January 2015 update
September 2018 update: Although our partnership with the Jamie Oliver Foundation has ended, we are pleased to announce that our Home Cooking Skills qualification has been extended until August 2020. There have been no changes to the qualification and its content, and you will find that our website page has been updated to reflect this change, with all new resources and support material.
ESOL
It was a pleasure meeting so many of you at our recent ESOL training events and I am pleased to announce we have some additional dates for these free events:
| Event code | Title | Date | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14OWZ01/02 | ESOL Skills for Life (QCF) Launch Event |
3 February 2015 |
Online | 15.30 to 17.30 |
| 14BWZ01/02 |
ESOL Skills for Life (QCF) Launch Event |
23 February 2015 |
Manchester | 10.00 to 15.30 |
| 14BWZ01/04 |
ESOL Skills for Life (QCF) Launch Event |
10 March 2015 |
Birmingham | 10.00 to 15.30 |
Booking details can be found on our training pages. Should the course that you want to attend be full, please add your name to the waiting list as we'll be using these to monitor demand.
WorkSkills
The Skills Funding Agency has completed its review of employability and study skills qualifications at level 2 approved for adult funding. All three Pearson qualifications included in the review have been extended to 31 July 2015:
- 60023831 Edexcel BTEC Level 2 Diploma in WorkSkills (QCF)
- 60023806 Edexcel BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate in WorkSkills (QCF)
- 60023818 Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Certificate in WorkSkills (QCF).
Functional Skills update
Yesterday Ofqual published details of their plans to improve Functional Skills qualifications. We have been working with Ofqual, and welcome the opportunity to ensure that Functional Skills continue to provide a valuable demonstration of a learner’s skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT.
Business skills resources
In February 2015, we'll be holding three customer webinars to give you the opportunity to learn more about our brand new, free BTEC Apprenticeship customisable resources for level 2 and level 3 business Skills.
| Title | Date | Location | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The New Business Skills Resources |
10 February 2015 |
Online | 14.00 to 15.30 |
Book here |
| The New Business Skills Resources |
11 February 2015 | Online |
10.00 to 11.30 |
Book here |
| The New Business Skills Resources |
11 February 2015 | Online |
14.00 to 15.30 |
Book here |
Funding
Work experience and study programmes useful links
The Skills Funding Agency has completed its review of employability and study skills qualifications at level 2 approved for adult funding. All three Pearson qualifications included in the review have been extended to 31 July 2015.
External work experience is not compulsory for all learners but the Department for Education (DfE) advises that providers should ensure that, wherever possible, all young people who would benefit from it spend time in an external workplace. Ofsted advise it should be an important part of vocational programmes and consider it good practice if all on the academic route have opportunities to develop employability skills in the workplace. Ofsted’s review of 16-19 study programmes, published in September 2014, was critical of work experience opportunities made available for study programme learners in the early implementation of study programmes.
Useful links
- DfE, October 2013 - Advice - Post-16 work experience as part of 16-19 study programmes
- DfE, and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, May 2014 –Traineeships - Framework for delivery 2014 to 2015
- EFA, May 2014 - Delivery and recording of work experience
- Ofsted, September 2014 – Transforming 16 to 19 education and training: the early inspection of 16-19 study programmes
- AoC – Study Programme Central.
Jamie Oliver Home Cooking Skills
The Jamie Oliver Home Cooking Skills competition will be launched on 11 February!
Calendar
17 July 2015
NQF ESOL final assessment date
31 August 2015
NQF ESOL final certification date
Melanie