In what ways does low-wage work involve more Essay

In what ways does low-wage work involve more - Essay Example (Miller, 1992) Normally, a married couple shares household expenses making it easier to support the financial needs of the family. This way, married women have ample time to do housework and duty as a mother. In the case of single mothers, the only way she could increase the income is by increasing the working hours. It means that a single mother usually ends up sacrificing her leisure time with her children in exchange for the income she would earn while working. For example: Jack is earning $5,000 a month working 8 hours a day as a manager in a five-star hotel whereas Cindy earns only around $500 a week working 8 hours on a part-time job as a waitress because she is taking care of her child as a single mother in the morning. For Cindy to be able to earn $5,000 a month, she will have to work longer hours so she financially supports her child. For Cindy to earn the same earnings of Jack, she will have to work for a total of 80 hours a month. [($500 / 8hours) = $62.50 / hour; $5,000 a month / $62.50 per hour = 80 hours a month] (Jones, 1999) Yes. I agree that the U.S. government should protect the workers and their retirement savings from a similar case with the Enron. The pension law prepared by the Department of Labor clearly states that each employer has the duty to provide the 401(k) plans for its employees. In this case, the trustees who are responsible in overseeing the 401(k) plan as well as the top executives or directors who monitors the plan should be held liable to employees in case of the court could prove that there was a breach in the fiduciary duty. (Dugas, 2002) The main cause of Enron’s bankruptcy was illegal in the sense that the top executives of the company manipulated the corporate statement of account for many years in order to mislead the public shareholders with billions of dollars and eventually abandon its employees with their pension funds. (Jezer, 2002) Setting the corporate top executives who are

Quantitative research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Quantitative research - Essay Example On the other hand, the problem of the study is that persistent nursing shortages, in addition to, the worry about the quality of current health care emphasize the vital need to employ and retain a cadre of expert nurses in the nation’s hospitals. The researchers carried out an extensive literature review on the literature that supports the problem of the study. In addition, the study has mainly used primary sources, which provide evidence-based information for the investigation (Polit and Beck, 2008). However, the researcher used a number of information resources that are not up to date with some written 22 years before the time of the study. The researchers should have used latest literature, probably those published within 7 years or so. The literature review also provides a state-of-the-art blending of evidence with regard to the research problem, and it provides a substantial foundation for this study. In the study, the researchers have included a number of concepts, which they have adequately defined conceptually. The researchers have also included a conceptual framework, which is appropriate because it clearly defines the concepts of the study and the professional practice model that is suitable for the study. Although the researchers have not provided a conceptual map, it is justified because it could have served the purpose of the conceptual framework. The study included the following a set of three questions, which are explicitly stated. The questions sought to find out the baseline level of job satisfaction by nurses in a pediatric hospital with a conventional, hierarchical nursing administrative structure before the realization of an innovative professional practice model. It also sought to identify changes in job satisfaction that are associated with the execution of a fresh professional practice model whose emphasis is on participatory governance. The other question wanted to find out how the level of job satisfaction changes from the time o f submitting the Magnet recognition application to a year post submission in the chosen case. These questions are correctly worded with logical specification of the key variables and the study population. In addition, the questions are in tandem with the literature that the researchers reviewed and the conceptual framework that they provided. The researcher included a single hypothesis, which stated that the process of transforming the model of nursing control to participatory from top-down in order to attain Magnet recognition might be hectic and would be related with decreases in nurses’ satisfaction at work. The hypothesis is also suitable for the study because it clearly specifies key variables and it is consistent with the conceptual framework and the literature review (Polit and Beck, 2008). The study was cross-sectional, and it examined job satisfaction in a private pediatric, 282-bed hospital. The researcher conducted the study before, during, and directly after the a pplication for and achievement of a Magnet hospital position. It was during the time when nursing administrators, staff nurses, hospital nursing administrators, and nurse managers in cooperation developed a formal collective governance

Family Decision Making Purchase of Vehicle

Family Decision Making Purchase of Vehicle 1.0 Introduction. Interviewing 3 family to identify the decision maker in the family. The decision maker of a family is important. The way the decision made during a buying process involves of few factors such as information, purchasing ability and quality of product. Decision makers do make decision based of the price , product, promotions and place the product and service available. The way the decision maker makes the decision can affect the way the family members to purchase goods. This is because the behaviour and attitude to purchase become the example for family members as guide. The memory of from external influences the individual habit and beliefs. This can create the culture of consumption in a country. Decision makers are the purchaser who will provide the financial towards purchasing items. The decision maker will search for information before purchasing and relate the purchase to be beneficial for family members. Family (A) purchase of a vehicle. The decision maker of this purchase in Family A, is made under the father of the family. The father as the decision maker is the influence of the family. The car which was bought by Family A is a Honda City. The father who made the decision, relates that the purchase of this car is beneficial for the family and worth the price. The reason to this decision is, father belief that the car is big and can give comfort to the family if they are taking a vacation. The case shows that the familys decision maker is making a decision base on belief and perception of the product. The product identity has given the decision maker a positive affirmation towards the company brand. The father is the decision maker in this purchase because, the paying amount is made by the father. Although the decision maker makes the purchase, before the purchasing the individual do seek information before purchase. The search of information is together with his elder son and sales person, who actually accompanied the purchaser towards the vehicle at the Honda car showroom. The information search is basic towards the purchasing price, the post purchase of the vehicle, the time period of car processing, the insurance and colour of selections by the Honda company. Family (B) purchase of family groceries. The purchase of food and home supply in Family B is made under the mother and brother of this family. The decision made from the mother of this family is towards the benefits of foods and appliances to be purchase for use at home. The nutrients factors and cost of food supply will be determined by the mother who does the groceries shopping at the supermarket. Information gathered from this mother of the family will determine the final purchase of the supply. However the brother played the role of giving income to the Family B. Therefore the purchase of food supply in family is also from the elder brother who provides the income. The factors from promotion of food supply and income will change the perception of mother in family to purchase the food. Shopping market like Tesco Ipoh which produces the promotions and Tesco brands will divert the mother of Family B in regarding the income to choose and buy the Tesco brands product. Example of product such as paper rolls, detergents and necessary goods. The factor that affected the decision making is from the promotions provided by the Tesco Choice and income. The location of the department store also is convenient for this family B , who lives nearby. Therefore purchasing goods and food supply from place has become a decision towards the family groceries . Family (C) purchase of Insurance. The insurance plan for the Family C is made purchase under the decision of the father and mother. The parent of this Family C made the purchase of the insurance for this family base of few consideration. The consideration of family protection of financial assist of the insurance. The decision is made with assist of specialized sales person towards the different plans available. The decision was made under the perception of safety. The plan bought of this Family C is the third party insurance for the vehicle for emergency purposes. The plan and price to purchase this insurance was reasonable due the perception and exposure of the importance of issuing insurance from socially. Therefore the purchase was made. Factors that affected this family towards the decision making was the promotional ,price and perception of social recommendation. The ability for the family purchase the insurance plan is flexible and promising towards the family. 