The educational provision for 14 to 16-year-olds in further education in England

AoC and IOE UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society are delighted to be launching our project report: ‘The educational provision for 14 to 16-year-olds in Further Education in England’. This Nuffield-funded project ran over two years from September 2022 to October 2024. We are grateful to the Nuffield Foundation for their funding and support.

Up until now, there has been no research conducted on the collective experience of 14 to 16-year-olds receiving either part, or all, their education in colleges. And yet, data for the 2023/24 academic year shows that around 10,000 students are enrolled on 14 to 16 provision at 160 further education colleges in England, an increase of around 30% since 2020/21. This research tackled the evidence gap surrounding 14 to 16-year-olds in colleges, a group of young people who are often invisible in government policy. It used linked National Pupil Database (NPD) and Individual Learner Record (ILR) data; a survey of colleges in England; interviews with senior leaders from colleges, and in-depth fieldwork visits to 10 colleges to shed light on this hitherto neglected educational provision.

Key findings

• Considering that many of the students have previously had disrupted education experiences, the research finds that progression rates for the cohort are positive with 75% or more learners transitioning to post-16 education between 2016/17 and 2020/21. Most students progress into Level 2 post-16 education, with around 20% of students consistently progressing into Level 3 or higher.
• For students who struggle in mainstream school, college provision can be transformative in terms of engagement, attendance and attitude. Unlike secondary school, colleges have a flexible curriculum offer, individualised to needs and interests, with an emphasis on vocational learning, employability skills and wider enrichment activities.
• Smaller class sizes are more common, and a more relaxed college environment – including approaches to rules, uniform, being allowed off-site and use of first names – enables young people to feel more at home in college than in a secondary school. Given the vulnerability of many of these learners, pastoral and mental health support is central to provision success, with strong relationships built on care and understanding in place.
• However, the research finds that while this provision is widely recognised by students, parents, staff, colleges and local authorities as essential for students' progression and life chances, there are a number of barriers in delivery and expansion.

Implications for policy and practice

Policy

• Working with schools and colleges, all LAs should assess the suitability of 14 to 16 provision to meet the needs of all young people within their communities to ensure they are given the opportunity to thrive and progress into adult life and work.

• The key stage 3 and key stage 4 curriculum should be reviewed to allow students the option of studying fewer subjects at greater depth including a wide range of vocational and technical qualifications at a range of levels to meet each student’s starting point.

• There should be clear guidance covering all types of 14 to 16 provision, not just DE. This guidance shouldn’t in any way limit flexibility, but rather create a framework for it to be embedded within the local offer at 14.

Funding

• College-based 14 to 16 provision should be funded at least in line with school funding for this age group. AP provision should be planned and funded for groups which allow for delivery to be financially viable from the start of the college year. EHE students should be able to access additional learning support in line with their needs.

• Financial support for transport and free school meals should be extended to ensure equal access to college provision.

• Providing funded opportunities for young people to attend college for vocational options during the school week could mean that some young people would remain in school, but also benefit from the broader options colleges offer. This could also support transition at 16.

Enhanced data collection and monitoring

• The DfE should provide clear guidance on how to code 14 to 16 students who study at colleges. Aligning system terminology more closely with the language used by colleges could help this process and support better tracking of student outcomes.

• Providing a national tracking system for student progression and outcomes would provide a better understanding of how colleges support young people’s post-16 transitions and their future development. Enhanced data collection and analysis can offer insights into the effectiveness of college provision and inform future support strategies.

Interim report

This first report sets out the initial findings from a survey of colleges in England on the educational provision for 14–16-year-olds in FE and 19 semi-structured interviews that were undertaken with leaders of this provision. The survey and interviews covered a range of topics impacting on the experience of 14 to 16-year-olds in three groups: Alternative Provision, Direct Entry and Elective Home Education. Staff perceptions from the surveys and interviews were largely positive about the value of the provision. The next stage of the project will explore these findings further including analysis of the outcomes and progression for students and the perspectives of the learners themselves.