Funding guide - author's intro

The hands-on guide to post-16 funding is for anyone with a passing or more detailed interest in the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) 16-18, adult learner-responsive or employer-responsive funding. As such, it covers the new 2008/09 national funding formula and demand-led models for school sixth form, further education (16-18 and adult), Apprenticeship, Entry to Employment and Train to Gain provision. It is designed to be used as a reference tool rather than read from cover to cover. However, and most importantly, this guide is not the authoritative source of LSC information on funding, as this is of course published by the LSC. This guide is simply a complementary tool which I hope helps to summarise the information and implications of LSC funding rates, eligibility and methodology. Funding is a complex topic and this guide is unable to cover all the finer details, and elements may quickly become out-of-date (the LSC may change rates and rules during the year).

I am fortunate enough to work with the LSC as a member of their technical funding advisory group, which was established in 2005 to consider the implications of reforming the funding formula, methodology and rates. This gives me an insight into the work of the LSC funding policy team, who I believe do a sterling job balancing competing demands to increase simplicity whilst maintain fairness. However, the true privilege comes from working for Lewisham College, a large and successful college which makes a significant difference to the lives of many in South East London. As a Director at the College, I plan provision and report on performance, as well as meet regularly with LSC. I have therefore written this book as a provider for providers, and I want it to be useful to those in the sector, particularly people planning and delivering provision, who want to understand where the funding comes from, what it funds and how much it will generate for some of the most popular qualifications. This information should not only be interesting, but practical in that it can be used to assist in the curriculum planning and performance cycle to help achieve a variety of targets and performance measures.

The guide is split into sections that are listed on the front, and within each section a topic is covered across two pages. This serves two purposes. Firstly, it should make it easier for you to find information (without the need for an index). Secondly, two pages per topic means I have had a volume constraint, which given the complexity of the topic is probably welcome.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank a number of people. Siân Owen at Edexcel for all her hard work and being the driving force behind this book. Bob Osborne at Edexcel for believing in the idea and backing it financially. Julian Gravatt, Alex Cook, John Callaghan, Stewart Segal and Mark Dunkerley for being expert readers. Dame Ruth Silver and Stephen Lawes at Lewisham College for supporting me throughout and last but by no-means least, thanks are due to Sandra and Denis Linford and Sarah, my beautiful partner, for keeping me sane and happy.