Raising Expectations: enabling the system to deliver:

Iissued by The Government News Network on 17 March 2008 The Government set out the details of the transfer of £7 billion to local authorities to help colleges and sixth forms deliver the reforms needed to raise the education and training leaving age to 18. At the same time, Government will direct £4 billion a year through a new agency to provide training and skills for adults, transforming the system to be responsive and demand-led. The proposals are published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills in a White Paper, Raising Expectations: enabling the system to deliver. The plans will mean the dissolution of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) by 2010 and instead make local authorities responsible for offering all young people in their area a full menu of choices - both the new Diplomas and Apprenticeships alongside GCSEs and A levels. For adult learners a new smaller agency will replace the LSC to streamline the funding process to colleges and training providers. This will ensure that funding follows the training needs of employers and learners. DCSF, DIUS and local authorities will work together to deliver the main points in Raising Expectations: enabling the system to deliver: For 14-19 year olds: * It will put local authorities firmly in the driving seat to deliver education and training for children and young people aged 0-19, supporting the Government's commitment to raising the participation age to 18 by 2015; * It will make local authorities responsible for delivering the full range of 14-19 entitlements including the new Diplomas, Apprenticeships and the Foundation Learning Tier; * Local authorities will be able to commission provision to meet demand from young people and employers. * Local authorities will work together with national agencies and the Regional Development Agency who will co-chair the regional level, to provide a coherentplanning and funding system for FE colleges and providers. For adult learners it will mean: * the creation of a streamlined Skills Funding Agency, to route funding to FE colleges and other providers to meet the demands of employers and learners; * giving the Skills Funding Agency the lead role in sponsoring colleges and providers; * that the Agency will manage the creation and management of the new England-wide adult advancement and careers service, which will play a keyrole, with Jobcentre Plus, in boosting individual demand for skills and guiding people to the right training * that the Agency will eventually take over from the Learning and Skills Council the management of the new National Apprenticeship Service, with end-to-end responsibility for the Apprenticeships programme, including ultimate accountability for national delivery of targets. http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conDetails.cfm?consultationId=1520