CE 073 662 AUTHOR Donoghue, Janet TITLE INSTITUTION … · 2014. 5. 14. · ED 405 469. AUTHOR TITLE. INSTITUTION. REPORT NO PUB DATE NOTE AVAILABLE FROM. PUB TYPE JOURNAL CIT. EDRS

ED 405 469

AUTHORTITLE

INSTITUTION

REPORT NOPUB DATENOTEAVAILABLE FROM

PUB TYPEJOURNAL CIT

EDRS PRICEDESCRIPTORS

IDENTIFIERS

ABSTRACT

DOCUMENT RESUME

CE 073 662

Donoghue, JanetMoving on from Key Stage 4--the Challenge for FE.FEDA Paper.Further Education Development Agency, London(England).ISSN-1361-997797

34p.Further Education Development Agency, PublicationsDept., Coombe Lodge, Blagdon, Bristol BS18 6RG,England, United Kingdom (6.50 British pounds).Reports Research/Technical (143)FE Matters; vl n8 1997

MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.Adult Education; *Articulation (Education); *BritishNational Curriculum; Case Studies; College SchoolCooperation; Cooperative Planning; EducationalCooperation; *Educational Needs; EducationalOpportunities; Employment Qualifications; ForeignCountries; *Partnerships in Education; PostsecondaryEducation; Prior Learning; Secondary Education;*Vocational Education*General National Vocational Qualif (England);*National Vocational Qualifications (England); UnitedKingdom

A study examined the practical issues involved inproviding continuity/progression for students who had undertakenGeneral National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) and National.Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) programs at key stage 4 of theBritish National Curriculum, and who were moving on to further studyin post-16 colleges. Data were gathered through a survey of collegesand local education authorities and case studies of 10 furthereducation (FE) colleges that had established partnerships withschools. It was discovered that some schools offer GNVQ Part 1 orunits of vocational qualifications as options along with the GeneralCertificate of Secondary Education, whereas other schools offer thesame qualifications in partnership with local FE colleges. Mostpartnership activities involving GNVQs/NVQs were prompted by thedesire to improve opportunities for learners, enhance quality ofprovision, and improve learning progression from 14 to 19. Among theidentified benefits of vocationally focused partnership activitiesfor colleges were the following: higher profile for vocationalcourses; better information about students who move from school tocollege; higher recruitment rates; improved retention rates; anddevelopment of trust between colleges and partner schools. Issues forsenior managers, program managers, and program team members wereidentified. (Contains 12 references.) (MN)

FEDA

ov9ng on tom Key SU,

the chalenge kw FE

Janet Donoghue Volumes Number 8

Further EducationDevelopment Agency

Se 4

N

ty.

.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

U._.

.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONffice of Educational Research and ImprovementUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION

CENTER (ERIC)This document has been reproduced as .received from the person or organizationoriginating it.

0 Minor changes have been made toimprove reproduction quality.

Points of view or opinions stated in thisdocument do not necessarily represent .official OERI position or policy. /:ief)

-eV

PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE ANDDISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL

HAS BEEN GRANTED BY

TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESj INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)

Further EducationDevelopment Agency

Moving on from Key Stage 4the challenges for FE

Janet Donoghue

FE MATTERSFEDA paper

Published by the Further EducationDevelopment AgencyCoombe Lodge, Blagdon, Bristol BS18 6RGTelephone 01761 462503Fax 01761 463140 (Publications Department)

Registered charity no: 1044145

Series edited and designed by the FEDApublications departmentPrinted by Blackmore Press, Shaftesbury,DorsetCover photograph: by Frank Ainsworth,loaned by Croydon College

ISSN: 1361-9977

© 1997 FEDA

All rights reserved. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic, electrical, chemical, optical,photocopying, recording or otherwise, withoutprior permission of the copyright owner.

2 FE MATTERS FEDA paper

AcknowledgementsFEDA is grateful to all those who contributed tothe project. Particular thanks are due to:

Janet Donoghue Project ConsultantPauline Sparkes Education Staff, FEDA

Colleges

Barnsley College

Bishop Auckland College

Bolton College

Bournemouth & Poole College

City & Islington College

Colchester Institute

Havering College

Leeds College of Technology

Manchester College of Arts &Technology

Monkwearmouth College

Pembrokeshire College

St Helens College

St John Rigby Sixth Form College

Sandwell College

Sheffield College

South Nottingham College

Telford College of Arts & Technology

West Cheshire College

West Nottinghamshire College

Local Education Authorities

Durham

East Sussex

Manchester

Sandwell

Sefton

Sunderland

Sutton

4

ContentsForeword 5

Context for this research 7

1. National Curriculum and vocationaleducation at KS4 11

2. Implications for post-16 institutions 15

3. Partnership activities 17

4. Case studies 19

5. Impact of partnership activitieson colleges 27

6. Conclusions 31

References and bibliography 35

FE MATTERS FEDA paper 3

5

ForewordThis paper reports on research carried out in1995 on providing progression for studentsentering further education (FE) with a widervocational-based set of achievements. Thefindings are extremely timely and haveparticular importance in relation to proposalswithin the Review of qualifications for 16-19 yearolds by Sir Ron Dearing. This review signals anappreciation of the potential motivationalimpact of the vocational curriculum for 14-16year olds, and it indicates how an increase in thenumber of school-college partnerships willbenefit more learners with a wider range ofopportunities available to them.

This report on FEDA research identifies issuesfor management and curriculum continuityarising from provision of a greater range ofvocational opportunities for 14-16 year olds.

As learners begin their 16 plus learning careerswith a greater range of vocational achievementalongside their GCSEs, in the form of Part OneGNVQs, single units of NVQs and GNVQs, thechallenges for providers of post-16 educationare increased. Among these new demands arethe need to develop strategies to avoidduplication, ensure appropriate progression,maintain the impetus of learning and thereforeto sustain motivation.

While this research examined institutions whohave developed partnership arrangements tomeet these demands, increasingly 16 year oldswill progress outside such partnerships, soinstitutions, both schools and colleges, need tobe prepared to meet their more complex needs.

FE is often characterised as arguing the need forflexibility and a unitised framework in order torespond to the varied needs of adults. What isclearly demonstrated by this report is that thepressure to provide for these needs is equallycoming from 16 year olds themselves, as theyenter FE.

Caroline MagerHead, Curriculum and Qualifications Programme

FE MATTERS6

FEDA paper 5

Context for this researchGNVQs and NVQs are increasingly beingoffered to students at Key Stage 4 (KS4) as ameans of broadening the curriculum on offer.

Recent changes to National Curriculumrequirements have 'freed up' 40 per cent ofcurriculum time at KS4, allowing schools toprovide a vocational option for their students.This trend has been accelerated by the pilotingof the GNVQ Part 1 qualification.

As a result, further education (FE) colleges needto be equipped to cater for an increasingnumber of students leaving school withvocational qualifications. Equally, school sixth-forms will need to respond to a changingpattern of achievement pre-16.

To facilitate smoother progression from pre-16to post-16, some colleges are entering intopartnerships with schools.

Aims and methods

In 1995 the Further Education DevelopmentAgency (FEDA) commissioned a project toexplore the practical issues involved inproviding continuity and progression forstudents who had undertaken General NationalVocational Qualifications (GNVQs) andNational Vocational Qualifications (NVQs)programmes at Key Stage 4 (KS4) and weremoving on to further study in post-16 colleges.

The aims of the study were to:

gather information on the use of bothGNVQs and NVQs at KS4

explore vocationally-focused partner-ships between schools and colleges andtheir impact on individual progressionfor 14-19 year olds

identify the key issues for both schoolsand colleges

Information was gathered through aquestionnaire survey of colleges and LEAs.Case study material was obtained from tencolleges that had established partnerships with

schools. Some schools in the project wereinvolved in the GNVQ Part 1 pilot but these arenot necessarily a representative sample of all theschools involved in the pilots.

This report summarises the main findings ofthe project.