1.1 Income affects the decision making. Product, Price ,Promotion and place can affect the decision made in the family. The product innovations with reasonable price do trigger the consumer interest to purchase. Family will then consider with information from the market place during the decision making process. Finally making the final purchase base of the income available from the family to support the decision. The income also become the factor to affect the family decision making process. The purchase of vehicle of in Family A is strongly affected by the family income. The capability to purchase with final decision was made by the father. Family B who also affected by income to purchase goods and home appliance base of income. The mother as housewife who depending on his son to support the living of family in order to purchase the goods. Finally the purchase of insurance for vehicle in Family C. Income will affect the final decision of purchasing even though the price ,promotion and product is attractive for the family. Therefore the income earn by family can change the behaviour of the family to purchase goods and service. 1.2 Product, price ,promotions and place as influence to purchase. 1.2.1 Product. The family who made decision towards the purchase are influence by thius factor. The product innovation and creditability. The purchaser is more attracted towards the innovation of product with the ability to purchase from income. For example the Honda car and Tesco choice brands in Family A B. 1.2.2 Price The reasonable price of Honda car comparing to a Proton Inspira. The price is more attractive purchasing the Honda with the creditability of the company and brand. Therefore the Family A was influenced by the price factor. The price of goods sold from the Tesco choice was reasonable in according with income of Family B toward home appliance and food supply. Therefore the price has influence the family to make decision. 1.2.3 Promotion. The promotional of goods especially of the department store of Tesco choice have influence the Family B to purchase goods and being brand loyal to the product. The sales that created by company give opportunity for the family to finance their income and give the consumer the comfort to keep selecting the brand of the company. For example in Family B purchasing the goods from Tesco department store. 1.2.4 Place. The location of organization can influence the consumer to make the decision. The location which is strategic can give the consumer the access to the business easily. For example Family C Who purchase the insurance . The insurance company are located near to the banking of this family. Therefore the processing and enquiries are more easily for this Family C. The department store Tesco, which located at a strategic point between Medan Ipoh and Ipoh garden, has given the opportunity for Family B to choose the company products and promotions. 1.3 Decision makers influence towards family. The decision maker who made the decision towards purchasing goods can affect the family decision making process. The decision maker is a major role because the final purchase are made under their authority. The ability to search for information and gathering them will become a example for their children. Comparing the products from brand to brand and selecting the choice of product can influence the family members in demand for goods and services. The Family A , who experience the post purchase will allow the children to understand that post purchase is part of a purchasing process. These behaviours can affect to educate the younger consumers to be knowledge able towards consumption needs from the market. The familys decision maker have indirectly showed examples and probably become a memory for the family member to understand the purchasing behaviour and condition of products and services from the market place. Therefore the behaviour of consumption in family is careful towards purchasing. The perception and belief of consuming a product in market place will be learnt from family members. 1.4 Conclusion Consumption needs are different from family to family. The way the family purchases are unique. Information and accessibility to purchase are important for family. The decision maker is a major role because the final purchase are made under their authority. Decision makers do make their decision base of the factors from product quality, price, promotions and place to access the product. The influence the decision maker in family will educate and provide the example for the family members. The behaviour of consumption in family will be influenced by the decision makers. The ability to search information, comparing and contrasting the product and services and finally purchasing the item. Question 4. Friends and society opinion on products and services are always one of the factor influencing individual buying behaviour, comment on how Facebook enhance the impact from friends and society towards buying behaviour. 2. 0 Introduction. Facebook is a social network from the internet. It is one of a facility for users to connect with friends and develop a society from the internet world. The Facebook allows users to be expose to a few factors that can influence an individual consumption behaviour.This is because of the opinions and comments from Facebooks friends and society can change the individual perception to purchase a product initially. The usage of Facebook which become a important usage in this millennium will impact consumers. This is because Facebook do not only provide a connection for friends and society to connect together, but also to business entrepreneurs to advertise their products and service using this facility. Therefore the communication from business to audience are wide in Facebook. The individual will be expose to the business advertisements. 2.1 Friends and Society impact towards individual buying behaviour. The friends in the society is a part of the influence impact towards an individual in a buying behaviour. The factors to this mostly come from the belief and perception of friends which give affirmation towards the product an individual wishes to buy. Friends with similar interest towards the product can affect the product of a company. The belief and perception as a factor in the social is crucial. Therefore the product features are important towards the consumer. The society consist of the expert and novice consumer. The expert consumer are the consumer who are knowledgeable towards the particular product and services. Therefore this mean that, this category of consumer are consider the tester of products and services before the novice. The impact happen when the novice seeks the information from peers. Thus this acts as the influence towards the interested individual. The example of purchasing the soft drinks. The novice user in a social enviroment is interested in purchasing the soft drink of few selections, but with consideration, the search of information from the peers happen. The expert user as the peers can be a user of the product which suggest the novice user to which class of product to purchase. Therefore the individual make the purchase base of this social influence factor. The impact is positive and negative impact. With the negative reviews will change the decision made by the individual. Whereas the positive will persuade the individual to purchase. Emotional consumers. The impact of emotion towards consumer can affect the consumers rationality to consume a product and service. Therefore consumers are not always rational because they are driven by their emotions. Environment and persuasion can affect the consumer to make a decision. Friends and society is one of the influences which can affect a potential purchaser to make a decision to purchase other than the information available from the product. 