Raising the Participation Age Staff Briefing

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Raising the Participation Age Staff Briefing

• From 2015, ALL 16-18 year olds must continue to
  participate in education or training by staying
  in full-time education, undertaking an
  Apprenticeship or taking a job but continuing to
  learn alongside the job.

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Why has this change been made?
The rationale

• Benefits to the young person, their family,
  employers, the UK economy and society as a whole
• The UK is below the OECD average on post-16
  participation
• Young people who gain 5 or more good GCSEs earn
  on average at least 25 more than those without
  qualifications and are less likely to have
  periods of unemployment
• They are also less likely to commit crimes,
  behave anti-socially, or to suffer ill-health

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The requirement

• New duty applies to anyone who is
• Under 18 and
• Resident in England and
• Without a level 3 qualification
• Duty is to participate in
• Full time education accredited or unaccredited
• Apprenticeship
• Part time accredited learning (at least 280
  guided learning hours per year around a day per
  week) if in employment or volunteering full time
  (at least 20 hours per week)
• Introduced in phases to 17 in 2013 18 in 2015

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So what will students be able to do during these
two extra years of compulsory education or
training in order to meet the requirements?

• General learning and/or
• Applied Learning and/or
• Vocational Learning

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What is General Learning?

• General learning is already familiar to you.
  Pupils undertake general learning throughout
  primary and secondary education and have the
  opportunity to study for general qualifications
  such as GCSEs, A/S and A levels.

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What is Applied Learning?
Applied learning involves an approach to learning
which focuses on motivating and challenging
students to connect what they learn with the
world they experience and with what interests
them. The basic premise is that if subject
content is made more relevant, participatory and
concrete then students learn better, retain more
and apply learning in their lives. Teaching in
this model uses hands-on innovative teaching
methods that will contextualise the learning for
students. Teachers help students understand the
reasons for studying their subject matter and
capitalize on students' natural learning
inclinations and problem-solving approaches that
they can use well beyond the classroom throughout
their lives.
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What is Vocational Learning?

• Vocational learning is concerned with learning
  the specific knowledge, understanding and skills
  associated with a particular type of occupation,
  craft or profession that will equip the learner
  to undertake employment associated with the field
  of study. In addition, courses in vocational
  learning will equip learners with generic skills
  that are necessary to complement the specific
  knowledge. Vocational learning approaches, under
  the guidance of qualified professionals in the
  vocational field, will include practical,
  hands-on learning as well as complementary,
  theoretical learning

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Applied Learning in Schools

• Applied Learning has become increasingly common
  in schools with the introduction of GCSEs in
  applied subjects and the focus on work-related
  learning and enterprise in KS4. The development
  of the Diplomas means that more students can
  access a wider range of applied learning courses
  and benefit from practically-based,
  contextualised learning approaches which will
  capitalise on their interests, aptitudes and
  abilities.

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Vocational Learning in Schools
While vocational qualifications have been
on offer in further education colleges for
many years they are now also a rapidly
growing feature of the school curriculum,
particularly among those students aged 14 16. A
more varied choice of qualifications will
allow young people to choose a pathway which
best suits their learning style, talents and
interests.
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Vocational Learning Post 16

• For the first time in 35 years the age beyond
  which young people must continue to participate
  in either education or training has been raised
  to 17 from 2013 and 18 from 2015. This means
  that all young people, on reaching the age of 18,
  will have the higher level qualifications that
  employers value so highly and seek to identify in
  their future workforce.
• Vocational learning, beyond the age of 16, can
  continue to take place in a school or college.
  It can also take place as recognised, accredited
  training alongside a job or volunteering role.
• The types of qualifications that young people in
  this phase of education or training can achieve
  will vary according to their place of education
  or training and will include
• Apprenticeship
• A-levels
• Diplomas
• Foundation Learning
• However, there are a wide range of learning
  opportunities that are relevant in different
  working environments that young people may
  access.

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Employability

• Learning, post-16, is important for reasons of
  employability. Research has shown that
• Due to the changes in the labour market the
  number of jobs available in semi-skilled or
  unskilled work is declining
• Employers are increasingly looking for people
  with higher level qualifications to fill more
  service based vacancies as manufacturing and
  agricultural industries decline
• 1960 33 of the labour market was unskilled
• 2006 12 of the labour market was unskilled
• 2010 2 of the labour market are predicted to be
  unskilled
• (STEM Choices ,2009, DCSF)
• Apprenticeship starts reached a record high
  225,000 in 2007/08 (up 22 per cent on the year
  before).
• Over 2 million Apprenticeship starts since
  1996/97.
• Completion rates reached an all time high in
  2007/08 of 64 per cent compared to 48 per cent in
  2005/06.
• Apprenticeships funding planned to increase to
  over 1 billion by 2009-10.
• 6.4 billion total Apprenticeships spend since
  2001/02.
• From 2013, entitlement to an Apprenticeship
  place for all suitably qualified young people to
  be introduced.
• By 2020, over 250,000 Apprenticeship starts and
  190,000 successful completion to deliver the
  Leitch ambition in England.

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Information, Advice and Guidance is crucial!
Research found that one in five young people
think they have been led down the wrong
educational path, with almost half of these being
misdirected by their own parents. Many parents
are influenced by ingrained prejudices against
vocational qualifications 35 believe that
vocational learning is just for people who dont
do well at school. (www.edge.co.uk/project/anothe
r-way-forward) School staff have an important
role to play in supporting student choice see
document Staff Role in Supporting Reforms
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What are the Benefits of Apprenticeships or
Applied Learning ?

• Linking understanding and learning activities to
  job roles
• The opportunity to meet and work with
  professionals
• Real life investigations and active enquiry
• Learning through doing
• Gaining confidence through experiencing earning
  different environments

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City Guilds Vocational Rich List 2008
For the past six years City Guilds has produced
the Vocational Rich List. The list charts the
wealth of the UKs top millionaires, who have all
made their money using their work-related
training as a springboard to greater success.

To be eligible for a place on the Vocational Rich
List, Each millionaire must have undertaken
an apprenticeship or obtained a City
Guilds qualification at some point in their
careers.  
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City Guilds Vocational Rich List 2008

• For example
• Name Wealth in Millions Background 
• John Frieda 190 Hairdressing
• Sir Jackie Stewart 41 Mechanic
• Deborah Meaden 40 Business studies
• (Dragons Den)
• Jamie Oliver 40 Catering

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Progression to Higher Education

• Vocational qualifications are increasingly being
  recognised as
• university entry qualifications
• Apprenticeships and Advanced Diplomas will offer
  learners the opportunity to progress into higher
  education and to choose to pursue academic or
  vocational qualifications
• Major companies have set up successful schemes
  that enable
• people to move into HE as part of a vocational
  routes. Eg
• BMW- apprenticeship leading to foundation degree
• The Eden Project sustainable tourist operations
  to NVQ 4

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Further Information

• www.edge.co.uk/success-stories
• Real life case studies indentified by the Edge
  Foundation showing how young people
• have forged successful careers after studying
  vocational courses.
• www.direct.gov.uk