This chapter explores how transitions during and after upper secondary education are managed. It examines the transition at 16 in Wales, when learners move from compulsory education to varied post-16 pathways and discusses its implications for completion and employment. The chapter identifies strategies to support smooth transitions, such as bridging education-employment divides, scaffolding learners' skills and fostering collaboration among institutions.
What Shapes Pathways and Transitions?
A Comparative Perspective on Learners’ Trajectories through Upper Secondary Education in Wales
Abstract
In all systems, transitions through and out of upper secondary education tend to carry high stakes. The choices that learners make at transition points set the stage for the next phase of their lives. For example, choices learners make around the subjects and levels at which they study in upper secondary education often affects their eligibility for learning options in the next stage of education. Learners’ choices over where they study following transition points can influence what they study. Learners might also leave school early, with long-lasting effects for their lives. Across the OECD, 25-34-year-olds who complete upper secondary education earn 22% more than their peer who do not complete upper secondary (OECD, 2023[1]).
The section below discusses the transition to post-16 education and supporting transitions during upper secondary education and transitions post-secondary education.
Transition to post-16 education
In Wales, around age 16, young people transition from compulsory education to a school sixth form, further education college, work-based learning or employment. This transition is particularly challenging for a number of reasons:
learners decide which qualifications and subjects they take in post-16 education with a level of individual choice that is unparalleled internationally (with the exception of other United Kingdom systems and New Zealand);
learners may transition to new physical settings;
compulsory education ends;
learners transition to a phase of education that is guided by qualifications with no statutory relationship to the curriculum; and
there is no national measure for completion of upper secondary education.
Most learners stay in education but the cohort splits across different settings
After completing the final year of compulsory school (Year 11 at 16), around one in three young people in Wales have to transition to a new setting because their school does not offer a school sixth form (Welsh Government StatsWales, 2022[2]). Just over half of 16-year-olds enrolled in education either full time or part time (56.3% in 2021/22) attend further education colleges, which offer general and vocational courses at a range of levels, predominantly to learners aged 16-18 but also including adult learners. Figure 5.1 breaks down young people’s enrolments by the study activity in which they are enrolled.
At the age 16 transition point overall numbers of learners in all education settings begins to steadily decrease1 (Chapter 4 discusses enrolment and completion in the full length of upper secondary education, 14-19, in Wales).
Note: Data for learners aged 15 may include other learners under age 16 who are enrolled in further education or work-based learning. Data for learners aged 19 may include some other learners aged above 19. Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. Data not included where, for a particular category, pupil numbers are greater than zero but less than five. This may result in the figure showing slight underreporting.
This figure does not include enrolment in ISCED 6 or above, meaning that enrolment in tertiary education – typically from age 18+ - is not shown.
Source: Welsh Government Stats Wales (2022[2]), Pupil level annual school census 2021/2022, https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Education-and-Skills/Schools-and-Teachers/Schools-Census/Pupil-Level-Annual-School-Census/Pupils (accessed 17 January 2024); Welsh Government StatsWales (2022[3]), Unique learners enrolled at further education institutions by age group, mode of learning and level, https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Education-and-Skills/Post-16-Education-and-Training/Further-Education-and-Work-Based-Learning/Learners/Further-Education/uniquelearnersenrolledfurthereducationinstitutions-by-age-modeoflearning-level (accessed 29 January 2024).
Supporting consistent participation through to completion of upper secondary education
This report has highlighted three challenges around young people’s completion of upper secondary education in Wales:
Chapter 3 discussed that a large share of 16-18-year-olds, particularly those in vocational education, are studying programmes below the level required for upper secondary completion (i.e. below Level 3 on CQFW and ISCED 3). Approximately two thirds of 16-year-olds taking vocational education programmes are in programmes which do not provide full completion of upper secondary education (Welsh Government, 2024[4])2.
Chapter 4 noted the declining shares of young people enrolled in education as learners move into post-16 education. For example, at 16, 84.78% of young people are enrolled in education in Wales which is 10 percentage points less than the average across the OECD (OECD, 2022[5]).
Chapter 4 noted the absence of an upper secondary completion measure in Wales which signals the competencies that all young people are expected to achieve by the end school.
