Funding and Commissioning Briefing

26 February 2014

George Allen

Adult and Community Learning

George Allen Head of Service

Paul Whitehead Planning & Performance Officer

Gillian Fifield Quality Manager

Patrick Robinson Commissioning and Contracts Manager Children’s Services Procurement

• Objectives and Priorities• Funding and Data Requirements• Common Inspection Framework (CIF) and

Ofsted• Funding and Commissioning Procedure • Contacts• Questions

Agenda

‘ ….a broad range of learning that brings

together adults of different ages and backgrounds, to pursue an interest, address a need, acquire new skills, become healthier or learn how to support their children.’

BackgroundWhat is Community Learning?

• Funding Agreements/Service Level Agreements with 38 providers

• Learning provision in more than 300 venues

• Support for over 18,000 learners• Accredited courses and learning for

personal fulfilment• Activities that meet requirements of the

Skills Funding Agency and Ofsted’s Common Inspection Framework (CIF)

BackgroundWhat we currently offer:

• Hampshire Futures

• Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) Department - ‘New Challenges, New Chances’

• Skills Funding Agency’s Funding Rules

• Hampshire County Council’s Strategic Commissioning Plan for Adult and Community Learning (ACL) for 2014/15 – currently in draft

Objectives and Priorities

• Maximise access to Community Learning for adults, bringing new opportunities and improving lives, whatever people’s circumstances

• Bring local communities together to experience the joy of learning and the pride that comes with achievement

• Maximise the effect community learning has on the social and economic well-being of individuals, families and communities

• Collect fee income from people who can afford to pay and focus public funding on people who are disadvantaged and least likely to participate.

‘New Challenges, New Chances’

Skills Funding Agency Funding Rules 2014/15

• Have clear outcomes and appropriate processes of evaluation

• Highlight how we will impact in communities and operate in partnership

• Adhere to Funding Rules on contracting and procurement

• Have a financial plan and develop a local strategy

• Achieve aims of New Challenges, New Chances and ensure effective learner achievement and compliance with data requirements

Strategic Commissioning Plan for ACL 2014/15

Highlights Aims and Outcomes for 2014/15:•Provide both a universal and targeted offer and support learning where needs are greatest•Adhere to the requirements of Hampshire County Council and the Common Inspection Framework •Maintain a broad range of innovative learning opportunities•Ensure the development of meaningful partnership activities that enable joint working and share best practice.Changes for 2014/15:•Emergence of Hampshire Futures•Role of LEPs / City Deal

Call-off process for 2014/15

•Based on the Strategic Commissioning Plan and Service Specification•Extension of existing Framework for external organisations•Hampshire County Council departments / schools make direct applications

Data and Funding Requirements

Paul WhiteheadPlanning and Performance Officer

Skills Funding Agency Requirements• Compliance with Funding Rules 2014/15

– Once released, available online at //skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/providers/fundingrules/

• Learning Agreement– Enrolment form– Initial Assessment– Learning plan– Record of attendance– Record and evidence of achievement

• Individualised Learner Record (ILR)– Five returns per year– All learner details– All learning activity– Achievement

• Summary of children on Family Programmes

Skills Funding Agency Requirements

Adult & Community Learning Requirements

• Course Details– Start and end dates, course length,

session dates and times, prices, venue, tutor, accreditation details

• Enrolment form from each learner

• Registers– Attendance Information– Achievement Information

Adult & Community Learning Requirements

• Summary of children on Family Programmes

• Summary of learner post-course evaluations

Adult & Community Learning Deadlines

• Course Details– Publicised course details 6-8 weeks before

course start for publication on course search facility

– Non-publicised course details as soon as finalised

– Details required at least 1 week BEFORE course starts

Adult & Community Learning Deadlines

• Enrolments– Within 2 weeks of enrolment

• Registers and Child data– Within 2 weeks of course completion

• Learner Evaluations– Within 2 weeks of end of term

Common Data Problems

• Course Details– Course Summary poor quality– Programme ID not given– Inconsistent course dates– Venue and Tutor details not completed– Level of learning not widely understood– Subject Sectors omitted

Common Data Problems

• Enrolments– No course code or details– Invalid date of birth– Old enrolment forms used– Previous surname/address not used

Common Data Problems

• Registers– Sessions not initialled by tutor– Achievement not recorded– Front sheet not signed by tutor and

countersigned by centre manager

Next Call-Off

• Bid for realistic amount

• Targets are distinct learners– Distinct learners per programme– Overall learner target

