Post-16 providers

Interested in A levels, the 14-19 diplomas or post-16 funding? ASCL's monthly online newsletter College Matters has a roundup of the latest publications, consultations and initiatives affecting members with post-16 students. Access it at www.ascl.org.uk Here's a taster:

A level changes

OCR has sent a brochure about the new style A levels to 50,000 heads of department and exams officers across the UK in April. It explains the changes and includes a timeline of key dates over the next few years.

The information is available online at www.ocr.org.uk/14-19/14-19_alevelquals.html
or sign up for regular updates at www.ocr.org.uk/14-19signup

OCR also published its new A level draft specifications in April.
They are available at www.ocr.org.uk/14-19/14-19_alevelquals.html and include a specification summary and a guide to what has changed for each specification.

Staying-on age

The consultation on Raising Expectations: Staying in education and training post-16 is due for response by 16 June. Please let martin.ward@ascl.org.uk have any points that you wish to make about the all important issue of ROCPA (Raising of Compulsory Participation Age) or ROLLA (Raising of Learning Leaving Age) or RESET (Raising Expectation of Staying in Education and Training) as it has been called by various organisations.

Survival at the top

At the spring series of RM's 14-19 conferences, delegates were presented with Tim Brighouse's latest booklet entitled How successful headteachers survive and thrive. College leaders shouldn't allow the title to put them off, because it is a really useful and readable guide to survival at the top. Either order or print off a copy at www.rm.com/successfulheads Also on that website is Tim's 2006 offering, Essential pieces: the jigsaw of a successful school. Both publications are free, although there is the option to make a donation to the Ted Wragg Foundation.