Key players in FE

The organisations listed on this page are among the major players involved in further education provision. They range from public sector bodies to charitable organisations and play a variety of roles.

Association of Colleges (AoC)

What does the AoC do? The AoC was created in 1996 as the single voice to promote the interests of further education colleges in England and Wales. As both an employers' association and forum for further education colleges, the AoC is the body that negotiates national pay and conditions of service with further education unions, including UCU.

It also represents further education colleges on non-industrial relations issues, such as sector structures, governance, funding, curriculum, quality, initial training and continuing professional development. The AoC also administers the All Party Parliamentary Group for Further Education and Lifelong Learning, and leads the AoC NILTA (formerly National Information and Learning Technologies Association), a membership service organisation, which lobbies for the development and use of information and communications technology and e-learning across the post-16 sector.

How does UCU work with the AoC? UCU is frequently in contact with AoC officers who work on professional issues, and sit with them on a wide variety of sector working parties and groups.

The Association of Colleges (AoC) website

Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL)

What does the CEL do? The CEL is the learning and skills sector's leadership 'college'. Its remit is to foster and support leadership improvement, reform and transformation throughout the sector. It works with existing and future leaders of all providers by running programmes and events and offering support services and tailored consultation projects.

How does UCU work with the CEL? UCU responds to relevant consultations and publications by CEL and meets CEL staff as and when appropriate.

The Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) website

Department for Children, Families and Schools (DCSF) / Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS)

What do the DCSF and DIUS do? The DCSF is the government department responsible for formulating overall policy and establishing initiatives for the 14-19 education and skills sector across England. DIUS is responsible for science and innovation, with further and higher education and skills. (The Gordon Brown administration announced a major shake up of the government departments responsible for education and training, with DCSF and DIUS borne out of the split of the old Department for Education and Skills (DfES). See  FE briefing on the changes (.doc) [76kb].) In Wales and Scotland, these functions are largely carried out by the Welsh Assembly's Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills and the Scottish Executive Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department.

Following the publication of the Gershon report in 2004, which recommended 'efficiency measures' throughout central government departments, the then DfES is moved away from its role of 'micro' managing further education to a longer term, more strategic policy formulation role. Much of its policy implementation is being allocated to other bodies such as the Learning and Skills Council, the Quality Improvement Agency and Lifelong Learning UK.

DCSF and DIUS policy is formulated through informal and formal discussions with key stakeholders. This process is followed by the publication of a green paper - usually more discursive and less definitive than a white paper, which sets out goverment policies and implementation proposals more formally and is often followed by specific formal consultation exercises.

The Skills for Life Strategy Unit is based in the DCSF and has been operating since November 2000. It is responsible for driving forward the implementation of the national 'skills for life' strategy and ensuring efforts to improve literacy, language and numeracy skills at national and local level are consistent and well co-ordinated.

Offenders Learning and Skills is a joint DCSF-Home office programme designed to build the learning and skills of offenders as part of the government's skills for life strategy.

How does UCU work with the DCSF and DIUS? UCU submits its views to all relevant consultations formally and informally. The process involves discussion with ministers and civil servants and written responses. Most formal UCU responses are posted on the UCU web site.

UCU officials sit on a number of standing committees, ongoing working parties, groups with a set task and duration and one-off seminars and discussions. They also maintain contact with civil servants.

Among the current and more important committees, working parties and groups on which UCU is represented are:

• the ministerial standing committee on FE
• the 14-19 implementation group
• the workforce development strategy group
• the personalisation in FE working group
• quality stakeholders
• the bureaucracy reduction group
• the sector self-regulation committee.

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) website

Institute for Learning (IfL)

What does the IfL do? Set up in 2002, the IfL, is an independent professional body run by its members - teachers and trainers and student teachers in the learning and skills sector with appropriate teaching qualifications. It supports the professional needs of UCU members and works to raise the status of practitioners across the sector. Membership is open those working in or training to practise across the whole sector, from adult and community education and further education to work-based learning.

All newly appointed lecturers will be required to register with the IfL as part of their licence to practise. In order to retain their IfL membership, they will have to demonstrate they have undertaken 30 hours of continuing professional development per year.

Since its inception, IfL has been directed by a transitional council, a co-opted group including fellows of the institute and representatives of stakeholder organisations. However, it is now moving to establising a full elected council. UCU encourages its members who are also IfL members to both stand for election to the council and participate in the elections.

