January 2003Report of a meeting between ACM and the Learning and Skills Council held 6th January 2003Present at this meeting were (for the LSC) John Harwood, Caroline Neville and (for ACM) Peter Pendle and Nadine Cartner. We discussed Success for All (the November document), and John Harwood expressed his delight that this has unlocked resources. Two key aspects of SfA are the strategic area reviews and the 3 year funding system. ACM is in the process of developing a full response to the SAR consultation. John Harwood and Caroline Neville emphasised that the SARs will be conducted with the involvement of all partners. They anticipated some realignment of provision and reflection on mission, but stressed that the LSC will not interfere with GFECs that are delivering well across all their provision. They hope that SARs will also help to dismantle any remaining ethos of competition between providers and replace it with one of cooperation. ACM will monitor the SAR process and notify the LSC if we feel there are instances where the process is insufficiently inclusive and collaborative. We reminded the LSC that the integration of 16 – 19 education into general provision still commanded a good deal of support in the sector (the motion at the AoC conference for separate provision for 16 – 19 years, albeit in the same institution, was narrowly defeated). ACM was pleased to learn that the developments in the funding of adult learning, and qualifications for skills were being brought together, and that QCA and the LSC are working together on a funded flexible qualification structure. This is the first time the funding body and the qualifications body have worked together in this area. (!) For the first time, maintained John Harwood, there is the political will to take such developments forward. Caroline Neville pointed out that there is more flexibility in the present funding structure system than institutions generally take advantage of. On the subject of e-learning there was general agreement that we do not yet have a satisfactory paradigm, and that in the past too much of the thinking around e-learning has been simplistic. E-learning is about the distribution and accessibility of learning (learning on a pc at home for example), but also about the learning process itself (learning navigation skills virtually is effective and relatively cheap). As a sector we need to stimulate innovation and creativity in this area; the LSC is considering how to do this. January 2003 promises to be an eventful month: we should expect an announcement from the DfES about the successful national leadership college bid, and the LSC document proposing the new three year funding model. The 14 -16 curriculum flexibility pilot studies are designed to tease out problems with this kind of vocational provision, and the LSC has already been made aware of some problems. ACM agreed we would canvas our members’ views on the emerging issues. A pro forma for your feedback (if you are managing this provision in a participating college) is enclosed with this newsletter. On the issue of pensions and national insurance, John Harwood said that the NI increase had been covered, but that on other associated problems it was not yet clear if the Treasury would come up with the necessary cash. ACM EVENTS 2003ACM will be holding a series of education and employment events during the course of this year in various locations throughout the UK. We are pleased to be able to outline the planned schedule of events as follows: 3rd February 2003, Belfast: 27th February 2003, London; Disciplinary & Grievance Training 18th & 19th March 2003, Manchester: May 2003*, Midlands; New Thinking about Funding 6th & 7th June 2003, Leeds: July 2003*, London: October 2003*, Newport; One Day Education Conference for Managers in Wales 18th November 2003, Gloucester; Stress Training *exact date to be confirmed
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