Entitlement Framework
The Education (NI) Order 2006 places a mandatory requirement on Boards of Governors to provide all pupils at grant-aided schools with access to the Entitlement Framework (EF).
The Entitlement Framework is an integral part of young people's education within the Revised Curriculum at Key Stage 4 and post-16 and must not be seen as an optional extra or a short-term initiative. The requirement to offer greater breath and balance in the courses and pathways available to young people is a key contributor to our overall goal of raising standards within all post-primary schools and of reducing the levels of educational underachievement that currently exit.
The EF will guarantee all post primary pupils aged 14 and above greater choice and flexibility by providing them with access to a wide range of learning opportunities suited to their needs, aptitudes and interests, irrespective of where they live or the school they attend, including a minimum range of vocational courses.
The target date for the full implementation of the EF is September 2013. From that date, schools will be required to provide pupils with access to a minimum number of courses at Key Stage 4 (current target 24) and minimum number of courses at post-16 (current target 27). In both cases at least one-third of the courses must be general (academic) and at least one-third applied (vocational/professional/technical). The remaining one-third of courses is at the discretion of each school and provides schools with an opportunity to develop a unique and distinctive curricular offer. Of equal importance to the range of courses is the coherence of the offer which should enable young people to choose from a package of courses that leads to progression to further education, higher education, training and employment.
The Entitlement Framework Online audit has been developed by the Western Education & Library Board (WELB), in consultation with the other education partners, primarily in order to help schools establish a baseline of their current curriculum provision at KS4 and Post-16. The audit also allows schools to access details of the current level of co-operation and collaboration, indicate their perceived state of readiness for the full implementation of the Entitlement Framework and highlight any problems or concerns.
In addition, the audit information enables schools in Area Learning Communities to assess details of the total offer in the local area. This will enable schools working together to identify the needs and priorities within the area and to develop the necessary collaborative arrangements to maximise the offer to young people.
A report of the 2008/09 Audit is available on the Western Education and Library Board's Curriculum Advisory and Support Service (CASS) website. This provides details of the curricular offer and arrangements in all board areas.
Further information about the Entitlement Framework has been provided in Circular 2005/18 Entitlement Framework – Initial Guidance 100 KB PDF and Circular 2006/20 Entitlement Framework - Further Guidance 184 KB PDF.
The Department has published Circular 2007/23 Approval of Qualifications, and Guidance on the Classification of Courses PDF 208 KB which classifies and lists Key Stage 4 and Post 16 courses in relation to the requirements of the Entitlement Framework. The list of approved courses has been superseded with the establishment of the Online Audit. The audit is regularly updated with additional courses approved under the Entitlement Framework and the current list can be accessed through the Online Audit website.
Back to top
For most schools some form of collaboration with other providers will be necessary to enable pupils to have access to the full number of courses specified under the Entitlement Framework. Article 21 of the Education Order 2006 enables schools to secure provision for students at other institutions; Circular 2007/20 The Education (2006 Order) (Commencement No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2007 179 KB PDF outlines the statutory requirements for schools. Recognising that schools are starting from different points, the number of courses and the commencement date are not specified in the Order, to provide flexibility to phase in the requirements at a pace that is appropriate and manageable for schools.
Support for collaborative arrangements between schools, and/or between schools and FE colleges and other providers, is provided through a programme co-ordinated on an area basis. Circular DE 2008/12 Entitlement Framework Support: Guidance on Arrangements for 2008/09 School Year 177KB PDF June 2008 outlined the legislative background of the Entititlement Framework and detailed the support arrangements to assist schools to make progress towards the delivery of the Entitlement Framework by 2013. The Department has reviewed the arrangements in place to support schools with the collaborative delivery of the EF and on 22 June 2009 issued Circular DE 2009/08 Delivering the Entitlement Framework by 2013: Guidance on Entitlement Framework Support Arrangements for Schools and Area Learning Communities 214KB PDF (Irish version) which outlines the revised arrangements and indicates where these modifications differ from 2008/09.
To assist schools to develop effective collaboration arrangements the Department has made resources available through ELBs, CCMS, NICIE and CnaG to enable them to provide support for learning communities. The Development Officers work with schools to identify the most appropriate arrangements to maximise the curricular offer to young people. The Development Officers are:-
The Department has also established an Development Officers Regional Forum to facilitate the Development of a coherent and cohesive regional strategy for supporting collaborative arrangements. A key aim of the forum is to share best practice across all schools.
Back to top
|
