This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Launch of school-college review
20/10/2003
A review of the role that further education colleges can
play in the development of school pupils was launched
today.
The review, which aims to improve partnership between
schools and colleges, follows a commitment in the
Executive's Partnership Agreement to enable 14 to 16 year
olds to develop vocational skills and improve their job
prospects by undertaking FE courses as part of the
school-based curriculum.
Launching the review at a conference for representatives
from both education sectors today, Deputy Education
Minister Euan Robson said:
"The Executive is committed to helping young people
fulfil their full potential. That means being
forward-looking and providing them with the development
opportunities they need, wherever these are. In particular,
we have said we will ensure that 14 to 16 year-olds have
access to a college to develop their vocational skills and
improve their employment prospects.
"In identifying new learning opportunities, we must
employ the same imagination and innovation that we seek to
instil in our pupils. Colleges already do marvellous work
with schools to widen opportunities for many school age
children and each year thousands benefit from college
courses. For example, academically gifted pupils can
undertake to study subjects such as psychology and
philosophy which their school may not teach, while those
less suited to academic study have the option of
undertaking a variety of vocational training.
"The review I am launching today will look closely at
how we develop these school and college partnerships,
ensuring that resources are channelled in a way which best
supports the needs and interests of students. And of
course we will need to make sure that colleges have the
capacity and resources to meet any changes ahead."
Deputy First Minister, and Minister for Lifelong
Learning, Jim Wallace said:
"The Executive is determined to offer our young people a
range of options to allow them to improve their skills and
enhance their development. In many cases, giving pupils
access to college education will allow them to reach their
full potential and can be especially useful for those
people who wish to develop vocational skills.
"However, this review is not just about improving
vocational education. Where appropriate, a college
education can expose young people to academic opportunities
that their school may not offer.
"It is important that schools and colleges work together
to secure the best deal for everyone in education. This
review will play an important role in deciding how we can
best develop this."
Education Minister Peter Peacock said the review would
look in detail at a variety of important educational
issues:
"This will be a wide-ranging and thorough review, and I
expect its work to include consideration of important
issues such as quality assurance, teaching qualifications,
professional standards and options for the registration of
staff. Therefore, until the review is complete, we will
ensure that college activity with school pupils remains at
its current level."
The School 96 College Review arises from a commitment in
the Executive's Lifelong Learning Strategy published in
February. It will also consider how best to implement the
Partnership Agreement commitment to 'enable 14 to 16
year-olds to develop vocational skills and improvement
their employment prospects by allowing them to undertake
courses in FE colleges as part of the school-based
curriculum'.
Today's conference, 'Building the Foundations of a
Lifelong Learning Society: A Review of Collaboration
Between Schools and FE Colleges in Scotland', brings
together the two sectors to engage with them in the review
process.
The four main themes of the event are:
* The purpose of greater/school collaboration
* Managing supply with demand and funding
responsibilities
* Implications for schools and colleges
* Pupil welfare and support
Arising from the conference discussions, the Executive
aims to publish a consultation paper before the end of the
year. It will not set out firm proposals, but will instead
invite comment on the issues that arise from the
review.