2.2 Perception exposure through Facebook Facebook the world famous social network is one of the influence towards a consumer purchasing behaviour. This is because , the usage of Facebook have allow consumers to share their experience of particular product or services among their friends. The experiences from users who have tried the product may experience a good or negative experience. Therefore may allow other friends to notice the particular brand or product as a critic of precaution for other users. Base on the ability of the social network of Facebook which allow user to share their thoughts. It has allow the tester to voice out. Novice user will develop a belief and perception towards the particular brand or product. The novice user may purchase those product base of the belief developed and experience shared by experience users. These is the external influence on the consumers purchasing behaviour. Therefore the purchasing behaviour is influenced by the usage of Facebook. The exposure of Facebook with the information shared through different users and friends in this society will create the consumer to be knowledgeable towards the particular product and service on the market. Among of various purchasing behaviour such as, contrasting and comparing, information search, and post purchase of product will be learnt and practiced by the consumer. Example of how consumer shares their perception to other potential consumers. ALL about Ipoh.jpg Diagram: Consumer Andrew Chin trying to advise other users to avoid base of experience. 2.3 Facebook as a business tool. The usage of Facebook is not only the influence factor toward an individual belief system and perception but acted a tool for business owner to sell and network their services and product. Information will be shared and given out to subscribers of the account. Certain groups and social friends may own business related accounts. Therefore, the business owner have opportunity to market their product and service using this internet facility. The business owner will use the facility and provide information to the potential users who have subscribed to their group. The information will be given out from the business owner to their potential consumer. Consumer will then be gathering the information before they make a decision and finally towards the purchasing of the product or service. An example of this activity is the advertising of the company. The data not just will be reaching to selected group but almost everyone who uses this internet facility. Advertising ability from the Facebook, will give the consumer the information they seek. Some of the information will be needed some are newer information which consumers do not know. Therefore, the consumer will have the memory towards the product and services intended for sale. Example of business organization , uses the Facebook facility to reach the consumer. 2.4 Change of attitude towards purchasing behaviour. The Facebook usage can change the attitude to purchase a good and service in a consumer. The habit and memory shared among other users and organization will allow the individual to purchase using the Internet. Purchasing from the internet is a way to buy and shop for consumers. Consumer will divert the habit to go to the retail stores and begin to purchase directly from the recommendations of organization with their business webpage, with accredited merchants. Therefore the habitual form of going to retail will be limited. Organization have intelligently market the product towards the potential consumers. Consumer will be expose to organization brand and knowledgeable towards the product the organization have produced to supply for consumers. The merchandised sold to consumer this way will allow the consumer to experience a different purchasing behaviour thus, the post purchasing of merchandize from a webpage are more legal with the paper works. Comparing towards purchasing from a retail store, the sales person may not be attending to job at different hours of time. The conflict of merchandise from organization and consumer will be limited from the purchasing behaviour. 2.5 Consumers memory impact from Facebook. Although purchasing from the internet as an option, consumer also do purchase from regular store. The purchase process which consist of encoding , strorage and retrieval of memory before a purchase is made is within the consumer. The consumer who often expose to the updates of the information may have stored the memory of information given and proceeds to purchase the merchandise . The usage of the memory as information will assist the consumer to make a decision. A purchase will take place due to the decision made during encoding the information given. The habit and attitude of consumer will adapt towards how the consumer perception and experience as a memory to purchase goods. The memory can turn into a long term memory for the consumer. 3.0 Conclusion. Exposure to information can change the decision make by an individual. The positive or negative review towards a product can influence the consumer to either purchase and not. The negative review may not only make the purchaser to not purchase but is bad for business. The users of Facebook are more expose to free information provided by business owners individually through Facebook. It is very efficient. The Facebook can impact and change the consumer purchasing behaviour. The regular purchasing behaviour from the store can change and persuade the individual to experience the internet purchase. Facebook as a tool for business is beneficial. The user of Facebook can be knowledge able consumers and create healthy consumption behaviour in the society.

Piagets Cognitive Theory Essay -- piaget piagets psychology developme

Psychology Piaget's Cognitive Theory Cognitive development is the development of thought processes, including remembering, problem solving, and decision-making, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood. Historically, the cognitive development of children has been studied in a variety of ways. The oldest is through intelligence tests. An example of this is the Stanford Binet Intelligence Quotient test. IQ scoring is based on the concept of mental age, according to which the scores of a child of average intelligence match his or her age. IQ tests are widely used in the United States, but they have been criticized for defining intelligence too narrowly. In contrast to the emphasis placed on a child ¡Ã‚ ¦s natural abilities by intelligence testing, learning theory grew out of work by behaviorist researchers such as John Broadus Watson and B.F. Skinner, who argued that children are completely malleable. Learning theory focuses on the role of environmental factors in shaping the intelligence of children, especially o n a child ¡Ã‚ ¦s ability to learn by having certain behaviors rewarded and others discouraged. During the 1920s, a biologist named Jean Piaget proposed a theory of cognitive development of children. He caused a new revolution in thinking about how thinking develops. In 1984, Piaget observed that children understand concepts and reason differently at different stages. Piaget stated children's cognitive strategies, which are used to solve problems, reflect an interaction between the child ¡Ã‚ ¦s current developmental stage and experience in the world. Piaget was originally trained in areas of biology and philosophy and considered himself a kinetic epistemologist. He was mainly interested in the biological influences on how we come to know. He believed that what distinguishes human beings from other animals is our ability to do abstract symbolic reasoning. Piaget ¡Ã‚ ¦s theory, first published in 1952, grew out of decades of extensive observation of children, including his own, in their natural environments as opposed to the laboratory experiments of the behaviorists. Although Piaget was interested in how children reacted to their environment, he proposed knowledge as composed of schemas, basic units of knowledge used to organize past experiences and serve as a basis for understanding new ones. Schemas are continually being modified by two complementar... ...ings different from theirs. Furthermore, they can understand situations from the viewpoints of others. Intelligence is characterized by number, length, liquid, mass, weight, area, and volume. They can perform logical operations in relation to concrete external objects. They can now decipher their thinking, or focus on more than one dimension of a stimulus at a single time. They cannot solve abstract or hypothetical problems, however. Piaget ¡Ã‚ ¦s fourth and final stage, the formal operations stage, takes place from 11 or 12 to 18 and beyond. In early adolescent years, the development of the ability to reversibility and conservation to abstract, verbal, and hypothetical situations takes place. They also begin to make speculations about what might happen in the future. Adolescents are also capable of formulating and testing hypotheses, and dealing with abstract concepts like probability, ratio, and proportion. In this stage start the perception of analogies and the use of complex language forms such as metaphors and sarcasm. Teenagers can comprehend philosophy and politics and formulate theories of their own. Abstract concepts and moral values become as important as concrete objects.

