1. Improving Engagement with English and Maths in 16-18 Study Programmes

2. 16-18 Curriculum Design Funding formula based on cash values
Need to increase recruitment numbers (RPA)
Retention is the key measure of funding performance
Average rate of funding set at 600 planned learning hours (£4000 for year old students)
Curriculum to be based around study programmes to include:
Substantial core qualification
English and Maths (if learner not achieved GCSE A*-C grade)
Non qualifications and purposeful work experience
Effective transition and progression to further study and employment = key role for English and maths

3. Condition of Funding
“Each institution remains responsible for the content of each individual student’s study programme, although they are expected to follow the broad advice in the document Study Programmes for 16-to-19 year-olds published in July 2012 in drawing up individual student learning programmes. In particular for those students who have not achieved the expected minimum GCSE grade C in English or mathematics, institutions should be able to show in the composition of the individual study programme how they are assisting the student to meet the necessary minimum education requirements before completing their study programme. The provision of English or mathematics will be enforced through a condition of funding from 2014/15 as set out in annex D.”

4. Definitions of English and Maths Condition
From 2014 to 2015 academic year all students starting a new study programme of 150 hours or more, aged 16 to 18, or aged 19 to 25 if they have a Learning Difficulty Assessment or Education and Healthcare Plan, who do not hold a GCSE grade A*-C or equivalent qualification in maths and/or in English, are required to be studying these subjects as part of their study programme in each academic year.
Any student who does not study one of the approved qualifications in each academic year, will be removed from the lagged student numbers in future years. The approved qualifications are either GCSE or a Level 1/Level 2 certificates (approved IGCSE) counting towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) measure, or an approved stepping stone qualification.

5. Approved Qualifications
Ofqual approved maths and English language GCSEs offered in England for teaching to 2015 to 2016 only (current GCSEs);
Ofqual approved maths and English language GCSEs offered in England for teaching from 2015 to 2016 (new GCSEs);
maths and English language Level 1/Level 2 certificates, commonly known as regulated IGCSEs counting towards the EBacc measure grade A*-C to 2015 to 2016 only;
Functional Skills (at the appropriate level, from Entry level 3 to level 2, for the student) and free-standing maths qualifications (at level 2 only) accredited by Ofqual, as a stepping stone to GCSE study;
English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) qualifications accredited by Ofqual, as a stepping stone to GCSE study;
the full Prince’s Trust TEAM Programme.

6. Clarification
The student must be enrolled on an approved qualification (not based on exam entry so some flexibility when student sits exam)
The student must be timetabled to attend lessons or appropriate blended learning and be progressing in the subject
The student also has to meet the qualifying period for funding for each maths and English qualification (6 weeks for a qualification with a planned length of 24 weeks or more, and 2 weeks for a qualification with a planned length of less than 24 weeks)

7. Level 2 Programme for Progression
Element
Contact hours
Note
Vocational qualification
360
(10 x 36) includes 30 hrs planned study time in learning base
Tutorial 72
(2 x 36)
Work experience
100
60 hrs in RWE with instructor, 40 hrs with employer
Functional skills
108
54 hrs each
Total
640

8. Flexibility
Students on programmes of less than 150 hours are not required to meet the condition but institutions should include some maths and English content in courses taken by such students to facilitate their learning
Small part-time programmes also exempt, e.g. Traineeships, JCP, Supported Internships
Flexibility in the ways that students can study maths and English, e.g. start on functional skill and then progress to GCSE before end of the academic year (for at least 6 weeks); short intensive programme for November retakes
Continuing students who started their programmes in or before the start of the academic year 2013 to 2014 are not required to meet the condition

9. Core Elements of a Traineeship
A focused period of work preparation training, which may include
CV writing, interview preparation, job search
Self discipline and inter-personal skills
Vocational qualifications
A high quality work placement, allowing the young person to develop workplace skills and provide an opportunity to prove themselves to an employer
Core learning aim on ILR
100 – 240 hours
English and maths for those without GCSE Grade A* - C or equivalent
Functional skills more relevant
Condition not applied

10. Example of a Traineeship
Element
Contact hours
Note
L1 award in Employability Skills 60
6 x 10 weeks
English 54
3 x 18 weeks
Maths
Tutorial, coaching and careers guidance 36
2 x 18 weeks
Work placement
180
(2 days/week for 10 weeks)
Total
384
£2700

11. So what are your plans for English and Maths?
Duration of study programme – years 1 and 2 of a two year programme
Students without grade C in both subjects will study both in each year of their programme
GCSE or Functional Skills – what is your policy?
What about students with D grades (from 2015)?
What about students who have already got level 2 Functional Skills?
English and maths for those who have already met the conditions?
Do students need to do/redo a whole programme?
How do you improve engagement with English and maths?

