Clearing House Systems: implications for information, advice and guidance

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Clearing House Systems implications for
information, advice and guidance

• Dr Sandra Morgan

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Aims

• Clarify the term Clearing House
• Consider the implications for practitioners

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What is a Clearing House system?

• An element of the September Guarantee is to
• identify every young person in Year 11 tracking
  and supporting them through advice and guidance,
  ideally using a clearing house arrangement
• DfES (2006) Action Note September Guarantee.

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Components of a clearing system

• Good CEG programmes from Year 7 to 11/13 -
  includes an e-portfolio
• High quality IAG well before transition stage at
  14, 16, 18
• Area prospectus may be on-line and linked to
  application process
• Common application process (CAP)
• Effective monitoring and follow-up

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Lessons Learned - CAP

• Importance of an effective driver
• Partners have to be on board
• Be clear about the resource issues
• Limit a pilot to one year
• Develop protocols and guidelines for all
• Emphasise benefits for students
• Prepare for this to be a painful process

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Advantages for students

• Easy to complete application form
• Increase in post-16 applications
• Open transparent process
• Help to find alternative choices quickly
• Safety net for those with no plans
• Links easily to on-line area prospectus
• Provider test results can be shared

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Barriers for students

• May not put as much care into applications
• Might put off applications until later
• Impersonal with a lack of personal guidance and
  support
• Concern about their details being made available
  en masse

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Advantages for parents/carers

• Might engage in the application process as system
  can be accessed at home
• Process of application would be demystified for
  them

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Barriers for parents/carers

• IT might be off putting
• Some may not have Internet access

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Advantages for Connexions

• Monitor on-going progress and pick to young
  people with no application/offer
• Could quickly focus on young people adrift
  after results time
• More sophisticated way of approaching the
  September Guarantee
• Vital part of 14-19 strategies - in Year 9
• Increased partner cooperation

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Barriers for Connexions

• Long term cost and sustainability of CAP
• Lack of collaboration across partners
• Some schools and post-16 providers may not take
  part