The reports below have contributed to our thinking:
New Challenges, New Chances
This report helped form the basis of the BIS' Further Education and skills system reform plan: building a world class skills system report. It sets out the activities that the government will financially support in order to reform the FE and skills system for adults in England.
Headline findings: Read more >> about New Challenges, New Chances
Wolf Report - Review of Vocational Education
Written by the highly respected Alison Wolf this report, which received support from across the political spectrum, contains 27 recommendations that would transform vocational education. Its executive summary concludes, "vocational education already offers great benefits to many of our young people, and makes enormous contributions to the economy and to their lives. The recommendations of this Review are designed to extend these benefits, and offer better education and training, better prospects, and continued opportunities for progression to all English young people." Read more >> about Wolf Report - Review of Vocational Education
Ufi report - Scaling up: Achieving a breakthrough in adult learning with technology
The first report commissioned by Ufi Charitable Trust investigates opportunities for and barriers to the application of digital technology to adult learning.
Scaling Up: achieving a breakthrough in adult learning with technology was compiled following research including 142 phone and online questionnaires and 36 in-depth interviews with researchers, business people, learning professionals and civil servants. Read more >> about Ufi report - Scaling up: Achieving a breakthrough in adult learning with technology
2012 Adult Participation in Learning Survey
Latest report on adult participation in learning shows 38% of adults have taken part in learning in the past three years, but 36% have done no learning since leaving full time education. Opportunities to learn are not distributed evenly across society and socio-economic class remains a key predictor of participation in learning. Read more >> about 2012 Adult Participation in Learning Survey
The Richard Review of Apprenticeships
In his independent report Doug Richard calls on the government to improve the quality of apprenticeships and make them more focused on the needs of employers.
His recommendations include: Read more >> about The Richard Review of Apprenticeships
Traineeships: a discussion paper
This discussion paper, jointly authored by Dept of Education and BIS, looks at how young people can be supported to develop the skills for apprenticeships and other sustained jobs. Following the Wolf Report and the Richards Review of Apprenticeships, the report proposes creating Traineeships for young people 16-24 to help equip them with the work related skills skills and attitudes which they need to secure and sustain employment. Read more >> about Traineeships: a discussion paper
The Impact of Further Education Learning
This detailed report looks at both the financial and non financial benefits of further education and training. It finds that while financial outcomes improve - job prospects, earnings, higher skills levels - the non financial benefits are significant and greater than the more quantifiable financial outcomes. Read more >> about The Impact of Further Education Learning
Community Learning Learner Survey Report
How well are the Community Learning Trust pilots working? This report sets out the findings for the first year of research with the first cohort of learners who completed community learning courses between July 2011 and February 2012. Findings include what motivated the learners, what were the barriers to learning and what were the impacts. Read more >> about Community Learning Learner Survey Report
It's about work
'The quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers' . This report emphasises the responsibility that providers and employers share for delivering high quality vocational education and training that focuses on work. What is clear is that the best vocational teaching and learning demands ‘dual professionals’ – teachers and trainers with occupational expertise and experience, who can combine this with excellent teaching and learning practice. Read more >> about It's about work
Rigour and Responsiveness in Skills
Issued jointly by DfE and BIS, this report acts as a summary of the Government's strategy for vocational training, and also as a snapshot of progress so far. The main issues are summarised as: Read more >> about Rigour and Responsiveness in Skills