Suffolk 14-19 Strategy Conference 17June 2008 Learning and the 14-19 Agenda Sandra Stalker -

Suffolk 14-19 Strategy Conference

17June 2008

Learning and the 14-19 Agenda

Sandra Stalker

-

“ In our 2005 White Paper 14 – 19 Education and Skills, we set out our plans to reform education and training for teenagers. Our ambition was then, and remains now, to create a system in which every young person can prepare themselves through education and training to make a success of their life”.

Promoting achievement, valuing success: a strategy for 14 – 19 qualifications.

• New secondary curriculum

• A 14 – 19 qualifications strategy

• Diplomas

• Functional Skills

• GCSEs and A-levels

• Project/Extended Project

• Foundation learning tier

• Qualifications and credit framework

Strands of reform

Four key pathways

Functional Skills

Foundation Learning Tier

Progression Pathways

GCSEs,

A Levels

The Diploma Apprenticeships

• Investment to ensure that qualifications continue to be high – quality and relevant.

• In English, maths and ICT, young people in England will need to achieve functional skills at level 2 before they can be awarded an A*-C grade at GCSE.

• At A level ensuring that assessment places more emphasis on learning and the ability to make connections across a subject.

• Reducing the burden of assessment: 6 units to 4 in most subjects.

• Introducing the Extended Project from September 2008.

• To ensure that the qualification offer is simple and deliverable.

GCSEs and A levels

• Developing and delivering the Diploma programme is central to the qualification offer.

• Offers a once in a generation opportunity to tackle the historic divide between academic and vocational learning.

• A flexible structure which allows space for young people to choose options.

• Expansion of the Diploma programme in order to develop 3 new diplomas in Science, Humanities and Languages in 2011.

• Introduction of an entitlement to all 17 Diplomas for 16 – 18 year – old learners from 2013.

Diplomas

• A key priority is securing more Apprenticeships places for young people to ensure that more 16 – 19 year – olds are participating in post – 16 education or training.

• Learning achieved through an Apprenticeship is to count towards a Diploma (and vice versa).

• Commitment to ensuring that all Apprenticeships offer appropriate progression routes, including Higher Education.

Apprenticeships

Functional Skills - The pilots

• Functional skills in English/ Maths/ ICT.

• The pilot began on 3rd September 2007.

• Being piloted as separate qualification.

• There are 12 awarding bodies engaged in piloting activity across all types of centre including schools, general FE colleges, training provision, in the work place and in offender institutions.

• Piloting began in c.1200 centres, including Diploma Gateway Consortia plus centres outside the Gateway.

• 1000 more centres to pilot for September 2008.

• Key skills and basic skills qualifications available at least until the functional skills qualifications are fully available.

• Continued support for the wider key skills.

• Will provide for the first time clear routes (Progression Pathways) for young people working below level 2 to achieve combinations of qualifications at Entry level 1.

• The FLT began piloting in September 2007.

• The Foundation Learning Tier for 14-16 year olds will be piloted from September 2008.

• Consultation on whether young people learning at Entry level 1 should have access to an appropriate Progression Pathway within the FLT.

The Foundation Learning Tier (FLT)

The Foundation Learning Tier reforms cover all qualifications below level 2 for learners over the age of 14:

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Entry 1

Entry 2

Entry 3

Level 1

Foundation Learning Tier

Developing an offer that:

• can meet the needs of young people, employers, universities and wider society which cannot be met within the national suites.

• ensures effectiveness of the qualifications within the national suites in meeting these needs has been demonstrated in practice in a wide range of circumstances.

• ensures the qualifications within the national suites are nationally available.

In order to do this the strategy proposes the creation of the Joint Advisory Committee for Qualifications Approval” (JACQA).

A comprehensive and coherent qualification offer

Section 96 approval process

Section 96 Approval

Secretary of State

Joint Advisory Committee for Qualifications Approval

Independent Regulator

GCSEs / A Levels Apprenticeships Diplomas

Foundation Learning Tier Progression

Pathways

Stand – alone qualifications

To support and inform its individual decisions, the Committee will make assessments of the overall 14 – 19 qualification offer. The first assessment will take place in 2009 and will draw on the following evidence:

• the advice of the Qualification and Curriculum Development Agency, the Young People’s Learning Agency and Ofqual (on market impact)

• national and local information on participation and achievement

• assessments of the availability of and access to the new qualification offer

• the views of: awarding bodies, schools, colleges and other training providers, HE institutions, employers

• input from young people and parents

Joint Advisory Committee for Qualifications Approval

• Introduce a new extended Diploma across all 17 lines of learning at each level to recognise and reward larger programmes of learning.

