The key aim of the Improvement Programme is to improve teaching, learning and achievement in literacy, language and numeracy. The second year of the programme offers an excellent opportunity for you and your organisation to access the successful, wide-ranging development activities for improving Skills for Life provision and raising achievement for all learners. 

Independent evaluation reported that providers and their staff  were ‘overwhelmingly positive’ about the first year of the programme. Many cited examples of how the Improvement Programme had improved their strategy, management and delivery of Skills for Life to the benefit of learners. We are now scaling up this activity inviting senior managers in colleges and providers to take an active role in implementing improvements throughout their organisation. Support for providers is available under the following broad categories:

• Workforce Development - developing the knowledge and skills of teachers and managers
  
• Whole organisation approach to improving learner success rates – self-assessment, improvement planning and Skills for Life training needs analysis
  
• Embedding literacy, language and numeracy – support and professional development
  
• Assessment – support for improvement of processes that underpin the learner journey
  *This programme is now full and closed to new applications*
   
• Working with people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities – support for embedding guidance materials
  
• Speaking and listening  – in-house support and/or working with other providers to develop better practice.
  *This programme is now full and closed to new applications*

How to get involved

For further details, the benefits for you and your organisation, criteria for participation and to complete the online application form, please click on the relevant links above. Demand is likely to be high and there will be limits on the number of providers involved in each activity so please apply early. 

To get the maximum possible support this year apply now.  Application forms will continue to be accepted for a period until the programme targets are reached, however, it will be advantageous to apply early.