In this context, the section below discusses how Wales might support stronger completion of the final phase of schooling with the level of skills and knowledge they will need for success in life and work.
Scaffolding skills acquisition during upper secondary for learners at risk of leaving education with low skills
In Wales, the large share of post-16 learners pursuing upper secondary pathways, in particular through vocational qualifications, that do not result in full completion of upper secondary education is unusual. In other OECD countries, programmes not providing full completion of upper secondary education are rare, and where they do exist, reflect a minority of student enrolment. Box 5.1 discuses national discussions around such programmes in Sweden.
To be meaningfully engaged in upper secondary, young people need to be able to select learning options which align with their interests and preferences, appropriately build on their prior learning to support progression and which provide a pathway to continued education and employment. The diversity of programmes in most OECD systems, including general and vocational programmes and programmes with a work-based elements, reflect that a one-size-fits-all approach does not work for the diversity of learners. In Wales, the main ‘general education’ pathway for completing upper secondary education (in internationally comparative terms) is via AS/A Levels – qualifications which are considered to be particularly demanding internationally and set at a high standard since they are used as tertiary education entrance qualifications (OECD, 2024[6]). By the age 16 transition point, if learners do not achieve five A*-C grades, in key GCSEs like English or maths, they repeat GCSEs or similar level qualifications before taking, or in conjunction with, a vocational programme. Since this keeps learners engaging at CQFW Level 2 (a level which, in international comparative terms, does not count for upper secondary completion) this makes it less likely learners will progress to higher-levelled programmes and qualifications before they exit the 14-19 age range, or at all.
Ensuring that all young people have a structured pathway to develop key skills by the end of upper secondary is an important area for future reflection on post-16 education and the full 14-19 pathway in Wales. The policy pointers below suggest that Wales might consider exploring creating “progression pathways” explicitly for learners who enter post-16 education with fragile basic skills in literacy and numeracy.
In Sweden, there are 18 main national programmes which provide full completion of upper secondary education and grant access to tertiary education. Most learners are enrolled in these national programmes; only approximately 15% do not meet the grade threshold to enter these programmes and so are instead enrolled in ‘introductory’ programmes. 'Introductory’ programmes are provided to learners with the intent of helping strengthen their foundational skills (Stronati, 2023[7]). While these programmes do not count for upper secondary completion, about half of the students who attend the introductory programme complete it and enter one of the main upper secondary programmes within five years (Stronati, 2023[7]). There is a risk that learners who leave primary school not yet ready for a national upper secondary programme get stuck in education programmes and at lower levels of education where they do not adequately develop the skills they need for life after school and to enter the workforce.
The Swedish government recently commissioned an inquiry on the pathways to working life for learners – particularly focusing on those learners who are not eligible for one of the traditional national upper secondary programmes. The report of the completed inquiry proposed a new vocational programme with a clear practical orientation and in which learners can spend more time developing key vocational skills, so that learners can have faster establishment in the workforce and strong foundations for lifelong learning in the workforce.
Source: Sweden Ministry of Education (2023[8]), Regeringen vill införa nya gymnasiala yrkesutbildningar [The government wants to introduce new upper secondary vocational courses], https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2023/07/regeringen-vill-infora-nya-gymnasiala-yrkesutbildningar/ (accessed 17 July 2024); Swedish Government (2022[9]), Dir. 2022:74, Fler vägar till arbetslivet [More routes to working life], https://www.regeringen.se/rattsliga-dokument/kommittedirektiv/2022/06/dir.-202274 (accessed 17 July 2024); Sweden Government Office (2024[10]), Utredning föreslår nya yrkesprogram i gymnasieskolan [Investigation proposes new vocational programs in upper secondary school], https://regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2024/11/utredning-foreslar-nya-yrkesprogram-i-gymnasieskolan/ (accessed 9 December 2024).
