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• One linear trunk link, (A30), but other road communication relatively poor
• No general FE provision in North Cornwall
• Poor access to public transport
• The development of staff in vocational skills
• Cross-county boundary movement of students
• All young people to have an entitlement to access all 17 Diploma lines by 2013
• Adequacy in terms of quantity of employers
• Low aspirations among learners from “indigenous” and ‘incoming’ backgrounds – further complicated by recent large scale arrival of migrant workers in some areas. The strategy The strategy for developing vocational provision in North Cornwall involves four key areas: • E-learning • Peripatetic staff • Specialist hub provision • Locally based provision Each of these integrates with each other to provide a flexible and personalised solution which strives to minimise the need for excessive travel around the region. E-learning This uses four integrated strategies: • Messaging technology supported by desktop remote control • High quality learning resources • An effective Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) • State of the art video conference facilities available in all five centres We will develop desktop remote control facilities that will allow us to provide personalised and coherent programmes for e-learning of vocational units and qualifications together with functional skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT. It is expected that Convergence funding for “curriculum development” will support such an approach and work alongside other partners to develop high quality on-line teaching and learning materials and to develop on-line courses at Levels 1-4. All partners have now committed to or have introduced a VLE which will be available to all learners. The five schools collectively invested over £100,000 this year, part-funded by Gateway 1 Diploma capital bid, in video conferencing facilities. These facilities will not be limited to the output from a single, small group gathering around one unit. Through the use of convergent technology and IP Streaming (allowing us to distribute multimedia material to multiple locations throughout the area) the project will allow a greater number of students to access materials as well as enabling one teacher/trainer to be accessed live across the partnership. This teacher/trainer will also then be able to act as a peripatetic member of staff. Peripatetic staff Common staff will be employed for specialist courses across the partnership where small numbers of learners dictate. This will allow for the central teacher/trainer to facilitate electronic distance learning and practical sessions in locally based provision. Locally based provision Across the partnership we have strategically reviewed needs for local provision to take place. By a combination of adapting existing facilities, engaging new sector partners and establishing new facilities we will allow the majority of learning sessions to take place in the local setting with, where necessary, the shared teacher/trainer travelling to the group for practical sessions. The practical element of the courses will be structured around the facilities required; those parts of the course not requiring more advanced facilities will be delivered locally, those requiring more advance facilities will be delivered at the specialist hub provision. Specialist hub provision Hub locations across the network have been identified based on provider specialisms and existing availability of resources. These will provide the specialist facilities required across the partnership and for other networks. The concentration on a single location provides cost effective access to specialist resources that are required on a less frequent basis. The personalised solution This model allows for infinite personalisation. By varying the level of each of the four components we can meet the needs of the individual learner, the different nature of the course and the level of study. This model is flexible enough to cover a range of subjects and vocational areas across Levels 1-4, it is transferable to other locations and allows for flexibility to vary the partners involved.