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The Annual Report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools

Post-compulsory education

Introduction

154 This section reflects the range of OFSTED's work, including the new responsibilities for the inspection of post-compulsory education and training. It reports on the quality of work in sixth forms in schools, on the quality and range of provision identified through area-wide inspections, and on the outcomes of the first inspections of further education (FE) colleges undertaken by OFSTED. It also reports on the quality and standards achieved by 15-17-year-olds in the juvenile estate and prisons; the quality and value for money provided by local authority youth services; and the quality of work of a sample of National Voluntary Youth Organisations (NVYOs).

Participation

155 At the end of 2000, just over 87 per cent of 16-year-olds stayed on in full-time education and training.⁴ About 72 per cent of 16-year-olds were in education, divided roughly equally between schools (including independent schools) and further education colleges. The area-wide inspection programme showed that some local education authorities (LEAs) have been particularly successful in encouraging students from minority ethnic communities to continue with their education.

156 Chart 15 shows the percentage of 16-18-year-old students participating in full-time education and training for the period 1990-2000. There was a slight increase in participation rates last year, although levels remain lower than in 1995. Three-quarters of 16-18-year-olds participate in education or training.

Chart 15 Participation in education and training of 16-18-year-olds, England, 1990-2000

Chart 16 Performance of 17-year-old candidates attempting two or more GCE a/AS levels or Advanced GNVQ* in maintained secondary schools

Sixth forms in schools

Educational standards achieved

157 Evidence from inspection continues to show gradual improvements in the achievement of sixth-form students. Changes in the way in which examination results are analysed and presented make it impossible to compare directly this year's results with those of previous years. The new approach, introduced as part of the Qualifying for Success reforms of September 2000, presents post-16 results cumulatively over the past two years, and should reflect more appropriately the "building block" approach of the post-16 examination system.⁵

158 The total average points score for students aged 17 or 18 taking GCE Advanced (A) Levels or equivalent in sixth forms in maintained schools was 17.4 in 2001. This compares with 17.9 in sixth-form colleges, 12.2 in further education colleges, and 24.6 in independent schools. Female candidates in maintained schools achieved an average points score of 17.9, compared with 16.9 for male students.⁶

159 There continue to be wide variations in the average scores of different sixth forms. Chart 16 shows the average GCE A/Advanced Subsidiary (AS)-level points score per candidate in each school in 2001 against the GCSE scores obtained by the same candidates two years earlier. The pattern of differences between small and large sixth forms is a familiar one (see charts 69-71 in Annex 3). Small sixth forms are often in areas of high social and economic disadvantage; they tend to recruit students with relatively low levels of prior attainment, and these students generally achieve lower points scores than those in schools with large sixth forms. In some cases, however, the supportive environment of small sixth forms encourages students who would otherwise be lost to the system to remain in education.

160 Students' achievements across all subject areas in sixth forms were satisfactory or better in almost all schools and were good or better in seven out of ten cases. In some lessons, students were producing work that bore favourable comparison with what might be expected in the first year of university education. Able students were highly knowledgeable about their subject, articulate and challenging in discussion, and skilled in analysing and synthesising complex information. Where standards were unsatisfactory, students frequently lacked confidence and were reticent in discussion.

Quality of education

161 The quality of teaching was almost always at least satisfactory, and was good or better in eight out of ten lessons. The pattern of strengths and weaknesses observed in full inspections reflects those noted in previous reports. Teachers' subject knowledge and understanding and their relationships with students remain very strong aspects. The quality and use of assessment, the use of homework and the teaching of basic skills are areas that could be improved (see chart 17).

Chart 17 Quality of teaching at post-16 (percentage of schools having full inspections)

162 Class size had an effect on the levels of achievement in some lessons. Where class sizes were very small - in some cases fewer than five students - this often inhibited the exchange of views and discussion that are features of stimulating sessions taught to larger groups.

163 Sixth-form students are highly positive about their work, loyal to their schools, and enjoy mature working relationships with their teachers. They respond well to the opportunity to accept responsibility, and are frequently involved in work with younger pupils through mentoring and paired reading schemes.

