Moving on from Key Stage 4 - the challenge for FE

A greater diversity of vocational-based qualifications is now available to 14-16 year old students in the United Kingdom (UK). General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) and National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are increasingly being offered to students at Key Stage 4 in order to broaden the available curriculum. Students are therefore undertaking further education (FE) with a broader range of vocational achievement and creating new demands for providers of post-16 education. Strategies to avoid duplication of learning, to ensure appropriate progression, and to maintain learning motivation are required to meet the diverse needs of these learners. This paper is based on a research project undertaken by the Further Education Development Agency (FEDA) in 1995 to investigate the practical issues involved in providing continuity and progression for students who had taken GNVQs and NVQs at Key Stage 4 and were entering FE. It identifies and explores key issues that schools and FE providers need to address to allow continuity of experience for these students. The value of school-college partnerships is explored and a range of case studies provide examples of good practice. Show less