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

14-19 PATHFINDERS: THE SECOND YEARMain developments427. A key feature of the pathfinder was the recruitment of a team of four full-timeEnterprise Partnership managers. These staff, who were only appointed in November2003, have played a key role in driving the pathfinder agenda forward under the leadership ofthe LEA 14-19 Coordinator. Over 50 projects have been initiated as part of the pathfinderand the Enterprise Partnership managers take responsibility for developing these andsupporting the schools, colleges, training providers and employers involved.428. Examples of some of the developments which have taken place now follow.429. Two projects which show both employer engagement and innovative approaches todeveloping vocational courses revolve around a partnership between two schools and threeprofessional football and rugby clubs in the city. One project is based on a GCSE PE courseand involves students from the two schools undertaking part of their coursework in theprofessional clubs, under the supervision of their staff, developing and implementingpersonal exercise plans (PEPs) which will contribute importantly to their final GCSE grades.These PEPs are developed using the professional exercise equipment and expertise availablein the clubs. As an offshoot of this link the clubs and the schools have also developed whatare called Vocational Sports Experiences through which students learn about other aspects ofthe professional clubs such as community development activities, publicity and marketingand media training. Additional accreditation has been arranged through the Open CollegeNetwork (OCN) for this work. A second project with the professional clubs involved aneight week programme designed for disaffected students at danger of exclusion from school.Feedback from both these activities has been positive and both are likely to be retained,expanded and included in the Common Prospectus in the future.430. Another innovative project involved a partnership with the Institute ofGroundsmanship (sic) which will introduce students to the skills and progressionopportunities available for grounds people. The project will provide placements for a groupof students drawn from three schools. They will gain experience at various sports clubsaround the city and will obtain City & Guilds certification.128