Post 16 educational reforms

1. The Changing Learner Landscape :
Government proposals for post 16
education

2. Tom MacMaster
Head of ICT, Digital Services and Library Services
Carnegie College, Dunfermline
Health Warning
This is my interpretation of what’s going on. I’m speaking
on behalf of myself not Carnegie College!

3. Purpose
1. To highlight the current reviews affecting post 16 education
2. To discuss some of the implications of these reviews
3. To think about key issues and future service delivery models
4. To consider how this affects Library service delivery

4. So where are we going in the future?
THE REVIEWS

5. Current Situation – Reviews, reviews and more Reviews
 Griggs review on Governance of Colleges
 McCllelland – Review of ICT Infrastructure in Scotland
 Higher Education Information Directors Scotland (HEIDS) Above
Campus IT Shared Services Report – funded by SFC
 Roe Review of Post 16 Education and Vocational Training in
Scotland

6. Griggs Review of College Governance
 Remit
 to consider whether current institutional governance
arrangements in the college sector in Scotland deliver an
appropriate level of democratic accountability given the level of
public funding institutions receive; and
 to examine the structure of college governance and make
recommendations for change, including at sector-wide level,
which will support the role of colleges in economic and social
development in a highly challenging future financial climate
 Expected to conclude by end of 2011
 No clear route for providing evidence, no request for consultation

7. McCllelland Review of ICT Infrastructure in the Public
Sector in Scotland. (June 2011)
 Wants to radically change how ICT is adopted and deployed in
public sector
 Shared IT platforms – self sufficient operating mode no longer
affordable
 In F/HE, ‘The deployment of shared services in ICT is still relatively
low and less than a third of the institutions had at least one shared
service.’
 Complete Paradigm Change Required (but convergence and
connection rather than build anew)
 National Oversight Board – FE/HE Governance Board

8. HEIDS – Above Campus Shared IT Services Report
(July 2011)
 Indicative projects for sharing –
 IT Continuity, Collaboration Tools, Blackboard Licensing, Hosted
VLE, Student Record Systems, Subscription Resources.
 What about shared Repositories, Library Management Systems?
 Working Groups already set up and progressing developments

9. Roe Review (August 2011)
 Willy Roe, CBE – Chair of SDS Scotland (now retired)
 Key Player in Government Plans for Role of Colleges
 Modern Apprentices, Careers, My World of Work, Employability
 45 Recommendations including the creation of a learner centred
system that offers access to the world of work, operates
collaboratively, is transparent and accountable, is market led with
strong employer engagement….performance driven….embraces
innovation, gains more from technologies etc etc
 Recommends a Personal Development Account with a Learning
Portal, an Open College and shared services

10. More Reviews and Consultation!
 Scottish Government Spending Review – the Budget
 SFC Review into funding of Colleges – methodology, distribution
 Putting Learners at the Centre review – consultation ends 23 Dec
 College Regionalisation – proposals for implementing Putting
Learners at the Centre (Govt. AND Funding Council)

11. Spending Review - Budget Cuts
Financial Year College University College and
Programme Programme University Capital
2012-13 506.9 1002.2 60.7
2013-14 494.7 1041.5 45.9
2014-15 470.7 1061.7 56.4
• 12/13 – cut 7% to 23% - depending on how calculated - Likely 20+%
• HE provision increased but not in Colleges?
• Capital cut by £36.1m for Colleges and Universities – implications?
• Lots of Don’t knows

12. Funding Council Guidance
• Letter of guidance to SFC
• all16 to 19 year olds should be guaranteed an appropriate
place in learning – Colleges have central role to play
• Where possible, Colleges should work with other agencies to
provide similar offer to 20 – 24 year olds
• Improving employment chances and retention
• Courses should lead to SCQF qualifications
• Reduced budget means a need for substantial savings
• Regional Funding to be in place for 2012 - 2013
• Radical change, systemic change
• HE needs to deliver on wider access, efficiencies, articulation

13. Relationship between reviews
Colleges of the
future
HEIDS
Roe
SFC
Funding
Griggs Budget
ICT
Putting
Learners
At The
Centre

14. Latest Documents
The Key Review – Putting Learners at the Centre (Sept 2011)
Joint Consultation Paper from Government and SFC – College
Regionalisation: Proposals for Implementing ‘Putting Learners at the
Centre’ (Nov 2011)
Consultation open till 23rd December 2011

15. Putting Learners at the Centre review – reformed post 16
education system
 The key review – key word  Post 16 education must be
‘interconnectedness’
 Sustainable
 Legislation  Diverse
 Core Purpose  Open for all
 The Learner Journey  Excellent
 Linked to Jobs and Growth  Flexible
 Effective and Sustainable  International
Growth  Learner centred
 Regionalisation  Well-led
 Simplification of funding  Focussed on jobs and growth
 Enhanced role for Education
Scotland and SFC
 Influence by Roe, McCllelland

