Home » News » Leitch Report and Skills for Life

Leitch Report and Skills for Life

Maths , English
Strategy , Research, Commentary, Reports , Numeracy , Literacy
Skills for Life Network

The final report of the Leitch review of the UK’s long term skills needs called for 95% of British adults to have basic numeracy and literacy by 2020.

The Government commissioned Sandy Leitch in 2004 to undertake an independent review of the UK’s long term skills needs. The Review published its interim report “Skills in the UK: the long term challenge” in December 2005. It committed the Review, in its final report, to identify the UK’s optimal skills mix for 2020 to maximise economic growth, productivity and social justice, set out the balance of responsibility for achieving that skills profile and consider the policy framework required to support it.

The final report of the Leitch Review of Skills, ‘Prosperity for all in the global economy – world class skills’, was published on 5th December 2006.

In the report, Lord Leitch recommends making full or part-time education or training compulsory up until the age of 18.

He wanted 95% of British adults to have basic numeracy and literacy by 2020.

Employers should have more say over training and a new careers service should be created in England, he added.

The report urged ministers to commit to a “compelling new vision” and to become a world leader in skills by 2020.

By this date Lord Leitch wanted to see:

  • 95% of adults gain basic skills in literacy and numeracy, with the government primarily responsible for funding
  • More than 90% of adults with GCSEs or vocational equivalents with funding shared between the government and employers
  • Apprenticeships boosted to 500,000 a year
  • More than 40% of adults with degrees or higher level qualifications, mostly funded by employers or individuals

To read the report in full, click here

Further Information

No further information

Sign up for our e-News Update
Subscribe

You may also like

Downloadable functional skills resources

Downloadable functional skills resources

The Functional Skills Resources subscription website has hit a landmark figure of 300 unique resources available for you to download and use with your learners.

Tenders update

Tenders Update November 2023

Take a look at Tenders Update November 2023 for an overview of the latest opportunities open to providers of services to the Essential Skills sector.

Supporting ESOL learners and digital literacy

Supporting ESOL learners with maths

Would you like to gain more confidence in supporting ESOL learners on maths programmes? This webinar will boost your confidence and give you lots of  strategies and ideas to help you support them.