Provision, progression and partnership
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Provision, progression and partnership
This eBook features a selection of 50 project ‘case studies’ that illustrate the variety of work delivered and funded over the last three years by Progress South Central, the Lifelong Learning Network for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey. We are a partnership of universities and colleges working to develop and support progression for vocational students into and through higher education. More information about our work can be found on our web pages at www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk. Our work has been focused on four vocational sectors: •• Construction and the built environment •• Creative industries •• Health and Social Care •• Land-based industries In addition, we are working across all sectors on projects relating to: •• IAG •• 14–19 Diplomas •• Progression to HE for apprentices •• Staff development •• Raising learner awareness •• Employer engagement •• Work-based learning •• Research Progress South Central is funded by HEFCE until July 2011. Please note that the case studies represent the ‘state of play’ with the projects concerned at the time of completion of Progress South Central’s involvement with them. In many cases, work may have subsequently continued beyond the LLN’s involvement with the project. Information on the current state of play should be sought from the contact addresses given, where appropriate, at the end of the case study. Dates refer either to the date of the event, in the case of one-off events, or the end date of the project in the case of longer projects.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Contents
Construction and the built environment 5 ASNs for Foundation degree in Construction Management 5 Development of a Foundation degree in Construction Management 6 Support for Technical Report Route candidates for ICE membership 6 Trip to the ‘Constructionarium’ 7
Creative industries 9 ‘Creative Minds Creative Futures’ 9 Entrepreneurial and business skills for the performing arts 10 Two Foundation degrees in the performing arts 11 Creative Portal 12 HE Experience Days 12
Health and social care 14 Raising aspirations in vocational areas 14 Domiciliary Care Services progression pathway 15 CPD Level 4 module for the work-health trainer role 16 Launch event for the Diploma in Leadership in multi-agency settings 17 ‘Maintaining mental health in children and young people’ 18
Land-based industries 19 BSc top-up in animal biology and conservation 19 Progression agreement for the BSc (Hons) Animal Science at the University of Reading 20 Research Skills School for FE students studying land-based subjects 21 FE Open Day for land-based staff 22 Land-based industries in action 24
14–19 Diplomas 26 ‘Progression Potential’ 26 ‘The new Diplomas – Learner Voice in Surrey’ 27 14–19 Diplomas as routes to HE 27 ‘The 14–19 Dimension – Diplomas and Diversity’ 28
Progression to HE for apprentices 30 Advanced Apprentices – progression to higher education 30 Research into attitudes and aspirations to HE with apprentices employed by Oxford Brookes University 31
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk IAG 33 An investigation into the information, advice and guidance (IAG) provided for Year 11 students regarding their post-16 options 33 ‘Changing Routes to Higher Education’ 34 ‘Flexible Access Routes and Admissions to HE’ 35 Art factor forum 36
Staff development 38 Professionalising admission to higher education in further education 38 Bursary scheme for HE in FE 39 Learning advice in community settings 40 Valuing the support worker role – care, commitment, development 40
Raising learner awareness 42 Mentoring for progression – prison mentoring (pilot) 42 Mentoring for progression – working with training providers 43 Enrichment sessions: Oxford Brookes University and partner colleges 44 Oxford Brookes University mentoring scheme 45
Employer engagement 47 Sponsorship of business lunch 47 Seminar on Knowledge Transfer Partnerships 47 ‘Develop your workforce: employer’s guide to higher education’ 48 Higher level skills workshops for Train to Gain brokers 49 CPD framework for NHS staff employed in bands 1– 4 50
Work-based learning 51 University Centre Aylesbury Vale 51 ‘Progression via work-based learning’ 51 ‘Building Bridges’ 53 HE management learning for the building services engineering sector 54 Support for work-based learning: a package for work-based mentors of Fd students in the health and social care sector 55
Research 57 Higher education for Slough and East Berkshire – reaching the right learners with the right provision 57 An ethnographic study of vocational students in FE 58 What makes work experience work? 59
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Construction and the built environment
ASNs for Foundation degree in Construction Management
Lead organisation Oxford Brookes University
Additional organisations involved Kier Group
Date 2008–09
Project summary Progress South Central allocated Additional Student Numbers (ASNs) to Oxford Brookes University in 2008–09 to support the first year of their newly-developed Foundation degree (Fd) in Construction Management. The Fd was developed by the University’s School of the Built Environment in conjunction with a large employer, Kier Group, and was successfully accredited by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). This project supported good practice in the development of work-based learning, as the curriculum and learning outcomes of the Foundation degree were designed in collaboration with Kier and the programme was tailored towards modern contractors who were already working in the industry. This Foundation degree was designed in an innovative way, with students studying via distance learning while receiving support through Brookes Virtual Gateway and with four residential visits throughout the year. In between the residential course visits, students received weekly support from a Kier mentoring programme. In terms of progression opportunities, it was envisaged that successful students would have the opportunity to progress to Oxford Brookes’ BSc (Hons) Construction Management at the end of their Fd. Learner demand for the new Fd had been identified by the CIOB and by ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council for the construction industry. The development formed part of a planned expansion of construction activity across the South East.
Impact 35 FTE ASNs were allocated for the Foundation degree and 47 part-time learners began the programme in January 2008. All of the first cohort of students were Kier employees. 36 students progressed successfully to the second year of the Fd in January 2009. As Progress South Central received an ASN allocation for 2008–09 only, only the first cohort of students on this FdSc could be funded by the LLN. Subsequent cohorts have been supported via Oxford Brookes’ HEFCE-funded Employer Engagement project.
For more information Oxford Brookes University School of the Built Environment
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 5 Development of a Foundation degree in Construction Management
Lead organisation Aylesbury College
Date October 2008
Project summary Progress South Central supported Aylesbury College in their development of a new Foundation degree in Construction Management, both with funding and with brokerage activity in engaging professional advice from the CIOB. The overall aim was to research, develop and write a programme to meet the growth needs of the construction industry in North Buckinghamshire and, after much initial research by the working party at Aylesbury College, the decision was taken to develop a programme specifically in Construction Management. Advice was sought from the CIOB in relation to both the course programme and in relation to the appropriate timing to seek accreditation with CIOB. Suggestions made by the CIOB’s representative were incorporated into the course programme.
Impact The Foundation degree was successfully validated in 2008. The outcome is a programme designed totally to meet local and industry needs.
For more information Aylesbury College
Support for Technical Report Route candidates for ICE membership
Lead organisation Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
Date March 2009
Project summary This project set out to support the Technical Report Route (TRR) to professional membership of the ICE for those who possess the relevant industrial experience but who lack the necessary academic background. Within civil engineering, membership of the ICE is recognised as an international standard of quality and allows a civil engineer to practise in most countries of the world. The Technical Report Route to CEng and IEng status has been established by the ICE in recognition of the fact that there are people working in all parts of the construction industry doing work normally assigned to Incorporated or Chartered Engineers who do not have the appropriate formal qualification, often because they lack the necessary academic background. The project allowed the ICE to promote this route to professionally qualified membership to a number of companies and candidates in Progress South Central’s region and to explore the barriers to progression via this route.
6 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Engagement of local employers of potential TRR candidates formed the first stage of the project and the ICE engaged employers both through direct contact of known employers and through advertising TRR workshops to all local members. Identification and induction of potential candidates then proceeded, either through encouragement of employees by engaged employers or via two presentations on the TRR route held in Guildford and Reading, which were then followed by discussions with interested individuals. Mentors were identified through contacts with local employers and through correspondence and meetings with potential candidates. A workshop entitled “The role of the TRR mentor” was offered in Reading and attended by fourteen potential mentors. The project team clarified, for each potential candidate, the appropriate route for them towards IEng and/or CEng and gave advice and encouragement relevant to their chosen goal. Eligible candidates for the TRR were encouraged to prepare and submit their applications. Monitoring of potential candidates was carried out via telephone, e-mail and meetings.
Impact 33 employer organisations actively engaged with the project. 39 candidates were identified as suitable for the TRR to ICE membership, nearly double the number targeted at the outset of the project. Some of these had HNC or HND qualifications while the others held degrees in subjects not formally approved for ICE membership. The candidates were employed by organisations spread across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey and possessed between 6 and 31 years experience in the industry. A total of 36 mentors were identified through the course of the project, 34 of whom were assigned to support one or more TRR candidates. Seven candidates were expected to submit their stage 1 TRR applications in March or April 2009 with a further 14 likely to submit their applications over the course of the summer. The remaining 18 indicated that they needed more time to prepare but did intend to progress. The main barrier to progression for the candidates concerned, identified through interviews with candidates and mentors, is likely to be time management, given that these candidates have heavy responsibility for current projects, which can make it a challenge for them to find time to prepare their applications for TRR. Unfamiliarity with ICE requirements for demonstrating understanding of engineering principles through work experience is another potential barrier, which this project attempted to compensate for through dedicated workshops. The following attest to the success of this project: •• Targets set for all specified outcomes have been exceeded •• Awareness of the potential of the TRR has increased with employers and individuals in the Thames Valley area •• The project has encouraged 51 new people to come forward and seek professional recognition, most by TRR but some by more traditional routes •• The ICE has been able to clarify the most common barriers to progression via the TRR and will be able to address those issues in its future programmes
For more information Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
Trip to the ‘Constructionarium’
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Additional organisations involved Oxford & Cherwell Valley College
Date October 2008 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 7 Project summary
One of Progress South Central’s most exciting ventures in its first year was to fund the development of an innovative collaboration between one of its partner colleges, Oxford and Cherwell Valley College (OCVC) and the Constructionarium at the National Construction College East at Bircham Newton in Norfolk. Constructionarium is a unique hands-on construction experience for students and young professionals. It takes the form of a week-long field course which is usually delivered through the partnership of a contractor, a university and a consultant. Over the course of the week, students construct scaled-down versions of one of a number of projects which have been chosen by the university. Projects available include the Ravenspurn Oil Platform, which is constructed in dry dock, and then floated into and secured in the middle of a lake, the Millau cable bridge, and a 40ft replica of 30 St Mary Axe in London, otherwise known as the Gherkin. Students are assessed on the final day in terms of budgetary control, methodology and timely completion of their project. In October 2008, funded by Progress South Central, OCVC sent a small group of Level 3 Built Environment students to participate in a Constructionarium project alongside a group of undergraduate civil engineering students from the University of Greenwich. This was the first time any FE students had attended the Constructionarium and it created a huge amount of interest in the construction education community. The site was visited during the week by Nick Raynsford, MP for Greenwich and Woolwich, who is also President of the Constructionarium.
