AQW 29051/11-15
Lord Morrow of Clogher Valley
Democratic Unionist Party
Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Tabled Date: 04/12/2013
Answered On Date: 20/12/2013
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister for Employment and Learning, pursuant to AQW 27902/11-15, to detail (i) the titles of the courses delivered at the Cookstown campus of South West Regional College which were included in the audit; (ii) any additional funding allocated to the courses; and (iii) the numbers enrolled in each course in each of the last two years.
Answer:
As my Department did not hold the specific information relating to the titles of the individual courses provided under the audit, officials sought the information required from South West College (SWC). As a result of the information provided, my Department has determined that, at the point when the audit was undertaken, SWC was delivering four courses for students with a learning difficulty and/or disability aged 19 or over, not six as previously advised as part of the audit. These courses were as follows: NOCN Level 1 Certificate In Skills Towards Enabling Progression (Step-UP) (QCF)/On Board PLP (Full-time) NOCN Level 1 Certificate In Skills Towards Enabling Progression (Step-UP) (QCF) (Part-time) CCEA Level 1 Award in Creative Craft (QCF)/ON Board PLP Recreational Cookery/On Board PLP Whilst SWC did run a further two unaccredited courses during this period, this provision was not primarily delivered for students with a learning difficulty and/or disability aged 19 or over. I apologise for any confusion this may have caused. These two courses were: Fabric Crafts Recreational IT For Beginners These two courses were offered as discrete provision in conjunction with the Beacon Centre, and were eligible for supplementary funding from the Department’s Additional Support Fund. My officials instructed SWC to carry out a new audit of provision covering the 2012/13 academic year, in order to provide the Department with a complete list of provision for students with a learning difficulty and/or disability, across all campuses. This information is attached at Annex A which has been placed in the Assembly Library and on my department’s website at http://www.delni.gov.uk/ . The information provided is for the entire 2012/13 academic year, and not solely at the point of the audit (April 2013). The Additional Support Fund (ASF) is provided to further education colleges to help them to meet their obligations under the Special Educational Needs and Disability (NI) Order 2005 (SENDO) to provide access to those wishing to avail of FE provision, but who have a learning difficulty or disability. The level of support is determined on an individual basis, based on the needs of the student and not the nature of the disability. SWC received £250,049 from the Additional Support Fund to help to deliver these classes for the period covered by the audit of provision (2012/13). It is not possible to break this figure down on a campus by campus basis. In 2011/12, SWC has indicated that they provided two courses at the Cookstown Campus for students with a learning difficulty and/or disability aged 19 or over. The course titles and enrolment figures are set out in the table below. In addition, the table also provides details on the numbers of enrolments on the four courses identified under part (i). 2011/12 | No of enrolments | Asdan Entry Level Certificate in Personal and Social Development - Year 1 | 22 | NOCN Entry Level Award In Progression (Entry 3) (QCF) | 6 | 2012/13 | | NOCN Level 1 Certificate In Skills Towards Enabling Progression (Step-UP) (QCF)/On Board PLP (Full-time) | 7 | NOCN Level 1 Certificate In Skills Towards Enabling Progression (Step-UP) (QCF) (Part-time) | 28 | CCEA Level 1 Award in Creative Craft (QCF)/ON Board PLP | 8 | Recreational Cookery/On Board PLP | 14 |
Enrolment information supplied by SWC.
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