Making upper secondary compulsory can send an important signal to society about its importance
While completion of upper secondary education is generally the explicit goal for learners in OECD countries and qualification pathways tend to be structured to facilitate this, a full cycle of upper secondary education is not typically compulsory across OECD countries (Perico E Santos, 2023[11]). To send the signal that all learners should remain in education until they complete upper secondary education, some countries have made or are in the process of making a full cycle of upper secondary education compulsory, including Colombia, England, Estonia, Luxembourg, Portugal and Norway. This can indicate to young people and society that leaving education and training before completing upper secondary education is not an option, and it can drive targeted support efforts and interventions among schools and local entities to drive continued participation. For example, in Sweden, municipalities are obliged to track young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) who are under the age of 20 and to offer them activities with a view to getting them back to school (OECD, 2016[12]). Municipalities’ activities to meet this obligation vary and might include offering specific activities to young migrants and young people with disabilities (OECD, 2016[12]).
Young adults in Wales have similar NEET rates as the OECD average, but higher than across the rest of the United Kingdom
While many young people in Wales transition to post-secondary education, such as tertiary education and training, and work after upper secondary, 14.9% of 18-24-year-olds in 2022 were not in education and unemployed or inactive (NEET) (Figure 5.2). While Wales has a NEET rate similar to the OECD average, it has been the highest among United Kingdom nations since 2019 (OECD, 2023[1]).NEET rates reflects a range of factors, including the state of the labour market and its inclusivity towards young people, as well as the extent to which upper secondary education prepares young people to progress to post-secondary education and develop the skills and knowledge in demand by employers.
The following section draws on policies and practices from OECD countries to suggest how Wales can support smoother transitions within and after upper secondary education to support full completion and all young people to reach positive destinations after schooling.
Includes Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Notes: 1. Year of reference differs from 2022: 2020 for Chile.
Source: OECD (2023[1]), Education at a Glance 2023: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/e13bef63-en; OECD, “Regional Education: Early leavers from education and NEET”, OECD Education at a Glance (database), https://stats.oecd.org/# (accessed on 14 April 2024).
To support full completion of upper secondary education where learners develop the skills and agency for success in life and work, smooth transitions into, through and out of upper secondary education are essential. Smooth transitions are characterised by few barriers to student progression when moving from lower to upper secondary, through phases within upper secondary and to further education and employment. Smooth transitions are supported when structures and processes are in place to actively support and monitor learning e.g. sharing information between settings and making sure there is a programme offer which meets learners’ needs. This relates to the institutional structures and design of education systems as well as how effectively students are supported when they transition (Perico E Santos, 2023[11]) (OECD, 2023[13]).
Policies focused on transitions
As well as the broader structural and upper secondary context that influences transitions, countries frequently have specific policies to facilitate transitions across and within education levels. This section develops a framework of policies and practices for supporting upper secondary transitions, created to support peer learning discussions with Wales for this project.
To provide insights for Wales around how education systems support learners’ upper secondary transitions, the OECD undertook a stocktake of policies and practices in the comparison systems related to transitions. The goal of this stocktake was not to evaluate different policies and practices, but simply to develop a framework showcasing the range of policies as well as government-run or government-funded programmes and initiatives that relate to upper secondary transitions. Relevant search terms, such as ‘transitions’, ‘pathways’, ‘post-secondary’, ‘career’ and ‘world of work’, were used to identify the recent, current, and in-development policies and practices in official materials and government web pages that relate to upper secondary transitions. The stocktake revealed a wide range of policies and practices related to transitions. These policies and practices have been organised into a framework, structured by six overarching goals (Figure 5.3). The text below presents the main types of policies identified by the stocktake.
Stocktake of country practices and policies related to transitions.
Source: See Annex B for sources.
A focus on a learner’s skills and capacity to make a smooth transition
Across the comparison systems, countries’ policies and practices aim to ensure learners have the skills, knowledge, competencies, prior experiences and support needed to make smooth transitions. In Wales, this has been built into the Curriculum for Wales via guidance on Careers and Work-Related Experiences (CWRE). This aims to support learners to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding in preparation for the challenges and opportunities that come with transitions to further education and the world of work (Welsh Government, 2020[14]). This guidance focuses on what learners should be able to develop and become, putting learners’ skills and capacities in the context of their families, schools and wider communities, as well as wider structural and influencing factors such as economic factors, employment opportunities and geographical factors.
