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The positive effects of collaboration - collaborative clusters to develop alternative accreditations and languages in the Diplomas
Context
Education in Hampshire for 14-19 year olds is very largely provided in 11-16 schools, 6th Forms and FE colleges. The aim of establishing a 14-19 Learning Network in Hampshire was therefore to address the issue of transition in the context of language study and so promote high-quality and appropriately varied provision across the county. Three networks are already established and a fourth is about to begin.
How the programme is organised
The network is currently comprised of 3 Language Colleges, 17 secondary schools, 4 FE / Sixth Form Colleges, 1 Local Authority and one university, plus Comenius South East. Initial meetings were held to raise awareness of the 14-19 agenda and of the role language learning can and should play for students across the range of ability and interest. These were chaired by the Local Authority’s adviser for languages.
In subsequent meetings each area network chose to focus on an element of particular interest to its members such as:
i) early entry to GCSE (in years 9 or 10) and how this can lead to the development of appropriate jointly run courses between schools and colleges,
ii) ways in which Asset Languages can be useful as an alternative and
iii) the development of languages in the 14-19 Diplomas. Ways of using NVQ within the Additional and Specialist section of the Diploma and as stand-alone are being investigated with particular reference to the Creative and Media Diploma.
Specialist Language Colleges are contributing with both expertise and finance to this project.
Results / effect
One Language College, Brookfield Language College, is planning to introduce a new language course at Level 1/ 2 NVQ in September 2009 with three year 10 classes (two French and one German), with Spanish following later. Resources are being developed in association with BECTA. The course will focus on functional language skills for work and will be an alternative to GCSE. In the future it could be offered within Diplomas across the consortium thereby offering meaningful language learning for a wide range of KS4 learners
One Sixth Form College, Alton College, has developed a network to promote continuity of learning with its partner schools. It has used Asset Languages as its focus and the subject leader in the college has become the regional co-ordinator for Asset developments
Another College, Barton Peveril, is working closely with a number of its partner schools to promote effective continuity from early GCSE entry (year 9). A shared teaching programme may develop from this collaboration.
Future developments
The work of the group will be disseminated widely across the region and has great potential to inform curriculum decisions in other areas.
Development meetings in the three established networks have continued until March 2008 although the fourth network is further behind.
Subject to funding opportunities, the preferred options would be to develop the following:
- teaching plans, resources and appropriate accreditation to support the additional and specialist element of the Creative and Media Diploma
- methodology for supporting continuous learning from 14-19 following successful early entry to GCSE or its equivalent
- facilitation of shared teaching programmes between schools and college
Author: Bob Thomas, Local Authority Adviser
Signposting |
If you are interested in getting involved in collaborative working in the South East region, contact Zena Martyn, Regional Manager, Comenius South East. |
