Memorandum submitted by Association of
Colleges
INTRODUCTION
1. AoC (the Association of Colleges) is
the representative body for colleges of further education, including
general FE colleges, sixth form colleges and specialist colleges
in England, Wales (through our association with fforum) and Northern
Ireland (through our association with ANIC). AoC was established
in 1996 by the colleges themselves to provide a voice for further
education at national and regional levels. Some 98% of the 415-plus
general FE colleges, sixth-form colleges and specialist colleges
in the three countries are in membership. These colleges are the
largest providers of post-16 general and vocational education
and training in the UK. They serve over four million of the six
million learners participating in post-statutory education and
training, offering lifelong learning opportunities for school
leavers and adults over a vast range of academic and vocational
qualifications. Levels of study range from the basic skills needed
to remedy disadvantage, through to professional qualifications
and higher education degrees.
2. The key role played by the sector and
its 250,000 staff in raising the level of skills and competitiveness
of the nation's workforce make colleges central to the Government's
national and regional agenda for economic prosperity and social
inclusion. AoC works in close partnership with the government
and all other key national and regional agencies to assist policy
development, continuously to improve quality and to secure the
best possible provision for post-16 education and training.
CITIZENSHIP
3. AoC welcomes this opportunity to provide
a view on citizenship education for the post-16 sector. In its
response to the section in Youth Matters, Young People as Citizens:
Making a contribution, AoC noted that as this section of Youth
Matters responded to the recommendations of the Russell Commission
for a national framework for youth action and engagement, the
focus was on volunteering rather than citizenship. The broader
aspects of citizenship such as young people being able and equipped
to have an influence in public life and being engaged with political,
social and moral issues in the world around them were not addressed.
4. AoC believes it imperative that young
people are equipped through their educational experiences to become
informed, responsible and active citizens and recognises the anomaly
that mainstream post-16 curricula do not build on the National
Curriculum requirement for studying citizenship. We also recognise
the relevance of citizenship to Foster's[15]
recommendation that the voice of learners should be strengthened
throughout the system to make their experience rewarding and successful.
5. The LSDA post-16 Citizenship Development
Programme is trialling ways of providing citizenship learning
post-16 in response to the second Crick report[16]
recommendation that citizenship should be an entitlement for all
young people aged 16-19. The findings of an independent NFER evaluation
concluded[17]
that necessary for success were "dedicated and enthusiastic
staff with sufficient resources and development opportunities.
Senior management support and a supportive cultural ethos within
the institution are also important."
6. AoC therefore believes that for citizenship
post-16 to be effective it must be mainstreamed rather than an
optional add-on dependent upon the commitment of senior management.
Citizenship must be embedded within the curriculum offer and appropriately
resourced and funded.
7. This will require:
(a) Embedding citizenship within the
design and assessment of the 14-19 Specialised Diploma and the
proposed project for A level students.
(b) Further development of representative
structures in colleges such as student forums.
(c) A means of formally recognising related
skills and experience young people acquire through part-time work,
volunteering, political and campaigning activity etc.
(d) Addressing delivery of citizenship
in post-16 initial teacher training and professional development.
(e) Disseminating good practice developed
on the post-16 Citizenship Development programme.
(f) Development of resources and events
to support delivery of citizenship.
8. AoC has a model in place that enables
young people to take advantage of involvement in representative
structures to build skills and have them formally recognised.
AoC has liaised with NUS and CEL to provide a tailor-made training
package which provides young people with the opportunity to network
with other student governors. The training package also includes
access to a dedicated student governor's mailbase, to NUS national
briefing documents and to a newly-launched Student Governors'
Toolkit. This Toolkit comprises a series of guides and practical
exercises to steer students through their role as a student governor.
As an incentive to students the training programme is officially
accredited through the Open College Network. Students will therefore
gain valuable certification alongside recognition for work as
a student governor.
March 2006
15 A review of the future role of further education
colleges: Realising the potential (2005) DfES. Back
16
Citizenship for 16-19-year-olds in education and training (2000)
DfES. Back
17
Taking post-16 citizenship forward, learning from the post-16
citizenship development projects. Rachel Craig, David Kerr, Pauline
Wade and Graham Taylor (2005) DfES. Back
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