Confirmation of funding
Skills Funding Agency: Qualifications Funding Confirmation Process, Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)
The Skills Investment Statement 2011-2014: Investing in a World Class Skills System (1 December 2011) announced that as “the funding transition to the QCF is compete, and in order to minimise the differentiation in the qualifications offer pre and post 19, more of the QCF will be opened up for public funding”.
Further information is available in the
Qualifications Funding Confirmation Process - Frequently Asked Questions.
Following the announcement, the Agency has commenced a review of the funding confirmation and will be seeking to discuss the review and the implications of opening up more of the QCF for public funding with key stakeholders early in January 2012. We will then expect to implement a new simplified and streamlined process from the 31 January 2012.
Until the new arrangements commence the current interim process and parameters will continue to be used to confirm qualifications for public funding for adults.
Funding Confirmation Process and Parameters
From 1 April 2010 the new arrangements for confirming public funding for qualifications delivered to learners aged 19 and above in England began. These arrangements are managed and operated by the Skills Funding Agency (the Agency).
Qualifications within the QCF will be confirmed for funding for one or more of the Agency’s delivery programmes (Adult Learner Responsive provision, Offender Learning and Skills Service, Train to Gain, and Programmes for the Unemployed). Apprenticeships will be subject to separate arrangements, in which the Agency will need to work together with JACQA, YPLA and the National Apprenticeships Service (NAS).
For further information you may be interested in referring to the:
For further information regarding the funding parameters please refer to:
Qualifications and Credit Framework Qualifications confirmed for public funding
This online list identifies the qualifications within the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) that have so far been confirmed as appropriate for public funding in Adult Learner Responsive and Work Place Learning for 2010/11 and 2011/12 academic years.
In order to provide early notice of accredited QCF qualifications confirmed for funding, this list will be updated on a monthly basis. The next update will be on the 10 February 2012. Providers involved in delivering OLASS should also access this link.
Qualifications approved for funding will continue to be added to the Learning Aims Database (LAD), which will remain the primary source for funding information and will include funding rates and programme weighting factors.
Please note that this list is only for QCF qualifications however GCSES, A Levels, Functional Skills, Skills for Life Adult Literacy and Numeracy, English for Speakers of Other Languages, QAA recognised Access to Higher Education Diplomas will continue to be eligible for public funding in 2011/12 where the qualification is operational.
Qualifications and Credit Framework qualifications confirmed for public funding – Updated 05 January 2012
Funding Approvals Process: Ofquals's Regulatory Requirements
Alongside Ofqual’s letter on the removal of some areas of QCF regulatory arrangements, this short statement paper clarifies the Agency’s position with regard to the process for confirming QCF vocational qualifications for public funding for post 19 learners in England.
2011/12: Qualification and Credit Framework offer to support individuals who are unemployed and need help to enter work
The following provision is now confirmed for providers to use as part of the offer to support individuals who are unemployed and need help to enter work:
- Please note that the list originally published to confirm the units approved for funding and the list confirming the units which are part of the unit delivery trials, have now been consolidated into one list. The units which are only available to providers involved in the unit delivery trials (particularly units at Entry Level 1, Entry Level 2 and Level 5) are indicated in the list.
Further information about the definition of individuals who are unemployed and need help to enter workplace refer to the 2011/12 Learner Eligibility and Contribution Rules document
Qualification_and_Credit_Framework_Units_Confirmed_Funding_Jan 2012- Updated 16 January 2012
Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF): Unit Delivery
Awards to support individuals who are unemployed and need help to enter work.
Within the ‘Qualifications and Credit Framework Qualifications confirmed for public funding’ list above, there are over 250 Award level qualifications now available to support individuals who are unemployed and need help to enter work. Awards with a primary purpose of ‘C’ (Prepare for employment) have been prioritised. More information is available in Guidance Note 7. It is intended that a refresh of these Awards will be undertaken in the next six months.
