Oxfordshire Skills Needs Analysis
__________________________________________________________
Evidence Base
Business and Skill Bureau Oxfordshire County Council
November 2011
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Contents
Sources of data and information
3
Introduction
4
Section 1 - Existing Skills Priorities
5
Section 2 - Oxfordshire Context
2.1 Demographics
2.2 An overview of the local economy
2.3 Provider base
10
10
10
19
Section 3 - Skills Needs Assessment
3.1 Employer Skills Needs
3.2 Unemployment
3.3 16-19 Participation in Education and Training
3.4 STEM Subject Participation
3.5 Travel to Learn for 16-19 year olds
3.6 Young People with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities
3.7 Participation in Apprenticeships
3.8 Adult Participation in Skills Funding Agency Funded
Provision
3.9 Level 2 and 3 Attainment by 19
3.10 Success Rates by Provider Type
3.11 Infrastructure
21
21
22
24
29
30
32
33
35
37
39
42
Glossary
45
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Sources of data and information ______________________________________________________________ CBI – Fulfilling Potential: The Business Role in Education – September 2010
Connexions Annual Activity Survey
Connexions NEET Data Reports
Data Dashboard (Learningplus UK)
DfE First Statistical Releases
DfE Research and Statistics Gateway
National Apprenticeship Service performance reports
Office for National Statistics reports
Oxfordshire City-Region Enterprise Partnership Bid
Oxfordshire Children and Young Peoples Plan
Oxfordshire County Council‟s Corporate Plan 2011/12 – 2015/16
Oxfordshire Data Observatory
Oxfordshire Data Observatory – „This Is Oxfordshire‟ April 2010
Oxfordshire Economic Assessment – 19th May 2010
Oxfordshire Employer Skills Study 2010
Oxfordshire Workplace Learning Model – June 2010
SEEDAs Skills Priorities Statement for the South-East of England 2011-12
Skills Funding Agency (SFA) Data reports
UKCES The Youth Inquiry – Employers‟ perspectives on tackling youth
unemployment – March 2011
UKCES Skills for Jobs: Today and Tomorrow
Young People‟s Learning Agency (YPLA) Statistical Analysis
YPLA Core Data Tables
YPLA Pivot Tables
YPLA Provider Gateway
2001 Census Data
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Introduction ___________________________________________________________________
Oxfordshire‟s Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) wants to ensure that the education
and training provision available in Oxfordshire matches local need. One of its key
programmes is around improving the skills of Oxfordshire‟s workforce and those
about to enter it, to improve their employability
The LEP Executive Board has identified a need for gathering information around
skills to produce this statement of skills needs which will be used to help identify
priorities for the LEP and Local Authority (LA) to take forward and identify how other
key skills stakeholders can be involved in support of this agenda.
The statement will also help providers to plan their offer and utilise public funding to
contribute to local economic priorities as stated in the Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills document „Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth‟.
In developing the statement, the Oxfordshire Skills Board will:
Take account of all Oxfordshire residents including those with learning
difficulties and/or disabilities.
Gather the views of employers, training providers, and potential learners to
ensure that all stakeholders are given the opportunity to contribute.
Sections 1 – 3 provide underpinning context and data which has been used to
inform the priorities for the future which are outlined in the Oxfordshire Skills Needs
Assessment.
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Section 1 - Existing Skills Priorities _____________________________________________________ Oxfordshire County Council’s Corporate plan, 2011/12 – 2015/16 includes the
following priority for action:
“Skills Levels – We will work with others to link adult skills provision to the needs of
the local economy, reduce the number of people not in education, employment or
training (NEET). We will also expand apprenticeship provision, particularly amongst
public sector organisations and local businesses.”
A priority for action identified in Oxfordshire‟s economic assessment (May 2010) is to
“develop skills levels in general and in the areas of technicians, new skills for new
industries and improved readiness for employment”.
The Children and Young People‟s Plan 2010-13 (CYPP) sets out the strategic
direction and priorities for Oxfordshire in response to the county‟s Sustainable
Community Strategy and national policies.
The headline priorities identified within the CYPP relevant to skills are:
Raising achievement for all children and young people.
Narrowing the gap for the most vulnerable groups.
Increase the percentage of 17 year olds participating in education and work-
based learning.
Reduce the percentage of 16-18 year olds in employment with no training.
Increase the percentage of learners with learning difficulties/disabilities
(LLDD) moving to full-time education or employment
Increase the percentage of young people achieving a level 3 by the age of 19.
Relevant Oxfordshire County Council targets
Apprenticeship Starts
16-18: Increase starts from 1,013 in 2009/10 to 1,553 by 2013/14.
19-24: Increase starts from 1,082 in 2009/10 to 1,375 by 2013/14.
25+: Increase starts from 448 in 2009/10 to 550 by 2013/14.
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Percentage of Working Age Population with L1, 2, 3 & 4 Qualifications
NVQ1+: Increase the percentage from 84.2 in 2009 to 87.2 by 2014.
NVQ2+: Increase the percentage from 70.8 in 2009 to 73.3 by 2014.
NVQ3+: Increase the percentage from 56.1 in 2009 to 58.0 by 2014.
NVQ4+: Maintaining the percentage of 35.1.
Attainment of Level 2 & 3 by 19
Level 2: Increase from 79.4% in 2009/10 to 92.3% by 2013/14.
Level 3: Increase from 58.0% in 2009/10 to 70.9% by 2013/14.
Attainment of Level 2 & 3 by 19 for those on Free School Meals (FSM)
Level 2: Increase from 46.7% in 2009/10 to 66.7% by 2013/14.
Level 3: Increase from 24.5% in 2009/10 to 45.9% by 2013/14.
Oxfordshire’s Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) bid incudes identification of the need to address skills deficiency issues.
The LEP identifies three spatial priorities and three industry sector priorities.
The spatial priorities are:
Science Vale UK – building on its designation as a national science and
innovation campus.
Bicester – using the eco town to act as a focus for delivering sustainable
development.
Oxford – continuing to support this world class centre of education, research
and innovation.
The sector priorities are:
Low carbon and green technologies
Advanced materials and engineering
Space and other high value research and development science based
sectors.
Other sectors identified as of importance by the LEP are retail, creative and cultural
industries, tourism and the visitor economy, the military and the voluntary and
community sector.
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The LEP bid states „the skills of the workforce and of those students entering the
workforce need to be improved; including soft skills (such as behaviours, attitudes
and motivation) required to improve their employability and releasing their full
potential”.
This skills needs statement is being developed as part of the LEP‟s vision to achieve
this.
The South East England Development Agency’s (SEEDA) Skills Priorities
Statement for the South-East of England 2011-12 identifies three core objectives for
economic skills development which are to:
Develop the skills base to meet and stimulate the demands of emerging and
growth industries, especially higher level skills.
Increase the skills of those in and entering employment to improve individual
progression and to support higher levels of productivity.
Provide effective support for those areas and groups disadvantaged in the
labour market.
The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) has identified the following strengths, challenges
and priorities for Oxfordshire:
Skills strengths and opportunities
Central geographic location with good motorway links to London and
Birmingham, and good rail, bus and air links.
Proximity to customers, suppliers and businesses networks.
Focus on the green economy/businesses including development of Bicester
Eco-town
High level of people with level 4 qualifications and above living and working in
Oxfordshire.
85 per cent of businesses have undertaken some form of innovation activity in
past 12 months.
Half to three quarters of business expect to derive some of their turnover from
new products/services in the next 12 months.
Strong clusters promoting co-working and innovation cross-fertilisation.
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Oxford is ranked as the top university in Europe, with Oxford Brookes voted
best new university.
More publishing firms than in London.
Tradition of entrepreneurship.
Good mix of academic, public sector, high tech and manufacturing industries.
Skills challenges – current and anticipated
Transport and infrastructure, high cost of living, high property prices for
homes and business accommodation, traffic congestion.
Recruitment challenges for employers needing professionals, highly skilled
staff, technicians and skilled support staff especially in Science Vale UK.
Skills gaps affecting both recruitment and existing staff, particularly
motivation.
For existing staff, fewer workers means diversifying and trying new
things/approaches.
Behaviours, attitudes and mindsets/motivation are seen as a barrier by
employers among those newly recruited from school or college as well as
those in work already.
Low educational attainment compared with statistical neighbours.
High number of NEETS in Oxford City and Banbury.
Sector specialist or high level training not always available in the county.
Dependence on the public sector for employees is leading to job anxieties.
Lack of public/private funding – 51 per cent of employers had arranged
training for their staff compared with 64 per cent in 2008.
Fewer employers have hard to fill vacancies than in 2008 but the numbers are
higher than the UK as a whole, even though redundancies have increased the
labour supply.
Problem with young people not having enough information about their career
choices.
Barriers to workplace learning include lack of funding, reluctance to release
key staff away from the workplace and staff being too busy to undertake or
deliver training.
Unemployment levels are low, but there has been an increase in temporary
contracts and part time working.
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Skills and employment priorities
High level skills demand is likely to be in four sectors: ICT and
telecommunications, health, Government departments and agencies, and
care and development.
Demand for skills is likely to be greatest among people employed as
associate professionals in business and public services, health, social welfare
and protective services plus professionals in teaching and research, science
and technology.
