Where young people can study: Freedoms benefit from greater freedoms which include: Rochdale Secondary • freedom from local authority control; • the ability to set their own pay and conditions for staff; Secondary Schools across Rochdale Borough are improving • freedoms around the delivery of the curriculum; and educational outcomes for young people (aged 11+) through • the ability to change the lengths of terms and days modern, well equipped schools. By 2014, every Secondary Pathways & School will have been remodelled to transform them into Sponsors new and exciting learning spaces fit for the 21st century. Our Academies usually have a sponsor. Sponsors come from a Schools across the Borough are Brownhill Community, wide range of backgrounds including successful schools, Cardinal Langley RC High School & , Falinge Park businesses, , charities and faith bodies. Sponsors High School, Hollingworth , Holy Family RC & CE are held accountable for improving performance, Provision , Kingsway Park High School, Matthew Moss High achievement and aspirations. School, Middleton Technology School, Oulder Hill Community School & Language College, Redwood , Funding Siddal Moor Sports College, St. Anne’s Academy, St. Information Leaflet 2014/15 Academies receive the same level of pupil funding as they Cuthbert’s Business & Enterprise College and Wardle would receive from the local authority as a maintained Academy. school. They also receive additional funding to cover costs which are not provided by the local authority. Academies Sixth Form have greater freedom over how they use their budgets to best benefit their students. Academies receive their funding Sixth-form colleges are not part of the schools sector but directly from the Education Funding Agency (EFA) rather than institutions for young people and adults wishing to from local authorities. undertake A Levels or Vocational programmes. Rochdale Sixth Form College is our local provider, offering A Levels and Governance achieving ‘Outstanding’ from Ofsted during their 2013 The governance in an Academy is the same as in maintained inspection. schools but they have greater autonomy. Academies are also required to have at least two parent governors. (FE) Colleges Further education (FE) is a term mainly used in connection Free Schools with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post Free schools are schools set up in response to what local (16+). FE Colleges offer a wide range people say they want and need educationally for children in of courses/programmes including: basic skills training their community. through to vocational courses such as; City and Guilds, BTEC, Higher National Diploma’s or Foundation Degrees. Studio Schools is our local FE College, providing a wide range of vocational courses with excellent facilities on Studio schools offer academic and vocational qualifications, both campuses. but teach them in a practical and project-based way. Study is combined with work placements at local and national Technical College’s (UTC) employers who are involved in the school. University technical colleges (UTCs) are academies for 14 to Career College 19 year olds. They provide education that meets the needs of employers. They offer technical courses and work-related Career Colleges are a new concept in education, offering a learning, combined with academic studies. flexible pathway for 14 to 19 year olds. Young people study All UTCs: for high quality academic and vocational qualifications, combining core curriculum subjects with a vocational • are sponsored by a local university and employers specialism and hands-on projects. Progression opportunities • specialise in 2 curriculum areas (e.g. engineering and include apprenticeships and . science) • teach core GCSEs alongside technical qualifications Career Colleges are being established through existing • focus on sectors that require highly-specialised channels as part of an FE college and will specialise in equipment, e.g. Engineering, manufacturing and subjects and working in partnership with employers directly construction linked to industry sectors with good job prospects, including • develop young people’s business, ICT and design skills hospitality, catering and tourism; finance and insurance; preparing young people for a range of careers and health and care; cultural and creative arts; sports and events at 19 management; and construction. They will give young people • have 500 to 800 students a head start by developing their skills, knowledge and Academies experience, required by employers. Academies are publicly-funded independent schools. For further information, please contact: An Academy is different to a School in the following areas: Jo Manfred, Raising Participation team, Rochdale Borough Council, [email protected] / 01706 925155 Apprenticeships An Apprenticeship is a job with training designed specifically Young people usually take up to four subjects in Year 12. for the job role. This leads to nationally recognised After their AS level exams they drop one subject, and qualifications, so young people can earn while they learn. continue the other three through Year 13 to complete A Apprenticeships are open to anyone aged 16 or over, living in levels. , and not in full-time education. AS/A levels are mostly assessed by written exams, although Apprenticeships can take between one and four years to there’s also some coursework in most subjects. In subjects complete and cover 1200 job roles in a range of industries, like science and art, your son/daughter’s practical skills are from engineering to financial advice, veterinary nursing to assessed. accountancy.

