Briefing on the  Second Reading of the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill

Legislation is required to deliver some of the key elements of this reform package, and the Government have now published the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill - First Reading took place in the House of Lords on Tuesday 18 May and Second Reading will take place on Tuesday 15 June. [...] Questions: • Our education and skills system can suffer from high levels of unproductive competition at present, as has been noted by the review of post 18 education and funding, the review of financial oversight and accountability and the Independent Commission on the College of the Future. [...] How do we redress this and ensure that the upcoming spending review brings finances into balance? Higher technical qualifications – The Bill sets out adjustments to the powers of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) to approve a broader range of technical education qualifications and to keep under review the education and training within its remit ‘to ensure the overal. [...] Colleges are nevertheless keen to work with DfE and IfATE on the plans set out in the Skills for Jobs white paper and hopefully the reserve powers in the legislation will not be needed. [...] Establishing a joint requirement on employer representative bodies (ERBs) and colleges to ensure that the views and priorities of the wider community are reflected in the Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) - which must include the views and interests of students, students’ unions, trade unions, and relevant community groups, agencies and local government.