Welcome to the Skills for Life Network E-News Update

Some key news items in this edition are:-

The Evaluation of the Functional Skills Pilot Summative Report is now available.

Initial Teacher Training: the deadline for applications for the employer fee grant for 10-11 has been extended to 6th May 2011. If you haven't already claimed funding for staff who started eligible teaching qualifications from 1 September 2010 and 31 March 2011, then you can still do so. More info below.

New Members: we welcome SNC Training and the University of Cumbria Do also look out for The Training Brokers and Blackburn College appearing in our Training Directory soon.

Member to Member business opportunities: one of our Member Organisations is looking for a Training Provider to deliver 10+ Advanced Apprenticeships in Housing in the Cumbria area. They are also looking for a Provider or Providers to deliver 90+ Apprenticeships in Professional Cookery across England and Wales. You'll find more information in the Member News section of this e-news update. If your organisation isn't yet a Member of Skills for Life Network, you can find out how to join from the Membership section below.

Finally, remember to

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Barbara Zealley
Caryn Loftus

Network Managers

Membership

Join Skills for Life Network

Join Skills for Life Network
Skills for Life Network Organisational Membership offers a range of benefits, including:- a year round, full webpage listing in our Training and Development Directory; a FREE course advertising feature on our website and e-news update (11,000+ subscribers); online specialist support for your provision; use of the Skills for Life Network Member logo in your literature and on your website, and information on new tenders and business opportunities

Member News

NANAMIC Annual Conference

NANAMIC Annual Conference
Connections, Applications and Inspiration - meeting the needs of all mathematics learners and meeting your CPD needs too!Wednesday 6th July 2011, 10:00 – 16:00 Great Northern Hotel, Peterborough.

Teaching Programmes at the Teaching Development Centre, Newcastle College

Teaching Programmes at the Teaching Development Centre, Newcastle College
Want to get started on literacy or numeracy teaching qualifications? We'll be starting two new DTLLS literacy and DTLLS numeracy programmes from May 2011 (both validated by Leeds Metropolitan University). Interested in teaching ESOL? We'll be running a 4 week intensive CELTA in July. Like to get your first teaching qualification? We have PTLLS programmes starting in May. Find out more...

Training Provider required to deliver Advanced Apprenticeships in Housing
An employer organisation in Cumbria has 10+ employees over 25 years old looking to do Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Housing, to start as soon as possible

Training Provider(s) required to deliver Professional Cookery Apprenticeships
A major national leisure retail chain is looking for one or more Training Providers to deliver 90+ Apprenticeships in Professional Cookery in England and Wales

Knowledgebase

Developing and supporting effective teaching practice in the Lifelong Learning Sector
Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) and the national network of Centres for Excellence in Teacher Training (ACETT) have worked together to develop a plain English guide, with links to helpful resources and ideas, that looks at approaches to developing and supporting effective teaching practice

Full and Part Learner Subsidies for Learners aged 19 and older
This revised document now has additional amends which will assist providers in fully understanding the changes for 2011/12. It is available to download from the Skills Funding Agency website.

Grants for Initial Teacher Training
The deadline for applications for the employer fee grant for 10-11 has been extended to 6th May 2011. If you haven’t already claimed funding for staff who started eligible teaching qualifications from 1 September 2010 and 31 March 2011, then you can still do so.

New welfare rules will give jobseekers work experience
Jobseekers who need additional support to get back to work could be referred onto Mandatory Work Activity placements under new welfare rules laid in Parliament this month.

Social Media Basics on BBC WebWise
BBC WebWise has launched a brand new online course on Social Media Basics, which aims to give you a great introduction to social networking

Statement on Minimum Contract Level Policy
The Skills Funding Agency has confirmed the exemptions policy in respect of the Minimum Contract Level (MCL): General FE colleges, Specialist Colleges (for example, Art and Design), large employers contracted to the National Employer Service, Higher Education Institutions, Sixth Form Colleges and Schools (including Academies and University Technical Colleges) are all exempt from the application of a MCL.

The Evaluation of the Functional Skills Pilot Summative Report is now available
The report, which is now available to download, concludes that functional skills qualifications are expected to improve learners’ skills in English, ICT and mathematics, and that their impact on attainment in associated learning programmes such as Apprenticeship frameworks and Foundation Learning is likely to be significant.

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