Latest statistics show LSIS achieving high levels of sector staff being engaged in the delivery of its Sector Support Service (formerly the Improvement Adviser Service), and that they are delivering high levels of satisfaction.

Ninety one per cent of the Sector Support Service improvement assignments undertaken between April and July this year were delivered by sector employed staff - with an average of 68 per cent across the full year 2010/2011.

An LSIS client satisfaction survey for 2010/2011 has also revealed 97 per cent of providers rating the impact of those assignments in their organisation as either good or excellent.

“We are delighted to have surpassed our own target of involving 60 per cent of sector employed staff in the delivery of assignments during the last academic year,” said Sue Yeomans, Head of the Sector Support Service. “This level of engagement together with the excellent feedback from our recent client satisfaction survey is a marvellous achievement for everyone involved.”

She added: “We are committed to maintaining the momentum of this success and together with our Sector Support Service delivery partner are confident that the higher target for sector engagement of 70 per cent for the coming academic year will be met comfortably.”

The Service’s Programme Director, Liz Powell, said: “The success of the Sector Support Service has been based on the high calibre of staff, the majority of whom are sector employed. This is a great tribute to the professionalism and excellence to be found across the sector.  We will ensure that LSIS is confident that timely and appropriate support will continue to engage sector staff in improving the quality of provision and the financial health of the sector.”

For further information please contact Sue Dakin in the LSIS Press Office on 02476 627964, or mobile 07500 608788

Notes
• The Sector Support Service focuses mainly on colleges, work-based learning providers and adult learning providers in the most significant categories of underperformance – those with a Finance or other Notice to Improve issued by the Skills Funding Agency, and those failing inspection. LSIS will also provide up to 30 organisational health checks (OHCs) by spring 2012. OHCs are an audit of performance among providers volunteering to be interviewed in depth about areas of their own performance and quality improvement. The review results in an analysis and advice on issues to be addressed to improve performance.

• The LSIS Sector Support Service matches organisations requiring performance support with an improvement adviser or advisers, mentors, and also organisations awarded LSIS Beacon status for the quality of their provision. Advisers deliver direct support to the providers, as well as co-ordinating a package of remedial help that draws on the resources and expertise available across LSIS programmes.

• The leading education company Tribal was awarded the contract to jointly deliver the 2011/2012 Service with LSIS until the end of March 2012, in the first instance.

• The company’s bid was based on its track record of engagement with high performing providers, and also its sector expertise to support those with identified underperformance issues.

• LSIS is a sector-owned and sector-led body driving improvement in teaching and learning on behalf of its education provider partners including further education colleges, independent, work-based, adult, and community learning providers.