Impact The course gave the students a fantastic insight into the challenges and opportunities of higher level study in their chosen field, the opportunity to discuss both university life and undergraduate study with current HE students, and the rare experience of working on site with real contractors.
For more information Constructionarium
8 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Creative industries
‘Creative Minds Creative Futures’
Lead organisation Bucks New University
Date February 2009
Project summary
In February 2009, the Faculty of Creativity and Culture at Bucks New University hosted a one day conference ‘Creative Minds: Creative Futures’. This event was intended to give students a ‘taster’ of how creative talents could be turned into productive employment, to
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 9 raise the profile of arts-based careers and the need for creative graduates, to raise awareness of undergraduate opportunities and to look at new ways of working with technologies. The event included presentations by some influential and inspirational professionals, including presentations from inventor Trevor Baylis and presenter and songwriter Tom Robinson, and a panel that included Nik Powell, Director of the National Film Institute, Leslie Morris, Head of Design Skills at the Design Council and Yasmin Sidhwa, Head of Arts Education at Pegasus “how people Theatre, Oxford. Following the conference, a short promotional film was produced, encapsulating key messages and responses from the conference. The aim was to showcase work in the creative industries like me with a and the benefits of HE.
positive attitude Impact Over 200 FE and HE students attended the conference. Of those who returned feedback, and ambition can 90% rated the day as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’. Most of the sessions had high rates of positive feedback, with Trevor Baylis’ keynote talk and the various workshops receiving the highest achieve anything” ratings. The conference’s audience appears to have been successfully targeted, with over 90% of delegates feeling that it had been relevant to them. Most respondents also agreed that they now felt more confident about finding a career in the creative industries. One delegate commented that what had inspired them the most about the day was seeing “how people like me with a positive attitude and ambition can achieve anything”.
Entrepreneurial and business skills for the performing arts
Lead organisation Strode’s College
Date December 2008
Project summary This one-day event set out to provide students hoping to work in the Performing Arts industry with the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills within the areas of finance, marketing and business planning. The aim was for the students to develop a basic level of understanding of finance, marketing and business skills which could later be applied either to further training at HE level or to the workplace, or towards becoming self-employed within the industry. The day featured three lecture/workshop sessions focusing on training, finance and freelance work, led by professionals from within the industry.
Impact The students who attended were studying a range of AS-level, A-level and BTEC courses in creative subjects. 32 students provided feedback on their experiences of the day. All three workshops were highly rated by the students. All but two of the students said that they had learned something new about how they could progress to HE, and almost as many said that they had learned new things that could help them achieve their career goals. All but one of the students rated the day ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ overall. The numbers of students who felt well prepared to make applications to HE increased following the day’s event. Before the event, only 6% of the students indicated before the event that they felt well prepared to make applications to HE, whereas this had risen to 22% after the event.
10 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk The aspects of the day that students found most useful were: •• Getting information about courses and colleges – this included clarification of the different between drama schools and university •• ‘Reality of the industry’ – one student commented that it had been valuable to know that “it is hard work ahead of me and I need to be dedicated” •• The chance to talk to people and hear their experiences Strode’s College have commented that both this event and the later event held in July 2009 “have been a great opportunity for our students to explore career options and experience working with practitioners from the industry”.
Two Foundation degrees in the performing arts
Lead organisation Amersham & Wycombe College
Date July 2008
Project summary Progress South Central contributed funding to support the development of two new Foundation degrees at Amersham and Wycombe College, as part of a wider reworking of Level 4/5 provision at the College and specifically the replacement of HNDs with Foundation degrees. The HND courses offered formerly all required reworking to take into consideration changes both in educational practice and in the evolving employment world. The rationale for Progress South Central’s decision to fund this curriculum development was a desire to support employer engagement and the reworking of curriculum based on employer needs. The new Foundation degrees in Acting for New Media and in Musical Theatre were developed by the School of Higher Education Performing Arts at Amersham and Wycombe College and validated by Bucks New University. Developmental activity took place from September 2007 to April 2008 and the new Foundation degree was validated in June 2008. There was significant employer engagement in the development of these Foundation degrees. Among the industry professionals who made contributions that informed the development were the Independent Theatre Commission, the National Film & Television School, Equity, the Society of London Theatre and the Theatrical Management Association, as well as several notable individuals in the musical theatre world.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 11 Impact Both Foundation degrees were successfully validated in 2008 and recruited their first cohorts for the 2008–09 academic year. 13 students enrolled on the first cohort of the Foundation degree in Acting for New Media, 10 of whom progressed to their second year in 2009–10. 25 students enrolled as part of the Fd Musical Theatre’s first cohort in 2008–09, all of whom progressed to their second year in 2009–10. The BA (Hons) Musical Theatre offered at Amersham and Wycombe College is the expected progression route for those students who wish to progress further, although the BA is also expected to attract external applicants.
For more information Amersham & Wycombe College
Creative Portal
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Additional organisations involved Bubble Creative Solutions
Date March 2011
Project summary The Creative Portal was developed in response to research carried out by the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) . The research investigated what resources were already available to prospective students, parents and teachers seeking information about the creative industries. It revealed a mass of relevant information from a vast range of sources: professional bodies, sector skills councils, government departments, education, social networking, careers and marketing, all of which combined to offer a disjointed and confusing picture. People ‘didn’t know where to start’, ‘had no idea at all’ and ‘didn’t know how to find information or who to approach’. www.creativeportal.co.uk aims to solve this problem by focusing on the most relevant and up-to-date information available online. Users of www.creativeportal.co.uk will be directed to websites which offer information, advice and guidance as well the personal stories of practitioners. We hope that being informed about the range of career opportunities and available courses in the creative industries will encourage future generations to pursue a creative pathway. The Creative Portal is due to be launched on 1 March 2011.
For more information www.creativeportal.co.uk
HE Experience Days
Lead organisation Bucks New University
Date 2008–09; 2009–10
12 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Project summary “It was a very positive experience for the students and they really benefited from the day.”
Four Higher Education ‘Experience Days’ were delivered at Bucks New University during 2008–09 and 2009–10 for students from local colleges. The Experience Days were developed to give Level 3 vocational college students a realistic experience of what it is like to study in a university setting. The days were aimed at students studying creative arts subjects and have offered students the chance to participate in workshops run by professionals, including ‘Music Management and Production’, ‘Performing Arts’, ‘Graphic Arts and Advertising’, ‘TV and Film’ and ‘Textiles and Surface Design’. Over 100 students in total attended the days. Attendees were from Aylesbury College and Uxbridge College and were mainly studying BTEC National Diplomas in various creative subjects.
Impact 98% of those feeding back felt that they now knew more about HE having attended the Experience Day, and 97% stated that the day had helped them decide to go on to higher education. 96% rated the day overall as either ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’. One Lecturer in Graphic Design from Aylesbury College saw at first hand how the students benefited from the experience: “It was a very positive experience for the students and they really benefited from the day.” One BTEC National Diploma student from Aylesbury College who chose to do the Graphic Design and Advertising workshop had not been sure what to expect but said later: “It was an amazing day and now I am sold on going to university. It was really great to be able to talk to the tutors. The Student Ambassador who accompanied us really helped us to feel comfortable and didn’t gloss over the realities of university life. We were going to have to work hard to get the results we wanted. I thoroughly enjoyed the practical aspect of the day and getting real hands-on experience of a printing press”. Another Aylesbury College National Diploma student was surprised at the variety of pathways available that she had not considered before: “The tutors explained things really well and made me feel that getting a degree was attainable. I was worried about how I was going to afford to go to university but I now realise the opportunities a degree will bring me outweighs this. I would recommend the University Experience Day to anyone thinking about higher education; it will open your eyes to a new world of opportunity”.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 13 Health and social care
Raising aspirations in vocational areas
Lead organisation East Berkshire College
Date September 2009
Project summary This project, delivered in 2008–09, aimed to provide a variety of support measures to raise students’ career aspirations with regard to progression to higher education. It focused specifically on learners following programmes in Health and Social Care and aimed to raise awareness of HE as a realistic and achievable progression option. The goal set at the outset was to increase the number of learners progressing from programmes in these subject areas to HE programmes in 2009–10. The project involved the following activities: •• A three-hour introduction to UCAS applications, delivered to 42 Health and Care learners. •• A tutorial delivered by a Student Adviser to 18 second-year Level 3 Health Studies learners. •• One-to-one support with the application process and personal statements was offered to 19 learners during two tutorials, after which the learners dropped in to student services to see the Adviser as needed. 16 learners made use of this drop-in service and sought additional help and guidance with the application process. •• Support was also provided to 8 learners with completing applications for HE funding. One learner, a single mother, was supported beyond the end of her course with finding solutions to financial barriers. •• A tutor information pack on applying to HE was developed and made available from Student Services. •• Time was spent with the Health Studies tutor, who was new to the role, providing guidance on the application procedure and how it works in the college. •• Tutorials were delivered to 20 Level 2 students explaining the benefits of volunteering in building experience and a robust Personal Statement. Five of the learners subsequently took up voluntary roles in the college, three being elected as tutor group representatives and two becoming e-mentors.
Impact 20 of the 21 Level 3 Health Studies learners applied to HE for 2009–10 and 15 were successful (79%). This represents an 82% increase in applications on the previous year. 16 of the 20 applicants accessed IAG services to assist them with their applications. As a result of this project, links with the Health, Care and Education Pathways tutors and teaching staff improved significantly, which in turn resulted in the benefit to learners of having multiple sources of help and support with their UCAS applications. UCAS awareness training is now offered to curriculum staff under the cross-college staff development package and will be delivered on a regular basis through elective workshops and on demand.
