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Foundation degrees (FDs) were established as a pathway for people within the workplace to build on existing expertise and continue working at the same time as studying for a higher level qualification. One of the FDs developed was in the Early Years (EY) sector. The Early Years Sector-Endorsed Foundation Degree (EYSEFD) comprises practical experience in an EY workplace, supported by a mentor, which constitutes the work-based learning (WBL) element of the course, in conjunction with academic work. This report presents the findings of a qualitative study exploring employers' and mentors' views and experiences of the EYSEFD, specifically: the nature of information employers and mentors have received about the program and their levels of satisfaction with this; how employers and mentors conceptualise their roles in relation to the EYSEFD students, particularly in relation to WBL and mentoring; the types and levels of involvement of employers and mentors with EYSEFD students, and explanatory factors for this; employer and mentor motivations for supporting the student through the EYSEFD, and feelings about their role; the logistics of accommodating an EYSEFD student in the workplace in terms of WBL, mentoring, and finances; impacts of the EYSEFD on students' work, the setting, other staff members, the EY sector as a whole and the students' future career progression; and employer and mentor views about the value of the EYSEFD to their setting, and feelings about how the experience of accommodating and mentoring an EYSEFD student could be improved. Employers experienced a range of 'de-motivators' and 'motivators' to supporting EYSEFD students. The key 'de-motivators' included: a lack of information and contact with the college about the EYSEFD and the role of employers and mentors in facilitating the WBL aspect; logistical and financial difficulties in accommodating WBL, mentoring and student attendance at college; and lack of progression opportunities within the setting. Key 'motivators' included: a strong commitment on the part of the employer to staff training; the ability to accommodate the EYSEFD logistically and financially; and confidence in the degree strengthened by good information from the college.

The report of the study of students' experiences of the EYSEFD is indexed at TD/TNC 85.381. Show less

In 2000, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) launched an initiative aimed at providing basic information and communications technology (ICT) skills to unemployed and economically inactive people. The initiative, 'UK online computer training', delivered courses through existing training providers from both the private and public sectors in a range of locations throughout the UK. This document reports on research used to evaluate the initiative, particularly its effectiveness in providing basic ICT training to the 'information poor' and the extent to which the training helped recipients to come off social security benefits and onto positive outcomes such as employment. The specific objectives were to: (a) identify all individuals participating in the training and their resulting outcomes; (b) identify the extent to which individual and other factors were related to participation and course completion; (c) identify and assess the factors which contributed toward coming off benefits and entering employment; (d) identify the extent to which courses have facilitated employment in comparison to the results of not participating in such courses. The report presents explanatory notes and summarised findings in relation to online participants, courses from the perspective of participants, training providers, and the impact of courses. Qualitative and quantitative research was undertaken and the appendices contain further information on the research method and the participants. Show less

This is the third and final report from the evaluation of the new Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS). The evaluation examined the implementation of OLASS in three development regions (North West, North East and South West), prior to a national roll out in July 2006. For the third phase of the evaluation representatives from each of the three development regions took part in a telephone interview, focusing on the impact of OLASS one year after its initial launch (August 2005). In total 51 telephone interviews were conducted with representatives from a range of agencies (including prisons, probation, LSC [Learning and Skills Council], Jobcentre Plus, Connexions, Youth Justice, providers and also Regional Offender Managers (ROMs)). The interview invited comment on the following areas: the main impact of OLASS; impact on assessment; impact on monitoring procedures; impact on information, advice and guidance (IAG); impact on the offender learning/criminal justice workforce; impact on provision for offenders (in custody and community); and areas for further development/improvement. Where appropriate, interviewees were asked to assign a rating indicating the extent of improvements in different areas e.g. no change to assessment procedures, some improvement, much improved, less effective and unable to comment. They were then asked to elaborate on their reasons for the rating given. Show less

The 14-19 pathfinders are part of a broader process of reforming the 14-19 phase of learning proposed in the 2002 Department for Education and Skills (DfES) Green Paper, ‘14-19: extending opportunities, raising standards’ (indexed at TD/IRD 88.170). The pathfinders were intended to: test ideas; develop best practice in 14-19 education and training; identify how 14-19 policy will interact with other policies; identify barriers to a coherent 14-19 phase and propose ways to address them; demonstrate that a coherent 14-19 phase can be achieved nationally in the UK despite the diversity of participants and locations. This report provides a national evaluation of the first year of the phase one 14-19 pathfinders. It describes the progress of the 25 pathfinders and a number of partnerships not funded through the pathfinder program. As the pathfinders are in the early stages of development, the report focuses on objectives, plans and early developments rather than changes in student experience. The pathfinders are characterised by diversity in response to local needs and goals. Positive progress has been made in many aspects of development. These include: collaborative arrangements; the development of curricula offering more choice and flexibility and involving vocational and work-related learning in colleges, training providers and workplaces; provision for changes in the pace of learning for higher achieving students; improved advice and guidance for young people approaching and moving through the 14-19 phase; and productive links with other programs and further development of strategic planning of the 14-19 phase. Show less

