Science and TechnologyWritten evidence submitted by the Association of Colleges

Executive Summary

1. 2010–11 data shows that Colleges deliver qualifications in Engineering and Manufacturing to 177,000 individuals each year, equipping them with the engineering skills to help them progress to university or into work.1 These College programmes are at all levels, from Entry Level to Degree.

2. A recent survey of Colleges by AoC showed that 74% of Colleges expect the number of 16–18 year old students taking engineering courses to increase in the next two years2 and 48% of Colleges expect the numbers for those aged 19+ to increase.

3. We believe that the Government should look again at the range of subjects accredited in the E-baccalaureate and in particular should consider adding art and design & technology through which students can develop their creative and innovative skills.

4. It is not feasible for the Government to open University Technical Colleges in every area of the country however all 14 year olds, regardless of where they live, should have an opportunity to take vocational qualifications alongside the core of maths and English.

5. The Education Secretary recently changed the equivalences given to some vocational qualifications in the performance tables and we understand the rationale for that decision. We think, however, that vocational qualifications should be given some accreditation in the school performance tables.

Introduction

6. The Association of Colleges (AoC) represents and promotes the interests of Colleges and their students. Colleges provide a rich mix of academic and vocational education from basic skills to higher education degrees. AoC represents 345 Colleges in England incorporated under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, including 94 Sixth Form Colleges and 251 Further Education Colleges.

7. Colleges play an important role in diversifying the education system, in providing a breadth of high-quality choices for young people and in preparing them for higher education and adult life. Colleges educate 853,000 young people aged 16 to 18 almost twice as many as schools.3 This includes 185,000 young people taking A-levels.4 Colleges also train approximately one quarter of the total 457,000 apprentices.5

8. In addition, they have a role in the education of those of compulsory school age, including 55,000 14 to 15 year olds taking part-time courses and 3,000 studying full-time.6 33 Colleges are now involved in sponsoring Academies of which 20 are the main and sole sponsor.7 Colleges account for 33% of entrants to higher education.8

9. This submission focuses on the potential impact on engineering of the three key developments in education for those aged 14–19, namely:

The introduction of the English Baccalaureate as a performance measure.

The introduction of University Technical Colleges.

The impact of changes to KS4 performance tables.

We will also examine the workforce issues.

Colleges and Engineering

10. We welcome the opportunity to contribute to the Science and Technology Select Committee’s Inquiry into Engineering Skills. Colleges have a significant role in this area:

2010–11 data shows that Colleges deliver qualifications in Engineering and Manufacturing to 177,000 individuals each year, equipping them with the engineering skills to help them progress to university or into work. These College programmes are at all levels, from Entry Level to Degree.

Engineering staff in Colleges work very closely with employers to assess, train and teach students using up to date skills and knowledge. The links that some Colleges have with employers have developed over decades. Colleges that have developed specialisms in this area continue to work with employers to develop and strengthen their relationships.

Colleges have a strong social mission. Many play a leading role in helping women to develop careers in engineering and in encouraging a more diverse recruitment base for the industry.

Colleges employ professional engineers as lecturers and managers.

11. Data from the Individualised Learner Record shows that in 2010–11 Colleges delivered 223,000 qualifications in the Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies subject areas. Of these 3% were A levels (mainly in Electronics, Design and Technology and Engineering) and 84% were vocational qualifications which include qualifications in performing engineering operations, motor vehicle and plumbing. There were 49,000 new apprenticeships in engineering and manufacturing technology in 2010–11.9

12. 22% of these qualifications were at Level 1 or below, 30% at Level 2, 30% at Level 3, 4% at Level 4 and above and 14% at other levels.10 These qualifications were delivered to 177,000 students, of which:

7,000 to students under age 16.

74,000 to students 16–18.

96,000 to students age 19+.

13. In addition to Engineering qualifications, Colleges delivered 335,000 qualifications in science and mathematics, and 247,000 qualifications in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which can also provide progression into further study or employment in engineering and manufacturing.

14. Colleges have taken action to improve their quality and performance. Further Education Success rates in engineering have risen from around 75% in 2005–06 to 78.5% in 2010–11.11

15. However, College engineering departments need sufficient scale in terms of activity. It is sometimes possible for big companies to take over training themselves but there is a risk that this will make it uneconomic for their local College to sustain engineering courses for smaller businesses elsewhere in the supply chain.

16–18 Year Old Students

16. The number of 16–18 year old students has risen and there has been a rise in the numbers taking STEM subjects (ie 54,000 young people now doing A level mathematics in Colleges12) but many of these choose to progress to other university courses.

17. The current Department for Education formula used to fund the education of 16–19 year olds has a cost-weighting factor for vocational provision which has higher costs and is “resource intensive” for example in engineering. It is important that funding reflects the real cost of delivering high-quality vocational education, which is higher than for academic subjects and needs to take into account the practical nature of delivery, the cost of providing industry standard facilities, meeting health and safety standards and of attracting and keeping staff with industry experience. Government is currently reviewing this formula and we hope that high-cost provision is not disadvantaged.

Students Aged 19 and Over

18. The number of adult students in Colleges has fallen significantly since 2005. This has affected all subjects including engineering.13

19. In 2013, the Government will introduce a system of loans for students aged 24 and over who wish to take a qualification at Level 3 and above.14 This is a significant change and a collective effort will be needed to sustain student demand and the necessary supply of skills.