For more information East Berkshire College
14 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Domiciliary Care Services progression pathway
Lead organisation Dynamic Training UK Ltd
Additional organisations involved Skills for Care
Date April 2010
Project summary This project aimed to develop a progression pathway specific to the Domiciliary Care Sector, commencing with induction and leading to Level 3, with a progression pathway to HE. The project was regionally-focused, covering Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey. Following consultation with Skills for Care, part of the Sector Skills Council for social care, children and young people, research was carried out to obtain an accurate picture of the training and development needs of the domiciliary care workforce in the current climate. As part of the research phase of the project, 158 questionnaires were distributed to Domiciliary Care agencies across the region. Additionally, all Local Authorities in the region were consulted, as well as Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey Care Associations, the UKHCA (UK Homecare Association), the National Skills Academy, Skills for Care and Skills for Health. Additionally, working groups were held across the region attended by a number of external agencies. Skills for Care’s Sector Qualifications Strategy highlights the expected increase over the next 20 years in users of publicly-funded social care and addresses the issue of how the social care workforce could be remodelled to meet the increased demand. As of April 2010, all domiciliary care workers are required to complete the Level 2 NVQ in Health and Social Care, but these are being replaced with the new QCF (Qualifications and Credit Framework) Level 2 qualification in Health and Social Care. The current project clarified the role of domiciliary care workers and the skills required for them to be competent in the tasks of the role. The project team also mapped the units for the draft Health and Social Care QCF at Levels 2 and 3 to the findings from the qualitative research, to identify and highlight any gaps.
Impact The mapping exercise identified a number of gaps in the draft units for the new QCF Level 2 qualification in Health and Social Care, but it is anticipated that these will be filled sufficiently once the rules of combination are finalised. The results of the project suggest that some units at Level 3 might be desirable in order for domiciliary care workers to fully demonstrate their competence for autonomous, lone working. Some of the agencies consulted did feel that a Level 3 qualification would benefit staff, but also noted that budgetary considerations were likely to preclude non-essential training. However, the QCF does offer an individual the option of undertaking a percentage of their qualification at another level, meaning that conceivably a Domiciliary Carer could undertake a full Level 2 qualification with some Level 3 units included. Recommendations were identified for both commissioners and employers and a draft progression pathway was developed. Dynamic Training UK were due to finalise the mapping exercise once the QCF programmes were finalised and develop a user-friendly tool for employers and learners to navigate the programme effectively. The UK Homecare Association (UKHCA) identified that they would like to continue this work with their members, which is likely to be of considerable benefit to the domiciliary care sector.
For more information Dynamic Training UK Ltd
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 15 CPD Level 4 module for the work‑health trainer role
Lead organisation Dynamic Training UK Ltd
Additional organisations involved Thames Valley University; Berkshire East Primary Care Trust
Date April 2010
Project summary Progress South Central provided funding to support the development of the new role of Work Health Trainer, part of the ‘Slough Working Better’ project, one of ten Advancement Network Prototypes across England that were being used to shape the new adult advancement and careers service. The health ‘Test Bed’ represented a major opportunity to implement the aspirations of key national initiatives including pathways to work, fit for work pilots and compulsory health assessments for ESA (Employment and Support Allowance) claimants. The innovative role of ‘Work Health Trainer’ was designed to provide an integrated service between employment and health services to facilitate early intervention and to provide help and support to individuals, enabling them to better manage their health and wellbeing with a view to returning to work or sustaining meaningful activity. The Work Health Trainers operate from GP surgeries and take referrals from organisations such as Shaw Trust , thereby forming a new trial outlet for careers information and advice in Slough. Progress South Central provided funding for Phase 3 of the Test Bed project, which supported partners to develop and accredit a CPD Level 4 module as a necessary resource to train current health professional employees of Berkshire East Primary Care Trust to become Work Health Trainers. The training for this specialist role develops the skills and knowledge necessary to understand the barriers to learning and work faced by those with ill health. The module itself was written by Thames Valley University and incorporated blended learning, as well as access for all learners to an online work health trainer library.
16 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk A scoping exercise was carried out into the requirements of the Work Health Trainer role and the Level 4 module was then written and validated. The module sits within a progression pathway leading from Health Activist at Level 1 through to the CPPD in Applied Positive Psychology (Health and Social Care settings) at Level 7.
Impact The organisations involved reported that the support from Progress South Central enabled the smooth running of Phase 3 of the wider project and the creation of the online resource using Blackboard, and also enabled the use of expert input to ensure a robust training package. The subsequent phase of the wider project, Phase 4, aimed to train nine health trainers for the new role of Work Health Trainer who will then support 60–80 identified individuals from the partner GP practice.
For more information Dynamic Training UK Ltd Case study of Josephine Hanney, Stop Smoking Advisor
Launch event for the Diploma in Leadership in multi-agency settings
Lead organisation Bucks New University
Additional organisations involved Buckinghamshire County Council
Date December 2008
Project summary Progress South Central provided staff resource and funding to organise and support an afternoon/evening event to launch a new CPD initiative, the Diploma in Leadership in multi- agency settings. The aim of the event was to assist team leaders within Buckinghamshire County Council Children’s Services to make an informed decision as to whether the course was right for them. The session was attended by prospective students from the Buckinghamshire Children’s Trust, the workforce development leader of the Children’s Trust and a number of staff involved in development and delivery of the programme.
Impact Approximately 10 prospective students attended and stayed for the presentation by the course leader. Bucks New University reported that the session was informally evaluated well, with the visitors finding the session helpful and the majority reporting that they intended either to apply themselves or support their staff to apply. There were subsequently 15 applications for the CPD module, from staff from a variety of agencies. The first cohort was subsequently recruited, with approximately half studying at Level 6 and half at Level 7. All the prospective students who attended the launch event applied and were accepted onto the module.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 17 ‘Maintaining mental health in children and young people’
Lead organisation Bucks New University
Date July 2009
Project summary Progress South Central sponsored Bucks New University to deliver a conference ‘Maintaining mental health in children and young people’ in July 2009. The conference was run by Bucks New University’s Faculty of Society and Health in conjunction with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and the Child Bereavement Charity. The event was organised following discussion with students on the Foundation degrees in Early Years and Working with Children and Young People and their mentors. The intention was to raise awareness around progression through higher education and also to encourage students to take on mentor roles in the future. The conference aimed to highlight the valuable role of the practitioner in providing effective support around mental health problems in children and young people, give delegates the opportunity to share good practice and learning with other mentors and encourage existing students to take on future mentor roles. The morning featured presentations from Helen Ritzema of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, from Carolyn Painter of the Child Bereavement Charity and from Sandra Bailey on self-harming behaviour. Afternoon workshops were offered in: •• Supporting children experiencing loss and bereavement •• Supporting adolescents who are exhibiting signs of self-harming behaviour •• The issues around emotional deprivation from birth to five •• Mentorship – sharing information and experiences and reinforcing good practice
Impact 33 delegates attended on the day. The attendees were mainly students on the above work- based learning foundation degrees, along with some potential new students. The evaluations from the delegates were extremely positive, all giving either ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’ for the overall conference. All delegates indicated that the conference had been relevant to them and had met their expectations. 90% of those responding agreed that the conference had inspired them to progress further with their HE studies or to start a foundation degree. Three potential students subsequently applied to do the Foundation degree in Working with Children and Young People. There was a very good response by partners and the senior management team at Bucks New University with representatives attending the day and talking to the students. One student commented that she had been unsure whether or not to come, but was really impressed and would both come again and recommend it to others if it were re-run in subsequent years.
18 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Land-based industries
BSc top-up in Animal Biology and Conservation
Lead organisation Oxford Brookes University
Additional organisations involved Abingdon & Witney College
Date June 2009
Project summary The provision developed was a BSc (Hons) in Animal Biology and Conservation, developed and delivered by Oxford Brookes University. This project aimed to develop a specialist progression route for students completing Level 5 provision in animal management subjects. The project grew out of discussions held between Progress South Central and Oxford Brookes University regarding progression routes in the region, which identified a need for a bespoke progression route for Foundation degree students studying animal management subjects. Consequently, a programme of support was agreed that would lead to the development of a top-up year for these Fd students and a resulting BSc programme that was distinct from others in the area. The programme has now been successfully validated. The development of this Honours top-up was based on a recognition by Oxford Brookes University of the need for a specialist top-up route for the Foundation degree in Animal Behaviour and Welfare offered by one of their associate colleges, Abingdon and Witney College, and one that would be more attractive to students than the existing BSc (Hons) Biology. Research into the existing relevant BSc provision in the region suggested that the creation of a top-up route in Animal Biology and Conservation should offer a distinct top- up year for students interested in applying their knowledge and practical skills to wildlife conservation. The new provision would also respond to the increasing recent emphasis on monitoring and managing faunal biodiversity, through legislation including the Habitat and Species Directive. The new top-up route was also intended, in conjunction with the Foundation degree in Animal Behaviour and Welfare, to address the skills gap of people qualified to handle endangered species. Telephone interviews were undertaken with employers to identify desired potential subject areas for the top-up year. The interviews also revealed generally low levels of understanding of Foundation degrees among employers and a tendency to want to employ BSc students with volunteer experience, or even Masters students, rather than Foundation degree students. However, the project team were able to suggest that students taking the Foundation degree followed by a top-up to BSc had the potential to be better prepared for work than students coming straight from a three year BSc, as the Fd/top-up route would involve professional experience that ‘regular’ BSc students have traditionally had to gain through voluntary work. The two features of the Fd/top-up route that were most liked by employers were the inclusion of training in survey and licensing skills and the inclusion of a large molecular component. A clear market was identified for students with knowledge and experience in animal care and handling within wildlife conservation.
Impact The new BSc went through the validation process in November 2009 and its first year of delivery will be the academic year 2010–11. As at May 2010, six applications had been received from Foundation degree students studying at Abingdon and Witney College.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 19 For more information Oxford Brookes University School of Life Sciences
Progression agreement for the BSc (Hons) Animal Science at the University of Reading
Lead organisation University of Reading (School of Agriculture, Policy and Development)
Date February 2009
Project summary This progression agreement was negotiated and signed for the 2009–10 academic year. Based on a model used by VETNET LLN , the National Lifelong Learning Network for veterinary and animal studies, it constitutes an example of a network-wide progression agreement in the sense that it applies to any potential student (both within Progress South Central’s region and beyond) who possesses the specified sending qualification with the requisite number of UCAS points. The progression agreement related to progression to the University of Reading’s BSc (Hons) Animal Science degree for learners holding the BTEC National Diploma in either Animal Management or Horse Management. At the time the agreement was set up, the relevant National Diplomas were offered at five of Progress South Central’s partner colleges, but the agreement also covered applicants from outside the LLN’s region who met the required entry criteria. The agreement set out a number of specific things that the University of Reading undertook to provide to support the progression of BTEC National Diploma students into the specified Higher Education provision. These covered the pre-application stage, the admissions process and supporting retention with e.g. clear signposting of student support services. The agreement did not form a contract between the university and individual students; instead it was aimed at guaranteeing good practice and additional clarity for vocational applicants to the degree.
