Post-14 Research Group

Post-14 education and training has been a site of intense policy debate and change for over two decades in Britain and in many other parts of the world. This is partly explained by the positioning of this phase of education and training at the interface of compulsory education, further education, work-based learning, higher education and employment. The phase is also marked by the growing independence of learners and increased opportunities for them to exercise choice over what, how and where they learn. Thus the post-14 phase reflects a wide range of aims, objectives and values which embody the views and interests of a wide variety of stakeholders.

 Inter-related strands of work include:

  • 14-19 curriculum research especially the analysis of curriculum innovation and implementation
  • the sociological analysis of education and training with particular focus upon the relationships between vocational education and training, wider social and family structures and young people's emerging identities
  • further and higher education research with emphasis upon teaching and learning cultures in further education and widening participation initiatives in both further and higher education
  • policy analysis and evaluation of national and local initiatives and programmes in 14-19 education and training

Staff working in this area have interests in the analysis of these issues across a variety of contexts and from a range of methodological perspectives. Funded research and evaluation projects have included: 

  • National Evaluation of the Vocational Specialist Schools Programme. SSAT: £125,000 to December 2008.
  • National Evaluation of '14-19 Pathfinders'. DfES: £347,000 to May 2006.
  • Evaluation of 14-19 Confederations in Bradford. West Yorkshire Learning and Skills Council: £4,000 to December 2004.
  • Evaluation of BECTa's IPAS.  DfES: £33,000 to November 2003.
  • Evaluation of the Leeds Community Partnership Education Action Zone.  Learning Partnerships: £52,000 to July 2003.
  • Changing the 14-19 school curriculum in England: lessons from successive reforms. ESRC: £41,000 to Oct. 2001.
  • Independent/State School Partnerships: sustainability of the 1998-1999 funded projects. DFEE: £23,000 to March 2001.
  • Learning Pathways: Patterns of Progression in Post-16 Education & Training. ESRC: £39607 to August 2000
  • The Impact of the Specialist Schools Programme: Case Study Research Project. DFEE: £30,000 to November 1999.
  • Evaluation of the 'Independent/State School Partnership Scheme 1998-99'. DFEE: £22,000 to May 1999.
  • Evaluation of 'The Virtual Classroom Project'.  DFEE: £17,000 to July 1998
  • Constructing a New Curriculum: the rise of General National Vocational Qualifications. ESRC: £103,000 to Dec. 1997.
  • Evaluation of Vocational Projects in the 'Education Departments' Superhighways Initiative'.  NCET: £104,000 to June 1997.
  • A Study of the Medium-Term Impact of TVEI in Ten Schools. ESRC: £56,510 to September 1992.

 

 

Reports from the National Evaluation of 14-19 Pathfinders can be found here and from the National Evaluation of the Vocational Specialist Schools programme here.

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

Last updated by David Yeomans on 31st October 2008