Skills are also needed in the following three generic areas:
o Sector specific and technical skills – by type of business and activity
o Leadership and management skills – for managers and supervisors
o Customer service skills – „soft‟ or „job-readiness‟ skills such as
communication, self management, team working, problem solving etc.
Motivators include „compliance‟ (e.g. health and safety) and „raising the bar‟
(sector specific training and leadership and management).
Redirect public expenditure towards strategic business sectors with a
propensity for high growth.
Commercial opportunities for graduates.
Improved aspirations and guidance for young people.
Some key areas of potential for skills development, such as the Bicester Eco-
town development and the space industry around Harwell.
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Section 2 - Oxfordshire Context _____________________________________________________ 2.1 Demographics (Oxfordshire Data Observatory)
16-18
In 2012/13 the 16-18 population in Oxfordshire will continue to reduce towards 2016
after peaking in 2008/09. The 2012 16-18 population is predicted to be 22,568,
which is down from the 2011 figure of 22,973, a reduction of 405 or 1.8 per cent.
At district council level, the picture is similar with decreases expected across all local
council levels, with the notable exception of the Vale of the White Horse, where
numbers are predicted to increase by 125 or 2.5 per cent between 2008 and 2016.
The picture of decline is also evident in an analysis of the projections for each age
group within the 16-18 population, notably with 17 year olds reducing the most in
2012, both in actual (-274) and percentage (-3.6 per cent) terms.
19+
The adult population in Oxfordshire is estimated to increase year on year and
between 2012 and 2016 is projected to increase by 19,428 (3.9 per cent). The
largest growth can be seen in the two districts of Cherwell and the Vale of the White
Horse with 5.51 per cent and 5.42 per cent growth respectively. The smallest growth
is projected to be in West Oxfordshire, 2.03 per cent. As stated in the UKCES Skills
for Jobs: Today and Tomorrow an „ageing population will lead to increased demand
for care services with particularly significant volumes of staff in care assistant roles,
that will need greater understanding of ICT to support care users with assisted living
technologies‟.
2.2 An overview of the local economy
Oxfordshire’s Main Economic, Skills and Employment Characteristics
31 per cent of employees in Oxfordshire are employed in large businesses with over
200 staff, making up 1 per cent of all employers. 86 per cent of the county‟s 32,000
businesses employ 10 or fewer people.
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46 per cent of employees are in highly skilled industries with more than 40 per cent of
the working age population qualified to level 4 or higher (as at December 2010); 29
per cent of businesses are high level skills dependent.
25 per cent of businesses are in business and financial services and another 25 per
cent are in distribution, hotels and restaurants, reflecting tourism.
The dominant employment sectors in Oxfordshire are public administration,
education and health (30% of total employment), which is now Oxfordshire‟s second
largest contributor to the county‟s economy (as measured by GVA) and recent
growth has been above other sectors. Other dominant sectors are banking, finance
and insurance (22.8%) and distribution, hotels and restaurants (22.3%).
Much of the public sector employment is in education where the workforce has
increased significantly. Between 1998 and 2007 employment in primary, secondary,
further and higher education grew by 52 per cent to 41,200, from 9 per cent to 13 per
cent of Oxfordshire‟s workforce.
The proportion of employment in knowledge-intensive businesses in Oxfordshire is
well above the South East average and other county areas (with 14% of the total
workforce in the county) and is concentrated in Oxford, southern Oxfordshire and
Banbury. High tech manufacturing shows a greater concentration in southern
Oxfordshire but high tech services are more dispersed across the county.
Education, publishing and health are based mainly around Oxford city and
manufacturing is mostly in the north, especially the motor sports industry.
The area known as Science Vale UK, centred on the science and innovation campus
at Harwell, Milton Park, Culham, Didcot and Wantage & Grove, contains a large
concentration of scientific research and development with potential to be a focus for
further major economic growth.
Milton Park is one of the largest business parks in Europe and is the location for a
cluster of knowledge-based businesses with more than 150 companies employing
more than 6,500 people. Harwell Science and Innovation Campus is the home of the
Diamond Light Source and other internationally renowned science facilities.
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Bicester is identified as a significant growth point in the South East Plan and, with the
planned eco-town in Bicester, and has the potential to become a focus for jobs
centred on environmental technologies.
Workforce Trends, Recruitment Behaviour and Challenges
(Oxfordshire Employer Skills Study 2010 – a survey of 1,277 Oxfordshire employers, in-
depth interviews with 27 employers and a discussion group with businesses in
Bicester in 2010)
The overall numbers of people working in Oxfordshire businesses have generally
remained stable in the last 12 months, with similar numbers of employers increasing
and decreasing their staff numbers, but the vast majority (71%) remaining stable.
There are slight differences in expectations by district and sector. A higher
percentage of employers in West Oxfordshire (27%) expect staff numbers to grow.
Two sectors have above average staff growth expectations for the next 12 months:
business & financial services (26%) and transport & communications (also 26%).
Growth also appears likely to be concentrated in larger organisations, with 34% of
larger businesses expecting staff numbers to grow, compared with only 21% in
micro-businesses.
Compared with the 2008 survey, the percentage of employers who have taken on
new staff (whether new or to replace leaving staff) in the past 12 months has fallen,
from 50 per cent to 44 per cent. This may reflect reduced labour mobility, with
people possibly less inclined to leave a job in more uncertain times. However, it
seems that the fall is mainly due to fewer new jobs being created, given that the
percentage of employers only taking on “replacement recruits” has remained
constant over the two years at about 28 per cent at the same time as the percentage
of employers taking on new staff has fallen. During the same period the proportion of
employers taking on staff to fill newly created posts has fallen.
The most significant falls in the percentages of employers recruiting staff occurred in
Science Vale UK (56% to 36%) and Oxford City (71% to 58%). Cherwell and West
Oxfordshire were more stable, with a 4 per cent decrease and 2 per cent increase
respectively.
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Recruitment activity is more common among larger businesses (84% compared with
35% of micros). From a sector perspective, recruitment is more common than
average in two broad areas of the economy: distribution, hotels & restaurants (57%)
and public administration, education, health & other services (53%).
The percentage of employers with vacancies is similar in 2010 as it was in 2008
(17%), whereas the percentage of employers with vacancies that are hard-to-fill has
fallen, from 9 per cent to 7 per cent, compared to the national rate which decreased
from 7 per cent to 3 per cent over the same period.
The proportion of employers in Oxfordshire reporting problems with recruitment
decreased from 48 per cent in 2008 to 39 per cent in 2010. And by district; Vale of
the White Horse (from 48% to 45%), Science Vale UK (56% to 45%), West
Oxfordshire (43% to 45%), Oxford City (45% to 43%), South Oxfordshire (51 to 36%)
and Cherwell (43% to 34%).
Those who find recruitment a significant problem have also fallen from 16 per cent to
13 per cent at county level as has the percentage of firms finding problems recruiting
to certain roles (32% to 26%).
The 2010 survey suggests that recruitment is getting easier for employers, with
around 21 per cent of respondents trying to recruit believing it is now easier to do so,
compared with 12 per cent in 2008. However, others noted that despite the number
of candidates increasing, it was still difficult to attract the right candidates for certain
roles, with the volume of inappropriate applications received actually making things
more challenging.
11 per cent of Oxfordshire employers reported that they felt recruitment has become
more difficult, a similar percentage to that found in 2008. This may suggest that, for
example, there remains a “hard core” of employers who face increasing difficulties, or
that more sophisticated employers are locked in the “war for talent” that OEP
describe in the recent Oxfordshire Workplace Learning Model paper. These may be
businesses who seek to recruit heavily in skills shortage areas, or those who take a
less sophisticated approach to recruitment and selection.
The ageing profile of workers with some specialist skills, also appears to be an issue
for some employers, especially in engineering and healthcare.
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The survey suggests that recruitment difficulties are a particular issue in the
manufacturing sector (reported by 60% of employers trying to recruit recently
compared with 39% of all employers) and among employers engaged in science &
technology activities (58%). Manufacturing employers are also more likely than
average to believe that recruitment has become more difficult over the past year
(16% compared with 11%). As in 2008, recruitment difficulties in 2010 are most likely
to relate to higher skilled occupational groups, particularly professionals or technical/
skilled support occupations (both highlighted by around 1 in 5 Oxfordshire employers
with recruitment difficulties). However, recruitment difficulties for these occupations
appear to have decreased in importance, while the incidence of recruitment
difficulties for lower skilled staff has remained largely unchanged.
Recruitment difficulties by occupation in Oxfordshire appear broadly in line with the
national picture, with technical/ skilled support occupations a key focus of recruitment
difficulties across England (reported by 20% of employers with recruitment issues)
alongside skilled trade occupations (13%). However, recruitment of professionals/
highly skilled specialists can be seen as more of an issue within Oxfordshire than at
national level (25% compared with 12%), perhaps reflecting greater dependence on
these roles among employers in the County.