One example from the comparison systems of a practice which aims to develop learners’ skills and capacities to make a smooth transition is the mandatory careers education that is included in lower secondary vocational programmes (VMBO) in the Netherlands. For lower secondary vocational programmes (VMBO), Career Orientation and Guidance is compulsory and is aimed at supporting learners to develop self-awareness and gain experiences and insights from the world of work so that they can make effective decisions – see Box 5.2 (Expertisepunt LOB [Career Development Expertise Centre], 2021[15]). Practices like workplace visits, employment programmes, and career activities, have been identified as career readiness indicators by the OECD i.e. indicators revealing learners’ capacity to develop greater agency in approaching school-to-work transitions (Covacevich et al., 2021[16]).
With the implementation of the Curriculum for Wales in Years 10 and 11 learners (15-16 years‑old), Wales can consider the processes and expectations on schools for how to deliver CWRE well and what further support schools might need to do this.
In some countries, Careers Education is integrated into the curriculum and/or systematically across school practices. In the Netherlands, for lower secondary vocational (VMBO) programmes, Career Orientation and Guidance is compulsory and is aimed at supporting students to develop self-awareness and gain experiences and insights from the world of work so that they can make effective decisions. The Career Orientation and Guidance process for VMBO programmes involves:
The school creating an environment in which career experiences can be gained
The school creating opportunities to orient learners towards further education and employment
The school creating opportunities for learners to reflect on career experiences
The school supporting students by providing background information and practical examples of career competencies
The school creating opportunities for learners to develop their own ‘career file’
The school ensuring that career competencies are embedded in the curriculum and in the learner’s programme of assessment
The learner managing their own ‘career file’ and becoming the owner of their own learning pathway (Expertisepunt LOB [Career Development Expertise Centre], 2021[15]).
Schools have the freedom to, alongside the learner, decide what form the ‘career file’ will take. Templates and examples are provided, but schools can also develop their own approach. The Netherlands’ five Career Competencies are often used to frame the ‘career file’ and provide a structure.
For learners in the VMBO programme, participation in Career Education is compulsory. Schools determine what exactly a learner must do to meet this requirement. This introduces a cross-disciplinary, element to a learner’s programme. At a system level, there is a lot of flexibility for the Career Education requirement. Teachers, together with learners’ mentors, are trusted to decide if learners meet the participation requirement for Career Education, as specified in their ‘career file’.
Learners are the owners of their own ‘career file’, as this is a space where they share personal reflections. Separate to the ‘career file’, schools can have a ‘transfer file’ to share information about learners’ needs and experiences. Local authorities often give funds to support schools to implement a ‘transfer file’ system. Some schools also make their own templates. Learners can choose if their ‘career file’ gets included in their ‘transfer file’.
Source: Peer Learning Discussions with Wales in November 2023, facilitated by the OECD’s Above and Beyond project; Expertisepunt LOB [Career Development Expertise Centre] (2021[15]), Van Noodzaak Naar Kans [From Necessity to Opportunity], https://www.expertisepuntlob.nl/tools/lob-kennisbank/handreiking-lob-vmbo-van-noodzaak-naar-kans (accessed 11 December 2023).
System-focused policies and practices to create an environment that facilitates smooth transitions
Across the comparison systems, there are a wide range of system-level policies and practices focused on supporting learners’ transitions across settings. In Wales there is a focus on how the whole education system comes together to support learners’ transitions across settings, particularly given the recent establishment of Medr, the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research, which has responsibilities to take a whole system approach to further education and tertiary education.
As well as the municipalities’ obligation to track NEET young people and to offer them activities with a view to getting them back to school, Sweden also supports the settings learners transition to after school, such as places of employment, to be better prepared to receive learners. Supervisors of learners who are starting workplace-based training can receive their own training via an online platform that covers topics such as mentoring and awareness of common disabilities. After completing the training, workplace supervisors receive a certificate and their workplace can receive extra government subsidies (Skolverket [Swedish National Agency for Education], 2023[17]).
Other transition-related activities focus on involving employers in the curriculum and assessment development process. While this is common practice for vocational education and training, it is less often considered for general education programmes. With greater alignment between the curriculum and the world of work, learners are more likely to be better prepared for employment following graduation. With the recent establishment of Medr, Wales will have a whole of system view when considering post‑16 education and how learners are supported to engage with and get prepared for the world of employment and tertiary study opportunities.
