EAST Lancashire teenagers will have a wider choice in the curriculum - including vocational courses - if recommendations by the education watchdog are introduced.

A recent report by Ofsted - Key Stage 4: towards a flexible curriculum - examined the provision of subjects for 14 to 16-year-olds in schools and referral units.

Now education teams covering vocational courses in East Lancashire are exploring how they can exploit the open encouragement of more real-life orientated study.

The report warned that some pupils become uninterested in the classroom in their last two years of school and feel the curriculum is not relevant and they are not achieving.

Inspectors also found that problems with attendance and behaviour came to a head at Key Stage 4.

The achievement of pupils nationally at the end of their compulsory education has been steadily rising in recent years. But in Lancashire there is a mixed picture year on year.

Around half of East Lancashire's 48 schools achieved worse GCSE results this year, but just over half were above the national average of 51.5 per cent of passes between A* to C.

Ofsted revealed that behind these figures there was "worrying" proof that achievement was uneven with attainment of boys and members of ethnic majorities limping behind.

In Lancashire an estimated 68 per cent of 16-year-olds go on to full-time further education, compared to 70 per cent nationally. Now the Department for Education and Skills is pursuing the idea of introducing a new form of vocational provision at Key Stage 4 and ultimately more flexibility in the curriculum.

They want education authorities and learning and skills councils to review funding of pupil places in alternative education.

David Bell, her majesty's chief inspector of schools, said: "Of particular concern is the fact that many alternative education providers are operating in the absence of registration and regulation so there is a worrying lack of information about the nature and appropriateness of what is provided.

"However the report highlights an even bigger worry - that is an estimated 10,000 pupils at Key Stage 4 do not appear on any school roll and appear to be missing out on the life skills they so badly need for adult life."

Steve Palmer, executive director of the Lancashire Learning and Skills Council, welcomed the move to a more flexible curriculum for young people.

He said: "It will open up more opportunities for those leaving school without limiting existing choices leading to higher education."

East Lancashire Education Business Partnership fully supports the government's aim to transform the learning of young people.

Chief executive, Neil Mawdsley, said: "In particular, we welcome the move towards a more flexible curriculum at KS4 and the introduction of vocationally orientated new GCSEs in subjects such as business, art and design and manufacturing.

"The changes do, however, present a number of challenges, including the need for an enhanced level of employer engagement, the need for closer collaborative and partnership arrangements both between schools and between schools and a range of partners including colleges and training providers and sufficient funding to meet the level of demand for vocational courses in schools."