some colleges developed partnershipteaching in w hich basic skills specialists and course tutors worked together to offer support as part of a course this approach had two advantages it allowed to support those who were reluctant to attend targeted workshops and it related basic skills development to the student s course those who received basic skills support were three times less likely to drop out they also had better completion those on a twoyear course and qualification rates those on a oneyear course than those who did not receive support the relationship between basic skills support drop out retention and achievement in further education colleges basic skills agency london