Research - Post-16 Education Survey Report - 26 April 2019

Post-16 Education Survey 2019

8th March 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page Background  1 Methodology  1 Response rate  2 Notes  2 Summary of main findings  3

Results  4 Section 1 – Post-16 choices and qualifications/training being considered  4 Section 2 – Reasons to choose post-16 education or training  7 Section 3 – The post-16 education and training options available  12 Section 4 – Satisfaction with aspects of post-16 education and training provision  16 Section 5 – Factors affecting access to post-16 education and training  19

Appendices

Data preparation and processing Statistical reliability and bias The questionnaires

Background

The Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel is conducting a review into post-16 education and training provision in Jersey to determine whether it meets the needs of local students and the needs of local businesses and industries, while at the same time equipping young people to become more confident and active members of society. To assist in this review, Island ARK was  commissioned  to  conduct  surveys  of  both  those  approaching  and  those  already participating in post-16 education and training in the Island.

The broad objectives of the research were to obtain a better understanding from students as to their preferred educational path, their main reasons to pursue courses or training post-16, and their satisfaction with various aspects of post-16 education and training provision and the options currently available. More specifically the research brief asked the research to address:

• Post-16 educational/training intentions

• Reasons for pursuing courses or training

• Satisfaction with various aspects of the education and training currently available

• Views on the information and advice available

• Perceived barriers to achieving post-16 qualifications in Jersey

• Perceptions of the future value of the educational courses or training pursued

Methodology

A self-completion, online survey methodology was used, with a link to the relevant questionnaire being presented to students within the participating schools. The survey was promoted and administered by designated school staff members and was completed under supervision within school class time by most of the participating schools and colleges. However, some chose to send  the  link  to  the  survey  by  email  to  their  students,  with  response  rates  from  those schools/colleges likely to be lower.

Responses to the survey were anonymous and no personal details or the name of the school of the respondent were asked within the questionnaires.

Only the first question to the survey was mandatory to complete and completion of the survey was encouraged, but ultimately voluntary.

If all of the schools below participated, one survey link was provided to circa. 1,650 students in Years 10 and 11, and a slightly different survey link was provided to circa. 1,450 students in Years 12 and 13.

The schools and year groups that agreed to participate were as follows: Le Rocquier   Years 10 and 11

Les Quennevais  Years 10 and 11

Grainville  Years 10 and 11

Haute Vallee   Years 10 and 11

De la Salle  Years 12 and 13

Highlands  Years 12 and 13

Hautlieu  Years 10, 11, 12 and 13

JCG  Years 10, 11, 12 and 13

VCJ  Years 10, 11, 12 and 13

The above represents 84% of students in Years 10 and 11 (prior to post-16 education) and 92% of students currently participating in post-16 education or training.

Response rate

The surveys were completed over a period of 5 weeks from 28th January to 4th March.

By the final cut-off date, 1,945 fully completed survey responses had been submitted, representing a response rate of at least 63%. Following the data cleaning process, 1,212 had completed the survey from Years 10 and 11, showing a response rate of 73%, and 733 had completed the survey from Years 12 and 13, showing a response rate of 51%. The overall response rate of 63% is lower than anticipated due to some schools distributing the survey link by email. Some schools/colleges were also unable to confirm whether all of the relevant students within the designated year groups had received the opportunity to complete the survey.

Notes

A breakdown of the student numbers in Years 12 and 13 currently undertaking post-16 qualifications or training was not available at the time of writing this report, so it has not been possible to compare the sample profile with population data for Years 12 and 13. However, it is likely that the survey sample will contain some biases in terms of the course and training options currently being taken. For example, there were no respondents within the sample who are currently taking an NVQ or an Apprenticeship.

The name of the school and the year group was not asked in the survey so it is not known exactly which schools or year groups have participated and their respective response rates. Distribution to some students at Highlands was via email, so there is likely to be an under-representation of Year 12 & 13 students from the courses and training offered by that college. The survey results should therefore not be considered an accurate representation of current student post-16 course participation; these figures should be requested from Jersey Education.

Within the report, results are broken down by the type of course or training either being undertaken (for Years 12 & 13) or considered (for Years 10 & 11). Sub-sample sizes for some of these groups are small meaning there is a greater degree of statistical variability for those results (see Appendices for an explanation of statistical reliability).

Responses to open-ended questions are summarised where there has been a sufficiently large number of comments and where consistencies in response have been identified. For some questions where there have only been a small number of open-ended responses, all of the individual comments are shown. All text responses have been checked and deleted or edited where required so that the respondent or any individual being referred to cannot be identified.

Certain questions within the survey had more detailed response options. For some of the graphed results the wording of the options has been shortened in order to fit within the graph, so readers should refer to the full questionnaires within the appendices for more detail.

