The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Statement of Priorities published on 16 November set out the funding strategy for post-16 further education (FE) and skills for the comprehensive spending review (CSR) period (2008-09 to 2010-11). Total investment on post-16 FE and skills will increase from £11.2 billion in 2007-08 to £12.4 billion in 2010-11.
Annex C to the joint Grant Letter to the LSC from my Department and Department for Children, Schools and Families provides a breakdown of the number of funded places by programme. This is reproduced here and is also available at:
http://www.dius.gov.uk/publications.html.
It shows that in 2010-11 a total of 2.5 million adult learner places will be funded through the adult learner and employer responsive models. In line with the national roll-out of level 3 provision delivered through Train to Gain set out in ‘Train to Gain: A Plan for Growth (November 2007)’, the number of funded adult learners on full level 3 provision significantly increases between 2009-10 and 2010-11 (from 144,000 to 356,000). This increase reflects the higher level skills challenge set out by Lord Leitch. It more than offsets the planned reductions in funded non-accredited and non-priority learning places in 2010-11 resulting in an overall increase in funded adult learner places compared with 2009-10.
Taking into account all adult learners funded by the LSC, not just those on provision funded through the adult learner and employer learner responsive models, on average over three million adult learners will be funded each year over the CSR period.
Academic years Budget line 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Learner numbers Youth Participation of which for planning purposes: School Sixth Forms 376,000 370,000 364,000 16-19 FE 773,000 773,000 773,000 16-18 Apprenticeships 240,000 260,000 281,000 Entry to Employment 70,000 70,000 70,000 Total Youth Participation 1,460,000 1,473,000 1,488,000 Academies 16,000 22,000 28,000 Adult Learner Responsive FE19+ 1,372,000 1,127,000 1,154,000 Ufl/learndirect 204,000 179,000 152,000 Employability Learning 24,000 29,000 37,000 Adult Learner Responsive sub total 1,600,000 1,335,000 1,343,000 of which for planning purposes: Foundation Learning Tier 368,000 372,000 374,000 Skills for Life 923,000 914,000 904,000 Full Level 2 133,000 143,000 161,000 Full Level 3 137,000 157,000 165,000 Developmental Learning 497,000 216,000 116,000 Employer Responsive Employer based NVQs 185,000 196,000 216,000 Apprenticeships/Workbased Learning 114,000 124,000 126,000 Train to Gain 600,000 638,000 872,000 Employer Responsive sub total 899,000 958,000 1,214,000 of which for planning purposes: Foundation Learning Tier 10,000 10,000 10,000 Skills for Life 304,000 313,000 323,000 Full Level 2 (Excluding Apprenticeships) 603,000 637,000 664,000 Full Level 3 (Excluding Apprenticeships) 136,000 144,000 356,000 Apprenticeships 113,000 123,000 125,000 Developmental Learning 11,000 3,000 0 Safeguarded Learning 630,000 605,000 585,000 Total Adult and Employer Responsive 2,499,000 2,293,000 2,557,000
Key PSA related outputs2008-092009-102010-11Skills for Life—achievements counting towards the literacy level 1 target and the numeracy entry level 3 target349,000368,000387,000First full level 2 Adult Achievements (All)346,000388,000412,000First full level 3115,000168,000213,00016-18 Apprenticeships Average in Learning160,000172,000183,000Total Apprenticeship Completions123,000134,000142,000 Notes:1. Skills for Life volumes when added together will remain constant. There will be issued shortly a consultation document on English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). These projections will then be remodelled.2. Youth Participation figures exclude those delivered through specialist colleges with learners with learning disabilities and or difficulties.3. Funding of academies is not routed through the LSC, so academy volumes are not included in the Youth Participation total. However Academies volumes do contribute to overall participation.4. Component learner numbers and achievements presented are not cumulative. For example; a learner may undertake an apprenticeship programme of study that incorporates the successful achievements of both a Skills for Life literacy and numeracy qualification.5. Developmental learning is defined as below level 2 learning outside the national qualifications framework, and learning above level 3. Figures are indicative and subject to further modelling. Activity associated with developmental learning will form part of the consultation the Secretary of State will launch shortly to help inform our approach to adult learning.