Implementation of 1419 reforms

1
Implementation of 14-19 reforms

• An evaluation of the implementation of 14-19
• Reforms, including the introduction of Diplomas
• Tom Winskill HMI
• Ofsted National Adviser14-19

8 October 2009
2
Implementation of 14-19 reforms

• Setting the scene an Ofsted perspective
• Summary of Ofsteds evaluation of progress in the
  first year of the introduction of 14-19 Diplomas,
  2008/09 in the context of wider 14-19 reforms
• Brief overview of current Ofsted inspection
  surveys with a 14-19 focus
• Questions

3
Implementation of 14-19 reforms

• Setting the scene

4
Implementation of 14-19 reforms

• HMCIs Annual Report 2007-08 recognised that
  14-19 partnerships were making a difference in
  raising achievement and increasing participation
  but that impact varied across the country
• HMCIs report also set out the need to
• improve the coordination of 14-19 provision
• extend vocational options through local
  partnerships
• promote the 14-19 curriculum entitlement
  effectively
• bring clarity to progression routes at local
  level

5
Implementation of 14-19 reforms

• Summary of Ofsteds evaluation of progress in the
  first
• year of the introduction of 14-19 Diplomas,
  2008/09 in
• the context of wider 14-19 reforms

6
Implementation of 14-19 reforms

• Report on the findings of the second phase of
  inspection published in August 2009
• www.ofsted.gov.uk/Publicationsandresearch
• The report was generally positive. The headlines
  were
• in 20 of the 23 consortia visited, the
  effectiveness of implementation of the 14-19
  reforms in raising attainment and extending the
  range of provision was good or better
• many consortia visited had reduced the number of
  young people not in education, employment or
  training

7
Implementation of 14-19 reformsmain findings

• Strengths in addition to the headlines
• Flexible application of strategies was meeting
  the needs of potentially vulnerable young people
• The quality of advice and guidance was good in
  around two thirds of the consortia visited
• Progress in introducing the principal subject
  learning was good in over half the consortia
  visited subject teaching on Diploma courses was
  good overall
• Students were well motivated by applied learning
  and the opportunity to work in realistic
  vocational contexts the standard of work in the
  principal learning within Diplomas was at least
  satisfactory
• Involvement of employers was good in around two
  thirds of the consortia visited

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Implementation of 14-19 reformsmain findings

• Areas for development
• In over half the consortia, web based 14-19
  prospectuses were not used effectively progress
  in introducing National Standards for
  information, advice and guidance was slow
• Quality assurance was not sufficiently
  comprehensive in two thirds of the consortia
• Consortia were slow to start formal assessment
• Students lacked awareness of the links between
  the different elements of the Diploma
• Functional skills teaching was not well
  coordinated and was inconsistent
• Additional and specialist learning was
  underdeveloped
• Recruitment was low especially for Advanced and
  Foundation levels many students made traditional
  gender based choices

9
Implementation of 14-19 reformsthe
effectiveness of local strategies in raising
achievement, participation and retention

• Diplomas were only one strand in a range of
  provision, which at its best was imaginative,
  tailored to individual needs whilst encouraging
  participation and achievement at all levels
• Highly successful partnerships often involved
• a range of providers and agencies, including
  employers, community and voluntary organisations
• flexible application of a variety of strategies
• sustained emphasis on meeting the needs of all
  young people
• successful introduction of new vocational
  programmes
• Achievement in functional skills was weak

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Implementation of 14-19 reformsthe quality of
teaching and learning

• In the principal learning on Diploma courses,
  good teaching and learning were characterised by
  some or all of the following
• students from different institutions actively
  engaging in, and taking responsibility for, their
  learning and working well together
• a variety of enjoyable and challenging activities
  which promoted good behaviour and attendance
• activities linked to realistic contexts and
  linking of theoretical and practical aspects of
  learning
• employers involved in student assignments and
  course delivery
• collaborative planning preparation and assessment
  by subject specialists
• effective planning, based on prior assessment, to
  meet the needs of different groups, including
  those with learning difficulties and/or
  disabilities

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Implementation of 14-19 reformsthe quality of
teaching and learning

