Following a recent article in Countdown regarding the learning & development standards review, Sue Dutton, LLUKs new interim CEO, and ALP’s Director of Sector Reforms Paul Eeles, met this week to discuss ALP members' needs of LLUK as she takes over the reigns in mid April.

A Guide for Work Based Learning Providers As reported in Countdown #457, BIS have published further details of the QAS Guide for Work based Learning providers, to view a copy is available to download below.

ALP has unsurprisingly received a large number of queries from worried members following the arrival of their first indicative funding allocations for the next contractual year.

Please note that during the month of March there will be some key changes to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and the Data Service websites.

ALP's policy paper "Pre-Employment Provision for Unemployed 16/17 Year Olds", published two weeks ago, has elicited a range of strong and mainly supportive reaction from a number of quarters.

Following the successful launch of the ILR e-learning module, and feedback gauged from providers on e-learning, The Data Service is now in the process of commissioning further e-learning modules.

Being so close to the Machinery of Government changes taking place you would expect providers to be confident concerning the changes that are about to take place.

At a meeting in London yesterday, organised by QCDA and attended by representatives from both BIS and DCSF....

Skills for Growth published in October 2009 included a proposal aimed at encouraging providers in the skills sector to take ownership of reporting on their own performance.

Plans are underway to introduce a new operating arrangement through the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) and local authorities (LAs), which will see the introduction of a new Quality Assurance System, (QAS) drawing together all the work that goes into ensuring learners and employers receive a quality experience from post-16 learning providers.