About Us
Local Arrangements For Provision
County Durham has a well-established 14-19 Partnership with a strong track record of improving outcomes for young people.
The Partnership’s 14-19 Policy Board meets on six weekly basis to develop and drive the implementation of the 14-19 Plan. It ensures the integration of 14-19 policy and planning with other high level plans in the county including the Children and Young People’s Plan and the County Durham Economic Partnership’s Strategy. Members currently include representatives of the Local Authority Achievement Services (Chair) and Extended Services, the Learning and Skills Council, Connexions, the 14-19 Partnership Team, Work-based Learning, Durham Association of Secondary Headteachers, Further Education, Aim Higher, Higher Education and Chairs of Area Planning Groups. This membership will be regularly reviewed
Strategic links ensure that there is synergy between the work of 14-19 groups and Durham County Council Adults, Wellbeing and Health Services, as well as with regional and sub-regional groups eg the Young People’s Learning Agency and the National Apprenticeship Service.
The 14-19 Executive Group (the Local Authority, Learning & Skills Council and Connexions) meets on a three weekly basis to ensure the decisions of the 14-19 Policy Board are translated into action. It has a clear focus on the Partnership’s priorities and will intervene to accelerate developments.
The four 14-19 Area Planning Groups are an essential part of the County Durham structure. In their localities, they take forward the County Durham 14-19 vision, strategy and plan, by acting as a strong voice to secure co-ordinated provision and by taking collective responsibility for the local planning of the 14-19 Learner Entitlement for the young people in their areas. Each Area Planning Group is attended by Headteachers, FE Principals/Vice Principals, Work-based Learning Managers, as well as local representatives of Connexions, the LSC, LA and the 14-19 PartnershipTeam. The groups meet six times a year to progress the Partnership’s priorities in their local context.
In addition to these scheduled groups, time-limited cross-sector task groups are convened to address specific 14-19 issues and prove to be very successful tool to increase the pace of developments, whilst ensuring regular and effective consultation with partners. Task groups are county-wide or area-based, dependent on the focus of their work.
County Task Groups currently include:
· Increasing Participation Action Group;
· Curriculum Planning Group;
· Information, Advice and Guidance Strategy Group;
· Diploma Management Group;
· Quality Assurance Group.
Currently, Area task groups are identifying specific groups of young people in their locality who are at risk of disengaging from learning, or have already become NEET. Task groups are modelling tailored re-engagement activity specific to these young people’s needs and accessing funding streams to support provision. Area curriculum sub-groups have informed local curriculum planning for some time. A third area task group is beginning to look at improvements that can be made locally in relation to IAG provision, following a local auditing process.
Finally, the 14-19 Policy Board is well supported by the 14-19 Partnership Team. The team, in place since 2004, works hard to provide partners with a high-quality service. It manages the budgets held centrally by the Partnership; it monitors the 14-19 operational plans; it administers many of meetings across the partnership; it organises a range of professional development events from small meetings to large conferences; it ensures the 14-19 website is kept up to date and publishes regular newsletters.
The Partnership regularly reviews its operational model to ensure that it is fit for purpose and sufficiently flexible to respond to the rapid pace of change in 14-19 reform.
Sub-regional Grouping
In September 2008, Durham County Council submitted a proposal to DCSF to become a Sub Regional Grouping. This was based upon the rationale that County Durham is a coherent sub-region within which to plan and commission 14-19 learning provision, with over three quarters of young people aged 16-18 living and learning in the County.The arrangements for the commissioning of 16-19 education and training within the County will directly build upon existing partnerships and processes alongside a strengthening of relationships with the Tees Valley and Tyne and Wear/Northumberland Sub Regional Groupings. The Governance of the Sub Regional Grouping will be that of the new unitary authority in County Durham.
The 16-19 Commissioning Plan will be integrated within existing planning processes. It will be developed within the context of the commissioning framework of the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) to directly respond to the 14-19 Plan.
Margaret Bell, Partnership Director
14-19admin@durham.gov.uk
