Further Education Reform

Supported by:

Tuesday 24th April 2012, Guoman Charing Cross Hotel - London, 09:00 - 16:10

Further Education Reform: Investing in a World Class Skills Sector

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Overview

Further education is vital in developing the skills needed to boost the UK’s economy and compete in an increasingly competitive global market. With unemployment figures amongst the UK’s 16-24 year olds rising to 1 million in November 2011, improving further education is a top priority for the UK.

Between August 2010 and July 2011 approximately 4 million people were engaged in government funded further education. Despite the financial constraints the government has maintained levels of investment in skills and further education, with a promised £3.8 billion pounds to be invested in 2012-2013.

Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth, published November 2010, outlined the government’s commitment to creating a further education system which could deliver a lifelong approach to learning, encouraging sustainable growth and social renewal.

As part of this focus on further education, the government published its response to the sector-wide consultation on further education reforms New Challenges, New Chances in December 2011. The report aims to place learners at the heart of further education provisions, ensuring a high quality and efficient education system focusing on young adults, the low skilled and those unemployed. With a view to driving the UK’s economic recovery, employers will be given the power to support the design and delivery of new courses, helping improve qualifications and equip learners with the necessary skills based on local needs.

In addition, the Building Engagement, Building Futures strategy launched in December 2011 aims to maximise the number of 16-24 year olds in education, training and work. The strategy outlines the need for a collaborative approach to help young people realise their potential and to break the inter-generational cycle of disengagement.

Agenda

This essential forum will look at the current and future landscape of further education provision in the UK. Delegates will be given the opportunity to examine and explore the government’s plans to reform the delivery of further education, developing the vocational pathway and raising standards through financial investment.

09:00	Registration and Coffee
09:40	Chair’s Welcome Address Paul Grainger, Co-Director, Centre for Post-14 Research and Innovation, Institute of Education and Executive Member, Forum for Access and Continuing Education (CONFIRMED)
09:50	Morning Keynote: Raising expectations for the FE and Skills Sector Lorna Fitzjohn, Divisional Director Learning & Skills, Ofsted (CONFIRMED)
10:10	Special Keynote: Funding for Further Education - Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth Ensuring investment delivers high quality training provisions focusing on young adults, the low skilled and the unemployed The impact of the £3.8 billion investment Improving value for money by removing bureaucratic restrictions on further education and skills providers Working with colleges and training organisations to decide how best to continue to grow the level of co-investment and rebalance the contribution made by employers, individuals and the government The creation of a simple and transparent funding system, ensuring funding goes on to support high quality educational provisions Focusing funding on supporting students where it will have the most impact: responding to local circumstances through innovative investment Boosting financial efficiency and ensuring accountability Kim Thorneywork, Executive Director of Delivery, Skills Funding Agency (CONFIRMED)
10:30	Questions and Answers Session
10:55	Coffee and Networking
11:20	Special Keynote: Further Education Reform - The Wolf Review and Beyond Nick Lawrence, Head of Vocational Qualifications and Financial Support, Department for Education (CONFIRMED)
11:40	Education, Training and Retraining: Developing the Vocational Pathway - A Practitioner’s View The context of vocation training in the UK - The vocational training ecosystem Opening up higher vocational training and increasing the number of young people and adults applying to vocational programmes The role of vocational training and higher apprenticeships in challenging current access to higher education Using vocational pathways to build the workforce needed for the UK to compete globally Thoughts on the future of vocational training in the UK Gary Wood, Vice Principal (Academic Affairs), University College Birmingham (CONFIRMED)
12:00	Sponsor Slot: New Chances: Establishing an Employment Gateway Carole Kitching, Deputy Principal, Newcastle College (CONFIRMED)
12:20	Questions and Answers Session
12:45	Lunch and Networking
13:50	Afternoon Keynote: The Next Steps for Further Education Reform Graham Stuart MP, Chairman, House of Commons Education Select Committee (CONFIRMED)
14:10	Case Study: University Technical Colleges – A New Educational Concept Fostering strong partnerships with universities Allowing students to benefit from the expertise of local business, further education colleges, vocational education experts and universities Offering clear routes into further learning or work Focusing on a specialism such as engineering, science technologies and health care Engaging students, particularly those who prefer hands-on practical learning, and producing highly skilled job-ready young people needed by local employers Diversifying higher education provisions and the role of further education in delivering higher education courses Combining practical and technical qualifications with the core curriculum subject Chris Hilton, Principal, Black Country University Technical College (CONFIRMED)
14:30	Questions and Answers Session
14:50	Coffee and Networking
15:10	Harnessing Technology to Improve Participation in Further Education Bringing further education into the 21st century Using technology to raise standards amongst students and improve learner outcomes Engaging students via distance learning, worked based learning and community based learning Personalising learner pathways: using technology to respond to the diversity of leaner needs Using technology to develop technical skills Developing on-line learner portals and expanding social media use Supporting efficient and effective administrative and business systems Peter Munday, Head of Organisational Efficiency and Curriculum Development, LSIS - Learning and Skills Improvement Service (CONFIRMED)
15:30	Case Study: Leeds City College - Inspiring the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs Promoting entrepreneurship in the UK: encouraging young people to think about starting their own business New government measures to help create the most entrepreneurial decade The role of apprenticeships and work based learning to encourage entrepreneurship and enterprise Providing students with the skills and support to manage and run a business Ensuring that enterprise education is delivered as part of every course, creating an enterprise culture in every aspect of college life The education sector and SME's: working together to deliver work based learning Working in partnership with central government and the private sector to support entrepreneurship in the UK Peter Roberts, Principal & Chief Executive, Leeds City College & Vice-Chair of Directors, The 157 Group (CONFIRMED)
15:50	Questions and Answers Session
16:10	Chair's Summary and Conference Close

*programme subject to change without notice

Audience

Delegates will include principals, headteachers, directors of education, youth services directors, connexions, skills directors, partnership directors, heads of strategy development, heads of knowledge transfer partnerships, apprenticeship managers, careers advisors, heads of business development, innovation and enterprise directors, vice chancellors, heads of further education college, apprenticeship managers, and will be drawn from central government, local authorities, universities, further education colleges, and SME's.

Further Education Reform

Supported by:

Tuesday 24th April 2012, Guoman Charing Cross Hotel - London, 09:00 - 16:10

Further Education Reform: Investing in a World Class Skills Sector

Book Now!