Impact A considerable increase was seen in applications from BTEC ND Animal Management students to the BSc Animal Science for 2010–11: 10 applications, as compared with 1 for 2009–10 entry and 1 for 2008–09. 8 of the 10 have been offered places for entry in 2010–11. This is consistent with a positive impact of the progression agreement and of the outreach activities that the University of Reading has organised on behalf of Progress South Central over the last year.
For more information University of Reading School of Agriculture, Policy and Development More information about Progress South Central’s progression agreements
20 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Research Skills School for FE students studying land-based subjects
Lead organisation University of Reading (School of Agriculture, Policy and Development)
Additional organisations involved BCA (Berkshire College of Agriculture)
Date May 2009
Project summary
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 21 In May 2009, Progress South Central funded a pilot Research Skills School for six high- achieving BTEC National Diploma students from BCA. The event was organised and hosted by the University of Reading’s School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, strengthening their link with BCA first developed via VETNET , the National Lifelong Learning Network for veterinary and animal-related subjects. All the students were studying the BTEC National Diploma in Animal Management at the time of the event. “Very good and The aim was to give the students a chance to experience a university setting and learn about research being carried out at the University of Reading. On the first day, the students visited the Centre for Dairy Research and were introduced to some of the research currently being liked the informal carried out by the Animal Science Research Group. They were also given the opportunity to carry out an experiment to determine the starch content of different feeds. This allowed them teaching methods” to gain some hands on experimental experience as well as discovering some of the problems and issues associated with investigative work. The following day was spent carrying out animal behaviour studies at Cotswold Wildlife Park with the students choosing to study meerkats, a tree shrew and leaf cutter ants. Each group came up with a question that they wanted to investigate and then recorded the data needed. They analysed the data and produced posters to present their results. This task allowed them to carry out a short research project from start to finish. On the final day, the students presented their work as a poster to members of the Animal Science Research Group. The event concluded with prizes being awarded for the best poster and best over-all project, voted for by the Animal Science Research Group staff.
Impact Feedback from students was very positive. Almost all the group agreed that the event had been enjoyable, relevant to their study and that they had learnt a great deal from it. Selected comments from students include: “Very good and liked the informal teaching methods.” “Enjoyed it very much and a very good insight into uni life.” “Behaviour studies at the zoo were amazing and really had to use our skills.” The aspects of the event rated most interesting and useful by the students were the wildlife park trip, the process of making and presenting the poster and the chance to see the campus and talk to university students. In 2009–10, in order to incorporate a residential aspect into the event, the Research Skills School was incorporated into the Summer School for students studying land-based subjects, held in July 2010 (see ‘Land-based Industries in Action’ below).
For more information University of Reading School of Agriculture, Policy and Development
FE Open Day for land-based staff
Lead organisation University of Reading (School of Agriculture, Policy and Development)
Additional organisations involved Abingdon & Witney College; BCA; Guildford College
Date June 2009
22 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Project summary
In June 2009, 13 staff from local FE colleges with land-based interests attended a bespoke ‘Open Day’ at the University of Reading, funded by Progress South Central and organised by the University of Reading’s School of Agriculture, Policy and Development. Most of the staff who attended were lecturers in either Animal Management or Horticulture. The day formed part of the package of work in the land-based sector carried out by the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development in 2008-09 on behalf of Progress South Central. The purpose of the day was to build and extend links between the University of Reading and local partner FE colleges. The day included a tour of the University of Reading’s campus, which included a tour of the new Hopkins Building with its state-of-the-art laboratory that can accommodate well over 100 students, a visit to the Harris Garden and the Cole Museum of Zoology, and a presentation from Dr Chris Reynolds of the Animal Science Research Group. Then followed an outing to the University’s Centre for Dairy Research (CEDAR) at Shinfield, where delegates heard a talk from Richard Casebow of the Crop Research Unit at Sonning Farm and then enjoyed a tour of CEDAR, where they were told about current research being done with cows and milk yields and were taken to the sheds to ‘meet’ the cows, before seeing them being milked using high-tech milking machinery. The day ended with a visit to the University’s Museum of English Rural Life, where delegates took part in a typical activity used with students and school groups, identifying the purpose of various unfamiliar objects from the museum’s archives.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 23 Impact Feedback from the staff was positive. The tour of Reading’s facilities was most often highlighted as the most interesting part of the day with the tour of CEDAR also being highlighted; staff reported enjoying seeing the milking and learning about how the ‘research cows’ were selected. One delegate did comment “This was an ideal first event. In future it would be nice to spend more time looking at the research projects in more detail.” Selected feedback from delegates: “[The university] staff were very friendly and made us feel very welcome.” “Overall very enjoyable and very interesting.” “I really enjoyed the day. It was all really interesting. Very worthwhile.” Certificates of attendance were issued that enabled the staff to ‘count’ the day towards their CPD entitlement.
Land-based industries in action
Lead organisation University of Reading (School of Agriculture, Policy and Development)
Date July 2010
Project summary “I’m now more In July 2010, Progress South Central sponsored a four-day residential programme for FE students thinking of studying HE courses in the land-based sector. Current students at the university acted as mentors for the participants, guiding them through the week and answering aware of which their questions about higher education and student life. courses are The five students all studying land-based subjects at Level 3 had the chance to spend a week at the University of Reading, experiencing university life both from an academic and a social available for me point of view. The students enjoyed the chance to try a range of land-based taster sessions, including carrying out a woodland survey, making animal behaviour observations at a local to take when wildlife park and a visit to Rushall Organic Farm. Each session had a different focus enabling the students to find out more about the courses they might wish to study after college. I leave college.”
24 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk The students stayed in Halls of Residence and had the chance to socialise and relax with other students from a range of schools and colleges. To round the week off, the students worked together to produce a presentation demonstrating some of the skills they had learnt over the week and all participants were presented with a certificate to acknowledge their achievements.
Impact Only a small group of five students attended the residential programme but feedback was positive. All the students agreed that they had found the work interesting, the student helpers had been helpful and that they had made new friends. All the students agreed that they now knew more about course and career opportunities in the land-based sector. Comments from participants included: “I’m now more aware of which courses are available for me to take when I leave college.” “I know what uni life would be like and what type of residence I’d like to live in.” “I have made good friends and learnt new skills.”
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 25 14–19 Diplomas
‘Progression Potential’
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Date November 2008
Project summary During its first year of funding, Progress South Central worked with its partners to facilitate the development of clear and coherent progression routes and to raise the profile of the new Diplomas with colleagues in higher education. Our work in this first year of activity culminated in an event for higher education admissions staff and tutors in November 2008, Progression Potential: the new 14–19 Diplomas and their impact on Higher Education. This event explored the potential for Diplomas as routes into Higher Education programmes and encouraged colleagues to begin to consider the particular skills and attributes that Diploma learners will “Incredibly bring to HE. In the morning, delegates heard two presentations, one from Nicola Garratt of the Specialist worthwhile for Schools and Academies Trust on What are the new 14–19 Diplomas?, and one from Andrea Harris of Kingston University on The impact of the new Diplomas on Higher Education. an insight into Additionally, there were three workshops on offer, on Why Functional Skills are Significant for Higher Education, The Student’s Journey through the Extended Project and Progression projects for Diplomas and the Society, Health and Development Diploma. [their] relationship Attendees included, among others, HE admissions staff, FE College practitioners and IAG practitioners (for example, Connexions PAs).
with HE” Impact Approximately 50 delegates attended from across the region and beyond, and 96% rated the conference as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’. The morning presentation on The impact of the new Diplomas on Higher Education and the afternoon workshop The Student’s Journey through the Extended Project were highlighted as the elements of the day that delegates had found particularly useful. The chance to learn more about the Diplomas generally, and the chance to meet and network with others, were other elements of the day that were highlighted. Selected comments included: “Very useful information regarding the Diploma. I was previously unaware of the Diploma structure.” “Incredibly worthwhile for an insight into Diplomas and [their] relationship with HE.” “Great day for raising awareness and networking.”
26 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk ‘The new Diplomas – Learner Voice in Surrey’
Lead organisation VT Four S
Additional organisations involved Progress South Central
Date February 2010
Project summary A DVD ‘The new Diplomas – Learner Voice in Surrey’ was produced by VT Four S in conjunction with Surrey County Council. Progress South Central funded the rebranding of the DVD and arranged for the free distribution of the new version to key contacts in the region. The DVD contains five short films, one for each of the Diploma lines that ran in Surrey in 2008–09. The DVD is intended to publicise the Diploma to learners and includes interviews with current Diploma students and tutors talking about their experiences, the projects they have been undertaking and their progression/career aspirations.
Impact 200 copies of the DVD were produced and it was distributed free to 14–19 Coordinators and Aimhigher coordinators in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey. Additionally, all the LLN’s contacts have been made aware that it is available. It is hoped that the DVD will be helpful to colleagues in the region in their discussions with potential Diploma students and with others who may have an interest in the Diploma.
14–19 Diplomas as routes to HE
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Date 2009–10
Project summary In spring 2010, Progress South Central ran three lunchtime seminars in order to help staff at the University engage with the new 14–19 Diplomas as potential progression routes to HE. The sessions were open to any member of University of Reading staff but were thought to be of particular interest to those working in admissions. The seminars were designed to fit into a one hour lunchtime slot, with a buffet lunch supplied. A total of 17 members of staff attended the seminars, with the first seminar on What are the 14–19 Diplomas? being the most popular. Staff attending included admissions tutors and those working in student recruitment and outreach.
Session 1 What are the 14–19 Diplomas? This first session, presented by Haidar Kattan, started with a general look at 14–19 educational reform and then moved on to look at the purpose of the Diplomas and an example of the Diploma model. The session finished with a look at some of the potential issues as regards HE.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 27 Session 2 The Extended Project and how it benefits both students and higher education The second session, presented by Paul Bowers Isaacson, was an introduction to the Extended Project Qualification. The presentation looked at how the qualification is broken down and assessed and showed a few examples of Extended Project work. The session finished with a look at what is known about how the HE sector is using the EPQ.
Session 3 How can the University support progression from the 14–19 Diplomas? The final session, led by Anthony Keeble, the University’s Admissions Officer, was an opportunity for some round-table discussion of Diplomas. There was a chance to discuss current application levels and to look at how to support Diploma applications and students in the future.
