Archived decisions

Appendix 1

A draft response to the 14-19 Green Paper

Hampshire County Council welcomes and agrees with the vision and aims set out in the 14-19 Green Paper. Having consulted with secondary headteachers and others involved in delivering 14-19 education, the County Council supports many of the proposals which relate to:

· the need to develop 14-19 education as a coherent phase through cooperative work amongst providers of education, training, guidance and support

· the achievement of higher levels of inclusion and the raising of staying-on rates at 16-plus

· reform of the 14-19 curriculum and of Key Stage 4 so that greater flexibility may be provided in order for courses to be better designed for individual students

· approaches designed to erode the negative attitudes towards vocational and technical education which persist in the English system.

The County Council believes that a number of key issues need to be addressed so that a holistic approach to 14-19 can, in practice, be successfully implemented:

1. There would be a hugely disruptive impact on school-based education were the Government ever to consider funding 14-16 education through the Learning and Skills Council or another agency and not via local education authorities. The assurance given in the Green Paper is, therefore, welcomed. Funding methods and amounts will need to be improved in order to make all forms of provision effective.

2. In order for greater coherence to be implemented, providers of education, training and guidance will be faced with meeting higher costs. For there to be success in achieving the many desirable outcomes rehearsed in the Green Paper, there will be a need for additional funding.

3. If a matriculation award would establish equal merit for both academic and vocational achievements this would be useful. However, an inclusive approach to education which leads to a selective matriculation award would be contradictory. If the matriculation or certificate award is itself dependent upon the recognition of a student's abilities through examination and certificate award processes, the value of `over-laying' this with a selective matriculation process is questionable. It is, therefore, suggested that the matriculation concept is not pursued at present. The currency value of vocational qualifications must be supported by employers and universities, so that young people and their parents do not see vocational education as a second-rate route compared with traditional academic courses.

4. Removing the distinction between vocational and academic subjects is essential and is something which has eluded the education service throughout the twentieth century. This is the most important part of the Green Paper. The labels `academic' and `vocational' are artificial and are related to nineteenth century concepts of intellectual respectability. Nothing short of a revolution in attitudes towards bodies of knowledge and skill from early years to degree level will suffice. It is, therefore, suggested that support is given to curriculum development and the establishment of a coherent system of qualifications throughout the education system.

5. Greater flexibility to match the curriculum more effectively to student needs is welcomed. The entitlement which students would have to study a subject within modern foreign languages, design and technology, and the arts and humanities, without students being obliged to study one of these areas, may present difficulties. It is not inconceivable that some schools may face the prospect of having to timetable non-viable teaching groups. If only a few students want to study a subject, special provision may be needed, and additional costs would have to be taken into account.

6. The proposals for young people to progress at a pace consistent with their potential and abilities are welcome. This would impact on school performance tables and would make crude measures such as the percentage of students achieving five A*-C grades at a particular age irrelevant. Advice to schools about their attainments would need to be based on progress of all the pupils, and the sensitivity of programmes to individual needs: this would be welcomed.

7. If it is the intention to provide primary-aged children with greater opportunities to study modern foreign languages, how will this be achieved when a shortage of teachers for foreign languages already exists in our secondary schools?

8. In a rural county such as Hampshire, transporting pupils from 11-6 institutions to 16-19 institutions for vocational studies may be a particular challenge. Although greater flexibility is highly desirable, there will be a very clear cost in terms of:

· paying for transport

· the efficient management of student time.