Draws on experiences of mature access students (n=23) in an inner London (England) further education college. Explores the range of opportunities and constraints mature students confront in their efforts to make the transition to higher education. Focuses on the narratives of the seven students who failed to complete the access course. (BT)

Responses from 29 of 86 New Zealand universities and polytechnics surveyed portrayed the state of bridging or access courses. The majority are over 10 years old; they vary greatly in terminology, content, length, and clientele. They are making a significant contribution to the participation of underrepresented groups, such as the Maori in higher…

Investigated the study experiences of a group of Scottish 17- and 18-year-olds from the beginning of their 3-month university access course to the end of their first semester at university. Themes from the data included: moving away from feelings of injustice and alienation; moving toward better study strategies, and support, relationships; and…

Contends that secondary education formalizes transition from adolescence to young adulthood in ways that exemplify patterns of segregation, transition, and incorporation that compose Van Gennep's "rites de passage." Explains how socially immature adolescents are segregated in high schools and formally socialized for responsibilities of…

Following the diagnosis of a child's disability parents can find that their expectations are shattered. As they adjust to their new situation they will begin to develop new ideas of what the future will hold. Supporting families is a key theme in current government policy, hence the development of the Early Support Programme. In this paper Fran…

For most students assessment guides their study and learning practice. Yet in the literature associated with the first year of study at university, few have mobilised the power of assessment to develop and engage first year undergraduate students. This paper presents a model of assessment for first year students which separates the semester into…

The education and care of young children has been rooted in Indian culture as reflected in ancient scriptures and documents, and has continued to be a significant engagement during the pre- and post-independence period and in the contemporary realm of education. Yet, in the present situation, the progress and understanding of early childhood care…

The transfer to secondary education can be an anxious time and planning ahead can help. This article offers practical advice about what to consider, when to start planning and discusses many of the issues involved in the transition to later schooling. Written from the perspective of the English school system, many of the issues and principles are…

This report highlights student transition trends across a four-year period, with K-12 data from 2001/02 - 2004/05 and post-secondary data from 2002/03-2005/06. Reported findings include: (1) There is a consistent trend in immediate entry transition rates, with slightly more than half of all high school graduates making an immediate transition into…

This paper examines a high school apprenticeship program with a focus on the opportunities for "expansive" learning within three different contexts: schools, the training centre and worksites. The authors assume that while young people differ in the degree to which they engage in learning within different sites, the institutional…

Educational research has found few benefits of preprimary school nonpromotion; nevertheless, in many countries the practice remains quite common. The aim of this study is to extend knowledge regarding preprimary nonpromotion via investigation of a wide set of child and family characteristics deemed predictive and discriminative of different…

This paper is concerned with the inequalities experienced by mothers in the performance of educational care work for their children. It is argued that the caring work carried out by mothers at transfer to second-level schooling is shaped by their ability to activate the significant resource of emotional capital; a gendered resource involving…

The transition from school to tertiary study of mathematics comes under increasing scrutiny in research. This article reports on some findings from a project analysing the transition from secondary to tertiary education in mathematics. One key variable in this transition is the teacher or lecturer. This article deals with a small part of the data…

This interview with administrators of Taswork describes the workings of this youth transition project. Unemployed 16-21-year-olds are accepted into the program and paid a nominal wage to participate in community service projects, while remaining eligible for their unemployment benefits. (CH)

This literature review was commissioned by the Scottish Executive Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department (SEELLD) from the Scottish Council for Research in Education Centre of Glasgow University. An implementation team was formed to explore the use of mentors to support client groups in their transition to post-school education, training, and…