In the 1980s, as now, there were high levels of youth unemployment, leading to alienation, violence and riots. Employers blamed schools for failing to prepare young people for the world of work. Schools accused employers of discriminating against ethnic minority and working class pupils.
This book describes how, in the 1980s, a Compact was established between schools in the East End of London and major companies, such as BP and Whitbread. Anne Taylor, who had responsibility for links between schools and industry in the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA), was involved in negotiating the East London Compact with London businesses. Her teams organised teachers’ secondments to industry; work experience for school children and work shadowing of Head Teachers by business people. Pupils were given challenging targets for attendance, punctuality and course completion. Businesses offered priority hiring to pupils in Compact schools who met their targets.
The East London Compact spread, first across London and then round the country. After the abolition of the ILEA in 1989 and the withdrawal of Government funding, Compacts disappeared, though some isolated examples remain. Individual activities, such as mini-enterprises, and reading- and number-partners, continue in schools to this day. Given the current levels of youth unemployment, the methods and techniques used in the East London Compact need revisiting. This book describes the impact made by the Compact in the hope of stimulating a modern version for the 21st century.
This book describes how, in the 1980s, a Compact was established between schools in the East End of London and major companies, such as BP and Whitbread. Anne Taylor, who had responsibility for links between schools and industry in the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA), was involved in negotiating the East London Compact with London businesses. Her teams organised teachers’ secondments to industry; work experience for school children and work shadowing of Head Teachers by business people. Pupils were given challenging targets for attendance, punctuality and course completion. Businesses offered priority hiring to pupils in Compact schools who met their targets.
The East London Compact spread, first across London and then round the country. After the abolition of the ILEA in 1989 and the withdrawal of Government funding, Compacts disappeared, though some isolated examples remain. Individual activities, such as mini-enterprises, and reading- and number-partners, continue in schools to this day. Given the current levels of youth unemployment, the methods and techniques used in the East London Compact need revisiting. This book describes the impact made by the Compact in the hope of stimulating a modern version for the 21st century.
