subject Learning Coaches: www.subjectlearningcoaches.net .
• Members were given a demonstration of the Guildford College e-induction package (produced by Balanced Learning) which covered: Every Child Matters (including safeguarding children and vulnerable adults); and work-station posture.

Teacher Training Network, 26th June, Alton College

• Members explored key aspects of managing student behaviour including:Understanding what is meant by the term "difficult student", Looking beyond the difficulty for its cause, Putting the situation into a helpful context, Identifying various techniques to deal with the problem, Listing ways of minimising potential problems.
• There was a discussion about PTLLS courses including problems, pass rates and course recruitment rates.

Media & Marketing Network, 25th June, AOSEC Offices in Reading

• LSC are currently working on a 20 page supplement with the Business Magazine looking at Skills, Train to Gain, Skills Pledge, How colleges and employers can successfully work together. Colleagues were asked to send examples of colleges working successfully with employers to julia.thompson@lsc.gov.uk.
• By 2010 the LSC will be divided into 2 new agencies: Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) and Skills Funding Agency (SFA)
• When re-branding: Stick to your mission,  Strive for excellence, Do create sub-brands for new business markets, Always promote under main brand, Don's neglect existing audiences, Don't mess with core brand.
• When preparing for an audit: Have ready an up to date action plan showing progress, a copy of your SAR, strategy and operating plan, Know how you measure – tell them how you use this to evaluate your activity, Talk about your risk management checks, Be in control and show them how well you know your business.

Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy Network, 13th June 2008, Highbury College

• Within the Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy sectors there are significant skills shortages in management and problem solving, making this an ideal time to develop Foundation Degrees.
• Colleges wishing to develop Foundation Degrees need to consider: the curriculum; their market research; appropriate HE student support; and the provision of an HE environment for students. 
• www.ukhairdressers.com has some interesting information.  The site also has a "dragon drop" facility to work with different hairstyles and face shapes etc.
• The Network decided to submit a bid to SEEDA / LSC to run a Regional Skills Competition in 2009.  There is a growing interest in Skills Competitions with the run up to London hosting WorldSkills in 2011.

• Nursing Care is one of the Demonstration Skills in the WorldSkills competition in London 2011.
• SEEDA, LSC and SfBN have funding for colleges to bid to run skills competitions in 2008 / 09 in the lead up to WorldSkills 2011.  The deadline for guidance / application for regional support is 7th July 2008.  Contact: amandareed@seeda.co.uk .
• Skills for Health have published a regional work plan for 2008 / 09 which supports the development of local workforce solutions e.g. Maternity Support Workers.
• For 2008 – 09 £2.5m has been invested by NHS Education South Central in development of staff in bands 1-4 across the area.  LSC has pledged to match the investment in staff.
• NHS Education South Central is challenging all the Primary Care Trusts in the area to sign the Skills Pledge by October 31st to agree to train staff to minimum level 2.

• New City & Guilds Level 2 Award in Barista Skills – now being offered
• South Downs College – have an 'airline cabin' available for hire.
• Many of the schools (14 – 19 agenda) have still to decide which awarding body to use.

• Under the new Machinery of Government changes, Local Authorities will be primarily responsible for the planning and funding of provision for Learners with Learning Difficulties and / or Disabilities 0-25.
• The most important part of personalised learning is around pre-entry and initial assessment, which needs to include a sensory and perceptual profile as well as identification of realistic long-term aims and aspirations.
• Personalised learning can help those on a carousel of continual education.  Pathways recorded through RARPA may get people into employment in five years.
• TechDis provides some excellent technology resources including SimDis which simulates aspects of disability: www.techdis.ac.uk/simdis
  
• Video Jug has some useful online teaching demonstrations such as "How to make a Club sandwich" www.videojug.com
  

• September 2008 sees the implementation of the new Access to HE Diploma, with QAA acting as the Regulatory Authority.  One major changes to Access courses is that they are all credit rated in the same credit framework.
• LSC for the first time has given a green light to funding Access which will be classified as a full Level 3 qualification. However, GCSE equivalence for pre-Access programmes will no longer be fundable. OCN is looking at a fundable alternative.
• HEFCE envisages in future a more active and strategic role for FECs delivering HE.  From 2008 – 09 HEFCE will require an HE strategy from all FECs (whether funded directly or indirectly).
• Under the proposed changes to the machinery of Government, Local Authorities will be responsible for the commissioning and funding of all 14 -19 provision locally, whilst a new Skills Funding Agency will house the National Apprenticeship Service, the National Employer Service and the Adult Advancement and Careers Service.

• ULN (Unique Learner Numbers) were launched on 14 Feb 2008; these were introduced to allow tracking of achievement. From September ULN will start to be given out. The 'achievement system' will be ready in Jan. 2009. Error rate of about 5% to be expected but this helps identify problem records.
• The Information Authority / Data Service – A new independent body with a mission that the data requested is the data that is required. Please refer to www.theia.org.uk

• In 2007/08 there was £6 million funding for FE Colleges to pilot the use of mobile technology. Project value in the region of £100K to £500K. 32 Colleges got funding, three projects involving six colleges were from the SE region, these are:

• In Britain the heritage construction industry is worth £7.7 Billion. It includes all buildings pre-1919 which is one fifth of the building stock. Only one third of the workers have appropriate skills and knowledge and in terms of a 'qualified workforce' this is only 5% (attending to 20% of the building stock and a third of the work-load).

