Purpose

To provide an updated consultation paper to all schools.

To provide an update on work to consider appropriate means to facilitate 14-19 collaborative working from April 2009.

This paper follows from the 'Review of 14-19 Collaborative Funding' and is informed by the 'Next Steps' project, now in its final stages.

Factors to Consider

In order for the Norfolk 14-19 infrastructure to continue to develop, it is necessary to provide 'management capacity' both for local partnerships of schools as well as for strategic support and direction of these local partnerships.

Some funding from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has been used to support partnership working between schools, Colleges and Work Based Learning (WBL) providers but this will end in March 2009.

As local partnerships are successful as Diploma Consortia through the Diploma Gateways, start-up and recurrent funding is likely to be provided (at least in the early years) and this can be used to provide 'management capacity' for Diploma activity.

'Next Steps' Project and the renewed 14-19 Education Plan

A recommendation from the 'Next Steps' project is that 'management capacity' is provided for the Area Learning Boards in order that activity across each Area can be accelerated.

This recommendation has prompted further reflection on the role of the Area Learning Board, especially in relation to local partnerships or consortia. Consideration is being given to possible ways of streamlining ALBs in order that local partnerships are effective in their own work and in the ways in which, together, they provide the 14-19 entitlement for all Norfolk learners.

In any case, it will be important to develop 'management capacity' so that both

a robust Norfolk infrastructure and

local partnerships between schools, Colleges and WBL providers

continue to develop.

Funding for 14-19 Collaborative Cluster Working, April 2009 onwards

From 2010, with the transfer of responsibility for 16-19 education and training from the LSC to Local Authorities, a new funding landscape will be revealed.

In the meantime, it will be important to harness Norfolk's existing funding for 14-19 collaborative working to provide 'management capacity' as described here. The precise structure for this 'management capacity' will be determined during November and December by the 14-19 Strategy Group, with advice from the 14-19 Finance Task and Finish Group and the Area Learning Boards.

As already established, the current funds will be directed accordingly and not on the basis used until 2008/9.