Setting Them Up To Fail Post-16 Progression Barriers of Previously Disengaged Students
This paper looks at post-16 progression opportunities for a group of previously disaffected 14–16-year-old students who undertook vocational learning in their final two years at school in the north-west of England. The paper argues that advanced forms of vocational learning at key stage 4 are leadin...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Liverpool John Moores University
2017-07-01
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| Series: | PRISM |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://openjournals.ljmu.ac.uk/index.php/prism/article/view/298 |
| _version_ | 1818127153565270016 |
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| author | David Allan |
| author_facet | David Allan |
| author_sort | David Allan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper looks at post-16 progression opportunities for a group of previously disaffected 14–16-year-old students who undertook vocational learning in their final two years at school in the north-west of England. The paper argues that advanced forms of vocational learning at key stage 4 are leading to over-skilling and educational limbo for many young people. Questionnaire data was obtained from 109 participants in total. These included 16-21-year-olds looking to enter further education or employment with training (n=84), 14 vocational learning tutors, and 11 further education teachers. Although the vocational route can lead to a nationally recognised qualification, literacy and numeracy achievements are often below the expected standard, thus creating a mismatch in identified abilities. Due to the current government-enforced pressure to succeed in English and maths, a perceived ‘deficiency’ in any of these areas presents a significant barrier to progression. The students in this study are seen to be vocationally over-skilled yet underachieving in academic areas. As such, progression routes are severely limited, resulting in a high number of individuals dropping out of learning altogether. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T07:12:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-99b13337a3fe43c9a46878a4b80bc873 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2514-5347 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T07:12:50Z |
| publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
| publisher | Liverpool John Moores University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PRISM |
| spelling | doaj.art-99b13337a3fe43c9a46878a4b80bc8732022-12-22T01:16:19ZengLiverpool John Moores UniversityPRISM2514-53472017-07-01112145https://doi.org/10.24377/LJMU.prism.vol1iss1article298Setting Them Up To Fail Post-16 Progression Barriers of Previously Disengaged StudentsDavid Allan0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7697-7307Edge Hill UniversityThis paper looks at post-16 progression opportunities for a group of previously disaffected 14–16-year-old students who undertook vocational learning in their final two years at school in the north-west of England. The paper argues that advanced forms of vocational learning at key stage 4 are leading to over-skilling and educational limbo for many young people. Questionnaire data was obtained from 109 participants in total. These included 16-21-year-olds looking to enter further education or employment with training (n=84), 14 vocational learning tutors, and 11 further education teachers. Although the vocational route can lead to a nationally recognised qualification, literacy and numeracy achievements are often below the expected standard, thus creating a mismatch in identified abilities. Due to the current government-enforced pressure to succeed in English and maths, a perceived ‘deficiency’ in any of these areas presents a significant barrier to progression. The students in this study are seen to be vocationally over-skilled yet underachieving in academic areas. As such, progression routes are severely limited, resulting in a high number of individuals dropping out of learning altogether.https://openjournals.ljmu.ac.uk/index.php/prism/article/view/298vocational learning14-16 year oldspost-16 progression opportunities |
| spellingShingle | David Allan Setting Them Up To Fail Post-16 Progression Barriers of Previously Disengaged Students PRISM vocational learning 14-16 year olds post-16 progression opportunities |
| title | Setting Them Up To Fail Post-16 Progression Barriers of Previously Disengaged Students |
| title_full | Setting Them Up To Fail Post-16 Progression Barriers of Previously Disengaged Students |
| title_fullStr | Setting Them Up To Fail Post-16 Progression Barriers of Previously Disengaged Students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Setting Them Up To Fail Post-16 Progression Barriers of Previously Disengaged Students |
| title_short | Setting Them Up To Fail Post-16 Progression Barriers of Previously Disengaged Students |
| title_sort | setting them up to fail post 16 progression barriers of previously disengaged students |
| topic | vocational learning 14-16 year olds post-16 progression opportunities |
| url | https://openjournals.ljmu.ac.uk/index.php/prism/article/view/298 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT davidallan settingthemuptofailpost16progressionbarriersofpreviouslydisengagedstudents |