Department of Education
University of Oxford
15 Norham Gardens
Oxford
OX2 6PY
UK
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The Nuffield Review is thorough and critical, embracing every aspect of education and training 14-19, namely:
aims and underlying values of this phase of education
the historical context
demands upon schools and colleges from learners, community and employers
needs of special groups: SEN, gifted, drop-outs, young offenders
appropriate curriculum and learning opportunities for meeting these demands
framework of qualifications
progression and pathways into work, further training and higher education
patterns of institutional provision (including work-based learning)
links between education / training, and economic performance
appropriate funding arrangements
national and regional responsibility for planning and accountability
comparative dimension
quality assurance: inspection and monitoring
economic costs and returns of investment in education and training
resources (including supply of teachers)
However, a crucial part of the Review is the scrutiny of different data bases upon which decisions are made both nationally and regionally, seeing where there are gaps and deficiencies and where greater coherence might be obtained.
The Review is exactly that – a review of existing provision and of the relevant research and development, rather than the conduct of original research. But one result of such a review will be the identification of where further research is needed and the consequent development of research proposals in co-operation with other bodies.
Mode of working
The Nuffield Review works through the commissioning of papers from researchers, administrators, head teachers and principals, delivered at a series of meetings and seminars. A 'Core Group' of people drawn from government departments and agencies, learning authorities, research centres, universities, schools, colleges, private training providers, awarding bodies, employers, voluntary bodies and charities attend the various meetings and engage critically with the presentations. Discussion papers arising from these meetings are published on this website, and provoke further critical and informed discussion.
The Review also regularly holds expert workshops on important issues in 14-19, including: NEET and the labour market; apprenticeships; strategies for engaging youth.
From 2007 the Review will publish 'Issues Papers' to highlight some of the issues concerning 14-19 education and training, to identify key research findings and to suggest possible ways forward.
In the first Annual Report (October 2004), key questions were identified which shaped the Review's work for the second year:
Should there be a set of common values and purposes to underpin any future 14-19 phase? If so, what should they be?
What additional data do we need in order to understand more thoroughly learner movement and performance within the emergent 14-19 phase and how might these data be obtained and used to inform policy and practice?
How might we make further use of international comparative data as a lens on 14-19 system performance in the countries across the UK?
What kind of curricula and learning experiences might be needed in the 14-19 phase to meet the needs and aspirations of all young people and of wider society?
In what ways has the learner’s voice been articulated in relation to research, policy and practice in 14-19 education and training, and how might young people’s contribution in these areas be enhanced?
What institutional arrangements might be necessary to underpin clear and effective progression routes for all 14-19 year-olds?
How far will current government reforms (e.g. those proposed by the Tomlinson Working Group on 14-19 Reform and those resulting from the role of the LSC in planning and funding 14-19 education) address the underlying issues affecting equity, participation, progression and attainment in an emerging 14-19 phase?
What can be done to strengthen vocational education and training and to what extent can this be achieved by current or proposed reforms?
What lessons about policies, policymaking and policy implementation for the 14-19 phase can be learned both from the past and from the different policy processes in and across the countries which make up the UK and beyond?
How might we measure performance – across the 14-19 system as a whole; at the level of individual institutions; and at the level of young people themselves – while avoiding ‘perverse policy outcomes’?
Arising from these questions, the second year focused in more detail on the following:
aims, learning and curriculum
the dynamics of the system
the institutional dimension
These three areas form the chapters in the second Annual Report (published October 2005).
The third year of the Review focused on:
14-19 policy and organisational developments in England
14-19 institutional developments in Wales
Young people outside education and training
Articulation between 14-19 and higher education
The education of 14-19 year-olds
These themes are investigated in the third Annual Report, which was published in October 2006.
The questions shaping the Review from October 2006 are:
Aims
What capacities, skills, qualities and understandings should all young people be helped to acquire in order to prepare for the future and to live fulfilling lives?
Social and economic context
What are the possible social and economic scenarios that young people might face over the next 25 years, and what are their implications for the education and training system?
Learning
How might a broader approach to learning (e.g. more practical and experiential) be developed and recognised in school, college and workplace?
Social justice
To what extent does the 14-19 education and training system secure a minimum of skills and capabilities for all young people, offer equality of opportunity, and achieve fairness in learning outcomes?
Diversity
How might the educational and training systems respect and benefit from diversity and ensure a more personalised response to learning needs?
Curriculum
What curriculum reforms are needed to reflect a broader approach to learning and to meet the future needs of the learners, the employers and the wider society?
Assessment
How might a range of achievements, broader than those assessed by traditional examinations, be recognised and awarded?
Qualifications
How might a reformed qualifications system reflect achievement at different levels, provide a flexible route through the system, and meet the needs of learners, employers and higher education?
Barriers to learning
What are the most significant social and economic barriers to learning?
Apprenticeships
How might apprenticeships be improved in content and organisation to meet the needs of learners, employers and higher education?
Teaching
What implications do future developments have for the role, initial training and professional development of teachers, lecturers and other education professionals?
Providers and organisations
What system of organisation and delivery (e.g. strongly collaborative partnerships, or links with employers and youth service) will be required to meet future aspirations and needs?
Progression
What steps need to be taken to ensure smooth progression for all learners within the 14-19 phase and into higher education, further training, and employment?
Policy
At what level of governance, and involving what range of partners, should decisions be made about learning, curriculum and assessment, and what implications does this have for the policy process?
The Nuffield Review, therefore, will continue to argue for a vision of education and training which is soundly based on evidence, including how other countries envisage the future of their education and training systems.
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