This paper focuses on a sometimes overlooked aspect of education, the vocationally driven education that includes young 'educationally disaffected' people aged from 14, early school-leavers, and adults who have few, if any, formal qualifications. These people are targeted by provision aimed primarily at increasing their employability. The European Social Fund (ESF) is the EU's structural fund that match-funds national provision in this area and, periodically reviewed, influences member state educational agendas (Brine 2002). Focusing on two surveys (one from 1999, and the other from 2005), the paper begins by considering the UK reaction to this European-level educational policy.

The first report (Brine 1999) was based on a survey of further education colleges throughout the UK. In 1998, the Further Education Funding Council managed ?83 million of ESF money, and in some colleges these funds represented up to 20% of their total income. The study was, in part, a response to Agenda 2000, (CEC 1997) which considered the planned expansion of the EU from 15 to 25 member states and presented proposals for a major reform of the Fund and a considerable reduction in the monies allocated to more affluent states and regions. Responses were received from 173 of the UK's 585 colleges at that time, and included college managers of ESF provision, and 606 students on ESF-funded courses.

The second report (DWP 2005) was commissioned by the UK government and was based on discussions with 4,682 students (known as 'beneficiaries') on ESF funded courses, with later follow-up interviews with just over 2000 of them.

The second part of the paper will consider the current review of the Fund for the 2007-13 period and explore its possible impact on UK provision.