Diverse approaches for work-related learning, work experience and work-based learning in upper secondary programmes
Some education programmes may also include work experience or work-based learning, with policymakers encouraging active collaboration between education and employment actors. Learners who leave education with first-hand experience of the workplace – either through part-time work, volunteering or a work placement – are expected to make smoother transitions into full-time work (OECD, 2021[18]).
While none of the comparison systems have compulsory work experience for all learners, Figure 5.4 shows the diverse approaches for including work-related learning, work experience and work-based learning – either as an optional or mandatory component and either for some or all learners – in general and vocational upper secondary programmes.
Notes: In British Columbia, Work Experience 12A/12B is a course learners can opt to take for credit. Learners must also take the Career Life Education and Career Life Connections courses, which may involve work experience.
In Estonia, for General education programmes, Career Education is an optional subject which may involve work experience i.e. business visits, job shadowing. Vocational education programmes can be delivered as apprenticeships.
In Ireland, learners who opt to take the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme do a compulsory link module which can involve work experience. Work experience is a core part of the Transition Year, which is an optional year between ISCED 2 and ISCED 3.
In the Netherlands, MBO vocational education programmes can be delivered via work-based learning (BBL).
In New Zealand, learners can opt to take a Gateway course, which involves work experience and which counts for NCEA credits.
In Portugal, Education for Citizenship and Development is a part of all programmes, but it is a component which can be implemented within and across other subject disciplines, at the school’s discretion. Education for Citizenship and Development. The ‘World of Work’ is included as a topic area within the curriculum for Citizenship Education.
In Sweden, Practical working life orientation (PRAO) is compulsory during lower secondary (from grade 8 onwards). Students must do at least 10 days of work experience.
Source: British Columbia Government (2023[19]), Career Programs, https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/support/career-programs (accessed 17 December 2024); British Columbia Government; British Columbia Government (2019[20]) Career Education 10-12 Guide, https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/sites/curriculum.gov.bc.ca/files/curriculum/career-education/en_career-education_10-12_career-education-guide.pdf (accessed 29 January 2025); Estonia Government Ministry of Education and Research (2011[21]), Valikõppeaine „Karjääriõpetus" [Optional Subject “Career Education”], https://www.riigiteataja.ee/tolkelisa/5290/4202/4001/18m_gym_lisa10.pdf# (accessed 18 November 2023); Estonia Government Ministry of Education and Research (n.d.[22]), Vocational Education, https://www.hm.ee/kutse-ja-taiskasvanuharidus/kutseharidus (accessed 18 November 2023); National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (2022[23]), Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme Statement, https://www.curriculumonline.ie/getmedia/997056e3-2792-4ef6-8b6c-ef80c0dfccd8/Revised-LCVP-Programme-Statement_June-22_EN.pdf (accessed 5 December 2023); Ireland Citizens Information Board (n.d.[24]), Transition Year, https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/primary-and-post-primary-education/going-to-post-primary-school/transition-year/#:~:text=Transition%20Year%20(also%20called%20TY,programme%20which%20lasts%202%20years (accessed 18 December 2024); MBO Start (2024[25]), BBL vs BOL, https://www.mbostart.nl/bol-bbl/; Tertiary Education Commission (2023[26]), Gateway Handbook, https://www.tec.govt.nz/assets/Forms-templates-and-guides/Gateway-Handbook-2023.pdf (accessed 18 December 2023); Portugal Government Directorate-General for Education (2017[27]), Estratégia Nacional de Educação para a Cidadania [National Strategy for Citizenship Education], http://dge.mec.pt/sites/default/files/Projetos_Curriculares/Aprendizagens_Essenciais/estrategia_cidadania_original.pdf (accessed 23 November 2023); Portugal Government Directorate-General for Education (n.d.[28]), Currículo Nacional [National Curriculum], https://www.dge.mec.pt/curriculo-nacional-documentos-curriculares (accessed 18 December 2023); Skolverket [Swedish National Agency for Education] (2023[29]), Praktisk arbetslivsorientering [Practical working life orientation], https://www.skolverket.se/regler-och-ansvar/ansvar-i-skolfragor/prao (accessed 23 November 2023).