Supply and Demand and New Housing

Introduction to Microeconomics Fall 2012 Assignment 1 due on October 4 in class (Total 80 points) Q1. (15 points) The following table shows production possibilities for two items—chairs and tables. Combination| Chairs| Tables| A| 0| 6| B| 8| 5| C| 15| 4| D| 21| 3| E| 26| 2| F| 30| 1| G| 33| 0| (a) What is the opportunity cost of producing the first table? (33-30)/1=3 (b) What is the opportunity cost of producing the third table? (26-21)/1=5 (c) What is the opportunity cost of producing the sixth table? 8-0)/1=8 (d) Draw the production-possibilities curve for chairs and tables on a graph, placing tables on the vertical axis and chairs on the horizontal axis. (e) If the economy achieved greater efficiency in the production of tables, how would the production –possibilities curve change? (f) If a more efficient method of producing chairs were developed, how would the curve change? (g) Suppose more economic resources (labour, materials, and capital) became available. How wo uld the curve change?Q2. (15 points) The following table describes the production possibilities of two cities. Red SweatersPer Worker per Hour| Blue SweatersPer Worker per Hour| Montreal| 3| 3| Toronto| 2| 1| (a) Without trade, what is the price of blue sweaters (in terms of red sweaters) in Montreal? What is the price in Toronto? (b) Which city has an absolute advantage in the production of each colour of sweater? Which city has a comparative advantage in the production of each colour of sweater? (c) If the cities trade with each other, which colour of sweater will each export? (d) What is the range of prices at which trade can occur? Q3. 10 points) Canada has a mixed economic system, in which both marketplace and government play a role. For each of the following situation, explain why you think that it would be best dealt with by the market, or by government action. (a) There are too many restaurants in a town, and several are losing money. (b) The gap between the rich and the poo r is very wide, and the poorest citizens are unable to afford even the bare necessities of life. (c)The largest supermarket chain in the country is planning to buy the second-largest chain, which would give it a near-monopoly in many communities. d) A trend toward healthier eating has driven the price of chicken up so sharply that many consumers are complaining to the government about the increased prices. (e) Several manufacturers are cutting costs by dumping waste into a local river. Q4. (5 points) A customer is about to buy 4 shirts at $20 each. When she finds that they have just gone on sale for $15, she buys 5 shirts instead. Is her demand for these shirts elastic or inelastic? Explain the reason for your answer. Q5. (10 points) From 1997 to 2001, the price of coffee on world markets fell from $1. 60 U. S per pound to $0. 6 U. S. per pound— a decrease of 65 percent. (a) What is the most logical explanation for such a decrease in price? (b) What explains the large size of the price decrease? (c)Draw a graph representing the factors in (a) and (b). Q6. (10 points) Assume the demand schedule for ice-cream cones can be represented by the equation QD=160-3P, where QD is the quantity demanded and P is the price. The supply schedule can be represented by QS=140+7P, where QS is the quantity supplied. (a) Calculate the equilibrium price and quantity in the market for ice-cream cones. (b) The Canadian Association f Ice-Cream Eaters complains that the equilibrium price calculated in part (a) is too high, and their members cannot eat enough ice-cream cones at this price. They lobby the government to impose a price ceiling on ice-cream cones of $1. What is the quantity demanded at this price? The quantity supplied? Is there a shortage or surplus of ice cream? How big is it? What if a $2. 50 price ceiling was imposed instead? (c) Say instead that the Canadian Association of Ice-Cream Makers lobbies the government, arguing that the equilibrium price is too low fo r their members to make a decent living.They want a price floor of $3 per cone. What is the quantity demanded at this price? The quantity supplied? Is there a shortage or a surplus of ice cream? What is it? What if a price floor of $1. 50 was imposed instead? Q7. (15 points) One of the key prices Statistics Canada monitors is the price of new housing. The statistics do not show the actual price of housing in dollars, but rather an â€Å"index† of prices that is set at 100. 0 in 2007, with the index in each year after 2007 showing how much prices have increased since 2007.To see how the price of new housing has changed over the past 5 years, visit the Statistics Canada website at http://www. statcan. gc. ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/manuf12-eng. htm, and search for New housing price index for Canada. Calculate the percentage increase in new housing prices each year over the past five years (2007-2011). What trend do you see in new housing prices for Canada (national av erage level), and is there any noticeable trend for the Metropolitan areas? What demand side or supply side factors might explain these?

