This report by the Centre for Real World Learning ‘takes the pulse’ of practical and vocational learning in the UK.
The report finds that although the problems of treating practical and vocational education as a 'second class' option are recognised, politicians and policy makers still seem to be ignoring the underlying problems. It advises that they need to be brave enough to let the practical and vocational education sector develop 'a rich and distinctive culture of education'.
It also highlights the need to understand more about how general purpose intelligence grows, such as problem-solving, collaboration and resilience and the need to move away from enforced choice points at age 13 or 14, instead allowing for greater opportunities to sample a variety of worlds of work right from the beginning of primary school.
This paper forms a snapshot of a larger piece of research being carried out by the Centre for Real World Learning for Edge, looking more broadly and deeply at research into practical and vocational education.