Bradford and District Learning Partnership
Skills for Life Newsletter
May 2009
Welcome to the May 2009 edition of the curriculum at Bradford and District Learning Partnership‟s www.excellencegateway.org.uk/sflcurriculum.
Skills for Life newsletter. Further information on the latest news, events, resources and jobs Updated Skills for Life Strategy published can be found on the Skills for Life Network Skills for Life: Changing Lives
website. Register at: “This publication updates the Government‟s www.skillsforlifenetwork.com. successful Skills for Life strategy launched in
2001, which has helped transform the lives and Skills for Life Action Group Meeting the employability of nearly 3 million learners.” To
Postponed access the full strategy document, visit the ndNB The meeting planned for Friday 22 May, DIUS website. Further details on page 2 below. 9.30 to 11.30a.m. has been postponed. Further thdetails from: j.kendall@bradfordcollege.ac.uk May Adult Learners’ Week activities 9-15
Order the Event in a Box which provides a Keighley ESOL Providers Network complete kit of materials to support Adult th This group will meet next on Wednesday 6Learners‟ Week events and activities. Contents May
include Adult Learners‟ Week banner, posters, 1.30-3.00 pm at Keighley Campus, Leeds City
scratchcards, and balloons as well as Quick College. Further details from:
Reads Books and much more! All for just ?45! j.kendall@bradfordcollege.ac.uk
New for 2009: The Cultural Diversity mini-box,
for an extra ?5 will help you celebrate Cultural ESOL Providers Group Meeting
Diversity Weekend, as an opening to Adult Date of the next meeting of the Bradford and
Learners' Week. Click here to download an order District ESOL Providers group: Friday 12th June,
form. Download free ALW posters and access 2.00 - 3.45pm. Venue: Direct Training Ltd.,
event ideas at www.alw.org.uk/forum. Merchant‟s House, Little Germany, Bradford.
Details from: j.kendall@bradfordcollege.ac.uk
Developing and Implementing the Foundation
Learning Tier – LSC Briefing Issue 11 Update Newsletter LSIS
The Foundation Learning Tier is the name given Skills for Life Improvement Programme
to the reform of education provision at Entry newsletter issue 11. Download at
and Level 1. It also describes the qualifications http://www.sflip.org.uk/PDF/NL%2011%20Whol
at these levels within the Qualifications and e%20document.pdf
Credit Framework (QCF). Progression Pathways
have been developed as part of this reform to LSIS launches innovative Skills for Life Core
improve participation, achievement and Curriculum
progression for learners. There are three post-Developed by LSIS, the Learning and Skills
16 Progression Pathways leading to: a first Full Improvement Service and available exclusively
Level 2 within the QCF; skilled work or an via the Excellence Gateway, the revised adult
Apprenticeship; supported employment or core curriculum is now online. Registration for
independent living. To access the briefing note, Excellence Gateway is free. Further details are
click here. Visit the Foundation Learning Tier given on page 2. Download the new adult core
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Support Programme website on the QIA mean helping local people breathe new life into Excellence Gateway at: empty shop premises by setting up artists' http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/page.aspx?studios or theatre workshop spaces, or issuing o=191570 learning vouchers to people who are unemployed;
* Working across Government departments and Updated Skills for Life Strategy published local authorities to get all kinds of new spaces Skills for Life: Changing Lives opened up for self-organised learning activities. The new strategy document sets out: These shared spaces will include libraries, * A new drive to ensure Skills for Life training museums, arts galleries, faith spaces and local will help people develop the skills they need to UK Online centres, as well as schools and find and progress in work colleges. Learners say not finding a low-cost, * What is being done to increase the accessible place to learn can be a significant opportunities for people to do Skills for Life barrier to learning; learning embedded in wider vocational training * Making it easier to find a space by setting up a programmes so that, for example, people competition to design a new web directory of learning carpentry learn numeracy at the same learning spaces and places that are available at time free or low cost, working with umbrella * Support for colleges and providers to make organisations like NAVCA (National Association Skills for Life learning more flexible so it meets of Voluntary and Community Action)”.
