The government published plans for further reform in secondary education (ages 14-19). Young people would be guaranteed a choice of 14 specialized diplomas, alongside the existing curriculum. By 2015, the target was that 9 out of 10 would choose to stay on in education or training at the age of 16.
Source: 14-19 Education and Skills: Implementation Plan, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Plan | DfES press release | NASUWT press release | SHA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Dec
A think-tank report said that a plethora of 'top-down' initiatives since the early 1990s had had almost no impact on increasing participation in post-16 education and training. A change of approach was required to tackle this problem.
Source: Simone Delorenzi and Peter Robinson, Choosing to Learn: Improving participation after compulsory education, Institute for Public Policy Research, available from Central Books (0845 458 9911)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Dec
An article examined the responses of higher education institutions to the reform of advanced level qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland ('Curriculum 2000'). Their relatively positive approach to the reform was not reproduced in terms of offer made to candidates.
Source: Ann Hodgson, Ken Spours and Martyn Waring, 'Higher education, Curriculum 2000 and the future reform of 14 19 qualifications in England': Subtitle, Oxford Review of Education, Volume 31 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Dec
The education inspectorate evaluated progress in developing a coherent phase of education and training for young people aged 14-19. It highlighted the need for more concerted action to ensure that there were clear progression routes for all young people, and better availability of impartial advice and guidance.
Source: Developing a Coherent 14-19 Phase of Education and Training, HMI 2442, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report | OFSTED press release
Date: 2005-Nov
A report said that the education system for children and young people aged 14-19 suffered from too many unco-ordinated policy initiatives, with insufficient attempt to see reforms in a holistic manner.
Source: Geoff Hayward et al., Nuffield Review of 14-19 Education and Training: Annual report 2004-05, Department of Educational Studies/University of Oxford (01865 274037)
Links: Report (link) | Summary | IOE press release
Date: 2005-Nov
A two-year strategy was published for the learning and skills sector, designed to enable more young people aged 14-19 to stay in education or training and improve their results. There would be an 11 per cent rise in funding for those aged 16-19, allowing 46,000 more young people to learn in further education colleges and schools by 2007-08. Another priority would be to invest in the training of adults who lacked basic skills qualifications.
Source: Priorities for Success: Funding for learning and skills 2006 2008, Learning and Skills Council (0870 900 6800)
Links: Strategy (pdf) | LSC press release
Date: 2005-Oct
The final report was published of the evaluation of the education maintenance allowance pilots, which followed two cohorts of young people who completed year 11 (at age 16 or 17) in the summers of 1999 and 2000. The allowance (a means-tested monetary allowance to young people from low-income families) was found to have increased participation in full-time education among eligible young people by 5.9 percentage points.
Source: Sue Middleton et al., Evaluation of Education Maintenance Allowance Pilots: Young people aged 16-19 years - Final report of the qualitative evaluation, Research Report 678, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Aug
A report provided an evaluation of the first cohort of participants in the 'Increased Flexibility for 14-16 year olds Programme' (introduced in 2002 to provide vocational learning opportunities at key stage 4 for those young people who would benefit most). The majority of young people who took new GCSEs and GNVQs attained their qualifications (91 per cent and 80 per cent respectively). (GCSE = General Certificate of Secondary Education; GNVQ = General National Vocational Qualification)
Source: Sarah Golden, Lisa O'Donnell, Tom Benton and Peter Rudd, Evaluation of Increased Flexibility for 14 to 16 Year Olds Programme: Outcomes for the first cohort, Research Report 668, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf) | NFER press release
Date: 2005-Aug
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the national skills strategy for young people aged 14-19.
Source: Government Response to the Committee's Second Report (Education Outside the Classroom), Sixth Report (National Skills Strategy: 14-19 Education) and Eighth Report (Teaching Children to Read) of Session 2004-05, First Special Report (Session 2005-06), HC 406, House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2005-Jul
The government published the results of a review of careers education and guidance for young people between 11 and 19, focusing on delivery by schools, colleges, work-based learning providers, and the Connexions Service. It concluded that Connexions had made good progress with targeted services for young people in the 'not employment, education or training' group, or at risk of becoming part of it.
Source: Report of the End to End Review of Careers Education and Guidance, Department for Education and Skills (web publication only)
Links: Report (Word file)
Date: 2005-Jul
An education inspectorate report said that only a very small minority of those schools visited were working towards, or had met, the criteria for providing for pupil?s emotional health and well-being.
