TAUNTON’S

COLLEGE

CURRICULUM 2000

Briefing for Higher Education on changes to the post-16 curriculum in England, Wales and N. Ireland

Jenny Fitton

Principal, Taunton’s College

TAUNTON’S

COLLEGE

1999 Situation for students with 5 or more GCSE passes at C+

2, 3 or more subjects at Advanced level, A combined with AS or GCSEs

GNVQ Advanced (including key skills)

BTEC National

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COLLEGE

Lifelong learning agenda

Key priority of government spending review

Retention and achievement rates

‘Qualifying for success’

Broader, more demanding programmes

Raising Standards

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Curriculum 2000 Aims

Broaden sixth form curriculum

Unitise programmes of study

Develop Key Skills

Assessment / qualification possible at

end of year 1

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National Qualifications Framework

Three broad categories of qualification:

General Vocationally Occupational

related

GCE A, AS Vocational A NVQ

and AS (formerly

Advanced GNVQ

TAUNTON’S

COLLEGEAvailable Options

Changes at Advanced level

Changes in GNVQ Advanced framework

Key Skills Qualification

BTEC National unchanged

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COLLEGE

GCE Advanced Level changesAS in Year 1 3 units

the first half of an A Level

A2 in Year 2 3 units Full Advanced = AS + A2 6 units4 subjects at AS the norm3 A2 the likely normKey Skills Qualification - to level 3

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GNVQ Advanced ChangesFull Award (double) - 12 units

(2 Vocational A Levels) Single Award - 6 units (1 A Level) in 1 or 2

yearsPart Award - 3 units (AS)Grading awarded A to E, to bring in line with

GCE Advanced Level

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Curriculum 2000 Qualifications Structure

AS

3Curriculum

Units

‘A’

6Curriculum

Units

GNVQ

12Curriculum

Units

GNVQ

6Curriculum

Units

GNVQ

3Curriculum

Units

TAUNTON’S

COLLEGEStudent A

From 2000

1999

AS AS

‘A’ ‘A’ ‘A’

AS

A2

AS

A2

AS

A2

KS

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COLLEGE

ASP h ys ic s

ASCh em is try

ASM ath s

AsElec tron ic s

AS M u s ic Tec h n o log y

Key

S k i l l s

Pardeep has 10 GCSEs at grades A*-C

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COLLEGE

A2P h ys i c s

ASP h ys i c s

A2Ch em is try

ASCh em is try

A2M ath s

ASM ath s

AsElec tron ic s

AS M u s ic Tec h n o log y

Key

S k i l l s

Pardeep will acquire 3 A Levels, 2 AS Levels and a Key Skill qualification

Pardeep’s course in Year 2

TAUNTON’S

COLLEGEStudent B

From 2000

1999

GNVQ ‘A’

AS

KS

GNVQ KS

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COLLEGE

Anna has 7 GCSEs at A* - C

ASEnglish

Literature

ASSociology

Voc. ASHealth & Soc Care

GCSEScience

KeySkills

TAUNTON’S

COLLEGEAnna’s course in Year 2

AS

English

Literature

ASSociology

Voc A(GNVQ)

Health & SocialCare

SingleAward

GCSEScience

KeySkills

A2English

Literature

ASArt Anna completes with a

Vocational A Level, twoAS Levels and an

additional GCSE as wellas a Key Skillsqualification

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Key Principles of an ‘Entitlement’ for 16-19 Year Olds

Supports curriculum 2000

More guided learning hours

Covers all abilities and levels

Contains some prescription

Continued...

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Key Principles of an ‘Entitlement’ For 16-19 Year Olds

Matches individual student needs

Flexible

Incentives based on progression

Main programme plus:- key skills- tutorial- enrichment

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Examples Of Activities Within ‘Entitlement’

Careers and Guidance

Wider Key Skills

Music, Dance and Drama

Personal and Social Education

Modern Foreign Languages

Sports

Young Enterprise and Duke of Edinburgh

Work Experience

Using Learning Resource Centres

TAUNTON’S

COLLEGEKey Skills Accreditation

Communication, Application of Number, IT - normally up to level 3

Assessment through exams + portfolio

Portfolio built up by work in main subjects (sign-posted) + workshops/additional study

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Implications for studentsWider range of choice

More subjects to be studied More teacher contact More hours of study

Communication,Application of Number and IT to be extended

Mid-point programme review

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Implications for studentsThe normal expectation for

Advanced Level students in any of the Hampshire Sixth Form Colleges will be a programme of:

4 AS Levels (or the vocational equivalent)

+ Key Skills

TAUNTON’S

COLLEGEChanged UCAS tariff

Changes to the UCAS tariff after 2001 entry

New tariff accords points to Vocational A Levels, the new AS and Key Skills qualifications

TAUNTON’S

COLLEGEImplications for H.E.

Institutional and departmental policies on admissions: encourage breadth in post-16 curriculum? balance between breadth and depth - impact

on entry requirements? desirable volume of study - 3, 4 or 5 AS in

year 1? acceptability of mixed programmes - how to

deal equitably with a variety of entry routes

TAUNTON’S

COLLEGEImplications for H.E.

account to be taken of AS grades on application (not all students will have these)?

attitude towards Key Skills and their acceptability as proxy for other qualifications (especially GCSE Maths / English)?

Assess impact of changed patterns of demand and students’ experience of learning and assessment styles