Schools: the emerging picture

Some schools offer units of GNVQ/NVQwithin the context of National Curriculum andother subjects. Some offer GNVQ Part 1 or unitsof vocational qualifications as optionsalongside the General Certificate of SecondaryEducation (GCSE). In some cases they areoffering these awards in partnership with theirlocal further education college. In so doing,they benefit from the college's experience ofdelivering vocational qualifications as well asensuring that their pupils have a smoothprogression from KS4 to education and trainingpost-16.

Issues for colleges

GNVQs and NVQs have a direct relationshipwith the curriculum offered in colleges.

Colleges need to consider the impact of theirincreased delivery at KS4 on:

recruitment practices

enrolment procedures includingAccreditation of Prior Learning (APL)

the structure of learning programmes

the curriculum content of their ownlearning programmes

progression routes

practical aspects of vocational provision,for example, the awarding bodies used,verification procedures, record-keepingdocumentation required

7 FE MATTERS FEDA paper 7

School-college partnerships

Most partnership activities involving GNVQsand NVQs are prompted by the desire to:

improve opportunities for learners

enhance quality of provision

improve learning progression from 14to 19

Partnership activities can be formal or informal.Most have long-term aims but because there islimited access to long-term funding theirsurvival depends on the goodwill of allthose involved.

The range of partnership activities is extensiveand involves college staff and students workingwith KS4 pupils, their parents and teachers, andrepresentatives from other organisations suchas careers services.

The impact that partnership activities may haveon colleges include:

better and more coherent links withlocal schools

changes to the college curriculum toaccommodate students arriving withGNVQ/NVQ units

the need for improved guidanceprovision for students

more specific assessment packages forGNVQ/NVQ programmes to allow thecontributions of the KS4 curriculum andpupils' wider experiences to be takeninto account for APL purposes

The benefits of vocationally-focused partner-ship activities for colleges include:

a higher profile for vocational courses

better information about students whomove from school to college

higher recruitment rates, learningprogression for students and henceincreased motivation

improved retention rates


the development of trust between acollege and its partner schools

Issues for senior managers include:

resourcing partnership activities

taking responsibility for the managementof partnership activities in collegestructures

revising curriculum structures to accom-modate pre-16 vocational attainments

Issues for programme managers include:

gaining familiarity with schools

acquiring knowledge of the KS4 curriculum

understanding the legal requirementsrelated to staffing

offering professional development tostaff involved

timetabling partnership activities

improving attitudes towards pre-16vocational attainments

providing suitable learning programmesfor students arriving with pre-16vocational attainments

identifying progression routes

ensuring equal treatment of the partnerschools involved

Issues for members of the programmeteams include:

organising and implementing partner-ship activities

deciding upon teaching materials andteaching methods

allowing for the fact that KS4 pupilsoften require more support to deal witha more independent learning approach

8

Conclusions

Vocational partnership activities have animportant role to play in helping to securesmooth progression for individuals movingfrom pre- to post-16 education. However, toachieve this there are various practical issuesthat need to be considered by colleges, theirpartners and by national bodies.

Issues for colleges and their partners includehow best to:

accommodate students with pre-16vocational achievements

co-ordinate partnership activities

ensure familiarity with the workingpractices of each partner

help college staff to appreciate theimplications for them of the increaseduse of GNVQs and NVQs at KS4

Issues for national bodies include how best to:

secure curriculum continuity invocational studies pre- and post-16

support vocational partnership activitiesas a means of securing smooth transition

ensure the currency of GNVQ/NVQunits attained pre-16

ensure that the introduction of theGNVQ Part 1 is supported by smoothprogression post-16

ensure that guidance provision takesaccount of the range of progressionroutes available

9FE MATTERS FEDA paper 9

i. National Curriculum andvocational education at K54Since September 1996 maintained schools haveoffered the following National Curriculumprogrammes of study at KS4:

English

Mathematics

Science (a single science is the minimumrequirement)

Design and Technology (the minimumrequirement is a short course covering halfthe content of a GCSE, accredited A to G)

Information Technology (as a separatesubject or co-ordinated across othercurriculum subjects)

Modern Foreign Languages (minimumof a short course)

Physical Education

Schools also have to provide religious educationand sex education.

Schools can offer the following vocationaloptions at KS4:

GNVQ Part 1 (at this stage, onlyavailable to those acting as a pilot centre;it is intended that it be availablenationally from September 1998)

full GNVQ

individual units of GNVQ/NVQ

other vocational awards, for example,City and Guilds Diploma ofVocational Education (DVE) and RSAComputer Literacy and InformationTechnology (CLAIT)

GNVQ Part 1 is offered in the followingprogramme areas:

Business

Health and Social Care

Manufacturing

Art and Design

IT

Leisure and Tourism

IT is offered at Intermediate and Foundationlevels and comprises three vocational units takenfrom the full award (common to all awardingbodies), the associated external tests, the threekey skills units, a controlled assignment and anextension test (for merits and distinctions). Thereare currently 253 schools in 71 local educationauthorities (LEAs) involved in the GNVQ Part 1pilot. Figures on how many are offering otherGNVQs or NVQs at KS4 are not available. Whilesome schools deliver the vocational options asdiscrete units, in others their delivery isintegrated into National Curriculum and othersubjects, for example, units of Health and SocialCare as part of the GCSE Science course andunits of manufacturing through NationalCurriculum Design and Technology.

College and LEA staff who contributed to theproject commented on the increase in thenumber of requests from schools forinformation and advice on how to design anddeliver vocational programmes.

Although interest in the use of GNVQs andNVQs is increasing there was considerablevariation between areas as to the extent of actualuse, ranging from some areas where nearly allsecondary schools offered either full or partialawards to others where it was only a minority ofschools. The key determining factor appeared tobe the extent to which Training and EnterpriseCouncils (TECs), LEAs and FE providers werepromoting and supporting their use.

Benefits of offering GNVQs and

NVQs pre-16

The main reasons for using vocationalqualifications for 14-16 year olds were to:

broaden students' horizons

increase students' awareness of theknowledge, skills and attitudes valuedin the world of work and beyond


students'improve motivation,attainment and achievement

improve progression from school to FEand widen the range of opportunitiespost-16

enhance the statutory curriculum

develop the personal skills required forlifelong learning and employment

Factors influencing use of

GNVQs/NVQs at KS4

The pattern of use of GNVQs and NVQs inschools was influenced by a variety of factors,the most significant being the:

level of staff experience and expertise

resources available in the locality

level of pupil interest

progression routes available at localFE institutions

advice given by local partners, such ascolleges, TECs, Education BusinessPartnerships (EBPs), and LEAs

Most schools which took part in this project(with the exception of those piloting GNVQPart 1) were offering units rather than fullGNVQ and NVQ awards. There are variousbenefits of this approach:

units provide greater flexibility than thefull award. They can be selected fromdifferent programmes and levels, andcan have either a vocational or a keyskills focus. This makes it easier forschools to respond to a range ofindividual student needs

units are considered to be more cost-effective than the full award. Carefulchoice of units can limit the additionaldemands on resources and staff expertise.Units can often be accommodated withinexisting working arrangements and betaught within existing courses

12 FE MATTERS RDA paper

units are considered to supportindividual progression as effectively as afull award and in some cases to be moremanageable for post-16 providers. Theyallow students to become familiar withthe nature and demands of GNVQs andNVQs and to develop the planning,learning and self-management skillsrequired for their achievement. Theyalso enable students to gather evidencefrom across the KS4 NationalCurriculum for APL or for fast-trackingto post-16 levels if a partnership with thereceiving institutions exists

Programmes on offer

Evidence from this research project indicatesthat the most popular GNVQ programmeareas were:

Business

Health and Social Care

Leisure and Tourism

Art and Design

The most popular NVQ areas were:

Construction Crafts

Business Administration

Child Care and Education

Catering and Hospitality

Sport and Recreation

Some schools were focusing on the delivery ofkey skills units at KS4. The main reasons forthis were:

the links with the statutory curriculum

that evidence of attainment could becollected from across all NationalCurriculum areas

that key skills attainment was regardedby many as the most important factorin securing smooth progression topost-16 programmes

1.1

The 'freeing up' of the National Curriculumsince September 1996 and the inclusion ofGNVQ Part 1 in the school performance tablesmay further encourage schools to incorporatemore vocational programmes/units at KS4.

