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Evaluation of Techniquest and Techniquest Glyndŵr School Services

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Evaluation of Techniquest and Techniquest Glyndŵr School Services Ymchwil gymdeithasol Social research Number: 02/2014 Evaluation of Techniquest and Techniquest Glyndŵr School Services Sdf Evaluation of Techniquest and Techniquest Glyndŵr School Services Dr Kath Mulraney and Richard Lloyd, ICF GHK Views expressed in this report are those of the researchers and not necessarily those of the Welsh Government For further information please contact: Angela Powell Subject Support 7-19 Branch, Curriculum Division, Schools and Young People Group, Department for Education and Skills, Welsh Government Cathays Park Cardiff CF10 3NQ Tel: 029 2082 6013 Fax: 029 2082 6016 Email: [email protected] Welsh Government Social Research, 2014 ISBN 978-1-4734-0784-8 © Crown Copyright 2014 Table of Contents Acknowledgments 1 Executive Summary 2 1 Introduction 22 2 Background 26 3 Techniquest: Key Findings 64 4 Techniquest Glyndŵr: Key Findings 102 5 Non-User Survey Findings – Techniquest and Techniquest Glyndŵr 137 6 Conclusions and Recommendations 149 Annex 1 References 176 Annex 2 Overview of Interviewees and Survey Respondents 179 Annex 3 Overview of Additional Grant Income for TQ and TQG 185 Annex 4 Techniquest School Activity Examples 189 Annex 5 Techniquest Glyndŵr School Activity Examples 193 Acknowledgments This study was commissioned by the Welsh Government on behalf of the Welsh Ministers, and we are particularly grateful to Angela Powell, Nia Mair Jones and John Pugsley of the Curriculum Division within the Department for Education and Skills, and to David Roberts of the Research and Evaluation Branch, for their guidance and support throughout the study. We would also like to thank the Techniquest and Techniquest Glyndŵr staff who participated in the fieldwork, as well as the teachers and national stakeholders who kindly partook in telephone interviews. This report was prepared by Dr Kath Mulraney and Richard Lloyd of GHK Consulting Ltd. Views expressed in this report are not necessarily those of the Department for Education and Skills or any other department within the Welsh Government. 1 Executive Summary Introduction In October 2012 the Department for Education and Skills commissioned ICF GHK and Beaufort Research to conduct an evaluation of Techniquest (TQ) and Techniquest Glyndŵr (TQG) services for schools funded under the Welsh Government core grant funding. This is the final report for the evaluation and provides practical recommendations for the Welsh Government and both centres. Aims and study method The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the support provided to schools through Welsh Government funding, to inform future decisions on TQ/TQG funding and the evidence base for future Welsh Government STEM support. Specific objectives included assessing: ■ The extent to which TQ and TQG are achieving the aims and objectives agreed with Welsh Government for providing support to schools; ■ The effectiveness and efficiency of TQ and TQG in providing centre- based and outreach services to support the science and mathematics curricula; ■ The effectiveness of collaborative working between TQ, TQG and their key partners and stakeholders from service planning through to delivery; and ■ Whether the core grant and Mathcymru grant funding is being used appropriately, economically and efficiently to support and enrich curriculum delivery – and identifying the implications of any reductions in funding. Drawing on a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods the study included: a review of programme documentation; a literature review; the analysis of management information; qualitative interviews with delivery staff and partners, Welsh Government and national stakeholders; a quantitative survey of 200 teachers using TQ/TQG services – with qualitative follow up 2 interviews with 15 respondents to explore experiences in depth; and a quantitative survey of 50 teachers in schools not using TQ/TQG. While Welsh Government were keen to capture learning about the impacts of both TQ and TQG school services, within the limits of this study it was recognised that we would be mainly drawing on the views of teachers in terms of the perceived impacts for both pupils and teachers, supplemented by any additional impact evidence provided by the centres themselves. Policy and Practice Context In common with the rest of the UK, a key priority for Welsh Government in recent years has been to address the shortage of STEM skills in order to boost economic development and high value added growth. The Welsh Government enshrined in law support for the provision of STEM in Sections 14-16 of the Education Act 2002, and in May 2010 appointed a Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales. In 2012 the