| The skills agenda
|
| Skills and productivity |
| | |
| 1. | There was a broad consensus amongst our witnesses that improving the skills of those in the labour market would assist in improving the productivity of businesses, but only if the other factors identified as important were also addressed. A more highly skilled workforce is therefore seen as necessary, although it is not by itself a sufficient condition for increased productivity. (Paragraph 21)
|
| | |
| Skills training or general education
|
| | |
| 2. | If the Government is serious about addressing the needs of business, it is vital for it to be aware of what businesses want from young people when they emerge from the education system into the labour market. The education system aims to assist individuals to achieve the highest level of attainment possible in their chosen field. An employer is looking for someone who can make a significant contribution to the business rather than someone necessarily with particular qualifications. These two approaches are not inherently incompatible, but currently educators and employers do not work together effectively enough. (Paragraph 29)
|
| | |
| 3. | Our judgement is that what employers want most of all is young people who are literate, numerate and work-prepared (that is accepting responsibility, open to learning and able to work with others) when leaving the education system, rather than people who have had training in specific skills. The means by which this is achieved, however, may well be education based on real life tasks. (Paragraph 30)
|
| | |
| Working across Government |
| | |
| 4. | The DfES has a tricky balancing act to perform. It is the lead department for education and training, but it must always guard against seeing things solely from the provider's point of view. It would not be the best use of the substantial resources being committed to this sector if policies on skills, and the education and training arising from them, become dominated by supply side education and training, rather than being integrated with policy on the other productivity drivers by engaging with the decision makers on boards and in senior management. in employing organisations. (Paragraph 33)
|
| | |
| 14-19: a separate phase? |
| | |
| 5. | It is vital that, in putting forward initiatives to address problems in 14-19 education, the links backwards into Key Stages 3, 2 and 1, and the links forwards into Further and Higher Education, are not overlooked. (Paragraph 38)
|
| | |
| Educational maintenance allowances
|
| | |
| 6. | If the national implementation of EMAs is as effective as it has been in the pilot areas, it will significantly improve staying on rates. We therefore welcome the decision to implement EMAs nationally. We also welcome the way in which the initiative was piloted and assessed before that national roll-out. This is the approach to policy development and implementation that we would like the DfES to employ as a matter of course. (Paragraph 44)
|
| | |
| 7. | It is unacceptable that young people can leave school at sixteen and go into employment without any guarantee that they will receive education or training in the period up until they are eighteen. We believe that one of the main tests of whether the Government's plans are successful will be whether the amount of training for young people in employment increases substantially. (Paragraph 45)
|
| | |
| 14-19 Pathfinders |
| | |
| 8. | We welcome the establishment of the 14-19 Pathfinders and the programme of independent evaluation that has been put in place. Given the Government's commitment to a greater provision of education and training collaboratively between institutions in an area, we recommend that guidance based on what has been learned from the 14-19 Pathfinders is issued so that those in charge of making such collaborative arrangements are advised on what works well, and what issues are likely to cause problems. (Paragraph 48)
|
| | |
| 14-19 Reform |
| | |
| Current curriculum and qualifications
|
| | |
| 9. | One of the main problems with the current situation is that for those pupils who find study for GCSEs and A levels uninteresting or unmanageable there is no obvious main alternative (Paragraph 50)
|
| | |
| 10. | In common with the qualification system as a whole, but perhaps more significantly, given that it is a work-based programme, there is no credit system for Apprenticeships, so anyone who does not complete an apprenticeship would have to start from the beginning if they wished to resume their training. (Paragraph 53)
|
| | |
| Government proposals |
| | |
| 11. | The Government had asked the Working Group to look at ways of establishing a unified framework of qualifications, and Charles Clarke's response when asked about how its proposals met his five tests was positive. The reaction to the Government's change of heart is unsurprising, given that for two years the impression had been that Ministers were in favour of more radical change. (Paragraph 73)
|
| | |
| 12. | Ultimately the Government decided that it was not worth the risk to change from known and understood qualifications and move to a system which, while it mirrored practice in much of Europe, was unfamiliar in England. (Paragraph 75)
|
| | |
| 13. | The ten year implementation was clearly also problematic. The need to sustain political consensus for change across two or three Parliaments on matters as politically contentious as educational standards and outcomes was always fraught with difficulties. To have set out to bring in the unified diploma but to have failed could have seriously damaged confidence in the education system. Nevertheless, we urge that the matter of integration of GCSEs, A levels and vocational qualifications within a unified diploma be kept under review (Paragraph 76)
|
| | |
| The new diplomas |
| | |
| 14. | It is imperative that as large a cross section of employers as possible is drawn into the development process for the new diplomas. The Sector Skills Councils and employer organisations must do their utmost to reach small and medium-sized enterprises and seek their views, as well as the views of the large corporations. Employers must seize this opportunity to influence what is taught as preparation for work in their sectors. If they do not, they will not be able to blame others if entrants to the labour market do not possess the skills they are seeking. (Paragraph 81)
