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

14-19 PATHFINDERS: THE SECOND YEARLEWISHAM PATHFINDERThe local context356. Lewisham is the second largest inner London borough. The population is highlydiverse and 56% of students in Lewisham schools are from minority ethnic groups. Manystudents are from African or Afro-Caribbean backgrounds, many drawn from longestablishedcommunities. However, there are also significant numbers of refugees andasylum-seekers living in the borough, which contains over 100 language communities.357. There is significant deprivation in the borough with several wards among the 10%most deprived nationally. Most employed Lewisham residents work outside the borough andalthough there are a small number of large companies and an increasingly vibrant smallbusiness sector, overall, in London terms, the private sector is relatively weak and underdeveloped.358. The post-16 staying on rate in full-time education and training was 80.7% in 2002 – arise of almost ten percentage points over two years placing Lewisham well above the nationalaverage. The latest Careers Service Destinations survey showed around 10% of year 11school leavers out of education or training. In common with other inner London boroughsthere is considerable movement of learners into and out of Lewisham at both 11 and 16.Lewisham is a net exporter of students.359. In its 2002 area-wide inspection OFSTED/ALI found that provision and practice inmost school sixth forms and colleges was good. The inspectors’ main criticism concernedprovision, recruitment and retention in work-based learning. A 2004 LEA OFSTEDinspection identified the new approach to 14-19 education as ‘an area of strength’. Since1999 Lewisham has had a 14-19 strategy overseen by a Strategic Forum composed of allpartners.360. A* - C GCSE/GNVQ results are below national averages, although the gap hasnarrowed since 2000. There are considerable variations in performance between Lewishamschools which appear to largely reflect the social compositions of their intakes.111