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ERIC Number: ED502496
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 93
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: ISBN-1-8447-8786-9
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Evaluation of Increased Flexibility for 14 to 16 Year Olds Programme: Outcomes for the Second Cohort. Research Report RR786
Golden, Sarah; O'Donnell, Lisa; Benton, Tom; Rudd, Peter
National Foundation for Educational Research
The Increased Flexibility Programme for 14 to 16 year olds (IFP) was introduced in 2002. The aim of the programme was to "create enhanced vocational and work-related learning opportunities for 14 to 16 year olds of all abilities who can benefit most", including supporting provision of the GCSEs in vocational subjects. The first cohort of Year 10 students embarked on their programme in 2002 and this was followed by a second cohort in 2003 and subsequent cohorts in the following years. This summary focuses on the outcomes for participants who participated in the programme between 2003 and 2005 (cohort 2) during a time of change in 14 to 19 policy. This summary reflects the outcomes for only the second cohort of young people to participate in this new and developing approach to delivering a more flexible and vocational curriculum through institutions working in partnership. Reported findings include: (1) IFP exceeded its target in so far as the majority of young people made a positive transition (87 per cent of young people who participated in the second cohort of IFP progressed into further education or training, consistent with the percentage of the first cohort who progressed); (2) IFP was positively associated with the attainment of participants, but this was not consistent across all types of qualifications studied (young people who took NVQs and GNVQs did better than expected based on prior attainment; those taking other vocational qualifications did less well; young people taking GCSEs in vocational subjects achieved at levels broadly commensurate with expectations); and (3) IFP appeared to be particularly advantageous for particular types of students (female students gained more points in their IFP qualification than similar students who were male, although male students who took NVQs gained more points than female students taking NVQs, after accounting for prior attainment and other factors; students with lower attainment at key stage 3 gained higher total point scores at key stage 4, relative to their prior attainment, than similar students with higher key stage 3 attainment.) Four appendixes are included: (1) Representativeness of Respondents; (2) Points Scores for Qualifications; (3) Variables Included in the Multi-Level Model Analyses; and (4) Numbers of Young People Included in the Analysis. (Contains 37 footnotes, 7 figures and 23 tables.) [This report was produced by the Department of Education and Skills.]
National Foundation for Educational Research. The Mere, Upton Park, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 2DQ, UK. Tel: +44-1753-574123; Fax: +44-1753-637280; e-mail: enquiries@nfer.ac.uk; Web site: http://www.nfer.ac.uk
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: High Schools; Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Department for Education and Skills
Authoring Institution: National Foundation for Educational Research
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A