The list of recruitment difficulties by occupation in the 2010 survey is as follows, the
numbers in brackets show the percentage in the 2008 survey:
Professionals/highly skilled specialists – 25% (34%)
Technical/Skilled support occupations – 18% (24%)
Skilled trades/craft occupations – 14% (13%)
Sales and customer service occupations – 13% (15%)
Clerical/administrative staff – 9% (10%)
Semi-skilled service staff – 8% (8%)
Low skilled manual labour – 6% (5%)
Senior managers – 5% (8%)
Drivers & skilled machine operatives – 4% (5%)
The dominant reasons for recruitment difficulties reported by the employers were:
Lack of applicants with required skills – 43%
Not enough people interested in type of work – 14%
Lack of applicants with required attitude, motivation or personality – 14%
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Lack of applicants generally – 11%
Lack of applicants with required work experience – 9%
Remote location or poor public transport – 7%
Poor terms and conditions – 7%
Shift work or unsociable hours required – 3%
Too much competition from other employers – 3%
Recruitment of young people has additional unique challenges. Many employers
consider that education leavers:
Lack the correct attitudes and behaviours
Leave the education system with qualifications and skills that do not help
them develop in their jobs and careers
Make poor learning choices as they are ill informed about work and career
opportunities
57 per cent of the employers surveyed recognise their dependence on the education
system to provide young people with the attitudes and behaviours that are needed in
the workplace but many also acknowledged that employers too have a role to play in
aiding the transition from education to workplace.
Almost half of the employers would be interested to know how they can improve the
work readiness of young people, suggesting that many employers would be willing to
support education. 31 per cent of employers have such a relationship with a local
provider through hosting work placements or taking on school or college leavers.
Larger employers (with 50+ staff) are more likely to have this kind of relationship.
There is an alternative view to recruiting young people. The 2009 National Employer
Skills Survey found that employers in England who actually recruit young people
generally find them either well or very well prepared for work, with preparedness
improving with time spent in education. 66 per cent who had recruited a young
person who had completed only compulsory education found them to be well or very
well prepared. This is also the case for 74 per cent of employers who had recruited a
17 or 18 year old school or college leaver and 85 per cent of employers who had
recruited HE leavers into their first job. (Note only 22 per cent of employers recruit
young people straight from education, however at that time only 44 per cent of
employers were engaged in recruitment activity anyway.)
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From the same survey those employers that reported that young people were poorly
prepared cited lack of the working world/life experience or maturity as the main
reason with a lack of required skills or competencies and poor attitude/personality or
lack of motivation second and third respectively.
Staff Development and Training
(Oxfordshire Employer Skills Study 2010)
Around one in five (21%) Oxfordshire employers have skills gaps, having staff they
do not consider to be fully proficient in their role. This is 5 per cent higher than in
2008, reflecting an increase in skills gaps across the South East region. As in 2008,
skills gaps are higher in Science Vale UK; 4 per cent above the Oxfordshire average
and 5 per cent above the regional average, closely followed by Oxford City (3%
above the County average).
Skills gaps are greatest among sales and customer service staff (24% of employers,
up from 18% in 2008), while skills gaps among technical/ skilled support staff have
fallen significantly. This may reflect the conclusions of a recent survey by the
Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development, which argues that, in
recessionary times softer “impact” skills, such as leadership, selling and team
working skills, take on a greater importance than technical skills.
Just over half (51%) of employers have funded or arranged training for staff in the
last 12 months, significantly down from the 64 per cent recorded in 2008. Over three
quarters (78%) of employers training their staff had used an external provider for
training, equivalent to about 40 per cent of all employers or around 12,000
Oxfordshire businesses. Employers training their staff spend on average around
£4,900 on training, about £3,900 of which is with external providers. Grossed up, this
suggests that the total market for externally provided training in Oxfordshire is around
£69m.
Further and Higher Education play an important role in meeting employers training
and development needs: 12 per cent of all employers use FE and 9 per cent HE, but
private providers command the lions share of the market, working with 28 per cent of
all employers.
Not all businesses feel that training is necessary. Those that had not provided
training in the last 12 months, for example, were most likely to attribute this to training
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not being needed, because all staff were considered to be fully proficient (42% of
those not training). Half of all businesses that would like to train more, but are unable
to do so, attribute not training to a lack of financial resources, although a quarter
(24%) also highlight that they are unable to source suitable training. When firms
encounter difficulties in sourcing external training, this is most often for sector specific
or technical skills.
There are some indications that larger employers may especially value training
delivery in their workplace. Public sector employers are most interested in flexible
approaches to learning delivery, while e-learning is particularly attractive to science
and technology employers. These same groups of employers also appear to
especially value recognised or accredited training.
The Oxfordshire Workplace Learning Model
This model was developed as a result of an inquiry led by Oxfordshire Economic
Partnership (OEP) and Oxford University‟s centre of Skills, Knowledge and
Organisational performance (SKOPE). It consists of 5 strategic elements, which
should inform the setting of priorities for resources and focus.
These are:
Identify the barriers to workplace learning;
Address those barriers through positive interventions;
Focus investment on high growth industry sectors;
Orientate young people towards high growth sectors; and
Address today‟s learning gaps.
This model can provide a structure for decision-making and the setting of priorities for
resources and focus for all stakeholders who work within the workplace learning
arena.
Other observations from this group included:
With a focus on areas of strategic growth, financial support should be given to
schools to provide early training in areas that supported key business sectors.
There is a need for Information Advice and Guidance systems to be unbiased
and present students with the breadth of training, studying and employment
options that they can expect from the local economy.
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The relationship between schools and local businesses requires
strengthening with a bias towards inspiring young people to achieve their
potential at school with a view to finding a career path involving one or more
Oxfordshire-based businesses.
On top of the development of technical skills there is also a need to
development „soft‟ skills that are more difficult to evaluate and certify, such as
attitudes and behaviours that drive one‟s potential for growth and team work
skills.
The need to develop these „soft‟ skills within the education system to ensure
that tomorrow‟s workforce is equipped to perform at both the technical and
social levels required for global competitiveness.
One way of explaining the required relationship between business and education can
be found in the 2010 national CBI report „Fulfilling Potential – the Business Role in
Education‟ where it states that:
„Business is a major stakeholder in education. We provide young people with
experiences of the world of work through work experience placements, talk to
schools about the skills needed in the modern workplace and bring business
experience to school leadership as governors. In turn, businesses rely on schools
and colleges to enable young people to develop the skills, knowledge and attitude
needed in today‟s workplace.
But look again at the education sector and there‟s another role for businesses – as a
partner and provider of education services helping transform underperforming
schools and local education authorities, and re-engaging young people who are not
in education or training with the world of learning.‟
The report also makes the following recommendations:
1. Businesses recognise they have an important role to play in engaging with
education – providing high quality work experience and shaping careers advice.
Employers are clear that they look to the education system to develop confident,
motivated young people, with the attitude, knowledge and skills to succeed in life and
in the world of work. In particular, they want young people to have:
A strong base of literacy, numeracy and IT skills
The broad set of employability skills (team working, problem-solving,
communication, business and customer awareness, self-management)
necessary for all jobs
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A strong grounding in science and maths, with the most capable encouraged
to study these vital subjects further
Access to a range of learning options – academic, vocational and applied –
with appropriate information, advice and guidance
Qualifications that are recognised, understood and valued by business.
2. For school reforms to deliver improvements in educational outcomes it is
essential that:
New academies and free schools maintain their freedom to innovate – by
allowing them to choose appropriate qualifications, apply proven innovative
teaching techniques and maintain their independence
The development of federations and chains of schools is supported by robust
quality assurance processes. This will enable the engagement of a range of
organisations in the development of chains of schools driving up outcomes
through systems leadership and efficiencies
The full range of expertise and capacity that exists in the private sector and
third sector is utilised to improve value for money and drive through
innovation and change. Government must open up services to competition
and in the case of free schools allow profit-making companies to be involved
in due course
The Department for Education should set out a clear market strategy for
educational services and ensure schools and academies are supported to
engage with private providers of support and improvement services.
2.3 Provider Base
The providers based within Oxfordshire are made up of the following types of
institutions:
232 primary schools
6 local authority maintained secondary schools without sixth forms
23 local authority maintained secondary schools with sixth forms
5 academies
17 special schools
1 pupil referral unit
46 independent schools (all ages) including 18 with sixth forms
1 european funded school
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2 general further education colleges
1 sixth form college
5 other government funded further education providers
2 higher education institutions
Four of the secondary schools without sixth forms are served by the local sixth form
college but for the learners at the remaining two schools this does mean that they
have to find alternative post 16 provision and in some cases travel quite large
distances.
In addition to those listed above there are a further 364 providers funded by the Skills
Funding Agency who deliver programmes to Oxfordshire residents, both young
people and adults. There are also an unquantifiable number of private training
providers delivering to the residents and businesses of Oxfordshire.
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Section 3 - Skills Needs Assessment
_____________________________________________________ 3.1 Employer Skills Needs
According to the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) skills needed in
Oxfordshire are in three generic areas:
Sector specific and technical skills – by type of business and activity
Leadership and management skills – for managers and supervisors
Customer service skills – „soft‟ or „job-readiness‟ skills such as
communication, self-management, team working, problem solving etc.
SEEDA‟s statement identifies Oxfordshire as having skills needs in pharmaceuticals,
life sciences and healthcare with the future driver for skills being heavily linked to
emerging technologies.
Employment and skills priorities identified by SEEDA for Oxfordshire include:
Science and Technology skills in the south of the county especially at
technician level.
Need for soft skills development for those entering the job market.