Impact Only the first two sessions were evaluated, but all those attending indicated that they had found the sessions interesting and the quality of the presentation and handouts good. Those attending fed back that they were clearer about the new Diplomas and about the Extended Project.
‘The 14–19 Dimension – Diplomas and Diversity’
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Date July 2010
Project summary In July 2010 Progress South Central ran a one-day conference ‘The 14–19 Dimension – Diplomas and Diversity’ as the latest in a series of well-received conferences aimed at IAG staff and others involved in advising and supporting learners. Those invited included senior Local Authority staff, 14–19 Co-ordinators and those delivering Diplomas; Higher Education Admissions staff; Aimhigher; Connexions lead staff and advisors; Further Education, Higher Education and school IAG practitioners. The conference focused specifically on 14–19 education and the implications of recent and proposed changes to the 14–19 curriculum. The invited speakers addressed this issue from a range of perspectives. Keynote speakers included Professor Richard Pring, Chair of the Nuffield Review of 14–19 Education and Training, who spoke on The 14–19 Curriculum Today and Tomorrow. Lorraine Barker from Connexions Berkshire spoke on IAG implications of the recent changes within the 14–19 Curriculum. Finally, staff from the University of Reading’s Institute of Education fed back on their LLN-funded research into the experiences of vocational students in FE and into secondary school IAG from a staff viewpoint. The day also included a round table discussion on the key issues in supporting progression to HE for Diploma students.
28 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Impact 43 delegates attended the conference. All those providing post-conference feedback rated the conference as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’. This was reinforced by verbal comments made on the day by speakers and attendees alike. The conference appeared to have been well received and to have promoted plenty of discussion. There was a feeling that the conference had achieved its goals and been a successful learning event for those attending. All respondents felt their expectations had been met to some or a great extent. One said ‘I found Richard Pring’s talk brilliant and inspiring’ and another said the conference was ‘a great mix’. All respondents indicated that the event would be helpful to them in terms of their work providing guidance to learners, with one stating that ‘it has provided insight into how I can improve IAG within the school that I work with.’
For more information Read the full report on the day via our web pages
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 29 Progression to HE for Apprentices
Advanced Apprentices – progression to higher education
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Additional organisations involved Abingdon & Witney College; Amersham & Wycombe College; Basingstoke College of Technology; Farnborough College of Technology; Oxford & Cherwell Valley College
Date 2009–10
Project summary In spring 2010, Progress South Central conducted a survey of Advanced Apprentices studying at the LLN’s partner colleges. The aim of the survey was explore the awareness and intentions of the Apprentices regarding higher levels of education. To allow comparison, the questions were the same as those in a recent similar survey conducted by Sussex Learning Network . A total of 87 completed surveys were received, from five of Progress South Central’s partner colleges. No one college dominated the returns, but the responses were dominated by Apprentices in technical programme areas, in particular ‘Plumbing’ and ‘Electrical Engineering’.
Impact The results gave some cause for concern around levels of awareness of HE qualifications among those surveyed. Less than 20% of those responding felt that they had much knowledge about Foundation degrees, Higher Apprenticeship, Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND) or NVQ Levels 4 and 5. The low awareness of the NVQ is perhaps particularly surprising when considering that all Advanced Apprentices will be undergoing an NVQ at Level 3 as part of their programme. 42% of those responding said they did not know enough about the available higher education options to make a decision as to whether HE might be for them. However, 70% of respondents did know that progression on to a higher education course after completing their Advanced Apprenticeship was possible and 35% indicated that they had definite plans to progress to an HE course after the completion of their Apprenticeship. Of these, 42% were considering a HND or HNC, 38% a Foundation degree, 13% an NVQ Level 4 and 8% a Higher Apprenticeship. Over half of those responding considered that they would have the support of their employer to do a HE course after their Apprenticeship. There were a large number of ‘not sure’ responses to this question, although this may perhaps have been simply because those concerned had not given the matter thought. The results suggest that there may be a need to ensure that the opportunities and benefits of higher education are appropriately communicated to Advanced Apprentices. Colleges need to ensure that IAG on their current HE offer, and that of their partner HEI, is available and presented in a way that is readily accessible to employers and their Advanced Apprentices. There is an opportunity and need to raise Advanced Apprentices’ awareness of the availability and nature of higher education progression options so that more informed progression choices can be made and the benefits understood. Liaison with both employers and Advanced Apprentices needs to be focused on ensuring that the benefits of higher education are
30 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk clear and that the barriers to access are minimised by providing flexible access around work commitments, information on business benefits, costs and funding. Full use should be made of the National Apprenticeship Service to ensure engagement between providers, employers and Apprentices and a better understanding of the options for progression onto higher education.
Research into attitudes and aspirations to HE with apprentices employed by Oxford Brookes University
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Additional organisations involved Oxford Brookes University
Project summary This research, undertaken by Progress South Central’s HE/FE Liaison Officer based at Oxford Brookes University, involved face-to-face interviews with six apprentices employed by the University. The aims of the research included: •• recording the learner’s experience of being employed by the University •• gathering information on the future aspirations of these apprentice learners •• informing interviewees about higher education progression opportunities available to them (if they were not already aware of these) – for example, Foundation degree programmes •• identifying if there were any specific problems encountered by these learners with regard to progression to higher education Six apprentice learners were interviewed in July 2010. Of these, four were undertaking an apprenticeship in Business Administration, one in Hospitality and Catering and one in Amenity Horticulture. The learning providers of the six apprentices interviewed were Oxford and Cherwell Valley College (2), Abingdon and Witney College (1) and Intec Business College (3). Three of the apprentices interviewed had completed their apprenticeship and were now working for Oxford Brookes.
Impact The apprentices interviewed were complimentary of Oxford Brookes’ working environment in terms of support for undertaking assignments and other learning associated with the framework. All apprentices were positive about the structure of the apprenticeship programme and being able to earn while they learnt and having the opportunity to work at the University. There was also general agreement that it was helpful to have other apprentices working at Brookes with whom they could network (for example there is a particularly strong group ethos within the Business and Administration apprentices, who had discussed progression options with each other). Several aspects were identified for development. The fact that Oxford Brookes does not accept Key Skills as equivalent to GCSE English, Maths or Science for entry onto any of its undergraduate programmes, including Foundation degrees, precludes apprenticeship students who have not taken GCSEs (even though Key Skills is part of their framework) from progressing further educationally at the University. There was also some general anxiety among those progressing from a Level 2 Apprenticeship about whether they would be able to stay in employment at the University to complete the Advanced Apprenticeship. Some apprentices mentioned the perceived danger of being pigeon-holed as ‘the apprentice’ and thought it was a good idea to perhaps work in more than one departmental environment if starting from a Level 2 Apprenticeship.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 31 Finally, some apprentices still did not know much if anything about the educational opportunities available to them. The researcher has suggested that as part of their induction they could be directed to the new Oxford Brookes Associate College Partnership website which gives information on progressing on to a Foundation degree programme. The research report has been circulated widely within Oxford Brookes University.
For more information Oxford Brookes Associate College Partnership
32 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk IAG
An investigation into the Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) provided for Year 11 students regarding their post–16 options
Lead organisation University of Reading Institute of Education
Date September 2009
Project summary This research explored Year 11 students’ perspectives of IAG provision, as well as their attitudes to the new Diploma and to vocational education and training. It made recommendations for IAG in the school context, particularly IAG specific to the Diploma in the light of apparent lack of clarity around what this is and its potential as a progression route. A questionnaire was completed by 412 school students in Year 11 at the beginning of the 2008–09 academic year. The students came from 11 schools, evenly distributed across the spectrum in terms of the national average for five A*–C attainment at GCSE. A second questionnaire was then completed by 212 of the same students later the same academic year, prior to the start of the GCSE examination period. Following the second questionnaire, five focus groups were held in three schools, in which 23 volunteer students participated. The questionnaire collected data on students’ post-16 intentions, how informed students felt they were in making their post-16 decisions, who they relied on for IAG as well as their attitudes to IAG provision and various post-16 routes more generally. Focus groups were then carried out to explore some of the survey questions in more depth, including reasons behind students’ post-16 intentions as well as their views on vocational versus academic routes. Focus groups also provided an opportunity to discuss the IAG the students had received and the perceived strengths and weaknesses of IAG provision in the students’ own schools.
Impact Data from the questionnaires indicated that the majority of the young people intended to remain in education post-16, with AS and A-levels being the preferred route. The focus groups suggested that this preference reflected broader ideas associated with perceptions of the tradition and academic credibility associated with A-levels. Alternatives to A-level, while seen as having value, were largely viewed as options for less academic students. In terms of current IAG provision there was a feeling among the students surveyed that what is currently offered is not always helpful nor is it personalised to reflect the needs, interests and strengths of the student. While current IAG provision was considered to be satisfactory for those with clear post-16 pathways, it was felt to be less so for those who are unsure which route to take or what is most appropriate for them. For students in need of greater direction, it may be that the onus for IAG will need to shift onto tutors/teachers in school, as teachers’ greater knowledge of their students may make them best placed to deliver the personalised IAG that some students feel they need. However, a dependency on teachers for IAG will raise issues in terms of teachers’ capacity, skills and training needs. The results of this study suggest that parents are the primary source for student IAG. Therefore, it is crucial that parents have access to sources of information that will enable them to offer informed advice. Utilizing Parents’ Evenings to, for example, inform parents and carers about the Diploma will be necessary – however, issues will remain in terms of those families that are traditionally harder to reach. As many of the post-16 options now available will not be
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 33 familiar to most parents, information sheets specifically written for parents may be one way of providing an overview of the many routes now available. The results of this study suggest that if the Diploma is to be seen as a credible post-16 route then much work needs to be done in terms of informing young people and their parents as to both the course content and its higher education and work-related benefits. The students in this study were not clear about what Diploma study involved, felt that it was narrowly job specific and was seen by many as a vocational qualification not suited to more academic pupils who were aiming for university. In order to prevent an academic divide in terms of different post-16 routes, better IAG regarding Diplomas needs to be targeted at all students and parents. As A level study is the accepted route into higher education, it is likely that only when the Diploma is collectively acknowledged as a good alternative route to university will it achieve parity with other, more traditional, post-16 qualifications.
