1. The future of education
23 Feb 2018
The future of education
Tribal conference
11 June 2018
3 July 2017
Nick Linford
Apprenticeship funding & systems

2. Future of education T-levels (first teaching from September 2020)
DfE being kept busy with reforms
T-levels (first teaching from September 2020)
Adult Education Budget devolution (first to Mayoral Combined Authorities from August 2019)
Post-18 education and funding review (review to “conclude in early 2019”)
Apprenticeship levy and standards (first starts on standards in Nov 2014 and levy funding from May 2017)

3. Apprenticeship reform proving successful?
Monthly starts since August (provisional):
Month/year
2016
2017
Fall since 2016
August
36,500
21,400
-15,100
-41%
September
74,400
58,600
-15,800
-21%
October
44,800
34,300
-10,500
-23%
November
41,600
27,000
-14,600
-35%
December
21,600
16,700
-4,900
January
36,700
25,400
-11,300
-31%
February
36,400
21,800
-40%
Total starts
292,000
205,200
-86,800
-30%
Current figures in 2017/18 show an average of 30% fall in starts

4. But 6 reasons to be optimistic1.
280 standards available for delivery but another 283 in development, each with 10+ employers planning starts 2.
Majority of frameworks likely to stay available until 2020 3.
Many employers (especially in public sector with annual 2.3% of staff target) simply taking time to sort complex contracting and tendering 4.
‘Main’ and ‘employer’ providers more than tripled since reforms began and nearly all universities on Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers 5.
Employer levy funds from May 2017 won’t be lost until May 2019 if unused, so no immediate pressure. Expect rise in demand as May 2019 approaches 6.
And let’s not forget the levy brings extra £1bn per year for apprenticeships