• Functional skills varied too much, both within
  and between consortia
• The best teaching of functional skills included
  well planned, pacy lessons with a range of
  activities which improved students functional
  skills and enabled them to apply functional
  skills in other elements of their courses
• More typically, the teaching of functional skills
  was too theoretical and students were not able to
  apply and practise the skills
• In contrast to the principal learning,
  opportunities for teachers to plan, develop and
  share ideas and approaches were limited
  functional skills were often taught in the home
  institution so pupils on the same Diploma course
  had widely different experiences of functional
  skills
• Sharing of assessment information between
  principal learning and functional skills was
  underdeveloped

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Implementation of 14-19 reformscurriculum
range, access and development

• The quality of the 14-19 curriculum was good or
  better in 20 of the consortia visited. Strengths
  in this provision included
• extended choice of A levels and GCSEs, including
  minority subjects, together with a growing range
  of vocational alternatives which met the needs of
  all young people
• a statement of entitlement properly understood by
  young people
• innovative and successful initiatives to
  re-engage disaffected young people
• well planned progression routes, understood by
  young people, for 14 -19 and beyond, supported by
  further education establishments
• high level of involvement of employers in a
  variety of ways
• well organised practical arrangements including
  timetabling and transport

13
Implementation of 14-19 reformscurriculum
range, access and development

• Weaknesses in some curriculum provision included
• the lack of effective arrangements for delivering
  functional skills
• underdeveloped provision for additional and
  specialised learning
• In a small minority of consortia, time was
  wasted in poorly thought out travel arrangements
  and students missed lessons as timetables between
  institutions were not coordinated

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Implementation of 14-19 reformsinformation,
advice, guidance and support

• The quality of information, advice and guidance
  was good in 16 of the 23 consortia, with none
  inadequate.
• Where National Standards for information, advice
  and guidance were applied, they contributed to
  improvements in the consistency, coherence and
  coordination of advice and guidance within
  consortia
• Although web-based 14-19 prospectuses were widely
  available they were not effectively used because
  
• they were not part of a coordinated approach to
  guidance
• students, particularly those with learning
  difficulties, found them difficult to use or were
  unaware of how to use them

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Implementation of 14-19 reformsinformation,
advice, guidance and support

• Consortia used a variety of effective strategies
  to inform students about Diplomas
• Quality of information varied between schools in
  some consortia
• A particular strength was that induction
  arrangements were well planned, comprehensive and
  effective as students settled to new courses
  quickly and developed good working relationships
  with students from other institutions
• Consortia generally used prior assessment
  information to place students on the right level
  for the Diploma

16
Implementation of 14-19 reformsthe
effectiveness of leaders and managers

• Further strengths included
• well prepared workforce through extensive
  professional development
• good use of specialist equipment, learning
  resources and accommodation
• A key weakness was in quality assurance because
• planned protocols had not been applied fully so
  that weaknesses were not always identified
• weaknesses in provision were identified too late
• In the eight consortia where quality assurance
  arrangements were good, they had brought about
  improvements in provision through
• external and internal scrutiny by partner
  institutions
• lesson observations
• collection of student views
• moderation of assessed work

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Implementation of 14-19 reformsthe
effectiveness of leaders and managers

• The effectiveness of strategic direction,
  leadership and management in taking forward the
  14-19 agenda was good or better in 19 areas, with
  none inadequate
• Strengths included
• a clear, effectively shared, vision for the
  development of 14-19 education and training
• a commitment to the direction and priorities
  agreed by partnerships
• a successful focus on raising aspirations and
  attainment
• effective operational structures with clear roles
  and responsibilities for staff and standardised
  operating protocols including monitoring and
  tracking performance, behaviour and attendance
• good use of schools specialist status and
  expertise in different institutions in the
  consortium

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Implementation of 14-19 reforms

• Brief overview of current Ofsted inspection
• surveys with a 14-19 focus

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Implementation of 14-19 reforms

• In the 2009-10 14-19 survey, inspections of over
  20 consortia are planned for completion in March
  2010. These inspections have an increased focus
  on Diplomas, looking at a selection from the ten
  Diploma lines available from September 2009.
• The following survey inspection programmes in
  2009-10 focus on different aspects of the 14-19
  reforms.
• The Integrated Youth Support Services survey
  involving nine LAs is due for completion in
  spring 2010.
• A survey on effective strategies to reduce the
  numbers of young people not in education,
  training or employment (NEET) due for completion
  in November 2009
• The survey on Apprenticeships will focus on good
  practice in sector subject areas where
  apprenticeship success rates remain low

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Implementation of 14-19 reforms

• Questions