• Assessed on outcomes and cost

• Accredited programmes prioritised– Include any additional costs

• Refer to Notes tab on spreadsheet

Payment Arrangements

• External provider process– Agree learner numbers submitted– Sent PO number and invoice amount– Submit invoice quoting PO number– No PO = No payment

• HCC provider process– Agree learner numbers submitted– Sent “parked journal”

Common Inspection Framework (CIF)

and Ofsted

Gillian Fifield

Adult and Community Learning

Adult and Community Learning

Provision that meets quality requirements of:• Ofsted’s Common Inspection Framework for

Further Education (FE) and Skills 2012• Skills Funding Agency Funding Agreement –

Quality Assurance and Raising Standards• Legislation and Statutory regulations including:

Health and Safety, Equality and Diversity, Safeguarding

• Awarding Organisations and the NCFE Investing in Quality (IIQ) standards

Adult and Community Learning

• Good leadership and management• Meeting the needs of learners• Competent and appropriately qualified staff• Continuous Professional Development (CPD)

opportunities• High standards in teaching, learning and

assessment• Accreditation and progression opportunities• Safe, healthy and supportive learning

environments

Adult and Community Learning (2)

• Equality of access to learning opportunities• Promotion of equality and diversity throughout the

service• Support for learners, including support in English, maths

and functional skills, to meet their learning goals and personal objectives and progress to further learning

• Learner and learning support• Minimise drop out rates, deliver high completion,

achievement and success rates• Close equality gaps

Performance Indicators – Quality of Teaching and Learning (from Service Spec)

• Course documentation in place for all courses including clear Course Information identifying detailed learning outcomes and learners’ progression routes – currently being audited

• Planning and recording documentation contained in Tutor Course Files – need for regular review by Centre staff

• Learner and tutor evaluation - and evidence of how feedback is used• Planned programme of OTLs – for all tutors, each year• Timely submission of classroom observation reports – as well as Action

Plans from ‘sample’ OTLs• Health and Safety Risk Assessments – completed, signed by tutor and

regularly updated• Single Central Safeguarding Record – up-to-date and includes details of

annual training for staff• Timely return of Self-assessment Report (SAR) and Quality Improvement

Plan (QuIP) – needs to contain evaluative statements and accurate judgements

Qualified Staff

• Quality requirements (Service Spec)– Learning delivered by competent and

appropriately qualified tutors• Subject specialist qualifications and/or experience• Minimum of PTLLS or equivalent and working

towards further qualifications (New qualifications being introduced for new tutors)

• Regular CPD• For FEML and Functional Skills – Level 5 subject

specialist teaching qualifications

Tutor qualifications and professional expertise

• New qualifications introduced for new tutors from Sept 2013 to replace PTLLS; CTLLS and DTLLS:

• Level 3 Award in Education and Training• Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training • Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training

• In addition, new Professional Standards for Teachers and Trainers in England – consultation concluded 18 Feb 2014

• Focus on tutors’ English and maths skills

Accreditation

• Priorities for 2014/15 (SCP)– A broad and innovative range of learning opportunities

… including courses leading to qualifications and accredited outcomes

• Quality requirements (Service Spec)– Accredited provision must be available to learners eg

Units from the QCF; Investing in Quality (IIQ) Licence– For targeted learning, priority for funding for courses

that lead to appropriate qualifications and/or certificates of achievement

• Accreditation costs, including internal verification, should be included in the bid for funding

Accreditation (2)

New Maths and English qualifications•Flexible - programmes can be tailored to meet learners’ individual needs. •Suitable for learners who have gaps in English / maths skills eg need to learn specific skills to complete a qualification•Progression from Entry Level 1 through to Level 2 and on to full Functional Skills qualifications. •Step by step approach - bite sized units 10 - 30 hours •Each unit targets precise individual skills in English or maths: increases the likelihood of learner achievement.

Ofsted Inspection

The key judgement on all inspections

“How effective and efficient is the provider in meeting the reasonable needs of learners and users?”