Space industry atomic energy research at and around Harwell.
Improved aspirations with appropriate guidance for young people.
Bicester Eco town development potential.
Workforce
Compared with statistically similar areas, the resident working age population in
Oxfordshire is very well qualified. The county has one of the highest rates of working
age residents with degree or equivalent qualifications (3rd out of 16, behind Surrey
and Cambridgeshire). It also has the lowest rate of working age residents without
qualifications (ranked 1st out of 16).
In 2008 over one third of Oxfordshire‟s working age population (36%) was educated
to degree level (NVQ4) with many of these employed in high tech industries.
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57 per cent of working age people in Oxfordshire were qualified to NVQ3 (equivalent
to two A levels) or above, well above the average for England (46.5%), and just
outside the top 10 per cent nationally.
Over 70 per cent of the working age population in Oxfordshire was qualified to NVQ2
level or above (5 or more GCSEs at grades A*-C or equivalent).
Despite its well qualified workforce, Oxfordshire is ranked below some statistically
similar areas on pupil attainment and Oxfordshire‟s most deprived areas have
consistently poor scores on the “Education & Skills” domain.
6 per cent of working age people in Oxfordshire had no qualifications. This is below
the national and regional average, and below averages of similar areas like
Cambridgeshire (7.6%) and West Berkshire (6%).
A low ranking on the “Education, Skills and Training” domain of the Index of Multiple
Deprivation (2010) is an important influence on the overall scores of Oxfordshire‟s
most deprived areas. There are 36 super output areas in Oxfordshire where the
extent of deprivation in education, skills and training are ranked in the lowest 20 per
cent of areas nationally. A total of 18 of Oxfordshire‟s 404 super output areas are
ranked in the most deprived 20 per cent in England with only 1 in the most deprived
10 per cent.
In the Children / Young people (Education Skills and Training) sub domain there are
56 super output areas in Oxfordshire where education attainment and access to
further and higher education are ranked in the lowest 20 per cent of areas nationally.
Whereas there are only 3 super output areas in Oxfordshire where levels of the
proportion of adults aged 25-54 with no or low qualifications are ranked in the lowest
20 per cent of areas nationally.
There is anecdotal evidence that Oxfordshire‟s strengths in the areas of science and
technology are insufficiently recognised both locally by its own population and
externally by potential investors. This risks affecting the educational choices of young
people in the county‟s schools and the investment choices of investors external to
Oxfordshire.
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Identification of Oxfordshire Employers Specific Skills Needs (particularly
SMEs)
Research into the identification of skills needs will be undertaken by the LA‟s
Business and Skills team who have contact with over 2,500 businesses a year. They
will gather data from employers, which will be collated and included in a future
version of Oxfordshire‟s skills needs analysis.
3.2 Unemployment (nomis – official labour market statistics)
Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) claimants are people who are actively seeking work.
This is not an official measure of unemployment, but it is the most up-to-date
indication of unemployment trends. The figures do not capture the full picture of
unemployment as some people do not claim JSA.
Total number of JSA claimants in Oxfordshire has risen by 5 per cent during
2011 (January to September), from 7,526 to 7,899. The increases in
claimants are all female (male claimants have decreased by 27), with the
majority being in Cherwell and Oxford City. This compares to a decrease of
18.2 per cent (9,156 to 7,493) over the same period in 2010.
Claimants under the age of 25 have risen by 12.2 per cent in 2011 (January
to August) compared with a decrease of 17.8 per cent over the same period
in 2010. The majority of these increases were in Cherwell with the City
showing a slight decrease.
The remaining age groups of 25-49 and 50+ have shown increases of 4.9 per
cent and 7.4 per cent respectively in 2011 (January to August) compared to
decreases of 17.6 and 18.0 per cent respectively over the same period in
2010. The majority of the increases in both of these age groups were in the
City.
Claimants from ethnic minority groups have increased by 17.8 per cent in
2011 (January to August) compared to an increase of 6.3 per cent for white
claimants. This compares to decreases of 8.5 per cent for ethnic minority
claimants and 19.1 per cent for white claimants over the same period in 2010.
The majority (75%) of the ethnic minority increases were in Oxford City.
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3.3 16-19 Participation in Education and Training
Raising the Participation Age (RPA)
The Education and Skills Act 2008 increases the minimum age at which young
people in England can leave learning requiring them to continue in education or
training, until the end of the academic year in which they turn 17 from 2013, and until
their 18th birthday from 2015.
RPA does not mean young people must stay in school; they will able to choose one
of the following options:
full-time education, such as school, college or home education
work-based learning, such as an Apprenticeship
part-time education or training if they are employed, self-employed or
volunteering for more than 20 hours a week.
June 2011 figures show that the 16 year old participation rate was 89.5 per cent,
compared to the South-East figure of 89.9 per cent. The 17 year old participation
rate was 78.6 per cent, compared with 82.5 per cent regionally.
For 16-18 year old Oxfordshire residents in 2009/10 there were:
6,235 in FE (an increase of 7.9% over the last 3 years)
6,072 in school sixth forms and academies (an increase of 6.5% over the last
3 years)
2,021 undertaking an apprenticeship
435 undertaking Entry to Employment provision
Oxfordshire has a high proportion of 16 and 17 year olds at Independent School
(1,832 young people as at December 2010), although the number of Oxfordshire
residents attending these schools can not be quantified using current data sources.
The number of males participating in Oxfordshire school sixth forms and academies
has increased by 239 between 2008/09 and 2010/11, compared to an increase of 68
for females. This has resulted in a slight shift in the percentage split between
females and males; from 52 per cent female, 48 percent male in 2008/09 to 50:50 in
2010/11.
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A similar increase has been seen in the FE sector; 273 increase in males between
2008/09 and 2009/10 compared to an increase of 29 females with a resulting shift in
ratio from 51:49 females to males in 2008/09 to 49:51 in 2009/10.
When comparing the percentages of 16-18 learners from ethnic minority groups
participating in post 16 education with the breakdown of Oxfordshire‟s overall
population the majority of ethnic groups are over represented with the notable
exception of „Asian or Asian British – Indian learners‟. In school sixth forms and
academies 1.35 per cent of the school population was from this ethnic group in
2009/10 compared to the overall Oxfordshire population where it was 1.94 per cent.
This difference was even greater in FE where only 0.54 per cent of the population
was made up of this ethnic group.
Looking ahead to 2013
As at December 2010 16-18 year olds participation rates at various different
destinations were;
FE Learner responsive – 23.6%
Apprenticeships – 7.2%
School sixth forms/Academies – 26.4%
Special Schools* – 0.4%
Higher Education – 6.6%
Independent Schools* – 8.4%
Employed with Training, excluding Apprenticeships – 1.7%
NEET – 5.8%
Employed without Training – 10.4%
Unknown – 9.6%
* Oxfordshire resident data not available and therefore estimations were used
In an exercise to calculate how Oxfordshire will meet the RPA in 2013 a number of
assumptions had to be made;
The number of 16 year old Oxfordshire residents in independent schools was
estimated by assuming that they made up the difference between the whole
16 year old population and the rest of the destinations. The same percentage
was then used to calculate the number of 17 and 18 year olds.
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The percentage participation in schools and academies was increased
marginally to reflect the work that some rural schools are doing to change
their mix and balance of provision.
It was assumed that the number of young people in employment without
training would move into the employment with training category.
The remaining NEET learners were then distributed equally between FE
learner responsive and Apprenticeships as it is believed that these will be the
most relevant and suitable destinations for the majority of those learners not
participating at present.
The percentage participation rates for 18 year olds were kept the same as in
2010, although it is expected that these should increase as efforts are put into
increase the participation of 17 year olds.
The travel to learn patterns of Oxfordshire learners will remain the same.
A number of destinations for young people will remain unknown.
Based on the assumptions above (making this a crude estimation), it was determined
that to aspire to 100 percent participation of 16 and 17 year olds by 2013 the most
significant increases in places will need to be in employment with training and in
Apprenticeships; where it is estimated an extra 814 and 245 training opportunities
respectively will be required.
Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
(Connexions data)
The proportion of NEETs in Oxfordshire at December 2010 was 5.8 per cent
compared with 6.4 per cent in December 2009.
As at December 2010 there were 950 young people who were NEET, compared with
1,073 in December 2009.
Teenage mothers
In May 2011 24.8 per cent of teenage mothers known to Connexions (77) were in
some form of education. In May 2010, 26 per cent were in some form of education.
Young people with learning difficulties and/ or disabilities (LDD)
In May 2011, 24.9 per cent of the 1,370 young people with LDD known to
Connexions were NEET, compared with 17.1 per cent at the same time in 2010.
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Young people who have offended
In May 2011, 58.5 per cent of the 94 young offenders known to Connexions were
NEET (55). In May 2010, 41.8 per cent of the 122 were NEET (51).
Care leavers
In May 2011, 34.4 per cent of the 32 care leavers known to connexions were NEET
(11). In May 2010, 38.6 per cent were NEET (27). The majority of the NEET care
leavers (9) are in Oxford city.