Developments within the qualificationsthemselves will also encourage their use. Forexample, the GNVQ Language units will fulfilthe Modern Foreign Language requirements ofthe National Curriculum and the Key SkillInformation Technology (IT) unit willcontribute to the IT requirements.

Management and delivery pre-16

Evidence from this project indicates thatschools' management, organisation anddelivery of vocational programmes at KS4evolves from year to year. However, thefollowing findings are worthy of comment:

in all institutions the seniormanagement team had given its supportto the introduction of vocational optionsat KS4

the most successful programmes hadclear policy statements setting out aimsand objectives, the resource implications(including staffing) and workingarrangements (including timetablingand recruitment)

day-to-day management of programmeswas generally the responsibility ofmiddle managers or of the individualsubject teachers

vocational programmes wereaccommodated within the existingtimetable arrangements in practice,this meant offering full or partialGNVQs/NVQs as an option alongsideGCSEs or integrating them withinexisting courses, such as PSE

Many schools were delivering GNVQs andNVQs at KS4 with support from externalorganisations, such as TECs, LEAs and colleges.The main forms of this support were:

the development of a local strategy forpromoting and supporting the use ofGNVQs and NVQs

access to additional financial, humanand physical resources

help with training and also withdevelopment activities

mentoring

assistance with developing networkingactivities with other interested partiessuch as local employers

In most schools only a small proportion ofcurriculum time was given to vocationalcourses ranging from five to 12 per centexcept where schools were piloting GNVQ Part1, when more time was allowed. Awardingbodies recommend 20 per cent of curriculumtime for these courses. In all cases, the success ofthe vocational programmes was dependentupon the 'goodwill' time provided by both staffand pupils.

The number of staff involved in deliveringGNVQs and NVQs at KS4 tended to be small,often only one or two subject specialists. Severalschools commented on the difficulty ofinvolving more staff in vocational projects,especially those who might contribute to thedelivery and assessment of key skills. Thiscreates a situation where the knowledge andexpertise in vocational education isconcentrated on just a few staff, which in thelong term has unfavourable implications forensuring continuity.

Even where schools were receiving supportfrom outside agencies they identified severalissues concerning the implementation ofGNVQs and NVQs. These were:

managing the additional workload

developing and maintaining a highquality vocational experience fortheir students

offering a sufficiently wide choice ofvocational areas

MATTERS FEDA paper 13

identifying the links between GNVQs,NVQs, GCSEs and other courses

ensuring that the requirements ofvocational courses fit in with wholecurriculum planning

identifying and assessing opportunitycosts for students

recognising and building on links withother school activities

developing positive attitudes to GNVQsand NVQs from among staff, parentsand students

AppropriacyManagers in schools endorsed GNVQs andNVQs as being an appropriate option forstudents of all abilities. However, in practicewhere they were offered as a separate optionagainst GCSEs they tended to be chosen bystudents of middle and lower abilities. There issome evidence from the project that guidancefrom school staff is supporting this trend. Onecollege noted:

"In Year 10, more capable pupils were givenadvice that encouraged them to opt for a secondhumanities course rather than a GNVQ unit.There are several statemented pupils on theGNVQ courses."

Contributors to the project also expressedconcern that teachers were guiding 'difficult'students towards vocational courses which hadlittle relationship to their expressed interests.Placement on inappropriate courses onlycompounds issues of underachievement andlack of motivation among these students. Theperception among teachers that vocationalprogrammes are for the less able ordemotivated is an issue which needs to beaddressed. While GNVQs and NVQ do have animportant role in addressing low achievementand motivation problems, teachers also need tobe aware of their appropriacy and value to theentire ability range.

FE MATTERS FEDA paper13

2. Implications for post-16institutionsThe increasing use of GNVQs and NVQs atKS4 means that further education institutionswill need to review their provision andservices in order to accommodate thosestudents who arrive with experience ofvocational programmes.

Some contributors to the project expressed theview that the actual numbers of studentsarriving at college with vocationalqualifications was too small to worry about.However, evidence from the project suggeststhat these numbers are increasing, especiallywith the introduction of GNVQ Part 1 and theinclusion of these qualifications in schoolperformance tables. September 1997 will see thefirst cohort of 16 year olds entering college witha GNVQ Part 1 qualification.

One participating college already receivingstudents with KS4 experience of GNVQs andNVQs noted:

"The use of GNVQs and NVQs at KS4provides a big challenge for FE in providingtailor-made programmes matching studentneeds. Any sudden expansion in the use ofvocational qualifications at KS4 could leavecolleges unprepared and risk alienatingand /or demotivating students who weresuccessful at KS4 but find themselvesrepeating work at college."

Curriculum design and delivery

Many students will arrive at college with anunderstanding of GNVQs and NVQs and alsoof the learning and assessment goals that thesequalifications involve. Some will have formalaccredited evidence of their vocationalachievements while others may arrive with aportfolio of evidence for a range of vocationaland key skill units.

A key consideration for colleges will be how torespond to the breadth of students' priorachievements and attainments, ranging fromsome who have covered individual units to

those with a full GNVQ Part 1 award whichthey may wish to 'top up'. Colleges in theproject were responding to this challenge in avariety of ways, including:

organising GNVQ and NVQprogrammes into modules so thatstudents with partial awards couldpursue related studies at the times whentheir peers were completing units theyhad already achieved

expanding the range of post-16 courseson offer

basing teaching programmes on detailedcurriculum maps indicating how GCSE,GNVQ and NVQ are interrelated

Colleges were also researching the potential toprovide a fast-track learning programme forstudents arriving with partial GNVQs andNVQs so that they completed both the initialaward and the next level within the standardtimescale. As none had found a way ofachieving this, programme costs were notbeing reduced.

Colleges also noted the need to consider the keyskill support required by students arriving withprior experience of GNVQs and NVQs. It iscommon for these students to have achievedhigher levels of attainment in the vocationalunits than in key skills. As a result, they willneed to upgrade their key skill attainmentbefore moving on to the next level.

Providing for progression

One of the main reasons schools give foroffering GNVQs and NVQs at KS4 is to improveprogression post-16. However, the nature of theprogression opportunities available to theirpupils was not always clear. Colleges involvedin this project reported that in the majority ofcases progression routes were based onindividual negotiation.

To secure smooth progression for individuals,there must be effective communication andliaison between schools and receiving institutions.

14FE MATTERS FEDA paper

All those contributing to the project stressed theneed for schools, colleges and careers services towork together to give students enhanced adviceand guidance on appropriate progressionroutes. College staff have found it helpful tobecome involved in careers education andguidance to ensure continuity and progressionfrom 14 to 19. In some cases this has promptedcollege staff to review their recruitment,enrolment, induction and APL procedures andto ensure that their prospectuses include GNVQand NVQ attainments in their entryrequirements.

Some colleges are also investigating ways oftracking students who arrive with full or partialGNVQs or NVQs, to ensure successfulcompletion of their chosen programme.

Summary

To provide for students with prior GNVQ andNVQ experience colleges should:

work with schools to ensure thatsubjects offered pre-16 are also availablepost-16 at the same or higher levels

ensure that programmes can be ofvarying lengths post-16 to accommodatediffering levels of attainment pre-16

have a variety of induction processesavailable to take account of differingpre-16 experiences and achievements

develop more sophisticated APL

recognise pre-16 achievements in theirmarketing and recruitment literature

16 F E MATTERS FEDA paper15

3. Partnership activitiesColleges become involved in partnershipactivities for a variety of reasons, including:

to improve opportunities for learnersand enhance the quality of provision

to improve progression from 14 to 19

to respond to the increasing use ofGNVQs and NVQs at KS4

to respond to requests from schools forhelp and advice

to improve recruitment to vocationalcourses post-16 by raising awareness ofthe nature, scope and demands ofGNVQs and NVQs and their links withthe KS4 curriculum

to raise awareness of college provisionand services

Nature of partnerships

Many partnerships, especially thewell-established ones, are based on formalsystems such as franchising, compacts andwritten progression agreements. Others aremore flexible and less formal but in the longterm are looking to develop written partnershipagreements and statements outlining theworking arrangements.

