To interview the Assistant Headteacher of Barnwell Secondary School, Jackie Johnson, regarding the skills agenda and how young people are accessing opportunities moving into employment, apprenticeships and further and higher education.
Minutes:
Responding to a question from the Chair regarding collaboration, Jackie Johnson, Deputy Head at Barnwell Secondary School highlighted the strong partnership between secondary schools in Stevenage, specifically in sharing resources due to teacher shortages, such as students studying A-level Chemistry at neighbouring schools. She spoke of a Stevenage 6th Form Partnership, which fostered collaboration between sixth forms but faced challenges in recruitment, especially for STEM subjects. The relationship between schools and North Herts College was slightly competitive, given that both offer post-16 programmes.
The Committee heard that Barnwell had a successful collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire, benefiting from its widening access programme. This provided financial support, enabling Barnwell to run programmes like the Brilliant Club, which helped raise aspirations by giving students access to top universities like Oxford and Cambridge. Jackie praised the University's efforts in promoting higher education and broadening student horizons, noting that it had helped students see university as a viable path.
In response to a question regarding T-Levels, Jackie discussed challenges, particularly due to financial constraints and work placement requirements that made them less appealing compared to A Levels. She advised the Committee that Barnwell School could adopt T Levels, but their previous status as a "Requires Improvement" school had restricted them from offering this pathway to date.
The Chair asked a question related to mentoring. Jackie responded that mentoring was a significant focus at Barnwell School, supported by programmes like "Zero Gravity", which helped disadvantaged students connect with undergraduates to support their university applications.
Jackie described a "homegrown talent pipeline" where older students mentored younger ones, helping to create a supportive educational environment. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds particularly benefited, as they often lacked parental support or role models. Jackie explained that mentoring from slightly older peers, who had firsthand experience, resonated more with students than when advice came from teachers. She envisioned a “mentoring spiral” that could extend beyond secondary schools to include partnerships with primary schools.
The Committee heard an anecdote about a student, who had faced significant obstacles but was supported through mentoring and succeeded in securing a university place. This highlighted the emotional impact and importance of providing those opportunities to students who face socio-economic challenges.
A Member posed a multi-layered question regarding the impact of mental health on a lack of aspirations in young people. Jackie responded that post-COVID mental health issues had risen, and schools faced challenges with attendance and behaviour. The Committee heard that while schools had various support networks in place, connecting with local employers, especially post-COVID, had become more difficult, particularly due to hybrid working environments. Jackie also mentioned that face-to-face work experience had become less accessible, which affected students’ development of employability skills.
When asked about degree apprenticeships, Jackie advised the Committee that they were difficult to access for students with no prior industry experience, which often skewed national statistics. Apprenticeships were highly competitive, and students needed more support in preparing for the interview processes.
A Member expressed concern for students who weren’t academically inclined or motivated, particularly those who chose subjects like "triple sport" because there weren’t enough places in more relevant vocational courses. They pointed out the issue of students working long hours in low-paid jobs, sometimes out of necessity due to the cost of living and worried that those students lack clear pathways to fulfilling careers and often remained in jobs with limited prospects.
Jackie acknowledged those concerns, noting that schools must balance offering courses with ensuring students didn’t fail due to poor subject suitability. The Committee heard of a pre-apprenticeship programme aimed at vulnerable students who would struggle with traditional academic routes, but also the difficulties of limited resources in schools. Jackie advised that while some students needed to pursue alternative qualifications or careers, it could be argued that sometimes those pathways could lead to future opportunities.
Members challenged the notion that only vulnerable students needed support, highlighting that some students simply missed opportunities because their chosen fields weren’t available. Jackie agreed but stated that schools could only offer courses that were financially viable.
The Chair thanked Jackie Johnson for her contribution to the meeting.