|
| | |
| 15. | The weakness and fragmentation of the vocational education that is currently on offer is a serious problem, and if the new awards succeed in attracting students and are valued by employers that will signal a substantial achievement. (Paragraph 82)
|
| | |
| 16. | We also welcome the fact that Apprenticeships will be brought within the diploma framework. This was part of the Working Group's proposals, and addresses the concern that there is no specific qualification relating to apprenticeships. Apprenticeship will now be a qualification, rather than just a programme of study. (Paragraph 83)
|
| | |
| 17. | For those who consider that the quest for a unified qualifications framework should not be abandoned, the review of methods of providing challenge and breadth in A levels promised for 2008, which coincides with the introduction of the first four diploma lines, might provide some hope. Once one sort of diploma is in place, it might make the unified diploma seem more achievable. (Paragraph 84)
|
| | |
| A credit system |
| | |
| 18. | The Government mentions very briefly a plan for a credit system for diplomas which would allow young people to complete qualifications as adults, with the provision of links across to adult qualifications. A system of credits would act as a real incentive for some young people to continue in education and training and we strongly support the Government's proposals. (Paragraph 85)
|
| | |
| The burden of assessment |
| | |
| 19. | In bringing forward its detailed plans on assessment, the Government should clarify whether it considers the burden of assessment across Years 11, 12 and 13 is appropriate. (Paragraph 86)
|
| | |
| Emphasising English and Maths
|
| | |
| 20. | The changes being proposed to re-emphasise the functional elements of English and Maths in GCSE, and to recognise the achievement of those who achieve the functional element only, are welcome. (Paragraph 88)
|
| | |
| Implementation |
| | |
| 21. | We hope that the changes in the qualifications and curriculum being brought forward will lead to an increase in attainment and in staying-on rates. The proposals on vocational education are serious and build on much of what the Working Group had proposed, and the changes to GCSE and A level, though relatively modest, should make real differences to students. The next stage is crucial: the design of the curriculum and qualifications, and the development of the ways in which they are to be delivered will determine the success or otherwise of the Government's plans. (Paragraph 91)
|
| | |
| Infrastructure and delivery
|
| | |
| Structure, funding and organisation
|
| | |
| 22. | If the Government wants collaboration between various local providers it is going to have to move more quickly on the issue of differential funding. It is clear that there is very little scope in the funding allocations made up to 2007-08 for colleges to find money from within their own budgets for collaborative work. Extra money, either grants for collaborative work, or a significant increase in money available to colleges more generally, is going to be required. The logic of establishing a unified 14-19 curriculum is that it should be supported by a unified 14-19 funding methodology (Paragraph 94)
|
| | |
| 23. | Increased and improved vocational education will require more staff who are suitably qualified in their subject areas and who are well-trained. Most of this vocational education is likely to take place within or via further education colleges, as they are more likely to have the existing provision. It will be difficult to attract these staff if they are rewarded less well than their counterparts in schools, and less well than if they were employed in industry or commerce. (Paragraph 95)
|
| | |
| 24. | It is to be hoped that the conclusions of the Strategic Area Reviews undertaken across the country will be used as a starting point for discussions on 14-19 provision under these proposals so that there is no duplication of effort. (Paragraph 97)
|
| | |
| 25. | We welcome the proposed expansion of collaborative working between schools, colleges and other institutions and organisations. However, there must be proper co-ordination in every area in order to make sure that collaborative provision works effectively and that institutions do not put their own desires for expanded sixth form provision above the general needs of provision in any given locality. (Paragraph 98)
|
| | |
| 26. | More generally, there is a tension between the pressure for increased collective working between institutions and greater independence for schools, including the ability to become foundation schools. With LEAs being asked to perform a more strategic role but with few levers to encourage recalcitrant schools to do things they would prefer not to do, Government policy seems to be working in two incompatible directions. (Paragraph 99)
|
| | |
| Information, advice and guidance
|
| | |
| 27. | Pupils are entitled to receive the most objective advice possible on their future education and career options, and careers guidance staff in schools must be fully aware of the different options available in order to allow pupils to make the most appropriate choices. (Paragraph 101)
|
| | |
| 28. | If Connexions becomes more focused on issues arising from Every Child Matters, and continues to concentrate on matters relating to those not in education or employment and training, it will emphasise the problem that, though it is designed to provide a universal service, a targeted service for those in most need will always be the priority at the expense of young people in general. (Paragraph 103)
|
| | |
| 29. | Connexions is a young organisation and if it is to be changed the reasons need to be sound. The service providing information, advice and guidance to young people needs stability and high quality provision. Constant reconfiguring of the service will cause confusion, and confusion about the provision of advice could have knock-on effects for the rest of the Government's plans. (Paragraph 104)
|