164 The range and variety of the curriculum offered by school sixth forms are related closely to their size. Some small school sixth forms with fewer than 100 students, or in some cases fewer than 50 students, can offer only a very restricted curriculum choice. Some large sixth forms with more than 250 students provide a choice of over 25 AS and A-level subjects and a wide range of General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQ) courses at intermediate and advanced levels. However, it is not impossible for smaller sixth forms to make satisfactory arrangements for their students. Increasingly, they are seeking to make collaborative arrangements with neighbouring schools.

165 It is unusual to find sixth forms, other than those in denominational schools, that meet fully their legal obligations in respect of religious education and daily acts of worship. At best, aspects of religious education might be incorporated in general studies programmes or covered in occasional days set aside specifically for this purpose.

166 Most large sixth forms offer their students wide-ranging enrichment programmes and provide them with the opportunity of contributing generally to the life of the school and the local community. Smaller sixth forms often lack the resources to provide more than a minimum timetabled enrichment programme. At both A and AS levels, general studies is the most frequently taken subject, accounting for 13 per cent of all A-level entries and nearly a fifth of all AS entries.

167 Sixth-form students feel generally well supported in civilised communities that are helping them to prepare effectively for their future. Almost all schools provide induction programmes for students, sometimes involving residential experience. Students often feel, however, that they are not well enough informed about the expectations of particular subjects or well prepared for the rise in demand between GCSE and advanced level work. Most schools make provision for students to try out subjects before deciding which courses they wish to take and are flexible in allowing students to change courses where this is practicable.

168 All schools set minimum entry requirements for sixth-form entry - usually four or five GCSE passes at grade C or above. Sometimes, however, entry requirements are interpreted too liberally, with the result that some students are accepted for courses where they have little chance of success.

169 Regular tutorial time is generally set aside for tutors to meet with students, but this time is not always used effectively. Tutor group time too often deals only with routine administrative matters. Tutors are also occasionally reluctant to challenge students over poor attendance and punctuality. Students appreciate the detailed support they are given over applications to higher education, whether this comes from within the schools or from specialist advisers from the careers companies. However, students are not always as well informed about employment or the training opportunities available to them. Staff are always available to advise students when examination results are published in August.

Management and efficiency

170 Almost all sixth forms are well managed. The post of head of sixth form is normally a key position within a school's senior management team. Most schools attempt to give their sixth forms a distinctive ethos by establishing separate sixth-form centres. In large sixth forms, students usually have access to teaching rooms, independent study facilities, libraries and information and communication technology (ICT) equipment, as well as spacious recreational areas. Students in small sixth forms in less favoured circumstances are generally less well served; inspectors drew attention to some cramped and poorly decorated accommodation and limited library, private study and social facilities.

171 Students are generally well informed about their progress and what they need to do to improve. Most schools collect a wide range of data on students' performance across different subjects and many subscribe to one of the value-added systems available. Practice, however, in the use of data to set targets, the monitoring of students' progress and the evaluation of the effectiveness of the sixth form, is variable.

172 Senior managers realise the necessity of having good information on the costs of running sixth forms. However, they have not always had access to a reliable methodology for doing this. They rarely know, for example, how much it costs for students to achieve their qualifications. Evidence from area-wide inspections suggests that the cost of a student achieving two A Levels or an advanced GNVQ can vary widely, by several thousand pounds in extreme cases.

173 Most sixth forms are cost-effective, but about one in ten is not; for sixth forms with 100 or fewer students, almost one-third are not cost-effective (see chart 70 in Annex 3). Low completion and success rates make some sixth-form provision very expensive.

174 As was reported last year, most schools allocate an appropriate amount of funding to the staffing of their sixth forms, based on age-weighted pupil units. In most schools any differences between the costs devoted to the sixth form and the income received for it are slight, but in about one in ten schools the difference can be as much as five percentage points.

Curriculum 2000: the new post-16 qualifications.

175 In autumn 2000, HMI began a two-year evaluation of the new post-16 qualifications in eight key AS, A2 and advanced vocational certificate of education (AVCE) subject areas. Specifications for AS courses have generally been well devised, but in a few subjects the content has been pitched at too high or low a level overall, or varies excessively in amount between units. Course planning has been adversely affected by this and by the time constraints imposed by the extended public examination period.

