Abstract
This paper considers whether subject choice at 14–16 influences post-16 transitions, taking into account prior academic attainment and school characteristics, and if so, whether this accounts for socioeconomic, gender, and ethnic differences in access to post-16 education. We consider post-16 progression to full-time education, A-levels, and studying two or more facilitating subjects at A-level. We use ‘Next Steps’, a study of 16,000 people born in England in 1989–1990, linked to administrative education records (the National Pupil Database). We find that students pursuing an EBacc-eligible curriculum at 14–16 had a greater probability of progression to all post-16 educational outcomes, while the reverse was true for students taking an applied GCSE subject. Curriculum differences did not explain the social class differences in post-16 progression, but an academic curriculum was equally valuable for working-class as for middle-class pupils. Pursuing an EBacc-eligible curriculum particularly strongly increased the chances of girls and white young people staying in the educational pipeline, whereas applied subjects were particularly detrimental for girls. An EBacc-eligible curriculum at age 14–16 increased the chances of studying subjects preferred by Russell Group universities at A-level.
Highlights
The 2002 Education Act, and the 2001 White Paper Schools achieving success (Department for Education and Skills, 2001) which preceded it, promoted choice and diversity in the curriculum
We find that students pursuing an EBacc-eligible curriculum at 14–16 had a greater probability of progression to all post-16 educational outcomes, while the reverse was true for students taking an applied GCSE subject
This paper examined the impact of the curriculum studied by pupils aged 14–16 on whether they continued in education post-16, and if so, what kind of 16–18 curriculum they pursued
Summary
The 2002 Education Act, and the 2001 White Paper Schools achieving success (Department for Education and Skills, 2001) which preceded it, promoted choice and diversity in the curriculum. The planned curricular diversity was to operate both within and between schools, so that the education system could ‘cater significantly better for the diverse requirements and aspirations of today’s young people’ (Department for Education and Skills, 2001). Young people continued to study for GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education), but numerous new qualifications were introduced, including vocational GCSEs. The subsequent Conservative government has moved to revert to a more. OXFORD REVIEW OF EDUCATION 95 traditional curriculum, which has proved controversial. Amidst this rapidly changing policy landscape, an empirical assessment of the consequences of curriculum diversity at 14–16 on pupils’ subsequent transitions is required
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