School praised for its vocational courses

While thousands of pupils will be collecting their GCSE results this week across the country increasing numbers are being entered into alternative courses.

More than 80 pupils at Canon Lee specialist arts college in York have taken up two new qualifications in equality and diversity and nutrition and health which have been put together by course providers vision2learn and NCFE.

The health course has been aimed at pupils who have also taken GCSE PE.

In addition to the online element to the course, students also spend one day a week on work placement at a local rugby club, giving them hands-on experience of the fitness industry.

The courses were originally planned as an intervention for problem pupils but have instead being offered to all 15- and 16-year-olds in year 11 at the school. Sophie Butcher, 16, said: “One thing about living in York is that we don’t have a very mixed ethnic community, so you can feel a bit semi-detached from the diverse cultures in the rest of the UK, which was something I was particularly keen to learn about.

“The course in equality and diversity is far less rigidly structured than most of our classes, requiring self-discipline and personal commitment if you want to complete it successfully.

“I really feel that the course has complemented my GCSE subjects and helped to broaden my horizons, teaching me about the society we live in.”

NCFE chief executive David Grailey said: “The approach taken by Canon Lee is a very good example of how structured vocational learning can effectively complement traditional academic qualifications.... There was also a recognition that young people growing up in York have relatively little exposure to multicultural Britain, which made this subject even more relevant.”