The Skills for Life programme is designed to improve literacy, numeracy and language skills of adults and of young people (aged 16 to 17) who have left full-time education. As part of the programme, literacy, numeracy and ESOL [English for Speakers of Other Languages] training was provided free of charge to those without literacy or numeracy qualifications at Level 2. This report is the third in a series of reports of the evaluation of the impact of participation in a literacy or a numeracy course at a college for a qualification. As such, the evaluation does not assess the full Skills for Life programme (notably excluding ESOL courses and courses delivered outside college). The analysis is restricted to those aged 19 and over. The evaluation examines the impact of participation on a range of economic, personal and social outcomes, including employment, health and involvement in one’s children’s education (at Wave 2 and Wave 3). It also describes course benefits, as perceived by the participants (at Wave 2), factors affecting qualification gain and dropout (at Wave 2) and progression in education and training (at Wave 3). The first report [indexed at TD/TNC 83.460] described the characteristics of participants and their courses and identified factors affecting participation in Skills for Life literacy and numeracy courses (Metcalf and Meadows, 2005). The evaluation is being conducted through a longitudinal survey of participants on literacy and numeracy courses (Skills for Life learners) and a matched group of non-participants with low or no literacy or numeracy qualifications. A short test- based assessment administered prior to interview confirmed respondents to be lacking literacy or numeracy skills at Level 2. Respondents were first interviewed in 2002/03 (when course participants were on their course), with second and third wave interviews taking place one and two years later, respectively. This report provides findings based on analysis of the first three waves of the survey.

Published excerpt.

The second report is indexed at TD/TNC 83.461. Show less

The Leadership and Management Development Programme (LMDP) was developed to improve leadership and management capability in private and voluntary sector enterprises with between 20 and 250 employees. It provides for the personal development of owner/managers, managing directors or other key directors and managers responsible for business success. Key to the LMDP is the role of the intermediaries who introduce managers to the program and help them assess their personal development requirements, using an approved diagnostic tool. The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) commissioned an evaluation of the LMPD in six pathfinders established across England. The evaluation was to provide analysis on the characteristics of the pathfinders and any lessons to inform the national roll out of the program. The evaluation covered two main stages. The first was primarily concerned with early design and implementation issues and the second again covered these issues, but with more emphasis on the outputs, outcomes and impacts on managers and intermediaries. This report covers the second stage of the evaluation. The experience of the pathfinder business link operators (BLOs) suggests that, although broad national aims, guidelines and requirements are important, flexibility is required to enable individual BLOs to develop models appropriate to their own opportunities, circumstances and resources. While the pathfinder areas have made progress and increased the rate of take-up, the number of managers completing their personal development plans (PDPs) has been relatively low against targets. Show less

The Increased Flexibility for 14-16 year olds Programme (IFP) was introduced in 2002 by the UK Department for Education and Skills (DfES) in order to ‘create enhanced vocational and work-related learning opportunities for 14-16 year olds who can benefit most’. Partnerships between schools and colleges and training providers were formed and two cohorts of Year 10 students began two-year vocational courses including National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), other Vocational Qualifications (VQs) and new General Certificate in Secondary Education (GCSEs) in vocational subjects. The partnerships aimed to enhance student attainment, develop their skills, knowledge and social learning, and increase retention in education and training after 16. The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) was commissioned by the DfES to conduct an evaluation of the first and second cohorts of IFP students. The evaluation aims to: assess the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of the implementation of the IFP, and identify those delivery models and implementation practices and strategies that appear to be most successful; evaluate the extent to which the IFP has fulfilled its national aims, objectives and targets; and assess the impact of vocational qualifications and new work-related learning opportunities on young peoples’ skills, knowledge, attitudes, attendance, attainment and post-16 progression. This report presents a profile of the partnerships between schools and colleges that were established to deliver the IFP to Year 10 students in 2003. It outlines the characteristics of the students who were participating and the qualifications they studied. This is the second cohort of students participating in IFP and comparisons with the first cohort are provided throughout the report.

