Delivering an education and skills system that enables all young people to access good work is essential for opportunity and growth. Yet, emerging evidence shows that reforms over the past decade have done little to improve the prospects of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. While each of the UK nations face similar challenges, they have developed different approaches since devolution, providing an opportunity for sharing insights and learning.
The Nuffield Foundation convened a workshop for UK national and local policy makers and sector leaders to discuss and explore the implications of new research evidence on post-16 policies that have aimed to improve the education and employment outcomes of particularly disadvantaged students. The workshop examined what can be learned from system-level differences in education and training, the use of policy levers such as school leaving age and financial incentives, and innovative use of data for supporting effective policy and practice. Participants had the opportunity to engage with research ahead of publication and to think collaboratively about effective policy responses.
Programme
Session 1 | What can we learn by comparing the UK nations’ post-16 Education and Training landscapes?
- Presentation: Comparing inequality and outcomes across post-16 education in the UK | Dr James Robson, University of Oxford & Dr Luke Sibieta, Education Policy Institute
- Policy and practice panel reflections from across the UK
- Sammy Shummo, Group Director of Apprenticeships, London South Bank University
- Rachel Cable, Director of Policy & Public Affairs, ColegauCymru / Colleges Wales
- Erica Russell-Hensens, Deputy-Director, Student Interests, Access and Quality, Scottish Funding Council
- Chair: Gavin Kelly, Chief Executive, Nuffield Foundation
Session 2 | Break-out discussion
Break-out discussions on potential policy solutions.
Session 3 | How effective are the policy levers for meaningful engagement in education and training post-16?
- Presentation: Revisiting the raising of the participation age to 18 in England | Professor Matt Dickson & Professor Sue Maguire, University of Bath
- Reflections: Mandy Wood, Together for Children Sunderland
- Presentation: The long-term impact of the Education Maintenance Allowance | Dr Jack Britton, Institute for Fiscal Studies
- Presentation: Rt Hon Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister of State (Skills)
Session 4 | Looking ahead – how can data, research and evidence support policy and practice?
- Presentation: Ways to use data for transition support | Catherine Sezen, Association of Colleges
- Presentation: Early insights from the ADR Community Catalyst for Youth Transitions | Neha Agarwal, National Foundation For Educational Research
- Presentation: Youth transitions to good employment: East Birmingham & North Solihull | Professor Anne Green, University of Birmingham
- Audience & panel discussion on the use of local data for better supporting young people and skills planning
- Chair: Dr Emily Tanner, Programme Head, Post-14 Education and Skills, Nuffield Foundation
Speakers
- Deputy-Director, Student Interests, Access and QualityScottish Funding Council
- Professor of Economic and Social PolicyInstitute for Policy Research, University of Bath
Download the presentations
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Neha Agarwal: ADR England Research Community Catalyst – Youth Transitions667KB | pdf
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Jack Britton: Lessons from a long run evaluation of EMA129KB | pdf
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Anne Green: How can data, research and evidence support policy and practice?748KB | pdf
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Catherine Sezen: School to college transition291KB | pdf
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Luke Sibieta: Comparing policy, participation and inequalities in education and training across the UK817KB | pdf
- Location
- Nuffield Foundation and online via Teams
- 100 Saint John Street
- England
- EC1M 4EH
