Listen to this story Members can listen to an AI-generated audio version of this article. 1.0x Audio narration uses an AI-generated voice. 0:00 0:00 Become a member to listen to this article Subscribe Ministers should strengthen their oversight of school sixth form expansion to ensure the presence of too many small settings isn’t undermining 鈥渆fficiency and sufficiency鈥 in post-16 provision, a report has said. The research also called for local government to be given powers to tackle 鈥渃old spots鈥 of specialist post-16 subjects caused by fragmented and inefficient education systems. The Association of Colleges (AoC)-funded , conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), analysed data for 16 to 18-year-old exam entries per provider to work out the range of subjects available and class sizes. The study, published today, found cold spots in council areas across the country, where certain A-levels and vocational qualifications in 23 subject areas including creative arts, social sciences, languages and performing arts are not offered by any provider. It also found 鈥渇ragmented鈥 markets, with smaller settings such as school sixth forms that deliver marginal subjects in 鈥渋nefficient鈥 class sizes. Having large numbers of school sixth forms appeared to 鈥渦ndermine鈥 nearby colleges鈥 economies of scale because it is 鈥渉arder鈥 for them to sustain marginal and specialist subjects, the report argued. It added this resulted in a narrower overall range of subject choices in those areas, because colleges were more likely to withdraw more marginal courses in areas with more school sixth forms. David Hughes, AoC chief executive, said the report showed a鈥痬arketised鈥痑pproach 鈥渄oes not result in a high quality, broad and complete offer of courses and institutions that are accessible by every young person鈥. 鈥淭he system we have requires providers to compete for students and plan independently of each other, inevitably leading to a strong offer in some areas and insufficient capacity in other areas.” 鈥楻eal consequences鈥 Researchers looked at 2023-24 exam entry data across 151 local authority areas and found 23 cold spots 鈥渟cattered across the country鈥 where 15 or more of the subjects were not offered. While core subjects such as history, geography and sociology A-level were offered in most areas, music technology was not available in 79 areas, dance was unavailable in 73 areas, and A-level German was unavailable in 31 areas. Cold spots included urban areas such as east and south west London, Greater Manchester and Portsmouth, as well as more rural areas such as Herefordshire, Cumbria and the Isle of Wight. To address this 鈥渆xcessive market fragmentation鈥 and ensure broad subject choices are available for all students, the paper suggested five policy options at 鈥渧arying degrees of intervention鈥. These include the Department for Education (DfE) handing strategic authorities delegated powers or strengthened mandates to 鈥渂roker collaboration鈥 between schools and colleges around their subject offers and specialisations. Local government should also 鈥渃onvene鈥 schools and colleges to explore shared provision and timetabling arrangements, as some schools may currently feel 鈥渃ompelled鈥 to offer marginal subjects that attract students despite low enrolments. Combined and local authorities could also take a more active role, such as commissioning areas reviews 鈥渨here appropriate鈥 to encourage schools and colleges to merge into 鈥渓arger, more resilient鈥 institutions that can offer a broader curriculum. Other measures could include supporting local specialisation through designation of specific providers as 鈥渟ubject hubs鈥, particularly in creative and performing arts. However, the report also called for more research into the most effective collaboration models and what drives student and parent choice, as the current evidence body 鈥渞emains scant鈥. The government should also strengthen its oversight of school sixth form expansion to ensure 鈥渆fficiency and sufficiency鈥 aren鈥檛 undermined by having too many small local providers. The DfE could update its guidance to local authorities and regional directors to make considering system-level impacts of new sixth forms an 鈥渆xplicit consideration鈥, the report suggested. At present, new school sixth forms are typically approved or rejected based grounds of quality or viability, with a 200-student rule of thumb. Young people鈥檚 potential limited Luke Bocock,鈥痳esearch director鈥痑t NFER, said restricted subject options due to fragmented post-16 education systems have 鈥渞eal consequences鈥 for some young people. He added: 鈥淭he subjects available to them at this stage can shape what they go on to鈥痵tudy,鈥痑nd the opportunities open to them later in life. 鈥淐oupled with this,鈥痯ost-16 education providers鈥痜ace bigger challenges to delivering courses efficiently where the鈥痯rovision鈥痠n their area鈥痠s鈥痳elatively more鈥痜ragmented鈥-鈥痶oo often in these areas small, inefficient class sizes are the norm. 鈥淲ithout better coordination across the鈥痯ost-16 education鈥痵ystem, these gaps risk limiting鈥痽oung people鈥檚鈥痯otential and鈥痗reating鈥痠nequalities.鈥 Hughes added: 鈥淓very鈥痵tudent should have a wide and varied choice that they are able to access. To achieve this, we need a more co-ordinated approach to planning the capacity for the full range of 16-18 provision and institutions locally. “Doing this will achieve greater efficiency (with fewer students dropping out and starting again and fewer鈥痸ery small鈥痗lass sizes) and sufficiency (covering the鈥痺hole range鈥痮f learning,鈥痶raining鈥痑nd education) while being sensitive to local contexts.”