The University of Edinburgh, Moray House School of Education search help contact home CPA Nav Bar

Unifying Academic and Vocational Learning: Scottish and English/Welsh Approaches



Overview


A Research Project funded by the Scottish Executive
This was a joint project with Professor Michael Young and Ken Spours of the Post-16 Education Centre at the University of London Institute of Education. It explored issues in the ‘unification’ of academic and vocational learning in post-compulsory education and training, and compared the policy approaches being pursued in Scotland (exemplified by Higher Still) and in England and Wales (exemplified by the 1996 Dearing Review and the ensuing Qualifying for Success consultation). The main funding for this project ended in 1997-98, but during 1998-99 members of the research team made several further presentations based on the project and began work on a book based on its findings.
Key findings:
  • Higher Still has improved opportunities for middle- and lower- attaining 16 year olds staying on at school who were poorly served by the previous provision: they study for more qualifications, at more appropriate levels. It has also provided access to the national curriculum for many students with special needs;
  • Higher Still has had less impact on attainment. Students with poor Standard Grades still have much lower pass rates in their post-16 courses than their better-qualified peers– despite taking courses at levels matched to their Standard grade attainment. The aim of building a ‘climbing frame’ of learning opportunities, with flexible entry and exit points and flexible movement within the system, has proved difficult to realise;
  • The new National Qualifications (NQs) introduced by Higher Still have made less progress in colleges than in schools. In FE, NQs have added another set of qualifications to the available range rather than rationalising provision. But Higher Still has encouraged substantially more collaboration between schools and colleges;
  • Higher Still gives formal parity of status to vocational and academic courses, but it has had only a small effect on the actual choices of students. Better-qualified students continue to prefer academic to vocational subjects;
  • Higher Still has been used to enhance comprehensive education rather than to undermine it. It has not created a hierarchy of comprehensive schools, with some specialising as Intermediate schools and others as Advanced Higher schools;
  • The changes introduced by Higher Still are not complete. Schools and colleges are still finding new ways to use the new National Qualifications, for example to develop a more ‘flexible’ curriculum for 14-16 year olds.
    		•


    Researchers


    David Raffe, Cathy Howieson, (Centre for Educational Sociology, University of Edinburgh)
    Ken Spours and Michael Young (Institute of Education, University of London)


    Publications


    Published and working papers from this project are posted on this site as they become available. Publications from the Introduction of a Unified System Project are also available.