Collaborative Approaches to 14-19 Provision - Communities and ...

14-19 PATHFINDERS: THE SECOND YEARSECTION ONE: THE 14-19 PATHFINDER INITIATIVEKey points‣ Part of larger process of 14-19 reform‣ Links with other initiatives and programmes‣ Extensive and ambitious aims and objectives‣ Encourages diversity and local responsiveness‣ Encouragement of testing of more radical ways of providing 14-19 education and trainingin Phase Two Pathfinders.6. This section describes the main features of the 14-19 Pathfinder initiative and places itin the context of the wider 14-19 reform agenda. It includes an analysis of the proposalswhich came forward in response to the pathfinder prospectuses.Policy Context7. The 14-19 Pathfinders are part of a larger process of reforming the 14-19 phase oflearning which was given particular emphasis first by the Green Paper, 14-19: extendingopportunities, raising standards, published in February 2002, then by the DfES response tothe consultation in 14-19: opportunity and excellence (DfES, 2003). The Green Paperproposed the introduction of 14-19 Pathfinders which would test a variety of models ofcollaborative working to help secure the vision and principles for the 14-19 phase.8. Following the Green Paper, the prospectus for Phase One of the 14-19 Pathfinderswas issued and partnerships were invited to submit proposals in September 2002. Followingthis, 25 Phase One Pathfinders were selected and began operating from January 2003. Arevised prospectus for 2003/4 was published and partnerships were invited to submitproposals by May 2003. Subsequently, in July 2003, 14 Phase Two Pathfinders wereannounced. These began operating from September 2003. The pathfinders will be fundeduntil July 2005 meaning that Phase One Pathfinders will have received funding for threeyears and Phase Two Pathfinders for two years. In both cases, however, the first months offunding were mainly used for development work rather than implementation of newprogrammes and activities with students. In 2004, the pathfinders were invited to bid foradditional funding addressing a wide range of issues. Twenty-three pathfinders were3