Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the adult skills budget was spent on (a) level 2, (b) level 3, (c) level 4 and (d) level 5 qualifications in each of the last five years for which information is available.
Answered by Anne Milton
The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Below is the proportion of the adult education budget (excluding apprenticeships) spent on level 2 aims (excluding maths, English, English for speakers of other languages - ESOL - and traineeships) in each of the last 3 years:
Below is the proportion of the adult education budget (excluding apprenticeships) spent on level 3 aims (excluding maths, English, ESOL and traineeships) in each of the last 3 years:
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the adult skills budget is spent on short course programmes.
Answered by Anne Milton
In 2017-18, 19% of the adult education budget was spent on entry and level 1 learning aims (excluding maths, English, ESOL – English for speakers of other languages - and traineeships). In addition, 18% of the adult education budget was spent on community learning. These low-level aims and community learning aims tend to be of shorter duration.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information his Department holds on the number of (a) employers and (b) organisations that offer retraining programmes that are funded by the adult skills budget.
Answered by Anne Milton
In 2017-18, there were 650 providers that delivered level 2 learning aims and qualifications through the adult education budget (excluding apprenticeships). The majority of the level 2 qualifications delivered are to learners who already have a level 2 or equivalent qualification.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to prepare young people to participate in the knowledge economy.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
We agree that the Knowledge Economy is important, and we are making key reforms across education which will give young people the opportunities to gain the education, skills and knowledge they will need in the Knowledge Economy.
In 2016 the government published a white paper, ‘Success as a Knowledge Economy’, which set out our proposals to help support the UK succeed as a knowledge economy. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-success-as-a-knowledge-economy-white-paper.
Following this white paper, we introduced the Teaching Excellence Framework, which aims to assess, recognise and reward high quality teaching in higher education. Its purpose is to drive up the standard of teaching, give students clear information about where teaching quality is best and information about where students have achieved the best outcomes.
Through the Higher Education Research Act (2017), the Office for Students, a new regulator for the higher education sector was established. Its focus is to ensure that any student with the ability to benefit from higher education is supported in doing so, and that they have a positive experience and receive worthwhile outcomes.
Building on the apprenticeship programme, which provides employment and high quality training in a range of professions, we have also established degree apprenticeships. They sit alongside the higher education academic offer and provide another route for people to gain the knowledge and skills that they need.
We are also making key reforms to technical education by introducing T levels which will provide high quality, technical qualifications to rival traditional academic options. We are addressing technical needs at level 4 and 5, looking at how classroom-based education - particularly technical education - meets the needs of learners and employers. In addition, we have announced our intention to establish a system of employer-led national standards for higher technical education.
In schools we have overhauled a curriculum that was denying pupils the core academic knowledge, reformed the examination system, are actively encouraging take-up of science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, improving the quality of the schools teaching profession and raising standards.
These polices help provide young people with a wide range of opportunities to gain the education, skills and knowledge they need to be successful in their chosen path.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of young people that attended further education colleges went on to attend a Russell Group university in each of the last nine years.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The table below shows the percentages of young people attending further education colleges (including sixth form colleges) that went on to sustained destinations at Russell Group Universities after 16 to 18 study (taking A level or other level 3 qualifications) in academic years 2010/11 to 2016/17 (the last 7 years for which data is available).
Destination year | Number of pupils | Any education or employment destination | Russell Group destinations |
2010/11 | 178,680 | 84% | 5% |
2011/12 | 170,910 | 85% | 6% |
2012/13 | 176,390 | 85% | 6% |
2013/14 | 186,330 | 87% | 6% |
2014/15 | 189,210 | 86% | 6% |
2015/16 | 183,265 | 88% | 7% |
2016/17 | 180,330 | 87% | 7% |
Information on pupil destinations is published annually at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/destinations-of-ks4-and-ks5-pupils-2017.
Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of young people that attended school-based sixth forms went on to attend Russell Group universities in each of the last nine years.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The table below shows the percentages of young people attending state-funded mainstream school sixth forms that went on to sustained destinations at Russell Group Universities after 16 to 18 study (taking A level or other level 3 qualifications) in academic years 2010/11 to 2016/17 (the last 7 years for which data is available).
Destination Year | Number of Pupils | Overall Destinations | Russell Group Destinations |
2010/11 | 162,520 | 89% | 12% |
2011/12 | 164,580 | 91% | 15% |
2012/13 | 169,395 | 90% | 15% |
2013/14 | 172,635 | 91% | 17% |
2014/15 | 173,720 | 90% | 17% |
2015/16 | 182,880 | 91% | 17% |
2016/17 | 191,925 | 90% | 17% |
Information on pupil destinations is published annually at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/destinations-of-ks4-and-ks5-pupils-2017.