edition 208 newsletter

All you need to know about Maths and English in the post 16- vocational sector.

Great ideas to make English and maths better in post-16

Results taken from the 2016 English and maths survey due to be published next month.  Just look at how much support there is for Functional Skills in schools and indeed in higher apprenticeships at level 3.  nether of these things happen now, maybe they should.

Newsletter editions 207

On-line link here

This week we have analysis of the Ofsted Annual Report related to maths and English in the Post-16 sector with links to some very interesting articles published on the subject and a related article by an FE Expert, Graham Taylor of New College Swindon.

The ETF have also announced their timetable for the Functional Skills Reform Programme and the key objectives of the first stage that is due to be complete by August 2016.

And one final plea to ask you to HAVE YOUR SAY will be published early in the new year so please, if you can spare 10 minutes, click the link to have your say.

Plus did you know that ForSkills customers are fully licenced to freely copy and use the new paper based screeners.  Or everyone can buy them for just 30p each for a full colour 4 page A4 booklet - see below for more info.  

As always, feel free to contact Jonathan Wells, the editor of this newsletter on 0191 3055045 or jonathan@forskills.co.uk

Ofsted Annual Report - Post-16 maths and English

Ofsted published its’ annual review this week

The key parts of the report for the Post-16 sector are pages 49 - 48 (FE) and 67 - 72 (Adult Learning) although i also found some interesting comments about Secondary education too.

Starting with Secondary - page 48 reports on "Skills for Employment" and this page doesn't make good reading for schools with employers and indeed parents still concerned that young people don't have the basic skills, attitudes and behaviours required for work - surely encouraging schools to teach Functional Skills from age 15 would be a step forward here?

Within the sector, the report draws attention to the issues surrounding GCSE re-sits of maths and English in FE Colleges. Bearing in mind it was a different era with a different focus, the report states that of those students who failed to pass GCSE A*-C at KS4 in 2011/12, only 7% then went on to do so in English when they attended an FE College by 2013/14 and just 4% achieved maths.

[FE Week did an excellent job](http://feweek.co.uk/2015/12/01/fe-and-skills-sector-reacts-to-ofsted-201415-annual-report/) of summarising the key points of the Ofsted report for the sector and in this week's edition, FE Week has a [double page feature](http://feweek.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Edition-157-proof-FINAL.pdf) on Maths and English.

ETF consultation on Functional Skills

The long awaited Functional Skills reform programme will start on January 14th and end on April 7th with the first stage of the programme completed by August 2016.

The first stage of the Reform Programme will result in an updated set of National Adult Literacy and Numeracy Standards and a report with policy recommendations for Ministers. This will include:

1.            what levels of Functional Skills are needed for life and   work;

2.            the breadth of skills that the new qualifications should include; and

3.            the number of guided learning hours needed to               successfully achieve Functional Skills for                learners on technical and professional programmes of study, including Apprenticeships.

[Full details here.](http://www.et-foundation.co.uk/news/foundation-announces-first-stage-of-functional-skills-reform-programme/)

Is 35% good enough?

[An expert piece in FE Week](http://feweek.co.uk/2015/11/30/the-principals-office-english-and-maths-challenge/), written by Graham Taylor, the Principal and CEO of New College Swindon.

The article looks at English and maths re-sits in the College sector.