176 Teachers have faced a considerable challenge in preparing to teach AS and AVCE courses. In many cases course specifications were received late, and the initial training courses provided by the awarding bodies often failed to give teachers sufficient guidance on their interpretation and use. Initially, about a quarter of sixth-form subject teachers were unclear about the standards required by the AS qualification. They tended as a result to cover more ground than was necessary. The level of understanding has improved in the second part of the year. Few schools had written schemes of work for the AS courses in place before they began to teach them, and in a significant number of schools there was poor co-ordination between staff teaching different units.

177 Students have mostly responded well to the challenge of the new courses, although there has been a perceptible decline in motivation as the year has progressed. Although students have reacted positively to the opportunity to study at least four AS or AVCE courses, many now find that they have less time for social and cultural activities outside their main areas of study. Few students are likely to continue with four or more subjects in the second year of post-16 study.

178 Students have been generally well advised about their choice of AS or AVCE subjects. There have, nonetheless, been wide variations in retention rates, reflecting the variations in the quality of advice and support given to students on courses. In some cases retention has been 100 per cent. By contrast, where students have been less well supported and their progress inadequately monitored - or where they were unsuited for the course in the first place - retention rates have been poorer.

179 In over half the schools the curriculum breadth is good, although few schools make it a requirement that students choose a broad range of subjects. About a third of schools have reduced their enrichment programmes to a minimal level in order to offer a wide range of AS subjects. Few schools have attempted to teach and assess all the key skills at level 3 and many schools have found the associated assessment requirements burdensome. Students are not enthusiastic about the value of the key skills qualification.

180 Although there has been little increase in costs directly associated with staffing the new curriculum, there have been significant increases in resource and examination entry costs. The introduction of Curriculum 2000 has been well managed, but there is little evidence yet that it has promoted increased collaboration between schools and colleges.

Area-wide inspections

181 Over the last academic year, OFSTED has continued its programme of area-wide inspections, undertaken to evaluate the quality of all post-16 education and training provided by schools, colleges and training providers across an area - normally a single education authority. Thirty of these inspections have now been completed. The first round of area-wide inspections has concentrated mainly, although not exclusively, on areas of relatively high educational and social disadvantage, and to this extent the evidence and findings are not necessarily representative of the educational system as a whole.

182 Area-wide inspections were previously undertaken in conjunction with the Further Education Funding Council and the Training Standards Council inspectorates. Since the implementation of the Learning and Skills Act (April 2001), area-wide inspections are joint inspections with the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI), and the findings are reported in the first instance to the Local Learning and Skills Councils.

183 The findings of area-wide inspections indicate that A-level completion rates in schools are generally higher than those in colleges. Retention rates on GNVQ and National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) courses are more varied, but are frequently better in colleges than in schools. There are extremely wide variations in post-16 staying-on rates between different areas, and often between institutions in the same area.

184 Much of the work observed on area-wide inspections was broadly satisfactory, but there was relatively little excellent work seen. Progression to higher education courses in these areas is generally lower than the national average.

185 Colleges have generally made more progress in introducing the new key skills qualification than schools, and overall make the best provision for students on level one (foundation) and level 2 (intermediate) programmes. Post-16 students are generally extremely well motivated and appreciative of the education they receive. A high proportion of the teaching and learning seen was of good quality.

186 The lack of strategic direction and co-ordination of 16-19 education and training has been a common feature of many of the areas inspected. The introduction of Local Learning and Skills Councils and new funding regimes will oblige providers to look more critically at the rationale behind what they offer and ensure that planning takes account of the needs of the area as a whole and avoids unnecessary duplication. It will also be crucial to ensure that all students receive clear, full and objective information about the range of education and training opportunities available to them post-16. Currently, the evidence is that students are too often only partially informed about alternatives to school sixth forms.

187 A number of key issues emerging from these inspections highlight the action that needs to be taken to improve post-16 provision generally:

• greater co-operation is needed between school sixth forms, or between school sixth forms and colleges, to ensure that post-16 students have access to as wide a choice as possible of high-quality post-16 courses;
• guidance and advice in Key Stage 4 too often fail to make students aware of the full range of options available to them post-16; students are particularly poorly-informed about the training opportunities available;
• schools and colleges need to make greater use of quality assurance processes and value-added measures to identify areas needing improvement;
• in some schools and colleges, students are accepted for advanced courses when they have little prospect of completing them successfully;
• the basis for post-16 work is often insufficiently well established in Key Stages 3 and 4; post-16 students are often hindered by a lack of confidence in oral and written work;
• frequently there is insufficient provision of entry and foundation level courses, basic skills programmes, and programmes for students with learning difficulties;
• work-based training is highly variable in quality.

