Further Education and Training Bill 2006

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Downloads

• Informal Memorandum on Commons Amendments (32KB)
• Bill Summary - A 2 page summary of the bill (26KB)
• Illustrative documents - 51 page document containing guidance in relation to the Bill (382KB)
• Revised Regulatory Impact Assessment - a 43 page document (200KB)
• Revised Race Equality Impact Assessment - a 6 page supplementary document to the FE White Paper Race Equality Impact Assessment (44KB)
• Revised Draft Criteria - Foundation Degree Awarding Powers (92KB)
• Documents Published Prior To Lords Report (158KB)
• Draft Terms of Ref for report under clause 18 (24KB)

Related links

• White Paper
  The white paper Further Education, Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances (Pub: 27th March 2006)
• Parliament
  Copy of Bill & Explanatory Notes
  Bill Progress through Parliament

 

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The Further Education and Training Bill introduced to the House of Lords on 20 November 2006 implements the commitments made in White Paper Further Education, Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances.

It also includes some provisions that were not included in the White Paper, such as giving further education colleges the power to award foundation degrees.

Background

The process of reforming the further education sector began with the Learning and Skills Act 2000. The Act established new structures for the planning, funding, delivery and quality assurance of post-16 education and training.

In November 2002, the Government announced its reform strategy for further education.

This strategy was designed to:

• improve the responsiveness and quality of further education provision;
• improve teaching, training and learning across the further education sector;
• develop the further education workforce;
• establish a framework for quality and success. 

In March 2006, the Government published the White Paper Further Education, Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances. The document set out reforms needed to tackle long-standing weaknesses in the nation's skills base. It is hoped that these reforms will help Britain to realise its potential as a high-skills economy.

The Further Education and Training Bill includes proposals to reform further education and promote skills. These proposals cover a wide range of areas.

Main points of the Further Education and Training Bill

The Bill will streamline and restructure the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) so that in future it operates mainly on a regional basis, instead of through 47 local LSCs.

The Bill will enable the LSC to respond more effectively to skills initiatives. The LSC will be required to act in accordance with strategies drawn up by designated geographical, sector or other skills bodies. The Bill will also require the creation of a London Skills Board, chaired by the Mayor.

The Bill will develop Foundation Degrees. The Privy Council will be enabled to grant a further education institution the power to award foundation degrees.

The Bill will establish new powers of intervention for the LSC. Where further education provision is unsatisfactory or failing to improve, the LSC will have a duty to intervene using the powers previously held by the Secretary of State or the new powers removing principals and senior post holders or requiring collaboration.

These reforms will help to establish effective learner and employer consultation. The LSC and colleges will be asked to take account of the needs and views of employers and learners when planning their policies.

The Bill will secure choice and diversity. The LSC will be placed under a duty to create greater opportunities for learners and employers to exercise choice in type, place and form of learning.

The Bill will secure new further education delivery models. The existing powers of the LSC and FE colleges will be extended, enabling them to establish companies and charitable incorporated organisations for educational purposes. Permission for the establishment of these companies and organisations will need to be sought.

The Bill will improve the management and leadership of further education. The qualifications of college principals will be regulated. This means that those college principals moving posts would have to hold qualifications relevant to their positions.

The Bill will secure cross-system benefits. The proposed reforms will enable the LSC to deliver education-related administration and support services on behalf of publicly funded partner organisations. With different areas of the further education sector working together, time and money can be saved.

Proposed reforms will enable Industrial Training Boards to consult with a wider base of employers than legislation currently allows. This means that the Boards will be able to demonstrate consensus for their levy proposals. The Boards will also move from annual levy proposals to three-year levies.

The Bill will empower the Welsh Assembly to make decisions which relate to a wide range of further education matters in Wales.