Abstract
This chapter focuses on systems, policies, and processes for supporting vocational and technical learning in post-16 education in England. In England, this sector of education consists of a range of levels and types of provision in both public and private providers of further, adult, and continuing vocational and skills-based learning. The analysis considers expectations, challenges, and responses at the education system level, at institutional level and at practitioner level in the context of shifting government policies. At the system level, the analysis considers societal perceptions of academic and vocational learning and the provision and quality of training and continuing professional learning for VET teachers. At the institutional level, policies and support systems developed by VET providers to support students in colleges and workplaces in partnership with employers on different forms of college and work-based training, including apprenticeships, are considered. At practitioner level, the chapter examines teaching, learning, and assessment strategies used by VET teachers to enable vocational learning in different settings, from classrooms, workshops, and laboratories in colleges and simulated learning environments to work placements in real working businesses. To support the highest standards of vocational and technical learning, colleges, VET teachers, and employers have to work in sustained partnerships to provide inspirational teaching in innovative learning environments, both college-based and in workplaces.
References
AoC (Association of Colleges) (2017) English and maths. Available at https://www.aoc.co.uk/teaching-and-learning/study-programmes-central/english-and-maths
Bathmaker A-M (2014) The perfect education for a person like me: vocational education and the “ordinary”, the “overlooked”, and the under-served 40%. Available at https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/education/events/2014/06/professor-anne-marie-bathmaker-inaugural-professiorial-lecture.aspx
BIS (Department for Business Innovation and Skills) (2015) Reviewing post-16 education and training institutions. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/446516/BIS-15-433-reviewing-post-16-education-policy.pdf
Boles N (2015) Funding allocations 2015 to 2016. Letter from Nick Boles to further education colleges. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/447179/Minister_s_Termly_Letter_-_July_2015_Final__2__to_FE_Colleges.pdf
DfE (Department for Education) (2016) Keeping children safe in education. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education%2D%2D2
DfE (2017) Department for Education. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education. Accessed 10 Dec 2017
Dhillon JK (2004a) ‘Joining-up’: a study of partnership in post-16 learning. PhD thesis, University of Warwick
Dhillon JK (2004b) An exploration of adult learners’ perspectives of using Learndirect Centres as sites for learning. Res Post-Compuls Educ 9:147–158
Dhillon JK, Bentley J (2016) Governor and course leaders’ reflections on HE in FE: strategic ambition and curriculum practice in two large colleges in England. Res Post-Compuls Educ 21:137–150
Dhillon J, Moreland N (1996) Participants’ experience of a competence based professional development programme: a case study. J Vocat Educ Train 48:367–384
Dhillon JK, McGowan M, Wong H (2008) How effective are institutional and departmental systems of student support? Insights from an investigation into the support available to students at one English university. Res Post-Compuls Educ 13:281–293
Dhillon JK, Howard C, Cooke V, Whittingham T, Holt J (2017) Stakeholder perceptions of outstanding leadership in schools and colleges in England. Paper presented at BELMAS annual conference 2017, Stratford upon Avon, England, 7–9 July 2017
Greening J (2017) Education Secretary announces first new T levels. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/education-secretary-announces-first-new-t-levels. Accessed 10 Dec 2017
Holmes S (2017) A field analysis of a 14–19 educational partnership. Doctoral thesis, Sheffield Hallam University
Hooker BA (2016) The life stories of teachers in post compulsory education: a narrative exploration of teacher identity. Doctoral thesis, University of Wolverhampton
Johnson A (2006) Further education ‘no Cinderella’. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/5053848.stm
Leitch S (2006) Prosperity for all in the global economy – world class skills: final report. HMSO, London. Available at http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/6322/1/leitch_finalreport051206.pdf
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2017) https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/cinderella
NCTL (2017) National College for Teaching and Leadership webpage ‘About Us’. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-college-for-teaching-and-leadership/about
Randle K, Brady N (1997) Managerialism and professionalism in the Cinderella Service. J Vocat Educ Train 49:121–139
Sainsbury D (2016) Report of the independent panel on technical education. Available at http://www.gatsby.org.uk/uploads/education/reports/pdf/report-of-the-independent-panel-on-technical-education.pdf
SET (Society for Education and Training) (2017) Equivalence of QTLS and QTS. Available at https://set.et-foundation.co.uk/professionalism/qtls/equivalence-of-qtls-and-qts/
Thomsen M, Karsten S, Oort FJ (2015) Social exchange in Dutch schools for vocational education and training: the role of teachers’ trust in colleagues, the supervisor and higher management. Educ Manag Adm Leadersh 43:755–771
Wolf A (2011) Review of vocational education: the Wolf report. Department for Education, HMSO, London
Yorke H (2017) GCSE school league tables 2016: compare your school’s performance. Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2017/01/19/gcse-school-league-tables-2016-compare-schools-performance/
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this entry
Cite this entry
Dhillon, J.K. (2018). Supporting Vocational and Technical Learning in Post-16 Education in England. In: McGrath, S., Mulder, M., Papier, J., Suart, R. (eds) Handbook of Vocational Education and Training. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49789-1_17-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49789-1_17-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-49789-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-49789-1
eBook Packages: Springer Reference EducationReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Education