Editorial Comment:

Focus

The study aims to explore the nature of CEG provision in secondary schools in Wales and to analyse the standards and quality of teaching and learning in CEG and to appraise the factors that influence it. The study is concerned with the quality of provision of CEG; teaching CEG, learning CEG; management of CEG; Timetabling; quality of outcomes; curriculum and organisation of CEG; CEG links (parents, industry etc); resources; support materials/equipment; accommodation and good practice in relation to CEG provision.

Variables and Concepts Measured

Provision and quality of CEG, teaching, learning, management, timetabling, interviewing, policy issues, computer-generated career profiles, work experience and career companies.

Design

The survey is based on visits made by a team of four HMI to 10% of secondary schools across Wales. HMI inspected lessons, the work of pupils and relevant documentation, including school policies, schemes of work. Interviews were held with senior staff, careers coordinators and pupils. School based activities associated with preparation for work experience and subsequent debriefing were inspected.

Data Collection

One to one interview: Interviews were held with senior staff, careers co-ordinators and pupils - it is not stated whether this was individually or in small groups.

Observation

HMI inspected lessons

Other documentation

Pupils work was inspected; school policy documents; schemes of work

Findings

The findings cover a wide range of CEG issues in general spanning the secondary years. In relation to KS3 and KS4 (Yrs 9 and Yrs 10) the results are as follows:

• Overall the quality of CEG is satisfactory but there is a significant amount of unsatisfactory practice in KS3, especially in relation to providing information that enables pupils to take account of the career implications of courses to be followed in KS4.
• In general, the teaching by trained and experienced staff is good. Well-planned lessons, based on clear aims and objectives, give pupils a clear insight into career choices available and the implications of these choices. When non-specialists teach a careers programme, the quality of the teaching varies widely, especially at KS3.
• The quality of learning at KS3 is unsatisfactory in the majority of schools, due mainly to an over-reliance on undemanding worksheets, which make insufficient reference to individual career aspirations.
• In almost all schools surveyed CEG is delivered in KS3 wholly through PSE programme. In addition, to CEG pupils undertake a number of other modules incl. for example, health education and study skills. The amount of time allocated to CEG in Yr9 is between 2hrs and 12 hrs, averaging about 4 hrs in the schools inspected.
• In two schools, pupils in Yr9 are offered a careers interview prior to completing their option sheets for Yr10. In all schools, pupils in KS4 are offered an individual careers interview with a careers adviser - almost all take advantage of this facility.
• Only a minority of schools make effective use of information on labour market intelligence provided by TECs.
• The quality of outcomes at KS3: In many schools, pupils do not undertake sufficient work on identifying their individual strengths and aptitudes. Even when pupils have a good knowledge of their qualities, they do not always use this information sufficiently to make subject choices, which will keep open a wide range of career routes. This is particularly important in Wales where the compulsory core in KS4 includes relatively few subjects compared with KS3.

Resource areas

In almost all schools, accommodation is satisfactory and in some cases, good. However, in a significant minority of cases, access to library for pupils in KS4 and KS4 is limited and careers areas in libraries are cramped with little space for pupils to browse through literature or view videos.