1. Essential Skills Operational Guidelines 3 rd / 4 th September 2009

2. Operational Guidelines New Operational Guidelines for FE Colleges Issued 5 th May 2009. Circular Number FE 06/09 – Operational Guidelines for Essential Skills in Application of Number, Communication and ICT 2009/10. New Training for Success Operational Guidelines (Version 3) Issued 18 August 2009. New Apprenticeship NI Operational Guidelines (Version 6) Issued 18 August 2009

3. Essential Skills Provision Recommended Delivery Minimum Teaching Hours – 40 per Essential Skill – flexibility if tutor confident post assessment of learners ability. Mode of Delivery – teach to the learners needs and organisational efficiency - long and thin not the sole means of delivery..

4. Initial Assessment All Learners Should Undergo Rigorous Initial Assessment. Training Providers Need to Make More Use of the Essential Skills Good Practice Guidelines. Retain Evidence to Support the Quality of the Teaching. Success Rate Should Reach 90% for Those Availing of Less Than 40 Hours.

5. Initial Assessment Indicates Achievement of Essential Skill Qualification in Less Than 40 Hours Endorse Initial Assessment and Confirm Hours of Learning Required. Retain Evidence to Support the Quality of Teaching and Learning for Future Inspection. Ensure that Essential Skills Achievements for Those Learners Accessing Provision of Less Than 40 Hours Reach at Least 90% Success Rate.

6. Stretch Ethos Learners Assessed at a Specific Level are Required to Achieve the Next Higher Level Two Exceptions -: (1) Learners Within Custodial Settings. (2) Learners Enrolled Through Learner Access & Engagement Pilot Arrangements.

7. Flexibility Teach to the Learners Needs – Fewer or Greater. Delivery Patterns That are Mutually Acceptable. ICT Students are NOT Required to Have or be Working at Level 1 in Numeracy / Literacy. The Need to Integrate and Embed Essential Skills Across all Professional and Technical Areas Including Cross Curricula Delivery.

8. ECDL ( FE Sector) From 1 August 2009 Department will no longer Fund ECDL Courses From the Recurrent Allocation. Will Continue to Fund Any Learner Who Did Not Complete ECDL Course in the Last Academic Year. Can Continue to Offer ECDL on a Full Cost Recovery Basis.