LSIS publications

The Learning and Skills Improvement Service produces a range of publications, which are available to download here. If you would like to request a copy of any of these publications, please contact LSIS on enquirieslondon@lsis.org.uk.

Guide to LSIS services 2009-10

Publication title	Summary	Publication date
Guide to LSIS services 2009-10: a summary	This guide is the summary of all LSIS services offered to learning and skills sector providers and their staff. It gives a brief overview of the services and support available and provides contact details and website links to help you find out more.	October 2009
Guide to LSIS services 2009-10: for leaders, managers and governors	This guide summarises what services and support are available to and relevant to leaders, managers and governors in the learning and skills sector, for their own professional development and for training in key development and improvement areas relevant to your role in the organisation.	October 2009
Guide to LSIS services 2009-10: for work-based learning providers	This guide provides an overview for providers of work-based learning and those working within these provisions on what services LSIS can offer them.	October 2009
Leadership Skills for Governance: Programme and support guide 2009-10	This guide is specifically for governors, clerks and senior managers involved in governance issues in your organisation. It provides an overview and information on the briefings, training and events available from the Leadership Skills for Governance programme.	August 2009

Corporate

Publication title	Summary	Publication date
LSIS 2008-09 Trustees Annual Report	Trustees report and financial statements for the year ended 31st March 2009.	February 2010
LSIS Quarter One Performance Report	A summary of the results of its quarter one performance review, for the period between April 2009 and June 2009.	November 2009
LSIS Quarter Three Performance Report	This report represents the first step in integrating reporting across all LSIS programmes. The report covers a period of time when LSIS as a new organisation was facing the major challenges associated with a complex merger.	April 2009
LSIS Quarter Four Performance Report	A summary of the results of its quarter four performance review, for the period between January 2009 and March 2009.	July 2009
LSIS's Strategic Ambitions	This document sets out our strategic ambitions for 2009‑10 to 2011‑12. It has been produced after extensive dialogue with the sector and endorsement by the LSIS Council, which made recommendations to the LSIS Board.	August 2009

Research

Publication title	Summary	Publication date
Inside Evidence - Autumn 2009	Inside Evidence has a new look and is now a stand-alone publication. But its focus is the same – we use research findings to highlight evidence about effective practice across the FE system.	November 2009
The ‘New’ Place-shaping: The Implications for Leaders in the FE Sector	What is place-shaping? How is it different from what has gone on before? What are the implications for leaders in the FE sector? This study draws on research and experience related to the leadership of place.	July 2009
Exploring the Leadership and Governance Implications of Self-Regulation for Local Authority and Third Sector Providers of Adult Learning and Skills	This research project investigated the implications for local authority and Third Sector providers of adult learning skills of the proposal for the FE sector to become self-regulating.	July 2009
Creative Governance in Further Education: the art of the possible?	A key objective of this study is to contribute to debate about the purpose of college governance at a time when the LSC commissioning era ends and new government bodies responsible for further education and training (including local authorities), arrive.	July 2009
Volume 12: Researching Self-Regulation in FE Colleges	This edited collection of LSIS research reports explores the issues surrounding the possibility of self-regulation (SR) for FE colleges. Despite extensive policy discussions there has been little independent research on SR in the Learning and Skills Sector. In October 2008, LSIS commissioned four, six-month research projects on leadership and SR.	July 2009
Self Regulation and Private Providers in WBL	This research project examined self regulation for private providers delivering WBL within the learning and skills sector. It explored the level of awareness about self regulation, the possible significance of context and size of provider, and the potential impact on leadership of private providers.	July 2009
LSIS learns from the legacy of QIA: providers’ views	This survey has provided valuable feedback from the sector, giving future strategic and operational direction to LSIS as a demand-led organisation.	April 2009

LSIS Quality Improvement Journal (now discontinued)

Publication title	Summary	Publication date
Quality Improvement Journal	This issue is centred on the theme of research and there are articles on: the power of research; how research is commissioned and the importance of fostering supportive teaching environments.	Spring 2009
Quality Improvement Journal	The journal for sharing excellence in the further education system	Autumn 2008