NEET by Locality
Locality NEET Cohort (May 2011)
Banbury 142
Oxford South East 89
Abingdon/Berinsfield 73
Witney/Eynsham/Woodstock 99
Didcot 77
Bicester/Kidlington 88
Cowley/Iffley (ISIS) 73
North Oxford/Cumnor/Botley 44
Headington/Wheatley 64
Carterton/Burford/Chipping Norton 53
Henley/Sonning Common/Woodcote/Wallingford 38
Wantage/Faringdon/Grove 58
Thame/Watlington 22
920
These figures include those young people not available for learning, for example
young carers, and only includes young people known to Connexions.
Less than 20 per cent of the NEET group have a level 2 qualification therefore the
provision for this group needs to be pre level 2 and with flexible start dates to capture
those that become NEET during the year.
Although not technically classified as NEET in December 2010 there were 243 16
year olds and 637 17 year olds who were in some form of employment with no formal
training. Whilst some of these young people will be receiving good quality non
accredited training with nationally recognised employers, Oxfordshire has a
significantly higher number of young people in this group compared with other LA
areas.
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Qualification levels
(YPLA data)
In 2009/10 the proportion of 16-19 enrolments in FE taking a level 3 qualification
(36.4%, 6,900 enrolments) was below both the regional (49.0%) and national figures
(44.5%).
The proportion of learners undertaking a level 3 programme in FE decreased from
56.5 per cent to 55.4%, although this hides the fact that learner numbers actually
increased from 3,624 to 3,721.
The proportion of enrolments at entry and level 1 (34.2%, 6,469 enrolments) is higher
than the regional and national positions (24.7% and 27.2% respectively).
In 2009/10 91.5 per cent of the learning aims studied in school sixth forms were at
level 3 and in-year figures for 2010/11 show a similar picture.
In school sixth forms and academies the number of learners studying a level 3
programme increased from 5,449 to 5,827 (94% to 96%).
It would appear that increases in levels of GCSE attainment are being reflected in
increased level 3 participation.
In 2009/10, 72.8 per cent of Oxfordshire‟s school leavers achieved a full level 2 which
is an improvement of 5.2 per cent from 2008/09.
Sectors
(YPLA data - please note there are large numbers of unknowns recorded for the sector
data – 20.45% for schools and 23.48% for FE in 2009/10)
In order of the numbers of learning aims taken the top ten most popular sector
subject areas for 16-18 year olds in school sixth forms and academies in 2009/10 are
as listed below. The order did not change between 2008/09 and 2009/10.
Science and mathematics – 7,951 (27.12%)
Languages, literature and culture – 2,819 (9.61%)
Arts, media and publishing – 2,760 (9.41%)
History, philosophy and theology – 2,368 (8.08%)
Social sciences – 2,256 (7.69%)
Business, administration and law – 1,311 (4.47%)
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Leisure, travel and tourism – 1,240 (4.23%)
Preparation for life and work – 1,180 (4.02%)
Information and communication technology – 713 (2.43%)
Engineering and manufacturing technologies – 447 (1.52%)
In order of the numbers of learning aims taken the top ten most popular sector
subject areas for 16-18 year olds in FE in 2009/10 are as listed below. There were a
number of changes from the ranking in 2008/09, where three sector subject areas
decreased the proportion of enrolments (Health, public services and care from 3rd to
5th, Information and communication technology from 8th to 9th, and Agriculture,
horticulture and animal care from 10th to 11th) and four sector subject areas increased
the proportion of enrolments ( Science and mathematics from 4th to 3rd, Leisure,
travel and tourism from 5th to 4th, Languages, literature and culture from 9th to 8th and
Engineering and manufacturing technologies from 11th to 10th).
Preparation for life and work – 7,423 (29.56%)
Arts, media and publishing – 2,245 (8.94%)
Science and mathematics – 1,513 (6.03%)
Leisure, travel and tourism – 1,316 (5.24%)
Health, public services and care – 1,197 (4.77%)
Business, administration and law – 876 (3.49%)
Retail and commercial enterprise – 859 (3.42%)
Languages, literature and culture – 852 (3.39%)
Information and communication technology – 758 (3.02%)
Engineering and manufacturing technologies – 634 (2.52%)
3.4 STEM Subject Participation (YPLA and LA data)
Demand for STEM skills is expected to rise. Based on Working Futures 2004-2014
(Wilson et al, 2006), CBI (2008) suggest that by 2014, 730,000 extra jobs will require
candidates with STEM skills. Growth in employment is projected to be fastest for
those with the highest level qualifications. The number of those in employment with
no or few formal qualifications is projected to decline. The Working Futures 2004-
2014 results generally suggest, with the exception of Medicine, that the “demand” for
those qualified in most STEM subjects will grow significantly faster than the average
for all subject groups.
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In this analysis STEM subjects have been identified by using the sector skills areas
of science, mathematics and statistics, engineering, engineering and manufacturing
technologies, and manufacturing technologies. The science area includes pure
sciences, psychology, along with some of the „soft‟ sciences.
Key Stage 4
Learners at this stage participate in qualifications from entry level through to level 3.
The take up of STEM learning aims has increased by 9.5 per cent between 2009 and
2011 (18,706 to 20,485). Science subjects saw an increase in take up from 11,670
to 12,700 (8.8%), mathematics and statistics an increase from 6,918 to 7,708
(11.4%) whilst engineering take up decreased from 118 to 77 (34.7%).
The increases in science and mathematics are across all the levels of qualifications
taken.
16 - 18
The take up of STEM learning aims in post 16 providers (FE, sixth forms and
academies) has increased by 19.6 per cent between 2008/09 and 2010/11 (9,715 to
11,623). Science subjects saw a year on year increase in take up from 5,869 to
7,021 (19.6%), mathematics and statistics yearly increases from 3,080 to 3,651
(18.5%) as did engineering and manufacturing subjects; an increase from 766 to 951
(24.2%).
Although there has been increases overall in the take up of STEM subjects sixth
forms and academies have seen a decrease in the take up of engineering learning
aims; from 443 to 405 (8.6%) between 2008/09 and 2010/11.
3.5 Travel to Learn for 16-18 year olds (as at Dec 2010) (YPLA data)
688 (611 in December 2009) Oxfordshire residents aged 16-18 travelled out of the
county to access provision in FE and 420 (383 in December 2009) also attended out
of county School Sixth Forms or Academies.
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1,714 non Oxfordshire residents were attending FE provision delivered in Oxfordshire
(88 per cent of which were at level 3) and 258 were in Oxfordshire School Sixth
Forms. 1,678 non-Oxfordshire residents attended Oxfordshire based FE providers.
There are 5,997 (5,400 in December 2009) FE students living in Oxfordshire in
2010/11 with 89 per cent studying in the area. Most of those leaving the area to study
are in providers outside the south east region (7 per cent), with a further 1.4 per cent
studying in Buckinghamshire.
Overall, Oxfordshire was a net importer of 1,026 learners.
The colleges with significant Oxfordshire residents are as follows;
Warwickshire College delivered to 137 (111 in 2009) Oxfordshire residents,
the majority being on full-time level 3 programmes but with 24 per cent on
level 2 programmes. 92 per cent of the learners travelled from Cherwell
district.
New College, Swindon delivered to 81 (72 in 2009) residents, the majority
being on full-time level 3 programmes. 94 per cent of the learners travelled
from the Vale of the White Horse district.
Aylesbury College delivered to 64 (65 in 2009) residents, with relatively equal
numbers being on full-time level 1, 2 and 3 programmes. 88 per cent of the
learners travelled from South Oxfordshire.
Berkshire College of Agriculture delivered to 54 residents (53 in 2009), the
majority being on full-time level 2 and 3 programmes. 96 per cent of the
learners travelled from South Oxfordshire.
Swindon College delivered to 51 (63 in 2009) residents, the majority being on
full-time level 2 and 3 programmes. 80 per cent of the learners travelled from
the Vale of the White Horse district.
Stratford-upon-Avon College delivered to 44 (40 in 2009) residents, the
majority being on full-time level 3 programmes. 86 per cent of the learners
travelled from Cherwell district.
Cirencester Tertiary College delivered to 38 (41 in 2009) residents, the
majority being on full-time level 3 programmes. 63 per cent of the learners
travelled from the Vale of the White Horse.
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Apart from agriculture at Warwickshire College there does not appear to be any
particular curriculum areas that are attracting these learners out of the county.
Among those leaving the area to study, 64 per cent (71 per cent inn 2009) are
studying at level 3, 20 per cent (20 per cent in 2009) at level 2 and 14 per cent (11
per cent in 2009) at level 1 and entry.
Significant numbers are travelling in from Buckinghamshire (542), Reading (336),
Wokingham (184) and Windsor and Maidenhead (150). There are 345 that travel in
from out of the SE region, predominantly from Northamptonshire (226).
The majority of the learners travelling into the county (1,334) are attending The
Henley College.
3.6 Young People with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities (LLDD) (YPLA and Local Authority data)
The proportion of learners with LDD in Oxfordshire was above the regional average
in 2009/10 at 24 per cent compared with 21 per cent in the south east.
47 per cent of all learning aims studies by learners with LDD were in „preparation for
life and work‟ compared to 35 per cent for non LDD learners.
Similarly, a higher proportion of learners with LDD studies entry or level 1 learning
aims (46%) than non LDD learners (30%).
High cost LLDD
In 2011/12 there will be 35 young people aged 16-25 undertaking learning within out
of county Independent Specialist Providers. Of these 14 are new starts and 21 are
continuing. This compares with 29 learners in 2010/11.
