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British National Targets for Education and Training aim to raise attainment levels in education and training to world-class standards by the year 2000. Foundation Targets have been developed for young people and Lifetime Targets for those in the workforce. Foundation Target 1 states that by the age of 19, 85 per cent of young people will achieve five GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education) at Grade C or above, an Intermediate GNVQ (General National Vocational Qualification) or an NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) Level 2. Foundation Target 3 states that by the age of 21, 60 per cent of young people will achieve 2 GCE (General Certificate of Education) A-levels, an Advanced GNVQ or an NVQ Level 3. This document reports on research into progress towards Foundation Targets 1 and 3 in Government Office Regions in England. The research sought to identify the factors influencing variations in achievement of progress, effective strategies for raising attainment and accurate methods for monitoring progress towards the targets. Quantitative research was conducted using available data from various agencies, particularly the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Qualitative research involved interviews with personnel in Government Office Regions, Local Education Authorities (LEAs), Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs), schools and colleges. The report has five sections. The first section provides background information about the targets, the research aims and methodology and the report structure. The following section draws on the national and local data to provide a national and regional overview of progress towards the targets. The report then investigates the variations in achievement and concludes with strategies to improve progress. The appendices contain added information about the data collection. Show less

This study aimed to examine the potential contribution of Determined to Succeed (DtS) to improving the outcomes of young people at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) in both mainstream and non-mainstream settings. DtS is a long-term Scottish Executive strategy, which aims to prepare young people for the world of work through enterprising and entrepreneurial learning, work-based vocational learning and appropriately focused career education. There are teams in place throughout all 32 Scottish Local Authorities [LAs] to ensure delivery from 2003-2008. The overall aim of the phase one evaluation of DtS was to gather and analyse the views of key stakeholders on how the DtS strategy had developed the initial [Enterprise in Education] EinE infrastructure through learning and development, communication, curriculum design and revision, management, programme logistics and leadership. It also aimed to explore how successful inter-agency working had been in the early days of the strategy. Overall, the phase one evaluation revealed that LAs and schools had made considerable efforts to implement the DtS strategy. Evidence from the case study visits to 18 schools across six authorities showed that: all secondary schools had developed links with their local colleges in order to provide increased opportunities for vocational learning; and most teachers had received training and development related to DtS and felt more confident to develop their practice as a result. The evaluation identified 16 LAs which had not yet made much progress towards establishing strong partnerships with businesses. Despite these positive steps in implementing the strategy, the evaluation has identified other areas in which progress at this early stage of the implementation process had been more limited and where further development appeared to be needed. [Recommendations are made to address this situation].

Excerpts from published executive summary reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

A related report is indexed at TD/TNC 86.522. Show less

This study aimed to examine the potential contribution of Determined to Succeed (DtS) to improving the outcomes of young people at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) in both mainstream and non-mainstream settings. DtS is a long-term Scottish Executive strategy, which aims to prepare young people for the world of work through enterprising and entrepreneurial learning, work-based vocational learning and appropriately focused career education. There are teams in place throughout all 32 Scottish local authorities to ensure delivery from 2003-2008. The overall aim of this study was to identify the range of activities taking place in local authorities as a result of DtS, which may impact on young people at risk of becoming NEET. It also aimed to examine the context within which such activities were taking place, including their links with other relevant policies or initiatives and to examine the extent to which activities were developed by individual schools or within school clusters. In addition, it aimed to explore activities delivered through the mainstream curriculum as well as those outside the core timescale through external partners. This study has confirmed many of the findings of previous research relating to good practice in the delivery of projects and activities for young people at risk of becoming NEET. It has also shown that the 'at risk' group is not homogeneous and that it includes young people with a variety of, and at times complex, support needs which have to be addressed in different ways. This means that provision aimed at the 'at risk' group needs to be both flexible and diverse. It cannot rely on one type of provider alone, but should involve a variety of organisations and agencies which have the skills and expertise to address young people's needs in a professional way. Schools, providers and other agencies should work closely together to provide a continuous and consistent service to this vulnerable group of young people. The study has shown that even though the DtS strategy did not contain any specific recommendation relating to the 'at risk' group, it had enabled some authorities to expand, and in some cases initiate new, provision.

Excerpts from published executive summary reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

A related report is indexed at TD/TNC 86.521. Show less