Education and Skills Bill Essay

The Education and Skills Bill introduces a new duty on young people in England to participate in education or training until the age of 18. The Bill follows the green paper Raising Expectations: staying in education and training, which described the perceived benefits to individuals, the economy and society of young people staying in education or training for longer. Responsibility for support services currently carried out by the Connexions service will be transferred to local education authorities (LEAs). The Bill makes changes relating to adult skills. The Bill also provides for the transfer of the regulatory regime for independent schools in England from the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to the Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills (the new Ofsted) There are miscellaneous provisions in relation to pupil behaviour, external qualifications, inspection of teacher training, and Schools Forums. Also a framework power is provided for the National Assembly for Wales to legislate in relation to the inspection of pre-16 education and training. The territorial extent of the Bill varies according to the scope of the different provisions. The Bill contains provisions that trigger the Sewel Convention. Christine Gillie Social Policy Section Contributions: Ed Beale, Paul Bolton, Grahame Danby, Susan Hubble, Vincent Keter House of Commons Library. Recent Library Research Papers include: 07/72 07/73 The ‘Governance of Britain’ Green Paper Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill Committee Stage Report 07/74 07/75 07/76 07/77 07/78 07/79 07/80 Economic Indicators, November 2007 Channel Tunnel Rail Link (Supplementary Provisions) Bill Unemployment by Constituency, October 2007 The European Communities (Finance) Bill [Bill 2 of 2007-08] Sale of Student Loans Bill Housing and Regeneration Bill [Bill 8 of 2007-08] The EU Reform. Treaty: amendments to the ‘Treaty on European Union’ 07/81 07/82 07/83 07/84 07/85 07/86 Health and Social Care Bill House of Lords – developments since January 2004 Economic Indicators, December 2007 Planning Bill [Bill 11 of 2007-08] Crossrail Bill: Committee Stage Report The Treaty of Lisbon: amendments to the Treaty establishing the European Community 22. 11. 07 03. 12. 07 04. 12. 07 06. 12. 07 06. 12. 07 06. 12. 07 06. 11. 07 09. 11. 07 14. 11. 07 15. 11. 07 15. 11. 07 22. 11. 07 22. 11. 07 26. 10. 07 02. 11. 07 Research Papers are available as PDF files: †¢ to members of the general public on the Parliamentary web site, URL: http://www. parliament. uk †¢ within Parliament to users of the Parliamentary Intranet, URL: http://hcl1. hclibrary. parliament. uk Library Research Papers are compiled for the benefit of Members of Parliament and their personal staff. Authors are available to discuss the contents of these papers with Members and their staff but cannot advise members of the general public. We welcome comments on our papers; these should be sent to the Research Publications Officer, Room 407, 1 Derby Gate, London, SW1A 2DG or e-mailed to PAPERS@parliament. uk ISSN 1368-8456 Summary The Education and Skills Bill was presented in the House of Commons on 28 November 2007. At the same time Explanatory Notes, an Impact Assessment and a Memorandum of Delegated Powers were also published. The Bill, as presented, is in five parts. Some of the provisions are linked to the Government’s policies for reforming 14 to 19 education and improving the learning and skills of young people and adults. Other parts of the Bill are on separate matters particularly relating to the regulation and inspection of independent schools and colleges. Part 1 introduces a new duty on young people in England to participate in education or training until the age of 18, and creates a statutory framework to support and enforce it with new duties on local education authorities (LEAs ), educational providers and employers. The raising of the participation age will be introduced in two stages: to 17 by 2013 and to 18 by 2015. Provision is made for LEAs to enforce the participation duty, if necessary. They may issue attendance notices to young people who refuse to participate. New attendance panels will be created to hear appeals and to monitor the enforcement process. LEAs may also issue parenting contracts or parenting orders to parents of young people who are failing to fulfil the duty to participate. The proposals follow the green paper Raising Expectations: staying in education and training (March 2007), which described the perceived benefits to individuals and society of young people staying in education and training for longer. While there has been wide acceptance of the principle that young people will benefit from participating until they are 18, concern has been expressed about making it compulsory. Part 2 makes provision for the transfer to LEAs of the information, advice and support services for young people currently provided by the Connexions service. This follows proposals in the Youth Matters green paper (July 2005). The funding for the Connexions service will be transferred to LEAs in April 2008. It is intended that LEAs will continue to maintain the Connexions database so as to help them provide the right support services to young people and promote the new duty on young people to participate in education or training. Part 2 also places a duty on LEAs to arrange for the assessment of the education and training needs of a person with a statement of special educational needs (SEN) during their last year of schooling. This takes account of the change in the Bill to raise the participation age. Other provisions in Part 2 include: a requirement for secondary schools to present careers information in an impartial way and to provide careers advice that is in the best interests of the child; an explicit duty on the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to provide proper facilities for apprenticeships for 16 to 18 year olds, and to make reasonable provision for apprenticeships for those aged 19 and over; a requirement for LEAs to have regard to journey times in preparing their transport policies for students of sixth-form age attending educational establishments; and a requirement for LEAs to co-operate with partners who are responsible for 14 to 19 education and training. Part 3 contains provisions in relation to adult skills. The issue of maintaining a sufficiently skilled workforce to meet the economy’s needs in the face of growing global competition has become increasing prominent, particularly since the publication of the Leitch Review of Skills in 2006. In its response to the review, the Government set out a range of goals relating to workforce skills for 2020 and outlined how it intended to achieve them. This Bill places duties on the LSC to provide a free entitlement to training for all adults in England aged over 19 up to their first full Level 2 qualification, with a similar entitlement up to Level 3 for those aged 19-25. Provision is also made to enable the sharing of data between relevant departments and the devolved administrations in order to assist in the effective assessment and provision of education and training for those aged 19 and over. Part 4 creates a wider definition of an independent educational institution in England, which includes certain part-time educational provision, to which the regulatory regime for independent schools in England will apply. That regime, currently contained in the Education Act 2002, is restated in Chapter 1 of Part 4. The regulatory framework for ‘independent educational institutions’ is changed so that the Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills (the new Ofsted) and not the Secretary of State is the registration authority. The function of approving non-maintained special schools is also transferred from the Secretary of State to the Chief Inspector. Sixth-form pupils in nonmaintained special schools are given a right to opt out of religious worship. (Pupils in mainstream maintained schools already have this right under the Education and Inspections