Diverse approaches to building awareness and connections to the world of work and workplaces include:
Providing work-related learning within the programme
In some systems, including for some programmes across British Columbia, Estonia, Ireland and Portugal, learning that is related to the workplace is included in the learning programme, either as a compulsory or optional element (Box 5.3). This approach can support learners to gain understanding and awareness of the world of work, including of different career pathways options. Classes for this can be a space for learners to develop and practice the skills they need to prepare for transitions i.e. interview preparation and CV development. This approach can be a way to ensure that the learning programme includes links and references to the world of work and workplaces, even if the resources and opportunities are not available for learners to enter workplaces and undertake work experience directly.
Providing opportunities for work experience
In some systems, including British Columbia and New Zealand, learners can do a work experience placement as a part of their learning programme, which may count for credit or towards certification. This approach enables learners to have practical, real-world experiences of a work environment and they can begin to develop connections and networks. This can also be an opportunity for learners to test their assumptions about different pathways and develop a closer understanding of what is right for them.
Providing teaching and learning in a workplace context
In some systems, including for some programmes across Estonia, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden, learners can or must complete a work experience placement as a part of their learning programme (see Box 5.6). In some systems, such as Portugal and Sweden, all vocational programmes must include work-based learning. In other systems, learners can opt to study their programme through the mode of work-based learning as opposed to through provider‑based study.
The Netherlands and Estonia: Work-based learning as a mode of study for VET programmes
In the Netherlands, for each upper secondary vocational (MBO) course there are two learning pathways: vocational training where practical training takes up between 20% and 60% of the course; and block or day release where practical training takes up more than 60% of the course.
In Estonia, vocational education can be delivered through workplace-based studies, where the ratio of practical assignments encompasses at least two thirds of the curriculum
Ireland: The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme includes work-related learning
In Ireland, all learners taking the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme must study two ‘Link Modules’ on ‘Preparation for the World of Work’ and ‘Enterprise Education’. While a work placement is not mandatory, experiences such as work placements, career investigations, mini-enterprises, business and community visits are an integral part of the programme.
Source: Estonia Government Ministry of Education and Research (n.d.[22]), Vocational Education, https://www.hm.ee/kutse-ja-taiskasvanuharidus/kutseharidus (accessed 18 November 2023); National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (2022[23]), Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme Statement, https://www.curriculumonline.ie/getmedia/997056e3-2792-4ef6-8b6c-ef80c0dfccd8/Revised-LCVP-Programme-Statement_June-22_EN.pdf (accessed 5 December 2023); MBO Start (2024[25]), BBL vs BOL, https://www.mbostart.nl/bol-bbl/ (accessed 18 December 2024).
Transitions-related policies and practices are often the responsibility of many actors, but are rarely strategically co-ordinated
The wide range of policies and practices that support transitions tend to fall under the jurisdiction of different parts of government and actors beyond government. This is the case in Wales as it is in many of the comparison systems. Transitions-related policies and practices may involve parts of government and other actors responsible for:
Curriculum, programme design, and assessment and certification design
School reviews and inspections
Careers education and digital infrastructure e.g. Careers website
Social development, justice and crime prevention and employment and the labour market.
While some systems have high-level strategies that include transitions, it is rare to find national strategies explicitly related to the transition from upper secondary education. Some of the comparison systems do have transition strategies and guidance for other education levels, such as from early childhood education to primary, or for disabled learners.
In Wales, there are regulations in place requiring secondary schools and their feeder primary schools to develop a transition plan together for their learners (Welsh Government, 2022[30]). Despite this focus on transitions from primary school to secondary school, there is no explicit, nationally mandated transition plan for learners leaving secondary school. Wales could consider ways to foster collaboration between schools which do and do not provide post-16 education and with further education colleges and work‑based training providers. Effective collaboration between the range of actors can help prevent the risk of learners falling through the cracks and not receiving the right support at crucial transition moments.
Based on the analysis and evidence presented above in this chapter, this section summarises the key policy observations about learners’ experiences of transitions in Wales and policy options (summarised in Table 5.1) for providing support to learners as they prepare for and undergo transitions. . It focuses on the wider ecosystem of policy approaches and interventions to strengthen the system’s capacity to construct clear pathways and learners’ capacity, including through the wrap-around support they receive, to transition well. The structural features of curriculum, programmes and qualifications are discussed in Chapters 2-4.