Partnerships create opportunities to pooldifferent resources for the benefit of allinvolved. They encourage the sharing ofinformation, expertise, capital equipment andworkload. Nevertheless, while all partnershipshave long-term aims, few have access to long-term funding. Most rely heavily on the goodwillof those involved. The challenge facing mostpartnerships is how to sustain their activities ata time when there is severe pressure onresources vocational provision has proven tobe particularly vulnerable when schools need tomake budget cuts.

Common activities

For 13 to 16 year olds

Offering taster experiences of vocationalprogrammes, from half-day events tostudy placements of up to three weeks.

Giving careers education and guidanceto inform pupils about the nature, scopeand requirements of vocationalprogrammes and to provide advicetailored to individual needs. This maybe in the form of special events, such asvocational conventions, or it could bebuilt into a school's existing careerseducation programme.

Assisting with the identification andgathering of evidence of attainment invocational and key skill areas to be usedfor APL and fast-tracking post-16.

Mentoring by college staff and students.

Organising interviews with targetedpupils or on a self-referral basis toexplore progression opportunities andpossible routes post-16.

For school staffProviding professional developmenttraining on such areas as:

i) the nature, scope andrequirements of GNVQs and NVQs

ii) curriculum mapping, develop-ing vocational assignments,producing teaching materials, andestablishing assessment andverification procedures

iii) Training Development LeadBody (TDLB) for the D units wherea school offers NVQ and/or GNVQunits and General Planning andAssessment (GPA) units whereprovision is limited to GNVQs.

Helping with applications to awardingand funding bodies.


Giving access to college networks andresources, including accommodation,equipment and staff.

For parents of KS4 students

Arranging information evenings onvocational activities and subsequentprogression opportunities that areavailable for their children.

Issuing reports on the vocationalactivities in which their children havebeen involved.

Contributing to general parents'evenings to provide information oncollege provision and services and tohighlight possible progression routes.

For college students

Mentoring of KS4 pupils.

Taking part in taster activities offered toKS4 pupils.

For college staffRaising general awareness within thecollege of the nature and scope of thecurriculum at KS4 and the likelyattributes of those students arrivingwith experience of GNVQs and NVQs.

Identifying possible progression routesfor students arriving with someexperience of GNVQs and NVQs.

Encouraging modifications in collegestructures and systems to provide bettercurriculum continuity and progressionfor students arriving with priorvocational experience.

Contributing to the development andinspection of vocational provision in thepartner schools.


17

4. Case studies

Case Study I

This college is the main provider of further andhigher education in its borough and is also longrecognised as a key provider of highereducation courses on a more regional basis. Ithas an enrolment of approximately 4,000 full-time equivalents.

The college offers a comprehensive programmeof day and evening classes in academic,professional, vocational and craft courses,catering for all age groups.

Throughout the area the number of peoplequalified to diploma, degree or higher degreelevel is low. Historically, there has been lowparticipation in post-16 education, althoughthese figures have shown a dramaticimprovement during the last few years.However, as the economy gradually improvesindications are that recruitment levels of full-time students will stabilise.

The ethnic minority and refugee population inthe college's borough is extremely small(approximately two to three per cent). Theunemployment figures vary considerablywithin the borough from some areas where justthree per cent of the population areunemployment claimants to other areas, mainlyto the north and south of the borough, wherethe figure rises to 11 per cent; the boroughaverage is 6.1 per cent.

The college has links with three partnerschools, two of which are 11-16 mixedcomprehensives and the third is an 11-18voluntary-aided mixed comprehensive.

School A is a small school of 571 students with astrong emphasis on community and personaldevelopment. It was the first organisation in theborough to obtain 'Investors in People' status.Parents of the pupils are predominantlyworking class with no FE background, and asignificant proportion are unemployed.

School B has a multi-ethnic population of 1,006pupils with English as a second language. Most

of the parents are working class, and a highproportion are unemployed. Traditionally, thenumber of students who progress to post-16education is low.

School C is a Catholic school drawing its 1,058pupils from the diocese, so it has a widecatchment area. Although the school is situatedin a multi-cultural area, the pupil populationdoes not reflect this. The school has its ownsixth-form.

Nature of links with partner schools

School A

As a partner school, each of its students isguaranteed a place on an appropriate course ateither the college of this case study or the localsixth form college.

The school negotiates two-day vocational tastercourses with the college for Year 10 pupilsduring their Flexible Learning Week in thesummer term.

A group of pupils is studying GCSEConstruction at the college (this is in its secondyear of operation). All GCSE Business Studiespupils are also undertaking Unit 1 of GNVQBusiness (Foundation), also in its second year ofoperation. The school's Business Studiesdepartment cross-referenced GCSE BusinessStudies with GNVQ Business (Foundation) andidentified the unit which, with someamendment to the teaching of the businessprogramme, met the criteria of both. Theactivities used as a learning tool for the GCSEBusiness provide the evidence for the GNVQBusiness unit. College staff advise on thisprocess and act as internal verifiers. They alsoprovide a supportive/consultative service viatermly meetings and a telephone hot-line. It istoo early to identify the outcomes from theintroduction of vocational courses at KS4,however the immediate result has been to raisethe level of importance attached to course work.

All Year 10 pupils are undertaking Unit 1 ofGNVQ Health and Social Care (Intermediate) aspart of their Personal, Social and HealthEducation (PSHE) programme (this is in its first


year of operation). The school team deliveringthe PSHE programme identified elementswhich matched the contents of Unit 1 of theGNVQ. They meet with college staff twice aterm to discuss issues and use college expertiseand experience to devise and manage their ownscheme. College staff also act as internalverifiers. Again it is too early to identifyoutcomes, but the school is convinced that theGNVQ unit work reinforces GCSE work insubjects such as science (and vice versa).

School B

The school planned to offer Unit 1 GNVQHealth and Social Care at KS4 in September 1996.The college helped school staff to design theprogramme and write schemes of work,drawing on its own experience as a successfulprovider of a full-time GNVQ programme, andfrom its work with School A. Using the collegein this way allowed the school to devise andmanage its own scheme.

School C

The school offers GNVQ Health and Social Care(Intermediate) to its Year 12 pupils. College staffprovided INSET for school staff withresponsibility for operating the programme andthe college organises placements. Thisexperience gave college staff valuable insightsinto the way that KS4 pupils work and theapproaches they respond to which hasenhanced their contribution to introducing KS4vocational courses in other schools.

Progression

The first cohort of pupils to have participated invocational qualifications at KS4 have yet toprogress on to college. It is anticipated that themain issues are likely to include:

the need to map the curriculum atFoundation, Intermediate andAdvanced levels so that it is possible forstudents with partial awards tocomplete both the original level awardand the next level award within thestandard time-scale


the need to devise an integrated systemof teaching which enables a unit to becovered at both Intermediate andAdvanced levels and, with tutorialsupport, to identify the evidencerequired to satisfy the particular level.This process would be assisted if anyrevision of standards indicates how theIntermediate level underpins theAdvanced level

increased recruitment to GNVQ courses,because pupils (and teachers) will bemore familiar with the GNVQ method ofstudy and the pupils will have alreadyachieved some credits towards one ofthese qualifications

the need to find a successful method foraccommodating students with partialawards. The following methods havebeen considered and rejected by thisparticular college:

i) APL it was considered thatschool leavers would not havesufficient independent learningskills at the entry stage to cope withthis; in general, the college wouldneed to develop a strategy to dealwith this

ii) enrolling directly on to the nextlevel course it was consideredthat without appropriate support-ing GCSE qualifications the studentwith only a partial award would beunable to cope with the next levelaward

iii) enrolling on to the complete/standard course it was con-sidered that this would createstudent (and school) alienation andwould cause funding difficulties

iv) credit accumulation it wasfelt that ultimately this is the long-term solution but not feasible as ashort- term option

Each institution would need to select the mostappropriate method for each student concerned.

