Education and Skills Bill

“My Government is committed to raising educational standards and

giving everyone the chance to reach their full potential. A bill will be
introduced to ensure that young people stay in education or training
until age 18 and to provide new rights to skills training for adults.”

This Bill is a key part of the Government’s commitment to achieve world-class

levels of skills and to bring about greater economic productivity and dramatic
improvements to individual life chances, responding to the aspirations of the
British people.

As a result of the Government’s wider education reforms, the numbers of

young people participating post 16 have started to increase, and a stretching
target of having 90% of 17 year olds in education or training by 2015 is now in
place. Young people who gain 5 or more, good GCSEs earn on average at
least 25% more than those without qualifications, and are less likely to have
periods of unemployment. Raising participation will ensure that all young
people – especially the most vulnerable - will benefit from the opportunities
provided by continuing in learning. Low skilled adults will receive new
statutory provision for free tuition towards a first qualification at key skill levels.
This will build on the already significant improvements in the skill levels of the
country’s workforce that have been seen since 2001, with more than 1.5
million more adults qualified to level 2.

The purpose of the Bill is to:

• The Bill would introduce a requirement to remain in education or

training beyond the current statutory leaving age, and implement Leitch
recommendations on adult skills.

The main benefits of the Bill would be:

• More young people participating in learning post-16 and achieving

higher levels of skill and qualification. The Government will introduce
legislation to go beyond the current aspiration so that by 2013, all 17
year olds, and by 2015, all 18 year olds, are participating in some form
of education or training. The Government needs to reach young
people – often the most vulnerable – who are still not gaining the
benefits of participation. In a fast changing world the UK is facing a
national skills challenge and the skills of all young people need
improving. The Government want to give every young person –
including those on the fringe of society – the opportunities they
deserve.

• Drive increased participation and achievement in economically

valuable skills-training among adults, helping to deliver the vision of a
nation with world-class skills by 2020.
 • Employers would benefit from increased skills through increased
productivity, capacity for innovation, and profitability. Individuals would
benefit through increased employability, earnings and career
progression. The UK as a whole would benefit through increased
productivity and economic performance, increased social cohesion and
mobility.

The main elements of the Bill are:

Raising the participation age:

• A duty on young people to participate;

• A duty on parents to assist their children to participate;

• Duties on employers to release young people for the equivalent of one

day a week to undertake training elsewhere (where the employer does
not provide their own training), and to check whether a young person is
participating before employing them;

• A duty on local authorities to ensure that young people participate;

• A duty on providers to inform the local authority if a young person

drops out;

• A duty on local authorities to provide the support service currently

known as Connexions; and

• A duty and a power on local authorities to assess the education and

training needs of young people aged 16-19 with special educational
needs.

Adult skills:

• A duty on the Learning and Skills Council to secure the proper

provision of courses to allow learners over the age of 19 to attain
functional literacy, numeracy and First Full Level 2 qualifications;

• A duty on the Learning and Skills Council to ensure that learners over
the age of 19 can attain functional literacy, numeracy and First full
Level 2 qualifications, and learners aged 19-25 can attain a First Full
Level 3 qualification, without having to pay tuition fees; and

• Changes to the functions of the Qualifications and Curriculum

Authority, enabling it to take a more strategic approach to the
regulation of qualifications and eligibility for funding.

Inspection and regulation:

 • Rationalise the registration, monitoring and categorisation of
independent schools and non-maintained special schools;

Related documents:

• Green Paper: Raising Expectations:

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conResults.cfm?consultationId=1
474

• Raising Expectations: consultation report:

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/Raising%20E
xpectations%20Consultation%20Report.pdf

• World Class Skills: Implementing the Leitch Review of Skills in

England: http://www.dius.gov.uk/worldclassskills.pdf

Existing legislation in this area is:

• The Education Acts

• The Learning and Skills Act 2000

Devolution:

The Bill extends to England and Wales. The Government will work closely
with the
Devolved Administrations on the responsibilities they have in this area.
Department for Children, Schools and Families
Press Office
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London SW1P 3BT
Tel: 0870 000 2288