Setting expectations for institutions to support transitions
One of the challenges for promoting skills and experiences that support smooth transitions in upper secondary education is ensuring that there is sufficient space and priority given to this learning as teachers and learners simultaneously prepare for high stakes assessments (OECD, 2023[31]).
With the implementation of the Curriculum for Wales, schools are being asked to plan, design and implement Careers and Work-Related Education for learners and self-reflection and post-16 planning as a key component of the framework in the 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement (discussed in Box 2.3 in Chapter 2). However, it may be challenging for schools to find sufficient time for Careers and Work-Related Education in the context of learners’ busy timetables while working towards high stakes national qualifications like the General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs). This will be a challenge for schools to implement but it will be important to hold schools accountable for this.
Policy pointers for Wales
Consider how schools – in conjunction with further education colleges who receive transitioning learners – can be supported to implement changes according to expectations set out in the 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement and how these expectations can be built systematically into processes for evaluating and assessing schools.
Provide further support and guidance for schools on how to integrate Careers and Work‑Related Education into their curriculum in alignment with the Curriculum for Wales and in partnership with other schools, further education providers and employers, such as:
Providing practical suggestions and examples for how they can resource and allocate sufficient time for Careers and Work-Related Education within their school context. For example, teachers in British Columbia have access to government and education partner co-developed resources and a 124-page guidebook providing an overview of career education, examples of how it can be delivered and guidance for teaching and assessing learners’ capstone project (British Columbia Government, 2019[20]).
Ensure that accountability measures and school improvement processes prioritise the role of schools in informing learners about future options.
Explore creating progression pathways which build on the foundations learners have at the point they enter post-16 education, including filling in gaps and missing knowledge and skills, and creating a pathway towards ‘completion’. For example, a post-16 programme tailored to learners missing some foundations could involve scaffolded learning over two to three years, resulting in achievement of qualifications in key areas like English, Welsh or Maths at a level similar to existing AS Levels, alongside a vocational programme.
Designing structures to bring education and employment actors closer to bridge the divide between learners’ experiences pre- and post-transitions
To support smooth transitions, policymakers can consider how the system as a whole supports transitions, for example, by encouraging closer engagement and interaction between schools, further education providers and employers. Closer engagement across these settings could enable young people to learn across different settings, including schools, colleges and work-based learning settings, or schools and colleges being supported to build deeper relationships with local employers. Such collaborations can help to facilitate pathways to employment for learners at 18/19. Engagement between education and employment can enrich the local curriculum by contextualising learning and encouraging teachers and learners to prioritise topics and activities with tangible and authentic links to the world of work (OECD, 2021[32]). Furthermore, learners who undertake work experience have the opportunity to develop skills and experiences – as well as personal contacts and social networks – that will be beneficial to them as they look to transition into the workforce (OECD, 2021[18]).
Policy pointers for Wales
Ensure opportunities for employers and employer representatives to engage in high-level conversations about what young people who have completed upper secondary education and, more specifically, what young people with particular qualifications should know and be able to do. This can be a part of wider activities to ensure that learners do not fall through the cracks during transition periods. Wales could take inspiration from the requirement for municipalities in Sweden to track young people who are NEET and to offer them activities with a view to getting them back to school (OECD, 2016[12]).
Create opportunities throughout the learning programme for learners to gain a deeper understanding of what they can expect if they continue along certain education and employment pathways and to develop, in a practical sense, the skills and knowledge they will need for these pathways.
As the Welsh Government reviews its qualification reporting arrangements, it is worth considering how to collect a broader range of information about learner experiences and the support they receive in advance of post-16 transitions. For example, in Estonia, upper secondary learners complete a satisfaction survey focused on their upper secondary experience. Questions include how informed they were about future pathways during and after formal schooling and the support that they received for decision-making (OECD, 2020[33]). Surveying learners about their awareness of future pathways could act in tandem with an upper secondary completion measure, providing a fuller picture of support for transitions at age 16 and achievement post-transitions at age 18/19.
References
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