Thursday 00:01
While sixth form centres in general further education (GFE) and tertiary colleges represent good value for money, there is little evidence to suggest that this separate, or 'focused', provision of education for 16 to 19 year olds offers any advantages in terms of quality of teaching, course provision or student achievement.
However, there is some emerging evidence that such centres might be contributing to an overall pattern of improving retention and achievement of students in colleges.
Focused provision 16 to 19: A survey of colleges with sixth form centres is published by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) today, and looks at whether 'focused provision' within sixth form centres enhances the experience of the learner, particularly in relation to the range of provision available, the quality of teaching and learning, the pattern of student achievement, and the quality of guidance and support
The survey identifies common characteristics associated with provision in sixth form centres, and draws comparisons with colleges which do not organize their provision in this way.
Sixth form centres vary greatly in terms of their physical location within colleges and the range of provision that they offer. But there are similarities between sixth form centres in terms of the extent to which they seek to establish a distinctive 'ethos' for their provision. In some colleges the physical separation of the sixth form centre is less obvious than the college's publicity suggests.
Most sixth form centres offer a broad range of subjects at A level, but in general the range of provision is no broader than that found in sixth form colleges or GFE colleges, and in a few cases it is more limited.
There is little evidence that colleges with sixth form centres seek to develop a distinctive approach to teaching and learning for 16 to 19 year olds or that the quality of teaching and learning is better than that found in the post-16 sector as a whole.
In sixth form centres where achievement and retention rates are improving there are some indications that the organizational arrangements associated with focused provision might have contributed to this improvement. However, these organizational arrangements are not unique to sixth form centres.
The quality of accommodation in sixth form centres is variable. Some centres are based in new purpose-built buildings with excellent facilities, but others have cramped and poor quality accommodation. FE colleges generally provide good quality advice and guidance to students. Sixth form centres are no different to FE colleges in this regard.
Management arrangements in sixth form centres are generally clear. In such colleges there is an emphasis on raising standards, improving the experiences of students aged 16 to 19, enhanced relationships with local schools, good curriculum co-ordination and an enhanced focus on performance and quality assurance.
However, in some sixth form centres there are management tensions because staff are subjected to conflicting demands and expectations from different management teams within the college and there are some inconsistencies in cross-college provision and services.
One of the chief difficulties arises when some subject areas and staff are located outside the centre but contribute significantly to it. College managers also report some additional costs as a result of duplication of provision.
Students spoken to by inspectors generally recognized and appreciated the distinctive features of the sixth form centres they attended. Many had been attracted by the relatively small size and 'contained' nature of the centre, but not all students perceived the focused nature of the provision as a particularly significant factor. Some felt strongly that they were part of the whole college and especially liked coming into contact with adult learners.
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, David Bell, said:
"There is little evidence to suggest that focused provision for 16 to 19 year olds within general further education colleges offers any advantages in terms of quality of teaching or student achievement. Indeed, in some sixth form centres the choice of courses is narrower than that available in colleges without these centres.
"However, such centres do offer good value for money and this might be an issue to return to in the future, given some early indications that retention and achievement rates are improving.
"There is also evidence that students prefer to be taught alongside, and mix with, adults within a general FE college rather than being educated separately."
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Focused provision 16 to 19: A survey of colleges with sixth form centres is available on the Ofsted website http://www.ofsted.gov.uk today.
2. This is the first report that Ofsted has published about sixth form centres.
3. The report covers the findings of a survey by Ofsted of a sample of such colleges during October 2003 to February 2004. One of Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI) and three seconded additional inspectors made visits to 18 GFE and tertiary colleges in England, all of which had established sixth form centres catering primarily for 16- to 19-year-old learners. The survey involved discussions with managers, teachers and students and also drew substantially upon evidence from the colleges' previous Ofsted inspection reports.
4. Ofsted is a non-ministerial government department established under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 to take responsibility for the inspection of all schools in England. Its role also includes the inspection of local education authorities, teacher training institutions and youth work. During 2001, Ofsted became responsible for inspecting all 16-19 education and for the regulation of early years childcare, including childminders
General enquiries 020 7421 6744 Ofsted web site http://www.ofsted.gov.uk
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