Summary of main findings

• The survey results would indicate that the motivations for choosing A-Levels and the International Baccalaureate are more related to academic achievement to enter University or Higher education than for the enhanced employment prospects and the development of life skills, although these might naturally be the end consequence of following the route through to Higher education. These more academic choices were also more motivated by an expectation of the students to continue in post-16 education, and also by the students not being ready to enter employment at that age. The main difference between those taking or considering A-Levels compared to those taking or considering the International Baccalaureate was that the latter regarded this option as being more likely to improve their overall self-development and to become more involved members of Jersey's community. This could, of course, also be related to the school conducting the IB rather than the course itself.

• The more technical qualifications, including the Pathways course, also fulfil to a lesser extent the expectation of enhanced opportunities to enter higher education and employment, but would appear to have a greater expectation of an impact on potentially improving self- development and life skills, as well as getting more involved in the local community in the future.

• Three-quarters of students are happy that their preferred post-16 courses or training are available to them in Jersey in their chosen school or college. While very few feel that none of their preferred choices are available in Jersey, there are still 13% who say that they cannot follow all of their preferred options within their chosen school/college and a further 10% who believe that some of their choices are not available in Jersey. Those currently undertaking the International Baccalaureate, A-Levels and a BTEC / Level 3 Diploma are most likely to be following their chosen option.

• Regarding satisfaction with various aspects of post-16 education or training provision, for those in Years 10 and 11, although relatively small proportions of students said that they were "very satisfied" with the various aspects being assessed, around 70% were at least "satisfied" and only between 5% and 9% were "unsatisfied". The highest level of dissatisfaction was with the information and advice available about post-16 education or training, with this also being commented on most frequently in the open-ended question.

• For those already in post-16 education or training, at least 70% were "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the various aspects being assessed, with most aspects receiving around 80% satisfaction. The lowest levels of satisfaction were with the choice of where to study or train in Jersey, the general standard of teaching and the ease of travel getting to and from their place of study/training. Transport issues were also related to a lack of post-16 options/colleges available outside of St. Helier . Although this did not receive the lowest satisfaction rating, the most frequent negative comments concerned the state of buildings and classrooms and the lack of materials, facilities and equipment; notably IT equipment.

• The main factor that young people in Jersey believe affects preferred choices for post-16 education is having sufficient finances, with half of Jersey's students in pre- and post-16 feeling that this has an impact. This is closely followed by a student's eligibility to attend a particular school or college which is likely to be related to their achieved grades. English language ability comes third on the list, followed by the availability of a course or training, which was also commented upon with the open-ended questions. Disability and transport are also felt to be important factors, with the bus service, traffic and the length of time spent travelling to and from college receiving a large number of comments.

Section 1 – Post-16 choices and qualifications/training being considered

The first question was the only mandatory one to complete within the survey with the intention that the profile of the respondents from Years 12 and 13 could be compared against information on the overall profile of students in those years, and also so that the survey results could be analysed for different types of qualifications either being undertaken or considered (for those in Years 10 & 11) where sub-sample sizes are sufficiently large (See Notes on page 2).

Q1 for Years 12 and 13:

Which post-16 qualifications or training are you currently undertaking?

For those who claimed to be undertaking the "Pathways / Entry for Life Skills" option, the stated courses were as follows:

- Pathways  11

- Life Skills  1

- Performing Arts  1

- Health and Social Care  1

- Building Trades  1

Only 4 out of the 9 declaring "Other" responded to the open-ended question asking them to name the course:

- Level 3 Extended Diploma  2

- Uniforms service  1

- A2 / AS Levels and BTEC / Level 3 Diploma  1

There were no respondents from Years 12 and 13 who said that they were currently undertaking an NVQ / Vocational Qualification or an Apprenticeship and only 1 respondent was currently undertaking further GCSE's (although they may have been taking these alongside a further qualification).

Q1 for Years 10 and 11:

Which of the following options are you considering for your post-16 education, training or employment?

A2 / AS Levels BTEC / Level 3 Diploma

69

Further GCSE's International Baccalaureate Apprenticeship

Going directly into employment

Jersey Progression Qualification / Level 2 Diploma

Pathways / Entry for Life Skills NVQ / Vocational Qualification Other

0 20 40 60 80 100

% considering the option

Sample size: 1,212

N.b. Respondents could select all options that they were currently considering

The  average  number  of  the  above  options  being  considered  was  1.5,  with  68%  of  the respondents only considering 1 option and a further 23% considering 2 options.

For the "Pathways / Entry for Life Skills" option, 5 respondents said they were considering the Pathways course and 2 were considering the Life Skills course. There was perhaps some misunderstanding about which subjects fell under this category as respondents also included the following under this category:

- Art & design

- Automotive

- Construction

- Customer service skills

- English

- Fashion

- Maths

- Media or history

- Music performance

- Game design

- Graphic design or video game design

- Video graphic design

- Technology programming

- Psychotherapy

- Sport

For those saying that they were considering "Other" options, the responses were as follows:

- Degree / University  4

- Army / military  3

- Gap year / travelling   3

- IBCP   3

- Health & Social care   2

- Highlands (non-course specific)  2

- Child development / Childcare  2

- Sport   2

- Animal management   1

- Performing arts  1

- Professional photography  1

- Game design   1

- Computer programming  1

Where relevant, survey results within this report are broken down by the different options currently being undertaken by Years 12 & 13 or being considered by Years 10 & 11. However, the sample sizes for some of these are small and this should be taken into consideration in the interpretation of the findings.

