Further Education Funding Council for Wales
Introduction
The Further Education Funding Council for Wales is an executive Non-Departmental Public Body established in May 1992 under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.
The Council is responsible for securing the provision of facilities for further education (FE) and for the administration of funds made available by the Secretary of State for Wales in support of further education in FE sector institutions, higher education institutions and sponsored bodies in Wales.
The sponsoring department of the Council is the Welsh Office and its funding is supplied by Welsh Office grant-in-aid. The Council assumed responsibility for funding further education in Wales on 1 April 1993.
The Council is an independent body with its own Chairman and is supported by an executive established jointly with the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.
The Council consists of between eight and twelve members and meets seven times per year. Appointments are made by the Secretary of State for Wales and are based on merit. The Welsh Office operates an open recruitment policy and forthcoming Council vacancies are notified in the press. Members are drawn from backgrounds in industry, finance or further education and are appointed for a three year term of office which may be renewed by the Secretary of State.
| | Number of Staff | | | Expenditure (£m) |
| Full-time equivalents | | As announced in annual PES settlement, including running costs |
| 1995/96 | 44 | | 1995/96 | 170.5 |
| 1996/97 | 48 | | 1996/97 | 175.9 |
| 1997/98 | 48 | | 1997/98 | 177.0 |
FEFCW's Annual Report provides information about the Council's activities and achievements, its methods of working, together with its financial accounts. The Corporate Plan sets out the Council's aims, objectives and future performance targets for a three year period. This is updated and rolled forward annually. Copies of the latest Annual Report and the current Corporate Plan may be obtained from the Council at the above address (price £10 and £8 respectively).
Achievements in 1996/97
- 191,385 student enrolments in November 1996 a 12.6% increase on the previous year;
- 15.2% increase in part-time student enrolments;
- 79.3% of institutions meet funded student number targets;
- increased out-turn on award-bearing vocational study programmes; and
- 93% of FE sector funded at the standard rate of funding.
Plans for 1997/98
- at least 80% of FE sector institutions to meet their funded student number targets (November 1997);
- number of students qualifying according to their postcode for widening participation factors in recurrent funding to increase by 5% (March 1998);
- enrolments on adult basic education programmes to increase by 5% (March 1998);
- enrolments on Welsh for Adults programmes to increase by 5% (March 1998);
- number of full NTET qualifications to increase by the annual percentages needed to meet the National Targets by the year 2000; and
- percentage of programme area gradings above the quality threshold to be maintained at 85% or better in 1996/97 (and increased to 90% or better over the academic year 1997/98).
Key Performance Targets
|
| 1994/95
| 1995/96
| 1996/97
| 1997/98
|
Key Measure
|
Set
|
Achieved
|
Set
|
Achieved
|
Set
|
Forecast
|
Set
|
Full-time Equivalent Student Enrolments
|
52,000
|
51,301
|
54,300
|
56,319
|
56,833
|
60,683
|
61,300
|
Attainers of NTET Related Outcomes
|
68,800
|
73,376
|
77,270
|
78,889
|
82,833
|
N/A*
|
N/A
|
* Figure calculated at the end of the academic year.
+ Figures not available at the time of going to print.
|
Improving the Quality of Provision in the Sector
Target: to maintain 84% of programme area gradings above the quality threshold in 1995/96.
Achieved: 85% of programme area gradings above the quality threshold in 1995-96.
|
|
