NEWS


Pupils choosing GCSEs for the wrong reasons


Special report Daniel White


Students do not know the consequences of their GCSE choices on their careers and are still choosing subjects based on factors such as whether or not they like their teachers. This was the claim as the ongo-


ing issue of careers advice was debated during a Cambridge Assessment event this week. Is 14 the new 16? took place at


the British Library in London with a panel of guests including Tim Oates, chairman of the expert panel leading the government’s review of the national curriculum, and Graham Stuart MP, chairman of the Education Select Committee. Mr Oates, who is also group


director of assessment, research and development at Cambridge Assessment, said students at 14 are not aware of the impact their GCSE choices will have on their career. He explained: “In integrated


systems people still need to make choices. People do make choices in terms of their GCSE options but


they do not know the consequences of those choices. “We are confused about the


reality as to how students make choices and research has shown the genuine reasons that people at 14 or 16 use to underpin their choices – the information they use. Choices that can be described as ‘localised rationality’ – they’ll choose a course because the teacher is exciting not because it leads in the right direc- tion in respect of their career aspira- tions.” The careers advice debate has


hit the headlines recently after the government’s decision to scrap the Connexions service in April this year, with a new all-age advi- sory scheme to be introduced in September 2012. However, the Association


of School and College Leaders (ASCL) among others have raised concerns about the gap in provision between now and when the new service is up and running. At its annual conference earlier


this year, ASCL claimed that two million students currently in years 9, 10 and 11 could be affected by the gap in provision, missing out on crucial advice.


Big Sister campaign aims to boost female students’ aspirations


A mentoring programme aimed at boosting the aspirations and self- confidence of female students has been launched. The Big Sister programme has


been set up by the Girls Out Loud organisation and is to be piloted at Sir William Stanier School in Crewe, Cheshire. Students aged 13 to 18 will ben-


efit from the programme which has the aim of increasing self-con- fidence, improving academic per- formance, raising aspirations, and helping them gain experience in the working world. The girls will be mentored on a


one-to-one basis with a role model who has experienced the challenges of growing up and has overcome them to become a success in their choice of career. Students will also work in groups and focus on spe- cific goals under the programme. The pilot was launched this


week with 20 girls and their par- ents and mentors involved. The students are all in year 10 and will work alongside their mentors for 12 months. Their progress will be tracked


and evaluated, culminating in a report of what has been achieved and a series of ongoing goals to be pursued after graduating from the programme. Wayne Trafford, headteacher at


Sir William Stanier, said: “Our stu- dents and staff are really excited to be the first school in the country to benefit from this unique opportu- nity. The more we can embrace the people, businesses and agencies in our community, the more informed, prepared and confident our students will be as they make their way through school and into further edu- cation and work.” All the mentors involved are


CRB checked and complete a child protection module in training. Additionally, plans are being made to roll out the programme across the UK following the launch in Crewe. The Girls Out Loud organisa-


tion was set up by Claire Young a former finalist in The Apprentice, business woman Jane Kenyon, and Rachel Ward Lilley, a communica- tions practitioner. For more information, visit www.girlsoutloud.org.uk/big-sister


Back at the panel debate, Dr


Matt Grist, a senior researcher on the Family and Society Programme at the think-tank Demos, said instead of national careers advice, independent franchises should be available in schools akin to the US and Germany’s Big Brother/Big Sister mentoring system. Dr Grist added: “We did some


research in schools around the country where schools didn’t even tell their kids about apprenticeships – they are so focused on GCSEs and A levels they don’t tell them about these options. “Meeting with careers advisors


is intermittent, or too late – at 15 or 16 when kids would say they want to do an apprenticeship but then find out they can’t because they hadn’t prepared with their choices. “We need information and guid-


ance to start earlier, be informed by the labour market and be much more objective and much more professional, providing guidance as well as information. For at-risk young people we need mentoring and one-to-one guidance for stu- dents aged 14.” Dr Hilary Steedman, a senior researcher from the London School


