Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 25 April 2016 to Question 34910, what qualifications are required by his Department for English and mathematics tutors who teach functional skills in numeracy and literacy.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence general policy on the provision of Functional Skills (FS) training is that tutors employed to teach English and mathematics to Service Personnel are required to have a minimum Level 4 teaching qualification prior to employment. Once employed, all tutors must then successfully complete the 'Defence Train the Trainer Course'.
Armed Forces training establishments follow more detailed criteria on the standard of qualification for tutors employed to deliver FS training. Two principal groups provide Functional Skills education within the Army. Basic Skills Development Managers (BSDMs) are employed across the Army Educational Services and are required to hold a nationally-recognised teaching qualification and a Adult Basic Skills Subject Specialisation Award (ABSSA) at a minimum of Level 4 in literacy or numeracy. The Army also contracts out FS delivery completed on the Army Apprenticeship Programme. Tutors on the various apprenticeships are required to hold an overall Level 5 teaching qualification and have appropriate subject matter expertise.
All Royal Air Force (RAF) English and Mathematics FS tutors are required to have a minimum Level 4 ABSSA teaching qualification in their respective subject prior to employment. The Royal Navy also have minimum entry Level 4 FS qualifications requirement for all its tutors. The RAF and Royal Navy also expect an ABSSA teaching qualification in English and maths for tutors on the various apprenticeships as well as appropriate subject matter expertise.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what opportunities his Department offers to trainee soldiers aged under 18 to resit GCSEs as part of their elective personal development.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
Army junior entry training provides for educational opportunities up to the equivalent of AS level. The Army is ensuring that it remains aligned with ongoing changes in the state education sector and balancing these with the career development needs of its people and capability development requirements. All junior soldiers undertake a substantial education programme irrespective of their previous attainment and will progress in their functional skills, to be prepared better for employment whilst in service and beyond. In addition to its comprehensive provision of functional skills education, the Army is looking at the future provision of GCSE mathematics and English re-takes for those junior soldiers who narrowly miss the new Level 4 standard (currently A-C on the existing qualifications and credits framework), as well as other options to fulfil the academic potential of those already at the national GCSE standard.
Opportunities to resit full GCSE qualifications while in standard entry initial training for under 18s are limited as the programme is intensive. However, within their training programme individuals do undertake functional skills, a programme of learning in English, mathematics and information and communication technology at either Levels 1 or 2 as appropriate.
Following training, elective personal development opportunities are actively encouraged by the Army, including academic qualifications such as GCSEs, for which employer funding is available through the standard and enhanced learning credits schemes.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2016 to Question 34910, how many Guided Learning Hours are required for recruits to complete a (a) GCSE and (b) Level 2 in numeracy or literacy.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Ministry of Defence has no established policy relating to time allowed to deliver GCSEs and Level 2 functional skills. Armed Forces Training Establishments follow the Guided Learning Hours (GLH) guidance provided by Education Awarding Bodies. The GLH as identified by the course governing body are used as a starting point when teaching functional skills. Our aim is to provide our trainees with a framework to achieve the qualification with the best possible support, not to achieve it within a certain period of time.
The Royal Navy normally allocate three weeks for guided learning functional skills courses delivered as part of longer professional skills development training. The GLH for each qualification in the Army is 45 hours; however this can vary depending on individual needs and other factors such as location. Time allocated to functional skills training in the RAF will depend on the establishment delivering the training with some schools allocating between 45 and 64 hours.
GCSEs are treated as elective courses for Service Personnel and time allocated for GCSEs is dependent on the individual and varies between four weeks for an intensive course and up to 16 weeks for a part time course. Army Personnel can undertake GCSEs or IGCSEs through evening classes run by the Army Education Centres and there will be a set programme linked to the GLH which is usually a minimum of 125 hours. The RAF and Navy offer courses which can be intensive or delivered over an extended period of time delivered by external providers.
All Armed Forces Training Establishments have the ability to deliver functional skills training and GCSEs flexibly and time allocated is dependent on the individual and their needs as reflected in each individual's learning plan.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2016 to Question 34910, what the completion rate is for recruits who start on an apprenticeship.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is able to provide the following information on completion rates for Level 2 and Level 3 Apprenticeships in the Armed Forces by Academic Year for 2011-12 and 2012-13. For information on completion rates for apprenticeships in 2013-14 and 2014-15, I will write to the hon. Member shortly.
| Level 2 Apprenticeships - 1 August 2011- 31 July 2012 | Level 2 Apprenticeships - 1 August 2012- 31 July 2013 | Level 3 Apprenticeships - 1 August 2011- 31 July 2012 | Level 3 Apprenticeships - 1 August 2012- 31 July 2013 |
Army | 4,507 | 3,116 | 1,682 | 1,763 |
Royal Navy | 2,182 | 2,006 | 339 | 334 |
Royal Air Force | 764 | 693 | 665 | 618 |
Total | 7,864* | 5,891* | 3,134* | 2,893* |
*total numbers include apprenticeships completed by Service personnel and MOD civilian staff.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33689, how many teachers of GCSE (a) English and (b) mathematics were employed by the armed forces in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold figures on the number of teachers employed to teach GCSE English and Mathematics. The Ministry of Defence provides Service personnel with a range of educational, learning, development and resettlement opportunities through a number of training centres and apprenticeship programmes. The main learning centres have English and Mathematics tutors who are employed to teach functional skills in numeracy and literacy and can also support GCSEs. However, teachers are not employed specifically to teach GCSEs.
