Professor Prue Huddleston, Centre for Education and Industry,
University of Warwick
Dr. Anthony Mann, Education and Employers Taskforce
"How and Why Employers are Engaged to Support Student Learning
and Progression in High-Performing Independent Schools"
Abstract: This seminar addresses three questions:
1) to what extent do high-performing independent schools engage
with employers to support pupil learning?, 2) why do they do it?
and 3) how do they go about it?
It draws upon data generated from a range of sources: six
structured interviews with careers advisors, teachers and head
teachers at high-performing independent schools, desk research on
twenty high-performing independent schools, a desk-top review of
Russell Group university admissions criteria and YouGov survey data
of 1,002 young adults (aged 19-24) in Great Britain on work related
learning whilst in full-time education.
Findings from the data show that a high proportion of the
independent schools being studied engage employers to support pupil
learning and progression in a variety of ways - enterprise
activities, work experience, careers advice, business mentoring,
work-place visits, and inviting in visiting speakers.
Responses from the interviewees suggest that schools engage with
employers primarily to help pupils: get on to university courses of
choice, decide on career goals and how to achieve them, and develop
employability skills. These schools are distinctive in their
ability to access support from employers via governor, alumni,
parental and teacher networks.
The seminar concludes by presenting new findings from the survey
data which suggests that pupils from independent schools find the
work related activities that they undertake significantly more
useful in terms of helping them to decide on a careers, securing
employment and getting into university compared to their peers at
comprehensive state schools.