Research reviews

A systematic mapping exercise to show how existing
qualifications fit with the proposed career progression framework
for school support staff

Sylvia Johnson et al, Department for Education and Skills,
2004

Behaviour and guidance staff in schools may not be able to
progress their careers because of the lack of recognised national
qualifications, a research study for the Department for Education
and Skills has warned.

Gaps in accredited qualifications were found for all behaviour
and guidance staff, although there is no shortage of local training
schemes. Learning mentors, recently praised by Ofsted for
succeeding in re-engaging pupils at risk of disaffection, have no
national qualification.

More than 600 national qualifications were identified as having
relevance to school support staff, but fewer than 50 of them were
targeted at such staff or developed with them in mind. Despite
these gaps, there has been progress in developing qualifications
frameworks and career progression routes for other school support
staff, especially teaching assistants and early years support
staff.

New flexible and hybrid qualifications are needed which
recognise that all school support staff need some common knowledge
and skills. The report supports the proposal for a credit framework
that allows individuals to build up a portfolio of units rather
than undertake whole qualifications.

www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RB518.pdf

Explaining non-participation: towards a fuller
understanding of the “political”

David March, University of Birmingham

Young people are far from politically apathetic and are often
very articulate about the political issues that affect their lives.
But they perceive little connection between these issues and
mainstream politics, which they associate with authority
relationships.

A study by researchers at the University of Birmingham found
that young people felt marginalised or excluded from the
decision-making processes and had little sense that through
political participation they would be able to help shape things
they felt passionate about.

Young people reported feeling that they were rarely genuinely
consulted or listened to, even about issues which directly affected
them such as the introduction of AS level exams, or decisions about
local amenities.

The research was based on focus groups and individual interviews
with young people aged between 16 and 25 spanning a range of social
backgrounds, ethnicity and levels of education. It was funded by
the ESRC.

Pride not prejudice: young lesbian and bisexual
women

YWCA, 2004

Fewer than one school in seven recognises homophobic bullying in
their anti-bullying policies, a new study has found.

A survey by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA)
has found that despite government guidelines that bullying related
to sexuality should be addressed by schools, only 13 per cent of
137 schools surveyed had done so.

The YWCA has found in previous research that many young lesbian
and bisexual women had experienced severe bullying at schools,
particularly name-calling, ridicule and isolation. This put them at
risk of truancy and leaving school earlier than they otherwise
would have done.

Their isolation was often reinforced, the report found, by sex
education lessons which are exclusively oriented towards
heterosexuality.

www.ywca-gb.org.uk