Section 2 – Reasons to choose post-16 education or training

For the initial question in this section, the wording differed slightly for the 2 separate surveys, with Years 12 and 13 also being given the option "To improve my GCSE results".

Q2  Which of the following were/are likely reasons for you to choose your post-16

education/training?

68 68

To get into University or Higher education

To gain better qualifications to improve employment prospects

An interest in the subject(s) To develop personal and life skills

Years 10 & 11 Years 12 & 13

An expectation to continue to study post-16 To gain a specific qualification for a chosen trade/job

Not ready to enter employment at 16

To gain practical experience to help access further training or employment

To improve GCSE results

Other

0 20 40 60 80 100

Sample sizes: 1,206 for Years 10 & 11 and 733 for Years 12 & 13 N.b. Respondents could select as many options above as applied

The responses to this question were broadly similar for both sets of students, with the top reason being to access University or Higher education followed by improving employment prospects, and then an interest in the subject(s). Those already in post-16 education were relatively more likely to give a reason that they had an interest in the subject(s), that there was an expectation for them to continue to study post-16 and that they were not ready to enter employment at 16.

For students in Years 10 and 11, the other reasons given were:

- Want to join the army/navy  2

- Low educational achievement expected  2

- Enjoy the school  1

- Need money, so have to work  1

- Professional sport  1

- To build confidence  1

For students in Years 12 and 13, the other reasons given were:

- Unsure of future plans/career   2

- To avoid adulthood  1

- Enjoy school   1

- Financial reasons  1

- Didn't like A-Levels  1

- Couldn't remain at initial school/college  1

- To facilitate leaving Jersey  1

- To remain with friends  1

- To leave work and do something creative  1

To enter University or Higher education:

For respondents in Years 12 & 13, 82% of those already undertaking A-Levels and 85% following the  International  Baccalaureate  were  doing  so  to  get  into  University  or  Higher  education compared to only half of those currently undertaking a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma, 36% undertaking a  Jersey  Progression  Qualification/Level  2  Diploma  and  just  16%  of  those  following  a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course.

For respondents in Years 10 & 11, 83% of those considering the International Baccalaureate and 82% of those considering A-Levels were doing so to get into University or Higher education. This compares  with 61% of those  considering a  BTEC/Level 3 Diploma or an NVQ/Vocational Qualification, 47% considering an Apprenticeship, and 42% considering a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course.

To improve employment prospects:

For those in Years 12 & 13, 60% of those currently undertaking A-Levels or the International Baccalaureate were doing so to improve their employment prospects, but the proportion was slightly higher at 64% for those undertaking a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma. 52% of those undertaking a Jersey Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma were doing so to improve their employment prospects and the lowest proportion of 42% was for those undertaking a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course.

For those in Years 10 & 11, 71% of those considering the International Baccalaureate or an NVQ/Vocational Qualification were doing so to improve their employment prospects, followed by 67% for those considering a Jersey Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma, 60% of those considering  A-Levels,  56%  of  those  considering  a  BTEC/Level  3  Diploma,  53%  of  those considering an Apprenticeship and 47% of those considering a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course.

An interest in the subject(s):

For  those  in  Years  12  &  13,  64%  of  those  currently  undertaking  a  Jersey  Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma were doing so because they were interested in the subject, followed by  59%  of  those  undertaking  a  BTEC/Level  3  Diploma,  55%  taking  the  International Baccalaureate and 52% taking A-Levels. The lowest proportion of 26% was for those undertaking a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course.

For those in Years 10 & 11, 61% of those considering the International Baccalaureate were doing so due to an interest in the subject(s), followed by 52% for those considering an NVQ/Vocational Qualification, 46% of those considering A-Levels, 44% of those considering a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma or a Jersey Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma, 35% of those considering a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course and 29% of those considering an Apprenticeship.

To develop personal and life skills:

For those in Years 12 & 13, 70% of those currently undertaking the International Baccalaureate were doing so to develop their personal and life skills, followed by 42% of those undertaking a Jersey Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma, 32% of those undertaking a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma and 26% for those undertaking a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course. The lowest proportion of 23% was for those currently studying for A-Levels.

For those in Years 10 & 11, 56% of those considering a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course were motivated by the chance to develop their personal and life skills, followed by 48% for those who were considering an NVQ/Vocational Qualification, 46% for those who were considering the International Baccalaureate, 45% for those who were considering an Apprenticeship, 44% for those considering a Jersey  Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma, and 33% for those considering a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma. Similar to those already in post-16 education, only 28% of those considering A-Levels were consider this option to develop their personal and life skills.

