1. Vocational Education Dave Walton Assistant Principal KS4 Manager

2. Vocational?

3. Questions? Who for? When? Why?

4. Academic v Vocational Nothing New! 1940s-1970s - Tripartite System: Grammar schools were intended to teach a highly academic curriculum, teaching students to deal with abstract concepts. There was a strong focus on intellectual subjects, such as literature, classics and complex mathematics. Grammar schools Secondary technical schools were designed to train children adept in mechanical and scientific subjects. The focus of the schools was on providing scientists, engineers and technicians. Secondary technical schools Secondary modern schools would train pupils in practical skills, aimed at equipping them for less skilled jobs and home management. Secondary modern schools

5. Growth of Vocational Courses 2004–2010: the number of vocational qualifications taken up to age 16 rose from about 15,000 to 575,000: an increase of 3,800 per cent. Number of entries by KS4 pupils for VRQs, NVQs and BTEC vocational qualifications for the period 2004–2010 Whilst….The proportion of young people studying a modern language at GCSE has fallen from 79 per cent in 2000 to just 44 per cent in 2008 and 2009

6. Vocational Qualifications Entry level Level 1: (GCSE D-G grade ‘equivalent’) Level 2: (GCSE A*- C grade ‘equivalent’) Level 3: (GCE A level equivalent) Award Certificate Diploma ‘Depth’ ‘Breadth’

7. Vocational Courses at Claverham BTEC First Diploma (level 2) courses in: ICT, Sport, Business Studies ( Equivalent to 4 x A*-C GCSE passes) BTEC First Certificate (level 2) course in: Children’s Care, Learning + Development ( Equivalent to 2 x A*-C GCSE passes) No examination – all coursework Occupies 2 ‘option’ slots. ‘New’ Higher Diploma (level 2) course in: Environmental and Land Based Studies (Equivalent to 7 x A*-C GCSE passes). Need to pass Functional Skills English, Maths and ICT + individual project. Occupies 2 ‘option’ slots. BTEC Foundation Learning (level 1) course in: Vocational Studies Equivalent to 4 x E-F GCSE passes. Occupies 2 ‘option’ slots.

8. Vocational Courses at Claverham KS4 ‘Pathways’ offered to year 9 pupils.... 10 – Level 1 vocational course 45 – Level 2 vocational course 200 – solely GCSE courses

9. White Paper: Dec 2010 ….And at the same time as these qualifications have grown in popularity, there are worrying signs of a decline in the study of academic subjects. In some schools, the number of pupils studying languages or stretching qualifications in science and humanities has declined alarmingly….

10. White Paper: Dec 2010 “More young people are achieving qualifications, but it is no coincidence that many of the qualifications which have grown in popularity recently are not those best recognised by employers and universities, but those which carry the highest value in school performance tables. Schools have become skilled at meeting government targets but too often have had their ability to do what they think is right for their pupils constrained by government directives or improvement initiatives. “

11. White Paper: Dec 2010 We will.. “Encourage schools to offer a broad set of academic subjects to age 16, by introducing the English Baccalaureate.” “…GCSEs, the benchmark examination which most state secondary school pupils sit and which provides the principal accountability mechanism for those schools.”

12. White Paper: Dec 2010 Notes that ….In most European countries school students are expected to pursue a broad and rounded range of academic subjects until the age of 16. Introduces a new award – the English Baccalaureate – for any student who secures good GCSE or iGCSE passes in English, mathematics, the sciences, a modern or ancient foreign language and a humanity such as history or geography. This combination of GCSEs at grades A*-C will entitle the student to a certificate recording their achievement. Nationally only around 15 per cent of students secure this basic suite of academic qualifications and fewer than four per cent of students eligible for free school meals do so. So to encourage the take-up of this combination of subjects we will give special recognition in performance tables to those schools which are helping their pupils to attain this breadth of study.

13. Wolf Report on Vocational Education – March 2011 Critical of some vocational qualifications (over specialised, lacking in clear routes for progression) and the motivation for their provision. Questions value of work experience before age 16. Recommends 80% academic curriculum for all up to 16. Schools should be able to employ FE lecturers. English/Maths the two most vocational subjects.

14. The Future?? All post 16 students have to follow GCSE English/Maths courses in addition to their main course of study if not already achieved. BTEC courses in schools to include 20% external assessment from Sept 2012. Participation age raised to 17 by 2013 and then 18 by 2015 (the age to which all young people will be expected to participate in education or training)