the needs of individual learners and fits in with Locally, informal learning is coordinated through their busy lives the PCDL (Personal and Community Development * What the 'Get On' campaign to boost demand Learning) partnership by the Learning for Skills for Life training is doing to tackle the Partnership. culture which says "it's OK to be bad at maths" To read the full press release, visit the DIUS
* How jobseekers will have the opportunity and website. See www.dius.gov.uk/learningrevolution
support they need to improve their literacy, to read the full document. language and numeracy skills while they're looking for jobs LSIS launches innovative Skills for Life core * How delivery of Skills for Life at work will be curriculum expanded through the Train to Gain service. The revised adult core curriculum is now online. The updated strategy will be backed up with It includes improvements to the existing adult Government funding of more than ?1bn over the literacy, ESOL (English for speakers of other coming year.” languages) and numeracy curricula as well as an To access the full strategy document, visit the interactive service for teachers of the adult pre-DIUS website. entry curriculum. The enhancements include:
* the opportunity for teachers and trainers to Learning Revolution White Paper launched build their own personal core curriculum “The White Paper outlines what the whole of portfolios, helping to develop individual learning Government can do to support learning for programmes and schemes of work; pleasure, including funding innovative new ideas * new material offering examples of Skills for and projects, helping to broker access to Life incorporated into other learning areas; learning, especially for disadvantaged groups and simple language, an improved glossary of older people, and building a culture of learning definitions, overviews and tips on teaching the across society. curriculum in context; Key elements include: * links to Access for All, providing easily * A ?20m transformation fund which will accessible support for learners with learning support the development of new adult learning difficulties and/or disabilities. partnerships and innovative ideas. This could
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The developments are the result of an extensive to be prescriptive, but can be 'picked and mixed' review of the core curriculum over the past two to meet the needs of different readers and years, based on consultation with providers, reading groups. See the Vital Link website.
practitioners and stakeholders. The review showed strong support for the existing core CALL Bulletin 10 curriculum but identified a need to update the See the CALL (Call for Lifelong Learning) material and make it more widely accessible. website: www.callcampaign.org.uk The new and improved curriculum site represents Move On to World Class Skills programme a significant step by LSIS to enhance the quality Seven new Hot Topics are on the Move On of teaching and learning and to increase success Learner Route: Literacy Level 1:Text purposes rates by incorporating Skills for Life into all Find information, Finding the main point. teaching areas. The importance of getting the Literacy Level 2: Complex sentences. Numeracy basics right in post-16 learning was reinforced Level 1: Percentages, Ratio and proportion. this week in the Skills for Life: Changing Lives Numeracy Level 2: Perimeter, area and volume. strategy released by the Department for Check out the new range of downloadable Innovation, Universities and Skills, which resources in Other Resources – accessed via the
reaffirmed a commitment to ensure 95 per cent Extra Resources link. Visit the newly updated of adults of working age possess functional Get On At Work (GOAW) section of the website. levels of literacy and numeracy by 2020. The It has been re-designed to support providers and strategy reiterated the need for colleges and brokers with developing Employer Responsive training providers to have access to the support provision and employers with the implementation they need. The revision of the core curriculum is of a Skills for Life strategy from employer an important step towards ensuring that the engagement through to learner achievement. The sector meets this target. resources have been categorised in 3 sections: Roger McClure, LSIS chief executive says: Getting started, Promotion and engagement, "…As well as providing new content, the online Training and delivery. Access the GOAW section curriculum offers improved accessibility and via the home page www.move-on.org.uk
links to other supporting material. What's more, „Making the most of Move On numeracy it provides practical examples of Skills for Life resources in Train to Gain‟ is a new resource.
