As part of the Esmeé Fairbairn Skills for All Programme at the Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics, and the National Foundation for Educational Research, we are organised a series of seminars, sponsored by the ESRC, on 'How to motivate (demotivated) 14-16 year old learners, with particular reference to work related education and training'.

The seminars focused on young people during the final years of compulsory schooling. We started with the premise that a substantial proportion of young people underachieve at school and that demotivation is a significant contributor to this. We are particularly interested in the possibility that work-related education and training may offer some solutions to the problem. The series investigated both the wider context and a number of recent innovations and initiatives in this area.

Papers presented and summaries of discussions can be found below:

Friday 13th December 2002
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• Professor William Richardson (University of Exeter), 'Schooling and further education for 14-16 year olds in England 1941-1980'
• Ken Franklin (Sheffield College, formerly DfES), 'Avoiding "the blind alley": English attempts to develop vocational and technical education in the second half of the twentieth century'
• Valerie Bayliss (Educational consultant, formerly DfES) 'Policy thinking in the 80s and 90s: all change or no change?'

Friday 14th February 2003: Comparative perspectives
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• Andreas Schleicher (OECD) 'PISA, engagement and motivation, precursors for performance and destinations'
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• Cathy Stasz (Rand Europe) 'Motivating (demotivated) 14-16 year olds: scope for the work-related curriculum: A US perspective'
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• Julia Whitburn, 'Perspectives on Switzerland, based on NIESR research'
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Friday 16th May 2003: Mapping of 14-16 year olds.
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• Steve McIntosh (CEP LSE and Skills for All programme), 'The 16-18 year old unqualified / low qualified: using the Labour Force Survey to map the 14-16 year old low-achievers'
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• Ingrid Schoon (City University) 'Teenage aspirations for education and work and long-term outcomes: Evidence from the 1958 National Child Development Study and the 1970 British Cohort Study'
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• David Hall and Carlo Raffo (University of Mancheser) 'Disaffected young people and the work related curriculum: research on work related learning schemes in Greater Manchester'
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Friday 19th September: Motivating 14-16 year olds to invest in learning and aim for progression: Scoping and Evaluation Part 1
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• Andrew Watson (ASW Consulting, formerly with SWA Consulting), 'Evaluation of Work-Related Learning Projects at Key Stage 4: to July 2001'
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• Justin Donovan (Barking and Dagenham LEA) 'Initiatives in Barking and Dagenham LEA'
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• John Mattick (OFSTED) 'Aspects of why and how in work-related learning and inclusion: perspectives from inspection'
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Friday 31st October: Motivating 14-16 year olds to invest in learning and aim for progression: Scoping and Evaluation Part 2
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• Marian Morris (NFER) 'Scoping the Initiatives'
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• Kay Kinder (NFER), What works with disadvantaged and excluded young people: Alternative educational provision for 14-16 year olds'.
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• Deirdre Hughes (University of Derby) 'Reaching out to young people: Making the linkages between new initiatives'
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Thursday 27th November Concluding seminar focussing on summary of outcomes of series and policy implications
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• Richard Layard, Chair
• 'Overview of lessons from the series' Hilary Steedman (CEP, LSE) and Sheila Stoney (NFER)
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• Response/comment: David Miliband MP Minister of State for School Standards