|
Country-specific
England
only
Credit Success
Rate
Please note that the text
included in the last newsletter was
incorrect, we apologise for any
misunderstanding caused as a
result.
Work will begin in 2008/09 to define and
trial a new Credit Success Rate (CSR) measure in
England. The new CSR will sit alongside the
existing Qualification Success Rate measure, which
will continue to be used by the LSC and
Ofsted. As qualifications move from the
existing NQF to the QCF, or are developed as new
qualifications in the QCF, learner achievements
will continue to be captured through the
QSR. The introduction of a new CSR will
provide an additional success measure which can
potentially capture information not currently
available, for example progression towards a
qualification. The purpose of the trial
will therefore be twofold, firstly to understand
and evaluate the practical issues for providers in
entering and collating CSR data and secondly to
understand the potential future uses of the
CSR.
The trial will be closely aligned with the
unit funding trials to be announced shortly by the
LSC. The unit funding trials will be
restricted to an agreed set of eligible QCF units
by the LSC and will also support the recent
announcement from the Secretary of State by
providing additional flexibilities announced as a
package of support for small businesses over the
next two years.
All LSC funded providers who will be
involved in the unit funding trials from January
2009 and in receipt of LSC funds will be required
to use two new fields in the Individualised
Learner Record (ILR) that record the credits that
a learner plans to achieve and the credits they
actually achieve during
2008/2009. NIACE will undertake work to
monitor and evaluate the use of the CSR so it can
be updated and improved for future
years.
For more information, you can also contact Yvonne Kenny at the
LSC.
Employer
Recognition Programme
We
are continuing to work with a variety of
organisations to get employers' in-house training
nationally recognised on the QCF. There are three
main approaches that an employer may take to
achieve this and more information can be found on our
website.
Information packs on the three approaches
can now be ordered through the QCA Orderline on
08700 60 60 15 or by emailing the online
form quoting reference
QCA/08/3958. If you are interested in
becoming involved in this initiative then please
email the ERP
team.
Foundation Learning
Tier National Conference
The QCA
and the Learning and Skills
Council successfully hosted the second
Foundation Learning Tier National Conference on
Tuesday 11 November 2008. The conference explored
how the FLT will lead to greater levels of
participation, attainment and progression at Entry
and level 1, and how the FLT linked to other key
areas of reform.
Sion Simon, Parliamentary Under Secretary
of State for Further Education, opened the
conference, reinforcing the importance of FLT to
key government priorities including widening
participation, reducing NEET numbers, raising the
participation age and supporting social
inclusion.
Regional FLT events
planned for February - March
2009
The conference was
oversubscribed. To cater for the huge demand for
places QCA and partners will be running further
regional events in February and March 2009. These
events are designed to inform practitioners and
interested colleagues on the developments of the
FLT programme of work as it moves towards
implementation by 2010. Visit the FLT
webpages to download the presentations
from the recent FLT National Conference and to
check back for any updates.
Functional skills
evaluation consultation events planned for
2009
The functional skills team
would like to invite a representative from each of
the functional skills pilot centres to attend an
evaluation event.
The sessions will give
delegates an opportunity to:
- compare and contrast their own
experiences of the pilot, with that of other
pilot centres
- consider lessons learnt from the first
year of the pilot, from supplied case study
material
- feedback concerns and
issues
- consolidate knowledge and understanding
of functional skills qualifications
- meet representatives from the QCA,
awarding bodies, relevant government
departments, functional skills regional
co-coordinators and advisors.
The whole day events will all take place in
March 09, as
follows:
2nd Coventry
3rd Nottingham
4th Birmingham
5th Bristol
9th Ipswich
12th Leeds
16th Newcastle
17th Manchester
19th London
20th
Gatwick
23rd London
To
express an interest in one of the events, please
e-mail functionalskills@qca.org.uk,
with your name and preferred
venue.
NB: These events are only
open to those centres currently taking part in the
functional skills pilot and restricted to one
delegate per centre.
Qualification
Reform Support Programme (QRSP)
In
light of the announcement confirming the
introduction of the QCF, the Qualification Reform
Support Programme (QRSP) is stepping up its
efforts to provide the essential support necessary
in helping providers adapt to these changes
through:
- its newly launched online discussion
forums for providers to exchange ideas, post
questions and offer solutions to issues arising
from the introduction of the QCF
- tailored support through customized
in-house events for provider networks or groups
of providers, exploring the impact of the QCF
and reforms to vocational qualifications on
organisations
- working with other providers in
collaborative development projects to explore
issues in depth and share emerging
practice
- a series of national workshops in
the New Year, helping to prepare organisations
to respond to the opportunities arising from the
introduction of the QCF and the reforms to
vocational qualifications.
For updates on these activities and to
access other resources, please visit the QRSP
website. Or email the QRSP
team
^
back to top | 
