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MATHS AND ENGLISH IN FURTHER EDUCATION SUPPORTING THE WORKFORCE

Mark Kaczmarek, Standards and Qualifications, BIS February 2014

Skills to compete in the global race Total productivity

 Other countries are investing heavily. England can’t afford to lag behind  Skilled workers more likely to work, innovate and engage in society  Higher skills responsible for a fifth of growth and improved productivity

OECD Survey 2013 Headline findings

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England is around the OECD average for literacy ranking 11/24 England is below the OECD average for numeracy ranking 17/24 England is around / slightly below the OECD average for problem solving ranking 13/20. But more people than average participated in problem solving in England, suggesting wider engagement, especially among older groups

OECD survey: young people

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Raising standards in FE New Challenges New Chances 2011 Empowered students at the heart of the system  First class advice delivered by the National Careers Service  A ladder of opportunity of comprehensive Vocational Education and Training Programmes  Excellence in Teaching and Learning  Relevant and Focused learning programmes and qualifications  Freedoms and Flexibilities Strategic governance for a Dynamic FE Sector Funding priorities through a simplified funding system  Empowered students making informed choices  Global FE

Rigour & Responsiveness in Skills (April 2013) Develops the four themes from New Challenges and New Chances • Raising standards • Reforming Apprenticeships • Pathways into work (incl. Traineeships) • Ensuring meaningful qualifications Underpinned by funding reform & greater access to data

DfE statistics on 16-18 attainment •

Around 90% of students who failed to achieve their A*-C by 16 did not achieve these grades by age 18

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Young people who attained a grade D in maths or English by 16 were more likely to retake these between 16-18; however only around a third of 16-18 year olds without these subjects were taking a GCSE

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Most students without maths and/or English GCSEs (A*C) by 16 studied in FE colleges: 74.3% and 71.3% respectively

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Yet these students were least likely to attempt GCSEs post-16 (even those with D grades)

Adult maths and English Final data for 2012/13 academic year shows: •

c1.1m adult learners aged 19 and over participated on maths and English courses - a decrease of 3.1% on 2011/12.

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c748k participated on a maths course, a decrease of 3.1%

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c766k participated on an English course, a decrease of 2.1%

Increasing participation in maths & English • From August 2013, as a part of 16-19 study programmes, students aged 16-19 who do not hold an A*-C GCSE in maths or English must continue studying these subjects. • Funding condition becomes activated in September 2014. However some students with complex learning difficulties and/or disabilities may be exempt from the funding condition – this will depend on the student’s initial assessment • Increased expectations for maths and English within Apprenticeships and traineeships. From 2014/15 all Intermediate apprentices will be required to work towards achieving a Level 2 in maths and English, ensuring that they have the basic skills and qualifications that are widely recognised and valued by employers. • All young people undertaking a traineeship will also be required to study maths and English, unless they have achieved a GCSE A*-C in those subjects

Supporting progression in maths & English • Key principle of 16-19 study programmes is that students should progress to a higher level of study than their prior attainment • Ofsted inspectors will consider whether students are given opportunities to work towards maths and English GCSEs grade C and above; and the success of further maths and English study • 73% of students who had achieved a grade D in English GCSE and 66% of students with a grade D in maths by age 16 did not attempt these GCSEs between 16 and 18

Maths & English GCSE reforms • Revised maths and English subject content published on 1 November 2013. First teaching in schools from September 2015 and post-16 from September 2017 • Maths GCSEs will be more demanding and require more teaching time. They will provide greater assurance of numeracy by requiring students to demonstrate clear mathematical argument and the solving of real world problems • English GCSEs will emphasise spelling, punctuation and grammar and include the use of literary and non-fiction texts and writing for different audiences and purposes • Ofqual consulting on how standards should be maintained in the qualifications and on the technical rules for exam boards in developing, delivering and awarding the qualifications

Driving up pre-16 standards of maths and English • Promoting high standards of literacy and numeracy with the new National Curriculum from 2014 • Phonics has been emphasised in the teaching of early reading to give all children a solid base upon which to build as they progress through school

• The Government is providing a literacy and numeracy catch-up premium for year 7 pupils who have not achieved level 4 at Key Stage 2 in reading and/or mathematics • A one-year professional development programme for KS3 mathematics teachers is in development. Schools taking part in the programme, initially a Randomised Controlled Trial, will have the opportunity to develop two members of staff, including at least one with a management role at KS3

Focus on FE workforce 

Need for stronger leadership and governance

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Need to improve teaching. In particular:  Too few specialist teachers in maths and English to meet new GCSE requirements  Need for more SEN teachers and up skill SEN teachers and coordinators in maths and English  Need to tackle wide variations in student achievements’  CAVTL report - line of sight to work not clear enough and not consistent – need for more employer involvement and for teachers to be up to date in vocational subjects (Teach Too model of business engagement)

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Need to refresh FE workforce – attract more young people and better calibre of graduate entrants

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Using technology more and better

Workforce capacity to teach maths and English •

Policy estimates in May 2013 suggest approximately 1,140 maths teachers and1,000 English teachers are needed in FE colleges to expand the provision of maths and English GCSEs, in response to major policy changes such as Alison Wolf review, Richard’s review of Apprenticeships and RPA reforms

• NFER/LSIS research considered options for increasing workforce capacity to inform government strategy – recommended a combination of recruitment, CPD and improving teaching and learning practice • Government announced commitments to ITT and CPD. Education and Training Foundation leading on improvements

Initial Teacher Training (ITT)

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Improvements to Teaching and Learning

Investing in the workforce Colleges & Providers • £20k incentive for recruiting a maths graduate teacher(s). • £30k if teacher(s) recruited and shared with other local providers (CAVTL)

Teachers & Teacher Training • Subject knowledge enhancement scheme to help graduates gain maths knowledge before starting FE maths ITT • Bursaries - £9m in 2013-14 and £6m in 2014-15 for maths, English and SEN ITT. Up to £20k per teacher (levels match rates paid for schools ITT) • Education and Training Foundation developing new premium graduate entry scheme for FE, working with Teach First • Golden Hello of £7.5k for maths teachers – or £10k if they do SEN training as well • NCETM maths enhancement programme now being delivered to existing maths teachers. ETF subsidy to end of March 2014 means cost reduced to £100 per participant • Similar programme for English enhancement in development for delivery from Autumn 2014 • £1m in CPD grants in 2013-14 to support training for SEN teachers and inclusion coordinators

Improving teaching practice • Education and Training Foundation and CETTs identifying innovative and best practice in teaching maths and English to post-16 students; and disseminating (more general) improved teaching and learning practice

Driving up standards – policy intentions

Education and Training Foundation • New & important sector owned organisation • Core role in driving professionalism in sector • Priorities: – System leadership – Leadership, Governance and Accountability – FE workforce – maths and English, Teach Too – Clear line of sight to employers – Apprenticeships and Traineeships • Delivering recommendations from CAVTL

QUESTIONS?