The aim of the newsletter* is to provide up to date information on post 14 education and training developments in Wales and England.
The Dysg newsletter will be sent out every 2 weeks over the summer holidays.
Os hoffech chi ddarllen y cylchlythyr yn y Gymraeg, cliciwch yma**
Overall, qualification levels in Wales increased in 2008, continuing the general increase seen in recent years. There was a 2 percentage point increase for the proportions of adults with level 2 or above and for level 3 or above and 1 percentage point increase for level 4 or above. An estimated 14 per cent of working age adults in Wales reported having no qualifications, 1 percentage point lower than in 2007.
For 16 to 18 year olds: 74 per cent were engaged in some kind of education or training (75 per cent in 2006); 45 per cent were in full or part-time employment (46 per cent in 2006); and 12 per cent were NEET (10 per cent in 2006). For 19 to 24 year olds: 38 per cent were engaged in some kind of education or training (39 per cent in 2006); 67 per cent were in full or part-time employment (65 per cent in 2006); and 17 per cent were NEET (18 per cent in 2006).
Two new leaflets aimed at supporting young people and parents affected by the global downturn have been launched by Education Minister Jane Hutt. The “Supporting Young People and Parents through the Recession” campaign will provide useful information on all learning and skill opportunities that are available to young people aged between 16 and 18 across Wales.
Teaching staff in Wales are not equipped with the skills to support 16-19 year old learners from ethnic minority backgrounds who need help with English language, says Estyn in a report published this week. Press release
The School Admissions Code and the School Admission Appeals Code both contain practical guidance. They impose requirements in respect of the discharge by local education authorities, governing bodies of maintained schools, admission appeals panels and admission forums of their school admissions and school admission appeals functions under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.
The first Annual Report ‘A Wales that Works’ focuses mainly on the boards view of where Wales is as a nation and on a small number of recommendations to Government reflecting on what the board see as the core - the irreducible minimum requirements - of a way forward.
This document sets out the findings of the Investigation into the Burden for Centres caused by Awarding Body Monitoring, which was commissioned by the qualifications regulators. The qualifications’ regulators commissioned PKF in November 2007 to conduct further research in large FE centres with multiple awarding body relationships.
This report was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government solely in connection with the financial appraisal of the proposed Healthy Eating in Schools (Wales) Measure 2008 as introduced by Jenny Randerson AM on 14th March 2008.
A Wales Union Learning Fund project called ‘Step Up to Learning’, run by Unite and funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, has been congratulated on its success by Deputy Minister for Skills John Griffiths. UNITE were successful during the 2008 round of the Wales Union Learning Fund in securing £126,400 to support this project which aims to involve more than 50 employers from across 9 different sectors in Wales.
Every year the Auditor General undertakes a number of special reviews to promote improvement. One of these reviews is about the education of looked after children. The Wales Audit office is investigating whether support for looked after children to improve their education is improving and will publish a report that will be considered by the National Assembly and local councils.
In his first major speech on higher education since taking responsibility for it under the BIS's remit, Peter Mandelson has outlined his views on the essential issues facing universities.
Four Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) have been relicensed, Business, Innovation and Skills Secretary Lord Mandelson announced, on behalf of the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations. Sector Skills Councils are employer-led bodies, established to enable employers to exert influence on the UK’s education and skills systems to ensure they meet their needs.
Talisman is Ofsted’s newspaper for the post-16 sector. This issue of talisman features a special pull out on the new inspection framework and arrangements from September 2009, a profile of Lewisham College and a feature on self-assessment.
Schools and Inspection is a bi-monthly publication which replaced Inspection Matters in November 2008. It provides inspectors and those with a vested interest with information and further guidance about processes and methodology so that fieldwork and reporting skills and techniques may be informed by the sort of issues that interest inspectors.
**Os dymunwch dderbyn y cylchlythyr wythnosol yn y Gymraeg, anfonwch e-bost at rhys.davies4@wales.gsi.gov.uk
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