14-19 Centre Research Study Impact of Educational Reforms in Schools and Colleges in England This project was funded by QCDA

Labour government’s reform programme

CReSt 14-19: a multiple Case Study ,000,000 words of data

CReSt 14-19: a multiple Case Study Centres as cases Sampling cases Sampling cases during the period of the research Longitudinal research Project advisor Annual Conference Data collection Centre visits Interviews, focus groups, documentary evidence Online questionnaires Ethical Considerations Data analysis Reporting

DESCRIPTION OF CENTRES VISITED SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SIXTH FORM COLLEGE3 ACADEMY1 FURTHER EDUCATION COLLEGE2 INDEPENDENT1 SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTRES3 SPECIALIST COLLEGE1 Total18 LOCATION OF CENTRES VISITED NORTH7 CENTRAL2 SOUTH9 Total18 URBAN/CITY6 SUBURBAN/SMALL TOWN6 RURAL6 Total18

First level codes

Implementing the reforms a view from schools and colleges

Rolling out the reforms – the top-down model Parliament Civil service Local authorities Schools & colleges

What happens in practice – the bottom-up model Interpretation

Policy tests What do our students need? What do our stakeholders and community need? Best interest How long is this policy likely to last? Will this policy have continued political support? Longevity Is there an attractive funding stream associated? Can we continue to fund this? How will this affect the shape and capacity of the organisation? Sustainability

Policy tests Can this be done locally? Do other policies complement or conflict with this? (locally or nationally) Coherence Is this similar to previous policies? Is it better than previous policies? Doppelganger Are we required to do this by law? Are we obliged to do this by regulators? Is a powerful stakeholder (eg LEA) pressing for this? Compliance

The Reforms - The policy intent Policy coherence/Reform The Diploma Perceptions Curriculum demands, retention and resources Policy, uncertainty and funding issues Functional skills Barriers to success Raising the participation age Alternative qualifications - BTECs

The student experience and their views on the reforms

Student voice and participation There is no group whose view is more important in terms of reform than the young people themselves, that is why it s critical that the student voice is heard, at both local and national level... To make sure the student voice can be heard more than before we are strengthening the requirement for consortia to demonstrate their interaction with young people... (DCSF, 2009, pg 12, paras CReSt – including student perspectives: 45 focus groups (Y11, Y13, disengaged and Y10 and/or 12 where applicable) questionnaires

Methodological stance re: young people (i) To seek data in relation to the specific reform on inclusion of the student voice (ii) To consult with students about their educational experience (iii) To specifically consult with young people about their views on the reforms

Curriculum and assessment: changes and pressures achieving good grades was one of the most important aspects of their education Examinations, qualifications, and access to a range of these Young people and their education – what is important: Influence on learning, modular structures, range of qualifications, currency, fairness, ‘balanced individuals' Qualifications and examinations – views and perceptions: Areas of pressure - dominance of assessment in their lives vs need for qualifications optimising opportunities, relationships with teachers, examinations changing in situ Assessment: pressures, relationships and changes

Views on Reforms Raising of the Particiaption Age ‘not for everyone’ not law but individual choice GCSES/A levels A* at A2: more pressure, what is its worth? Exams being too easy – unfair and unfounded? Coursework – a fairness issue Starting GCSEs too early? Diplomas/BTECs Broad range of qualifications welcome Diplomas – harder than excepted, what is it worth? BTECs - very popular ‘a different way of doing things’ Reforms in General Amount of reforms, speed of reforms, qualification proliferation Exams here to stay – fairness, external, useful Funding cuts – university places and jobs Reforms