They are currently available at three levels: • Intermediate: equivalent to five A* to C GCSE’s; Pathways & Provision • Advanced: equivalent to two A levels; and • Higher: typically incorporate vocational qualifications at Raising the Participation Age (RPA) came into effect from the start of the 2013/14 academic year and Local Authorities levels 4 and 5 or a foundation degree (LA’s) are subject to new duties to support all young people to participate. The Education and Skills Act places additional duties on Local Authorities to promote the participation of all 16 and 17 year old residents across Rochdale Apprenticeships allow young Borough and make arrangements to identify those residents in our area who are not participating. people to start and progress These complement the existing duties to secure sufficient suitable education and training provision for all 16-19 their careers: year olds and to encourage, enable and assist them to participate. They also complement the processes in place to • achieve qualifications; deliver the ‘September Guarantee’ and to track young people’s participation. • learn job-specific skills; • get quality training; and This leaflet has been developed as part of Rochdale Borough that employers require. They offer young people the • earn a salary Council’s continued support to teachers, governors, parents opportunity to undertake a work placement and work skills and carers to inform and raise awareness of the Pathways training, alongside support to improve their English and available Post 16 and where young people can choose to Maths. Depending on the young person’s needs, a range of For the employer, study from aged 14 ( 4). other support and flexible training may be offered to help Apprenticeships deliver them develop their skills and progress quickly onto an real business benefits, Post 16 Pathways/Programmes apprenticeship or secure other employment. including: • reducing recruitment and Youth Contract Traineeships commenced in August 2013 for 16-23 year-olds training costs; (and young people with learning difficulty assessments up The Youth Contract programme is in place to provide • increasing productivity; additional support to 16- and 17-year-olds not in education, to academic age 25). • developing a skilled, motivated and employment or training (NEET) and who have no GCSEs at qualified workforce; A*-C. The programme was developed to support disengaged 16-19 Study Programmes young people. 16-19 Study programmes commenced in September 2013. • improving customer service results; Students in full or part-time education aged 16 to 19 are now and Since the initial development, the Youth Contract’s expected to follow a study programme tailored to their • providing financial return on programme eligibility was further extended to support individual needs, education and employment goals, including investment. young people NEET aged 16 and 17 years including: students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. • Young people who are or were in care What this means: AS and A levels • Young people who have one GCSE at A*-C • All 16- to 19-year-olds will be offered study programmes AS and A levels are the traditional • Young offenders released from custody aimed at giving them the opportunity to move into higher qualifications offered by school sixth education or employment. forms and colleges for 16-19 year olds. They’re recognised and valued by Across Rochdale Borough, Positive Steps, Rathbones and • All students who are able will take either A levels, or a universities and employers and focus on Gingerbread are the commissioned providers who are qualification recognised by employers as being of real academic subjects, although some are delivering this programme. benefit to them in securing work or a university place. work-related. • Where appropriate, students will also take part in work Traineeships experience. AS levels can be taken as a stand- Traineeships will support young people to develop the skills alone qualification, or as the first • Students who don’t have a GCSE in English and Maths at they need to secure and succeed in employment, including part of an A level course. AS 16 will continue to study these subjects after 16. apprenticeships. levels are completed at the • Students who aren’t able to study a qualification will take end of Year 12. A2 exams Traineeships are a new programme for young people who a programme of work experience focusing on developing and coursework are added want to work, but who need extra help to gain an their employability skills, along with work to develop on to an AS level at the end apprenticeship or job. Traineeships will give young people the numeracy, literacy and other core education skills. of Year 13, bringing it up to A opportunity to develop the skills and workplace experience level standard.