Professor Peter Urwin, Professor of Applied Economics, has been awarded funding from the Nuffield Foundation to investigate the most effective pathways to Level 3 attainment post-16, for learners who are often missed from relevant policy debates.
In this new study, which is a collaboration between Professor Urwin at the University of Westminster and Dave Thomson from FFT Education Datalab, the researchers will investigate the most effective educational pathways to Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE) and Level 3 (equivalent to A-Level) achievement, for learners with a 3 or below in Maths and/or English GCSE in Year 11.
This study of educational and labour market outcomes uses DfE Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) data, to identify effective post-16 education pathways to Level 2 and Level 3 achievement. By doing this, the researchers hope to provide valuable evidence on what works for young people with a focus on Special Educational Needs (SEN) in the post-16 environment. The study will also attempt to unravel the impacts that reforms, such as those stemming from the Wolf Review, have had on specific groups of learners.
Analysis of LEO data using advanced econometric techniques will allow the researchers to identify post-16 education pathways that will support young people to achieve at Level 2 and above, and secure positive labour market outcomes; with a particular focus on the 55% of disadvantaged young people for whom grade 3 or below in Maths and/or English is still the expectation at GCSE.
Currently, there is no clear evidence on which combination of approaches to recruitment, pedagogy and career advice produce the best outcomes for disadvantaged young people in the post-16 environment. For those young people whose performance at KS4 suggests fundamental challenges in achieving Level 2, the researchers will consider a variety of policy responses, including the nature of any post-16 ‘transition year’.
The researchers suggest this work will begin to fill a worrying evidence gap, identified by bodies such as the Social Mobility Commission. However, what are policy makers to do whilst this evidence is being collated? Given the close link between recent reforms and increased attainment gaps for young people with SEN and Free School Meal eligibility, Thomson and Professor Urwin advise a period of reflection, as change disrupts all learners, but particularly the most vulnerable.
Talking about the research, Professor Urwin said: “This is an opportunity to inform educational policy for the large number of young people who face challenges in their school careers, but who have not been the focus of policy over recent decades.”
Learn more about the project on the FFT Education Datalab website.
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