14 - 19 Pathfinder Guidance: Advice and Support

PURPOSE OF THE GUIDANCE

1. The 14-19 pathfinder prospectus asked all pathfinders to put in place measures to enhance the advice, guidance and support offered to young people, and to test the use of Individual Learning Plans. This guidance provides more detail on our expectations for the development and implementation of advice and support, in the light of the recent 14-19 policy document - 14-19: opportunity and excellence ¡V and flags a number of issues that pathfinders will need to consider as they roll out their plans. It is not intended to be prescriptive, as we are keen that pathfinders develop innovative and creative approaches, but provides some further context within which a variety of models can be tested.

BACKGROUND

2. The response to the 14-19 Green Paper 14-19: opportunity and excellence was published on 21 January 2003. It set out a number of proposals for the reform of the 14-19 phase of education and training, which built on the proposals in the Green Paper. We have established twenty-five 14-19 pathfinders around the country for 2002/03, to test out these proposals. One of the elements that we are particularly keen to test out is the provision of enhanced advice and guidance and the development of an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) for each pupil for the start of the 14-19 phase.

3. A significant number of responses to the consultation echoed the recognition in the Green Paper that pupils need more and better advice to help them make informed choices at 14 and beyond about the wider range of learning opportunities introduced by the reform of the 14-19 phase of education and training.

4. We have, therefore, proposed a number of changes that aim to improve the support young people receive. These include:

Our intention to extend the duty on schools to deliver a planned programme of careers education in Years 9-11, down to Years 7 and 8. This builds on good practice in many schools and will help to ensure that young people develop earlier the skills they need to make informed choices about their learning and careers;

The introduction from this autumn of a new, non-statutory framework for careers education, which includes recommended learning outcomes for Key Stage 3 (KS3), Key Stage 4 (KS4) and for post-16 learning. Schools, colleges and work-based training providers will be asked to review their existing careers education programmes against the framework and to make any necessary changes to their existing programmes, in the light of the framework. The framework will be issued to schools, colleges, work-based training providers and Connexions Partnerships in March 2003;

Encouraging schools and Connexions Partnerships to review the support offered to Year 9 students, to help them make learning and career choices for the 14-19 phase through reviews conducted at appropriate intervals throughout the phase and to record the results of these reviews in an Individual Learning Plan. Pathfinders have been asked specifically to test out ILPs;

Reviewing and updating the materials provided for young people and their parents/carers to help them understand the wider range of options that will become available to them as the 14-19 proposals roll out, in particular explaining progression routes for those choosing vocationally-orientated programmes in KS4.

5. The provision of high quality guidance and the introduction of an Individual Learning Plan will give pupils in KS3 a framework to make informed subject choices for KS4 and appropriate longer term post-16 career plans. This should encourage pupils to stay in learning until 19, and improve attainment, leading to an overall improvement in the ability of young people to achieve their full potential.

THE ADVICE AND GUIDANCE PROPOSALS

6. In broad terms, 14-19: opportunity and excellence sets out three main proposals on advice and support:

Developing the important role of careers education as a compulsory subject within the KS4 curriculum and extending it down further into KS3;

More systematic planning at the end of KS3, in preparation for the new 14-19 phase; and

Ensuring that young people continue to receive access to advice and support throughout the 14-19 phase and recognition of the key role of Connexions in supporting those most at risk of disengaging/under achieving.

7. The first proposal addresses the importance of careers education and the introduction of the new national non-statutory framework for careers education from September 2003, which will support schools, colleges and work-based training providers in the delivery of careers education programmes. The framework draws on existing good practice and provides learning outcomes and exemplar content. It will be used with students between the ages of 11-19, thereby providing guidance to schools wishing to develop careers education programmes for students in Years 7 and 8, ahead of the proposed legislative changes indicated in paragraph 4.

8. In respect of the second proposal, the Green Paper response recommends that the start of the 14-19 phase should be marked by a review conducted with each pupil in Year 9, to:

review progress and achievements during KS3;

help inform specific choices about the subjects/learning programme the young person will pursue during KS4;

establish broad learning and career goals for the whole of the 14-19 phase, identifying wider development activities;

develop an ILP that provides the basis for ongoing monitoring and review of progress during the 14-19 phase; and

help raise aspirations and motivation.