19

Evaluation

The main issues for the schools have been:

identifying the links between the GCSEcurriculum and GNVQ units

time spent cross-referencing

getting staff to TDLB standard

adjusting to different and unfamiliarteaching styles

The benefits identified so far include:

validity has been given to the PSHEprogramme (previously not accredited)

GCSE teaching is reinforced by theGNVQ work

because the GNVQ is vocational it isseen as relevant by pupils

pupils see the greater practical content ofGNVQ as more appropriate to their needs

pupils enjoy the structured nature of thevocational programme

the cumulative nature of theperformance indicators helps tomotivate pupils and identifies the skillsthey are achieving

the assessment and accreditation of keyskills units is to be investigated as ameans of bench-marking. This wouldalso provide an introduction to GNVQwhich is not vocationally specific andallow schools to adopt a wholeinstitution approach

The drawbacks for schools so far identified are:

uncertainty of the standards expected

the paperwork involved (for bothteachers and pupils)

the time spent ensuring that pupils aredocumenting their activities, andkeeping up to date with their progress

the cost, particularly as a result ofhaving to bring in specialist staff

the costs of resourcing the course, forexample, some activities requireequipment and resources not normallyavailable in school

For the college, the main benefits have been, orare anticipated to be:

improved awareness of vocationalprogramme and qualifications bypupils, teachers and parents

students who are familiar with thelanguage, study and assessmentmethods of GNVQ

improved retention rates on itsGNVQ programmes

The drawbacks for the college are likely to be:

the organisational issues created by theneed to offer students moreindividualised programmes

the curriculum development timerequired to ensure flexible provision

adds complexity and recordingdifficulties to the programme planning

Case Study 2

This large tertiary college has a wide range ofpost-16 provision, and has expanded intohigher education during the past few years.Despite the increasingly competitive furthereducation environment, it also remains thenear-monopoly provider of post-16 education inits metropolitan borough.

In 1994-1995, the college had more than 30,000enrolments and more than 900,000 FurtherEducation Funding Council (FEFC) 'units ofactivity'. At that time it also had more than 1,500higher education students enrolled on a widerange of programmes.

Unemployment rates in the area aresignificantly higher than the national average.

The level of achievement in schools is reflectedin the borough's position towards the bottom ofthe Government GCSE school performance

FEWTTERS FEDA paper 21

tables. Participation rates in post-16 educationare also well below the national average.

The college is committed to improvingparticipation rates and to playing a significantrole in the economic and social regeneration ofthe area.

Background information

School A

School A is an 11-16 mixed comprehensive withapproximately 600 pupils. At KS4 it is currentlyoffering three units from GNVQ programmes(mandatory and optional). Pupils at the end ofYear 9 were offered GNVQ units as an option toa second humanity GCSE or GCSE Technology.

The current take-up is as follows:

Course title Number of students

Year io Year n

Leisure and Tourism 13 11(Foundation)

Leisure and Tourism 20 20(Intermediate)

Health and Social 11 14Care (Foundation)

Health and Social 6 5Care (Intermediate)

The pupils were essentially self-selected. Year 11covers a wide ability range but in Year 10 themore capable pupils were given advice whichencouraged them to opt for a second humanitiesGCSE course rather then GNVQ units.

There are statemented pupils on the courses.There are slightly more boys than girls on theLeisure and Tourism courses. On the Healthand Social Care courses the girls outnumberthe boys.

School B

School B is the only Roman Catholic secondaryschool in the borough. An 11-16 mixedcomprehensive, it is located on the outskirts of


the town but draws its 630 pupils from a widerarea than most schools in the borough becauseof its denominational character. At KS4 it isoffering two to three GNVQ units in Art andDesign at Intermediate level, integrated intoGCSE Art and Design. The current take-up is:


Year io Year n

Art and Design

(Intermediate)5 8

The students were self-selected and highlymotivated as they are required to carry out theextra work in their own time, during the lunch-break and after normal school hours. The Year11 students have special needs. In the Year 10group of four boys and one girl, the students areof higher ability and include one who isexpected to obtain grade A at GCSE.

School C

School C is an 11-16 mixed comprehensive,primarily serving a mixed catchment area ofsuburbs and a village. It has 550 pupils.

At KS4 it has offered three units of GNVQ Artand Design at Intermediate level, integratedinto the delivery of GCSE Art and Design.

The current take-up is:

I


Year io Year n

Art and Design

(Intermediate)

see below 21

In Year 11 there are two groups of GCSEstudents of different ability ranges. Students inboth groups were allowed to opt to do theGNVQ units in addition to their GCSE.

The same principle is being applied to the Year10 students who are currently being asked todecide whether they wish to do the units.

21

School D

School D is an 11-16 mixed comprehensivelocated close to the town centre. It primarilyserves its immediate locality and has 950 pupils.It is currently developing Level 1 NVQ units inConstruction Crafts. Seven carefully-chosenmiddle ability range pupils attend the collegeon one morning per week to take advantage ofits facilities and to be taught by its staff. Theyalso have related work experience which mayenable some of them to obtain full certificationand move on to Level 2 units. The school isconsidering offering GNVQ Part 1 in BusinessStudies from 1997 and the college has providedsome staff development in this area for a few ofthe school staff.

School E

School E is an 11-16 mixed comprehensivewhich has 700 pupils on its roll. About 70 pupilscome from the edge of the town and most of theremainder are from a suburban housing estateand a nearby village. The school currently sendsa group of low ability pupils with motivationproblems to the college to follow a programmeleading to NVQ Level 1 in Construction Crafts.

Nature of links with partner schoolsAs the main further education provider in itsmetropolitan borough, the college hasdeveloped considerable link programmes withpartner schools. The longest standing is theLink Tutor System co-ordinated by the college'sSchool Links Manager. Each partner school isallocated a member of the college staff as itsLink Tutor who organises talks and visits to thecollege and co-ordinates in school theadmissions procedure for students wishing tomove on to the college.

More recent developments have included aproject for disaffected pupils in school whichinvolves these students taking part in variouscollege activities and spending several dayswith the Army. Year 9 pupils in schools areinvolved in a Taster Programme which allowsthem to come into college and take part in anactivity delivered by the programme area oftheir choice.

The college has just begun to pilot its Year 10Link Programmes with some of the partnerschools involved in this project. Schools cannegotiate when a pupil comes into the college,at what time of the day and for how long.Daytime, twilight, evening and Saturdaymorning sessions will all be made available in avariety of vocational programme areas.

Potential students are invited into the collegeeach June/July, once they have completed theirGCSE examinations, to take part in anExploration Week across all areas of college lifewhere they can sample both A level andvocational programmes.

A college project group, chaired by the SchoolLinks Manager, is looking at ways to developthese programmes programmes further and toidentify other measures for improving links.

GNVQ in schools

During 1993, a number of GNVQ awarenessraising and staff development sessions wereprovided by the college's CurriculumDevelopment and Support Unit for all partnerschools, with the approval of the LEA'sadvisory service.

As a result of this initiative three schoolsdecided to offer units of GNVQ starting in 1994.Since then, the GNVQ delivery teams in schoolshave met with the college's CurriculumDevelopment and Support Team on a regularbasis to receive support and guidance. Thecollege also provided, at a cost to the schools, atrainer to enable school staff to achieve TDLBunits D32 and D33.

Pupils on these original GNVQ unitprogrammes completed them in July 1996almost all completed one or two units at eitherFoundation or Intermediate level.

In September 1996, a new partner school usedfunding from the College Trust to begin a fullGNVQ in Hospitality and Catering atFoundation level. This was to be deliveredpartly in school and partly at the college, usingstaff from both institutions.