Act 2006. ) The Bill also seeks to amend section 347 of the Education Act 1996 to remove in England the category of approved independent school for the placement of a child with a statement of SEN, and to remove the requirement for LEAs in England to seek consent to place pupils with statements of SEN in non-approved independent schools. Other changes in Part 4 include the introduction of a new management standard for independent educational institutions, and changes relating to fees for registration and inspection. Part 5 includes miscellaneous provisions in relation to pupil behaviour, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and the approval of external qualifications, the inspection of teacher training, and the constitution of Schools Forums. Also Part 5 creates a framework power for the National A ssembly for Wales to legislate in relation to the inspection of pre-16 education and training. The Bill extends to England and Wales. Many of the provisions apply to England only. A number of new or expanded powers are conferred on Welsh Ministers. (These are set out in table 1 of the Explanatory Notes to the Bill. ) Five clauses that relate to sharing information extend to Scotland and trigger the Sewel Convention. Two clauses relating to the remit of the QCA extend to Northern Ireland. This research paper outlines the key provisions of the Bill, and provides background on them. It is not intended to be a comprehensive account of the clauses. A detailed clause by clause account is given in the Explanatory Notes to the Bill. Library contacts: Christine Gillie : raising the participation age, Connexions service, special educational needs, post-16 transport, regulation and inspection of independent schools, pupil behaviour and attendance and Schools Forums Paul Bolton: statistics on the above Ed Beale : apprenticeships, training and adult skills Grahame Danby: data processing Susan Hubble: financial support for students and external qualifications Vincent Keter: employers and business CONTENTS I Part 1 of the Bill: duty to participate in education or training (England). A. B. Introduction Background 1. History 2. Participation of 16 and 17 year olds in education, employment and training 3. The green paper and the case for change 4. Responses to the green paper C. D. Overview of the proposed system for raising participation 7 7 8 8 8 12 15 20 Suitable provision and enabling young people to participate: the ‘four building blocks’ 23 The Bill 1. Key provisions 2. Comment 31 31 35 38 38 38 40 41 42 43 43 E. II Part 2 of the Bill: Support for participation in education or training: young adults with learning difficulties and young people in England A. Provision of support services (Connexions Service) 1. Background 2. The Bill B. C. D. E. F. Assessments relating to learning difficulties Careers education Apprenticeships Provision of transport for persons of sixth form age: journey times Co-operation as regards provision of 14 to 19 education and training 44 45 45 47 49 III Part 3 of the Bill: Adult Skills A. Background 1. The Leitch Review of Skills 2. Current measures to address adult skills 3. House of Commons Education and Skills Committee report: Post-16 Skills 51 B. The Bill 1. Reaction IV Part 4 of the Bill: regulation and inspection of independent educational provision in England A. Current arrangements for regulation and inspection of independent schools Consultation proposals Response The Bill 53 54 55 55 57 61 63 64 64 65 66 68 69 69 70 B. C. D. V Part 5 of the Bill: miscellaneous provisions A. B. C. D. E. F. Pre-16 education and training: Wales Maintained schools in England: behaviour and attendance External qualifications Inspections of teacher training in England Schools Forums General provisions VI VII Data processing Appendix I: Reaction from specific organisations to the green paper, Raising expectations: staying in education and training 73 Appendix II: relevant documents 85 VIII. RESEARCH PAPER 07/87 I A. Part 1 of the Bill: duty to participate in education or training (England) Introduction In March 2007 the Government’s green paper Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16, proposed that the minimum age at w hich young people should leave education or training should be raised to 18. 1 The participation age would be increased in two stages: to age 17 from September 2013, and to 18 from September 2015. The green paper set out a detailed package of measures for consultation. Alongside the green paper the Government published an Initial Regulatory Impact Assessment on the estimated cost of the proposals. 2 (These projections have been reviewed and revised and are now published in the Impact Assessment that accom panies the Education and Skills Bill – see below). In July 2007 the Government published a report of the consultation on the green paper’s proposals. While it noted that there had been wide acceptance of the principle that young people would benefit from continuing to develop their skills formally until they were 18, it also noted that there was concern about making participation compulsory. 3 Also in July 2007, the Government published World Class Skills: Implementing the Leitch Review of Skills in England. 4 This set out the Government’s plans to improve the skills of young people and adults. The Government’s Draft Legislative Programme, published on 11 July 2007, announced that a bill would be introduced to ensure that young people stay in education or training until age 18, and to provide new rights to skills training for adults. 5 In his Fabian Society lecture on 5 November 2007, Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, described the Government’s proposals, and published a further document – From policy to legislation. This explained how the Government intended to proceed, and what aspects of the policy required legislation. 6 Also on 5 November 2007, the Government published its strategy for reducing the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training. 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16, Cm 7065, March 2007: http://www. dfes. gov. uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/6965-DfESRaising%20Expectations%20Green%20Paper. pdf Initial Regulatory Impact Assessment for Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post16, DfES, March 2007: http://www. dfes. gov. uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/RIA%20[FINAL]%20word%20version. pdf Raising Expectations: Consultation Report, DCSF, July 2007: http://www. dfes. gov. uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/Raising%20Expectations%20Consultation%20R eport. pdf http://www. dfes. gov. uk/skillsstrategy/uploads/documents/World%20Class%20Skills%20FINAL. pdf http://www. cabinetoffice. gov.uk/reports/governance. aspx Raising Expectations: Staying in education and training post 16: From policy to legislation, DCSF, November 2007: http://www. dfes. gov. uk/14-19/documents/Raising%20Expectations. pdf Reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) by 2013, DCSF, 5 November 2007: http://www. dfes. gov. uk/14-19/documents/NEET%20%20Strategy. pdf 7 RESEARCH PAPER 07/87 The Education and Skills Bill was presented in the House of Commons on 28 November 2007. 8 Explanatory Notes9, an Impact Assessment10, a Memorandum of Delegated Powers11 and a Short Guide 12 were also published. B. 1. Background History The Education Act 1918 raised the compulsory school leaving age from 12 to 14. It also made provision for all young people to participate in at least part-time education until they were 18 but this provision was not implemented. The end of the First World War was followed by a period of austerity; public expenditure cuts dubbed the ‘Geddes axe’ 13 meant that the aspiration of increasing participation was not achieved. The Education Act 1944 made provision to raise the school leaving age to 16 but this was not implemented until 1972. 14 The 1944 Act also re-enacted the 1918 provision to extend participation at least part-time until the age of 18 but again this was not implemented. The school leaving age has remained at 16 since 1972, although the leaving date was amended in 1997. 