Skills for Life Network, 9th May 2008, Farnborough  College of Technology

• Skills for Life is returning to become Maths, English and "something else".  Progression will be the key word for the next 10 years.
• There will be an increasing emphasis on adult skills, as there is a recognition in the Leitch Report that only 15% of the 2020 workforce are currently 16 – 19.
• The offer for adults will be via the demand-led Skills Accounts (South East trial starting in September 2008) or Train to Gain.  Whether Adult Safeguarded Learning continues beyond 2010 depends on how successful it is deemed to be.
• The REfLECT software on the Institute for Learning website helps staff plan, record and reflect on their professional development.
• Free e-resources available to staff can be found on the following websites: www.skillsworkshop.org  www.nln.ac.uk,  www.bbc.co.uk/raw, www.move-on.org.uk, www.teachertube.com, www.techdis.ac.uk . JISC will also come and speak at a college for free.

• The PE and Sport Strategy for Young People (PESSYP) has 10 work strands including Further Education.  The "Disability Sport" strand is a huge area of growth with the "Playground to Podium" programme designed to get people to the Paralympics.
• The "5 Hour Offer" is the Government's commitment to provide up to 5 hours of sport each week for all 5-16 year olds and up to three hours for 16–19 year olds.  The offer will be different for each of the three key groups of "Sporty Types", "Semi-Sporty Types" and "Inactive" young people.
• There are 8 different BTEC National in Sport qualifications from Edexcel.  The "BTEC in a Box" resource from Edexcel provides complete starter information for BTEC Firsts and Nationals. 
• The National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure was agreed on 7th May and there will be one Regional hub with a network of Centres of Excellence.  Details of the invitation to tender for the NSA Regional hub can be found on the SkillsActive website: www.skillsactive.com .
  

Learner Support (Including IAG) Network, 28th March 2008, Guildford College of HE & FE

• The next deadline for the Lifelong Learning Programme – Transversal funding – is 30 April 2008. Please refer to www.transversal.org.uk for further information. AOSEC is keen to gather member's feedback from the exchange visits on offer.
  
• There are key areas identified in the Green Paper 'In-work – Better Off'. An executive summary of this can be found at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/welfarereform/in-work-better-off/summary.pdf 
  
• Under the DDA it was reported that only Multiple Sclerosis, HIV/AIDS and Cancer automatically qualified as 'disabled' classification. It was also noted that colleges should be wary of the 'necessary adjustments/ measures' as these could be very varied depending on the condition.
  

14 – 19 Curriculum Development, 25th March 2008, Guildford College of FE & HE

• The Machinery of Government changes mean that two new bodies will be created: the 14 – 19 Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB) working to DCSF; and the Skills Funding Agency, part of DIUS, which will also house the National Apprenticeship Service, National Employer Service, and the Adult Advancement and Careers Service.
• The 14 – 19 NDPB will operate nationally and regionally.  Local Authority plans will be collated, moderated and approved nationally by the 14 – 19 NDPB to ensure overall budgetary control and delivery of statutory entitlements to learning.
• Local Authorities will be responsible for the commissioning and funding of all 14 – 19 provision locally from 2010 with a strong encouragement to work together sub-regionally. 
• Local Authorities will also be responsible for provision for LLDD to age 25 and young offenders.
• The Skills Funding Agency will be responsible for commissioning provision to meet needs including: local, informal education not leading to qualifications or employment; LLDD post-25; and ESF.

Property Services, 14th March 2008, Andover College

• As at 14 March 2008 the LSC approved Framework Agreement for Professional Services has been delayed and is not yet in use. As soon as available, more information will be published on the LSC's Capital web site. The Framework will cover the following professions: Cost Consultants; Project Management Consultants; Design Side Consultants
•  The 'Machinery of Government' is working its way through the proposed reforms and it will have an impact on the FE Capital budget.
• 25% of a building's 'running cost' is to pay for energy.

Sciences Network, 3rd March 2008, STEMNET Offices, London

• Consider 'clusters' for Bio-medical science, perhaps link with hospitals.
• Allow college staff a sabbatical period of time in which to build up new opportunities.
• There is a new culture of 'apprenticeships' which is in-line with the need to 'up-skill' the working population.
• Exam centric system has the effect of diminishing 'QUALITY'.

Engineering & Manufacture Network, 12th February 2008 at the AOSEC Offices

• The Diploma has 10 days in industry and is 'applied' training. The Young Apprenticeship has 50 days in industry and is "vocational' training - they are distinctly different.
• There is a strong requirement for local 'Data Market Information' to allow Colleges to plan.
• A prime time television programme (e.g. - BBC's Tomorrows World) which concentrates on engineering & manufacture could help to raise awareness and increase student numbers.
• There is a need to increase the number of students entering 'engineering' – particularly women.

• QUIA provides a paid-for service on the internet useful for e-assessment.  It allows users to create quizzes, classes and surveys.
• The Basic Key Skills Builder (BKSB) screening package can be used by tutors to assess a prospective student's prior knowledge, thereby improving retention on ICT courses.
• The recent Further Education and Training Bill has granted powers to Colleges to award Foundation Degrees in their own right.  Colleges are free to build their own relationship with employers which may be more work-based and quicker to react to employer demand.
• FE widens participation in HE as HE students in colleges are more likely to be over 25, to study part-time, and to come from areas with low rates of participation in HE.
• Employers can be engaged through focus groups, questionnaires, one-to-one interviews and telephone surveys.