Policy Tracker

16-19 education funding changes

By Linda Brouwer

On 1st April, the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act will come into force and change the way 16-19 education is funded. The Learning and Skills Council will be abolished and the commissioning of 16-19 funding will be transferred to local authorities.

In its place the Skills Funding Agency (FSA) will look after post-19 skills education. All 16-19 provision in school sixth forms, FE and sixth-form colleges will be commissioned and funded by local authorities, overseen by the national Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA). The National Apprenticeships Service (NAS) will be responsible for apprenticeships funding.

In the event of a new government post-election, it could all change again, with the Conservatives proposing to create a new national funding agency for FE colleges.

What are the changes?

There is much riding on the success of this transfer, so effective working between councils, learning providers and the devolving LSC is essential. Most LSC staff will have been transferred to local authorities or regional planning groups; the remainder will have been transferred to the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) for 19+ skills education funding or the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA).

How will it work?

Funding for 16-19 education will be transferred from the FSA directly to local authorities, who will then forward the funds to the education providers in their area. This transfer will start on 1^st April 2010. Schools and other education providers will have to confirm receipt of the funds via an e-mail to the FSA. Within the new framework, building new partnerships and collaboration will be essential.

Who is affected?

Everyone involved in the funding for 14-19 learners: schools, including those providing sixth-form, sixth form colleges, further education, as well as those responsible for 14-19 at local authorities, regional planning groups and sub-regional planning groups. A great challenge for London is ahead of us, with 32 boroughs comprising Greater London. Mary Vine-Morris of the London Regional Planning Group commenting on the London challenge said ‘The good news is that the signs from London’s “dry run”, carried out early last year, and from its so-called “wet run” or transition year which began July 2009, are that the problems that have arisen are not insurmountable’

Although 14-19 provision will, in future, be commissioned by local authorities, colleges will remain autonomous corporations with the freedom, at least as far as the available funding allows, to run their own businesses as they see fit.

What do the Conservatives say they would do?

As shadow secretary of state for Universities and Skills with responsibility for Social Mobility and Families, David Willetts has been the party's main spokesman.

In their ‘Get Britain Working’ report, the Conservatives promised to return to a Further Education Funding Council for England. It would run as a non-departmental public body of the Department for Education and Skills for 16-19 FE, and could include apprenticeships funding. Councils would fund all other schools for 3-19.

The Conservatives also propose a funding shift from Train to Gain to Lifelong Learning Accounts.

What do the Liberal Democrats say they would do?

David Laws MP is the Liberal Democrats Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. The Liberal Democrats want to tackle the performance gap between children from advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds. Local Authorities to be responsible for 16-19 Funding.

Other organisations involved in 14-19

The Learning and Skills Network, 157 Group, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Association of Colleges (AOC), the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), the Association of Learning Providers (ALP), REACT, the Learning and Skills Improvement Service.

Reports and taskforces

Mapping the terrain: 16-19 Funding Transfer report, NFER July 2009

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children & Learning (ASCL) ACT November 2009

Raising Expectations (REACT) January 2010

HEFCE Widening Participation Strategy (update January 2010)

Better Lives (REACT)

16-19 and 19+ Funding bulletins from DCSF

Raising the participation age (RPA) DCSF – raising the participation age to 18 by 2015

Useful Links:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsskillschildrenandlearningact/

http://www.bis.gov.uk/Policies/further-education-skills/sfa

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/index.cfm?go=site.home&sid=57&pid=505&lid=649&ctype=Text&ptype=Single