The Women's Leadership Network aims to develop a strong, dynamic and influential network of women leaders, to promote equality of opportunity throughout the FE system.

WLN editorial

To quote Steve Besley, Head of Policy at Pearson, "Schools and HE have
tom-toms; in FE it's more a case of orienteering." Steve was speaking at our recent Emerging Leaders seminar to enable aspiring leaders to get a 'polaroid' of current policy machinations and how to influence what is going on in the sector.

He identified for us that current FE policy is focussed around five areas:

• Organisational change.
• Provision in key areas.
• Quality and performance.
• Funding.
• System change.

How can we, at the Women's Leadership Network, support you to influence in any of these areas?

Organisational Change – our policy makers are promoting a "rainbow of provision". A new framework is promised with an emphasis on economic responsiveness, fee contributions and defined outcomes. We can expect 'learning' partnerships to be encouraged, a greater variety of skill providers to emerge and more joint /trading ventures with corporate bodies. It's likely that this approach will offer college leaders some more freedom to manoeuvre and to respond with local solutions to their markets.

Provision – it should be no surprise that there will be new criteria for 16 to 19 provision and the government prioritising responsiveness to job seekers.

Quality and performance management will continue to be emphasised but through greater institutional responsibility, combined with an increased use of data, suggests Steve.

Funding: further consultations are likely on introducing fee loan systems – more information from Investing in Skills and SFA guidance notes. The focus on apprenticeship provision, essential skills and L2 continues.

System change - here learner responsiveness is pivotal, although new forms of accountability are emerging. Watch this space! Subscribe to Pearson's Policy Watch that Steve writes on a regular basis to keep us up to speed on policy shifts and changes.

What we learned from Steve is that November and April are the times of year when significant changes are usually announced. At the AoC conference in November, we will be hearing more about how changes will impact our sector. In the meantime, some collective measures of influence such as collaborative responsiveness to consultations and putting submissions to committees are key ways of getting the FE voice heard. Individual colleges can maintain an on-going dialogue with their local MP.

Less formally and still effective are social media sites and dedicated networks to voice opinion. Stay in constant touch with your local media, too.

Challenging Questions for your institution:

How can your college be creative in introducing more learner incentives (now that EMAs have gone)?

How well do you know your local (national) labour market to track learner outcomes longer term?

Are your systems able to identify and respond to market trends and 'flex' to different forms of demand?

How can technology be used to 'liberate' not restrain teaching whilst improving learning and saving costs?

Remember, as Steve says, "ultimately the learner relationship is the most critical" element of all our work, business and future.

Thanks to Steve Besley for a most enlightening and pertinent presentation on 11th October 2011.

Let us hear your views. We are setting up a forum on this website and adding WLN to LinkedIn, but in the meantime, send us an e-mail to sallyhooton@wlnfe.org.uk

Sally Dicketts
Chair, Women’s Leadership Network  

Sally Dicketts Chair, Women’s Leadership Network

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