In 2011/12 there will also be 73 learners in Oxfordshire FE providers whose
Additional Learning Support (ALS) costs will exceed £19,000; a large proportion of
these will be attending Abingdon and Witney College‟s specialist provision for autistic
learners.
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Young people with statements of Specialist Educational Needs (SEN)
In 2010/11 123 young people with statements of SEN will be continuing their courses
in Oxfordshire‟s special schools.
3.7 Participation in Apprenticeships (National Apprenticeship Service)
16-18
There were 950 starts in 2007/08, 903 in 2008/09 and 1,013 in 2009/10. The
increase has been mainly at level 3. Up to the end of period 9 for 2010/11 (end April
2011) there were 896 starts, compared with 849 at the same time in 2009/10. This
represents growth of 5.5 per cent; however the growth for the SE has been 10.1 per
cent. The growth between 2007/08 and 2009/10 has been 6.6 per cent in Oxfordshire
compared with 5.2 per cent across the SE and 8.6 per cent nationally.
In 2009/10 there were 2,021 16-18 year olds participating in an apprenticeship, this
equates to 7.9 per cent of the 16-18 cohort. This compares with 1,943 in 2008/09 (an
increase of 4.0%). The SE grew by 5.4 per cent and nationally by 5.5 per cent over
the same period.
OCVC is by far the largest provider of apprenticeships and accounted for 20.6 per
cent of starts in 2009/10. The second largest provider is Zenos with 77 starts in
2009/10.
The most popular sector in 2009/10 was hairdressing with 11.5 per cent of starts;
hairdressing was also the most popular across the SE.
The next most popular sector was childcare (9.4% of starts in 2009/10). This is not in
line with the region where engineering is ranked second. Engineering for Oxfordshire
was ranked 8th in 2009/10 with 53 starts (only 5.2% compared with 9.4% across the
SE). Construction starts fell in 2009/10 - it was the second most popular framework
in 2008/09 with 133 starts, but fell to the 6th most popular with only 73 starts.
Participation in 2009/10 was 61.9 per cent male and 34.3 per cent female, compared
with the SE at 57.0 per cent and 43.0 per cent respectively.
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19-24
Starts for Oxfordshire were 847 in 2007/08, 899 in 2008/09 and 1,082 in 2009/10.
The increase has been mainly at level 2. Up to the end of period 9 for 10/11 (end
April) there have been 940 starts, compared with 817 at the same time in 2009/10.
This represents growth of 15.1 per cent against the growth for the SE at 9.7 per cent.
The growth between 2007/08 and 2009/10 has been 27.7 per cent compared with
26.8 per cent across the SE and 26.3 per cent nationally.
In 2009/10 there were 1,843 19-24 year olds participating in an apprenticeship. This
compares with 1,655 in 2008/09 (an increase of 11.4 per cent). The South-East grew
by 14.4 per cent and nationally by 14.3 per cent over the same period.
VT Training is the largest provider of apprenticeships for this age group and
accounted for 13.5 per cent (146) starts for Oxfordshire residents in 2009/10. The
second largest provider is Vodafone with 79 (8.8%) of starts in 2009/10.
The most popular apprenticeship in 2009/10 was hospitality and catering with 11.8
per cent of starts.
The next most popular sector was customer service (with 11.7% of starts).
The top ranked framework for this age group in the South-East is engineering which
doesn‟t appear at all in Oxfordshire‟s top 10.
Participation in 2009/10 was 55.1 per cent male and 44.9 per cent female, compared
with the SE at 58.9 per cent and 41.1 per cent respectively.
25+
Starts for Oxfordshire were 218 in 2007/08, 556 in 2008/09 and 448 in 2009/10. Up
to the end of period 9 for 2010/11 (end April 2011) there have been 823 starts,
compared with 336 at the same time in 2009/10. This represents growth of 44.9 per
cent against the growth for the South-East at 120.9 per cent.
In 2009/10 there were 830 aged 25+ participating in an apprenticeship. This
compares with 703 in 2008/09 (an increase of 18.1%). The South-East grew by 13.7
per cent and nationally by 18.7 per cent over the same period.
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VT Training is the largest provider of apprenticeships for this age group and
accounted for 17.0 per cent (76) starts for Oxfordshire residents in 2009/10. The
second largest provider is Vodafone with 59 (13.2%) of starts in 2009/10.
The most popular apprenticeship in 2009/10 was customer service with 17.2 per cent
of starts. The next most popular sector was heath and social care (with 14.5% of
starts). This is in line with the South-East for this age group.
Participation in 2009/10 was 65 per cent male and 35 per cent female, compared
with the South-East at 50 per cent and 50 per cent respectively.
3.8 Adult participation in Skills Funding Agency (SFA) funded provision (excluding apprenticeships) (SFA Data)
There were 374 providers in 2009/10 delivering to Oxfordshire residents; however a
significant number of these had very low numbers. 47 providers had at least 100
Oxfordshire resident enrolments.
Oxford and Cherwell Valley College is by far the largest provider of adult provision in
Oxfordshire with over 20,000 enrolments in total (this includes apprenticeships). The
second largest is Abingdon and Witney College followed by Oxfordshire County
Council and The Henley College.
Learner responsive provision is attended by adults in their own time and can be full
or part time. Between 2008/09 and 2009/10 participation in learner responsive
provision for Oxfordshire residents has increased overall. Participation in skills for
life qualifications has remained fairly static with 11,200 starts, whereas those
participating at level 2 has decreased (from 7,920 to 7,480 starts) but level 3 has
increased (from 9,740 to 9,810 starts).
Employer responsive provision is usually delivered in the workplace and is driven by
employer choice. The numbers of Oxfordshire residents participating in employer
responsive provision has fallen between 2008/09 and 2009/10 (from 7,590 to 7,390
starts). This probably reflects the significant changes in the funding methodology for
this type of provision with less government funding and more of an emphasis on an
expectation that employers will contribute to the cost of delivery.
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Sectors
(SFA local authority data – please note there are large numbers of unknowns recorded
for the sector data – 67.5% on learner responsive 2009/10, 16.5% in 2009/10 and 19.8%
in 2008/09 for employer responsive. Also numbers are rounded to the nearest ten.)
For learner responsive provision in 2009/10 the ten most popular sector skills council
areas for Oxfordshire residents were (in order of the number of enrolments):
Creative and cultural – 1,790 (3.59%)
Employability – 1,510 (3.03%)
Active leisure, learning and wellbeing – 1,460 (2.93%)
Business information technology and communications – 1,150 (2.31%)
Healthcare – 990 (1.98%)
Hair and beauty – 930 (1.86%)
Finance, accountancy and financial services – 920 (1.84%)
Land-based and environmental industries – 820 (1.64%)
Children and young people – 670 (1.34%)
Hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism – 660 (1.32%)
For employer responsive provision, excluding apprenticeships, the most popular
sector skills council areas have changed between 2008/09 and 2009/10.
The top ten sectors in 2008/09 were (in order of the number of enrolments):
Adult, social care/ healthcare – 1,170 (13.1%)
Construction – 880 (9.89%)
Science, engineering and manufacturing technologies – 710 (7.98%)
Freight, logistics and wholesale – 620 (6.97%)
Customer service and contact centres – 570 (6.40%)
Hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism – 370 (4.16%)
Facilities management, housing, properties, planning and cleaning – 370
(4.16%)
Management and leadership (including HR and recruitment) – 360 (4.04%)
Children and young people – 360 (4.04%)
Passenger transport – 300 (3.37%)
In 2009/10 the top ten sectors were:
Passenger transport – 820 (9.62%)
Adult social care/healthcare – 790 (9.27%)
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Customer service and contact centres – 670 (7.86%)
Construction – 560 (6.57%)
Science, engineering and manufacturing technologies – 520 (6.10%)
Freight, logistics and wholesale – 520 (6.10%)
Retail – 480 (5.63%)
Management and leadership (including HR and recruitment) – 410 (4.81%)
Hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism – 360 (4.22%)
Children and young people – 300 (3.52%)
3.9 Level 2 and 3 Attainment by 19 (DfE and YPLA data)
In Oxfordshire progress towards the level 2 and level 3 at 19 PSA (public sector
agreement) targets show that there is an improvement of 2.6 percentage points
required to meet the target for achievement at level 2, however the level 3 target has
already been passed.
Level 2
The level 2 at 19 PSA target is to have 82 per cent of young people reaching the
level 2 threshold by age 19 by 2010/11.
In 2009/10 79.4 per cent of 19 year olds were qualified at level 2. This has seen year
on year increases, and represents an improvement of 7.2 percentage points since
2004/05.
The improvement is less than that nationally (11.5 percentage points) but
Oxfordshire‟s position is above England overall (78.7% in 2009/10). In 2009/10
Oxfordshire ranked bottom out of 11 statistical neighbours.
There is a 32 percentage points attainment gap in level 2 attainment, when using
Free School Meals (FSM) as a proxy for disadvantage. Oxfordshire ranks 10th out of
11 statistical neighbours.
Looking at the cohort turning 19 in 2010/11, 66.6 per cent reached level 2 by the age
of 16, which is an improvement of 4.9 percentage points over the position at 16 for
the 2009/10 cohort (61.7%). Therefore we should see an improvement in attainment
at 19 for this cohort next year.
