To receive these updates via email join at www.lsect.co.uk/join.asp
Please pass this information on to colleagues that may find it useful. Thanks.

Launch of Lsect
Today I am launching Lsect (Learning & skills, events, consultancy and training), which will provide services to the post-16 learning and skills sector. Take a look around the new Lsect website, and if there are any services that might be of interest then do get in touch!

SFA Minimum Contract Values likely to be £500k
In an interview on FEnew.co.uk David Hughes from the Skills Funding Agency says that the Minimum Contract Value (MCV) is likely to be £500k, and that at present 500-600 providers are below this level. You can watch the interview here: http://tinyurl.com/2wgkcbg and see all current contract levels here: http://tinyurl.com/2w4lclh

David also says that he is unsure how quickly Train to Gain will be shut-down, and that subject to the Treasury settlement the SFA will try and confirm 2011/12 allocations before Christmas.

AoC Annual Conference, Skills Strategy & twitter updates
The three day AoC Annual Conference starts tomorrow, which will include the publication of the Government Skills Strategy and contributions from Vince Cable, Peter Lauener, Geoff Russell and others. I will be there and posting regular updates (including pictures) to www.twitter.com/nicklinford - so be sure to sign up and follow the action.

YPLA Bulletin, incl. u-turn on qualification approvals
There are a few important announcements in this bulletin (http://tinyurl.com/346yluc), including what appears to be a major u-turn on approving qualifications for funding. Providers will be delighted to hear that many qualifications currently not available for funding on the Learning Aim Database will become fundable within the next few weeks (hopefully in time for the LR01 data return on the 6th December – although it “can take five weeks”….): key paragraph from the statement is below:

“The DfE has immediately approved under Section 96 approximately 300 qualifications and these have been added to the Section 96 website. DfE will review a further 1,000 or so qualifications, against the interim arrangements and expects to approve the majority of these for funding for 16-18 year old learners by the end of the month. All these qualifications will be considered for approval from 1st September or the accreditation start date if later than 1st September 2010. This is in recognition of the delay to approval of qualifications and to alleviate issues in relation to completion of the 2010/11 ILR return.”

QCF Funding Masterclasses – limited places for London
The new Manchester date is now full. However, a few places have opened up for London on the 25th November. http://tinyurl.com/2ul9voo

Exclusive £200 discount for SCORE software
SCORE software from Drake Lane Associates is used by more than half of all colleges and many training providers to maximise funding and prepare data for audit. The software imports LR and ER ILR files and produces critical reports which identify data errors that have an impact on funding levels. This £200 discount is available until the 6th December (quote LSECT200), which is the deadline for the 2010/11 ILR LR01 return. It will be very important that there is as much funding in LR01 as possible, as the YPLA have confirmed this return will be used to determine 2011/12 allocations (see this YPLA document: http://tinyurl.com/2wqfy5s).

“SCORE is great – it more than pays for itself. We have been using it for quite a number of years – about to order ADaM as well. Couldn’t sing the praises of Drake Lane Associates any louder." Sandra Howell, Director of Data Management, Birmingham Metropolitan College.

To try a demo of SCORE visit here. http://tinyurl.com/35qy83v

Skills Funding Agency to “step-up” the tackling of fraud
The unfortunate headline in the Friday edition of the TES newspaper was: “Colleges which break the rules threatened with loss of funding”. The full article can be read here: http://tinyurl.com/35tt3fy. This outlines a “stepped-up” approach, making it easier for the Skills Funding Agency to take contracts away from colleges and training providers who “have achieved financial gain at the expense of both learners and the public purse, whether through ignorance or design”. The full statement can be read here: http://tinyurl.com/39z4cwn

The TES article says that “efforts to improve the reliability of the success rate claims that are used to determine funding had failed to reduce allegations of sharp practice by providers”. This is where ADaM software (also from Drake Lane Associates) can be so useful, as it is specifically designed to help colleges and training providers find and resolve these sorts of success rate data problems. ADaM has already been purchased by nearly half of all colleges as it very easy to use, and works for both learner and employer-responsive data (so useful to both colleges and training providers). A free trial is available and the 2010/11 edition has just been launched. Find out more: http://www.drakelane.co.uk/adam/

Have your say on a new national Data Quality Plan
The information authority board has requested a prioritised Data Quality Plan. In response to this request, and in consultation with providers and stakeholders, the secretariat has produced a list of potential items for inclusion in the plan. You have until the 19th of December to consider whether anything is missing. Also, as a new chair of the board is about to be appointed, now would be a good time to have your say: http://tinyurl.com/39udf9m

Funding Audit Masterclass – programme finalised
Places remain available for this practical session on the 7th December in Birmingham for staff in colleges who are responsible for using DSATs and preparing for funding audit. I am also pleased to say that the programme is now finalised, and it includes contributions from all four of the main agencies (YPLA, SFA, information authority and the Data Service). The programme and speaker biogs can be downloaded here: http://tinyurl.com/33hq6ac and you can book here: http://tinyurl.com/325ppl4

AoC more for less conference (10% off discount)
I will be chairing an AoC conference called “How to deliver great results and protect the bottom line”. Held at the new Westminster Kingsway College campus in Kings Cross, this is a unique event as it includes lots of hints, tips, case studies and breakout sessions which focus on how colleges can and will survive (even flourish) during this period of public sector cuts. Conference speakers include Geoff Russell (Chief Executive of the SFA), Christopher Morecroft (President of the AoC), Julian Gravatt (Assistant Chief Executive of the AoC), David Collins (Chief Executive of LSIS) as well as several senior managers from successful colleges. If you use the discount code NL10 you will receive a further 10% off. To find out more and see the whole programme visit: https://www.aoccreateevents.co.uk/aoc/309/home

Please do pass on this information to anyone that you think may find it of interest.

Kind regards,