Low Achievers: the youth training scheme

Abstract

A fundamental hypothesis of this thesis is that the Youth Training Scheme, to the extent that it is largely practical and vocational, will achieve positive results with children who are regarded as low achievers at school, where, research suggests, academic values are paramount. It was proposed in this research that the following key propositions be explored:-1) The conventional academic, exam orientated, curriculum is not suitable for our less able children resulting in boredom, anti-school and anti-social behaviour.2) The consequences of this lack of success, measured in external examination grades, resulted in children which are neither attractive to employers nor prepared for a future vocation.3) The Y.T.S. has potential for motivating these children which helps them gain skills and thereby improves their attractiveness to employers. Evidence from personal professional contacts, the author’s own experience, literature, official statistics and specially designed questionnaires have been advanced to support each of the positions explored in the thesis. Empirical findings within the author's school have been compared with findings from the submitted literature review. The hypothesis has been tested by comparing the performance across a range of items, of a group of fifth year low achievers, with their performance, across the same range of items, during the Y.T.S. year following their secondary education. The fundamental finding is that the Y.T.S. results in greater success, less absenteeism, more positive attitudes, better behaviour and more harmonious adult relationships than the final year of secondary education for these students.