They will liaise with each other on some projects - for example, a new school tuck shop run by the business group might sell goods designed and produced by manufacturing students.Far more schools applied to join the pilot than could be accepted, and it is likely that next year's extended scheme will also be popular. Unlike the vocational schools that pupils can choose at 14 in Germany, these courses leave all options open.Both groups have a similar split between pupils who see their subject as a career option and those who are simply interested. They are looking at books, but we are doing things," she said.Amanda has chosen the course because she would like to pursue a career in accountancy; Jenny has not made up her mind yet about what she wants to do in later life. Amanda says her best friend is doing GCSE business studies but now rather wishes she had done GNVQ."They are just doing normal work, but we do activities.

They are planning to visit the hospital after school to talk to staff and to take photographs, which they will use in a presentation to the rest of the group next week.Already they have dug out appeal literature and publicity from the local newspaper as well as finding out how many schools in the area have been targeted to publicise and support the campaign.Both are enjoying the active learning approach. While GCSE business studies students would be taught about business ownership, GNVQ students might conduct a survey on the subject.Amanda Wade, 14, is working on an exercise about advertising for which she and a classmate, Jenny Brown, have chosen to look at the local hospital's charity appeal. Anyone who arrives late for a lesson without their proper uniform on is reminded that in industry this would never do.The crucial difference between these courses and the academic ones that they will take alongside them - each "part one" General National Vocational Qualification or GNVQ is equivalent to two GCSEs - is their emphasis on practical work. It's got them thinking about what's involved in being a group member," he said.Even during the shared induction course, pupils are encouraged to think about the world of work.

Their school is one of 100 across the country that have been selected to take part, and it is offering both manufacturing and business courses to its pupils. David Stothard, who teaches business studies, says the "shepherd and sheep" session aimed at confidence building and getting to know one another was a great success."It's amazing how much they enjoy it. Nineteen blindfolded teenagers in the car park of Thurston Upper School in Suffolk are taking orders from a 20th This is vocational education, 1995-style. The pupils are taking part in a teamwork exercise at the start of a pilot scheme for new courses aimed at teaching job-related skills to 14- to 16-year-olds. Or they can watch while it leaves them behind.The writer is Professor of Education at Keele University. He will shortly take up a new post at the Institute of Education in London.. They can join the school improvement bandwagon which is beginning to roll and make a contribution based on their valuable experience.

Now that this has happened, the GM policy has passed its sell- by date, which may explain why Gillian Shephard has sensibly stopped highlighting target numbers of GM schools and begun to make school improvement a priority.The Prime Minister's recent speech will change nothing. If raising private finance is really good for GM schools, then surely it is good for all.Thus, from the perspective of GM schools the choice is clear. Nor is it possible to sustain a publicly provided education service in which each school sets its own admissions policy without reference to other schools in the locality. In short, the GM policy as it is now constructed can only work when it applies to a different minority.This does not mean that the policy has been without effect.