How does UCU work with the IfL? UCU has a seat on the tranisitional council as well as on the new council. UCU officials meet regularly with IfL staff, have undertaken joint research projects and participated in seminars, working parties and one-off events on specific areas such as a professional code of conduct.

The Institute for Learning (IfL) website

Learning and Skills Council (LSC)

What does the LSC do? Set up in 2001, this non-departmental public body is the funding and planning body for learning and skills in England. It brought together: general, tertiary, specialist and sixth form college provision; work-based learning run by colleges and private and independent providers; adult and community learning (now called personal and community development learning (PCDL)) delivered by local authorities and voluntary organisations; and schools' provision for 16- to 19-year-olds.

The government's current policy direction means that the LSC's planning role is being abondoned. It will continue to have a role in allocating funding and commissioning 16-19 education and training in conjunction with local authorities. However, all funding for adult learning except PCDL will be channelled through Train to gain and a new version of learner accounts. The LSC will commission adult provision and maintain responsibility for quality. The LSC is currently working through its quality strategy, 'framework for excellence', which proposes a new set of key performance indicators.

How is it structured? There is a national council, nine regional councils and 153 local partnership teams, which work with local authorities on 14-19 provision. There used to be 47 local LSCs but these are in the process of being wound up.

By law, 40% of the members and chairpeople on national and regional councils must be drawn from business. The remaining council members are appointed by the secretary of state for education and skills; they represent business, local authorities, trade unions, community and voluntary organisations.

How does UCU work with the LSC? UCU has extensive formal and informal contacts with LSC officers at all levels. It responds to all LSC consultations and convenes regular meetings between education unions and senior national LSC officials. A separate set of meetings with national LSC officers and education unions on 14-19 matters, also convened by UCU, was recently established. UCU also has contact at regional level with the regional LSCs.

The Learning and Skills Council website

Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK)

What does LLUK do? LLUK is the sector skills council responsible for the professional development of all those working in community learning and development, further education, higher education, libraries, archives and information services, and work-based learning. It is an employer-led body and covers England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Committees have been established for the separate devolved administrations and there are individual panels covering each sub-sector.

LLUK is responsible for establishing and maintaining occupational standards for the various roles in the sector. It is carrying forward work on reforming sector initial teacher training and implementing a licence to practice for newly appointed lecturers. It is also working on the implementation of the requirement for further education lecturers to undertake 30 hours of continuous professional development (CPD) per year. LLUK also manages sector labour market information, including the collection of FE staffing statistics and future staff needs projections. In addition, it is working on a sector skills agreement between employers, stakeholders, the government, partner organisations and LLUK to deliver an action plan to meet the priority skills needs of the sector, now and in the futurea.

LLUK operates a very useful telephone helpline - 020 7936 5798 - providing advice on working in the sector, initial teacher training and CPD programmes as well as on all the rules, requirements and procedures surrounding these.

How does UCU work with LLUK? UCU has one of the two trade union seats on the LLUK board, and seats on the further and higher education committees and a wide range of project advisory groups and working parties. UCU also convenes quarterly meetings between the unions whose members fall within LLUK's remit.

LLUK's consultation on the workforce strategy for FE in England, 2007-2012: UCU has published its submission to the LLUK's draft workforce strategy for the FE sector in England:
 .pdf file (.pdf) [330kb] |  .doc (Word) file (.doc) [202kb].

The Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) website

National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE)

What does Niace do? Niace is a non-governmental organisation working for adult learners across England and Wales (it has a specialist Wales committee Niace Dysgu Cymru). It aims to promote the study and general advancement of adult continuing education and supports an increase in the total number of adults engaged in formal and informal learning in England and Wales. It has a strong focus on working to improve opportunities and widen access to learning opportunities for communities under-represented in current provision.

A membership organisation, with individual members and more than 500 corporate members across the full range of providers, policy makers and users of adult learning opportunities,

Niace uniquely works across the sectoral boundaries of post-school education and training, covering all fields of UK education and training. This includes local authority provision, the further education college sector, higher education in universities and colleges, work-based learning and learning in the voluntary sector and through the media.

Every year in mid-May Niace organises Adult Learners Week, during which a wide variety of national and local events promoting adult learning take place.

How does UCU work with Niace? UCU has a close relationship with Niace and is a corporate member of the organisation. A UCU official is vice chair of the Niace policy committee. UCU and Niace organise an annual conference for basic skills practitioners and campaign together on a number of issues relating to provision for adult learners.

The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education website

Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted)

What does Ofsted do? This non-ministerial government department, which merged with the Adult Learning Inspectorate in April 2007, inspects all colleges and learning and skills providers, publishing reports on individual institutions. It also inspects and regulates the care of children and young people.