• The Advanced Diploma will be equivalent in size to around four and a half A levels.

• At Key Stage 4 an extended Foundation and Higher Diploma will recognise achievement of more of the core curriculum.

• The Foundation Diploma would be equivalent in size to around 7 GCSEs at grades D to G .

• Across all levels the extended Diploma will include a strengthened core.

Extending the Diploma offer

The Advanced Diploma

Will be equivalent in size to around four and a half A

levels

The Higher Diploma

The Foundation Diploma

Equivalent to 9 GCSE’s at grade

A* to C

Equivalent in size to around 7 GCSE’s at

grades D to G

Across all levels the extended Diploma will include a strengthened core.

Extending the Diploma offer

Key stage 4 – An opportunity to align the statutory curriculum and Diploma

• Work is taking place with the DDPs and QCA, the HE sector and other key partners to identify clear pathways.

• The pathways will be used to help inform the development of appropriate information, advice and guidance material to help learners, providers and parents to understand which qualifications are best suited.

Diploma Progression

The purpose of Progression Frameworks

• A practical tool to map and document ASL and progression data.

• The frameworks will identify illustrative examples of:

- Broad progression routes into Higher Education, post-16 learning employment, and training per level and line of learning;

- Current qualification requirements for progression;

- ASL qualifications which will support progression;

- New ASL qualifications in or for development against the progression routes.

Progression frameworks

Progression frameworks

• The progression frameworks are illustrative examples and not exhaustive lists and will be subject to periodic review by the DDPs.

• Frameworks will evolve to include appropriate progression routes inside and outside of the sector.

• The Progression frameworks will not be published and are internal QCA working documents.

• They will be used to inform other separate activities such as population of the ASL catalogue and development of progression illustrations.

Qualification model: components

generic learning

functional skills:English, maths, ICT

personal, learning and thinking skills

work experience (min. 10 days)

project

additional and/or specialist learning

complementary learning, adding breadth or depth

progression pathways

choice

principal learning

sector-related

mandatory

newly-developed, unitised qualification

50% appliedGCSEs

A Levels

Apprenticeships

GCSEs

A Levels

Apprenticeships

Higher Diploma in society, health and development• 800 guided learning hours (GLH)

generic learning200 GLH

3 x functional skills qualifications at level 2 (80 GLH)

level 2 project qualification (60 GLH)

10 days work experience

personal, learning and thinking skills (60 GLH)

principal learning420 GLH

9 mandatory units• principles, values and personal development• working together and communicating• safeguarding and protecting individuals• growth, development and healthy living• needs and preferences• antisocial and offending behaviour• supporting children and young people• patient centred health• the social model of disability


180 GLH

BTEC First in Public Services• public service skills• citizenship, the individual and society• community and cultural awareness

(example)


Advanced Diploma in creative and media• 1080 guided learning hours (GLH)


functional skills at level 2 x 3 (prerequisite)

extended project qualification (120 GLH)

10 days work experience



6 mandatory units• using creative and media skills in the context of a global community• digital technology in the commercial world• analysing the influence of genre• issues – a personal response• self-promotion – selling your ideas• creativity in business enterprise


360 GLH

GCE A-level in Applied Art and Design (additional)

Level 3 qualification in Media Techniques(specialist)

or

(examples)


Administration for complex qualifications

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Learner chooses Diploma offer based on qualifications on catalogues

Learner is registered for ULN

Achievement recorded on Diploma aggregation

service

Achieves project and functional skills qualifications

Achieves principal learning qualification

Achieves additional/specialist learning qualification(s)

Diploma award and transcript from Diploma

awarding body

Achieves all components necessary for Diploma

Calculates grade

Administration for complex qualifications

Grading

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principal learning

unit 1

unit 2

unit 3

unit 4

unit 5

unit 6

= contributes to overall Diploma grade

generic learning

functional skills: maths

personal, learningand thinking skills

work experience

functional skills: ICTfunctional skills: English

project


qualification

AA

BB

BB

CC

BB

BBBB

BB

etc.

