ABSTRACT
This chapter is an introduction to the bewildering curriculum changes that have occurred for sixth-form students in the last few years. We place these changes within a wider context by tracing the introduction of a vocationally orientated curriculum for 14-19-year-olds. The main focus of the chapter is on recent reforms as they affect school sixth forms as well as some reforms in sixth form and further education (FE) colleges. Each qualification offers fresh challenges to teachers. This chapter is an introduction to sixth-form vocational qualifications and we advise the reader interested in more detail to use the contacts and further reading given at the end of the chapter. In this chapter we use the term ‘student’ to refer to learners in schools and colleges. Elsewhere in this book we use the term ‘pupil’ to refer to learners, mainly aged 11-16. Abbreviations used in the chapter are listed in Appendix 1.
