The Interim Director of Children’s Services reported, in response to a motion raised by Councillor Kelly at the meeting of the Committee held on 6 June 2011 (minute 6 refers), upon work currently being undertaken by officers to support the uptake of level 3 (Advanced) Apprenticeships within the Wirral Apprenticeship Programme. He referred to the strategic priorities and key actions contained within the Liverpool City Region (LCR) Apprenticeship Strategy, which included an action to drive up the volume and share of level 3 Apprenticeship programmes. He commented that in terms of the current Wirral Apprenticeship programme, there was no capacity to respond by increasing the volumes of level 3 Apprenticeships, due to the fact that all available funding was currently in contract. However, an officer Strategy Working Group (SWG) had been established to influence the future direction of the LCR strategy and would give consideration as to how any future Wirral Apprenticeship funding could be prioritised to encourage greater volumes of level 3 Apprenticeships and grow the market. The SWG was intended to take a holistic view of Apprenticeship engagement and it would initially report to the Executive Team to ensure the approach was communicated across all directorates.

The Interim Director reported also upon the preparedness of the education sector to deliver Functional Skills qualifications, which were due to replace Key Skills as a mandatory component of all Apprenticeship frameworks, to be fully implemented by September 2012. He reported that the Wirral 14–19 Strategic Partnership had committed to fund a teaching professional from Wallasey School to drive forward Foundation Learning curriculum development during the 2011-2012 academic year. The post holder was now in place and would work to support Wirral post 16 learning providers in the development of Foundation Learning curriculum, of which Functional Skills were a core part.

Resolved – That the report be noted.