Monitoring GNVQs: A national survey of provision and implementation

Since the introduction of GNVQ pilot programmes in 1992 the rate of change and development of the new qualifications has increased rapidly. As with the introduction of NVQs after 1986, staff and students in the post-school sector are once again being asked to cope with sudden and massive changes in curriculum and assessment procedures with a minimum of training, development and consultation. Our national survey of GNVQ implementation in post-16 institutions (with a response rate of 67.9 per cent) was designed to contribute to the construction of a general map of the take-up and distribution of GNVQs and to explore issues surrounding changes in organization and learning, and typical problems of implementation. The key findings of the study are examined against the background of recent developments in the field and the evolution of policy and provision in post-school education and training