Background

Learner progression is a major focus for Lifelong Learning Networks, and the Sussex Learning Network (SLN) is committed to supporting vocational learners in Sussex to move into and through higher education. Our initial period of funding as a Lifelong Learning Network ran for three years to 31 August 2008. During that time we undertook a substantial body of work to bring institutions together to explore new ways of supporting learner progression. The approach that we took is outlined below. So far we have developed around 300 individual progression agreements, and the ongoing monitoring and development of these is driven by the Sussex Vocational Progression Accord Management Group, which meets four times a year and is made up of representatives of the different providers of higher education in Sussex. Look out for news updates on our homepage about the SLN's future work.

Our approach

We have drawn up an accord, called the Sussex Vocational Progression Accord, which signifies the commitment of our partners to working together to support vocational learners to progress. The SLN Board and the providers of further and higher education across Sussex have signed up to this to 2010.

Our curriculum leads developed a range of progression agreements that support vocational learners. These agreements will deliver the enhanced progression talked about in the accord document. They make guarantees to learners of interviews, or of an offer of a place on a course. In some cases they include additional agreements between universities and colleges about the way they work together, or about the support that is available to learners.

Some progression routes onto or between courses are well established, and there’s no need for a progression agreement to support learners on these routes. Each of our progression agreements therefore includes only those courses, offered by providers across Sussex, between which our curriculum leads have identified that a progression agreement would make a real difference to learners.

Because our progression agreements offer such varied guarantees to learners, the way we communicate exactly what each one contains and who it applies to is extremely important. We need to make sure that the learners who could benefit from these new arrangements are aware of them, and know what they have to do to make use of them. Our information, advice and guidance (IAG) team is working with practitioners and employers across Sussex to promote the Learning opportunities site, and the new Sussexroutes section, which enables learners to search all the progression agreements that exist so far. As new agreements are developed, they are added to Sussexroutes. 

Developments so far and next steps

We've set up a management group to oversee the accord and the development of progression agreements, and report to our Board. This group meets quarterly.

We’re working with colleagues in other Lifelong Learning Networks, especially our neighbouring three in Kent and Medway; Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (HI-LLN), and Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey (Progress South Central), to develop a consistent approach to the development of progression agreements, and we're looking at agreements that cross Lifelong Learning Network boundaries in some specialist sectors.

So far, the SLN Board has signed off progression agreements in the following curriculum areas:

• Arts and New Media
• Biosciences
• Community Practice
• Engineering
• Health and Social Care
• Sport and Leisure
• Travel, Tourism and Retail

Our IAG team is promoting the progression agreements and Sussexroutes to potential learners, advisers and employers, and we're working to ensure that staff in our partner universities and colleges are clear about the agreements and what will be involved in implementing them.