An expectation to continue to study post-16:

For those in Years 12 & 13, 70% of those currently studying for the International Baccalaureate said that there was an expectation for them to continue to study post-16, followed by 41% of those studying for A-Levels. Expectations were much lower for the less academic options; 19% for those undertaking a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma, 16% for those undertaking a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course and only 7% for those undertaking a Jersey Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma.

For those in Years 10 & 11, 44% of those considering the International Baccalaureate were doing so due to an expectation for them to continue in education, followed by 31% for those considering A-Levels, 29% for those considering an NVQ/Vocational Qualification, 28% for those considering a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course, 23% for those considering a Jersey Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma, and 19% for those considering either a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma or an Apprenticeship.

To gain a specific qualification for a chosen trade or job:

For those in Years 12 & 13, 42% of those currently undertaking a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course were doing so to gain a job-related qualification, followed by 33% of those undertaking a Jersey Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma, 28% of those undertaking a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma and 20% for those studying for the International Baccalaureate. The lowest proportion of 18% was for those currently studying for A-Levels.

For those in Years 10 & 11, unsurprisingly the highest percentage at 61% was for those considering an Apprenticeship. This was followed by 43% for those who were considering the International Baccalaureate, 42% for those considering an NVQ/Vocational Qualification, 37% for those considering a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course, 35% for those considering a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma, 34% for those considering a Jersey Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma and finally 28% for those considering A-Levels.

Not ready to enter employment at 16:

For those in Years 12 & 13, 31% of those currently undertaking A-Levels said that they were not ready to enter employment at the age of 16. A similar proportion of those studying the International Baccalaureate (20%) or following either a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma or Jersey Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma (19%) said that they were not ready for employment, followed by 16% of those following a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course.

For those in Years 10 & 11, 34% of those considering the International Baccalaureate felt that they would not be ready for employment, followed by 29% for those considering an NVQ/Vocational Qualification, 24% for those considering A-Levels, 21% of those considering a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma, 19% of those considering a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course, 16% considering a Jersey Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma, and 13% of those considering an Apprenticeship.

To gain practical experience to help access further training or employment:

For those in Years 12 & 13, 42% of those currently undertaking a Pathways/Entry for Life Skills course were doing so to gain practical experience to help access further training or employment, followed by 36% of those undertaking a Jersey Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma, and 30% of those undertaking a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma. The lowest proportion in response to this question were from those currently studying for A-Levels (9%) and those studying for the International Baccalaureate (5%).

For those in Years 10 & 11, the highest percentages at 42% were for those considering an Apprenticeship as well as for those considering an NVQ/Vocational Qualification. This was followed by 34% for those who were considering the International Baccalaureate, 33% for those considering  a  Pathways/Entry  for  Life  Skills  course,  32%  for  those  considering  a  Jersey Progression Qualification/Level 2 Diploma, 28% for those considering a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma, and finally 20% for those considering A-Levels.

Q3  To  what  extent  do  you  think  the  post-16  education  or  training  that  you  are

undertaking / hope to undertake will provide you with the relevant skills and/or qualifications for the following in the future:

Pre-16 - To enter higher education Post-16 - To enter higher education

2%

%2%

Pre-16 - To improve employment prospects Post-16 - To improve employment prospects

1% %1%

Pre-16 - To improve self-development and personal skills Post-16 - To improve self-development and personal skills

2% 1%

Pre-16 - To help get more involved with the local community in the future

% %

Post-16 - To help get more involved with the local community in the future

0% 20% 40% 60% Definitely Probably Probably not Not sure / Don't know

80% 100% Not applicable

Sample sizes: 1,179 to 1,187 for Years 10 & 11 and 718 to 725 for Years 12 & 13

As with the previous question, the main expectation and hope for undertaking post-16 education or training was to enter higher education, followed by improving employment prospects. A strong majority also felt that following this route would improve self-development and personal skills. Far fewer respondents felt that entering post-16 education or training would help them to get more involved with the local community in the future. The results above show little difference in response between those already in post-16 education and those approaching that stage.

For those already undertaking or those considering A-Levels, there was a high level of expectation that post-16 education would help them to enter higher education and to ultimately improve employment prospects, but one of the lowest levels of expectation that this would help them to get more involved with the local community in the future or would improve their self- development and personal skills.

For those already undertaking or those considering the International Baccalaureate, they had the highest level of expectation that post-16 education would help them to enter higher education and would improve employment prospects. Unlike those undertaking A-Levels, they also had high expectations that following the course would help them to get more involved with the local community and would improve their self-development and personal skills.

For those already undertaking or those considering a BTEC/Level 3 Diploma, there was a lower, although still high level of expectation that post-16 education would help them to enter higher education and would improve employment prospects. They also had higher expectations than those choosing the more academic courses that following this option would help them to get more involved with the local community and would improve their self-development and personal skills.

For those already undertaking or those considering a Jersey Progression Qualification / Level 2 Diploma, there was a lower level of expectation that post-16 education would help them to enter higher education but similar level of expectation to those following the BTEC/Level3 Diploma that this option would improve their employment prospects. They also had slightly higher expectations that following this option would help them to get more involved with the local community and would improve their self-development and personal skills.