9. The third proposal is discussed in more detail in paragraphs 14-17 below in the section about the role of Connexions.

Managing the review/planning process

10. We envisage the school having overall responsibility for managing the career planning and target setting process with each pupil (involving parent(s)/carer(s) where they are able to attend), and that the Year 9 form tutor will normally be best placed to carry out the review with each pupil, any subsequent target setting and the development of the ILP, although this will depend on the pastoral support arrangements in each institution. It is important to engage the headteacher and/or other senior members of the school management team to oversee the process.

11. In order to fit into existing school KS4 option processes, we expect that the initial review would need to take place during the January to Easter term for young people in Year 9, who will be entering KS4 the following September. While it is recognised that the needs of individual young people will vary considerably, on average we would expect the initial review to last about 1 hour, although this will not all be ¡¥new¡¦ time, as schools will already be offering support to young people when they make their KS4 choices. We do expect, however, that even where robust processes already exist, they will need to be re-focused so that the review looks beyond KS4, with a greater focus on making plans through to age 19.

Issues to be covered during the Individual Learning Plan process

12. We have not developed a centrally prescribed template for an Individual Learning Plan, so that schools have the flexibility to develop existing materials, where they already exist, and to tailor the plans so that they best meet the needs of local students and circumstances. But as a guide, we have set out below the issues that we feel it would be helpful to cover:

1) What the pupil is expecting to achieve at the end of KS3:
Predicted end of KS3 test results
Details of other assessments
Other achievements including wider development activities
Barriers to participation and achievement

2) Preferred options for KS4 (to include institution(s) and subjects/courses, and to take account of alternative provision available through greater collaboration, including the Increased Flexibility Programme):
- to be firmed up at the end of KS3

3) Specific goals and targets for end of KS4 courses:
(e.g. target grades for qualifications)

4) Wider development activities at KS4:

5) Ideas on what the pupil wants to do post-16:
Any broad career goals and wider interests
Interest/desire to go on to HE
Interest in particular 16-19 routes and qualifications, including assessment of progression routes.

6) Progress during the post-16 stage:
(e.g. route used, achievements in chosen option etc)

13. The introduction of the ILP builds on the work undertaken already by many schools and enables them to maintain a record of the progress and achievement of each pupil. However the development of the ILP must not become a bureaucratic process, where the focus is on the number of plans constructed. Rather, the ILP must become a living document, shaped by periodic reviews held with young people throughout the 14-19 phase to measure progress and update targets. The reviews with each young person will allow time to explore the options open to them and help to raise their aspirations.

The role of Connexions

14. Advice and guidance offered by the Connexions Service complements the work of the school, college and work-based training provider. Connexions is a universal service, providing all pupils access to impartial advice on learning and career options. With that context however, it offers more intensive support to young people with particularly complex or multiple barriers to learning or who are at risk of dropping out. The level of support required will vary considerably: some pupils will only need access to information on learning and career options which might be offered in a group setting, or through ICT; while others may need intensive one-to-one support over a prolonged period of time. The precise role of the Personal Advisers (PA) in each partnership will be agreed with individual headteachers and college principals, to ensure that they add value to the work of teachers and others in the schools and colleges involved.

15. The Connexions Service has an important role in co-ordinating the more in-depth support needed by those pupils who are at risk of dropping out of education/learning altogether. This is best done by bringing together what is provided by all services including youth services, social work, youth offending teams and a range of voluntary sector agencies. The underlying principle is to allocate pupils to the PA who is best placed to support them.

16. In relation to the end of KS3 review and the development of the ILP, we do not expect Connexions PAs to be involved in every case. We would expect, however, that they would be involved in cases where:

The young person is at risk of disengaging from learning or under-achieving, and/or where they already have an on-going relationship with the Connexions PA;

The young person has indicated that they are keen to explore options outside the school, where the PA may be able to help broker a flexible learning programme for those who will take a varied route, where elements of that programme may take place outside the school;

Where they can use their broader knowledge of, and links with, local employers and training providers, so that pupils considering work-related learning as part of their learning programmes have a better understanding of the world of work and the benefits of work-related learning.
17. Precise details of where Connexions PAs will be involved will be agreed locally, between the school and the Connexions Partnership. While not involved in each individual review, we see a role for Connexions, both in providing support for all young people in advance of reviews, by holding group or class sessions on the issues that young people will need to consider in their review, and by offering to review draft plans where requested by young people, to ensure that all options have been explained to them.

