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

14-19 PATHFINDERS: THE SECOND YEARthe schools and colleges. This approach linked closely to the broader regeneration agenda inSheffield which had recognised the need to diversify the city’s employment base.Norfolk was another pathfinder which had developed innovative links with employers. Twobusiness links coordinators had been appointed from the private sector with the brief todevelop these links. A variety of activities had been developed including a one-year post-16Leadership and Management course aimed at those who ‘wish to aspire to a higher level ofemployment and want to know how to become leaders and managers’.136. In relation to the implementation of vocational learning we pick out two noteworthyaspects. The first was the development of what were variously called ‘youngapprenticeships’, ‘student apprenticeships’ or ‘junior apprenticeships’ for 14-16 year olds.These were established in several pathfinders. They took various forms but fundamentallyinvolved the integration of school-based learning (usually involving core subjects), collegecourses (e.g. leading to NVQ qualifications) and work placements. It was anticipated thatsome of the students undertaking these courses would progress onto full-time post-16Apprenticeships.137. The second aspect concerned the development of small local skills centres providingvocational learning. Some were located within schools and others at off-site locations. Thisapproach was used in the Hampshire pathfinder (see case study) and was being considered inthe East Devon partnership and the Cumbria pathfinder. For rural areas these skills centreshad the advantage of reducing travelling for students. A variant on this approach was the useof mobile vocational units in Hampshire and Lincolnshire.138. The development of these skills centres has some resonance with the argumentsrecently advanced by HMCI David Bell for school-based centres of vocational excellence.He argued that “schools will want to establish their own capability for particular vocationalareas where they can effectively compete with colleges” (Bell, 2004). An alternativeapproach was seen in the Knowsley Collegiate where a large scale 14-16 vocational skillscentre had been established as part of the local college. A number of colleges in other areaswere looking at similar developments in order to address limitations on capacity.45