16+ Learning Choices

16+ Learning Choices


Encouraging all young people to stay in learning post-16 is the best way of ensuring their long-term employability and contribution to society, as is made clear in the skills strategy. That is why positive and sustained progressions post-16 are one of the indicators in the national performance framework.

16+ Learning Choices is a new model for ensuring that every young person has an appropriate, relevant, attractive offer of learning made to them, well in advance of their school leaving date. 16+ Learning Choices is an offer by local authorities and their partners to all young people. 21 local partnerships started implementing 16+ Learning Choices from December 2008; this is expected to be a universal offer across Scotland by December 2010.

Building the Curriculum 3 makes it clear that this approach is embedded in Curriculum for Excellence - and that young people have an ongoing entitlement to develop their skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work in whatever type of provision is best suited to their needs and aspirations. For some young people, this will mean staying in school for S5 and S6; for others it will mean further or higher education, work-based learning, volunteering, or learning in a community or third sector setting.

For 16+ Learning Choices to work for young people, it requires three key elements to be in place: the right learning provision, which is largely the responsibility of local authorities and their partners as they implement Curriculum for Excellence; the right information, advice and guidance, in which Skills Development Scotland will play a central role; and the right financial support, so young people are able to choose the learning that is right for them rather than the options which offer the most money.

16+ Learning Choices is being led by local authorities and their partners; they have highlighted a number of areas where a national approach is needed and government is committed to responding to this.

Activity led by central government includes:

  • Ongoing work to raise awareness, identify issues and establish a common priority with key partners including Skills Development Scotland, the further education sector, training providers and voluntary sector organisations.
  • Establishing data sharing protocols between key partners to ensure that the right information about young people can be shared to track their progress and align support where needed.
  • Identifying and sharing best practice between local authorities and their partners, such as the major practice-sharing event which took place in October 2008 and a study visit (also in October) for all early implementers to Coventry and Warwickshire Connexions Service to see their September Guarantee model which has been in operation for a number of years.
  • The publication on 28 November 2008 of 16+ Learning Choices: First Step Activity And Financial Support, a consultation paper which proposes improvements to the way young people who learn best in a community or third sector setting are supported, along with a refocusing of the support available to young people in school, college and work-based learning so it effectively targets the most vulnerable young people.

To support planning and delivery the Scottish Government disseminated a draft guidance document offering further advice and clarification on a number of issues.

Stakeholders

In developing this policy the Scottish Government has worked with Skills Development Scotland, the Association of Scotland's Colleges, the Scottish Funding Council, the Information Commissioner, Jobcentre Plus, local authorities and their partners.

Future activity

Currently, 21 Local authorities are taking part in the first wave of implementation of 16+ Learning Choices. These early implementers will focus on winter leavers 2008.

It is expected that 16+ Learning Choices will be a universal offer across Scotland by December 2010, and will work with all 32 local authorities and their partners to ensure this.

Page updated: Wednesday, February 18, 2009