1. Skills for Life Improvement Programme Leading colleges to deliver successful Skills for Life – Further Education sector

2. Skills for Life Improvement Programme Structure of the day Where are we now? issues for the sector Where do we want to be? features of outstanding practice How do we get there? learning from the best planning for change

3. Skills for Life Improvement Programme Aims of the day The day will enable participants to: share experience in leading Skills for Life and managing a whole organisation approach compare these experiences with outstanding and/or beacon colleges identify achievable improvements to own systems and procedures action plan to improve.

4. Skills for Life Improvement Programme Leitch Review Challenging targets to meet the skills gap by 2020 95% of adults to achieve functional literacy and numeracy More than 90% of adults to be qualified to at least level 2 Number of apprentices to be raised to 500,000 a year

5. Skills for Life Improvement Programme Education reforms Retention of GCSE and A Levels Strengthened core with functional skills Strengthened Key Stage 3 New Diplomas Age 16 no longer a fixed point Flexibility Personalisation Qualified teacher status and CPD requirements

6. Skills for Life Improvement Programme Functional skills: the 14–19 White Paper ‘Achieving functional skills in English and maths must be at the heart of the 14–19 phase. These skills are essential to support learning in other subjects and they are essential for employment.’ ‘Functional skills are those core elements of English, mathematics and ICT that provide an individual with the essential knowledge, skills and understanding that will enable them to operate confidently, effectively and independently in life and at work.’

7. Skills for Life Improvement Programme Functional skills: the Skills White Paper ‘Too many adults lack the basics in literacy, language and numeracy, and do not have the platform of wider skills and qualifications to support sustained productive employability.’

8. Skills for Life Improvement Programme Chief Inspector’s report 2006/07 ‘overall success rates in FE have improved’ ‘colleges are increasingly responsive to community and employer needs’ ‘work-based learning in FE has improved’ but ‘only just over half of learners on apprenticeships and advanced apprenticeships achieve success’

9. Skills for Life Improvement Programme Chief Inspector’s report 2006/07 (continued) ‘where colleges are not improving they often have insufficiently rigorous self-assessment and quality assurance procedures’ ‘too little use of data results and failure to set challenging targets are common weaknesses in these institutions’

10. Skills for Life Improvement Programme Ofsted strategic plan 2007-2010 Education provided by colleges has improved but this is not always sustained Quality of skills development for employment needs to be improved Inspection and regulation will make sure that young people reach the age of 19 ready for employment, training or further study

11. Skills for Life Improvement Programme 1. Sustained commitment to Skills for Life and to doing it really well 2. Strong, senior lead and coherent Skills for Life structure 3. Devolved responsibility: ownership across the curriculum 4. Shared framework of standards and core processes 5. Focus on outcomes and solid evidence of learner gain 6. Flexible and tailored delivery to fit and embed 7. Powerful systems to improve teaching and learning 8.Creative schemes to grow Skills for Life staff 9.‘No hiding place’ QA 10. Clarity about what’s ahead and what must done Ten key messages for success