We were interested in the comments (FE Focus, January 18) by two anonymous lecturers from Nottinghamshire questioning what the phrase “Every Learner Matters” actually means.

Like them, we have been frustrated by a national initiative involving young people engaged in education and training up to the age of 19 (or 25 for those with learning difficulties) but uses “child” in its title.

This frustration drove us to produce a set of tools to help post-16 training providers analyse their existing provision as a normal part of self-assessment. The tools enable users to identify the degree to which the requirements of Every Child Matters are being met by existing provision, using language appropriate to post-16 learners. A further tool is available so that providers can convert their initial analysis into a plan aimed at closing any gaps in their provision.

We even present both tools in different formats so that they can be more easily used by providers in different parts of the FE system, whether they be incorporated colleges, work-based learning providers, those involved in prison education, youth justice and offender learning or youth and community education specialists.

The material comes on a CD-Rom, entitled Ensuring Every Learner Matters, that has just become available from TLO in Bristol and can be ordered online.

www.tloshop.co.uk

Laura Serrant-Green, Gedling Village, Nottingham; Kevin Commons, Wigston, Leicestershire, Independent consultants.