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Of the 6,617 who had achieved level 2 by 19 in 2009/10, 1,469 achieved it after the
age of 16. 53.5 per cent achieved it at an FE college, 20 per cent through
apprenticeships, 18.4 per cent at a maintained school and 5.1 per cent at
independent school.
Level 3
The level 3 2010/11 PSA target for young people is for 54 per cent reaching the level
3 threshold by age 19.
In 2009/10 58 per cent of young people reached level 3 by 19 in Oxfordshire which is
above the England average of 52.0 per cent. This places Oxfordshire 7th out of 11
among statistical neighbours.
There is a 30 percentage point attainment gap in level 3 when using FSM as a proxy
for disadvantage. This compares with a 34 per cent gap in 2008/09 and places
Oxfordshire 3rd out of 11 when compared with statistical neighbours.
The movement since 2004/05 of 7.6 percentage points falls below the national
change over the same period of 8.0 percentage points.
Attaining GCSE English and mathematics is a significant factor contributing to
attainment of level 3 at 19:
86.7 per cent of those attaining a level 2 at 16 including English and
mathematics attained level 3 at 19 by 2009/10.
53.0 per cent of those not reaching level 2 but attaining GCSE English and
mathematics went on to attain level 3 at 19 by 2009/10.
Making up ground between the ages of 16 and 19
Some of the improvement in the position at Level 2 for Oxfordshire has come from
increases in attainment by school leaving age. Of those turning 19 in 2004/05, 56.7
per cent achieved level 2 by the age of 16, this moved to 61.7 per cent for the
2009/10 cohort (an increase of 5.0 percent compared with 8.7 per cent nationally).
The proportion of Oxfordshire schools‟ young people in this cohort attaining five A*-C
GCSEs including English and maths increased by 4.4 percentage points on 2008/09
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to 57.3 per cent, although as reported below this percentage has decreased in
2010/11.
The rest of the improvement has come from those gaining their level 2 post 16. In
2004/05, an additional 15.5 per cent of the cohort achieved level 2 after the age of
16. For those turning 19 in 2009/10, this has increased by 2.2 per cent to 17.7 per
cent of the cohort achieving level 2 after 16. Nationally 19.6 per cent of the 2009/10
cohort gained their level 2 post 16, but Oxfordshire does well compared with
statistical neighbours.
With more ground to gain to make up for the lower percentages of young people
attaining level 2 at 16, Oxfordshire‟s post 16 education providers are in general
making up more ground than our statistical neighbours (17.7% in 2009/10).
3.10 Success Rates
Key Stage 4 (DfE data)
In 2010/11 73.4 per cent of learners in Oxfordshire achieved 5+ A*-C grades at key
stage 4 and although this was a 0.6 per cent increase on 2009/10 (72.8%) it placed
Oxfordshire the lowest compared to its statistical neighbours (Bracknell Forest was
ranked 1st with 87.3%). Oxfordshire is now 5.2 per cent below the South-East
average and 6.7 per cent below the maintained sector national average.
56.8 per cent achieved 5+ A*-C grades including English and Mathematics. This was
a 0.5 per cent decrease on 2009/10 and has resulted in Oxfordshire being the worst
county when compared to its statistical neighbours (Buckinghamshire was ranked 1st
with 69.4%). It was one of only three counties to see a decrease in this
measurement; the other two being Cambridgeshire and West Berkshire with -0.2 and
-1.5 per cent decrease respectively. Oxfordshire is now 2.4 per cent below the
South-East average and 1.1 per cent below the maintained sector national average.
Expected progress between key stage 2 and 4 (DfE data)
English
In 2010 70.7 per cent of learners had made the expected progress in English
between key stages 2 and 4. This is higher than the national average of 69.9 per
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cent but lower than the regional average of 71.7 per cent and has left the County the
lowest when compared against its statistical neighbours (the highest being
Buckinghamshire with 76.4 per cent making the expected progress).
Girls‟ performance, although improving by 2.3 per cent since 2008, has fallen below
the national and regional averages whereas 5.1 per cent more boys made the
expected progress during the same period. This resulted in the boys performing
higher than national and regional averages and ranking 6th when compared to
statistical neighbours and the girls dropping to 11th.
Mathematics
In 2010 67.6 per cent of learners had made the expected progress in mathematics
between key stages 2 and 4. This is higher than the national and regional averages
of 62.5 and 66 per cent respectively and places the County 7th when compared
against its statistical neighbours (the highest being Buckinghamshire with 74.8 per
cent making the expected progress).
Both the girls and boys performance improved by 4.3 and 10 per cent respectively
and were ranked 7th and 6th respectively when compared to statistical neighbours.
Further Education (FE) providers based in Oxfordshire (YPLA data)
In 2009/10 the overall resident based FE college success rate was 81.5 per cent, this
is a 2.8 percentage point increase from the previous year. However, it still remains
below the regional rate (82.4%) but is now over the national rate which is 81.1 per
cent.
A levels (DfE data)
A level point scores per student across all types of providers decreased from 721.3 in
2009/10 to 709 in 2010/11 (the national average increased from 726.5 to 733.1 in the
same period). This is equivalent to a learner achieving one grade less. This has
resulted in Oxfordshire being the lowest of their statistical neighbours.
Point scores per entry increased from 211.8 to 212.9 (9th out of 11 statistical
neighbours).
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The percentage of A-level candidates who achieved 2 or more A-levels in 2011 was
93.8 (94.7% in 2010). This compares with a maintained sector national average of
92.2 per cent and ranks Oxfordshire 8th out of 11 statistical neighbours.
School Sixth forms (Data Dashboard)
Comparing QCDA GCSEs point scores on entry with QCDA GCE point scores on
exit from Oxfordshire sixth forms, on average those with lower entry levels have
better than average outcomes compared with national figures based on the same
entry levels, and those with high entry levels on average do not do as well as the
national figures.
Apprenticeships (NAS data)
Overall success rates for apprenticeships in 2009/10 were 75.3 per cent compared
with 74.3 per cent across the SE and 73.8 per cent nationally. This is a 3.6 per cent
rise from 2008/09 with the national rate rising by 2.7 per cent.
16-18
Oxfordshire overall Apprenticeship success rates have increased year on year and in
2009/10 was 74.2 per cent, which is higher than the South East and national average
of 72 per cent and 72.4 per cent respectively.
Level 2 apprenticeships for this age group had a success rate of 73.4 per cent in
2009/10 and have seen a year on year increase for the last 5 years. The national rate
was 71.1 per cent.
Level 3 apprenticeships had a success rate of 76.0 per cent which is a 7 per cent
drop from the previous year, and is now at around the national average of 76.2 per
cent.
19+
In 2009/10 the success rate was 77.0 per cent which is above the regional and
national average (75.9% and 74.9% respectively).
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Level 2 apprenticeships for this age group had a success rate of 76.5 per cent in
2009/10 and has seen a year on year increase for the last 5 years. The national rate
was 74.6 per cent.
Level 3 apprenticeships had a success rate of 77.8 per cent which is a 5 per cent
increase from the previous year, and is above the national average of 75.4 per cent.
25+
In 2009/10 the success rate was 74.3 per cent which is below the regional and
national average (75.6% and 75.1% respectively).
Level 2 apprenticeships for this age group had a success rate of 76.6 per cent in
2009/10 which is below the national rate of 77.5 per cent.
Level 3 apprenticeships had a success rate of 70.8 per cent compared with the
national rate of 71.5 per cent.
3.11 Infrastructure
Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges
Abingdon and Witney College is undertaking a £ 7.4m capital programme to improve
the facilities at their Witney campus. This includes specific investment to develop the
vocational offer in West Oxfordshire (construction and hairdressing, for example), to
increase the volume and range of provision for foundation level learners at post-16,
and continue the development of specialist LDD provision. This work is due to be
completed for the start of the 2012/13 academic year. The college‟s plans for the
future include the expansion of their Abingdon campus to include a new engineering
centre and the introduction of hairdressing.
Following the removal of the government capital projects‟ funding in 2009 Oxford and
Cherwell Valley College are now planning to deliver a self-funded and phased
redevelopment programme to improve facilities at all of its sites. This will consist of a
combination of refurbishment and new accommodation and at the moment is being
concentrated in Banbury where the plan is to eventually relocate the entire campus to
the south side of the road. Work started in January 2011 with a £3.4 million project
to remodel the Art and Design building. This was opened in October 2011. The next
phase is to build a new motor vehicle workshop and a new media building.
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The Henley College is undertaking a £2m capital programme to refurbish the existing
sports centre which has the potential to expand their sports provision from
September 2012. Further plans include reconfiguring and refurbishing part of their
music and performing arts facilities, planned for completion by September 2012.
School Sixth Forms
Cooper School has a new sixth form which opened in September 2011 and recruited
103 post 16 learners.
Warriner School is undertaking a consultation to change its status to an 11-18 school
with sixth form delivery planned in conjunction with Oxford and Cherwell Valley
College from September 2012, followed by its own post 16 contract from September
2013.