Certification and the transcript

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Principal learning

certificate

BB

Project certificate

BB

ASL certificate

BB

Transcript

• overall Diploma grade• principal learning units and overall grade• description of personal, learning and thinking skills and record of their achievement• project grade and title• functional skills• additional and/or specialist learning grades• confirmation of completion of work experience

Diploma certificate

BBFunctional skills certificates

Certification and the transcript

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Progression Illustration: FeliciaHigher Diploma in Construction & the Built Environment


functional skills (80 GLH)

project (60 GLH)

minimum 10 days work experience



7 mandatory units• Design the Built Environment: The Design Process •Design the Built environment: Materials and Structures•Design the Built Environment: Applying Design Principles•Create the Built Environment: Structures •Create the Built Environment: Using Tools •Value and Use of the Built Environment: Communities•Value and Use of the Built Environment: FacilitiesManagement


180 GLH

BTEC First Certificate in Construction Design & Technology GCSE (Short course)

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Progression route:Felicia has chosen to progress to the Level 3 Diploma in CBE, and is taking GCE AS Business Studies and GCE AS Design

and Technology in year 12. She does not yet know if she wants to continue one or both of the GCE qualifications at A2, or

concentrate on a Young Enterprise project instead.

Work experience

Placement within a nationally recognised conservation group that campaigns for the conservation of older buildings. Whilst there she drafted publication materials to give advice on the practical conversion of disused mills, warehouses and other former industrial buildings.

AND... principal learning; functional

skills; personal, learning and thinking skills

Project

A design plan for the conversion of a Grade II listed “at-risk” barn into a 4-bedroom house. The plan included details of the materials and techniques used to convert the internal structure, and the outcomes of some preliminary structure tests.

English GCSEMaths GCSEScience GCSEAdditional Science GCSE

General KS4 courses

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Speculative case study: Adrienne

I really enjoy researching something, writing it up and then presenting my

work. I’d love to be a political correspondent for something like The Economist or one of the broadsheets…

maybe one day I’ll even set up my own magazine.

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Example progression route:BA in Sociology and Journalism

Work experience

three-week junior internship at a major newscaster, shadowing a political analyst and working as a researcher

AND... principal learning; functional skills; personal, learning and thinking skills

Extended Project

co-founding and acting as editor-in-chief of a monthly magazine featuring news, political analysis, reviews, cartoons, etc.

four full issues of the magazine, which won first prize in a national political youth journalism competition

Specialist learning

Level 3 qualification in Media Techniques(360 GLH)• 2 mandatory units• 4 units from a specific ‘pathway’ e.g. print journalism, broadcast journalism, video production

Qualifications And Credit Framework

Unit based qualifications and credit Framework for England, Wales and Northern Ireland based on a system of credit and

accumulation and transfer.

A visual representation

QCF for 14-19 Qualifications

“ We believe that moving to a single credit-based framework for 14 – 19 qualifications would have significant benefits. It would allow achievement in different qualifications suites to be transferred, supporting progression, particularly for young people who may want to change routes”.

“ It would also provide a means for achievement pre-19 to be carried forward into adult learning, supporting lifelong learning. A 14 - 19 credit framework would need to be able to accommodate tight rules of combination for qualifications for 14 – 19 year olds, in order to guarantee that they are following broad and coherent programmes”.

Promoting achievement, valuing success: a strategy for 14 – 19 qualifications.

• Need to ensure that young people are supported to make informed choices.

• High quality information, advice and guidance (IAG) is required.

• There is scope for improving the range of services currently available.

• Services will be co-ordinated by local authorities who will be responsible for commissioning and managing IAG services.

• The Connexions service can make improved links with other services for young people.

16 – 19 entitlement

“By 2015 every young person will be in some form of education or training until the age of 18. But let’s be absolutely clear, this is not about forcing young people who want to work while they train to stay at school. The Education and Skills Bill will galvanise the entire system, changing expectations so that young people stay on in learning beyond 16, not just because it is compulsory but because they can see the benefits”.

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families29 November 2007

Suffolk 14-19 Strategy Conference 17June 2008 Learning and the 14-19 Agenda Sandra Stalker -

Documents

young people

pilotsfunctional skills

wider key skills

vocational learning

combinations of qualifications

diploma programme

young person

apprenticeships places