Department for Education
A further 5 million has been awarded to the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) to continue their work to ensure further and technical education is of the highest quality.
This money will allow ETF to continue to support colleges in delivering the recommendations set out by the area review programme. Recommendations include mergers between colleges and conversion to academies, which will raise standards and benefit learners and employers in each area. Additionally, it will also continue support all further education providers to expand apprenticeships and prepare for the introduction of new technical routes.
This comes on top of the 24 million that has already been awarded to the foundation this year to support their work to improve the standards of teaching and learning in the further education sector and benefit learners.
Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Robert Halfon said:
Further education is playing a vital role in driving social justice and making Britain the skills nation that we need it to be.
This 5 million we are awarding the Education and Training Foundation will help to ensure high-quality technical routes, support area reviews and prepare the sector and its leaders for the exciting and important changes coming out of the skills plan.
The Education and Training Foundation announced yesterday (8 December 2016) at their annual showcase event 10 new projects to support the sector and drive change through the skills plan.
At the heart of the projects and funding lies a drive to further improve the quality of further education and to expand the availability of apprenticeships.
David Russell, CEO, Education and Training Foundation said:
This has been an excellent year for the Education and Training Foundation. We have provided crucial support for staff and leaders, addressing key concerns of the whole further education and training sector. We look forward to next year with confidence.
I am very pleased to present our second annual review to the sector. We have achieved a great deal with our partners in a short time, and we look forward with confidence to supporting the FE and training system face the challenges of the next 3 years.
I can confirm today 10 significant new projects for which we have secured 5 million additional in-year investment from DfE. The projects are designed to help the sector respond to the challenges of skills plan implementation, and address issues highlighted as systemic by the FE Commissioner through the area review process. We look forward to delivering this extra value for the sector.