For more information University of Reading Institute of Education Download the full report
‘Changing Routes to Higher Education’
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Date September 2008
Project summary In September 2008 Progress South Central held Changing Routes to Higher Education, its first conference for Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) staff. The conference was aimed at guidance workers working with young people, college students and adults. “Good networking The keynote address was delivered by Kevin Whitston, then Head of Widening Participation at HEFCE, who talked about LLNs and their impact on routes into Higher Education. A opportunities in panel session on ‘What HE has meant to me’ featured three students following vocational programmes at local FE colleges, talking about their experiences of school and college and addition to the why they had chosen the courses they had. The conference also included a marketplace of local HE providers focusing on vocational courses and non-traditional entry into higher education. Delegates could choose from afternoon workshops including 14–19 Diplomas – conference itself.” the challenges for Universities; The Potential of Foundation degrees and Aimhigher – the next 3 years, and additionally had the opportunity to get a first look at the Progress to HE toolkit being produced by Progress South Central in partnership with Aimhigher Berkshire and nextstep Berkshire.
Impact 45 delegates attended the event at Newbury Racecourse. Of those feeding back, all but one rated the event as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’. Similarly, all but one agreed that the event had met their expectations and would be helpful to them in informing their work providing guidance to learners. The keynote address and the student panel were the aspects of the conference rated as most enjoyable and useful. When asked what was the main thing they had learned from the day, several delegates mentioned learning more about Diplomas and Foundation degrees, although three delegates noted that they still needed to know more about Diplomas (responding to this need, Progress South Central ran a dedicated event on the 14–19 Diploma in November 2008 – see ‘Progression Potential’ above. The conference was well-received by the participants. Selected comments from delegates included:
34 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk “Good networking opportunities in addition to the conference itself.” “Thank you – a useful day.” “Excellent conference.” The success of this conference resulted in further conferences for IAG staff in October 2009 and again in November 2010.
‘Flexible Access Routes and Admissions to HE’
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Additional organisations involved Aimhigher MKOB
Date November 2010
Project summary
In November 2010 Progress South Central hosted, jointly with Aimhigher MKOB, a free conference for IAG practitioners across our four counties, entitled Flexible Access Routes and Admissions to HE. The conference, held at the Burnham Beeches Hotel, was attended by 69 colleagues who had the opportunity to listen to five speakers before breaking out to discuss issues with admissions and coming back to hear answers from an expert panel. The conference aimed to highlight the increasing importance of flexible and part-time progression routes to HE and to provide practitioners with information on how best to support students’ progress to HE via non-traditional routes. It offered the opportunity for practitioners to hear more about the changing HE landscape; support provided by UCAS in the applications and admissions process; how SPA is seeking to support professionalism in admissions; progression via the apprenticeship route; and current financial support for students, particularly part-time students. Practitioners had an opportunity to engage in round- table discussions and to debate the sorts of information and resources which would help them to provide effective IAG to prospective students – both for those planning to apply in 2011/12 and those who will be affected by government changes arising from the Browne Report and the Comprehensive Spending Review. The day concluded with a question and answer session with a panel of senior HE admissions personnel as well as a number of the morning speakers.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 35 Impact 69 people attended the conference and a total of 49 feedback questionnaires were completed (71% of participants). “A great The conference was well-received and promoted plenty of discussion among attendees. All those who fed back rated the conference as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’. This was reinforced by verbal comments made on the day by speakers and attendees alike, including comments confirming networking that the panel format is very much liked. event and good All respondents thought that the event would be useful to them in their work. Many noted the uncertain political climate within which the conference was being held and the uncertain speakers.” future for HE funding. Several commented that another conference when more information is available would be useful. Comments received from delegates included: “We have a challenge – thank you for sharing the support and ideas, information and professionalism.” “Really well planned out … enjoyed the day and learnt a lot.” “Would be good to have a follow-up in the light of constant changes in HE.” “Afternoon panel was excellent idea, good discussions took place – thank you!” “A great networking event and good speakers.” The many requests for a further conference to update practitioners when more is known suggest there is a serious and ongoing need for more information for IAG practitioners.
Art Factor Forum
Lead organisation Oxford Brookes University (School of Arts and Humanities)
Date October 2010
Project summary
36 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk The Art Factor Forum was a one-day event held in October 2010 delivered by Oxford Brookes University’s School of Arts and Humanities. It was aimed at students thinking about a future in Art and Design. An estimated 130 students attended, drawn from Oxford Brookes University, Abingdon and Witney College, Oxford and Cherwell Valley College and local Oxfordshire schools. The event aimed to inform and inspire art and design students by gathering together inspirational speakers drawn from the creative industries, who presented their work and gave personal accounts of their creative career journeys. Most of the speakers had studied on the foundation year at the University and spoke about how they made their degree choices, their first jobs and current work. The speakers were joined by Brookes’ Foundation Art and Design alumni, now studying various art and design disciplines at institutions throughout the country. The alumni brought along their portfolios for students to look at and shared their experiences of degree level study in response to questions from the audience.
Impact 91 feedback forms were received from attendees. Two-thirds of those feeding back were studying on a foundation year in Art and Design, while around 20% were in Year 12/13 and 12% were on degree courses. Almost all those feeding back agreed that the day had given them a better understanding of the careers available in Art and Design, and 93% agreed that they were more aware of the education options open to them. Feedback from the event was very positive with one attendee saying; “It was an extremely interesting and enlightening experience. Not only were we very well informed about careers but also we got the opportunity to speak with important and inspiring people”.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 37 Staff development
Professionalising Admission to Higher Education in Further Education
Lead organisation Bucks New University
Date March 2010
Project summary “This conference In March 2010 Progress South Central sponsored a conference, organised by Bucks New University, for practitioners from HE and FE with responsibility for IAG and admission of has addressed students onto HE programmes within a FE setting. The conference was designed to raise awareness and a better understanding of the current practices within the HE admissions challenges being process. Keynote speeches were delivered by Mary Curnock Cook, CEO of UCAS , who gave an faced both by overview of applications and acceptances to HE courses delivered in FE colleges, including noting that UCAS was facing an unprecedented demand in terms of applications; and providers and Janet Graham, Director of SPA (Supporting Professionalism in Admissions) , who gave a presentation on Current Issues in Admissions Policy and Practice and raised the question of how applicants in SPA could help with HE in FE. The afternoon offered a variety of workshops which focused on Admissions Policy and HE Strategy; What is UCAS and what does it do?; How to ensure a good FE and HE.” applicant and student experience and HE Admissions from the FE Perspective. Impact 44 delegates attended. The conference was very well received and offered an excellent opportunity for networking, as well as increasing awareness of the UCAS process and the work of SPA. Most of the delegates responded that they intended to follow up with review, training or other initiatives within their own institution as a result of this conference. This has the potential to positively impact on student progression onto appropriate and suitable courses. Selected feedback from delegates: “Today has given me a great insight into admissions and ideas of what to change and improve” “A very good update on current issues.” “This conference has addressed challenges being faced both by providers and applicants in FE and HE.” There was an immediate impact from the conference as SPA subsequently reported that they had received requests from partner institutions to visit them. SPA has made a commitment to continue to support this work in other regions and this is now an agreed objective approved by the SPA Steering Group. Dissemination of this model will be through the LLN National Forum and SPA to encourage other regions to engage with SPA.
38 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Bursary scheme for HE in FE
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Additional organisations involved Abingdon & Witney College; Oxford & Cherwell Valley College; Ruskin College; Solihull College; Swindon College
Date 2010–11
Project summary As a direct result of earlier research (see below) carried out with staff at our partner colleges involved in the delivery or other support of HE programmes, Progress South Central instigated a bursary scheme whereby a number of bursaries of up to £250 were made available to staff in further education colleges engaged with Progress South Central. One of the things perceived as most needed by respondents to assist them with HE-related CPD was, in addition to more time in which to undertake CPD, more help with the cost of financing it. Financial barriers were commonly stated as a major reason why staff had not undertaken as much CPD as they might have wished. The bursaries were made available to support continuing professional development to enhance the delivery of higher education in further education colleges. They were intended to be used to fund targeted professional development that would support delivery, improve skills and/or broaden knowledge. Invited to apply were those involved in the organisation and delivery of higher education programmes in further education colleges and those involved in providing information, advice and guidance to students in further education colleges about higher education. The bursaries were intended to fund: •• Attendance at events or meetings, including conferences •• External training courses •• Study •• Working with employers •• Shadowing university staff •• Release from college duties to allow relevant CPD However, applicants were also invited to apply for support for other types of activity if relevant. Recipients were asked on their application to state what the benefits and outcomes would be of their being allocated a bursary.
Impact Eleven bursaries were allocated, to staff employed at various of the LLN’s partner colleges. Seven were used to go towards courses of various types, two were allocated for conference attendance, one to go towards study trips/visits and one to go towards books and student licences for computer software. A report is expected from each bursary recipient during 2010–11 outlining how their bursary was used. Of those received so far, one recipient stated that as a result of the bursary, he has now been able to access CAD software that was either only available at college or not currently available, and that this has enabled him to develop skills and knowledge in a specialist and vital area. As regards wider benefits, he has been able to begin evaluating the potential of new software, looking at ways to deliver CAD education in more meaningful and relevant ways. Reports are still coming in as at February 2011 and a fuller report will be prepared in due course. www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 39 For more information Progress South Central’s CPD survey of HE staff in FE
Learning advice in community settings
Lead organisation New Directions, Reading Borough Council
Date May 2009
Project summary New Directions is the Learning and Employment Service for Reading, run by Reading Borough Council. This project set out to plan and deliver a three-day advice course for frontline staff operating in a range of adult and community settings. It aimed to equip staff working with learners with the skills and underpinning knowledge to provide impartial information and advice on courses and further learning including progression into higher education. Successful completion of the course led to an OCN Learner Adviser award.
Impact 15 participants completed the course and achieved the OCN award. All participants attended a half-day reflective practice workshop held a number of months after the training to see if and how the course had impacted on practice. All participants were able to recount examples of how the course had helped them with their job roles and enabled them to seek out information and advice to support learners. Further progression from the Learner Adviser award could potentially be either to one of the NOCN’s qualifications in Information, Advice or Guidance, or to NVQ Level 2, 3 and 4 in Information, Advice and Guidance. As part of this project, a feasibility study was undertaken to assess the possibility of developing the course as an e-learning package, to be delivered via New Directions’ VLE. Planning and delivery of the resulting e-learning course subsequently formed a separate project funded by Progress South Central.
