Background to the Research

• The NI Curriculum Cohort Study began in 1996, and originally tracked 3,000 young people from a representative sample of NI schools through their 5 years of post-primary education.
• In order to examine how their educational experiences and attitudes to the school curriculum shaped the young people's post-16 paths, the study was extended for 2 years beyond compulsory schooling.
• This study aimed to document the post-16 destinations of all the 3,000 young people; to examine the efficacy of age 16-19 education, and young people's perspectives on post-16 work-related training and employment; and to explore young people's perceptions of the curriculum at Key stages 3 and 4.
  

Research Approach

• A data collection exercise ascertained the post-16 destinations of the full cohort study sample of young people.
• Individual interviews were carried out with 100 of these young people from a range of post-16 destinations: AS/A2 levels, AVCE's, ND's, work-related training, employment and job seeking.
  

Main Findings

• 70% of the sample continued in education post-16, predominantly in a school setting, and to a lesser extent at an FE college.
• 13% of the sample entered work-related training. Twice the proportion of boys to girls, and double the proportion of working class to middle class young people, chose this path.
• 8% of the sample entered employment, while 2% were job seeking/unemployed.
• The destination of 3% included motherhood, emigration and illness, with the destination of the final 4% unknown.
• The principal factor that independently increased the probability of entering post-16 education was performance at GCSE/GNVQ - as scores increased, the odds of continuing in education increased. After this, other factors which independently increased the probability were the year 12 school having a sixth form, the student's degree of engagement with learning in year 12, gender (being female), and one's own perception of progress.
• The location, size, religious management, pupil constitution, social class, and attending a grammar school did not increase a young person's likelihood of entering post-16 education.
• Of those 100 students interviewed, those studying for AS/A2 levels had attained the highest GCSE/GNVQ results.
• The reasons given for their post-16 destinations focused on future aspirations, family and school, rather than GCSE/GNVQ results.
• In terms of perspectives on post-16 education, the majority of the AS/A2 level and ACVE/ND interviewees favoured the specialisation of post-16 education.
• The AS/A2 level interviewees were generally positive about the structure of their courses, although both these and ACVE interviewees had felt that assessment dominated their education. The amount rather than the level of work was more of a challenge.
• The 26 work-related training interviewees reported they were enjoying their courses, and all regarded the work load as manageable. · The 10 employed interviewees offered mixed views, often dependent on features of their occupation, such as future prospects.
• In terms of retrospective opinions of post-primary curriculum, Key stages 3 and 4 appear proficient in equipping young people for the next phase in education, but are less adept at preparing them if they leave formal education at 16.
• All but 1 of the 100 interviewees expressed some basic support for the curriculum. Five sixths did offer suggestions for areas of improvement.
• With hindsight, 1/3 of the interviewees explicitly supported the timetable allocation for English and Mathematics.
• Suggested amendments to the post-primary curriculum included an increased emphasis on skills, personal and social development, changes to the content and mediation of subjects, and the inclusion of vocational learning.

Conclusions

• The retrospective warming of the young people to the curriculum may be too late. Statistical analysis shows that engagement with learning in year 12 has an influence over and above GCSE/GNVQ performance. Thus, as engagement with learning increased, the probability of a young person entering post-16 education increased.
• It would be desirable to enhance appreciation of the curriculum whilst young people are still in compulsory education, possibly by considering the suggestions for improvement offered by the 100 young people interviewed.
• The research raised questions, including those relating to the issues of enhancements to school sixth forms, raising the status of post-16 education at FE colleges, careers education, variety in post-16 education, and the level of work involved.