Careers talk: Panellists included (from left) Dr Hilary Steedman from the London School of Economics and Political Science, Bene’t Steinberg from Cambridge Assessment, Christopher Morecroft from the Association of Colleges, and Graham Stuart MP


of Economics and Political Science, said less able students need to have set goals otherwise they are in


danger of becoming disillusioned. She explained: “Too many very able students are underachieving


and too many less able students are underachieving. I think both of these groups suffer from poverty of aspiration. “The path for success for the


very able is well marked and under- stood, but the less able face a cata- strophic lack of clarity and direction with respect to the very legitimate goals they have for their lives. “Frequently confusion and disil-


lusion sets in very early. Poor moti- vation, truancy and cutting classes is especially marked for students aged 14 onwards and this is a major problem.” Elsewhere, Ken Spours, head


of the Department of Continuing Education at the Institute of Education, slammed the govern- ment for heavily criticising voca- tional subjects but then expecting students to study them: “For many reasons this government talks down middle track qualifications. It says they’re useless, and then expects young people to take them when they can’t go down the other routes. It’s political irresponsibility to con- duct policy in this way.” To watch the debate, visit


www.policyreview.tv/conference/ 596.html


Search is on for inventors of the future


Teenager Laurence Rook hit the headlines earlier this month after inventing a doorbell that fools burglars into believing householders are at home – even when they aren’t. Laurence, 13, a pupil at Trinity


School in Croydon, south London, is expected to make £250,000 from his Smart Bell design, which is due to be stocked in high street stores soon. Now the organisers of a new


inventors’ competition hope that more secondary pupils will be inspired to try their hand at dream- ing up new gadgets. With that in mind, the Dream


Lab competition is challenging youngsters to design a sleep-relat- ed product. The invention could be any-


thing from a gadget to soothe people to sleep to a product to help them sleep better. The competition, organised by


UK company Sound Asleep, will be judged by Sir Trevor Baylis, who invented the first wind-up radio, and Ortis Deley, presenter of Channel 5’s The Gadget Show. “It’s clear that Britain’s future


lies in design and technology,” said Sir Trevor. “Many children who struggle with traditional academic sub-


jects in school find real inspira- tion in invention, which is why it’s so important that young adults are encouraged to explore the world of innovation from an early age. The Dream Lab gives them the opportu- nity to do this.” Meanwhile Jamie Moryoussef,


operations director at Sound Asleep, added: “The UK desperately needs more inventors, and so the main aim of this competition is to show young people how to get started and then we hope they take it from there.” Pupils submitting inventions


to the competition must be aged between 13 and 18 and can enter individually or as a class. The closing date for the Dream


Lab is September 30. The judges will then choose the best idea and visit the winning school to present students with their awards. A prize of £20,000 will go to the winning school’s science and technology departments while £10,000 will be awarded to the winning team or individual. To download more information,


teaching resources and lesson plans, go to www.thedreamlab.co.uk


Sleep on it: Sir Trevor Baylis, inventor of the first wind-up radio, is support- ing Dream Lab


Gulf between rich and poor revealed in Northern Ireland


A lower family income should not be a barrier to aspiration and achievement, one of Northern Ireland’s leading educationalists claims. New research confirms that


children from wealthier families in the North are now almost twice as likely to get good grades than their less well-off peers. A huge gulf in examination performance exists between the


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“richest” and “poorest” secondary school pupils, figures show. This social divide in GCSE


results reveals the system is failing students from deprived areas. There are fears the gap will


widen further if Northern Ireland grammar schools continue using unofficial 11-plus tests to admit children that are unprepared for an academically biased education. Gillian Garrett, president of the


Ulster Teachers’ Union, is urging the Northern Ireland Assembly to take action to address the problem. Free school meal (FSM) enti-


tlement is the simplest and most common measure of social dis- advantage in schools and there is an established statistical link with exam performance. FSMs are usually provided to


children whose parents receive benefits or whose family income


is less than £15,000. The latest government figures show that more than twice as many children enti- tled to FSM left secondary school with no GCSEs in 2009/10, com- pared to those who were not enti- tled – 4.4 per cent compared to 1.7 per cent. Ms Garrett said: “We know


from research that the aspirations of children in poverty are the same as those from better-off families when


they are seven or eight-years-old, but by 10 or 11 their aspirations are significantly lower. “There’s a perception too that


young people living in poverty have of themselves – that financial secu- rity and a career is something that ‘other people’ have. “Attitudes and aspirations start


at an early age and through founda- tion and primary years teachers in schools are trained to nurture this. It


is vital that there is also parental and community support to back this up.” Making education a priority


in Northern Ireland has to start at Assembly level and filter out, she added. “If our education committee


wish to tackle underachievement these issues need immediate con- sideration or they are failing chil- dren – and they are the future of Northern Ireland society.”


SecEd • June 16 2011


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