The inspection of colleges and the new post-16 arrangements

188 The Learning and Skills Act 2000 extended OFSTED's remit to include the inspection of the education of 16-18-year-olds in sixth-form colleges, tertiary colleges and further education (FE) colleges from April 2001. Most inspections of colleges will be joint inspections with the ALI, which has the remit for learners of 19 and over. All inspections are carried out in accordance with the new Common Inspection Framework. Sixth forms in schools will continue to be inspected under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act, but the process of inspecting post-16 education in schools has been modified to meet OFSTED's commitment to harmonising the inspection of sixth forms in schools and post-16 education in colleges. From September 2001 onwards, therefore, there is a significantly increased inspection focus on school sixth forms, carried out according to a modified inspection schedule.

189 The Government has stressed that the new legislation places the individual learner as the central focus. The primary task of inspectors is, therefore, the direct observation of teaching and training sessions. Teaching, learning and attainment are now evaluated by inspectors according to two age categories: learners aged 16-18, and those aged 19 and above.

190 Five general FE colleges were inspected in the summer term of the academic year 2000/01, using the new Common Inspection Framework. These particular colleges were chosen because they had not been inspected in the Further Education Funding Council inspectorate's second cycle; they also represented a geographical spread and offered provision which spanned both the OFSTED and the ALI remits. Although the sample was small and unrepresentative, some common issues emerged, to a greater or lesser extent, from all five.

191 Colleges generally offer a wide range of courses at all levels. The level of academic and personal support offered to students is high, and priority is given to ensuring that students are well prepared to progress to higher level courses, where this is appropriate. The needs of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are particularly well served. Students feel that they have good relationships with their teachers and that they are able to study in a pleasant, supportive environment.

192 A number of areas for improvement have been identified, particularly some poor retention, completion and pass rates, and weak quality assurance procedures, with insufficient monitoring of teaching and learning in the classroom. Two out of the five colleges were judged to be inadequate overall and will be subject to full re-inspection within two years; in three out of the five colleges, leadership and management were unsatisfactory. While the sample of colleges inspected in the first term was small, it is of concern that the teaching and learning were unsatisfactory in nearly one in five of the lessons for 16-18-year-olds. The most frequently encountered weaknesses were:

• poor planning;
• inadequate professional up-dating of teachers of vocational subjects, and insufficient recent industrial or commercial experience;
• an absence of initial assessment, and a subsequent lack of recognition that students of different abilities may require different tasks;
• insufficient focus on what students are actually learning;
• a failure to identify and respond to students with low levels of literacy and numeracy.

Prison education

193 During 2000/01, HMI accompanied inspectors from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons on visits to all 13 establishments in the juvenile estate, and to four prisons holding girls aged 15-17 years, to inspect the educational provision.

Induction and initial assessment

194 Basic skills test results show that in some establishments between 60 and 80 per cent of new arrivals are at or below Level 1 in numeracy and literacy. The test results, a key factor in determining the type and level of educational programme to be followed by an individual student, need, however, to be treated with a degree of caution. For example, the tests are not always completed in confidential settings, some students do not take the test seriously, and others are in no state of mind to perform to the best of their ability. Screening for dyslexia is carried out in some establishments, but not all.

195 The quality of information provided by Youth Offending Teams about students' previous educational background and prior attainment is, in the majority of cases, too general and vague. Education staff are insufficiently involved in the sentence-planning process, and consequently the quality of the target-setting at the initial case conference and subsequent review meetings is poor.

196 The best practice was identified in those establishments that offered detailed and thorough needs assessment, including the provision of up-to-date information, the opportunity for one-to-one guidance, and the provision of taster courses and relevant programmes at appropriate levels to meet individual needs.

The quality of teaching and learning

197 Almost 150 teaching sessions were observed over the course of the year. Standards of teaching and learning in the vocational areas, life and social skills and ICT were generally at least satisfactory. Where students had been carefully assessed and realistic targets set, good progress was made and students responded well.