Source: Healthy Minds: Promoting emotional health and well-being in schools, HMI 2457, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report (pdf) | OFSTED press release | Children Now report
Date: 2005-Jul
The proportion of young people aged 16-18 in education and training was 75.4 per cent at the end of 2004, compared to 75.0 per cent at the end of 2003. The proportion that was not in education, employment or training was 10 per cent at the end of 2004, an increase from 9 per cent at the end of 2003.
Source: Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16-18 Year Olds in England: 2003 and 2004, Statistical First Release 27/2005, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: SFR (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jun
Researchers investigated the extent to which 14-19 pathfinder projects were challenging inequalities and stereotypes affecting young people?s choices, and monitoring the outcomes for individuals or groups - with particular reference to gender, ethnicity, and disability. Most pathfinders seemed unaware that they were expected to track the impact of their activities on different groups of young people.
Source: Gill Haynes, Caroline Wragg and Keith Mason, Equality and Pathfinders, Working Paper 36, Equal Opportunities Commission (0161 833 9244)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jun
A paper evaluated whether means-tested grants paid to secondary students were an effective way of reducing the proportion of school drop-outs. There was evidence that the participation rate effect was stronger for boys, and for children from the poorest socio-economic background.
Source: Lorraine Dearden, Carl Emmerson, Chris Frayne and Costas Meghir, Education Subsidies and School Drop-out Rates, Working Paper 05/11, Institute for Fiscal Studies (020 7291 4800)
Links: Working paper (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2005-Jun
An inspectorate report evaluated the progress of the Increased Flexibility Programme during its first two years: 4 out of 5 students were gaining vocational qualifications as a result of their participation in the programme, and more students were staying on after 16. (The programme supports partnerships of schools, further education colleges, and providers of work-based learning in efforts to improve opportunities for vocational learning for children aged 14-16, and to extend participation in education and training post-16.)
Source: Increased Flexibility Programme at Key Stage 4, HMI 2361, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jun
An article drew on evidence from the evaluation of the education maintenance allowance pilots in England, to explore the extent to which a financial incentive to remain in full-time learning prevented young people entering the ?not in education, employment or training? group.
Source: Sue Maguire and Jo Rennison, 'Two years on: the destinations of young people who are not in education, employment or training at 16', Journal of Youth Studies, Volume 8 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Jun
A research report said that a pilot in Scotland of education maintenance allowances (that encouraged young people to stay on at school) had improved participation and attainment.
Source: Linda Croxford, Jenny Ozga and Frances Provan, Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAS): Attainment of National Qualifications in the Scottish Pilots: Final report, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | Summary | SE press release | Children Now report
Date: 2005-May
A national evaluation of the second year of the 14-19 Pathfinder Initiative said that the pathfinders had made "very positive progress". (The pathfinders were designed to help develop best practice in 14-19 education and training.)
Source: Jeremy Higham and David Yeomans, Collaborative Approaches to 14-19 Provision: An evaluation of the second year of the 14-19 Pathfinder Initiative, Research Report 642, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-May
Researchers used quantitative data (collected as part of the evaluation of the education maintenance allowance pilots) to explore comparatively the destinations and achievements of young people from different ethnic minority backgrounds.
Source: Sue Middleton, Joanne Rennison, Andreas Cebulla, Kim Perren and Sandra De-Beaman, Young People from Ethnic Minority Backgrounds: Evidence from the education maintenance allowance pilots database, Research Report 627, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Mar
The government published a summary of responses to consultation on its long-term vision of a single, coherent system of financial support for young people; and it set out the steps it proposed to take following the consultation.
Source: Supporting Young People to Achieve: The Government s Response to the Consultation, HM Treasury (020 7270 4558)and other departments
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Mar
A report said that young people particularly girls from lower socio-economic groups were not being given the access to careers advice, work-experience placements, and training opportunities that would allow them to fulfil their potential and gain higher pay. Instead, too many were being channelled into jobs traditional to their sex.
