newsletter April 22nd edition 220

Edition 220 - Friday April 22nd 2016

We understand from a number of regular readers that there was a problem with the email service we use to send the newsletter, and many didn't receive last week's edition. We have been assured that this is now fixed and normal service resumed.. We have included a couple of article repeats for the benefit of those who missed last week's.

Academy conversion, a lack of good careers advice, apprenticeship awareness and a curriculum that's too prescriptive are some of the problems surfacing at the moment - we try to bring together the threads.

Plus a brilliant upgrade route to SkillsBuilder with a supporting video and a reminder that not everyone has to do everything on-line - ask us for your paper based initial assessment sample.

Finally, a regular link to the ForSkills YouTube Channel - click to subscribe. 60,000+ views, 100+ videos, growing subscriber list, and it's all free - what's not to like?.

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

Upgrading to SkillsBuilder - new video

There has been such a good response to the article last week that explained the SkillsBuilder upgrade plan that we've now added a video that explains more about the process and benefits.

The SkillsBuilder upgrade plan removes all the cost and uncertainty of change. As if getting access to the best maths and English solution from the best support team wasn't enough, the plan includes:

• Transfer of unused bksb subscription or credits FREE OF CHARGE
• Free training for your tutors and admin staff
• Free branding to make your SkillsBuilder site "your own"
• Free integration into existing MIS systems.

There are some sensible and reasonable T&Cs but most existing bksb® customers will qualify. Simply get in touch here to register your interest and we'll be in touch.

All trademarks acknowledged.

Paper based initial assessment

If you have learners who simply prefer to do their initial assessment on paper, ForSkills can provide you with a stock of maths, English and ICT initial assessment booklets.

Very easy to use and mark (using the supplied marking guidelines) the booklets meet all SFA/EFA guidelines for initial assessment and results can be uploaded to the learners SkillsBuilder account.

The PBIA are available from stock for just £1 each and subject to a £100 minimum order, are delivered free of charge.

GCSE isn't always the right route at age 14 - yet more

The story about choices at age 14 has moved into the schools sector now with Sec-Ed also picking it up. It will be no surprise at all to find this is simply the start of a big shake-up.

The press is alive with reports about unhappiness with Academies, not only about the policy of forcing all schools to become one, but also about what happens when they already are one and withdraw from the A level market!

It's a good job we have a vibrant FE and Training sector led by Knowsley College in that area. Further adding to the positive comment about the findings, Jonathan Wells published a linked in article here.

Read the BBC report here.
FE Week also carries an article
Radio 4 Today programme have an interview at 6.50am

Newsletter 15/4 edition 219

Edition 219 - Friday April 15th 2016

What a busy week it's been, we have been absolutely delighted with the response to the "Upgrade to SkillsBuilder" item that this week we've added a video about this.

We've also noted a distinct upturn in the interest in e-portfolios, so we thought that adding an article about the generic benefits of using an e-portfolio would be very appropriate at this time of year.

And a follow-on the House of Common committee on social mobility was an article written by myself and published on linkedin. It received a warm response so we provide a link in the article below.

And finally, a regular link to the ForSkills YouTube Channel - click to subscribe. 60,000+ views, 100+ videos, growing subscriber list, and it's all free, what's not to like?.

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

e-Portfolios - do they really save providers time and money?

Recent research indicates that around 25% of large providers still use paper based portfolios to manage their (often very significant) apprenticeship programmes.

And of those that do, a significant proportion are using first generation systems supplied by their awarding organisation that help reduce paper, but lack the "any time, any place, any device" that today's generation of systems such as SkillsPortfolio have as standard using "app" based technology.

Providers using the latest systems report that improvements in assessors efficiency of 10% and reductions in their travel costs of up to 20% are common and that's before an overall improvement in data tracking and associated compliance improvement for Ofsted outcomes, SFA funding reporting and IV/EV audit.

If you'd like to see how the ForSkills Go App works within SkillsPortfolio, click here for a short video explanation.

Upgrading to SkillsBuilder - new video

There has been such a good response to the article last week that explained the SkillsBuilder upgrade plan that we've now added a video that explains more about the process and benefits.

The SkillsBuilder upgrade plan removes all the cost and uncertainty of change. As if getting access to the best maths and English solution from the best support team, wasn't enough, the plan includes:

• Transfer of unused bksb subscription or credits FREE OF CHARGE
• Free training for your tutors and admin staff
• Free branding to make your SkillsBuilder site "your own"
• Free integration into existing MIS systems.