198 The quality of teaching in numeracy, however, was less than satisfactory in nearly four out of every ten classes observed. For example, there was excessive use of repetitive, individual worksheets, even though many students had poor reading skills and were unable to cope with the tasks set. The teaching of literacy was better than that of numeracy, but it was still an area of concern, with three out of every ten lessons judged to be poor.

199 In classes where the teaching was unsatisfactory, expectations were low and students soon became disruptive. Many students, waiting for the attention and the support they needed, lacked concentration and became restless. The difficulties of teaching in these institutions are considerable. The task is almost impossible in some establishments because of the constantly changing prison population, staff shortages, unpredictable patterns of attendance and highly varying degrees of motivation.

The curriculum

200 All establishments are aware of and base their provision on the National Core Curriculum specified by the Prison Service and on the requirements and emerging policies of the Youth Justice Board. Any provision beyond the Core Curriculum is at the discretion of individual governors and influenced by local circumstances and conditions, including the scale and extent of teaching accommodation and the availability of specialist facilities. There is very limited evening provision.

201 The requirement to create separate provision for juveniles is making curriculum planning and timetabling difficult. With the emphasis on providing for students below Level 2, those with higher level qualifications have a very limited range of courses to choose from, and in many cases there is little chance of progression for them. There is an urgent need to match the provision to the scale and range of identified need.

Management and leadership

202 The quality of management and leadership across the 13 establishments in the juvenile estate ranges from good to unsatisfactory. Education managers, who have been provided with little or no training to deal with their rapidly changing roles, are struggling to cope with a number of problems, many of which are beyond their immediate control. For example, a significant amount of teaching time is lost through the late arrival and early return of students, and through failure to unlock students that should be attending classes. Because of the consequent loss of teaching time, combined with difficulties of over-crowding, the movement of students between establishments, and the increasing number of staff shortages, many students receive a less than satisfactory experience of education.

203 National targets set by the prison service, linked to Level 2 achievement in numeracy and literacy, are proving to be unrealistic for many students, and are having a demotivating effect on education managers and their teaching staff. Steps should be taken to develop appropriate but challenging targets which take account of a student's starting-point and are sensitive to the fact that the majority of students spend a relatively short period of time in custody.

204 Support offered by local Careers Service companies varies considerably. There is no minimum level of provision specified; much depends on the priorities of individual companies.

Resources

205 Even though most teachers hold, or are studying for, a teaching qualification, few hold qualified teaching status or have experience of working in secondary or special schools. There are growing shortages of teachers in particular curriculum areas, including ICT, basic skills and mathematics. Education managers are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit supply teachers to cover for staff absence.

206 The quality of teaching accommodation ranges from excellent to poor. Specialist teaching facilities in art and design, cookery and crafts are generally good, but ICT facilities vary both in terms of quantity and quality. There are shortages in equipment and software to support the teaching and learning in literacy, numeracy and art.

Libraries

207 The majority of libraries are attractive and welcoming. Book stocks are generally adequate, with a good range of paperback fiction titles on offer. Talking books and audio cassettes are available in some, but not all, establishments. The range and quality of reading material for students with reading difficulties, and for those whose English is an additional language, are variable.

208 Access to the library in some establishments is poor and students do not always receive their entitlement to a weekly library visit. Insufficient use is made of ICT, either as a means of assisting librarians in their day-to-day work or as a way of supporting learning. The range and quality of careers information in libraries are generally poor.

Youth work

Local authority youth services

209 During 2000/01 HMI, assisted by Additional Inspectors, carried out full inspections of nine local authority youth services. The quality of provision and value for money were excellent in one, good in another and satisfactory in a further five. Two were unsatisfactory.

210 The standards achieved by young people were satisfactory or better in over eight out of every ten sessions. Over half the sessions were good or better, although two out of ten sessions were unsatisfactory. In these sessions, activities failed to stimulate young people's interests, staff had low expectations, and young people were reluctant to participate in the provision offered.

