Over the last three years local authorities in England have been implementing the latest UK government policy on education and training provision for 14-19 year-olds and Kent County Council is no exception. Sue Dunn, KCC’s Head of Vocational Education, now feels it is time to evaluate the programme’s progress and Pascal has been awarded the 15 month contract (beginning September 2007) to carry out the work. The UK Department for Education and Skills (DfES), with the aim of encouraging young people to stay in education until at least the age of 18, in 2003 embarked on a programme to offer further education college-based education and training to secondary school pupils from age 14. Objectives of the policy include ‘the provision of better vocational routes to equip young people with the knowledge and skills they need for further learning and employment’ and ‘to re-engage the disaffected’.
With a population of around 1,500,000 KCC has over 80,000 14-19 year olds, KCC authority is particularly concerned to develop more coherent strategic inter-agency planning, provision that is tailored to the needs of different areas of Kent and its distinct communities, local economies and local employers and provision that is tailored to the needs of learners. Meeting learners’ needs requires, inter alia, the provision of comprehensive and impartial information advice, guidance and support on options for young people and their parents, to maximise personal development as well as appropriate and sufficient professional development for teachers, managers, guidance and advice workers.
Although essentially a local evaluation, KCC values Pascal’s easy access to international perspectives in, for example, Australia, Canada and extensively throughout Europe. Another of Pascal’s many connections is with the Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of Stirling and it is the expertise and experience available from this Centre which has lead to the confidence in awarding the 14-19 Evaluation contract to Pascal. Crucially, KCC are not looking for a criticism-free report. Sue Dunn has emphasised that her requirement is for an honest appraisal of the programme ‘warts and all’ because she says: ‘We have to know that we are doing the best we possibly can for the young people in Kent to ensure they get the widest range of opportunities and easy and clear access to them’. The Pascal Research Fellow, Dr. Lesley Doyle will be leading the project and will be focussing on three of the different models of provision which KCC has in operation. With the programme still in its early stages, KCC is keen to find out the answers to a range of questions including:
- What are the key influences on learners’ choices at 14+ & 16+?
- What are the progression routes vocational learners access?
- What impact does the vocational education and training programme have on
Attendance, exclusions, those not in employment, education or training (NEET), opportunities including levels of qualifications and learner outcomes, other available subjects and courses?
- What are employers’ perceptions of the vocational programme
- What is the overall value for money of the vocational programme?
KCC are also hoping that further funding can be made available later to evaluate and strengthen the collaborative arrangements currently in existence between schools, further education colleges, employers and other relevant agencies, and in particular the involvement of both young people and their parents in the programme.
References:
Department for Education and Skills (2005) 14-19 Education and Skills Summary
White Paper Nottingham: DfES
Kent County Council, Kent & Medway Learning and Skills Council & Connexions – Kent and Medway (2004) 14-19 Learner Strategy