16. What does this mean for Colleges?
 Learner must come first
 Focus on employment, skills and job readiness
 Younger demographic
 Closer working with others
 Regional funding and regional working
 Governance options
 Timeline – fast
 Regional funding to be in place by AY 12/13
 New structures to be complete in 2 to 3 yrs
 Fast moving landscape – change coming quickly

17. Regional Groupings
Highlands and Islands
North East
Glasgow
Scotland
West Tayside
Fife
Lanarkshire
Ayrshire Forth Valley Edinburgh and
Lothians
D&G Borders
Excludes Newbattle Abbey, Sabhal Mor Ostaig and land
based colleges

18. What does this mean for Colleges?
Ouch!!

19. More seriously, the documents detail the following -
 Colleges need a much sharper focus on outcomes
 Planning, funding and delivery is based on a regional approach,
responding to the economic needs of that region
 Boundaries should be invisible to students
 Funding is simpler and needs based
 More information in December 2011 regarding specific funding and
activity levels for 2012 - 2013

20. Regional Provision will:
 Create a more strategic approach to planning and delivery
 Help every community and young person access appropriate
College education
 Enhance the capability to deliver part time learning
 Better develop provision for employers
 Major campuses will remain where they are – where there is no
presence, colleges will be required to consider how they make
adequate provision
 Create cost efficiencies that can free resources to redirect to
learners
 Framework for joint working between partners – Employers,
Schools, Colleges, Universities

21. Courses:
 Putting Learners at the Centre articulates that Government
investment in Colleges is to provide people with
 The skills they need to get a job, keep a job, or get a better job and
develop a career
 SFC funds must meet this purpose
 Measured by outcome agreements agreed with Regions with
Colleges concentrating on courses leading to RECOGNISED
qualifications (including Voc, non advanced and advanced) and
supporting the senior phase of CfE, including school college
partnership programmes
 Funding likely to be allocated to regions on basis of each regions’
share of people with low qualifications

22. Funding:
 From 2013 – 2014, propose a simplified approach
 Subject Based Payment reflecting cost of provision in an efficient
College
 Payment reflecting additional costs of teaching students with
additional needs (DPG18 and XLSPs) will be incorporated in above
payment and separate fund for complex additional needs to be
created which could include students from areas of extreme social
deprivation – more work required on this system
 Additional costs for remote or rural areas
 Student support to be regionalised on the basis of student places
and historical proportions of FT FE student bursary and childcare
take up. May keep funds back till evidence of demmand

23. Student Numbers:
 Intend to simplify the current system and base it on converting
learning hours required per credit to full time equivalent student
places
 Retention rates must improve and evidence base for drop our
reasons must be better
 Cut off point may rise to 50% of course duration rather than 25%
 Looking for transparency rather than tricks

24. Regional Structures and Accountability:
 ‘Putting Learners at the Centre signals a Government wish for a
fundamental change in accountability arrangements for College
funding. Colleges now have to meet their own activity targets,
provide education of at least acceptable quality and maintain
financial viability’
 ‘Government proposes that Colleges will become directly
accountable for how well collectively they serve the needs of their
region, on the basis of negotiated outcome agreements for each
region’
 Reflects Return on Investment expected by Govt and SFC for their
investment – Negotiated SMART outcome agreements

25. Regional Structures :
 4 Broad Options
 Merged College : well established route to merger
 Federation of Colleges: Joint Board to receive and account for
funding. New fundable body created. New concept, but analagous to
funding of HE in UHI
 ‘Lead College’ : A College in one area becomes the body funded
and accountable to SFC with contractual arrangements between it
and the other Colleges
 Collaboration: Colleges funded directly but agree collaboration tom
meet regional needs
 Colleges asked to find best way with implementation timetable but
with efficiencies always in mind

26. Radical, Fast Moving Change
 Regional Funding from 2012 – 2013
 Transitional arrangements to be put in place to deal with shifts in
funding and setting clear direction of travel
 Most regions to implement structural change in 2012 – 13
 New Structures operational in most regions 2013 – 2014
 New Structures operational in remaining regions 2014 – 2015
 Review and monitoring of outcome agreements

27. Library Service Delivery
 Library Services will be part of the change process
 Technology will drive this as it will Curriculum Delivery
 Faced Change before – Incorporation in 1993
 Learners at the Centre stresses the need for Learner Engagement
 Learners Value Libraries
 Libraries Collaborate already
 Learners at the Centre implies more independence and
personalised learning (CfE )

28. Library Service Delivery
 Information Literacy Vital
 Learners will need access to quality resources and support in using
them
 Learners need Study Points
 Learners at the Centre emphasises Articulation and Progression
Routes
 Part Time Learners, Distance Learners and Online Learners still
exist

29. Learners Will be:
 Younger- remember the focus on 16 – 19
 Used to using technology
 Likely to have a mobile device
 Used to personalised spaces – facebook, online gaming worlds
 Have had access to Glow
 All impacting on Library Service Delivery

30.  Over to you…………………………..