2?E MATTERS FEDA paper

Progression routes at 16The normal formal progression requirements ofthe college for GNVQ programmes are:

Advanced

Intermediate

Foundation

4 GCSEs at grades A-C

2 GCSEs at grades C/D

GCSEs at grades E,F,G

For NVQ-based programmes the normalrequirements are similar but more flexible.

Courses are also offered as required where thestudents study an individually-negotiatedprogramme focusing largely on basic skills.

Effects on college structures

For progression purposes for students arrivingat the college from September 1996 with pre-16vocational experience, the college decided thatthree units of GNVQ Intermediate would countas two GCSE grade Cs and that three units atFoundation would be regarded as two GCSEs atgrade D.

The college has compact arrangements with anumber of the local schools. It requests evidenceof successful completion of compactrequirements both on its admission forms andat interview.

A survey carried out by the School LinksManager has identified that most of thepotential students currently involved in GNVQin Year 11 in partner schools are intending tofollow GNVQ programmes in college, and atthis stage were interested in the area in whichthey are currently involved.

Most, however, also expressed interest in otherprogramme areas and intend to use their GNVQunits as GCSE equivalents to determine thelevel at which they will be admitted.

Individual programme areas will be faced withstudents who have partially completed aGNVQ. These programme areas are makingplans to accommodate students arriving with aGNVQ to complete.


The Health and Social Care team is planning tooffer a flexible programme of GNVQ unitdelivery during the first term for Foundationand Intermediate level to allow students tocomplete the units which they still require. Keyskills support will be available during this timeand extra support offered in the Basic Skills,Mathematics, Communications and ITworkshops which students will be able to accessin the first term instead of work placement.

During the second and third terms studentsshould then progress to the next level of GNVQ.To help them to complete the missed units theywill be offered support from the college'sLearning Centre. Alternatively, they can extendtheir programme into the next year. Very lowability students may be accommodated partlyin GNVQ lessons and partly in IndividualNeeds sessions where they can receivespecialised help with their literacy andnumeracy skills.

The Leisure and Tourism (Sport) area proposesa similar scheme. In addition, studentscompleting missing units for a Foundationaward are offered the opportunity to takecoaching awards, units of NVQ Level 1, a FirstAid course and swimming certificates at thetime when units they have already achieved arebeing delivered. More able students admitted tothe Advanced programme will haveopportunities to complete missing Intermediateunits involving, in part, the use of flexiblelearning materials in the Learning Centres.

The Art and Design area proposes to fast-trackstudents on to higher level GNVQs or allowthem to complete outstanding units and thentransfer them to a higher level programme assoon as they have achieved the full award at thelower level.

The School Links Manager is highlightingadmissions forms from students applying to thecollege who have already achieved GNVQunits. These students will then be monitoredclosely to ensure they are offered the mostsuitable route for progression.

23

Evaluation

Schools

The main problems for the schools have been:

very few staff have become involved;others may not want to becomeinvolved, but this would be required inorder to deliver the key skills of theGNVQ Part 1

no extra time has been provided fordelivery, assessment, internal verif-ication, staff development

there is little, if any, integration of thekey skills

the initiative is costly, if deliveredalongside GCSEs (because of the dualentry and registration this involves)

units are not yet shown in schoolperformance tables

TDLB accreditation is time-consumingand costly

it is difficult to overcome the perceptionof staff, parents and pupils that GNVQsare for the less able only

The main benefits identified so far include:

the gradual introduction of a vocationalelement on a pilot basis

FE support

a lead-in to GNVQ Part 1

students appear to enjoy the GNVQapproach which may improvemotivation, increase achievement wherethey would not do so in GCSE, andhence improve progression

The main issues identified are:

the need to address negative parentalperceptions of colleges

overcoming resistance from staff in otherareas of the school

the need to integrate key skills intoGNVQ Part 1

managing the implications fortimetabling the various options

securing commitment from seniormanagement, in order to be effective

For the college the main problems are:

the awarding body may not be the sameone as they use

'three units equal two GCSEs' leaves thequestion, What do two or one units equal?

accommodating recruits with partialawards into the programmes

dealing with gaps in key skills

funding issues, since programmes incollege for pre-16s are costly and there isno FEFC funding

difficult pupils may be put on toNVQ programmes

The benefits so far are:

registration fees may have been pre-paidby the school

the potential for improved recruitment,progression and motivation

students come to post-16 education withprior experience of a GNVQ approachto learning

closer links with partner schools

possible increased recruitment

The main issues for the college are:

the need to treat all partners equallyconflicts with giving commitment toschools which show particular interestand enthusiasm

the flexibility required in treatment ofstudents' APL

how to accommodate the few studentswho arrive with different units


Key messages for progression

For schools

Vocational qualifications at KS4 are likely toprove a popular option with pupils.

From the planning stage, it is worthwhile tomake links with local colleges alreadyproviding GNVQ and to plan implementationjointly. Collaboration with FE institutions isessential if achievement is to be built upon butrequires time and other resources, before andduring implementation.

Schools can benefit from the experience ofexpert staff within the vocational area. It isbeneficial to work with them to ensure that theirprogramme takes students to acceptablestandards which will allow continuity ofexperience when they move on to post-16education. They also need to know whatprogression routes are available.

To help schools to embark on this route, thereneeds to be increased awareness of theimportance of vocational education amongeducators, parents, pupils and employers, toovercome the labelling that it is for the less ableonly. Achieving an established 'currency' valuefor a GNVQ unit will help as will the possibilityof National Certificate at Advanced level.

For colleges

KS4 vocational qualifications will present a bigchallenge to the further education sector toprovide programmes which are tailor-made tostudents' needs. A sudden expansion ofvocational qualifications at KS4 could leavecolleges unprepared and risk alienating anddemotivating students who were successful atKS4 but find themselves repeating work theyhave already successfully achieved.

FE colleges will have to develop informalprogression arrangements with partner schoolswho decide to only offer units rather than aGNVQ Part 1 (when this becomes an availableoption to all schools from 1998). They will needto make use of flexible learning delivery stylesto enable students with partially completedawards to 'top up' their qualification.


Collaboration between colleges, schools andcareers services to continue to provide adviceon future progression opportunities available isbeneficial to all.

In summary, the crucial elements are:

to establish the credit rating of units at anational level

within each vocational area, to map thecontents of units of each level with thelevel above to identify how each levelsupports and underpins the next stage

to have SCAA and NCVQ, at a nationallevel, continuing to work collaborativelyto identify and clarify relationshipsbetween standards

once the above have been achieved, toarrange for seminars and conferencesand published materials to illustratehow standards link

25

5. Impact of partnershipactivities on collegesBenefits to colleges of partnership activitieswith schools include:

a higher profile for vocational courses

better information about students whoprogress from school to college

improved recruitment, progression andmotivation of students

improved retention rates

the development of a relationship of trustbetween a college and its partner schools

The colleges involved in this project alsoidentified a number of practical issues. Thesefall under three headings: those for seniormanagers; those for programme managers, andthose for programme teams.

Senior management issues

Resources

Involvement in partnership activities isexpensive, drawing on financial, human andphysical resources that could otherwise be usedpurely for the benefit of a college's own staffand students.

Some college staff expressed concern thatschools seemed to be receiving 'free' resourcesat a time when college budgets are stretched.There is also the issue of the additionalworkload created: much of the extra workgenerated has to be carried out in the staff'sown time.

Senior managers need to look at re-organisingstaffing arrangements to allow time forpartnership activities. They also need to beaware of the complexity involved in modifyingcurriculum structures to accommodatepartnership activities and students enrollingwith partial vocational qualifications.

26

Management structuresPartnership activities are most effective whenthe roles and responsibilities of those involved,including senior managers, are clearly definedand included in college management structures.Where this does not happen, problems occur. Insome colleges, managers have created adedicated school links team to co-ordinatevocational partnership activities. These seem tobe most successful when they involverepresentatives from all the programme teamslikely to participate in vocational partnershipactivities or to receive students who have beenengaged in such activities.