For those already undertaking or those considering a Pathways / Entry for Life Skills course, there was the lowest level of expectation that post-16 education would help them to enter higher education, although a far higher proportion still felt that this was at least probable. A higher proportion than those undertaking a Jersey Progression Qualification / Level 2 Diploma felt that this option would improve their employment prospects. They also had relatively high expectations that following this option would help them to get more involved with the local community and would improve their self-development and personal skills.

Conclusions from Section 2:

When considering the responses to the questions within this section, the self-perceptions of a current level of achievement and self-expectation should be taken into account. A respondent may say that following a particular option may not make them any more likely to enhance their employment opportunities or develop their personal skills, but if they are already confident that they would find employment anyway and are confident that they already have those personal skills, then they may be less likely to feel these will be enhanced to a much greater degree. On the other hand, those starting at a lower level of achievement may feel that they have more to gain by following a particular route for post-16 education.

Taking account of the above, the survey results would indicate that the motivations for choosing A-Levels and the International Baccalaureate are more related to academic achievement to enter University or Higher education than for the enhanced employment prospects and the development of life skills, although these might naturally be the end consequence of following higher education. These more academic choices were also more motivated by an expectation of them to continue in education and also not being ready to enter employment at the age of 16. The main difference between those taking or considering A-Levels compared to those taking or considering the International Baccalaureate was that the latter regarded this option as being more likely to improve their overall self-development and to become more "rounded" and contributory members of Jersey's society.

The more technical qualifications, including the Pathways course, also fulfil to a lesser extent the expectation of enhanced opportunities to enter higher education and employment, but would appear to have a greater expectation of an impact on potentially improving self-development and life skills, as well as getting more involved in the local community in the future.

Section 3 – The post-16 education and training options available

This section of the report looks at the availability of preferred choices to students in Jersey, what is not available to them and whether those currently in post-16 education are following their preferred course(s) or training.

Q4a  When choosing your post-16 education or training, are all of the courses, subjects,

qualifications or training options you are interested in available in Jersey?

3%

12% Yes, my preferred choices are all available within the

school/college I hope to attend

Yes, but not all of my preferred options are available within 12%

the school/college I hope to attend

Some of my preferred choices for post-16 education or training are not available in Jersey

73%

All of my preferred choices for post-16 education or training are not available in Jersey

Sample size: 1,146 for Years 10 & 11

Q4a  When  choosing  your  post-16  education  or  training,  were  all  of  the  courses, subjects, qualifications or training options you were interested in available in

Jersey?

7% 1% Yes, my preferred choices were all available within the

school/college I attend

13%

Yes, but not all of my preferred options were available within the school/college I attend

Some of my preferred choices for post-16 education or training were not available in Jersey

78% All of my preferred choices for post-16 education or training

were not available in Jersey

Sample size: 703 for Years 12 & 13

The above shows that approximately three quarters of those in both pre- and post-16 education or training felt that their preferred choices were all available within the school or college they either already attended or hoped to attend.

For students in Years 10 & 11, 12% felt that some of their preferred choices were not available in Jersey and 3% said that all of their choices were not available in the Island. These figures were naturally lower for those already undertaking post-16 education or training in Jersey; at 7% and just 1% respectively.

Availability of course/training by qualification being considered for Yrs 10 & 11:

N.b. It should be noted that respondents might be considering more than one option for post-16 education or training. The sample sizes for those considering an NVQ or Pathways were small at 27 and 42 respectively.

The first table above shows little difference in response to this question between the qualifications being considered, with similar results for those also considering a Pathways / Entry for Life Skills course.

Almost 1 in 4 of those considering an NVQ, an Apprenticeship or going directly into employment felt that either some or all of their preferred options were not available in Jersey.

Availability of course/training by qualification currently being undertaken for Yrs 12 & 13:

N.b. The sample sizes for those undertaking the International Baccalaureate and Pathways courses were small at 20 and 17 respectively.

A high proportion of those already following post-16 courses or training said that all of their choices were available at their preferred school or college, but 30% of those studying the International Baccalaureate said that this was not available within their preferred school or college.

Between 5% and 7% said that some of their preferred choices were not available in Jersey, while only 8 respondents said that none of their preferred choices were available; 5 for those currently studying for A-Levels and 3 for those undertaking a BTEC / Level 3 Diploma.

In the subsequent open-ended question asking for further clarification as to which courses, subjects, qualifications or training options were not available in Jersey, there was a wide variety of responses. Some of these may be available in Jersey but not necessarily at the preferred school/college, or not available in combination. A number of respondents said that they would have liked to take a combination of A-Levels and more vocational courses but could not do so in Jersey or in their preferred school/college.

