Post-16 education and training locally and nationally continues to undergo significant change. The Council with the support, participation and cooperation of a range of key partners led a local review of post-16 provision within the District (concluding in 2016) to ensure that there was a sustainable, high quality offer that delivered the best outcomes for young people no matter where they start. The partnership continues to work to deliver the “joint approach to post-16” focussing on the pattern of delivery of academic provision in the District that was agreed through the Review.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services will submit Document “L” which provides an update on progress with the implementation of the agreed approach and the latest post-16 participation, performance and progression data.

 

Recommended-

 

(1)       That the contents of the report and progress made to date in implementing new arrangements for the delivery of post-16 provision in the District be noted.

 

(2)       That the engagement of a broad range of partners from education and business to further develop the post-16 agenda and partnerships in Bradford be welcomed.

 

                                                            (Matt Findull – 01274 439572)

 

 

 

Post-16 education and training locally and nationally continued to undergo significant change. The Council with the support, participation and cooperation of a range of key partners led a local review of post-16 provision within the District (concluding in 2016) to ensure that there was a sustainable, high quality offer that delivered the best outcomes for young people no matter where they started. The partnership continued to work to deliver the “joint approach to post-16” focussing on the pattern of delivery of academic provision in the District that was agreed through the Review.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services submitted Document “L” which provided an update on progress with the implementation of the agreed approach and the latest post-16 participation, performance and progression data.

 

It was reported that significant progress had been made in respect of re-shaping the delivery pattern since the review of the Post 16 Provision:

 

• Two new post-16 Free Schools had been approved by the DfE for opening in the city centre. Both of these Free Schools were sponsored by Multi-Academy Trusts with a track record of delivering “Outstanding” provision, namely Dixons Academies Trust and New Collaborative Learning Trust (who will open New College Bradford). The two centres would have significant focus on academic courses at Level 3 (A Level or equivalent);

·         Three small sixth forms closed at the end of academic year 2017/18  (Queensbury Academy, Appleton Academy, Beckfoot Upper Heaton Academy);

·         A further three schools (Carlton Bolling College, Buttershaw Academy, Grange Technology College) have already consulted on sixth form closure; and

·         Other sixth forms have already considerably revised their curriculum offer, for example ceasing A Level delivery.

 

The above changes had to date had no discernible adverse impact on participation. Participation remained strong and although Queensbury, Appleton and Beckfoot Upper Heaton did not recruit Year 12 in 2017/8, this caused no significant variance to the Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) rates in their Wards (in fact 2 out of 3 of the Wards’ NEET rates actually improved comparing September 2017 to September 2016 despite those sixth forms not recruiting).

 

A representative of the Dixons Academies Trust and the New Collaborative Learning Trust attended the meeting and spoke about the number of children the colleges would cater for, qualifications being provided at the new colleges and the entry requirements.

 

The representative of Youth Voice attended the meeting and spoke about the responses received from the Youth Voice Feedback about Post 16 Provision which was undertaken via social media which had more followers (66%) on instagram now than it did when it was on a private setting.

 

A summary of what the young people said included:

 

Q1 Are you in School or College?

A:  33% of the young people said school

      67% of the young people said college

 

Q2  Do you feel you receive enough information about the choices available

       to you post 16?

A:    33% of the young people said yes

        67% of young people said no

 

Q3  Have you heard about the two new sixth form colleges opening in     Bradford? 

A:   100% of the young people said they had heard about these colleges

 

Q4  Would you be interested in going to either of the new colleges?

A:    33% of the young people said they would be interested

        67% said they would not be interested

 

Q5   Are there any barriers preventing you from being able to do your dream   job?

A:    75% of the young people said yes

        25% of young people said no

 

Q6   Some examples of barriers suggested by young people were:

A:     Poor attendance at school and poor grades

         I don’t think I’m clever enough

         My mental health was stopping me from concentrating and I am not sure who to go to in college (this young person had been supported by access support)

 

Q7   What could your school/college do to help prepare you for your dream job?

A:     There were no responses for this question.

 

Members commented on the following:

 

·         What subjects would the new colleges offer?

·         The Education Policy Partnership in 2000 looked at post 16 education and was pleased that it was finally happening; needed to look at holidays being six equal terms.

·         Had transport implications and the movement of young people  been looked at; had discussions taken place with transport providers?

·         How many post 16 places did Bradford Schools provide and how many will the Post 16 Colleges provide? If all the schools decided not to have a sixth form were there enough places for all the young people and was the Service building for the future?

·         The key to a good quality education experience was how well teachers knew their pupils; how information followed the pupil from the previous school and how the new colleges took responsibility to settle them well and ascertaining whether they had chosen the right subjects while settling into a new regime, how was that managed?

·         Quality needed to be sustained; how would relaxing the entry requirement to a course such as engineering work?

·         How many subjects were offered at A Level by schools and colleges? Were there any duplication? What about vocational qualifications?

·         What happened to schools where students decided to attend one of the new colleges and the schools sixth form numbers dropped below 250?

·         Would the decline in modern languages be catered for by the new colleges?

 

In response to Members query it was reported:

 

·         The subjects offered would be similar to those offered by other Post 16 colleges; every student that applied would be given an interview to ascertain what courses they wished to do; subjects offered were tailored to the local situation and local need such as engineering etc

·         Discussions were being held with transport providers.

·         The sixth form colleges would provide good quality education; did not envisage whole school closure of sixth forms; schools that offered a sixth form of 250 children were viable; Post 16 Review Group would be looking at sufficiency of places in colleges and schools.

·         The post 16 colleges had good employer engagement.

·         Every student was given an interview to look at subject choices; when the students enrolled the choices were looked at again and comments on the application form were made to explain what qualifications were needed for the degree they wished to pursue and advice was offered to them; the students were then offered an induction day and could try different subjects and at that point could change the subjects, students had 6 weeks to change the subjects chosen; advice was offered to students all the time.

·         Courses had an entry level, if students did not have the appropriate entry requirements they would not be able to enrol onto the course; a lot of time was spent on employability which was integral to teaching; employers came and talked to the students on what was required for a particular job; students were also helped with interview experience.

·         There was about 40 A Level subjects taught in sixth forms; 103 subject areas; 30 A Levels would be offered in the new colleges which gave a better option than a small school sixth form; there would be more variety and ranges in science, engineering and humanities, there would be greater choice and suite of education; there was overlap but greater choice under one roof.

·         Decision to continue with a sixth form if the numbers dropped below 250 would be for the school and its governors to make.

·         The new colleges would cater for schools that were closing their sixth forms and offering a richer sixth form experience.

·         Some of the languages offered by the new colleges included French, Spanish and Urdu but not a lot of students chose to do languages; it was too late to address lack of languages by the time the student reached sixth form.

·         A number of colleges offered vocational qualifications and provision was there to meet that need.

 

Resolved-

 

(1)       That the Committee thanks contributors for their presentation and wished the new post 16 Free Schools success.

 

(2)       That the contents of the report and progress made to date in implementing new arrangements for the delivery of post-16 provision in the District be noted.

 

(3)       That the engagement of a broad range of partners from education and business to further develop the post-16 agenda and partnerships in Bradford be welcomed.