In addition, Ofsted undertakes surveys - findings for the more general of which are published - and assesses the progress of particular initiatives and government strategies.

Ofsted is moving to a more proportionate inspection of further education institutions. This means that providers and services judged to be outstanding or good will receive a 'lighter touch' inspection, with far more reliance on institutional self-assessment. Those colleges judged to be inadequate or weak will receive more intensive attention from inspectors. Ofsted inspection judgements are key to whether a college or part of its provision is judged to be failing or weak and should be subject to special measures, which can lead to tendering out of all or part of its provision.

The Common Inspection Framework and the Handbook of Inspection, are public documents that provide information on the inspection process, including the questions asked, aspects of provision covered and how inspections are reported. These are available by conducting a search on the Ofsted website.

How does UCU work with Ofsted? UCU responds to appropriate Ofsted consultations and its officials participate in regular meetings between Ofsted and teacher unions.

The Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) website

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)

What does the QCA do? The QCA is a non-departmental public body for England that regulates qualifications, curriculum, assessment and monitoring standards in public examinations. It maintains and develops the national curriculum and associated assessments, tests and examinations. It also accredits and monitors qualifications in colleges and in the workplace.

Its counterparts are: the Scottish Qualifications Authority, the Welsh Assembly Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.

The QCA is currently leading the development of the adult learning credit and unit based curriculum, the qualifications credit framework (QCF), the new 14-19 diplomas, the new foundation learning tier, as well as a review of A levels in 2008 and functional skills.

The National Assessment Agency, a separate body, operates under the auspices of the QCA. Launched in 2004 by the Department for Education and Skills to safeguard and modernise the delivery of exams, tests and assessment, it works directly with schools, colleges, other exams centres and partners including local authorities and awarding bodies.

How does UCU work with the QCA? UCU meets regulalry with QCA senior staff in quarterly 'teacher organisation-QCA' liasion meetings. Side meetings on particular issues such as 14-19 education also take place on an occasional basis and UCU is invited to a participate in working parties and advisory groups on specific topics.

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) website

Quality Improvement Agency (QIA)

What does the QIA do? The QIA, a public sector agency, was set up in April 2006 to lead on raising quality and promoting innovation and excellence in the learning and skills sector across England. It is responsible for work on teaching, learning and training that aims to improve performance, implementing the government's changes for learning and skills. This includes developing teaching and learning materials around particular curriculum issues and problems, which used to be carried out by the DfES. It has also developed a national quality improvement strategy which been accepted by government; interested parties are being consulted on the strategy.

The agency has also established a cohort of improvement advisers to work with colleges that are considered to be failing or weak by helping them to draw up recovery or improvement plans.

How does UCU work with the QIA? UCU meets with QIA representatives and convenes regular meetings between the agency and education unions. UCU also contributes to and sits on advisory committees related to specific pieces of QIA work.

The Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) website

Other organisations

Association for Learning Technology (ALT): A membership organisation, bringing together those with an interest in the use of learning technology. It supports its members by providing a number of services, including facilitating collaboration between practitioners, researchers and policymakers and spreading good practice in the use of learning technology.

Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA): The largest of three examination boards, it sets and marks public examinations such as GCSEs and A Levels, as well as other qualifications.

Basic Skills Agency: An independent charity funded by the Department for Education and Skills and the Welsh Assembly Government. It identifies, develops and disseminates innovation in the teaching and learning of basic skills, such as literacy, numeracy and language skills.

British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta): An organisation that works to ensure that educational institutions have the right technology in place. It also helps the education workforce to make the best use of technology to improve learning.

City and Guilds of London Institute: An awarding body solely dedicated to vocational learning. It awards over 50% of all national vocational qualifications (NVQs) and through its partnership with the Construction Industry Training Board, it awards over 90% of all NVQs in construction  

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP): A government department responsible for a number of areas. These include helping people into work, supporting those who are unable to work, improving rights and opportunities for disabled people and assisting people to plan for retirement.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS): This government department is responsible for policy on the arts, sport, the National Lottery, tourism, libraries, museums and galleries, broadcasting, creative industries including film and the music industry, press freedom and regulation, licensing, gambling and the historic environment. It is also the department responsible for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Its other activities include developing links with the creative industries by taking over responsibility for fashion design, advertising and the arts market from the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI).

Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA): Predecessor of the Ministry of Justice (see Ministry of Justice below)

Edexcel: This awarding body, part of Pearson plc, offers education services to secondary schools, further education colleges, higher education institutions, employers and training providers. These include curriculum and qualification development, training and support for teachers and examiners and exam setting.

Edge (formerly the Edexcel Foundation): An educational foundation that engages with students, employers, teachers, government and the media to change the way practical and vocational learning is viewed and carried out. Services include providing grants for organisations and lobbying for policy changes on vocational learning.

Further Education Research Association (Fera): An organisation that aims to disseminates good practice, research findings and policy evaluation related to further education and training. It covers academic and vocational provision in lifelong learning as well as professional development.

HOLEX: A national network of adult learning providers that aims to facilitate networking, mutual support and information exchange between members. It also acts as a single voice representing members' interests to government, the Learning and Skills Council, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills and other national agencies.

Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ): The JCQ superseded the Joint Council for General Qualifications in 2004. It is a single voice for awarding bodies and represents the full range of UK qualifications. Its role includes helping awarding bodies to create common standards, regulations and guidance, ensuring examination regulations are consistent and publishing relevant statistics.

Learning and Skills Network (LSN): An independent not-for-profit organisation that works with schools, colleges and training providers. It delivers quality improvement and staff development programmes to support specific government education initiatives and carries out research, runs training programmes and offers consultancy services.

The Learning Curve: BBC Radio 4's radio programme covering all aspects of education.

Local Education Authority Forum for the Education of Adults (LEAFEA): A group of local authority heads of adult and community learning services. Its chair is:Maureen Green, Waltham Forest Local Authority, Adult and Community Services, Leyton Neighbourhood Learning Centre, 3 The Square, High Road, Leyton, London, E10 5NH (telephone 020 8558 6805).

Ministry of Justice: Formerly the Department of Constutional Affairs, this is the government department responsible for upholding justice, rights and democracy. This includes running courts, and improving the justice system, tackling human rights and information rights issues and creating policy on running elections and modernising the constitution.

National Assessment Agency (NAA): Agency launched in 2004 to deliver high quality national curriculum tests and to supervise the delivery and modernisation of GCSE and A'level examinations.

National Association for Managers of Students Services in Colleges (NAMSS): A membership organisation for managers of services that support learners in post-16 education and training. It aims to provide members with a forum for developing quality services that promote and enhance the learning offered by colleges. It organises an annual conference as well as workshops for members.

National Association for Staff Development in the Post 16 Sector (NASD): Now merged with the Further Education Research Association (see above)

National Association of Teachers of English and other Community Languages (NATECLA): The national forum and professional organisation for practitioners of English for Speakers of Other Languages. It campaigns for educational opportunities for adults from ethnic minorities and for anti-racist education and training and educational rights for refugees and asylum seekers.

National Federation of Women's Institutes (NFWI): The NFWI organises a range of activities for women, including educational opportunities and programmes that aim to build their skills.

National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER): Covering England and Wales, the NFER carries out research on all sectors of education, from pre-school to lifelong learning, for policy makers, managers and practitioners.

National Open College Network (NOCN): UK provider of accreditation services for adult learning.

National Research and Development Centre (NRDC): Agency established by the Department for Education and Skills to carry out research into adult literacy, numeracy, English for speakers of other languages and information and communication technology

Prisoners Education Trust (PET): The PET works to extend and enrich the range of education and training available to people in prison and to promote the importance of education and training in the successful resettlement of offenders once they are released.

Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB): This national charity offers information, support and advice to people with sight problems through the provision of Braille material and talking books. Other activities include fighting for equal right for people with sight problems. People with sight problems in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland are served by RNIB Cymru, RNIB Northern Ireland and RNIB Scotland.

Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID): A registered charity that campaigns and lobbies on behalf of people who are deaf and hard of hearing. It also raising awareness of deafness and hearing loss, provides services and carries out social, medical and technical research on hearing loss.

Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities: An independent charity that promotes learning and employment opportunities for people with disabilities over the age of 16.

Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA): Responsible for funding, supporting and monitoring the network of sector skills councils, which are employer-led, independent organisations covering specific industry sectors across the UK. 

University for Industry (Ufi): The body that set up learndirect, an e-learning network operating across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which involves delivering 'individualised' learning to a mass audience through a unique combination of flexibility, accessibility and support.

Workers' Educational Association (WEA): A voluntary adult education movement, committed to widening participation and to enabling people to realise their full potential through learning. Its activities include campaigning on behalf of adult learners, removing barriers to learning and promoting learning for life.