Other reports from the evaluation are indexed at TD/TNC 77.125, TD/TNC 80.651 and TD/TNC 80.678. Show less

Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) were introduced as a key element of the United Kingdom (UK) government's lifelong learning agenda with the objective of providing a vehicle for funding continuous learning. The national ILA framework was introduced in September 2000. The strategy was designed to empower individuals to invest in their own learning through individual accounts combined with complementary government incentives. As part of the first year of the national ILA scheme, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) commissioned an early evaluation of the characteristics of ILA redeemers/non-redeemers and customer satisfaction with the process of opening and using an ILA. Findings are published in the reports indexed at TD/TNC 69.213 and TD/TNC 69.215. This small scale follow-up study was commissioned by the DfES to supplement and extend the initial evaluation. The main aims of the study is to provide evidence on how early and more recent ILA holders view and use their ILAs and to make comparisons between each group. Associated key questions were: (1) to identify if ILAs are a fund for continuous/repeated learning; (2) to assess if opening/using an ILA has changed individuals' attitudes towards further learning; (3) to identify the levels of investment by individuals and employers in learning activities funded by ILAs; (4) to assess if taking part in an ILA-funded course has affected an individual's employability; and (5) to assess ILA holders' awareness of the ILA 'brand'. This report makes several recommendations, including the suggestion that policy options be considered to reduce 'deadweight' or those redeemers who would have been able to fund training without support from their ILA, which could inform the development of future plans which build on the successful elements of the ILA program.

An evaluation of the effectiveness of promoting ILAs through community-based organisations is indexed at TD/TNC 70.243. Show less

The Increased Flexibility for 14-16 year olds Programme (IFP) was introduced in 2002 by the UK Department for Education and Skills (DfES) in order to 'create enhanced vocational and work-related learning opportunities for 14-16 year olds who can benefit most'. Partnerships between schools and colleges and training providers were formed and two cohorts of Year 10 students began two-year vocational courses including National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), other Vocational Qualifications (VQs) and new General Certificate in Secondary Education (GCSEs) in vocational subjects. The partnerships aimed to enhance student attainment, develop their skills, knowledge and social learning, and increase retention in education and training after 16. The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) was commissioned by the DfES to conduct an evaluation of the first and second cohorts of IFP students. This report focuses on the outcomes for participants who participated in the programme between 2003 and 2005 (second cohort) during a time of change in 14 to 19 policy. The evaluation of the second cohort of IFP participants aimed to: evaluate the extent to which the IFP has fulfilled its national aims, objectives and targets; and assess the impact of vocational qualifications and new work-related learning opportunities on young people’s attainment and post-16 progression. Overall, the majority of participants in the second cohort had achieved their qualifications in line with expectations based on their prior attainment and other background and school-level characteristics. The majority (87 per cent) of the representative sample of young people had progressed onto further education or training after completing their involvement in IFP. Implications for policy and practice are proposed in relation to: sustaining progression; provision of appropriate qualification types; English and mathematics provision within the IFP programmes; addressing discontinuation; and location of study.

Other reports from the evaluation are indexed at TD/TNC 77.125, TD/TNC 80.651, TD/TNC 80.678 and TD/TNC 80.679. Show less

This is the final report produced for the National Evaluation of Learning Partnerships. It provides a final assessment after three and a half years of development and looks to the future and the role of learning partnerships in lifelong learning. At the core of the evaluation process is a set of longitudinal case studies undertaken with 20 learning partnerships. The case studies involved discussions with the chairs, directors, managers and co-ordinators of learning partnerships, with key partners and stakeholders from all sectors and were complemented by analyses of the national learning targets, discussion with government offices and regional evaluators, assessment of partnership plans, evaluations and progress reports and performance data. The study found that progress had been slower in some areas than others and the failure to lock the program firmly into the national policy context encouraged perceptions of the program to be a failed and forgotten initiative. Some of the partnerships felt from the beginning that as voluntary organisations they were not able to deal with the more strategic roles they were initially given. The main barriers encountered were around clarity of purpose, capacity to deliver and stakeholder credibility. However, the vase majority of learning partnerships have been able to demonstrate aspects of added value by increasing the level and amount of working and information sharing across partner organisations and sectors.

Other related reports are indexed at TD/TNC 68.196, TD/TNC 69.278, TD/TNC 69.279 and TD/TNC 69.280. Show less