Latest information on Train to Gain
Recording Train to Gain Learner Starts
Update: 13 November
Providers were informed about the regulations for recording learner starts in Train to Gain as part of managing demand for 2008/09, on 3rd August 2009. As originally communicated in this guidance, all providers are reminded that learners marked as unfunded in 08/09 must be similarly marked as unfunded in 09/10.
The original ‘Recording Train to Gain Learner Starts’ guidance note can also be found on this page.
Evaluation of Bureacracy within Train to Gain - CURRENT ACTIVITY
Thank you to all how took part in Wave 2 of the evaluation. In total over 450 providers took part in the main evaluation and initial indications are that we have made some progress towards reducing the bureaucratic burden of Train to Gain and that the measures introduced over the past 12 months are having a positive effect.
CFE will be contacting a selection of providers in January to arrange follow up interviews to draw out more information on themes and trends that have emerged from the telephone survey.
The full report on the evaluation is currently being collated and we will publish a prescie of this, though this website, when it is completed.
Recording Train to Gain Learner Starts
Update: 3rd August 2009
Over recent weeks the LSC has issued guidance to colleges and training providers on the arrangements for recording and submitting starts that can be funded within the Maximum Contract Value.
The purpose of this is to clarify the process for recording starts that are not funded by the LSC. Guidance to the sector has made clear our commitment to ensure we fund all learners that started on Train to Gain before the end of March 2009. Any starts from April 2009 onwards can only be claimed where they can be met and funded within the agreed Maximum Contract Value for 2008/09. We have asked colleges and training providers to ensure learners enrolled from 1st April 2009 onwards that cannot be funded within the contract should be removed for LSC funding purposes. This means colleges should not remove the learner from the ILR completely, but reflect correctly the LSC funding status in ILR field A10 as code '99'.
Private providers are not required to submit non LSC funded learners unless they wish to do so, therefore in these circumstances the record can be removed completely.
Starts that have been recorded as not funded by the LSC should remain so and not switched back to LSC funded, either in year, or the next where a learner studies over more than one contract year. For the avoidance of doubt, the unfunded learners identified in the period between April 2009 to July 2009 remain unfunded throughout their programme of learning, and should be recorded as such.
Advice for colleges
We have been made aware of instances of some colleges being advised by the LSC that, where they have exceeded their Maximum Contract Value for their Train to Gain provision, to remove from the ILR those learners that started their provision between April and July 2009.
To clarify and correct this message, a college should always record all learners, including unfunded learners, on their ILR and should under no circumstances remove them.
In this instance it should mark all Train to Gain learning aims with starts from April 2009 onwards taht are beyond its Maximum Contract Value as non-funded by the LSC, that is to set the LSC funding stream field, field A10, to a value of '99'. Normally colleges should return data for all unfunded learners in the learner responsive (LR) ILR. For 2008/09 only and as a result of the new advice where providers have already entered the learner into the employer responsive (ER) ILR return they may exceptionally leave them on that return with all learning aims marked as unfunded. In subsequent years, for continuing learners, the learner record will continue to be classified as unfunded and included in the ER ILR return. This advice does not apply in any other circumstance.
Once a college has identified the LSC funding stream, including no LSC funding, it should not change it other than to correct a mistake.
In addition colleges are reminded that consistent with all previous advice the date in the Learning planned end data field, field A28, should remain constant, that is it is not to be changed once it is set at start of learning. It is not a rolling date subject to change. This is a mandatory requirement and should be strictly observed in all instances.
Advice for providers other than colleges
The purpose of this is to make clear the process for recording Train to Gain starts that are not funded by the LSC and in particular where these starts mean a provider has exceeded its Maximum Contract Value for its Train to Gain provision.
Normally a provider should not include Train to Gain learning aims that are beyond its Maximum Contract Value in their ILR return. For 2008/09 only and as a result of the new advice where providers have already entered the learner into the employer reponsive (ER) ILR return they may exceptionally leave them on that reuturn with all learning aims marked as 'no LSC funding for this learning aim',. that is to set the LSC funding stream field, field A10, toa value of '99'.
This advice is issued in this instance to address an exeptional circumstance. In no other instances should the funding status of the learners recorded on the IRL be changed: once a provider has identified the LSC funding stream, including no LSC funding , it should not change it other than to correct a mistake.
In addition providers are reminded that consistent with all previous advice the date inthe Learning planned end date field, field A28, should remain constant, that is it is not to be changed once it is set at start of learning. It is not a rolling date subject to change. This is a mandatory requirement and should be strictly observed in all instances.
Standardised Train to Gain Enrollment Documents
During the 2008/09 academic year the LSC produced a set of standardised documents for the enrolment and monitoring of a learner through their Train to Gain journey that would meet audit requirements whilst at the same time be user friendly for practitioners. These documents have proved very helpful to a large number of training providers and we have been working with the informaiton authority to ensure that the documents reflect changes that have been made to the ILR for the 2009/10 academic year. These updates have been made and are now available to Train to Gain providers via the Bureaucracy Reduction section of this website.
http://www.lsc.gov.uk/providers/ttg/bureaucracyreduction/
Qualifications identified as Full Level 2 repeats
There are currently no updates to the process or listings of eligible repeat qualification for the 2009/10 academic year.
Specific queries about any of the qualifications, or their inclusion on this list please contact the relevant Sector Skills Council.
Denham announces £350m to support small businesses
John Denham has announced a number of measures to help SMEs cope with the financial downturn. He stated that £350 million will be directed towards small businesses through further enhancements of the Train to Gain service. John Denham said: "Small businesses are an important engine of our economy and we must make sure that we support them during tough economic times. We are overhauling the training system to make sure that they can get help with training their staff with the very minimum of bureaucracy. We know that firms which invest in skills do better than those that don't, which is why we will be urging small businesses to take up this offer from Government."
More detailed practical advice will be provided soon, detailing the changes and what they mean for those delivering Train to Gain. The Train to Gain bulletin will also include further information.
