‘Going places, meeting people, making and doing things’ 

At the heart of any enquiry/project based learning opportunity is the desire to create real-world projects that are underpinned by subject content/procedural knowledge, but which draw on the issues, expertise and resources in the local ‘community’ to give that knowledge a meaningful and therefore more engaging context. In addition, a project will encourage the development of social and cultural capital- providing students with the raw materials to construct more complex identities and inform their aspirations. 

Progression to work or study

Many schools and Sixth Form Colleges offer BTEC courses.  BTEC qualifications open new doors into rewarding careers in STEM, health, Sport, Business, IT, Creative Arts and much more, to help students get the skills employers need.  

Newcastle University worked with Durham Sixth Form Centre on different projects embedded into BTEC courses in Applied Science, Forensic Science and Sport and Nutrition.

One of the teachers explained that part of her rationale behind using a PBL approach with her students was to give some variety to the teaching and assessment process that is usually followed, and to incorporate more creativity and interactivity.

With launch events and showcases involving crime scene investigations, visits to a Crown Court and a working professional kitchen, and replicating a courtroom, these BTEC projects showed that the course does not have to follow the pattern of classwork and assignment report.