For more information New Directions
Valuing the support worker role – care, commitment, development
Lead organisation Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Additional organisations involved Thames Valley University
Date August 2010
Project summary This project developed and validated new curriculum to form part of a new academic award pathway for mental health support workers within Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The new curriculum was developed and written by the Trust in partnership with Thames
40 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Valley University, and the award was aimed at mental health support workers on NHS Bands 2, 3 and 4. The new award was intended to be an employer-led bespoke package to be offered to all support workers that would allow achievement of the required competences for Bands 2, 3 and 4 and would provide career progression within the Trust. The new provision forms part of an innovative tailor-made programme, the Aspire programme (A support worker programme instilling values, realising potential, embedding good practice). An Introductory Award at Level 2, Certificate at Level 2 and Diploma at Level 3 were developed and accredited with OCN Credit4Learning. The provision for Bands 2 and 3 support workers, comprising the Introductory Award for new starters at these bands (to be undertaken following their NHS Corporate Induction) and the Level 2 Certificate, has now been launched. The award for the Band 4 role was still in development at the time of completion of the LLN’s involvement but was likely to be a Foundation degree with the option of a further year to convert to a full degree. The impetus for the new award stemmed from a concern within the Trust that the existing NVQs were not meeting the learning needs of its mental health workers. Research carried out by the Trust revealed that there was no clear career pathway enabling progression through the bands, and also revealed a limited number of Band 4 support workers. Existing ‘off the shelf’ packages, such as the NVQ in Health and Social Care, were viewed as not meeting the requirements of the Trust and staff. Specific problems included a lack of mental health content, a lack of assessors and the requirement to demonstrate evidence of competence without incorporating sufficient learning. The objectives of the new provision were to deliver key learning at the beginning of employment, to include a work-based learning element and to be a flexible award, with the overarching objective of enabling support workers to be competent and confident in their roles.
Impact The pilot of the Introductory Award and the Level 2 Certificate has just been launched as at May 2010 and the intention is to have 15 Trust staff enrolled on each. Robust evaluation of the award is planned to measure the impact and return on investment. Potential for the Aspire programme being ‘sold’ to other NHS Trusts may be investigated once the Berkshire pilot is complete and a cohort of staff have successfully completed the programme. Initial presentations to the other mental health Trusts within the NHS South Central region have been received positively.
For more information Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 41 Raising learner awareness
Mentoring for progression – prison mentoring (pilot)
Lead organisation The Learning Ladder Ltd
Additional organisations involved HMYOI Reading
Date February 2010
Project summary This project aimed to train and empower prisoners at Reading Young Offenders Institution to enable them to reach their full potential by gaining relevant qualifications, including progressing into HE if this is appropriate and fits in with their goals. This pilot project was an extension of a previous successful project at HMP Spring Hill in Buckinghamshire, the results of which suggested that an effective way of empowering prisoners through mentoring was to move as quickly as possible to a situation where prisoners themselves are acting as mentors. This project extended the concept to work with young offenders at HMYOI Reading, a small prison holding prisoners between the ages of 18 and 21 years. Fourteen prisoners applied to take part in two preliminary IAG sessions that acted as a screening process for subsequent participation in the peer mentoring. As a result of the screening, seven prisoners were chosen to participate in peer mentoring sessions. In these, prisoners were given the opportunity to understand and appreciate the benefits of mentoring, experience the benefits of receiving a mentoring session from one of their peers, put their mentoring skills into practice by delivering a peer mentoring session and to build a personal action plan. The mentees completed action plans similar to those used in previous ‘Mentoring for Progression’ projects, with the addition of some context-specific questions around their educational experience prior to coming to prison and their expected release date. Because the prisoners were not able to carry out their own research, due to lack of access to the internet, the research component was carried out on behalf of the prisoners by The Learning Ladder and the information then fed back to the mentee.
Impact Evaluation of this pilot initiative took the form of a semi-structured focus group of participants, comprising three Reading prisoner mentors. The difference being trained as a peer mentor can make is evidenced by feedback from those taking part. This also demonstrates, in the words of the prisoners, the importance of the mentoring being carried out by fellow prisoners rather than members of staff or external mentors: “If the governors tried to do what we do then the prisoners wouldn’t listen, they would just see it as lecturing – but we are in the same position so they are more likely to listen.” “Having you has been great cos you don’t work for the prison.” “Because you are not from the prison I concentrate more.”
42 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Encouragingly, the feedback also highlights the difference peer mentoring can make to self- esteem, confidence and, critically, the prisoner’s attitude to their own potential for re-offending: “You challenge us more to think differently, it has made me take more responsibility for my actions “More of this and staying straight.” should happen “More of this should happen because you are giving people a future, who thought they never had a future.” because you are The pilot peer mentoring project appeared to be extremely successful and interest was subsequently expressed in embedding the scheme in the prison, with a decision being taken to giving people equip a number of prisoners with the skills to act as peer mentors for other prisoners. With this in mind, The Learning Ladder has subsequently, sponsored by Progress South Central, run a future, who two further phases of peer mentor training sessions in the prison with a view to ensuring longer-term embedding. thought they never For more information had a future.” The Learning Ladder Ltd
Mentoring for progression – working with training providers
Lead organisation The Learning Ladder Ltd
Additional organisations involved ATG Training; Chiltern Training; Henley Training Company; Milton Keynes College; Slough Borough Council; Training the Carer
Date January 2010
Project summary This project aimed to engage providers of work-based learning in a process of mentoring learners with the aim of clarifying career goals and encouraging progression to further study if appropriate. Six training providers participated in the project and a total of twelve staff from these providers volunteered to be trained to provide individual one-to-one mentoring support to learners. The longer-term aim was for the training providers to embed the mentoring initiative into their organisations. All volunteer mentors had an initial meeting with the project leader, then later attended a day’s training session as a group. They were then further supported on a one-to-one basis throughout the mentoring as and when they needed it. The question of how much contact a mentor had with each of their learners was left up to them, although the expected minimum was three face-to-face meetings in addition to unlimited email and telephone contact. A cohort of learners was then identified for each mentor. Learners selected as mentees were learners whom providers felt had the potential to benefit from HE but who were not currently considering HE or further learning as an option. All learners selected were taking Level 3 apprenticeship frameworks. Around 70% of participants were in full-time employment while undertaking their apprenticeship. 46 learners completed the mentoring process and produced Personal Development Plans (PDPs) with the support of their mentors. The PDP makes use of a range of tools to help the mentee to understand him or herself more fully, and provides a focus for discussion by providing the mentor with a number of structured questions that help them to draw out relevant information and therefore improve the quality of their joint decision-making.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 43 Impact After the mentoring, 31 of these learners (67% of total participants) indicated that they were likely to apply to HE. Participants were asked this question both before and after the mentoring and 10 of those responding to both questions showed a positive shift in their intentions regarding HE, with 6 responding ‘Yes, definitely’ when asked the question after the training, where they had been undecided before – or in one case had categorically responded ‘No’.
“Very good mentor 75% of those feeding back agreed that taking part in the mentoring project had made them feel more positive towards studying to get further qualifications. One learner noted that he [who] gave me a had “loved the experience” of undergoing mentoring; this learner had initially stated ‘No’ to the question of whether he was planning on going on to a HE course, but then answered ‘Yes, lot of information definitely’ to this question following the mentoring. Positive feedback was received from participating providers on the benefits of working with about a future learners in this way. Mentors reported that they had enjoyed their role and spoke positively of the contribution that mentoring has made to the way in which learners view their future career.” learning. There is evidence that a significant proportion of learners are actively intending to engage in further, higher level learning following achievement of their Level 3 qualification. Selected comments from delegates: “Loved the experience.” “Very good mentor [who] gave me a lot of information about a future career.” “I have found out about funding and a variety of degrees that are available for me to apply for, which I was not aware of before.”
For more information The Learning Ladder Ltd
Enrichment sessions: Oxford Brookes University and partner colleges
Lead organisation Oxford Brookes University
Additional organisations involved Abingdon & Witney College; Swindon College
Date May 2010
44 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Project summary Oxford Brookes University were asked by Abingdon and Witney College to provide additional higher education information seminars to Level 2 and 3 students as part of the College Enrichment Programme. The University were also asked by Swindon College to provide similar sessions focusing on student finance. The sessions at Abingdon and Witney College were entitled “Uni Life” and covered a range of topics such as Student Finance, Accommodation and Choosing a Course, with questions and answers at the end. For the smaller groups it was easier to engage on a more personal level with the students, and as the students were in their tutor groups they were not embarrassed to ask questions or share any concerns that they had about finance and other aspects of applying to higher education. The sessions at Swindon College were solely on student finance and contained information on fees, student support, budgeting and specific information for part time and Foundation degree students.
Impact In total 15 sessions were delivered to students on vocational programmes including National Diplomas and Access to HE courses over a 12 week period, with the size of sessions varying from 12 to 50 students. A total of 374 students were engaged with through the sessions. The feedback from the students and the College has been excellent. There has been an increase in applications to University on-campus programmes and Foundation degrees from the two colleges. Notably, applications from Abingdon and Witney College increased by 44.5% between 2009 and 2010, and actual enrolments increased by 24.1% in the same time period. There has been engagement with vocational students on a more individual basis which has enabled the dispelling of any preconceptions that the students might have had about student finance and other aspects of higher education. It is hoped that this work will be sustained through the Oxford Brookes Associate College Partnership Marketing and Progression Working Group.
For more information Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University mentoring scheme
Lead organisation Oxford Brookes University
Additional organisations involved Wheatley Park School
Date June 2010
Project summary Wheatley Park School contacted Oxford Brookes University to ask whether the University would be interested in delivering a mentoring programme in the school. They suggested targeting a specific group of 30 students from year 11, who were on a C–D borderline in their GCSEs, but should, in the opinion of the school, be capable of at least a C or above. The mentors were Oxford Brookes University undergraduate students who had attended schools in the local area. The scheme specifically set out to recruit mentors who lived locally in Oxfordshire and had attended similar types of schools to the young people they would be working with.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 45 Training for the mentors took the form of a day’s training session, covering child protection, the role of the mentor and the objectives of the scheme. It also provided advice on working with groups of students and information on alternative routes into higher education. Mentors were introduced to their mentees at a ‘Meet your Mentor’ event, and goals were discussed.
