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Please pass this information on to colleagues that may find it useful. Thanks.

Also, there are a series of training and events with places available on www.lsect.com that you may be interested in. The full summer programme can been accessed from http://www.lsect.co.uk/summer/

Sub-contracting hots up
As you may know I had a comment piece published in the Guardian on Tuesday, about the resurgence and risks associated with sub-contracting, in the context of Minimum Contract Level (MCL) policy (amongst other things). It seems to have stimulated some healthy debate, so if you have not already done so please do leave a comment at the end of the article http://tinyurl.com/3e3ov65) or on my blog (http://nicklinford.wordpress.com/)

Places available for must attend sub-contracting event
There are still places available on the Sub-contracting Funding Summit, being held on the 14th June in the North West. See: (https://www.eventsforce.net/lsect/19/home).
This is a fantastic opportunity to hear from top FE lawyers and auditors about the importance of due diligence and contracting, and the sorts of things that should be included. The London event last week was sold-out, and feedback was excellent: http://www.lsect.co.uk/comments.asp

Latest on MCL policy
LSIS are holding a number of online seminars concerning MCL policy. I attended (logged-in) to the first one this week and learnt that there were 48 cases made for MCL exemptions, but the SFA could not say when they would be able to let people know if they had been successful or not. The next LSIS MCL online seminar on Tuesday is a “Rapid response to organisations with turned-down exemption requests”, so the SFA had better get a wriggle-on! http://tinyurl.com/3n6g5s5

News on the 2010/11 funding audit round
On the 14th June the Skills Funding Agency will be briefing audit firms on the plan for 2010/11. Therefore, literally hot off the press Karl Bentley from RSM Tenon will sharing information at the Summer College Data Conference two day later, on what the audit process will look like for 2010/11. He’ll be explaining what will be looked at, where they think the real risks are and helpful hints and advice on audit evidence/DSATs etc. More than 100 colleges have already booked their place. To book yours place visit: https://www.eventsforce.net/lsect/13/home

Skills Funding Agency customer satisfaction survey
The SFA are gathering “the views of the colleges and training organisations with whom we contract about your perceptions of the Agency”. I would encourage you to provide feedback via their online questionnaire: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9MYNKN5

New SASE Apprenticeship Frameworks
You may recall that the Specification for Apprenticeship Standards for England (SASE) came into law on the 6th April 2011. According to yesterdays SFA Update the “National Apprenticeship Service would like to confirm that over 150 Specification for Apprenticeship Standards in England (SASE) frameworks are currently being processed for funding.” http://tinyurl.com/3r7c5gg .Take a closer look at the framework spreadsheet, and you will actually find only 96 Frameworks, of which 74 are at Level 2 and 73 are at Level 3. http://tinyurl.com/3aw6b7h. Interestingly, of these first 96 only 9 are new (‘do not replace a current framework’). Also, and arguably more importantly, only three out of the 96 indicate indicative funding levels, so providers will need to keep an eye on the rates as they are populated within the Learning Aim Database (LAD).

Apprenticeship Funding Practiclasses
If you want to learn more about the new Frameworks and for how much they will be funded, then an Apprenticeship Funding Practiclass is a must attend. On 20th June I will be in the Midlands (http://tinyurl.com/20-06-11), 22 June in the South West (http://tinyurl.com/22-06-11), 27th June in London (http://tinyurl.com/27th0611) and 5th July in the North East (http://tinyurl.com/05th0711). If you are involved in the planning and delivery of Apprenticeship and Train to Gain funding in 2011/12 then this will prove a fantastic opportunity to find out what impact the new Frameworks have on funding rates.

Apprenticeship software worth a look ~ sponsored topic
As Apprenticeship provision expands and in some cases is also sub-contracted, some colleges and training providers are struggling to keep track of their Apprenticeship learners. In particular, failure to undertake regular progress reviews with Apprenticeship learners is a common problem highlighted during funding audit. If this sounds familiar, it may be worth taking a look at the Tracker module within the Sunesis Apprenticeship software. Find out more via: https://www.eventsforce.net/lsect/11/register

“Fareham College uses Sunesis to track all Employer Responsive activity, particularly Apprenticeships. The system is easy to use and is regularly updated to reflect any changes in funding. It allows total visibility of all learner progress, funding predictions and success rates. It is an invaluable tool in helping us plan for the future, and evaluate where we are now.” Claire Middleton, Business Development Manager, Fareham College.

QCF qualifications confirmed for public funding
The SFA continue to publish they bi-weekly spreadsheet of QCF qualifications which will be available for public funding. So far in May 72 new Adult Learner Responsive qualifications and 52 new Work Place Learning (Train to Gain) qualifications have been added. http://tinyurl.com/2vmcn8y.

And finally……more plumbing and more pilates
As always it’s a cheap shot, but it did make me chuckle to see three new pilates qualifications listed in the spreadsheet of QCF qualifications confirmed for public funding (see above). For example, there is the full Level 3 Diploma in Mat Pilates (50086546) which is funded for 270 hours in the classroom (about £1700) and can also be funded in the workplace as part of the Level 3 Active Leisure and Learning Apprenticeship Framework. Why did I chuckle? Well who remembers what the then Secretary of State Alan Johnson said in 2006?: "We must rebalance taxpayer's money towards the subjects where there is greatest need. So more plumbing, less pilates” (http://tinyurl.com/3qsy6vn). In all seriousness, let’s give these qualifications the benefit of the doubt, and assume that at Level 3 they give learners plenty of stretch!

Kind regards,

Nick
www.twitter.com/nicklinford