Research suggests that young people’s access to post-16 subjects in England is limited by where they live, meaning that many are unable to study their preferred subjects due to gaps in local provision.
While post-16 education policy has tended to emphasise the benefits of competition between providers, government also acknowledge that too many small providers in one area can create challenges. It can lead to resources being spread too thinly, narrower subject choices for learners and geographical inequalities in what young people can study.
New NFER analysis, commissioned by the Association of Colleges (AoC), shines a light on this subject. In some areas of the country there are subject ‘cold spots’, where some subjects are not offered by any provider. This is especially seen in subjects such as A-Level Dance and Music Technology, which are unavailable to students in around half of England’s local authorities, while students in over 30 local authorities are unable to study A-Level German.
The study reveals these ‘cold spots’ are not confined to rural areas, with some more densely populated areas having weak subject availability and/or inefficient delivery to small classes. In practice, this means learners’ choice of post-16 qualifications may be shaped, and in some cases limited, by the structure of their local provider market.
According to the research, areas with a greater number of smaller providers - which is particularly driven by a higher share of provision being school sixth forms - tend to offer a narrower range of subjects and run smaller, less efficient classes, particularly in humanities and social sciences.
Luke Bocock, Research Director at NFER, said: “Sometimes, a young person’s choices at 16 are shaped not just by their interests or ambitions, but by what happens to be available locally.
“Our findings show that in more fragmented post-16 education systems, students are more likely to face restricted subject options, particularly in specialist subject areas. This has real consequences for some young people. The subjects available to them at this stage can shape what they go on to study, and the opportunities open to them later in life."
The report recommends that the government strengthens oversight of school sixth form expansion to consider system-wide impacts on subject choice and sustainability. It also suggests that local authorities convene with schools and colleges to support partnership, shared provision and timetabling between providers, with the aim of maximising subject choice while improving efficiency.
