Good Policy and How it Gets Made

Professor Toni FazaeliUniversity of Wolverhampton

27 November 2014

Art or Science - why, what, where, when, how,

who

What is policy - our relationship

Plenty of definitions and share sense of rational, considered and setting direction - A policy is a principle to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent, and is implemented as a procedure or protocol.

We all have vantage points to receive, adapt and influence and make policy – role of individual and collectives – mine include: as teacher – receive policy eg Swann Report, every teacher an English teacher and

change policy in school eg action research on gendering of teaching as FEFC inspector – receive policy ministers/government eg retention and

achievement matter and leadership grades can’t exceed quality of curriculum, and shape policy such as inspection practices, thematic on basic skills led to Moser etc

SCS – ministers/government shape – and neutrality we serve ministers – and develop, secure investment and take forward eg White paper Success for All 2002 (teachers and leadership, teaching and learning at heart, area reviews of provision, quality framework), 2006 White Paper – created policy read across from schools policy and so across phases DFE, adapted for FE - personalisation and learner voice

CEO of IfL – receive policy – regulations, implement policy whilst shaping how, influence for new policy eg QTLS being equal to QTS, being influenced by members – what matters

Chair of Corporation of college and ofsted this week – in receipt of policy, Skills Commissioner All Parliamentary Group on Employment and Skills informing policy, Access to Professions influencing policy especially careers

And Further Education – and teaching and teachers, and again and again eg PET, Skills Commission, Reed/NCFE, Andy Westwood

National, regional local policy

Relatively centralised government, compared with other European countries

In Education – the middle layer reduced and central government to college or school is pretty direct

James Strachan, Chair of Audit Commission, most powerful of 100 or so watchdogs, employs 4,500 people and spends £200m a year analysing how nearly £120bn of public money is spent by local councils, courts, housing and the NHS – Humpty Dumpty principles of national policy

And FE - Geoff Daniels, Further Education is at policy cross roads – schools, FE, HE, DWP unemployed, health, welfare, extremism – many impacts and all the time for colleges/providers …

Professor Ewart Keep, University of Oxford, ministers for FE describes greater freedom as no/little accountability for impact re the economy and social justice and mobility – so plenty of chance to make your mark eg maths and English – chop and change

The logic of national policy making

Step by step

The Problem and scale of, the Idea(s), the Options including doing nothing – various sources eg select committee, interest groups, think tank, OECD, press campaign, incident, cross government principles of public reform, charities, FE – you can influence

Test it out – consultation/engagement, create a Commission eg Wolf – you can influence

Submissions with options

Green paper – White Paper with green edges – White Paper – consultation – you can feedback

Ministers decide - democracy

Implementation – might be a year or more since first step – so policy makers feel is historic, but brand new in sector eg diplomas or study programme for 16-19s – we are implementing and can feedback if polcy problems eg maths and English GCSE, 100% success rates

Rational process and evidence informs – and emotional/human, values ie doing the right thing eg student governors, plus some serendipity and timing factors and political cycle, and swell building so can intercept and have greater impact at this time

Policy making – parties and elections – crescendo time – manifestos from organisations and emerging from parties

Hierarchy in Government – Spending and Policy making

Prime Minister

Party

Cabinet – c 20 ministers

Cabinet Office – small and little money- relatively weak

Treasury – small and powerful

SoS – spending Departments, hundreds or thousands of civil servants – where the action is. Can be quite isolated role, need logistical and range of support

Ministers – chosen by PM, not SoS – role includes Policy – setting agenda, initiating and selecting policy Political - party, defending policies in Cabinet, Parliament Europe Executive ensuring delivery through civil servants Public relations – overseeing Department’s relations with interest groups, public, media Constituency MP – local issues, networks, branch and surgeries MP in party – defend policy

Ministerial office – diary manger, speech writer, handle correspondence, support

SPADs - c1964 on – role is policy advice, communications advice, political support as many pressures on Minister – c 100 a any time eg Lord Lester QC (law, Harvard, civil rights movement in Ss) was SPAD to Roy Jenkins- Equality legislation, Andy Westwood now GuildHE was SPAD for John Denham. Close to centre of power

Civil Servants – 2012 - 422k, SCS c1%, SCS and grade 6 and 7 – ministerial interface

The spend – Treasury

Case Study – Creating new Policy QTLS = QTS

20 years and more of FE teachers should be recognised as equal and able to teach as qualified teachers in schools – QTLS in White Paper 2006, QTLS equal to QTS in legislation 2012 _ IfL top priority to get good policy – policy changing strategy and some seizing of the waves (timeline handout)

Since 1 April 2012, those will Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status have been recognised as qualified to teach in schools.

Statutory instrument 2012 No. 431, which was laid in parliament on 9 March 2012, amended the 2003 regulations so that holders of QTLS may be appointed to permanent positions as qualified teachers, without any further induction requirements.

Schools and local authorities remain responsible for decisions on employing QTLS holders, and IfL (now ETF) maintains the national register of QTLS holders, including those teaching in schools.

Case Study of Policy Making – Learner Voice

2004 and then White Paper 2006 - Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances

Schools Personalisation – Innovation Unit in DfES then DfE 2002 - The Schools White Paper: Higher Standards, Better Schools For All 2005

‘To drive up standards while also improving social mobility, we are determined to provide more personalised services for children and their families. Personalisation is the key to tackling the persistent achievement gaps between different social and ethnic groups. It means a tailored education for every child and young person, that gives them strength in the basics, stretches their aspirations, and builds their life chances. It will create opportunity for every child, regardless of their background.’26

Director General – personalisation FE? Work on this

Consultation, events with interest groups, learning from industry eg Centrica, Demos

Case Study of Policy Making – Learner Voice cont’d

Consultation Greenish paper 2007 - Personalising Further Education: a Vision

Recommendations – with specifics – Each college/provider to have Learner Involvement Strategy, At least 2 learner governors, standards set for Student Liaison officer, support and training for learner leadership through CEL – Resourcing very minimal

Levers for policy implementation – funding , funding agreement, inspection, legislation and regulation – hearts and minds

New policy you want, or to stop likely policy development – how?

Formation and at which stages to influence or arrest, and allies

Why, what, when, how, and who

Questions and Discussion

Key Policy Documents Success for All – November 2002

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCkQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwebarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk%2F20061016224421%2Fdfes.gov.uk%2Fsuccessforall%2Fdownloads%2Fvisionforthefuture-november2002-78-111.doc&ei=XRt3VK7yF4jX7QaQsIHIAg&usg=AFQjCNFHKUb6lGNzJrYmI7fXOo75PD-k4g&sig2=sLwqjf6z9hcQ4fFtuzrnbQ&bvm=bv.80642063,d.ZGU

Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances, 2006

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/272259/6768.pdf

Personalising Further Education: A Vision, 2007

https://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/DfES%20Personalisation.pdf

Some readingTrack a policy that affects you – key government papers,

contextualise for broader policy reform, and analyse policy process eg school or FE teacher qualifications

Anthony King and Ivor Crewe, The Blunders of Our Governments, Oneworld, 2014

Ben Yong and Robert Hazell, Special Advisers – who they are, what they do and why they matter, Hart, 2014

Myriad of publications on Science of Persuasion – reciprocity, scarcity, authority, consistency and fairness, liking, consensus…