Luton 14-19 Strategy Group

Luton 14-19 Education and Training Draft Strategy 2003-2006 Raising Achievement 14-19: A Framework for a Collaborative Response to Issues of Participation, Progression and Achievement Introduction Luton has a strong, well-established, and successful tertiary system well understood across the town. Processes for working together across sectors are well embedded in practice. In addition, the recent establishment of 16-19 provision for young people with Special Educational Needs at Woodlands Secondary School has been successful in promoting opportunities for this group. Luton’s 14-19 Strategy Group was established in Spring 2002 ‘to be pro-active in responding to Government initiatives and to tackle areas of relative weakness that have already been identified.’ The group provides through its work a sense of common purpose and direction for developments in Luton in partnership. Membership of the group includes LEA and LSC representatives, Connexions, Headteachers and FE Principals as well as a range of other partners. The Bedfordshire and Luton Area Survey, in process at the time the group was formed, was at that time beginning to identify issues. The work of the group initially focused on investigating further those issues identified in the Area Survey. More significantly, the group was able to gain an improved, shared understanding of the ’14-19 phase’. In an area with a well-established tertiary system, responsibilities had previously been seen to divide at 16, with the role of the LEA predominantly with the pre-16 phase and that of the LSC with post-16. At this time the 14-19 Strategy Group considers that there is no need to seek rationalisation of 16-19 provision in Luton. Our one school sixth form is of a sustainable size and there is no significant duplication of provision. A wide range of choice is available. Partnerships are well established and collaborative work is progressing well. Rationalisation of partnership groups will be sought to ensure both legitimacy for decisions made and effective implementation of actions. This three-year strategy builds on a 14-19 position statement, agreed by stakeholders in June 2003 and which identified a number of issues requiring further development and agreed initial actions for progress. Good progress has been made on these actions and there is now a need to review progress and consolidate our strategy. During autumn 2003, the membership of the 14-19 Strategy Group enlarged to enable a broader perspective. The strategy below was developed, within the same time frame as a self- evaluation review and is based on consultation with all partners. Actions for improvement are indicated: in many cases these link to other plans with clear outcomes and milestones. Other actions require further development to ensure effective implementation and impact. It will be an ongoing task for the 14-19 Strategy Group to develop and implement the strategy, to monitor its progress and success and to make 1 Page 1 of 26 changes if progress towards our overarching aims is delayed or ineffective. The group needs to take into account the views of young people themselves and of their parents. A key function will be to refine and evolve the strategy in the light of local, regional and national developments. One of the aims of the 14-19 curriculum reform is to transform the learning experience for young people, so that by the age of 16 they are committed to continuing learning, whether in school, college or the workplace. The 14-19 Strategy Group welcomes plans to make high quality vocational options available to all students and to encourage the strengthening of collaboration between providers. Within Luton, our commitment is to stretch all young people to achieve their full potential and prepare them for life, higher education and work in the 21st century. Young people in Luton will continue to be encouraged to develop qualities of self-esteem, responsibility and independence to engage as active citizens and lifelong learners. Vision for this statement: Ensuring an appropriate and motivating learning pathway for each individual learner between the ages of 14 and 19, which promotes equality of opportunity and high achievement. Aims: a) To promote the highest levels of engagement and achievement of all students in Luton at KS4 and post-16. b) To provide as a continuum a coherent and comprehensive curriculum choice which is available to all students from 14-19, including those with special educational needs, which provides challenging and motivating opportunities for progression to further learning, employment or other purposeful occupation. c) To ensure that all students are given impartial and relevant information and guidance on the range of 14-19 options available d) To respond to the needs of individual learners e) To promote a positive image of Luton for learners, practitioners and other communities. Partnerships/collaboration in place for implementation of the Strategy Key to groups, membership and responsibilities 14-19 Strategy Group Membership: WBL, Business in the Community, Education Business Partnership, Learning Partnership, secondary school Headteachers, FE College principals, LEA, Connexions, LSC Bedfordshire and Luton, University of Luton Responsibility: Strategy development, Advise on the direction of any additional resources, Monitoring and Evaluation Excellence in Luton Partnership Membership: LEA, Headteachers, LSC, Connexions, FE Principals 2 Page 2 of 26 Responsibility: Implementation of Excellence in Luton, monitoring and evaluation Aim Higher Steering Group Membership: LEA, Headteachers, LSC, Connexions, FE Principals, and Universities Responsibility: Implementation of Aim Higher Plan Heads and College Principals Membership: Headteachers, College Principals Responsibility: Strategic direction for proposals for the vocational curriculum Connexions Partnership Board Membership: Local Authority (LEA), Schools, Colleges, Health Service, Probation Service, Business Community, Voluntary Sector, Advice and Guidance (Careers) Company. Responsibility: Effective delivery of, and implementation of Connexions Strategy Curriculum Deputies Membership: School and Luton Sixth Form College curriculum deputies plus other relevant representatives by invitation Responsibility: Development and implementation of curriculum initiatives Increased Flexibility Steering Group Memberships: LEA, School representatives, FE College representatives, LSC, Connexions, BLEBP Responsibility:Steering group for increased flexibility (IF) project Luton Curriculum Network Subject Groups Membership: School and FE college representatives, with opportunity to involve training providers and employers Responsibility: subject curriculum development and implementation elearning@Luton Curriculum Advisory Group Membership: LEA, High school, FE and HE representatives. Adult and Community Learning representative, primary school representative, Lewsey Action Zone, strand manager Responsibility: Development and implementation of elearning opportunities Members of the 14-19 Strategy Group link to a number of other related, strategic, groups, some focused on Luton, others on the LSC area of Bedfordshire and Luton and others on wider partnerships. Membership of these groups is used to share ideas and promote networking to the advantage of 14-19 young people in Luton. These links, ‘spheres of influence’ are identified in Appendix 1. 3 Page 3 of 26 What do we know about the 14-19 population in Luton? Is the current configuration of provision best suited to the needs of learners? 1. Configuration of Provision There are 12 High Schools in Luton ranging in size from 825 to 1328 with a total net capacity of 12502 and providing for a total statutory secondary population of 12247 (January 2003), including two single sex schools and one voluntary aided catholic school with a sixth form. Two schools benefit from resourced provision for hearing impaired and physical/visual impairment. Up to four schools have and will benefit from an additional 232 basic need places over the period 2002/2003 to 2004/2005. In addition to the High Schools, there is a 140 f.t.e. place secondary special school (Woodlands Secondary school) catering for children with profound, severe and moderate learning difficulties and two PRUs (KS3 and KS4) catering for 30 f.t.e. pupils excluded from school. Some 45 children are educated at home. As a result of inward migration, numbers in the secondary sector will continue to rise to a peak of 12414 by 2006/7 before a slow decline occurs thereafter as a result of a decline in the primary population. However, Brownfield redevelopment will result in an additional 1385 dwellings being built over the period 2003-2011, adding a further 200 secondary age pupils to these estimates, resulting in a base statutory population of 12300-12600 over the next 6-8 years. Government proposals for new build outside the borough boundary to the North may also be a factor if this were to result in any boundary changes. The pupils and student projections for Luton indicate that the current pattern of provision for students 14-19 will need to be maintained over the period of the plan. Additional resources are needed for schools to provide accommodation for innovations in the curriculum, for additional community use and for increases in support staff. The Building Schools for the Future plan aims to address these accommodation needs, which will also be considered as the Extended schools strategy is developed. Cardinal Newman Catholic High School is an 11-18

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