Academies
Oxfordshire has five academies; three sponsored academies (North Oxfordshire,
Oxford and Oxford Spires) and two converted (King Alfred‟s and Wallingford). There
are a further seven schools in the process of converting; Banbury, Dashwood,
Gillotts, Hanwell Fields, Rush Common, Bartholomew and Langtree.
Free Schools
The Department for Education (DfE) has announced that Europa School UK has
been approved to move to the pre-opening stage in readiness to open in September
2012. The proposal is that this free school will be based on the site of the Culham
European School, taking reception, year 1 and year 2 students from September
2012, with the intention of taking learners up to the age of 19 by 2017.
University Technical Colleges (UTCs)
UTCs are colleges for students aged 14 to 19 which specialise in technical studies
and are sponsored by a university. They offer full time courses which have a strong
focus on vocational education and work-based learning and employers are involved
in shaping the curriculum.
Oxford and Cherwell Valley College in partnership with Oxford Brookes University,
Oxfordshire County Council, P3Eco and A2 Dominion have submitted a statement of
intent to open a UTC for 550 14-19 year olds in September 2014. It will specialise in
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a curriculum linked to sustainability, innovation and enterprise and will be located in
the Cherwell District of the county.
Bicester Development
The NW Bicester development was named as one of four Government designated
eco town locations in July 2009. The proposed development is designed to provide a
zero carbon community of 5,000 homes over the next 20 years. P3Eco (Bicester)
Ltd, together with its development partner A2Dominion, has had confirmation that
planning permission has been granted for 393 new homes as part of the first phase
of the NW Bicester Eco development. The plans also provide for outline consent for
new employment, retail, social and community facilities as well as a site for a primary
school to form a local centre at the heart of a sustainable new “village”.
The economic strategy of the Eco development is based around the creation of jobs
by maximising the potential of the Eco town status; through onsite uses (including the
creation of an Eco Business Centre and the promotion of home-working); off site
growth associated with development and population increase and niche construction
jobs.
A further development is also in progress in south-west Bicester where 1,585 houses
are being built, with plans for new primary and secondary schools.
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Glossary
Apprenticeship Framework
Apprenticeships are a way of gaining qualifications and workplace experience. The
apprenticeship framework is made up of a competence based element (NVQ), a
knowledge based element (technical certificate) and key/functional skills.
CBI
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is an independent organisation that
provides a voice for businesses on a national and international scale. They promote
and lobby for conditions in which UK businesses of all sizes and sectors can
compete and prosper.
Education, Skills and Training Domain
This domain captures the extent of deprivation in terms of education, skills and
training in a local area. The indicators fall into two sub domains: one relating to
education deprivation for children/young people in the area and one relating to lack of
skills and qualifications among the working age adult population.
Indicators for children/young people sub-domain are:
Average points score of children at Key Stage 2
Average points score of children at Key Stage 3
Average points score of children at Key Stage 4
Proportion of young people not staying on in school or school level education
above 16
Proportion of those aged under 21 not entering Higher Education
Secondary school absence rate
Indicator for skills is:
Proportions of working age adults in the area with no or low qualifications
GVA
GVA stands for gross value added and is an economic measure of the value of
goods and services produced in an area, industry or sector of an economy.
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Independent Specialist Providers
Independent specialist providers (ISPs) are providers who provide learners with
learning difficulties and disabilities (LDD) with training and skills required for
independent living. Local Authorities use these providers to fulfil their statutory duty
to provide learning opportunities for learners with LDD.
Index of Deprivation
The English Indices of Deprivation helps identify and prioritise areas to assist the
government in narrowing the gap between deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of
the country. The indices have now been produced four times - 2000, 2004, 2007 and
2010, with the method being modified and improved each time.
The Index of Deprivation includes seven main domains and six further sub domains.
There is also a measure of Multiple Deprivation made up from the other domains.
Each of the 32,482 Lower Super Output Areas (LSOA's) in England have been
assigned a score and rank.
The domains are:
Income deprivation
Employment deprivation
Health deprivation and disability
Education, skills and training with the sub domains: children/young people,
and skills
Barriers to housing and services with the sub domains: wider barriers and
geographical barriers
Crime
Living environment deprivation with the sub domains: the "indoors"
living environment and the "outdoors" living environment
Job Seekers Allowance
Jobseeker‟s Allowance is the main benefit for people of working age who are out of
work or work less than 16 hours a week on average. If you're eligible, it is paid while
you're looking for work.
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Key Stages
The National Curriculum is divided into four key stages that children are taken
through during their school life. Targets defined in the National Curriculum are
assessed at the end of each Key Stage.
The four Key Stages
Key Stage 1 Ages 5-7 Years 1 and 2
Key Stage 2 Ages 7-11 Years 3, 4, 5 and 6
Key Stage 3 Ages 11-14 Years 7, 8 and 9
Key Stage 4 Ages 14-16 Years 10 and 11
Local Enterprise Partnership
Local Enterprise Partnerships are locally-owned partnerships between local
authorities and businesses and play a central role in determining local economic
priorities and undertaking activities to drive economic growth and the creation of local
jobs. They are also a key vehicle in delivering Government objectives for economic
growth and decentralisation, whilst also providing a means for local authorities to
work together with business in order to quicken the economic recovery.
Oxfordshire Economic Partnership
The Oxfordshire Economic Partnership (OEP) was formed in June 2003 by a number
of Oxfordshire business people together with senior public sector executives to
influence and develop strategies for enterprise and economic development, to
promote competitiveness of the economy, to promote enterprise and economic
growth, to promote education and training of and the development of skills amongst
the existing and future work force, to research and promote the sustenance and
enhancement of the environment and generally to promote in any manner the County
of Oxfordshire for the benefit of its employers, employees and communities. It has
recently been replaced by Oxfordshire Business First.
Public Service Agreement
Public service agreements (PSAs) detail the aims and objectives of UK government
departments for a three-year period. The agreement describes how targets will be
achieved and how performance against these targets will be measured.
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Qualification Levels
Level Examples of qualifications
Entry - Entry level certificates
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
- Skills for Life
- Functional Skills at entry level (English, maths and ICT)
1 - GCSEs grades D-G
- BTEC Introductory Diplomas and Certificates
- OCR Nationals
- Key Skills at level 1
- Skills for Life
- Functional Skills at Level 1
2 - GCSEs grades A*-C
- Key Skills level 2
- Skills for Life
- Functional Skills at Level 1
3 - A levels
- GCE in applied subjects
- International Baccalaureate
- Key Skills level 3
4 - Certificates of Higher Education
5 - HNCs and HNDs
- Other higher diplomas
- Diplomas of higher education
- Foundation Degrees
6 - National Diploma in Professional Production Skills
- BTEC Advanced Professional Diplomas, Certificates & Awards
- Bachelors degrees
- Bachelors degrees with honours
- Graduate certificates and diplomas
- Professional Graduate Certificate in Education
7 - Diploma in Translation
- BTEC Advanced Professional Diplomas, Certificates & Awards
- Masters degrees
- Integrated masters degrees
- Postgraduate certificates
- Postgraduate diplomas
8 - Specialist awards
- Doctoral degrees
Science Vale UK
The Science Vale UK area is one of the most successful science hotspots in the
country with 13 per cent of research and development employment in the South East
and four per cent in England. The Science Vale UK Partnership brings together key
players who are committed to achieving even greater economic success and
sustainability. The specific areas that make up the Science Vale are Culham
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Science Centre, Didcot, Grove, Harwell Science and Innovation campus, Milton Park
and Wantage.
Skills Funding Agency
The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) is a partner organisation of the Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills who fund and regulate adult further education and
skills training in England. £4 billion per year of public spending is allocated to
colleges and training organisations, to fund training for adults in England.
The National Apprenticeship Service, is an element of the SFA, works to develop the
relationship with business to drive forward the government‟s ambition for increasing
apprenticeships.
Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance
The ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) Centre on Skills, Knowledge
and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) is based in Oxford and Cardiff
Universities. Its main aim is to examine the links between the acquisition and use of
skills and knowledge, product market strategies and performance.
The South East England Development Agency
The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) is the Government funded
Regional Development Agency, set up in 1999, responsible for the sustainable
economic development and regeneration of the South East. All Regional
Development Agencies (RDAs), including SEEDA, will close by 31 March 2012 and
the responsibility for economic development and regeneration is being passed onto
successor bodies, including Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and central
Government departments.
Statistical Neighbours
Each local authority has a set of named authorities who are deemed similar in
characteristics for comparative purposes. They provide a method for benchmarking
progress against what might be expected. Oxfordshire‟s statistical neighbours are:
Bath and North East Somerset
Bracknell Forest
Buckinghamshire
Cambridgeshire
Gloucestershire
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Hampshire
Hertfordshire
Surrey
West Berkshire
Wiltshire
STEM
STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Working age population
In this research the data related to the working age population is those aged between
16 and 64.
Young People’s Learning Agency
The Young People‟s Learning Agency (YPLA) provides funding to Academies,
general FE and sixth form colleges, and other 16 - 19 providers; and supporting local
authorities to commission suitable education and training opportunities for all 16 - 19
year olds, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities and other
vulnerable groups. The YPLA will be replaced by the Education Funding Agency
(EFA), from April 2012, as an executive agency of the Department for Education, with
responsibility for funding all institutions, who provide for children and young people,
which are not maintained by local authorities.