Workforce development

Publication title	Summary	Publication date
Reaching Further - Workforce development through employer-FE college partnership	The result of work commissioned from the CBI, this report highlights examples of good practice where colleges and employers have worked together successfully to achieve high quality workforce training, tailored to meet the needs of employers and employees.	January 2009

Learner voice

Publication title	Summary	Publication date
Leading the Learner Voice: Dissemination of Effective Practice	A series of case studies about the 2008 Leading the Learner Voice Award winners, their leadership journeys, and how they were able to put their ideas into practice for the benefit of students and local communities.	January 2009

Governance

Publication title	Summary	Publication date
The Role of the Student Governor as a Member of a College Governing Body	The purpose of this publication is to explain, explore and develop the role of the student governor on college governing bodies.	January 2010
Equality, Diversity and Governance	This guide introduces the concepts of E&D and explains why these should be central to an organisation’s mission, values and culture. It highlights equality policies, schemes, actions plans as well as providing an overview of legal duties and the new inspection of equal opportunities. A valued guide for all governors and clerks.	January 2010
Learning to Balance Support and Challenge	The purpose of this guide, undertaken with the support of the Association of Colleges in the Eastern Region (ACER), is to investigate ways in which corporation members can support and challenge their senior managers on today’s performance, whilst acquiring new skills and understanding needed to respond to changes in their colleges operating environment.	January 2010
Governance Newsletter, Issue 12 - Spring 2010	In this issue you will find details of recent publications printed in conjunction with LSG programmes including new a series of Brief Guides specifically for Governors and clerks as well as the review of Governance and Strategic Leadership in english further education which was commissioned by LSIS and the AoC.	January 2010
The Role of the Staff Governor as a Member of a College Governing Body	The purpose of this Guide is to explain, explore and develop the role of the Staff Governor on college governing bodies.	November 2009
A Review of Governance and Strategic Leadership in English Further Education	This report was commissioned by LSIS and the AoC, to review governance and strategic leadership in the whole FE system in England and in particular, to look forward and review the implications of the proposed move towards shared regulation and the introduction of the machinery of government changes in 2010. Access seperate reports and appendices at www.lsis.org.uk/governancereview	November 2009
Higher Education in Further Education Colleges (HE in FECs)	This guide summarises key aspects of the nature of higher education provision and its funding and quality assurance arrangements where they differ from those of further education. It is designed to support the identification and evaluation of risk and the monitoring of the college's higher education strategy and enhancement of the provision.	November 2009
Governance Newsletter - Issue 11, autumn 2009	In this issue you can find details of upcoming events in the 2009-10 Leadership Skills for Governance programme and there are articles on items such as, social mobility, new governance arrangements at Aylesbury College and the new one-stop-shop service for governors.	October 2009
Governance Newsletter - Issue 10, summer 2009	In this issue, you can read about the outcomes from the first LSIS performance review panel, the purpose of college governance, governance and the financial crisis, leadership and technology in FE and skills, HE in FE colleges: a new role for college governors, chair and principal – a meeting of minds?, coaching for governors, and much more.	April 2009
Governance Newsletter - Issue 9, spring 2009	In this issue, you can read about the sector-led governance structure for LSIS, Ofsted report highlighting governance, self-regulation, excellence and fairness, Diary of a student governor and safeguarding and safer recruitment amongst others.	January 2009
In conversation with Becta and LSIS, Governors	This edition of the Becta 'In converstaion' series focuses on the issues facing governing bodies in meeting the challenges of self-regulation and improvement. We have interviewed governors and clerks and drawn on the 6 February 2009 Strategic Leadership of Technology and Governance conference.	March 2009
Recruiting and supporting student governors in further education and sixth-form colleges	This guide has been designed to help those involved in attracting, selecting, supporting and retaining student governors. Those who may find this guide useful include principals, chairs of governors, clerks, those involved in supporting learner involvement and student governors or those wishing to be. The guide addresses issues around the recruitment of student governors raised by colleges and the advice given is illustrated by recent case studies outlining effective practice.	February 2008