211 Youth services have made a significant contribution to work with young people who are disengaged from education, employment or training. Most of the nine services inspected have been successful in attracting and supporting such young people, either through their own work or by working with other agencies. In some circumstances, youth workers were specifically tackling problems at the root of some young people's disaffection such as homelessness, substance abuse or anti-social behaviour. Workers usually knew their communities well, and had established and maintained positive relationships with young people. With a few exceptions, youth services are increasingly effective in attracting young people in the priority age-range (13-19) - on average, 18 per cent of this group.

212 The range of settings within which youth services operate continues to expand. There were more examples seen this year of detached workers responding quickly and flexibly to young people's needs, particularly in areas where resources and facilities are poor. Detached work, however, continues to be characterised by insufficient planning for the longer term and inconsistencies in working methods. All nine youth services were, to a greater or lesser degree, working with schools. Much of this work was of high quality, and encompassed group work, outdoor challenges, personal, social and health education and citizenship, often with young people at risk of exclusion. Although some of this work was effective, it was too often marked by poor joint planning and inadequate tracking of the progress made by students.

213 The collection and analysis of key data and management information were inconsistently handled across the nine services inspected. Most services took part in an annual national audit, but this is a voluntary commitment and lacks the authority to hold local authorities sufficiently to account. OFSTED inspections began to consider the impact and rigour of Best Value reviews of youth services during the course of 2000/01. The two Best Value reviews that were evaluated within an OFSTED youth service inspection focused largely on the nature and extent of provision and not on the standards achieved by young people.

214 The emerging Connexions service has been a major preoccupation for managers of youth services. In some cases, this has involved the secondment of senior youth work staff away from their usual duties. Despite this, the quality of management was very good in two of the nine services inspected, and at least satisfactory in the remainder. Improvements have been made in quality assurance, staff supervision and curriculum development. There have, however, been severe difficulties in recruiting full- and part-time youth workers, particularly in the south of England.

215 Youth services increasingly rely on external funding. This can range from two per cent to 30 per cent of the overall budget. Managers have generally been energetic in attracting such funds, which they use to extend the range of provision. In those services inspected, the proportion of the overall education budget allocated to the youth service ranged from 0.8 per cent to 2.2 per cent of the overall education budget. The service with the budget at the lowest end of this range was struggling to function adequately.

National Voluntary Youth Organisations

216 NVYOs are major providers of services for young people; they comprise over 80 organisations and receive annually funding totalling £4 million from DfES. During 2000/01, HMI made day visits to a sample of NVYOs as well as carrying out extended monitoring of four organisations over a full term.

217 Standards of young people's achievement continue to be high within the broad range of grant-funded youth programmes. Organisations are increasingly working for a period of time with specific groups of young people such as young parents, young people in short-term accommodation, or those with significant attendance or behaviour problems at school. In the examples of good work, young people learnt to think critically about their own contribution to the group, resolved conflict and took on additional responsibilities which contributed to the success of their project. Some young people supported their contemporaries facing particular difficulties, through poetry or music. They used the creative arts to provide insights into the life of their community. Another programme effectively involved young people in considering the responsibilities of owning and driving a vehicle. Programmes of this nature increased young people's knowledge, self-reliance and understanding of their role as citizens.

218 The quality of youth work is generally good. Skilled workers provide activities that stimulate and challenge young people. They help them to relate these activities to their own situations, and they give them helpful and accurate advice on a range of issues confronting them. Monitoring and evaluation are consistent and effective, and contribute to planning. In the increasing number of inter-agency projects, the part played by the youth service is well regarded by partner organisations. However, the quality of youth work in a number of NVYOs where there is a heavy reliance on inadequately trained workers and volunteers is not improving. In these cases, workers are operating effectively within the scope of their experience and training, but they do not possess the skills necessary to raise the level of their work to the standard required of them.

219 The funding of NVYOs is channelled through organisations' national headquarters. Through the extended monitoring process, HMI have been able to give particular attention to the leadership and management function of headquarters staff. In most cases, such staff play an effective role in raising standards, through organising training courses, publishing high quality curriculum materials and supporting regional staff. They provide good and consistent policy advice, encourage innovation and are well placed to seek external funding. However, some NVYOs are, in effect, a loose confederation of independent organisations which select, recruit and employ their own staff. In such cases, leadership and management, discharged at local level, are of variable quality.

4 DfES SFR 30/2001

5 DfES SFR 41/2001

6 DfES SFR 45/2001

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