There are some sensible and reasonable T&Cs but most existing bksb® customers will qualify. Simply get in touch here to register your interest and we'll be in touch.

All trademarks acknowledged.

Survey results

And don't forget that the 2016 Survey of Post-16 maths and English use has now been published.

The survey is the largest independent survey in the sector and over the 5 years has received more than 1200 responses.

Click here to download a copy of the published report.

House of Lords Committee on Social Mobility - more

Last week we linked to several articles reporting on the Committee findings. There was lots of comment about the findings, especially the idea that learners aged 14 should be given a choice at school instead of all being forced down a GCSE route irrespective of ability or learner need.

Further adding to the positive comment about the findings, Jonathan Wells published a linked in article here.

Read the BBC report here.
FE Week also carries an article
Radio 4 Today programme have an interview at 6.50am

Edition 218 - Friday April 8th 2016

It may just be me, but this part of the year always feels like it's a great time for planning and preparation.  Just as the peas and tomatoes have "gone in" with the expectation of a great harvest later in the year, taking a chance to look at what the best alternative solutions are for maths and English will also reap rewards later. 

Too many people "leave it late", and end up stuck with the same old system for another year - as well as paying more, in some cases a lot more than they need to!   It’s called fear, uncertainty and doubt – FUD - and many companies rely on people’s reticence to change.

Don't let that be you this year - we have news of a great way to upgrade from BKSB to ForSkills AND transfer unused subscription or credits.  Plus the report of the results of the 2016 English and maths survey is published detailing which providers were voted best in the sector.

There’s  lots of news about social mobility from a House of Lords committee.  We have links to the BBC, FE Week and Radio 4 news item - it's definitely worth a read/listen.

And finally, a quick "shout out" for the[ ForSkills YouTube Channel - click to subscribe](https://www.youtube.com/user/forskills).  It now has more than 100 free to access videos, covering curriculum skills, technical support, help guides and good practice which collectively have been watched more than 50,000 times.  

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

April 1st newsletter comments

These are a selection of real life comments after the April 1st newsletter:

Just to let you know my colleague has forwarded this to the Directors and believed it to be true!

Great post! https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/april-1st-english-maths-newsletter-jonathan-wells

Nice!!

Brilliant!

Ha ha, wouldn’t it be lovely if that was true?

Lovely!

Haha nice one

If this was April Fools I feel for it hook. line and sinker :) Please tell me it was April Fools haha............

It was brilliant.... sadly I could actually believe it from the government and I started to tell the guys in my office and then it hit me haha  Bravo!!!!!

Blimey….a maths tax! Is this April fools or is this real??  What do you reckon?

Just opened tis, good one, ha ha !

Thanks everyone who enjoyed it!

Can this be real?

Following some changes to the last budget, we have exclusive news of the new Qualification Levy or what has become known as the "maths tax" and details of a little publicised part of the FS Reform programme that sees a new APP based final exam being developed.  We speculate on how this might work.

This newsletter is edited by Jonathan Wells, 0191 3055045 or [jonathan@forskills.co.uk](mailto:jonathan@forskills.co.uk)

The maths tax

We all know that the Government is very keen on EVERYONE achieving at least level  1 and ideally level 2 in maths and English.  Qualifications of this type are fully funded but take-up (we understand) is still below Government targets.

To encourage take-up, Ministers are floating the idea of a qualification levy covering maths and English.    "The maths tax" will be linked to an individual’s national insurance record. Additional information that shows the highest level of qualification in maths and English will be recorded and an NI premium charged according to that person’s highest qualification level.

• The NI premium for those with Entry Level quals will be 8% added to their current NI premiums.
• ·         For those with Level 1, the NI premium is reduced slightly to 5%.
• ·         The premium will not apply to those with Level 2 or above qualifications thereby, Ministers suggest, encouraging take-up.

·         We understand the Government will call the new tax "a levy" and it will promise to spend the money raised on education, adding a 10% premium to the levy. The new plans were due to be implemented on April 1st 2016, but issues surrounding the qualification database mean they are likely to be deferred to April 1st 2017.

App based exams

The emphasis on the Functional Skills reform programme is very much about the use of maths and English in the digital world.  One idea that we understand is being actively pursued is an App based exam.

Using a combination of retina and fingerprint scanning for identification, users taking the exam will be expected to upload answers in the form and style of a "selfie" to check they did it with face recognition software deployed by the App developers.