being incorporated into other learning areas, There are four new Maths Takeaways that can which opens up the Skills for Life curriculum to help sell the case for SfL: Credit crunch (target all further education professionals." audience – employees), Economy special (target Registration for Excellence Gateway is free. The audience -employers), Cleaning services (target Excellence Gateway incorporates some 50 audience – employers), Construction (target education websites and a resource bank audience – employers). Access them via the comprising more than 75,000 pages, and 12,000 GOAW section under the Promotion and separate pieces of content. To download at: Engagement category. www.excellencegateway.org.uk/sflcurriculum. The iRoute is a one-stop online resource to
support the promotion of English and maths Learning Resources to support the Quick training opportunities. Through a series of Reads The Quick Reads initiative aims to engage interactive activities, the iRoute gives users the new or lapsed adult readers. More than a million chance to consider ways of getting people books have now been sold and more than a million interested in taking up the offer of gaining a books borrowed through libraries. „Quick Reads: national qualification in English or maths and The Vital Link Guide 2009‟ is a series of ideas progressing onto other training or courses. The that can be used by practitioners both to engage resource is modular with information on Skills adults in reading and to support the development for Life, qualifications and approaches to of reading and writing skills. They are not meant engaging those who would benefit from improving
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skills. The iRoute has a useful print-out facility myguide provides a step-by-step tool for people so that users have a record of the quizzes, to use the internet on their own terms and to activities and action plans to support their work access online services and opportunities. in the positive promotion of English and maths To access myguide, click here. To find out more
training. Access the iRoute via the homepage of about the project, visit the DCSF website.”
the Move On web site at www.move-on.org.uk.
NRDC News March 2009 NATECLA National Conference Lifelong Learning UK Consultation Events “Facing the future – responding to changes in
'Parents Matter' International Conference ESOL” to be held at Trinity and All Saints thResearch and Practice in Adult Literacy (RaPAL) July 2009. Campus, Horsforth, Leeds on 10-12Conference 2009: Sustainable Literacies http://www.natecla.org.uk/content/502/nationalAchievement Rates Amongst Ethnic Minority _conference_2009_facin/
Pupils; European Terminologies Study; There are substantial discounts for bookings Effects of Apprenticeships in the UK Labour received before 8th May. Market. To view the full e-newsletter, please visit: www.nrdc.org.uk/enews38 FE Magazine for post-16 mathematics and
numeracy educators Moving up a Level: Progression from Entry 3 A new magazine, available online, produced by the to Level 1 in Functional SkillsNational Centre for Excellence in Teaching
Mathematics (NCETM). See the NCETM website. Wednesday 20 May; 13:00 - 16:00pm. Venue:
Bradford Chamber Business Park, BD4 8BX. This
Barclays Money Skills training is offered by the CLE, in conjunction
This is a new financial literacy programme with the Functional Skills Support Programme.
developed by West Yorkshire Trading Standards Register for this event on online or telephone
Service and with Barclays. Its objective is to 01274 726893 www.clenetwork.org.uk
empower young people aged 18-24 with the
knowledge to make better financial choices, and Freedom to teach, freedom to learn
to provide training to community groups to The NIACE and UCU Annual Conference is being
extend the project. For further details email: held at the Institute of Education, London on
moneyskills@wyts.org.uk Monday 11th May. The conference will explore
the themes raised in the most recent reflect
New Guide: Passing the Life in the UK Test magazine, which shares the conference title:
Co-published by NIACE and Learning Matters. www.nrdc.org.uk/reflect
Cost ?9.99. Includes study information, practice Details and booking forms can be found at:
questions and tests. See: http://www.niace.org.uk/campaigns-
www.learningmatters.co.uk events/events/freedom-to-teach-freedom-to-
learn
Learning Partnership Contact Details
www.bradfordlearningpartnership.org.uk myguide: ICT skills tool for providers Manager: Cynthia Richardson, tel: 01274 433025, Email: “The DCSF funded myguide is free, ready-made c.richardson@bradfordcollege.ac.uk and can help you and your learners by providing a Administrator: Christine Longbottom, tel: 01274 simple introduction to computer and internet 433016, c.longbottom@bradfordcollege.ac.uk skills. The myguide project brings together a Skills for Life Co-ordinator: Julia Kendall, tel: 01274 unique partnership of government, industry and 433016, mobile: 07901 687158
Email: j.kendall@bradfordcollege.ac.uk third sector expertise to tackle the key barriers
of accessibility, usability, motivation, skills and
confidence. Exhaustively researched and tested,
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DIARY DATES thKeighley ESOL Network: Wednesday 6 May 1.30 - 3.00pm ndSkills for Life meeting: Friday 22 May 9.30 -11.30am. POSTPONED. Bradford and District ESOL Providers Group: Friday 12th June 2 - 3.30pm.
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