Source: Free to Choose: Tackling gender barriers to better jobs, Equal Opportunities Commission (0161 833 9244)
Links: Report (pdf) | EOC press release
Date: 2005-Mar
A report by a committee of MPs said that educators and employers did not work together effectively enough in developing the skills of young people. It was 'unacceptable' that young people could leave school at age 16 and go into employment without any guarantee that they would receive education or training in the period until age 18. Another major problem was that for those pupils who found study for GCSEs and A levels uninteresting or unmanageable, there was no obvious alternative. (GCSE = General Certificate of Secondary Education; A = Advanced)
Source: National Skills Strategy: 14-19 Education, Sixth Report (Session 2004-05), HC 37, House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Mar
The Child Benefit Act was given Royal assent. Under it, child benefit would be paid to the families of young people aged 16-19 in unwaged work-based learning and those aged 19 completing a course of education or training. It was scheduled to come into force on 10 April 2006.
Source: Child Benefit Act 2005, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act
Date: 2005-Mar
A research report examined quantitative data (collected as part of the evaluation of the education maintenance allowance pilots) covering two cohorts of young people who completed compulsory education in the summers of 1999 and 2000 and who were not in education, employment or training.
Source: Joanne Rennison, Sue Maguire, Sue Middleton and Karl Ashworth, Young People not in Education, Employment or Training: Evidence from the education maintenance allowance pilots database, Research Report 628, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Mar
A Child Benefit Bill was given a third reading. Under it, child benefit would be paid to the families of young people aged 16-19 in unwaged work-based learning and those aged 19 completing a course of education or training.
Source: Child Benefit Bill, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 3 February 2005, columns 1041-1066, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | HOC Library research paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb
A report summarized the findings of the most recent survey of young people age 16 from the Youth Cohort Study - the main source of survey information about the education, training and work experiences of young people in England and Wales.
Source: Youth Cohort Study: The Activities and Experiences of 16 Year Olds - England and Wales 2004, Statistical First Release 04/2005, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: SFR (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb
A report highlighted the role that a variety of professionals played as 'learning brokers' - making links between individuals and a wide range of organizations. It called for better recognition of their role in encouraging adults and young people many of them marginalized from society to take their first steps back into education.
Source: Liz Thomas et al., Learning Brokerage: Building bridges between learners and providers, Learning and Skills Development Agency (020 7297 9144)
Links: Report (pdf) | LSDA press release (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb
The Adult Learning Inspectorate published a report on the first year of the new Entry to Employment (E2E) programme. Only 6 per cent of young people on the programme had gone on to become apprentices. But the number of applicants had exceeded the targets set, and the programme had successfully drawn together a number of work preparation schemes. One-third of E2E graduates had gone on to find a job, start college or enter work-based training, in addition to those who had become apprentices.
Source: Entry to Employment: Looking back over the first year and forward to the future, Adult Learning Inspectorate (0870 240 7744)
Links: Report (links) | ALI press release (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jan
Revises estimates were published for participation in education, training and employment by young people aged 16-18 in England. The proportion in education and training was 75.1 per cent at the end of 2003, compared to 74.4 per cent a year earlier. The proportion who were not in education, employment or training at the end of 2003 was 9 per cent, compared to 10 per cent a year earlier.
Source: Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16-18 Year Olds in England: 1985 to 2003 (Revised), Statistical First Release 03/2005, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: SFR (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
A Child Benefit Bill was given a second reading. Under it, child benefit would be paid to the families of young people aged 16-19 in unwaged work-based learning and those aged 19 completing a course of education or training.
Source: Child Benefit Bill, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 12 January 2005, columns 316-371, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | HOC Library research paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
Researchers found that burglary convictions by young males aged 16-18 in areas covered by the education maintenance allowance pilots fell significantly relative to other areas.
Source: Leon Feinstein and Ricardo Sabates, Education and Youth Crime: Effects of introducing the education maintenance allowance programme, Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning/University of London (020 7612 6291)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
Five organizations formulated a joint statement setting out the key principles underlining the benefits and importance of careers education and guidance.
Source: Supporting Young People: Enabling informed career decisions, Institute of Career Guidance (01384 376464) and others
Links: Statement (pdf) | ICG press release
Date: 2005-Jan
A report explored the complexities of 14-19 education and training, and examined the development of good practice within local education authorities. LEAs were best positioned to drive the agenda forward, yet were increasingly disempowered through other government initiatives in the area.
Source: Gordon Mott, 14-19 Education and Training: New Patterns of Provision, National Foundation for Educational Research (01753 747281)
Links: Summary (Word file)
Date: 2005-Jan