Takes into account all of the available evidence and judgements against the 2012 Common Inspection Framework and Evaluation Schedule

Overall Effectiveness

This judgement is influenced by the following:

• Outcomes for learners

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

• The effectiveness of leadership and management

Inspectors will

• expect providers to be ‘good’• use the term ‘requires improvement’ and

identify ways that providers can improve• expect outstanding providers to have

outstanding teaching and learning evaluate fully the arrangements for performance management

• place greater importance on the role of the governing body

Ofsted’s ‘Learner View’

• Online questionnaire for learners to give their views

• Asks for opinions on a range aspects: eg are sessions well taught? would you recommend this course to a friend?

• Information used when making decisions about which providers to inspect and when

• Can be completed at any time during the year• Providers reminded to encourage learners to

complete the questionnaire (in particular when notified of inspection)

Observations of Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Greater focus on Teaching, Learning and Assessment - observations remain key part of the inspection process. Inspectors will:•listen to learners•carry out paired’ Observations of Teaching and Learning (OTL)•make judgements on quality of learners’ work •expect to see planning documents and records of learners’ progress and achievement•Be interested in tutors’ assessment practice; marked work and tutor feedback to learners

What makes an Outstanding provider?Recent Ofsted reports – “this provider is not yet outstanding because …..”•The Service does not yet ensure all learners receive suitable information and guidance about their next steps•Not all tutors use the results of initial assessment to develop learning plans to support learners’ progress•Tutors do not always involve learners actively enough in lessons and check that learning goals have been met•Learners attendance at lessons is too low•Written feedback to learners is not sufficiently regular and systematic to support improvement•Tutors do not make sufficient or effective use of Information and Learning Technologies (ILT) to help learners develop•Tutors do not promote E&D sufficiently in teaching and learning

What makes an Outstanding provider?

What does the provider need to do to improve further? •Further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by:

– setting clear targets for all learners and accurately measuring learners’ progress against their targets

– ensuring that all tutors plan and deliver activities that provide sufficient opportunity for learners to participate fully and actively in their learning

– making better use of learning technology to enhance teaching and learning

– ensuring that learners receive guidance, as they complete their course, on further higher-level learning opportunities offered by other providers.

Kirklees Council Adult and Community Learning – Outstanding Provider (Nov 2013)

• A very high proportion of learners complete their courses successfully.

• Learners make outstanding progress. • Tutors help learners to be confident and improve their

quality of life by teaching them skills that will be useful to them in future employment.

• Many learners go on to support other learners through volunteering and coaching.

• Learners are extremely positive about their experience and thoroughly enjoy their learning.

Kirklees Adult and Community Learning (2)

• The provider works exceptionally well with other providers, and an effective Community Learning Trust, to ensure that learners can access a wide range of relevant courses.

• Leaders and managers place learners at the heart of all that they do so that learners can reach their full potential and improve the communities where they live.

• Managers benefit from timely and meaningful data that helps them improve the courses that learners take so that more learners are successful.

• Tutors build exemplary impartial advice, information and guidance into all their courses.

• The outstanding promotion of equality and diversity has created a vibrant and resilient learning community where everyone is welcomed and valued.

Funding and Commissioning Procedure

Patrick Robinson

The Procurement Process“Nothing to fear”

Patrick Robinson – Senior Procurement Managerpatrick.robinson@hants.gov.uk

Existing Framework Agreement......

• Allows for a second year extension• Follows the same principles• As previous year is no guarantee of

work• Refers to revised Service Specification

for 2014/15

Next steps.....• HCC will contact providers to establish if they

wish to participate in the extension• If “yes”, you will be asked to forward latest

insurance documents• Upon receipt of same, HCC Legal will issue

formal extension letters, which need to be signed/returned

• That is it....

• In due course, Hampshire Futures will then contact providers for training proposals

Procurement Timeline

Provider Briefing 26 February 2014

Notice to extend Framework April 2014

Distribution of call off spreadsheets

May 2014

First “call off” June 2014

Contract start date August 2013

Procurement Contact details

Telephone support:

Patrick Robinson 01962 845430

Annette Rebentisch 01962 846094

ACL Contact details

George Allen, Head of Adult and Community Learning

email george.allen@hants.gov.uk

Paul Whitehead, Planning and Performance Officer

email paul.whitehead@hants.gov.uk

Gillian Fifield, Quality Manager

email gillian.fifield@hants.gov.uk

Hampshire Learning website address

www.hants.gov.uk/hampshire-learning

Key Documents

including: • Hampshire County Council’s Strategic Commissioning Plan • Common Inspection Framework• New Challenges, New Chances: Next Steps in Implementing the Further Education Reform Plan

Questions