1. The general principles of the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Bill and whether there is a need for legislation to deliver the Bill’s stated policy objectives;
I. NTfW is a membership organisation of over 100 organisations involved in the delivery of learning in the workplace. It is a Wales wide representative body for all those organisations or individuals involved in the training industry.
II. Members range from small specialist training providers to national and international organisations, as well as Local Authorities, Further Education Institutions and Charities
III. NTfW welcomes the opportunity to comment on the impending ALN and Education Tribunal (Wales) Bill and considers that the underlining principle of collaborative working provides an opportunity for the Work Based Learning (WBL) sector to foster stronger links with Local Authorities and to contribute strategically to the learner’s IDP.
IV. NTfW agree that this change is needed and that 0-25 will be a positive step forwards. We think that this provision should also be accessible to Apprenticeship learners and that the types of support available should be diverse to meet the needs of all FE Training options to include Work-Based learning.
V. NTfW feels that work based learning merits inclusion in the Bill to reflect provision for those learners who opt for an alternative route to their career development in the post 16 compulsory education system.
VI. In principle ensuring IDP’s for all learners is good practice. However from a WBL perspective the Bill needs to clearly reference how and when transitional support for learners in the work place can be accessed.
VII. The WBL provider network welcomes the opportunity for stronger relationships with Local Authorities and feels that currently there is very little involvement with learners who are post 16 within Work-Based Training. Clarifications therefore are needed in the Bill around
- the capacity for transitional support
- clear lines of responsibility for the local authority and the work based learning provider.
- Managing consistency with pointed guidance on what happens if the learner changes providers and who tracks their progress?
2. Any potential barriers to the implementation of the key provisions and whether the Bill takes account of them;
I. The WBL sector have considerable experience of supporting learners with ALN and we have many examples of the variety of support give to our learners on the Traineeship programme.
II. Currently WBL providers can apply for Additional Learning Support (mainly resulting in 1-1 support) for learners who are deemed by Careers Wales to need it. However the process is not particularly straightforward and neither is the funding mechanism.
III. Outside this however the Engagement programme in particular focuses on breaking down barriers to learning and to that end is very much concerned with the additional learning needs of the individuals.
IV. How else can WBL meet our commitment to Learner Wellbeing. The reality is that learners with the most complex barriers are not those who go to college – they very often end up in work based learning.
V. A ‘successful’ Work Based Learner could end up in training for 3-5 years (or more) if following through from traineeship to an apprenticeship programme and working through the different levels available. The proposed system therefore needs to include such a learner.
3. Whether there are any unintended consequences arising from the Bill;
I. Where is the transitional support for Work Based Learners? There needs to be clearer guidance on how and where learners who opt to continue their learning in the work place may access support if and when needed.
II. How will these learners be tracked? The process needs to be easy enough that these learners can move around education and the support continues with them, not having to stop and start again each time they move provider/educational establishment. It would be great to see ALS staff come with the learners!
III. Extending this to 25 is great although we promote life-long learning opportunities. Should this not be available to all Post 16 learners regardless of age?
4. The financial implications of the Bill (as set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum, and the appropriateness of the powers in the Bill for Welsh Ministers to make subordinate legislation (as set out in Chapter 5 of Part 1 of the Explanatory Memorandum
I. ALN is not properly funded under the WBL contract and the process to access a funding for learners with additional needs are not clear and can be quite complex.
II. In relation to apprenticeship for example it might be appropriate to have access to funding for specialist equipment and/or software to support learners with Dyslexia.
This response has been compiled by the National Training Federation for Wales on behalf of the Work Based Learning Provider Network.