12. Ofsted
Study programmes will be “central to inspections” as Ofsted seeks to challenge a slow response to the initiative.
An Ofsted report, based on a survey during the year of the programme, found that many providers had not done enough to change their curriculums to fit in with government wishes.
Providers should expect to see their ratings fall if they had not made enough changes to curriculum to meet government requirements.
In the new CIF, study programmes will be separately graded as part of more holistic approach
More emphasis on English and maths, and work experience elements

13. Quality of teaching, learning and assessment of learners in the CIF
Inspectors evaluate the extent to which:
teaching and learning supports learners to develop the English, mathematics and functional skills they need to achieve their main learning goals and career aims
learners’ progress in literacy, numeracy, language and functional skills is monitored and reviewed, and their work is marked carefully
learners appreciate the importance of improving their English, mathematics and functional skills as appropriate, in the context of their learning goals and life ambitions
all teachers focus on spelling, punctuation and grammar in their teaching and assessment

14. And .... Where relevant, inspectors should take into account:
the success of different strategies used for improving the English, mathematics, functional and language skills of different groups of learners
whether staff have the qualifications, experience and skills needed to teach English, mathematics and functional skills
management of performance of the staff who deliver in those subjects

15. Too much emphasis on exam practice
Targets too general and focused on task completion
Activities were insufficiently stimulating
Employability and equality and diversity not addressed
Too many whole group activities which were either too easy or too difficult for most
Few links to vocational context
Not enough personalisation
Over reliance on paper-based resources

16. It’s really hard…
…especially with teenagers

17. What has worked 1?
Strong institutional focus on English and maths in all programmes, e.g. audit of staff skills, whole college E/M strategy
Raise awareness of the demands of English and maths with supporting staff development, e.g. for vocational teachers and assessors
Training and upskilling for your own staff, e.g. to levels 3/4/5
Sharing good practice in delivery of English and maths, e.g. handbook for academic and vocational teachers
Appointing senior staff to lead on whole organisational strategies
Connecting English and maths with the vocational context
Effective use of e-learning materials for stretch and challenge, e.g. convert functional skills to GCSEs

18. What has worked 2?
‘Business as Usual’ model for embedding and contextualisation, e.g. mapping job tasks against English and maths functional skills at Virgin Media and other employers
Focus on one vocational area first to win hearts and minds, where engagement has worked
Appropriate use of pre-apprenticeships and traineeships, e.g. to improve English and maths skills
Rigorous initial and diagnostic assessment, e.g. Guroo, BKSB
Front loaded English and maths in off-the-job training, e.g. 3 days a week in the training provider for first 6 weeks
Situating English and maths in a familiar environment but including taught elements that are unfamiliar, e.g. STEM centres, hairdressing salons

19. Effective Assessment Group A 20 Group B Group C Group D Group E Weeks
1-6
All students taught English and maths in mixed level groups while assessment is ongoing
7-36 L2 L1 16 15 E3 10 12 E2 6

20. The right expertise

21. What has worked 3?
Effective use of social media to reinforce learning and encourage collaborative learning, e.g. Google Drive, Twitter
Track and track again! Essential part of classroom and workplace reviews
Regular reports on learner progress in English and maths, including attendance at off-the-job training
Mapping English and maths against all components of study programmes, e.g. STEM subjects, work experience
Get ready and practice for the test, and resit if necessary!
On-line support materials, e.g. Target Skills, Learning Curve
Sell benefits of English and maths to learners and employers …… but how?

22. Work Experience
Task
English
Maths
Employability 1 x 2 3 4 5

23. Selling English and Maths

24. And a range of effective teaching and learning strategies
Appropriate use of specialist teachers and advisers
Learner groupings
Motivational techniques
Innovative curriculum e.g. problem solving, presentations to clients
Range of enrichment activities to extend knowledge and skills, e.g. work placements, practice companies
Avoidance of excessive focus on preparation for exams
Others ...

25. Key actions for teachers and managers (discrete classes)
Differentiate, differentiate, differentiate
Contextualise, contextualise, contextualise
Assess, assess, assess
Innovate, innovate, innovate

26. Key actions for teachers and managers (vocational classes)
Promote, promote, promote
Embed, embed, embed
Mark, mark, mark

27. Key actions for specialist and vocational staff
Communicate, communicate, communicate