Variations in the participation of subject teachers of level 3 vocational courses in the university advice process in three low participation neighbourhood schoolsVariations in the participation of subject teachers of level 3 vocational courses in the university advice process in three low participation neighbourhood schools

• Published in: Educationalfutures Vol. 15; no. 2; pp. 4 - 26
• Main Author: Alison Etches
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The International Education Studies Association 01.12.2024
• Subjects: gatsby benchmarks; progression; q methodology; subject teachers; template analysis; vocational education; vocational teachers
• ISSN: 1758-2199

This research was undertaken in the Midlands of England in three state schools whose catchment was from low participation neighbourhoods in higher education (LPNs). It mobilised Q methodology (Stephenson 1935, 1953) with a card sort in which participants rank their views. The purpose was to explore vocational subject teachers’ (VST) participation in the sixth form university advice and guidance process from the perspectives of three stakeholders. This is a contribution to existing research, which traditionally has focussed on roles, participation and experiences of heads of sixth form, A-level teachers and A-level pupils (Oliver and Kettley, 2010; Burgess, 2018). Vocational qualifications are known to be an important route of access to HE for pupils from under-resourced backgrounds (Round, Brownlees et al., 2012; Gicheva and Petrie, 2018; Banerjee and Myhill, 2019; Atherton 2021). I chose to explore how VSTs participate in the university advice process in order to examine ways in which they assist their pupils with careers and higher education information advice and guidance (C/HEIAG). During the time in which the research was being undertaken, the Gatsby Benchmarks (DfE, 2017) developed from being statutory guidance (DfE, 2018) to part of the Ofsted framework (Ofsted, 2021). Benchmark 4 requires subject teachers to link the curriculum to careers. This study also enabled me to capture a glimpse of the extent to which Benchmark 4 appeared to be influencing the practice of VSTs with their sixth-form pupils. Across the three schools, a sample of five VSTs, 19 pupils and three leaders of sixth form volunteered to participate. I found that participants identified not only that there was inconsistency in the extent to which VSTs participated in assisting pupils with university advice, they also outlined reasons why they believed this was the case. This article will explore those three reasons. I conclude that participants believed that university advice is part of a VST’s role, although they feel engagement in university advice by VSTs varies. VSTs also reported that they are not being awarded sufficient time or access to training in higher education information advice and guidance (HEIAG) skills; furthermore, VSTs were motivated in their commitment to assisting pupils with university advice by personal and social justice beliefs, as opposed to Gatsby Benchmark 4.