The impact of Recent Developments in Education Policy

20. A recent AoC survey of its members showed that 74% of Colleges expect their 16–18 student numbers for engineering courses to increase in the next two years15 and 48% of Colleges expect the numbers for those aged 19+ to increase.

21. The survey asked about the impact at Level 3 and above of recent developments in education policy, and responses showed that:

67% of Colleges think that the Wolf Report will have a positive impact on STEM provision.

53% thought that the reduction in vocational qualifications in schools would lead to an increase in take-up of STEM subjects in Colleges.

39% thought that changes to responsibilities in relation to careers guidance would lead to a decrease in STEM in Colleges.16

The English Baccalaureate (E-Bacc)

22. In addition to English, Maths and Science, the only subjects to be accredited in the E-bacc are history or geography and languages. There is no technical or vocational equivalent nor are there any current proposals to accredit other subjects.

23. While we support opportunities for more young people to study languages, history and geography through to age 16, we also know that for many students their chance of accessing further education or apprenticeships is more likely to be enhanced with a different mix of subjects. We believe there should be rigorous vocational qualifications that have a strong practical element and cater for those who prefer an applied learning style.

24. Many of the 58,000 14–15 year-olds studying full or part-time at College do so because of the opportunity it offers them to access vocational courses with practical hands-on facilities. Colleges help them to gain vocational qualifications that enable them either to go into further education or to gain apprenticeships and work-based training. This can lead directly to employment. This provision has been praised by Ofsted.17

25. Requiring all students to take GCSE courses in humanities and languages will not allow sufficient time to teach practical and technical courses and could increase student disaffection with mainstream education. It could also add to the growing number of young people not in education, employment or training.

26. We believe that the Government should look again at the range of subjects accredited in the E-bacc and in particular should consider adding art and design & technology through which students can develop their creative and innovative skills.

27. The E-bacc is narrowing the curriculum options for 14–16 year olds. While it is right that young people wishing to study an academic higher education course are encouraged to do the right GCSE and A-level subjects it should be remembered that the majority of young people do not go to university, sometimes because they don’t wish to. By reducing vocational options, schools could see a significant group of young people disengaging from education and potentially dropping out where they don’t see the relevance of the curriculum to their future work plans. This will be particularly important when the education participation age increases to age 18 from 2015.

28. While employers may welcome a broad indicator of academic achievement, there are concerns that the E-bacc does not accredit the sort of personal and employability skills, such as teamwork, project work, communication and time management, that employers say are essential in the modern workplace.18 Equally, those that offer opportunities to young people often want practical skills and experience in addition to good English and maths. This is not accredited by the E-bacc either.

The Impact of the Introduction of University Technical Colleges (UTCs):

29. We welcome the advent of University Technical Colleges and Further Education Colleges are involved in the majority of the UTCs that are either open, opening this year, or in development. Some are specialising in engineering provision. For example, the Bristol and South Gloucestershire UTC (led by City of Bristol College, University of the West of England and major employers such as Airbus and Rolls Royce) will specialise in engineering and environmental technology and will open in September 2013.

30. However, it is not feasible for the Government to open University Technical Colleges in every area of the country and we feel all 14 year olds, regardless of where they live should have an opportunity to take vocational qualifications alongside the core of maths and English. This should be, in part, to address the problem of a large number of young people beginning to disengage from the school system early on in their secondary education.

31. Young people have to make choices about their future GCSE programme in Year 9 and we believe that College should be an option open to them at this stage. Alison Wolf supported this in her review of vocational education and recommended direct recruitment at age 14 to Colleges. This was accepted by Ministers, and AoC and a group of College principals are now working with the Department for Education to make this a reality by 2013.

Impact of Changes to School Performance Tables

32. Evidence suggests that schools respond to signals given by Ministers through performance tables. In some cases, this can be argued to be beneficial. From the 2006 performance tables, the main measure of GCSE achievement included English and maths, leading schools to place more emphasis on attainment in those subjects. However, an earlier decision in 1997 to give some vocational qualifications the equivalent of four GCSE grades led some schools to focus on these subjects at the expense of other subjects.

33. The Education Secretary recently changed the equivalences given to some vocational qualifications in the performance tables and we understand the rationale for that decision. We think, however, that vocational qualifications should be given some accreditation in the school performance tables.

34. The decision to reform equivalences has led to the downgrading of the Diploma which was the curriculum of choice in the first UTCs. The Engineering Diploma in particular is highly regarded by employers and Colleges.

Careers Advice

35. To enable young people to make an informed choice about which subjects to study and which route to take, we strongly believe in independent objective advice related to future educational and employment interests. We have very significant concerns that the recent changes to careers advice and guidance, placing a new duty on schools to secure independent and impartial advice but with no funding to support this are neither manageable for schools nor enforceable, and risks leaving many young people with poor or limited careers advice at age 14.

36. A recent AoC survey found that half of schools which have their own sixth forms are providing GCSE pupils with “poor, limited or no access” to information about courses available in their local Further Education or Sixth Form College. We fear that the new rules will not improve this situation.19

Workforce

37. Feedback from Colleges is that Engineering lecturers are drawn from industry, often come into FE Colleges from careers later in their working life and qualify as teachers through an in service route. Younger engineers may teach part time whilst working in the industry.

June 2012