The most mentions were for the following:

1. Lack of a (proper) university or the possibility to obtain a university degree in Jersey
2. Music / Music college
3. Law
4. Government / Politics
5. Sport (specific sporting interests)
6. Drama / Performing Arts
7. Philosophy / Ethics
8. Criminology / Forensics
9. Health and Social Care
10. Psychology
11. Business studies
12. Armed services
13. Childcare / Child development
14. Dance (not necessarily linked to Performing Arts)
15. Sociology

Q6  Are you currently studying/following the post-16 education course(s) or training

that you wanted to in Jersey?

9%

4%

Yes

No

Not sure / Undecided

87% Sample size: 721 for Years 12 & 13

The graph below shows the proportion saying "yes" to the above question by the qualification or training they are currently undertaking:

International Baccalaureate BTEC / Level 3 Diploma

90 89

A2 / AS Levels

Jersey Progression Qualification / Level 2 Diploma Pathways / Entry for Life Skills

0 20 40 60 80 100

% currently following their preferred course/training

Sample sizes: 19 to 425

N.b. The sample sizes for "Pathways" (19) and "International Baccalaureate" (20) are small

Overall, nearly 90% of those in Years 12 and 13 said that they were currently following the course or training they wanted to in Jersey. Only 4% of the total sample said that they were not following their preferred choice.

However, the results to this question were much less favourable from those currently undertaking a Jersey Progression Qualification / Level 2 Diploma or a Pathways / Entry for Life Skills course.

Conclusions from Section 3:

Three-quarters of students are happy that their preferred post-16 courses or training are available to them in Jersey in their chosen school or college. While very few feel that none of their preferred choices are available in Jersey, there are still 13% who say that they cannot follow all of their preferred options within their chosen school/college and a further 10% who believe that some of their  choices  are  not  available  in  Jersey.  Those  currently  undertaking  the  International Baccalaureate, A-Levels and a BTEC / Level 3 Diploma are most likely to be following their chosen option.

Section 4 – Satisfaction with aspects of post-16 education and training provision

This section of the report examines how satisfied those approaching post-16 education are about the  advice  and  options  available,  with  some  more  detailed  questions  being  asked  about satisfaction levels from those already experiencing post-16 education or training in Jersey.

For Years 10 and 11:

Q5a  From your experience and knowledge of the options available, please indicate how

satisfied you are overall with the following aspects of post-16 education or training provision in Jersey:

The information/advice available

The courses/training available

The choice of where to study/train

The content of the course(s)/training

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

• Very satisfied Satisfied Neither satisfied or unsatisfied
  • Unsatisfied Very unsatisfied Unsure/Don't know

Sample sizes: 1,151 to 1,169

For students in Years 10 and 11, the satisfaction levels for all of the above were very similar, with 14% to 16% "very satisfied" and between 53% and 58% "satisfied".

For all of the above, less than 10% said that they were "unsatisfied" and the highest level of dissatisfaction was with the choice of where to study or train in Jersey.

Those showing the highest levels of dissatisfaction were considering either going directly into employment or following a Pathways / Entry for Life Skills course.

The subsequent question asked respondents to provide further details if they were not satisfied with any of the above. The responses were again diverse, but the main comments are shown below in order of mentions:

1. Lack of sufficient information or knowledge of the options or courses available
2. A lack of free/public schools or 6th form colleges available (just Hautlieu for A-Levels)
3. Lack of options / range of courses in general
4. Preferred course or subject not available (at preferred college)
5. Lack of places available or difficult to access preferred course

For Years 12 and 13:

Q5a  From your experience, please indicate how satisfied you are overall with the

following aspects of post-16 education or training provision in Jersey:

The information/advice available The courses/training available

The choice of where to study/train

The content of the course(s)/training

Standard of building/classrooms where course(s)/training delivered

The general standard of teaching

Materials/equipment available for course(s)/training

The ease of travel to get to/from place of study/training

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

• Very satisfied Satisfied Neither satisfied or unsatisfied
  • Unsatisfied Very unsatisfied Unsure/Don't know

Sample sizes: 709 to 722

As for those in Years 10 and 11, there were low levels of dissatisfaction with all of the above from those  already  undertaking  post-16  education  or  training  in  Jersey.  The  highest  level  of dissatisfaction was again with the choice of where to study or train in Jersey. 9% also said that they were unsatisfied with the general standard of teaching and the ease of travel getting to and from their place of study/training.

Those most likely to be "unsatisfied" with the choice of where to study in Jersey were currently undertaking A-Levels (12%).

Those most likely to be "unsatisfied" with the standard of the building/classrooms were currently undertaking a BTEC / Level 3 Diploma (13%).

Although based upon a small sample size, those most likely to be "unsatisfied" with the content of the course they were studying or the materials and equipment available were currently undertaking the International Baccalaureate (11%).

Those most likely to be "unsatisfied" with the standard of teaching were currently undertaking a BTEC / Level 3 Diploma or studying for A-Levels (9% each).

Those most likely to be "unsatisfied" with the ease of travel to or from their place of study were currently undertaking A-Levels (11%).

