Entitlement Framework

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The Entitlement Framework sets out the minimum number and range of courses a school should offer at Key Stage 4 and Post-16. These courses should be economically relevant and individually engaging with clear progression pathways. Information about what this means for parents and pupils is contained below.

What is the Entitlement Framework?

The Entitlement Framework (EF) ensures that all young people, regardless of where they live, which school (or college) they attend, have equality of access to a broad and balanced range of economically relevant and individually engaging courses at Key Stage 4 (Years 11-12) and Post-16 (Years 13-14).

The EF guarantees that all pupils have access to a minimum number of courses at Key Stage 4 and Post-16, of which at least one third must be general and one third applied. The Department specifies the number of courses and is responsible for designating courses as general or applied, based on its published definitions contained in general and applied courses circular.

General Courses - Where knowledge, understanding and skills are developed within a subject context. The assessment arrangements are designed to enable learners to demonstrate the level of their knowledge, understanding and skills mainly through written tasks. The learning assessment focus is set within a subject specific context.

Applied Courses - The knowledge understanding and skills can be developed through practical demonstration and/or within a context related to employability. The assessment arrangements are designed to enable learners to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills through practical demonstration and/or within a context related to employability.

Cost of Provision

The Department provides a contribution towards meeting costs associated with the collaborative delivery of KS4 and post-16 courses. For a school to be eligible to receive funding to support the implementation of the EF it has to deliver eligible courses in collaboration with another school, Further Education College, or training organisation.

Statutory Position

The Education (NI) Order 2006 (articles 18-22) gives Statutory effect to the EF and requires schools to offer access to at least the specified number of courses at KS4 and Post-16; of which at least one third must be general and one third applied. In order to meet the statutory requirements, all post-primary schools are to provide pupils with access to a minimum of 21 courses at both phases.

The minimum number of qualifying courses post-primary schools must provide access to for pupils in Key Stage 4 and for post-16 pupils are set out through written directions.

What does it mean for pupils?

The Department of Education wants to make sure that every pupil in every post-primary school has a wide range of courses to choose from across all areas of learning.

Schools are encouraged to make use of up to date labour market information and take note of DfE’s priority skills areas in offering access to a coherent and economically relevant choice of courses for pupils. This means that all pupils will have access to at least the number of courses set out above. Pupils can then choose the courses which provide the best progression for them.

Progression can be to continue in education, including further and higher education, or to move into training or employment. Every pupil is different and choices should reflect each young person’s interests and aspirations. There may be occasions where a school’s timetabling makes it difficult to facilitate course choices, but parents and pupils should discuss this with the school.

Northern Ireland Skills Barometer: https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/publications/skills-barometer-2023-2033

Area Learning Communities

Every post-primary school in Northern Ireland is a member of an Area Learning Community (ALC). ALCs provide a mechanism within which schools come together to plan the curriculum they offer on an area basis.

Schools work together in collaboration with other schools, further education colleges and other training providers to deliver access to the Entitlement Framework, thus enabling them to offer a broad and balanced, economically relevant curriculum to meet the needs and aspirations of all pupils.

There are currently 27 ALCs, which are commonly made up of between two to 15 schools and special schools. The Chair of each ALC, which can change annually, is one of the principals from a participating member school.

Area Learning Community School Membership

The Entitlement Framework in special schools and specialist provisions in mainstream schools learning support centres

The directions specifying minimum course numbers do not apply to special schools or specialist provisions in mainstream schools.

All special schools and specialist provisions should aim to identify learning programmes for their learners covering the three curriculum areas of literacy/numeracy, Learning for Life and Work and a vocationally related element.