Andrew Simmons Deputy Director – Services for Children And Young People

1. The Headlines from Hertfordshire – Challenges and Opportunities Andrew Simmons Deputy Director – Services for Children And Young People Hertfordshire County Council

2. Significant progress made in achieving our post 16 objectives • Most young people aged 16 / 18 stay in learning • Very low NEET rates particularly at age 16 • From well below national average outcomes at age 18 to above national average • Gap narrowed for many of our most vulnerable groups • Apprenticeship numbers have increased but are now steady (or falling slightly)

3. Maintaining momentum within a changing environment • Greater freedoms and flexibilities for schools and other institutions • Changed post 16 funding arrangements • Over two thirds of secondary schools opting to become academies • Significantly less funding to directly support 14 – 19 developments • Changing role of Local Authority • Ending of county wide 14 – 19 Strategic partnership arrangements and more flexibility in local arrangements • Significant new and developing role for the Local Enterprise Partnership • Changes in responsibility for provision of careers guidance and organisational changes to Work Experience provision

4. Progress underpinned by partnership based approach and major infrastructure developments • New and innovative provision in schools and FE colleges - working together enabling greater flexibility of provision for young people • Further Education Colleges infrastructure developments • Private providers continuing to play a significant role • New Studio schools and University Technical Colleges (UTC) • Innovative alternative provision

5. Key Stage 4 Outcomes Achieved 2011 83% 67% • Improvement in inclusion related data over the same period: • Reduced fixed term and permanent exclusions • Improved attendance and reduced persistent absence • Attainment gap closing for many vulnerable groups and key communities

6. BUT – not complacent! The rest of the country caught up again slightly this year Need to close the gap in achievement and well-being:- some groups of young people- some communities- some learning providers Educational Outcomes Achieved

7. Post 16 Destinations

8. Post 16 Destination Data / NEET / Unemployment Rates • staying on in school 60.3% • FE College 30.3% • Apprenticeship 1.5% • Other work based learning 1% • Jobs with accredited training 0.3% • NEET 2.4% • In Learning Rate 97% • 18 – 24 Unemployment Numbers • 2011 – 5135 • 2012 – 4605 • - 3455 • 18 -24 LONG TERM unemployment numbers • 2011 – 1090 young adults • 2012 – 1265 young adults • 2013 – 1025 young adults

9. Raising the participation age in Hertfordshire- close to achieving this objective – but system dynamics changing • Almost all young people opt to stay in learning • Very high post 16 participation rates • Just under 50% of young people continue immediately into Higher Education • Opportunities for 18 year olds have been at their weakest for at least a generation and young adult (18 – 24 unemployment rates too high) • Employer links need real focus and sustained development – key role for LEP • Preparing young people to become competitive in the labour market is critical • 16 – 18 Apprenticeship numbers are steady or falling slightly

10. Perfectly placed for Business: A strategy for Smart Economic Growth in Hertfordshire, 2013-2030 Our Vision: By 2030, Hertfordshire will be among the UK’s leading economies, helping to realise the full economic potential of the assets and opportunities within the Golden Triangle Our Guiding Principle: Growing smartly as a perfect place for business Priority 1: Maintaining global excellence in science and technology Priority 2: Harnessing our relationships with London (and elsewhere) Priority 3: Re-invigorating our placesfor the 21st Century

11. Skills for science and technology-based businesses The problem we need to solve: Hertfordshire has some first-rate businesses which rely on science and tech-based skills: in advanced engineering – e.g. MBDA, Astrium, FFEI in bioscience: e.g. GSK But many struggle to recruit young people and more experienced staff with STEM skills Businesses can’t grow without people

12. Skills for science and technology-based businesses The solution we are working towards: There is an “industry” nationally that has grown up in relation to STEM: we are not trying to replicate it Within Hertfordshire there are some good apprenticeship schemes in this field: can we expand these and/or roll them out informally? Can we examine other routes of develop a bigger workforce that is excellent in STEM?

13. FE Campuses for Enterprise The opportunity we need to seize: Hertfordshire has four good FE Colleges which work together well In several cases, Campus re-development is creating the physical capacity to accommodate early stage businesses (formally or informally) Can we capture this – and support a new generation of entrepreneurs in the process?

14. LEP role is wider than the Growth Strategy Skills and Employment • Focussed careers advice & guidance linked to good quality experience of work • Growth in the number of apprenticeships (and traineeships) • Bridging the Skills Gap (much wider perspective than the Growth Strategy) • Nurturing Entrepreneurship

15. Moving our thinking and strategies from 14 – 19 learning to 14+ (or from 14 until participants have a secure and sustainable job that enables economic viability) • Better balance between education progression and work-based transitions between age 16 - 24 • Improved communication between key stakeholders about the development needs of all young people and the need from employers for a better prepared workforce • Shared data on attainment, progression and destinations and on local / regional labour market developments • Focus on joint actions between business and learning to improve outcomes