15 2. Participation of 16 and 17 year olds in education, employment and training At the end of 2006 around six out of every seven 16 and 17 year olds were provisionally estimated to be in some form of education or training. The large majority were in fulltime education, others were in Government supported Work Based Learning (WBL)16, Employer Funded Training 17 or other types of education and training including part-time courses. The latest data are summarised below: 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Education and Skills Bill, Bill 12, Session 2007-08: http://www.publications. parliament. uk/pa/cm200708/cmbills/012/08012. i-v. html Education and Skills Bill Explanatory Notes: http://www. publications. parliament. uk/pa/cm200708/cmbills/012/en/index_012. htm Impact Assessment of the Education and Skills Bill, DCSF, 29 November 2009: http://www. dfes. gov. uk/publications/educationandskills/docs/impact_assessment. pdf Memorandum of Delegated Powers, DCSF, 28 November 2007 (an electronic copy was not available at time of writing but a hardcopy was available from the Vote Office) DCSF, Short Guide to the Education and Skills Bill: http://www. dfes. gov. uk/publications/educationandskills/docs/BillNarrative. doc after Sir Eric Geddes who chaired a committee set up to suggest economies SI 1972 No 444 The 1997 change introduced a single school leaving date – the last Friday in June in the school year in which a young person reaches age 16: DfES Circular 11/97, School Leaving Date for 16 Year Olds, September 1997 http://www. teachernet. gov. uk/management/atoz/S/schoolleavingdate/index. cfm? code=furt Includes Advanced Apprenticeships, Apprenticeships, Entry to Employment and NVQ Learning. Young people who received training in the previous four weeks, includes non-WBL apprenticeships. 8 RESEARCH PAPER 07/87 Education, employment and training status of 16 and 17 year olds in England, 2006 16 year olds  number % of population 17 year olds number % of population 16 and 17 year olds number % of population Full-time education Work Based Learning Of which also in full-time education Employer Funded Training Other education and training Total education and training Not in any education or training Of which also not in employment Source: 516,900 37,700 1,300 15,000 25,600 593,800 68,400 42,800 78. 1% 5. 7% 0. 2% 2. 3% 3. 9% 89. 7% 10. 4% 6. 5% 428,600 51,600 1,200 26,700 32,000 537,600 122,000 62,700 65. 0% 7. 8% 0. 2% 4. 0% 4. 9% 81. 5% 18. 5% 9. 5% 945,500 89,300 2,500 41,600 57,600 1,131,400 190,400 105,500 71. 5% 6. 8% 0. 2% 3. 1% 4. 4% 85. 6% 14. 4% 8. 0%. Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16-18 Year Olds in England: 2005 and 2006 and Participation in Education and Training by 16 and 17 Year Olds in each Local Area in England: 2004 and 2005, DCSF Overall participation rates were higher for 16/17 year old females at 88% compared to 83% for males. The gap was nearly 10 percentage points for full-time education participation, but young men were more likely to be in one of the training categories. These figures are based on the academic year age of young people, i. e. their age at the start of the academic year. Therefore 16 year olds are in their first year after the end of compulsory education. The data are estimated as at the end of the calendar year, hence some of these young people will have had their 17th/18th birthdays. Among the one million 16 and 17 year olds in full or part time education in 2006, 426,000 were in further education/specialist colleges, 366,000 were in maintained schools, 130,000 in sixth form colleges and 82,000 in independent schools. The overall number in full-time education has increased by 14% over the last decade; the largest proportionate increases were at sixth form colleges (22%) and at maintained schools (19%). There was relatively little difference in the type of education attended by 16 and 17 year olds. A slightly higher proportion of 17 year olds attended further education colleges at the expense of maintained schools. 18 Trends in participation by broad status are summarised in the table at the end of this section. In the early 1950s (when the school leaving age was 15) fewer than one in five 16 year olds and fewer than one in ten 17 year olds were in full time education in England and Wales. Immediately before the leaving age was increased to 16 (1972) these figures had increased to around one in three 16 year olds and one in six 17 year olds. The 16 year olds’ participation rate reached 50% in the mid 1970s; the 17 year olds’ rate reached this level in the early 1990s. 19 At the end of 2006 78% of 16 year olds and 65% of 17 year olds were in full time education in England. 20 Both were record highs. 18 19 20. DCSF SFR 22/2007, Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16-18 Year Olds in England: 2005 and 2006 and Participation in Education and Training by 16 and 17 Year Olds in each Local Area in England: 2004 and 2005 Statistics of Education 1962 part one, Ministry of Education; Education and training statistics for the United Kingdom 2006 and earlier, DfES DCSF SFR 22/2007F 9 RESEARCH PAPER 07/87. a. 16 and 17 year olds not in education or training The earlier table showed that there were an estimated 190,000 16 and 17 year olds not in any education or training (NET), 106,000 of whom were not in work and hence not in any education, employment or training (NEET). The NEET rate among 16 and 17 year old males was 9. 5% compared to 6. 4% for females. 16 year olds had a lower NEET rate than 17 year olds (6. 5% v 9. 5%). Around 60% of those in the NEET category were classed as unemployed21, the rest were economically inactive. 22 While there is a particular focus of attention on young people who are not in education, employment or training (the ‘NEETs’), the Bill proposes a duty on those in employment to participate in some training or education – hence it is also relevant for the ‘NETs’. The latest similar sub-national data collected is for the end of 2005. This only looked at education and Work Based Learning (WBL) and showed that the total proportion of 16 and 17 year olds not in either category was lowest in London (16%), the South East (18%) and the South West (18%) and highest in Yorkshire and the Humber (23%) and the East Midlands (21%). 23 More recent data from Connexions, which is not directly comparable, gives NEET rates at the end of 2006 which vary from 5. 6% in the South East and 6. 0% in the South West to 10. 5% in the North East and 9. 2% in Yorkshire and the Humber. 24 b. Trends The table at the end this section summarises trends in NET and NEET rates. These are also illustrated in the charts below. 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 1985 NET NEET 16 year olds 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 1985 17 year olds NET NEET 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 There was a break in the series in 1994 and there have been some recent more minor inconsistencies. However, some trends are clear. The NEET rate among 16 year olds fell in the early 1990s and increased steadily for much of the last decade to a high of 8. 1% in 2005. The provisional fall to 6. 5% in 2006 takes it to its lowest level for almost a decade. The NET rate for 16 year olds fell by a larger amount in the late 1980s and 21 22 23 24 ILO definition of unemployment DCSF SFR 22/2007 ibid. NEET Statistics – Quarterly Brief, DCSF 10 RESEARCH PAPER 07/87 early 1990s as there was a general shift from employment and WBL to full-time education. This rate increased from 9. 2% in 1994 to 14. 3% in 2001, but has since fallen to 10. 3% in 2006. The NEET rate among 17 year olds fell by around half between 1984 and 1994 to 7. 7%. This rate has increased more recently to 10. 9% in 2005 before dropping back to 9. 