The Federation identifies under its yearly strategic plan the issues that are of greatest import to its membership and concentrates on establishing a working dialogue with the key stakeholders in these areas to benefit all partners.

14-19 Specialised Dipomas:
FAB continues to work with DfES on what 14-19 Reform means for awarding bodies. We have engaged in early dialogue with the Department and QCA on the design principles for Specialised Diplomas and were part of the steering group looking at the awarding arrangements for the Specialised Diploma. We have also given our commitment to develop awarding body forums for each of the 14 lines of learning specified in the White Paper to support the SSCs who are leading on the Diploma Development Partnerships.

Frameworks and Credit:
A Framework and Credit Working Group was established by FAB in 2003 to tackle these complex issues, and FAB received funding from ELWa to support awarding bodies implementing credit based units and qualifications in Wales. We continue to lobby our partners on the development of a Framework for Achievement and are represented on the Vocational Qualifications Reform Programme Board, having specific responsibility for a sub-strand of the work in the programme looking at the preparatory rationalisation of existing qualifications. Credit framework seminars are regularly organised to inform awarding bodies about the progress in establishing a framework and the group meets with QCA and LSC on a regular basis to ensure that we are kept up-to-date and to discuss possible models of operation.

Working with our customers:
We have been working with the Association of Colleges (AoC) and the Association of Learning Providers (ALP) to better understand how the working lives of centres and awarding bodies can be mutually beneficial and customer service could be improved. A survey of colleges was undertaken and their responses were presented to awarding bodies who were asked to consider how they could work to resolve any common issues. In light of these surveys, FAB has developed two ‘Good practice guides’ for exam conduct and replacement certificates, and reasonable adjustments and special considerations, which will give consistent information across all awarding body members of the Federation for the benefit of centres.

National Conference:
FAB’s annual National Conference was held on 24th & 25th November in 2005 in Coventry. The conference is now a key event in the diary of stakeholder organisations and Phil Hope, Minister for Skills, acted as keynote speaker, along with Mary Curnock Cook from QCA, Caroline Neville at the national LSC, and Richard Wilson from the Institute of Directors who gave an employer’s perspective. This was an important opportunity to discuss all the developments to the vocational education sector.