The Nuffield Review

The Nuffield Review of 14-19 Education and Training in England and Wales involves independent and comprehensive consideration of every aspect of 14-19 developments at a most important time. The Review has been organised around three main, but interconnected, areas of investigation:

  • the development of the system itself through various policy initiatives;
  • students' retention and progression into HE, further training and the labour market; and
  • the quality of learning for all young people.

The Review ran for an initial three years, and is now well into year one of a second three-year phase of study. The first phase confirmed that there is no simple answer to inherent tensions across the three main aims of 14-19 education and training. These aims are:

  • to raise standards;
  • to provide the skills and knowledge which the economy needs; and
  • to be inclusive.

The second phase is therefore seeking to define what counts as an educated 19-year-old in this day and age, recognising that only in the light of informed debate will it be possible to identify appropriate standards, see how all young people might be included, and turn skills training into something which is educationally valuable.

Members of the Review's Directorate are drawn from Universities of Cardiff, Oxford and Warwick, the Institute of Education, and UCAS. More information about the Review, including annual reports, research papers, and latest news, can be found via its website: www.nuffield14-19review.org.uk.