5% in 2006. The NET rate fell from 44% in 1984 to below 20% in 1993 as there was a major shift from employment to full-time education. The scale of this was even greater than that seen among 16 year olds. The level of this rate increased from the late 1990s onwards to almost 22% before falling back to below 18% in 2006. Trends in education, employment and training status of 16 and 17 year olds in England Percentages (a)(b) 1985 Full-time education Work Based Learning Employer Funded Training (c) Other Education and Training Total Education and training Total Not in any education or training Of which also not in employment Notes: 1990 51. 1 19. 1 7. 5 3. 5 79. 7 20. 3 8. 0 1995 65. 6 11. 6 4. 0 4. 3 84. 7 15. 3 6. 7 2000 65. 6 9. 5 3. 7 4. 9 83. 5 16. 5 7. 1 2001 64. 8 8. 4 3. 9 5. 2 82. 1 17. 9 8. 4 2002 65. 4 7. 9 4. 0 5. 2 82. 4 17. 6 8. 2 2003 66. 0 8. 1 4. 1 5. 2 83. 2 16. 8 7. 7 2004 67. 2 7. 9 3. 8 4. 9 83. 6 16. 4 8. 3 2005 2006p 69. 2 7. 4 3. 5 4. 5 84. 5 15. 5 9. 5 71. 5 6. 8 3. 1 4. 4 85. 6 14. 4 8. 0 39. 7 16. 1 9. 2 4. 5 68. 2 31. 8 11. 0 There was a break in the series in 1994 due to changes in the source of further and higher education data. (a) Participation estimates may be slightly underestimated for 16 year olds between 1999 and 2000 and 17 year olds between 2000 and 2001. (b) There is a discontinuity from 2002 onwards whereby participation in additional institutions are included for the first time. This increases the full-time education rate by around 0. 1 points and the any education or training rate by around 0. 4 points (c) Includes other part-time education not included elsewhere and full- or part-time education in independent further or higher education institutions. Source: Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16-18 Year Olds in England: 2005 and 2006 and Participation in Education and Training by 16 and 17 Year Olds in each Local Area in England: 2004 and 2005, DCSF c. International comparison of enrolment in education 16 year old enrolment rate in secondary education, 2005  100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% FRA GRE AUS SWE NOR KOR OST LUX IRE BEL ICE SWI 0% US POL SLO JAP UK ITA POR OECD MEX ESP CZ FIN NED DEN NZ TUR OECD data on enrolment by age look at the actual age of pupils/students, the rates calculated are different from those given earlier. In 2005 94% of 16 year olds and 80% of 17 year olds were in ‘secondary’ 25 education in the UK. The 16 year olds’ rate was three percentage points above the OECD average, the 17 year olds’ rate three points below. The UK’s relative position is shown opposite. Source: Education at a Glance 2007, OECD. Table C2. 3 25 This is based on the assessed academic level using international classification which at their highest level split education into primary, secondary and tertiary. It does not mean these pupils are in secondary schools. 11 GER HUN RESEARCH PAPER 07/87 Although the UK’s participation rate for 16 year olds was above the OECD average it was still below that of most other countries as the average was skewed downwards by much lower levels in Turkey and Mexico. The UK ranked 18th out of 29 states included in the 16 year olds measure and 20th on the 17 year olds rate. 17 year old enrolment rate in secondary education, 2005 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% SLO 0% KOR HUN NOR CZ GER SWE BEL POL FIN JAP OST OECD POR GRE MEX DEN NED TUR AUS ICE SWI ESP FRA LUX IRE NZ US UK Some of the countries ranked Source: Education at a Glance 2007, OECD. Table C2. 3 below the UK have relatively high enrolment rates in non-secondary education, 26 but direct comparisons cannot be made due to a lack of comparable data on enrolment on these types of education in the UK. 27 3. The green paper and the case for change The green paper, Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16, described the perceived benefits to individuals and society of young people staying in education and training for longer. 28 It proposed a detailed package of measures for consultation. These were summarised in the DfES press notice launching the green paper: †¢ From 2013, young people should remain in education or training after 16 – this means the first pupils to be affected would be those entering secondary school in September next year. Young people would be required to work towards accredited qualifications at school, in a college, or in â€Å"on the job† training or day release; Apprenticeships will be significantly expanded so that they are available to any qualified young person who wants one; Participation should be full time for young people not in employment for a significant part of the week and part time for those working more than 20 hours a week; Better advice and guidance for young people to enable them to access the provision that’s right for them; A high quality, accurate registration system to keep track of the education options a young person has chosen and to make sure they don’t drop out; Building on the Education Maintenance Allowance we will consider new financial support measures to ensure young people from low income †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 26 27 28 Tertiary and post-secondary non-tertiary Education at a Glance 2007, OECD. Table C2. 3 Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16, Cm 7065, March 2007: http://www. dfes. gov. uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/6965-DfESRaising%20Expectations%20Green%20Paper. pdf 12 ITA RESEARCH PAPER 07/87 backgrounds get the support they need to overcome any barriers to participation. To make sure the right provision is in place the new requirement would not be implemented until 2013 by which time the new Diplomas will be a National Entitlement. This will give young people a choice of A levels, GCSEs, the International Baccalaureate, the new Diplomas, Apprenticeships, and accredited in work training. Young people would be supported to re-engage if they drop out through integrated Youth Support Services. Any enforcement process would be used only as a last resort if a young person refused to re-engage. 29 Chapter 2 of the green paper set out the evidential basis for raising the education and training participation age. This referred to research showing that young people who stay on in education and training after 16 are more likely to gain further qualifications by 18 than those who go into employment without training or drop out altogether. Individuals with qualifications earn more than those without. In addition to higher wages, betterqualified individuals have improved employment prospects and an increased likelihood of receiving workplace training. There are also wider benefits associated with higher qualification levels, such as improved health and better social skills. The green paper noted evidence on the relationship between higher levels of skills and qualifications and economic performance and productivity. It highlighted evidence suggesting that up to one fifth of the UK’s output per hour productivity gap with Germany and an eighth of the gap with France results from the UK’s relatively poor skills. The green paper also noted the wider benefits to society from increased participation. It stated that those who participate are less likely to experience teenage pregnancy, be involved in crime or behave anti-socially. The green paper refers to a study that looked at Offender Index data between 1984 and 2001 which showed that an additional year of compulsory schooling decreases conviction rates for property crime, and that it has also been estimated that compulsory schooling lowers the likelihood of committing crime or going to prison. 30 The green paper went on to outline t e combination of measures taken so far to h encourage increased participation. These include changes to the 14 to 19 curriculum and the introduction of new specialist diplomas with an emphasis on applied and practical learning; changes to the curriculum for 11 to 14 year olds to allow greater flexibility and personalisation of learning; an expansion of work-based learning; from September 2007 a ‘September Guarantee’ of an offer of an appropriate learning place for every young person leaving school at 16; improvements in information, advice and guidance for young people to help them make choices; and financial support through educational maintenance allowances.