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

14-19 PATHFINDERS: THE SECOND YEARExecutive Summary♦ This report on the national evaluation of the second year of the 14-19 Pathfindersinitiative describes the progress made by the thirty-nine pathfinders (and two 14-19partnerships not funded through pathfinders) and raises key issues from the evaluation forpractitioners and policy makers .♦ The pathfinders have made very positive progress in many aspects of developmentincluding:‣ the continued development of extensive collaborative arrangements which provide astrong basis for further development‣ the development of broader curricula, mainly involving the provision of vocationaland work-related learning in colleges, training providers and workplaces, which offergreater choice and flexibility to students‣ increasing focus on 14-19 progression routes‣ substantial development work leading to enhanced information, advice and guidancethroughout the 14-19 phase‣ substantial work on developing individual learning plans‣ supporting continued development of strategic planning of the 14-19 phase.THE 14-19 PATHFINDER INITIATIVE♦ The 14-19 Pathfinders are part of a larger process of reform of the 14-19 phase oflearning which was given particular emphasis first in the Green Paper, 14-19: extendingopportunities, raising standards, published in February 2002, then by the DfES responseto the consultation in 14-19: opportunities and excellence (DfES, 2003), the work of theWorking Group on 14-19 Reform and the White Paper 14-19: Education and Skills(DfES, 2005)♦ The pathfinders are expected to link with a wide variety of other initiatives includingExcellence in Cities, Diversity Pathfinders, Enterprise Pathfinders, the IncreasedFlexibility for 14-16 Year Olds programme, Aim Higher and Entry to Employment.i