Perspectives on how a technical pathway can be built from KS4 to KS5 Tricia Banks and Ruth Carter Sector Specialists – Business Engagement Team

About OCR OCR is a not-for-profit organisation. For us, success is measured through the impact and reach of our activities and the scale of our contribution in helping students realise their aspirations. Our purpose is to work in partnership with others to provide general and vocational qualifications that support education in ways that enable students: to reach their full potential to gain the knowledge and skills they need for their future to recognise and celebrate their achievements. We develop our qualifications by talking to teachers, organisations and employers about meeting the needs of learners looking for employment in today’s world. We work closely with industry leaders and government to ensure our qualifications meet requirements set by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). Back in 1987, RSA (the ‘R’ in OCR) launched CLAiT – a qualification that helped up-skill office workers without the IT skills needed to use computers. It was incredibly successful with over 2.5 million CLAiT certificates issued since then. Whilst some of the basics have stayed the same, the environment has changed with, for example, a need for individuals to understand how they stay safe online, how to complete online forms and have an understanding of cloud computing. So we have recently launched a new Digital Employability qualification which encompasses the skills and knowledge needed to participate safely as a digital citizen and to demonstrate to an employer that an individual has the basic digital skills it requires.

Key stage 4 and 5 offer

Business Engagement Sector Specialists sit within OCR’s Business Engagement Team We work with employers to ensure that : qualification content is fit for purpose qualifications are recognised by employers when recruiting qualifications help to prepare young people enter the job market learning is realistic and relevant to both the learner and the employer – Project Led Approaches

meaningful employer involvement Learners undertake structured work experience or work placements that develop skills and knowledge relevant to the qualification. Learners undertake project(s), exercises(s) and/or assessments/examination(s) set with input from industry practitioner(s). Learners take one or more units delivered or co-delivered by an industry practitioner(s). This could take the form of master classes or guest lectures. Industry practitioners operating as ‘expert witnesses’ that contribute to the assessment of a learner’s work or practice, operating within a specified assessment framework. This may be a specific project(s), exercise(s) or examination(s), or all assessments for a qualification.

initial advice and guidance IAG – Relevant Opportunity to involve employers Focus on the interests of the students

OCR Project Approach Developed in conjunction with employers and/or organisations Look at the full range of qualification units selected and consider how they are or could be linked together – a holistic approach. A holistic approach provides a structured plan to teach how a range of topics work together across a number of units, providing an understanding of how skills and knowledge link together in a working environment. Projects can be delivered collaboratively between a number of different specialist tutors. In project based learning, students work for a purpose that is greater than the requirements of the curriculum. They may: build something , address a question, solve a real problem or address a real need

OCR Project Approach (2) Effective projects share a number of characteristics. They will: Be authentic, have a clear purpose, begin with a question/problem, end with a product/solution , have visible outputs, incorporate reflection, revision and feedback and involve employers There are a number of benefits: Students: take ownership, are challenged, have pride in their work, can develop ambitions, learning is relevant to the real world and meaningful and there are opportunities to develop the soft skills that employers seek There are also a number of benefits for the school or college: Motivated students who attend, participate, achieve and progress Employer engagement brings opportunities to widen community involvement within the school/college and School/college meets local employer needs

OCR Project Approach (3)

Thank you Tricia Banks Sector Specialist (Health and Social Care) tricia.banks@ocr.org.uk Ruth Carter Sector Specialist (Employability, English and maths) ruth.carter@ocr.org.uk @ ocr_vocational