More than £110m of Welsh Assembly Government funding has been set aside to transform the opportunities and prospects for young people, local residents and businesses in the Heads of the Valleys region. There will be public consultation about the nature of the proposed changes over the coming months. The funding is set aside to go toward three major projects – UHOVI, a partnership between the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport, the Merthyr Tydfil Learning Quarter and the Blaenau Gwent Learning Works.
‘I am today publishing a revision to the Terms of Reference for the second stage of the Review of Careers Services in Wales. The original Terms of Reference asked the Review Group to consider a reduction in the number of Careers Wales companies. I have decided to revise this to ask the Review Group to work on the basis that a unitary structure will be established for Careers Wales.’
This circular sets out secondary initial teacher training intake targets for 2010/11 for the three Centres of Teacher Education and the Open University in Wales. It also includes a report on undergraduate secondary initial teacher training commissioned by HEFCW.
Baden Powell Primary School in Tremorfa has become the 1000th school to participate in the Welsh Assembly Government’s Free Breakfast initiative. First Minister Carwyn Jones and Education Minister Leighton Andrews joined pupils at the school’s breakfast club to see how they are benefitting from the scheme and enjoying a healthy start to the day.
The Committee will continue to receive evidence with inputs from Colleges Wales, Beechwood College, Community Support for Autism in Wales and Janet Ryder AM.
The next meeting of the Quality & Effectiveness Network will be held on 23 March 2010. The event will be by means of a 5-way video conference. During the event we will have presentations on: Estyn post-16 Annual Report findings, an update on the Quality & Effectiveness Framework and a case study into ensuring that effective approaches to self-evaluation and improvement are in place across all sectors.
Three of the organisations that ensure and oversee aspects of quality in Wales’ universities have signed an agreement that commits them to closer working together. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed today in Cardiff by Anthony McClaran, Chief Executive of Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), Professor Philip Gummett, Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and Dr Bill Maxwell, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector for Education and Training in Wales.
Strong competition between further education colleges is expected this year as the categories for the ColegauCymru / CollegesWales Awards 2010 are opened to applications. The annual awards aim to identify and celebrate excellence in the further education (FE) sector.
Headline figures from UCAS show another record year for applicants to higher education - the fourth year running that full-time undergraduate applications have seen an increase. As of 22 January 2010 there were 570,556 applicants, a rise of 106,389 or 22.9% over 2009. The UK saw an increase in applicants of 22.1%, while overseas applicants rose from 55,245 to 71,105 (up 28.7%). Ireland (50.4%), China (22.4%), Germany (23.7%) and Lithuania (102.3%) showed the most significant percentage increases.
Raising the skill levels of the UK economy depends to some extent on individuals being prepared to invest in their own skill development, as well as expressing to employers and others their demand for formal and informal training. The chances of an individual actively seeking to increase their skills level depends, research suggests, on a number of ‘intrinsic’ and ‘extrinsic’ factors.
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills is holding a launch event for the 2010 Review on Tuesday 16 February 2010, at the Hilton Paddington hotel. The Review, which will assess progress towards integrating the employment and skills systems in England, Scotland and Wales will commence in March 2010.
This issue celebrates success, vocational training and apprenticeships. Young people, part of the Edge Learner Forum speak out on education matters. And talisman looks at the close links with employers at the College of North West London.
