Staff shortages are among “capacity issues” in the post-16 system that will limit the reforms recommended by the government’s curriculum and assessment review.
Review chair Professor Becky Francis told the Association of Colleges annual conference today that “major change” in 16 to 19 education is unlikely to be proposed because resources are “stretched very thin”.
Francis said: “I’ve talked about the issues around teacher and lecturer supply and so forth, and we’re aware that it’s no good trying to engineer a major change if there’s not the implementation on the ground to deliver it”.
So the focus will be on “key issues” rather than recommending major changes that could destabilise the wider system, and avoid reform to parts of the system that are currently “going really well”.
Dilemmas and trade offs
The keynote speech hinted at the potential direction of recommendations, including around the English and maths resit policy, as part of the review’s “rigorously evidenced and data-informed” approach.
Francis said: “As we know, a grade 4 in maths and English is a relatively random indicator.
“Those that just scrape their grade 4 are likely to have significant gaps in their knowledge, but they escape having to retake further, whereas their peers, who just miss their grade 4 must continue to retake, sometimes with very limited success.
“And I guess the key point here is that there are many trade-offs – addressing things often implies putting things in as well, which we want to avoid.”
Francis flagged the resits policy as “a good example” of “a difference between curriculum in theory and curriculum in practice” because there are “constraints on the ground in relation to teacher supply and so forth.”
Flagging the government’s parallel rapid review of level 3 qualifications, Francis told AoC delegates she was working closely with DfE officials to “minimise disruption or mixed messages.”
The level 3 review is expected to clarify the new government’s position on what qualifications should be available to young people following the row over the defunding of applied general qualifications, like BTECs. That review is due to report by the end of next month.
Other FE trends
Feedback from engagement events so far suggest that many in FE value the “diversity of options” available to students.
However, there are concerns about “an ongoing lack of awareness about some routes” such as T Levels, apprenticeships, and other vocational routes.
At the same time, complexity of pathways between level 2 and 3 has also issue raised with the panel.
The panel’s public call for evidence closes next Friday, November 22.
Principals Lisa O’Loughlin, from Nelson and Colne College, and John Laramy, from Exeter College, are members of the panel alongside Francis.
An interim report from the review is expected in early 2025 with a final report due in autumn 2025.
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