Issues for programme managers

Planning partnership activitiesProgramme managers need to become familiarwith the culture, organisation and managementpractices of schools in order to plan effectivepartnership activities. Schools' staff handbooksand prospectuses are often a good source of suchinformation. To have meaningful discussionsabout curriculum links and continuity and theaccreditation of prior learning, they need toacquire a detailed knowledge of KS4.

At a practical level, under the terms of theChildren's Act staff require police clearancebefore they can work with pupils at KS4.

The professional development needs of schoolstaff, and those of colleagues, should not beunderestimated. Many college staff involved inthis project expressed surprise that generalawareness raising sessions were as valued byparticipants as, for example, assignment writingand TDLB sessions.

Different timetabling mechanisms used pre-and post-16 may result in a need to negotiateuse of time outside of the normal school day,including half-term holidays.

In many cases, college staff will have to combatthe view held in many schools that vocationalqualifications are only for less able anddisaffected pupils. They may also have to


persuade their own colleagues that pre-16vocational attainments have the same currencyas those achieved post-16.

Providing for these students post-16Providing suitable programmes whichaccommodate students arriving with priorvocational experience was highlighted by allwho contributed to this project as a major andextremely complex issue facing colleges. How,for example, should elements and single unitsor a pass in a GNVQ Part 1 be recognised in thecollege's course entry requirements? How muchcurriculum flexibility can be offered by meansof additional studies and enrichment activities?

As pupils' curriculum experience at 14-16expands, so does the range of options open tothem post-16. This in turn means that it is moredifficult to identify the most appropriateprogression routes for some individuals.

Issues for programme teams

Organising activities

Making contact with school staff can be a moreprotracted experience than college staff expect,because of differing organisational and workingpractices. Any meetings or events that have tobe cancelled can take a long time to rearrange.As a result, it often takes longer to implementpartnership activities than is anticipated. Onecollege staff member summarised the problem:

"The September learly October period isessentially dead time when both schools andcolleges are settling in new intakes and areoverwhelmed by attendant administration,while the post-Christmas period (especiallyFebruary/March) leading to the end of thefinancial year is, in the current climate,causing (schools especially) major headaches onbudget (and accompanying redundancies)which overshadow development work. Tastersessions, for example, can only be arranged tofunction in any significant way at points in theyear when there is a lull in business. The end ofJune, as school-college years are structured atthe moment, is about the only suitable time."


Colleges found it useful to be involved in theschool's decisions concerning:

the choice of qualifications

the choice of awarding body

the curriculum content of vocationalprovision

assessment and verification procedures

recruitment to vocational courses at KS4

advice and guidance on progressionroutes available

Teaching methods and materials

Developing teaching materials, includingassignments, that can be used in more than onecontext has proved difficult for many collegeand school staff. Materials have toaccommodate significant variations in thelength of lessons and the teaching methodsused. It is sometimes difficult to avoid relianceon worksheets and to maintain a degree of'active' learning. Because of their unfamiliaritywith GNVQs and NVQs, most school staffwelcome help with developing teachingmaterials and are happy to explore differentteaching methods.

Characteristics of KS4 pupils

College staff found that pupils at KS4 requiremore support and closer monitoring than post-16 students, particularly at the beginning oftheir vocational studies. For this reason, manyactivities include 'induction' exercises that focuson independent learning skills. In some cases,experience of working with KS4 pupils hasprompted college staff to review inductionprogrammes for post-16 students.

Vocational courses are used to motivate lowattaining and/or disaffected pupils. This maybe hard to achieve if vocational provisionignores pupils' needs and interests. Severalcollege staff noted problems with discipline andmotivation in circumstances where pupils wereunable to take programmes in the vocationalareas they had requested.

27

Planning for expansionAs the use of GNVQ and NVQ at KS4 expandsmore college staff from different programmeareas will need to become involved inpartnership activities. This may lead tounnecessary duplication of effort, inefficient useof resources and conflicting messages beingreceived by schools regarding college policyand practice. Consequently, it is important toensure that links with schools are effectivelyco-ordinated. This could be achieved via theappointment of a school links co-ordinator;alternatively, the roles and responsibilities of thepersonnel involved could be included in collegemanagement structures.

APL

College staff are beginning to develop morespecific assessment packages for GNVQ andNVQ programmes to allow for the potentialcontribution of the KS4 curriculum andstudents' wider experiences to be taken intoaccount for APL purposes. Some of thesepackages are also being used at KS4. Theavailability of more specific assessmentpackages also benefits other areas. They:

help to clarify the quality of thestudents' vocational attainments,especially in terms of the level oftheir understanding

make it easier to match students toappropriate courses

make it easier to diagnose the nature andextent of learning support required by aparticular student

AMATTERS FEDA paper 29

6. ConclusionsStaff in schools and colleges are keen to securesmooth progression for students and it is clearthat vocational partnership activities have animportant role in helping them to achieve this.However, there are various practical issues thatneed to be considered further by colleges, theirpartners and by national bodies for partnershipactivities to fulfil this role.

Issues for colleges and schools

Accommodating students with pre-16vocational attainmentsMany vocational partnership activities givepupils the opportunity to work towards unitsfrom GNVQs and NVQs, either as a taster orenrichment experience or to provide a platformfor progression to post-16 programmes inrelated areas. Where work is formallyaccredited, students are likely to arrive atcollege having already achieved between oneand three units.

Unless students arrive with a GNVQ Part 1 it islikely that units covered by students fromdifferent schools will vary considerably, evenwithin a single subject area.

It is not yet clear how possession of partialqualifications will support individualprogression post-16. What is clear is thatstudents will expect their achievements to betaken into account by a college, particularlywhere that college has helped them to achievethe qualification.

Colleges will have to decide how to treat theachievement of one, two or three units for APLpurposes when setting entry requirements forcourses and devising learning programmes.

Evidence suggests that this issue is easier todeal with when decisions about what units tooffer at KS4 are the result of joint planningbetween a school and a college. Colleges areadvised to consider this aspect of progressionwhen they embark on vocational partnershipactivities with schools.

A common sentiment expressed during theproject was that:

"Progression is a minefield that this college hasyet to address."

There is no doubt that college staff need help toassess the implications of the increased use ofGNVQs and NVQs at KS4. Progression issuesneed to be included in both forward planningand staff development.

Co-ordinating partnership activitiesContributing to partnership activities ties upscarce resources for all involved which makes itimperative that partnership activities havedefined objectives or outcomes and areco-ordinated. There were cases among theproject participants where staff in one part of acollege were unaware that colleagues in anotherprogramme area were also involved inpartnership activities.

Careful planning is essential to ensure thatthese activities:

meet an identified need

have a clear purpose

have defined objectives

are clearly structured

are costed

are co-ordinated

Lack of familiarity with each other's workcreated a barrier to effective partnershipactivities between schools and colleges,although in general this did not become aproblem until partners moved from planning toimplementation stage. Both schools andcolleges may wish to consider using some oftheir staff development time to fill thisknowledge gap.

Many college staff seemed unaware of the useof GNVQs and NVQs at KS4 and few seemed toappreciate the progression and curriculumdesign implications of the introduction of theGNVQ Part 1 into schools. Although still in the

;StMATTERS FEDA paper 31

pilot phase the Government has agreed toinclude Part 1 in school performance tablesfrom September 1997. This is likely to increaseits take up when it is ready for national deliveryfrom September 1998.

Issues for national bodies

This project has proved the value of vocationalpartnership activities to all involved. It has alsohighlighted that most partnerships dependupon goodwill and subsidies from hard-pressedschool and college budgets in order to survive.Enlightened self-interest means that schoolsand colleges are trying to remain involved inpartnerships for as long as possible but asresources are finite it is difficult to plan morethan 12 months ahead.

This has raised the urgent need for thedevelopment of a coherent resourcing strategyfor vocational partnership activities. Mostcolleges involved in the project argued that thisshould be developed by the Governmentand/or the FEFC. It could include:

a school funding system based on theFEFC model

extension of the FEFC funding system topre-16 vocational programmes

promotion of franchise arrangementsbetween schools and colleges supportedby appropriate financial incentive

College staff noted that each of the aboveapproaches had the advantage of in-builtmonitoring and quality assurance supported bynational inspection. They also argued that suchapproaches may encourage schools to invest inhigh-cost GNVQs such as Manufacturing ratherthan, as is now the case, a concentration on thelow-cost areas such as Business, and Health andSocial Care.

