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

14-19 PATHFINDERS: THE SECOND YEARSOUTHAMPTON PATHFINDERThe local context504. This Pathfinder is led by the LEA and involves all schools and colleges within theauthority. Southampton is relatively affluent, but contains some areas of considerabledisadvantage. There are some important contextual issues relating to parental and studentchoices in education and training which bear on the Pathfinder. Our interviewees often madea distinction between young people resident in Southampton and those educated in the city,since there is an outflow of students from Southampton to neighbouring authorities at 11 and16. This is a concern for Southampton staff because, they argued, many of those who wereeducated outside the city tended to be higher achieving students and this slanted the abilityprofile in Southampton schools and colleges which thus depressed achievement and narrowedthe curriculum.505. Thus, for example, on the five A*-C GCSE/GNVQ measure Southampton was eightpoints below the England average and this was paralleled by lower than average attainmenton GCE and AVCE scores. Post-16 participation was below the England average and furtherbelow the regional average at both 16 and 17.506. This context helps to explain several of the features of the Pathfinder which is aimingto encourage more learners to remain in Southampton schools and colleges, not just becausethis will raise achievement in those institutions, but because it will facilitate the developmentof greater choice and flexibility for all 14-19 learners in the city.Focus of the Pathfinder507. The Southampton Pathfinder aims to build on existing good practice in vocational andwork related developments and the collaborative partnerships already established, in order toraise standards by: providing greater choice of courses, promoting personal development andimproving motivation, attendance and staying on rates.149