Young Apprenticeships prove successful alternative to traditional Key Stage 4 provision

20 Oct 2006

Ofsted has published Evaluation of the young apprentiships programmes. Young Apprenticeships programmes are proving to be a successful alternative to the traditional Key Stage 4 curriculum.

Pupils get to spend two days per week working towards nationally recognised vocational qualifications, while still continuing to follow the core National Curriculum.

The programme began in September 2004 with 1,000 pupils being offered vocational opportunities in engineering, business and administration, motor, art and design, and health and social care industries.

In 2005, performing arts, textiles, hospitality, and sports management, leadership and coaching were added to the programme for 2,000 students. 50 days’ work experience is a feature of the programme.

Partnerships which worked best matched young people to placements which suited their chosen career path and were based on strong, collaborative networks supported by local authorities and learning and skills councils.

Miriam Rosen, Director of Education, said:

“The Young Apprenticeships programme has provided a successful alternative to traditional Key Stage 4 provision. In the most effective partnerships good teaching and training by appropriately qualified staff, fully developed individual learning plans, and high quality advice and guidance, are all helping to ensure that students achieve well.”

Effective partnerships provided consistently good work across a range of activities at different stages of the programme. Recruitment and selection procedures ensured that students were well suited to the programme and good teaching and training by appropriately qualified staff all helped to students to achieve well.

Although the scheme is working extremely well, more should be done to prevent gender stereotyping and encourage students from minority ethnic groups to participate in the programme.

Miriam Rosen added:

“Young Apprenticeships partnerships must ensure that students consolidate and extend their learning between sessions, tackle gender stereotyping and encourage students from minority ethnic backgrounds to participate in the programme.”

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Young Apprenticeships prove successful alternative to traditional Key Stage 4 provision

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