There is little sharing of information andexperience between different partnerships. Thisis regrettable and means that availableresources are not being used to best effect. Anumber of college vocational areas havediscovered, for example, that in some aspects of


provision it is helpful to use the same approachwith all partner institutions. These include workplacements, quality assurance, marketingGNVQs, paperwork and computer systems,and a progression framework for low-entryGNVQs. Where different partnerships areworking in isolation from each other, each willbe investing unnecessary resources indiscovering this fact.

FEDA has already made available examples ofgood practice as part of its GNVQ supportprogramme which gives practitioners promptsfor action to be used at different stages ofpartnership activities. Opportunities to shareinformation and experience will be built intoregional and other network meetings organisedby FEDA and SCAA.

Clarifying the currency of pre-16GNVQs and NVQs

All colleges enrolling, or expecting to enrolstudents with partial GNVQs/NVQs areexperiencing difficulty in allocating a value tothese achievements for entry level purposes andfor negotiating progression routes. They aretherefore keen to receive advice from nationalbodies on how one, two and three units shouldbe treated for these purposes.

Where students progress to courses in the samevocational area, negotiation of progressionroutes can take account of prior vocationalattainment. However, in cases where students donot intend to take a course in the same vocationalarea as they experienced at KS4, having a clearview of the currency of units becomesparticularly important.

Some colleges were using equivalence withGCSEs to define 'progression values' forGNVQs whereby three units of an Intermediatelevel qualification were equated to two GCSEsat grade C.

However, the Government circular of August1996 stated that a GNVQ Part 1 at Intermediatelevel had the equivalence to two GCSEs atgrade C and is dependent upon theachievement of three vocational units and thethree key skills units.

30

The GNVQ Part 1 is a coherent qualification (seepage 10 for an outline of what it involves) andshould ease progression to post-16 institutionsfor those students who have achieved it.

The project colleges which were working withschools piloting GNVQ Part 1 generallyinterpreted the guidelines to mean that studentswith a merit or distinction should progress tothe next level of the qualification, but wereuncertain as to how they should treat studentsgaining a pass or unit certification. However,given that a pass at Intermediate level isequivalent to two GCSEs at grade C (as stated inthe above-mentioned August 1996 Governmentcircular), progression for individual studentswould depend on their entire portfolio ofqualifications at 16. This also applies to studentstaking the qualification at Foundation level.Some colleges raised the question of the value ofGNVQ Part 1 in comparison with a programmeof units selected from a school /collegepartnership. A programme agreed with apartner college can form the basis of a clearprogression route and can be structured tosupport curriculum continuity and local labourmarket needs.

Another issue which needs to be addressed isthat of the student who has compiled theevidence for a unit but hasn't receivedaccreditation. Systems need to be developed toAPL the evidence and fast-track the studentthrough that vocational programme.

Some colleges are using key skills attainmentas a bench-mark for progression, which meansthat vocational units become a secondaryconsideration for their programme teams.

Colleges taking part in the project argued thecase for developing a points or credit profilesystem for GNVQs and NVQs similar to thatbeing developed for higher education. Theyalso highlighted the need for published adviceon how to respond to students arriving withpartial qualifications.

A partnership approach to careers educationand guidance between schools, colleges andcareers services is being promoted throughgovernment policy, national publications,

Codes of Practice (at both local and national)and local quality standards for careers work.This action is vital in order to ensure that lack ofclarity about progression routes and the'progression value' of pre-16 vocationalattainments does not undermine further thestatus of vocational qualifications.

Securing curriculum continuityA commonly-held view by those engaged inpartnership activities is that a curriculum mapidentifying links between the KS4 curriculum(including GCSEs), GNVQs and NVQs is aprerequisite for curriculum continuity.Consequently, school and college staff haveinvested considerable time and effort inproducing such maps.

This project has demonstrated that maps can beuseful at KS4 when incorporating a GNVQ orNVQ unit into an existing course. Similarly,curriculum maps have helped college staff totake account of KS4 experiences when devisingnew assessment and recording packages.However, the contribution of such maps tocurriculum continuity in vocational studies wasless clear. This is largely because mapping takesplace at element level while curriculumplanning takes place at unit level. In practice,the key factor in achieving curriculumcontinuity appears to be that schools liaise withlocal colleges to ensure that they select GNVQand NVQ units relevant to courses offered bylocal FE institutions.

If curriculum maps are a prerequisite forcurriculum continuity then the national bodiesSCAA and NCVQ should ensure that all GCSEsyllabuses and GNVQ/NVQ specifications setout in detail how they contribute to otherqualifications. The GNVQ Part 1 specificationscould provide a model for this. It would also benecessary to produce a summary of how theKS4 curriculum is likely to contribute toGNVQs and NVQs post-16.

This is a complex problem to which there is nosimple answer. Some clarity may be added as aresult of the continuing development of theGNVQ Part 1 and action being taken in


response to the recommendations made inresponse to the following reports: The NationalCurriculum and its assessment and Review ofqualifications for 16-19 year olds both by Sir RonDearing; GNVQ assessment review: final report ofthe review group by John Capey (SCAA), andReview of 100 NVQs and SVQs: a report submittedto the Department for Education and Employmentby Gordon Beaumont (Evaluation Advisory Group).

Further research

FEDA is currently undertaking the followingresearch into curriculum developments for 14 to19 provision, which may answer some of theissues raised by this project:

vocational education at KS4

progression from KS4

provision of the disaffected schedule

The results of these research projects will bepublished throughout 1997 and a range ofseminars and training events on these andrelated topics will be available.


ReferencesGordon Beaumont (1995) Review of 100 NVQsand SVQs: a report submitted to theDepartment for Education and EmploymentEvaluation Advisory Group

John Capey (1995) GNVQ assessment review:final report of the review group NCVQ

Sir Ron Dearing (1994) The NationalCurriculum and its assessment SCAA

Sir Ron Dearing (1996) Review ofqualifications for 16-19 year olds SCAA

Department for Education and Employment(1996) The Parents Charter: Publication ofInformation about Secondary SchoolPerformance in 1996 DFEE circular 8/96, DFEE

BibliographyKathryn Ecclestone (1996) How to assess thevocational curriculum Kogan Page

Further Education Funding Council (1994)General National Vocational Qualifications inthe further education sector in England FEFC

Further Education Unit (1994) IntroducingGNVQs: planning, co-ordinating andmanaging the GNVQ curriculum FEU

HMSO (1996) Part 1 General NationalVocational Qualifications Pilot: Interim report95/96 HMSO

P Kypri (1994) 'GNVQ assessment: implicationsfor colleges', National Association for StaffDevelopment 30 (22-25)

SCAA (1996) General and vocational education14-19 SCAA conference report, 9-10November 1995 SCAA

Staff College and Learning Partners (1995)Managing GNVQ development Staff Collegeand Learning Partners

33


F

FIE A paperr

FIS

Price: £6.50

oaaa gi3g

34BEST COPY AVAILABLE

(9/92)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI)

Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)

NOTICE

REPRODUCTION BASIS

O

IC

This document is covered by a signed "Reproduction Release(Blanket)" form (on file within the ERIC system), encompassing allor classes of documents from its source organization and, therefore,does not require a "Specific Document" Release form.

This document is Federally-funded, or carries its own permission toreproduce, or is otherwise in the public domain and, therefore, maybe reproduced by ERIC without a signed Reproduction Releaseform (either "Specific Document" or "Blanket").

Documents

CE 073 662 AUTHOR Donoghue, Janet TITLE INSTITUTION … · 2014. 5. 14. · ED 405 469. AUTHOR TITLE. INSTITUTION. REPORT NO PUB DATE NOTE AVAILABLE FROM. PUB TYPE JOURNAL CIT. EDRS