Year 12 and 13 students were also asked in the subsequent question to elaborate further if they were not satisfied with any of the above. The main comments are shown below in order of mentions:

1. Poor quality of building/classrooms, with a lack of materials, facilities and equipment (IT)
2. Teaching standards poor or inconsistent
3. Lack of colleges (free) for A-Level and all located in St. Helier
4. Negative comments about inconvenient bus times, frequency of service and routes
5. Amount of time to get to/from school/college, with lots of traffic
6. Either no, or minimal parking available at school/college
7. Lack of information on the options available and career path
8. Teacher turnover
9. Lack of options / course choices

Conclusions from Section 4:

For those in Years 10 and 11, although relatively small proportions of students said that they were "very satisfied" with the various aspects being assessed, around 70% were at least "satisfied" and only between 5% and 9% were "unsatisfied". The highest level of dissatisfaction was with the information and advice available about post-16 education or training, with this also being commented on most frequently in the subsequent open-ended question.

For those already in post-16 education or training, at least 70% were "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the various aspects being assessed, with most aspects receiving around 80% satisfaction. The lowest levels of satisfaction were with the choice of where to study or train in Jersey, the general standard of teaching and the ease of travel getting to and from their place of study/training. Transport issues were also related to a lack of post-16 options/colleges available outside of St. Helier . Although this did not receive the lowest satisfaction rating, the most frequent negative comments concerned the state of buildings and classrooms and the lack of materials, facilities and equipment.

Section 5 – Factors affecting access to post-16 education and training

This final section of the survey considers the factors that students feel might be affecting young people from following their preferred education or training.

Q6/7  Do you think that any of the following affect young people in Jersey from following

their preferred post-16 education or training?

52

Financial situation Eligibility to attend a particular school/college

English language ability Availability of course / training

Years 10 & 11 Years 12 & 13

Disability Transport

Gender / Gender identification Ethnic background

Sexual orientation Other

0 20 40 60 80 100

Sample sizes: 1,191 for Years 10 & 11 and 728 for Years 12 & 13 N.b. Respondents could select as many options above as applied

For students in Years 10 and 11, the other reasons given were:

- Mental health / anxiety  3

- Parental or peer pressure  2

- Behaviour / criminal record  2

- Intelligence  2

- Bullying / harassment   1

- What friends are doing  1

- Medical condition  1

- Discrimination  1

- Diversity quotas  1

For students in Years 12 and 13, the other reasons given were:

- Family / parental pressure  2

- Mental health   2

- Gap year  1

- Choosing a pathway at age 14 is too young   1

- Having to go to university in the UK   1

- Lack of job opportunities after college training  1

The results to this question reflect results seen within the rest of the survey and were broadly similar between pre- and post-16 respondents.

Around half of both sets of respondents gave "financial situation" as the main deterrent, and many of the open-ended comments in previous questions mentioned a lack of free colleges in Jersey to study preferred options; particularly A-Levels. The second main deterrent was a student's "eligibility to attend a particular school/college (e.g. obtaining the required grades)".

"English language ability" was also seen one of the main factors affecting options; particularly by those in Years 10 and 11, followed by the "availability of course/training", which again had been commented upon in previous open-ended questions.

"Disability" came high up the list of deterrents, with as many as 44% of those in Years 10 and 11 believing that this would affect young people from following their preferred post-16 education or training.

Following the large number of negative comments about the bus service, as well as the traffic and amount of time travelling to and from schools/colleges primarily based around St. Helier , it is perhaps not surprising to see that over a quarter of students in both pre- and post-16 education felt that "transport" would affect choices.

"Gender", "Ethnic background" and "Sexual orientation" all had a lower level of respondents considering them to affect post-16 choices, but the percentages were not insignificant; particularly for those in Years 10 and 11.

Conclusions from Section 5:

The main factor that young people in Jersey believe affects preferred choices for post-16 education is having sufficient finances, with half of Jersey's students in pre- and post-16 feeling that this has an impact. This is closely followed by a student's eligibility to attend a particular school or college which is likely to be related to their achieved grades. English language ability comes third on the list, followed by the availability of a course or training. Disability and transport are also felt to be important factors.

Appendices

Data Preparation & Processing

All questionnaires were self-completed online, with no need for subsequent data-entry. The online data entry screens had controls built in for question redirection and to prevent incorrect data entry such as multiple responses to one statement. No personal details were asked so as to allow for anonymity, but responses were checked to see if there were any obvious duplicates.

The response data was exported from the online survey software and subsequently analysed using a statistical software package called SPSS.

Upon satisfactory completion and within 6 months of delivery of the survey report, all data relating to respondents will be deleted from the Island ARK database. Please refer to Island ARK's Privacy Notice for any further information with regard to data security and retention.

Statistical reliability and Bias

Surveys are always subject to statistical error and the higher the sample size, the lower the margin of statistical variation. The table below gives an indication of the levels of statistical error to which the data are theoretically subject at the 95% Confidence Level.

