The watchdog found the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) had failed to promote programme-led apprenticeships (PLAs), or pre-apprenticeships, sufficiently. This meant participation in the courses, which are particularly suitable for learners with additional numeracy and literacy needs, fell by 58 per cent between 2005 and 2007. Ofsted also found only two out of 10 sector skills councils included PLAs in their planning, although their remit includes working with the LSC and employers to plan their delivery. The...