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

14-19 PATHFINDERS: THE SECOND YEARcolleges to identify 14-19 progression routes (see case studies for further details on all theseexamples).161. Other developments in the case studies were also strongly focused on promoting 14-19 progression. The CG6 in Gateshead had been established with the primary purpose offacilitating progression from 11-16 schools to full-time post-16 education. This was achievedthrough making it possible for some students to access some of their post-16 learning in their11-16 schools thus encouraging progression and easing transition. A similar development,but with a different client group of students was being developed in Southwark with theintroduction of some year 12 provision in four 11-16 schools. This is intended to tackle thelow rates of participation post-16 by 16 and 17 year olds. It is based on the assumption thatsome students are uncomfortable about making the transition to college or training providersat 16. Thus the intention is to provide a one-year course in school, which as well asimproving basic and vocational skills, will also aim to ease progression to the next stage atage 17. Similar concerns, although with yet another client group, had prompted thedevelopment of level 2 vocational courses in Coventry schools (see case study). In all thesecases it was intended that students would progress to full-time college courses at 17.162. When considering obstacles to the development of progression routes coordinatorsraised several broad issues – in addition to endemic problems of shortage of time to do allthat needed to be done. The first of these concerned the lack of provision of information inschools with sixth forms about progression routes into colleges and work-based learning.This issue has been clearly identified in previous research (Foskett, Dyke & Maringe, 2004)and although there was some evidence that the collaborative approaches required bypathfinders has ameliorated its effects, the institutional autonomy which can be exercised byschools meant that these effects were by no means eradicated.163. A second issue which was raised concerned the reliability and/or durability of thelabour market information upon which some progression route planning was based. Someparticipants were concerned that aspirations and expectations of employment in particularsectors might be raised but then dashed either because of insufficient capacity or because ofunpredictable changes in labour and skills needs within sectors.53