Over 95% of recruits are enrolled into an Apprenticeship Programme each year, regardless of their age, which ensures that Service personnel gain a Level 2 in numeracy and literacy. This is the equivalent of a GCSE. In addition, there are Functional Skills Deliverers who work as part of apprenticeship delivery in the training establishments and can support learning for GCSEs. However, they are more focused on providing functional skills.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many enlisted soldiers gained A-levels while serving in the armed forces in each of the last five years; and in which subjects those A-levels were obtained.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 April to Question 33691. Like GCSEs, individual soldiers are free to pursue A-levels as part of their elective personal development with the support of learning credits schemes, but the details of such A-level qualifications are not held centrally.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many enlisted soldiers who were not commissioned officers gained GCSEs in (a) English and (b) mathematics while serving in the army in each of the last five years; and how many such soldiers gained GCSEs in (i) English and (ii) mathematics within four years of enlisting.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Army provides opportunities for personnel to gain functional skills in literacy and numeracy. These are the standards that the Army has determined it requires and links these functional skills qualifications with promotion to certain ranks. Individuals are free to pursue GCSEs as part of their elective personal development with the support of learning credits schemes but the details of such GCSE qualifications are not held centrally.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on supporting all new armed forces recruits who arrive without A* to C passes in GCSE English and mathematics to gain such qualifications; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence does not make financial provision to improve the Functional Skills (FS) of recruits before they are selected to join the UK Armed Forces.
For those who join the UK Armed Forces, there are clearly identified routes to ensure acceptable levels of FS. Over 95% of all recruits, no matter what their age or prior qualifications, enrol in an Apprenticeship Programme each year. Apprenticeships ensure that Service personnel (SP) will gain level 2 in literacy and numeracy - which is the equivalent to GCSE level. The Armed Forces also offer courses in a wide range of skills, such as engineering, information and communications technology (ICT), construction, driving, and animal care.
All recruits aged under 18 receive key skills education in literacy and numeracy, should they need it, and all are enrolled onto apprenticeships. The Armed Forces remain the UK's largest apprenticeship provider, equipping young people with valuable and transferable skills for life. Ofsted regularly inspects our care of newly joined young recruits, and we are very proud of the standards we achieve.
Since September 2012, Defence has adopted FS qualifications (FS (English) and FS (Mathematics)) as the accredited measures of literacy and numeracy skills for all SP accessing in-Service literacy and numeracy provision. Defence FS provision will be (in most cases) a blend of in-house and external provision. FS provision and qualifications have been available and publicly funded in England since September 2010, with the single Services funding the following elements:
Specialist manpower. Sufficient in-house specialist practitioners to meet the FS requirements that are not met from external or Skills Funding Agency and Education Funding Agency funded providers and, co-ordinate the delivery of that provision across their Service.
FS staff training. Training for in-house specialist practitioners and support staff to meet the required professional standards, where this is not externally funded.
Trainee costs. All direct and indirect costs incurred by Initial Training Establishments, where training has to be extended to cover FS provision to meet the minimum FS Entry Level 3 standard, by the start of Phase 2 training.
FS resources. FS support materials, essential ICT, audio-visual equipment and associated consumables, and any other essential resource costs.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what financial provision he has made for supporting armed forces recruits to obtain A* to C passes in GCSE English and mathematics if required.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence does not make financial provision to improve the Functional Skills (FS) of recruits before they are selected to join the UK Armed Forces.
For those who join the UK Armed Forces, there are clearly identified routes to ensure acceptable levels of FS. Over 95% of all recruits, no matter what their age or prior qualifications, enrol in an Apprenticeship Programme each year. Apprenticeships ensure that Service personnel (SP) will gain level 2 in literacy and numeracy - which is the equivalent to GCSE level. The Armed Forces also offer courses in a wide range of skills, such as engineering, information and communications technology (ICT), construction, driving, and animal care.
All recruits aged under 18 receive key skills education in literacy and numeracy, should they need it, and all are enrolled onto apprenticeships. The Armed Forces remain the UK's largest apprenticeship provider, equipping young people with valuable and transferable skills for life. Ofsted regularly inspects our care of newly joined young recruits, and we are very proud of the standards we achieve.
Since September 2012, Defence has adopted FS qualifications (FS (English) and FS (Mathematics)) as the accredited measures of literacy and numeracy skills for all SP accessing in-Service literacy and numeracy provision. Defence FS provision will be (in most cases) a blend of in-house and external provision. FS provision and qualifications have been available and publicly funded in England since September 2010, with the single Services funding the following elements:
Specialist manpower. Sufficient in-house specialist practitioners to meet the FS requirements that are not met from external or Skills Funding Agency and Education Funding Agency funded providers and, co-ordinate the delivery of that provision across their Service.
FS staff training. Training for in-house specialist practitioners and support staff to meet the required professional standards, where this is not externally funded.
Trainee costs. All direct and indirect costs incurred by Initial Training Establishments, where training has to be extended to cover FS provision to meet the minimum FS Entry Level 3 standard, by the start of Phase 2 training.
FS resources. FS support materials, essential ICT, audio-visual equipment and associated consumables, and any other essential resource costs.