Welsh Government also published its most recent STEM strategy: “Science for Wales – A strategic agenda for science and innovation in Wales” along with a comprehensive guidance document. There is a rich array of external STEM support accessible by schools across Wales. These include a number of coordinating umbrella bodies and over 35 individual providers based either in Wales or elsewhere within the UK. Techniquest and Techniquest Glyndŵr: An Overview TQ and TQG are educational charities, based in Cardiff and Wrexham respectively, that work as separate entities and in partnership to deliver STEM-related onsite, outreach and continuing professional development (CPD) activities for schools. While independent organisations, both centres operate under the Techniquest brand, formalised through a Service Level Agreement and share a common understanding that their role is about enhancing and complementing the STEM and wider school curriculum, rather than directly delivering it. They deliver onsite provision through their respective science and discovery centres, and provide outreach through a range of interactive shows and hands-on workshops. In contrast to many of the other providers of external STEM support available to schools in Wales, 3 TQ and TQG deliver across the STEM agenda and cater for the whole school spectrum, from the Foundation Phase to post-16. Key features of their respective delivery models are set out in Table 1 below. Table 1 TQ and TQG: An Overview Techniquest Techniquest Glyndŵr History Established in 1986 and located in Established in 2003 by North Wales Cardiff Bay. Science co-located with Glyndŵr University in Wrexham. Staffing 66 FTE posts with a dedicated 8 FTE posts with a dedicated Education Team. This includes four Education Team. This includes three Welsh speaking Presenters. Welsh speaking Presenters. TQ’s All Wales Lead for the All Wales Strategy, North East Hub for the All Wales Strategy Roles and which includes sub-contracting and Strategy responsible for delivery of Responsibilities managing a number of ‘out-reach’ outreach in: Wrexham, Flintshire, hubs in other parts of Wales Denbighshire, north Powys and east Conwy. WG Funding For 2012-13 Welsh Government For 2012-13 Welsh Government funding was £1,350,600 including the funding was £332,239 including the core grant, in year project funding, core granting and in year project and £125,000 for delivery of the funding. Mathcymru Initiative to schools across Wales. Other sources of Admission fees; charges for outreach. Glyndwr University funding; income Other earned income such as admission fees, charges for outreach sale/hiring of exhibits and other non- workshops, other earned income core WG grant income which for including kit hire and other non-core 2012-13 totalled £311,012.* WG grant income which for 2012-13 totalled £45,885.* School activities School visits to TQ Cardiff Bay School visits to the TQG Wrexham and services centre; Outreach with schools; site including university tours; maths Mathcymru funded maths workshops; workshops; outreach with schools; CPD and CPD. Marketing activities Production and dissemination of Production and dissemination of marketing materials; TQ website; marketing materials; TQG website; direct sales phone calls; use of soft direct sales phone calls; face to face market intelligence; special offer visits; cluster bookings and special promotions; cluster bookings and offer promotions. promotion of TQ via education providers. Partnerships TQ has links with: LEA Maths TQG has links with: Glyndŵr Advisers, industry representatives; University, industry partners such as universities; the Nuffield Foundation. Toyota; various professional bodies Plus a range of providers of external such as the Institutions of Mechanical STEM support through the emerging Engineers and the Wrexham Science All Wales hub network. Festival. *This includes NSA Funding. 4 Stakeholder views The vast majority of stakeholders interviewed were aware of both TQ and TQG and their respective school offers – although they had less of a detailed understanding of the outreach provision. Whilst acknowledging the external challenges faced by both centres, most stakeholders held both TQ and TQG in high regard. The public funding from Welsh Government was seen as important for supporting innovation and sustainability. Stakeholders through their own teacher networks reported that the TQ brand was well recognised and that teachers expressed generally high levels of satisfaction. However, there was a common perception that the main focus of the centres was on primary rather than secondary, particularly in terms of the on-site exhibits. The added value of TQ and TQG was generally seen as lying with the centres, however the additional overheads that come with this were acknowledged and were seen as perhaps restricting capacity to regularly refresh
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