1. The Post-16 Perfect Storm
How do we navigate the perfect storm, keep the ship steady avoiding the rocks and steer into calmer waters successfully?
May 2015

2. We have been here before!
GNVQ
Schedule 2
ESW
FEFCW ELWA
DfES
CQFW
CIF
changes
Transformation

3. New Skills – New Qualifications
New GCSEs – English, Welsh and Mathematics
Employability Qualification
7 Skills
Communication
Application of Number
Digital Literacy
Employability Skills - Critical Thinking & Problem Solving, Planning & Organisation, Creativity & Innovation and Personal Effectiveness
Welsh Baccalaureate
Skills Challenge Certificate
Essential Skills – Application of Number, Communications and Digital Literacy

4. What are we trying to achieve?
Clarity about the transition to -
WEST
GCSEs, Essential Skills, Essential Employability Skills and Welsh Baccalaureate
Successful implementation of these within the context of -
Less money, loss of (often experienced) staff, resources and - perhaps - flexibility

5. The potential impact for FE
During the period from what will be the impact on -
Teaching and support staff
Learners at all levels
What are the risks in this for –
Colleges, staff, learners and performance
Are there any high risk areas – perhaps the Post-16 Intermediate WB?

6. Potential strategies to minimise risk
Fostering an institutional approach, by developing a variety of suitable curriculum plans and delivery models
Developing innovative approaches to teaching and learning: supporting all staff in contributing and sharing skills, to ensure their confidence, understanding and motivation to make it work
Ensuring that the above translate into learner motivation and commitment to engage and achieve

7. Potential strategies to minimise risk
Behind the scenes – co-ordination, timetabling, recording, assessment (formative, summative and controlled), technology (and e-learning) and quality assurance
Focus on attainment, progression and performance
Planning and monitoring progression internally into, and through, the WB levels and externally to HE, apprenticeships or employment

8. Factors to be considered
How will you use your leadership skills to make this transition happen successfully and minimise risk?
How do you motivate staff to meet the challenges successfully?
How do you put in place the managerial detail in your plans to navigate the risks?
How do you best utilise the available external support and CPD?

9. Three big questions for you?
What are the three highest risks to FE?
What strategies will you adopt to minimise or avoid them?
What role does CPD have in making this successful and how will you access and deliver this?
Should this be the start of the work in small groups? They could do this as a warm-up to the task based on sharing any existing plans? Make it time-constrained with an expectation of oral feedback from each group? We can then steer them towards the fact that a) they either already have a plan, or b) this is an opportunity, through sharing details/approaches, to begin or amend one?

10. Activity
Please share your proposed models or ideas on how to deliver the new WB next year
Discuss key features you have included to minimise identified risks
Summarise any issues raised or shared solutions, to feed back in plenary

11. Any questions?
Thank you