The top line results from the survey for Years 12 and 13 are generally based upon a sample size of circa. 700, so a finding that 87% of total respondents were currently studying their preferred course would mean that the true figure for the whole of post-16 students is 95% likely to be within the range 85% to 89%, although is more likely to be nearer the survey sample finding of 87%.

When breaking down the results for individual options being taken or considered which have much smaller sample sizes, the results are subject to a far greater degree of statistical variability.

With any self-completion survey methodology, bias is likely to enter into the sample and the higher the response rate, the lower the likelihood of a bias in the sample. The response rate was relatively high for Years 10 & 11, but somewhat lower for Years 12 & 13. Certain schools also did not participate, so the results will be subject to some bias and should be regarded as indicative and not necessarily representative of students in these year groups as a whole.

It has not been possible to obtain population data from the Education Department to compare the sample profile for Years 12 and 13.

The Questionnaires

Post-16 Education Survey Years 10 and 11

Background

The Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel is conducting a review into post-16 education provision in Jersey to find out whether it meets the needs of local students, while at the same time equipping young people for future employment and to become more active members of society.

As part of this process, we are seeking your views and opinions on the options available and your satisfaction with various aspects of post-16 education and training in Jersey.

This online survey is being sent to students in Years 10 and 11 to allow as many young people as possible to let us know about their experiences and views on preparing for and accessing post-16 education or training in Jersey. A separate survey is also being sent to students in Years 12 and 13 to also find out the views from those who are already studying in post-16 education.

Confidentiality

Your responses to this survey will be anonymous and will be treated in the strictest confidence. No individual responses will be shared by Island ARK with any schools, any States department or any other organisation, and the survey software used by Island ARK is password protected and only accessible to Island ARK. The survey does not ask for any of your personal details, so please answer the questions honestly and provide as much detail as you can. Island ARK is an independent market research company based in Jersey.

Survey completion

The first question is the only one that requires a response; all other questions are optional, but please help us by filling in as many as you can. There are some hidden extra questions which will appear depending upon how you have answered previous questions.

Your completed questionnaire will only be saved when you click on the "Submit" button at the bottom of the next page of the questionnaire. Once you have clicked on the submit button you will not be able to return to the questionnaire to make any further amendments.

The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.

Thank you for your time.

4a  When choosing your post-16 education or training, are all of the courses, subjects, qualifications or training

options you are interested in available in Jersey?

(Please select one option from below)

01 Yes, my preferred choices are all available within the school/college I hope to attend

02 Yes, but not all of my preferred options are available within the school/college I hope to attend 03 Some of my preferred choices for post-16 education or training are not available in Jersey 04 All of my preferred choices for post-16 education or training are not available at all in Jersey

4b  (If options 2, 3 or 4 selected above) Please specify what courses, subjects, qualifications or training, or

which combination of courses are not available to you in Jersey?

5a  From your experience and knowledge of the options available, please indicate how satisfied you are overall

with the following aspects of post-16 education or training provision in Jersey?

Neither  Unsure/ Very  satisfied or  Very  Don't

satisfied  Satisfied  unsatisfied  Unsatisfied  unsatisfied  know

The information/advice available   about post-16 education/training  01 02 03 04 05 06

The courses/training available  01 02 03 04 05 06 The choice of where to study/train  01 02 03 04 05 06 The content of the course(s)/training  

01 02 03 04 05 06 you want to follow in the future

5b  If you are not satisfied with any of the above aspects, please provide further details below:

Submit survey

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete this survey.

Your responses will be very helpful in planning for Jersey's future post-16 education and training provision.

Post-16 Education Survey Years 12 and 13

Background

The Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel is conducting a review into post-16 education provision in Jersey to find out whether it meets the needs of local students, while at the same time equipping young people for future employment and to become more active members of society.

As part of this process, we are seeking your views and opinions on the options available and your satisfaction with various aspects of post-16 education and training in Jersey.

This online survey is being sent to students in Years 12 and 13, including those studying or training at Highlands College, to allow as many people as possible to let us know about their experiences and views on accessing post-16 education or training in Jersey. A separate survey is also being sent to students in Years 10 and 11 to also find out the views from those who are approaching post-16 education.

Confidentiality

Your responses to this survey will be anonymous and will be treated in the strictest confidence. No individual responses will be shared by Island ARK with any schools, any States department or any other organisation, and the survey software used by Island ARK is password protected and only accessible to Island ARK. The survey does not ask for any of your personal details, so please answer the questions honestly and provide as much detail as you can. Island ARK is an independent market research company based in Jersey.

Survey completion

The first question is the only one that requires a response; all other questions are optional, but please help us by filling in as many as you can. There are some hidden extra questions which will appear depending upon how you have answered previous questions.

Your completed questionnaire will only be saved when you click on the "Submit" button at the bottom of the next page of the questionnaire. Once you have clicked on the submit button you will not be able to return to the questionnaire to make any further amendments.

The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.

Thank you for your time.

Submit survey

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete this survey.

Your responses will be very helpful in planning for Jersey's future post-16 education and training provision.