Open the gates an’ that’s it ‘See ya later!’: School Culture and Young People’s Transitions into Post-compulsory Education and Training

Abstract

This paper draws on young people’s accounts of their transitions from compulsory to post-compulsory education and training (PCET) within a Scottish region. Evidence was collected using focus groups with 41 4th. and 5th. year pupils, 42 full-time National Certificate college students, 71 Skillseekers in training and individual interviews with some college tutors and management staff. Data on school cultures and aspects of learning were collated from a larger qualitative data set relating to the sources of information, influences and the factors that had affected their transitions. School culture was identified as one factor of many which had impacted on transitions. The paper begins by locating the research within the literature and then describes the methodology used to collect data on young people’s transitions. An analysis of the data is them provided using the ‘voices’ of young people. Finally, the implications for the role of school cultures in transitions are discussed.