International

Publication title	Summary	Publication date
Globalisation - Meeting the challenge: An international strategy for further education in England	Published by LSIS on behalf of the FE Globalisation Strategy Group. This publication is the new international strategy for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.	November 2008
Global Skills	Produced for LSIS as part of the development of its international work, by Dr Douglas Bourn. The report provides an overview of the debates, policy initiatives and practice relevant to global skills, and makes suggestions as to potential priority areas for further work.	November 2008

Adult and community learning

Publication title	Summary	Publication date
Twelve key messages: For leaders of local adult learning provision	The stimulus for this short paper derives from the authors’ involvement in more than a dozen SWOT visits over the past two years to adult learning providers. An approach initially designed to give providers objective feedback on their organisational development. Additional insights have been drawn from consultancy assignments for and conversations with adult learning leaders.	April 2009

Policy

Publication title	Summary	Publication date
The World We're In Report	This strategic briefing provides an overview of the context within which we are operating and of the policy priorities that our sector will face. The paper was prepared to inform the strategic discussions in the LSIS Board but with a view to wider distribution for the benefit of the whole sector. I trust that it will be useful to you as a stimulus to planning and discussion as you shape your directions ahead.	November 2009

Careers

Publication title	Summary	Publication date
Career learning for the 21st century: a leadership issue for the FE sector	This report summarises why CLIAG is a leadership issue and how it relates to government agendas. Effective CLIAG can contribute to recruitment, retention, achievement, progression, equality and diversity and is therefore important for Ofsted.	August 2009
Career learning for the 21st century: a leadership issue for the FE sector – sources of evidence	Evidence in support of the value of CLIAG and its impact on success rates and in particular recruitment, retention, achievement, progression. It also draws conclusions about meeting government and provider agendas.	August 2009
Career learning for the 21st century: effective practice in the FE sector	Examples of effective practice from a range of providers in the sector and provides a source of ideas and strategies to inform CLIAG delivery. This report also looks at the importance of evaluating the impact of CLIAG.	August 2009
Career learning for the 21st century: recommended resources for the FE sector	This report covers a wide range of resources useful for those developing and delivering CLIAG for young people and includes recommendations from practitioners in the sector.	August 2009
Career learning for the 21st century: a toolkit to support coordination of careers learning for young people in further education	A practical handbook to help those who manage and deliver career learning for young people in FE with guidance and examples of documents that can be adapted for use in a range of organisations.	August 2009
Career learning for the 21st century: the career blueprint – a competence approach	This report looks at a competence approach to career learning developed in Canada and Australia and how FE providers might use it to review and develop CLIAG provision.	August 2009

Case studies

Publication title	Summary	Publication date
Northumberland College: from satisfactory to exceptional - Bespoke leadership and development programme case study	Northumberland College is enjoying the results of a leadership development programme designed to bring about the vision of becoming an ‘exceptional’ college by 2013. The bespoke programme was developed in consultation between the college and LSIS after the new management team decided to break the pattern of ‘satisfactory’ Ofsted ratings that had been going on for several years.	June 2009

Documents published with LSIS's support

Publication title

Summary

Publication date

A new National Improvement Strategy for the learning and skills sector

Developed and endorsed by the National Improvement Partnership Board

The learning and skills sector exists to help people to acquire and develop their knowledge and skills for living and working. This is self-evidently of fundamental importance both for the lives of individuals and to the nation as a whole. This strategy is intended to be one key means by which the sector will improve year-on-year its ability to help people learn.

July 2009

Learning Together to be Safe: A toolkit to help colleges contribute to the prevention of violent extremism

Published by BIS, DCSF and AoC and supported by LSIS.

In 2008, the government published guidance to local partners on preventing violent extremism that emphasised the importance of working with children and young people and encouraged local partnerships to engage with schools and colleges. This toolkit supplements that guidance, responding to calls for more practical advice specifically focused on the education context. It is the product of discussions with young people, teachers, local authorities, police and community representatives across the country.

July 2009