HC Deb 20 November 2001 vol 375 cc265-6W
Diana Organ

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what measures she is putting into place to ensure that key skills are integrated into all programmes of study in(a) schools, (b) further education colleges and (c) higher education institutions; and what monitoring of these measures is being carried out; [16196]

(2) what progress her Department has made in the implementation of key skills in (a) schools, (b) further education colleges and (c) higher education institutions; [16193]

(3) if she will make a statement on the role of key skills in education. [16192]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

Key skills are important for everyone. They are an integral part of post-16 programmes in schools, colleges and the work-based route. Not only are they valuable in themselves but they also form the building blocks for successful further study and development. We are keen that all students have the opportunity to improve their key skills.

In schools and colleges, updated key skills qualifications were introduced in September 2000. In higher education institutions, Foundation Degrees and Graduate Apprenticeships have been introduced from this autumn; both include key skills.

  1. (a) In schools, pre-16, the key skills are addressed through the National Curriculum subjects and GCSE qualifications in English, maths and ICT. Monitoring of achievement is through the National Curriculum assessments and the GCSE results. Post-16. the expectation is that where students have not already achieved A*-C grades in GCSE English, Maths, or ICT their programmes should lead to the formal acquisition of the level 2 key skills qualifications (or suitable proxies). Monitoring is through the achievement data collected by the awarding bodies and QCA.
  2. (b) The same expectation holds in FE colleges. Monitoring is through the Learning and Skills Council's Individual Student Record and will be included in the Performance Indicators. Also, all achievements will be monitored in local LSC offices via the Provider Review process.
  3. (c) We are working with the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) on arrangements to embed work-related skills (including key skills) more widely across the HE system. Monitoring will be addressed as part of this process. Key skills are recognised in the revised UCAS tariff that is being used by students applying this year for entry to higher education in 2002. The tariff is subject to normal monitoring and review arrangements by UCAS.

Diana Organ

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how the new funding arrangements for post-16 provision reflects the Government's commitment to key skills. [16194]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has been asked to ensure that its funding regime supports a more tailored use of key skills, reflecting individual students' goals and needs. In work-based learning, the funding of key skills is included in the overall funding of the Modern Apprenticeship programme. In colleges, the level of funding available for key skills and the entitlement package is not affected by this improved flexibility; it is no longer dependent upon a fixed pattern of key skills provision and achievement. The LSC will take over post-16 funding of schools from April 2002.

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