Delivering the Entitlement Framework

1. Delivering the Entitlement Framework

2. Overview of the presentation • Further Education in context • Partnerships with schools in action • Lessons learned and the way forward • Discussion

3. Overview of ANIC • Established 1998 • The voice of Further Education • All 16 Colleges are active members

4. FE - A Century of Service • Individuals • Communities • Businesses • The Regional Economy

5. Culture • Moving from a “Job for Life” to • Employability for Life • Becoming entrepreneurial ..Self-employment • Being entrepreneurial in your job and career

6. Key Facts about FE • FE attracts one-in-three 16-17 year old school leavers • FE has approximately 200,000 learners each year • FE is the main skills provider for NI industry and business

7. Key Facts about FE • Colleges are at the heart of their communities • 400 out-centres • 47 campuses • 16 colleges • Courses ranging from the traditional to high-technology • Increasing range of business oriented services

8. DEL - Strategic Review of FE DEL - Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland DE – Post-primary review DETI - Research and Innovation Strategy INI - Accelerating Entrepreneurship DE/DEL/DETI – Entrepreneurship and education action plan CCEA – New framework for achievement Strategic issues facing the sector

9. Strategic Aim for Further Education “be at the heart of lifelong learning in order to strengthen economic development, enhance social cohesion, and advance the individual’s skills and learning”.

10. Primary role of FE will be to support the NI economy • development of workforce skills • employability • enterprise • innovation and growth

11. Role in Economic Development • Focus on provision of skills for the economy, from essential skills to high level technical skills (levels 2 to 4) • Curriculum and qualifications which meet economic requirements • Work with schools to provide access to vocational education and training

12. Role in economic development • Provide 16-19 year olds with employability skills • Provide technical, business and management support to employers (especially SMEs) • Provide assistance with product development, incubation and bespoke training • Engage with training and employability programmes to widen entry into employment

13. FE’s contribution to partnership • Authentic, robust and accreditated vocational education • Excellent facilities – extensive capital and ICT investment by DEL • Centres of Excellence in priority skills areas • Excellent lecturing staff – Lecturers Into Industry Scheme

14. Vocational enhancement programme (VEP)North East Institute2004/05

15. Links with schools • Traditional – GCSE, A level, AVCE, Special Needs • 14-16 Flexibility Programme: 18 School consortium NEELB Support 450 pupils 9 vocational areas • CCEA Occupational Studies Accreditation • YESIP – First Steps into Employment

16. Working together – the new context • Entitlement Framework • Vocational opportunities for all ability levels • Accreditation and progression • Sharing of educational resources and expertise • Enhanced learning experience for all pupils

17. Issues between schools and colleges • Image • Organisation • Cultures • Cost • Timetabling • Transport

18. Lessons learned by NEI • Planning and lead-in time • Regular meetings • Establish ground rules – Service Level Agreement • Need for flexibility • Good relationships with and between schools • Appropriateness of qualifications • Staff development • Clarity on costing

19. VEP Pilot • Opportunity to build new relationships • Promote place of FHE institutions • Test models of delivery • Explore potential for delivery curriculum entitlement

20. NEI – collaboration with schools • LINKS (AS/A2, Special Needs provision) • 14+ DISAPPLICATIONPROGRAMME • Vocational Enhancement Programme (VEP)

21. Criteria for VEP pilot • All programmes should fall within the NQF • All programmes should be genuinely vocational • The progression pathways should be clearly mapped • Where appropriate, programmes should link closely with colleges Centres of Excellence

22. Criteria for VEP pilot • Target cohorts – Grammar and Secondary Schools, full ability range in high schools and schools new to college provision • Years 11,13 (and with school agreement, Year 12) • Costings (based on delivery cost - £2000 per cohort)

23. Vocational Enhancement Programme • Ability range • Years 11 – Years 14 (14-19 years) • Vocational, accredited, focused • Pilot – 6 Institutes (2004/05) • Managed by LSDA

24. NEI - developments • Very responsive to requests • 10 Schools, 405 Pupils • 4 Grammar (St Louis Grammar School, Rainey Endowed, Antrim Grammar School, Ballymena Academy) • Year 13 largely; Year 11 • Range of vocational areas, accreditation • Specialist staff expertise and resources

25. Enhancement programmes St Pius X College, Magherafelt • Photoshop (Art & Design) • Microsoft Office Specialist • Beauty Therapy (NVQ Level 2 unit) • Community Sports Leader Award

26. Enhancement Programmes Ballymena Academy, St Louis Grammar School, Dunclug High School, Slemish College, Rainey Endowed • ECDL • IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software • C & G AutoCAD 4351 -01 • Photoshop (Certificate for IT users)

27. Vocational courses Rainey Endowed, Magherafelt • A Level Applied ICT (AS/A2) • Single Award/Double Award AVCE – ICT • A Level – Applied Business (AS/A2) • AVCE Media – Produce a Media Product Unit (Ballymena Academy) • AS/A2 Media – Multimedia Component (Dunclug High school)

28. Vocational courses • AS/A2 Design Technology – Product Design to Manufacture Unit (Antrim Grammar School) • AS/A2 Design Technology – Drawing element (St Louis Grammar School) • AVCE Construction (all units) (Slemish College) • AVCE Construction – Information & Communication Technologies Unit (St Mary’s College, Clady)

29. Operational issues • NEI expertise, deliver at School or School pupils come to NEI • NEI deliver whole/part of GCSE, AVCE or AS/A2 • Overcoming issues eg small cohorts of pupils; geographical location • If School wishes to deliver whole vocational course.

30. Operational issues Meet with Principals Service Level Agreement Administration Calendar Quality Assurance Transport Child Protection Staff Training

31. Planning 2005/06 • Collate and disseminate information • Communication with the Schools • Managing ongoing changes in curriculum • Concerns relating to UCAS points/HE progression • NEI addressing timetabling issues • Funding • Expansion of programme

32. NEI commitment • Amended senior management structure • Lecturer commitment • Curriculum development • Staff development • Quality assurance • Flexible time-tabling • Resources

33. What have we learned? • Genuine vocational enhancement is achievable within a short planning period • There are options for addressing organisational issues • There is great potential for meaningful partnership • NEI reaffirms its commitment to partnership • There are currently limitations to further development

34. Where do we go next? • To realise the potential we need: • Strong local networks of schools and colleges in a context of: • Agreed DE/DEL policy • Fair and transparent funding model

35. Discussion