Participation in Different Settings
14-19 Learning Pathways is about equality of opportunity for young people by ensuring that all learners have access to wider experiences. The Assembly Government is committed to achieving its goal of ensuring that by 2015, 95% of young people by the age of 25 will be ready for high skilled employment or higher education.
The policy will help to lift educational attainment at pre and post 16, reduce the number of young people leaving full time education with no qualifications; improve the proportion of 16 year olds progressing to further learning, or work based training; and reduce the number of 16-18 year olds not in education, employment or training (NEETS). It will achieve this by creating individual pathways aligned to the learner’s needs, interests and aspirations and by providing access to support services which helps them overcome any barriers to achieving their potential.
The policy is supported by the Learning and Skills (Wales) Measure 2009 which provides a statutory basis for co-operation between maintained schools and further education colleges and for the provision of a unique blend of learner support services such as Learning Coach, Personal Support and specialist services. Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that young people have access to these services which can help young people overcome any personal, social, emotional or learning related barriers to enable them to make informed choices and help them remain in learning.
The Measure also ensures that learners are able to choose a course of study from a wide range of options comprising both vocational and academic courses, which was implemented from September 2009 for pre 16 (Key Stage 4) pupils. By 2012 all year 10 pupils will be able to elect from a course of study from a local area curriculum, known as an ‘options Menu’, which must comprise of a minimum of 30 course choices, including at least 5 vocational courses.