Using Progress File to support the Individual Learning Plan process

18. Progress File has been extensively trialled by schools, colleges, training providers and employers in 10 demonstration projects over a 3 year period to test the use of Progress File in a variety of situations. New materials were made nationally available in 2002, to help schools to introduce Progress File at Year 9 and provide a smooth changeover when the National Record of Achievement is phased out in 2004.

19. Progress File is a set of materials designed to support the processes of planning, target-setting achieving and reviewing. It aims to serve as a tool for helping individuals plan their own learning and their career development, recognising the knowledge, understanding and skills they are acquiring and how to record these achievements effectively.

20. Progress File objectives are to:

equip people to plan, manage their learning and make effective transitions;

increase motivation and confidence to achieve;

stimulate learning to gain knowledge and skills, including where not recognised in national qualifications.

21. Progress File supports the career planning process and the ILP can easily be used alongside Progress File to facilitate the process. More information about Progress File can be obtained from www.dfes.gov.uk/progfile/about.cfm

ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION BY 14-19 PATHFINDERS

22. A number of issues will need to be taken into consideration in implementing advice and support for pupils during the 14-19 phase. Some of the issues are highlighted below, but the list is not exhaustive:

Lead within the school. It is very important that the action planning process involving the KS3 review and the subsequent development of the ILP forms part of the ethos of the school and that it is coordinated with other initiatives and personnel operating in the school, through its pastoral support systems. Pathfinders may wish to encourage schools to nominate a member of the senior management team to oversee the process;

Implications for school based staff. We expect that in most instances, form tutors will take the lead in the development and construction of the ILP. However in some instances it will be beneficial to refer the young person to the Connexions PA for more intensive support e.g. young people at risk of disengaging from education and training. Pathfinders will want to consider where Connexions becomes involved and whether the Connexions PA should lead the process in particular circumstances;

The role of Assessment, Planning, Implementation and Review
The Connexions Framework for Assessment, Planning, Implementation and Review (APIR) is the preferred process for PAs to use as they work with a young person. The Framework has identified 18 factors which can impact, positively and negatively on a young person¡¦s participation and progression in learning. Once a young person has an ILP, the information collected can feed into the process outlined by the Framework. The ILP may initially identify where there are significant or multiple barriers to learning. A holistic and thorough assessment of need should then be carried out by Connexions;

The role of other initiatives ¡V Excellence Challenge, Excellence in Cities etc in providing advice and support to young people
Where more than one initiative exists, schools/colleges should consider co-ordination by the careers coordinator, so as to give coherence and avoid duplication. A protocol should be established to ensure that the services should complement one another and add value;

Workforce implications Consideration should be given to the workforce implications in schools, of leading the review process. Consideration will need to be given to the additional staff time required to undertake the review process especially with pupils in Year 9;

The training needs of teachers/lecturers and others in the KS3 review process
14-19 pathfinders will need to judge the training needs of staff involved in providing advice and support and ensure that all staff receive appropriate training to facilitate reviews with pupils. This will include ensuring that school-based staff have knowledge about provision outside the institution in which they are based, including post-16 options;

Links to Progress File. Pathfinders will need to think about the interaction between ILPs and Progress File and longer-term target setting and review.

NEXT STEPS

23. We intend to issue further comprehensive guidance in the autumn based on further work with individual schools and Connexions Partnerships, and drawing on the experiences of the 14-19 pathfinders.

CONTACT

If you have any enquiries about this guidance please contact

Robert Macpherson/Beatrice Coker
Connexions Service National Unit
Level 2
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
Tel: 020 7925 5263
Email Beatrice.coker@dfes.gsi.gov.uk

Issued March 2003