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

14-19 PATHFINDERS: THE SECOND YEARout in the February 2005 Education White Paper (DfES, 2005), it will be important to ensurethat the appropriate policy drivers are set in place to encourage it.540. The second element of sustainability to be considered is provision.541. The 14-19 Pathfinder initiative, together with the IF Programme, has gone a long waytowards establishing the sort of broad and flexible provision which is foreseen for the 14-19phase for most students, especially at 14-16. Students have opportunities to learn in morethan one location. Opportunities to learn in colleges, training providers and workplaces havebroadened choice and experience substantially. Sustaining this breadth raises key issues offunding and capacity.542. In relation to funding there is wide acceptance that vocational learning is moreexpensive than academic learning (although there are important questions about how muchmore expensive). Such provision has typically been funded through a wide variety ofprojects (including 14-19 Pathfinders). Project funding has been criticised by manyrespondents for its wasteful bureaucratic and accountability procedures and for shorttermism.Several interviewees, especially from schools, argued that as schools move to threeyear budgets they should be given an increase in funding which takes account of the extracosts of vocational provision and then have freedom to purchase such provision or provide itthemselves. Others, including some in schools, argued against this, or at least suggested thatadditional funds should be ring-fenced in order to prevent the money simply being absorbedinto school budgets. There are clearly important policy decisions to be taken here, although itshould be noted that the only choices are not project funding or devolution to schools since abalance between the two might be sought.543. Capacity emerged as a significant issue in sustaining and expanding provision. Anumber of colleges and training providers indicated that they were near to capacity,particularly in relation to courses requiring specialised facilities. Various approaches toincreasing capacity were being developed including colleges and training providersincreasing their own capacity through new build or reconfiguring their buildings. Smaller,local skills centres were also being proposed. Some schools planned to develop their ownvocational facilities and either teach the courses themselves or in collaboration with colleges.160