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The Spring College Data Conference ~ slides available
The Spring College Data Conference was held at Morley College in London last Thursday and over 190 attendees representing more than half of all colleges heard presentations from Lsect, the information authority, The Data Service, The Learning Records Service and RSM Tenon. In particular, there was much discussion about changes to the ILR format, the replatforming of ILR and related systems and the audit risk associated with a rise in the number of sub-contracting arrangements. To read more and download all the slides visit: http://tinyurl.com/6bxa4wl

The Summer College Data Conference ~ now taking bookings
Following the success of the Spring College Data Conference I am delighted to announce that the summer event will be on the 16th June 2011. This is great timing as delegates will be the first to hear the outcomes of the information authority board meeting being held the day before. Book early as this event is very likely to sell-out: http://tinyurl.com/64ths9n

Wolf Review of 14-19 Vocational Education published
Whilst I was scoffing ice-cream at the Spring College Data Conference, Professor Alison Wolf was presenting her final report just over the river at Westminster Kingsway College. Read the full report here: http://tinyurl.com/4c9ky6w

I am grateful to Alison for thanking me in the acknowledgements page of the report, which was for advice on funding that I also shared in a previous Lsect update: http://tinyurl.com/6ax6d7e

Whilst I’m in self-congratulatory mode I’ll point out that the report also contained several references to the “popular” www.fundingguide.co.uk ~ which I will shortly be updating for 2011/12 (so watch this space).

Wolf Review Funding Summit ~ a must attend event
The Wolf Review runs to 197 pages and contains 27 official recommendations, as well as many other interesting suggestions and observations. This event will highlight the funding critical recommendations, which have broad support from a Government that intend to implement them. If you are involved in strategic and curriculum planning for 14-19 vocational education (college, local authority, SSC, Awarding Organisation etc) then the Wolf Review Funding Summit on the 29th March in London is a must attend event. Find out more and book your place here: http://tinyurl.com/6fow57r

Adult Funding Summit ~ new venue
Demand for places at the Adult Funding Summit on the 22nd March is particularly high, so book your place soon to avoid missing out on this one-off event. The venue for this event will now be the 4* Russell Hotel in London’s Russell Square. Find out more and book a place: http://tinyurl.com/6987cn7

And finally….PLEBS switched off quicker than you can rewire a plug
It remains unclear which genius at WorldSkills London 2011 came up with the term PLEBS (People Lacking Everyday Basic Skills) as part of their latest campaign to “offer a million opportunities for people to improve their skills by learning from experts”, but I am told civil servants in BIS new nothing about it.

When I saw the PLEBS press release last weekend I was less than impressed, and sent a few tweets and emails to selected officials about it. Thankfully “disgraceful” was the response from one senior National SFA Director (note: WorldSkills recently became part of the SFA).

It seems WorldSkills have seen sense, and whilst a cached version of their site on Google shows the original usage of PLEBS (http://tinyurl.com/6c8oj3c) it has now completely vanished, hopefully never to return. http://tinyurl.com/62q599r

However, someone needs to tell BIS’s FE and Skills e-Newsletter to revise their 1st March edition, as the term PLEBS still appears (as at 23:36 on 6th March 2011) rather close to a picture of the FE Minister, John Hayes: http://tinyurl.com/6kx4gt9

Kind regards,

Nick
www.twitter.com/nicklinford

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