Impact
30 school students and 7 undergraduate mentors participated in the mentoring programme. The scheme aimed to target Level 2 students who were believed to have the potential to progress to higher education and to support these students in achieving their Level 2 qualification. 80% of the school students who provided feedback said that the scheme had helped them with their schoolwork. In addition to supporting the students in their academic work, the scheme also included activities aimed at increasing their confidence in learning, as the students participating were not achieving the standard that they were believed capable of. 60% of the students who provided feedback agreed that their confidence in their learning had increased. One mentee described how his grades had increased because he had ‘been more focused’ since doing the mentoring and as he had ‘been revising a lot more’ his confidence had increased. Another important aim of the scheme was to raise the school students’ awareness of higher education opportunities, including foundation courses, Foundation degrees and Honours degrees. Sessions were held throughout the year on future options and their requirements in terms of qualifications at Levels 2 and 3. Informal chats between mentor and mentee proved one of the most effective ways of putting this information across. One mentor wrote that “The mentees involved in the scheme have had the opportunity to talk at length one on one about their plans for the future [which has] contributed to their confidence to pursue their goals.” The scheme proved a way of forging a closer relationship between the University and one of its local schools in the Oxfordshire Schools Partnership, thereby fulfilling one of the University’s own objectives to work in closer partnership with local state schools as part of the 14–19 agenda. Wheatley Park School was not part of the Aimhigher programme and its students would not therefore have been able to benefit from the Aimhigher Associates scheme. This project gave Wheatley Park students the opportunity to get to know students currently studying at the local university. Additionally, Wheatley Park’s sixth form has shown an interest in getting involved and the scheme has received positive press coverage as an example of good practice.
For more information Oxford Brookes University
46 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Employer engagement
Sponsorship of business lunch
Lead organisation Aylesbury College
Additional organisations involved Business Link
Date January 2009
Project summary This event, organised by Aylesbury College’s Business Engagement Manager, aimed to engage with senior personnel from businesses in and around Aylesbury College with the focus of the event being ‘Training and progression up to Level 5’. The event featured Mike Clare, President of the bed company Dreams, as guest speaker. Mike, an example of a successful Bucks-based entrepreneur, gave a talk entitled ‘Making Dreams Come True’. The event was part-sponsored by Progress South Central in conjunction with Business Link and Aylesbury College. Two members of Progress South Central’s core team were in attendance. Progress South Central’s Development Manager (Creative Industries) gave a short presentation about the Lifelong Learning Network and its relevance to those present.
Impact Over 60 members of the local business community registered to attend. The event sold out quickly and Mike Clare was felt to have been an inspiring and motivating guest speaker.
Seminar on Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Additional organisations involved University of Reading
Date July 2010
Project summary In July 2010 Progress South Central delivered a seminar at the University of Reading on Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) in colleges to representatives from partner colleges. Anne Hartnell, KTP Regional Adviser, gave a presentation on ‘Knowledge Transfer Partnerships in FE & HE’. This gave an overview of the two types of KTP and the benefits of KTP, and included an FE Case Study showing how one FE college had benefited from partnership with a software development house. Anna Price of the University of Reading’s Knowledge Transfer Centre spoke about the practicalities of administering KTPs.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 47 Impact The seminar was attended by nine representatives of Progress South Central’s partner colleges. Colleges represented were Abingdon and Witney College , Amersham and Wycombe College , Aylesbury College , Brockenhurst College , Brooklands College and Oxford and Cherwell Valley College . The attendees benefited from gaining an insight into KTPs and the opportunities that they offer. It was agreed that the college representatives present would discuss KTPs and their potential with management in their respective colleges, although it was noted that further assistance from Anne Hartnell as KTP Regional Adviser might be necessary where there were gaps in understanding. It was noted that KTP Advisers were available to provide support to colleges in all aspects of KTP. The existing strong employer engagement links within colleges and the mutual environment of trust could be utilised in investigating potential areas of business/education development that would be ideal KTP projects. Subsequent involvement of an HEI partner would then be likely. Progress South Central offered assistance with the knowledge and expertise needed to submit proposals, including potential proposals to the KTP Technology Strategy Board for a new KTP Administrative Centre.
For more information University of Reading Knowledge Transfer Centre
‘Develop your workforce: Employer’s Guide to Higher Education’
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Additional organisations involved Bubble Creative Solutions
Date March 2010
Project summary Following feedback from partners and stakeholders suggesting that employers would benefit from a straightforward guide to higher education, Progress South Central commissioned the production of ‘Develop your workforce – Employer’s Guide to Higher Education’. This booklet explains how businesses can benefit from work-based higher education and the various levels and types of qualification available. It also directs employers to where they can access higher education near them and provides other useful contact addresses.
Impact Copies have been widely distributed to employers by our partners and have been well received. The second edition is now available on request (please email [email protected]) or can be accessed on our website at http://www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk/publications/ .
48 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Higher level skills workshops for Train to Gain brokers
Lead organisation Progress South Central
Additional organisations involved Higher Education South East (HESE); fdf; Sussex Learning Network; Kent and Medway Lifelong Learning Network; Hants & IOW Lifelong Learning Network
DATE July 2008
Project summary “Really useful and Progress South Central delivered, on behalf of Higher Education South East (HESE), a Higher Level Skills workshop for Train to Gain Skills Brokers in July 2008 at the University of Reading. comprehensive Similar workshops were run by the three other LLNs in the South East, thereby ensuring that all brokers in the region were given the opportunity to find out more about Higher Level introduction, Skills provision locally and how to access relevant resources and obtain support. The workshop at the University of Reading was organised and delivered by Progress South thank you!” Central with some support from fdf . The workshop additionally included an overview by University of Reading staff of the University’s Business Development Unit and Knowledge Transfer Centre . The day included a focus on what Higher Education institutions have to offer employers, the business benefits of Higher Level Skills and sources of funding available for workforce development. Brokers were given the opportunity to raise any concerns they had around brokering higher level skills. One of the objectives of the workshop was to help brokers achieve elements of the Skills Broker Standard and support them in their ongoing Continuing Professional Development. The day included a ‘virtual’ tour of the University of Reading campus specifically focused on those areas of the University likely to be of interest to businesses. To take away from the day, brokers were given a comprehensive broker pack covering the whole of the South East region and including information about Higher Education, current initiatives in the South East, funding information and lists of area-specific contacts. Subsequently, Progress South Central independently delivered a second workshop at the University of Surrey in October 2008, for Surrey-based Skills Brokers, which also received positive feedback.
Impact Around 30 brokers attended the two events, including the Area Manager for the Thames Valley region at the July event. In advance of the event, delegates were invited to complete a questionnaire which gave them the opportunity to feed back their current state of knowledge of HE and to state the specific areas on which they hoped to be better informed as a result of the workshop. None of those who responded considered themselves to have a good knowledge of the specific aspects of HE stated, and all rated their level of knowledge prior to the workshop as either Average or Limited/None. Following the Reading workshop, almost all the feedback indicated that brokers now had a better understanding of higher level provision and potential progression/development routes and felt more able to promote the business benefits of Higher Level Skills to employers. All respondents indicated that the training had been pitched at the right level in terms of their previous levels of knowledge and understanding, and all indicated that the training had helped them feel more empowered in certain specified key areas. Brokers were particularly interested in the continuing relationships that could develop from the Knowledge Transfer Centre and in the SEED (Summer Enterprise Experience and Discovery) scheme. Regarding
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 49 Employer Based Training Accreditation (EBTA), one of the brokers commented that they had been asked about EBTA only the previous week and that they now felt in a position to go back and answer the questions posed in an informed way. Selected comments from delegates: “Previously I couldn’t have summed up my knowledge [of Foundation degrees] in one sentence but I feel that I can now.” “Really useful and comprehensive introduction, thank you!” “A thoroughly worthwhile event. Thank you indeed.”
CPD framework for NHS staff employed in bands 1– 4
Lead organisation NHS Education South Central (NESC)
Additional organisations involved Skills Academy for Health
Date May 2009
Project summary Progress South Central supported NHS Education South Central to develop a Continuous Professional/Personal Development (CPD) Framework for NHS South Central Strategic Health Authority staff working at NHS Bands 1 to 4. At a time of a changing labour market, extended competition and the need for ever greater cost efficiencies, the project was driven by the need to develop a workforce fit for purpose by addressing skills gaps. Skills Academy for Health was commissioned to lead a scoping exercise across all 24 hospital and primary care trusts within NHS South Central to explore the education and training offered to support staff working in roles that are not professionally regulated. The project covered staff in clinical and non-clinical jobs with a particular emphasis on the emerging Assistant Practitioner role. Data was collected via questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. Data from the scoping exercise was then integrated into the existing locally-developed framework to produce the first draft of a training needs analysis for the whole SHA. This was then used to draft a robust CPD framework for bands one to four that had a wide evidence base. The final stage was to develop an evidence-based brief for education commissioners in terms of key principles and strategy that will inform education commissioning for this important part of the workforce.
Impact The new CPD Framework for bands one to four will begin to ensure that flexible and accredited pathways of learning, both personal and professional, can enable transferability of skills and competences between organisations and improve quality assurance, monitoring and enhancement of education provision. Although the scope of the project has primarily focused on support staff, it has highlighted the significant merit of working towards a CPD framework that embraces the whole workforce. In November 2009, NHS Education South Central presented the project and led a round- table discussion at Progress South Central’s well-attended Health and Social Care Forum . The project has attracted a good deal of national interest, promoted not only by NHS South Central SHA but also through the activities of Skills Academy for Health.
For more information Skills Academy for Health
50 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Work-based learning
University Centre Aylesbury Vale
Lead organisation Aylesbury College; Bucks New University
Additional organisations involved Aylesbury Vale District Council; ATG Training; Aimhigher MKOB; Progress South Central; University of Bedfordshire
Project summary University Centre Aylesbury Vale is a pioneering partnership aimed at bringing together higher education providers and stakeholders in order to provide affordable and relevant university education within Aylesbury Vale and the surrounding area and, in so doing, make a significant social and economic contribution to the region. The Centre is based at Aylesbury College and is led jointly by the College and by Bucks New University. Progress South Central is a member of the Steering Group, along with Bucks New University, Aylesbury College, Aylesbury Vale District Council, University of Bedfordshire, ATG Training and Aimhigher MKOB. The Centre aims to offer courses validated by universities and national vocational qualifications, so that people of 18 years of age through to mature students will have a chance to study university-level courses without having to travel to other regions. The University Centre Aylesbury Vale is therefore a tremendous opportunity to achieve qualifications and skills, with full- and part-time options enabling students from a diversity of backgrounds to participate in higher education.
Impact There were 595 enrolments for UCAV courses in 2009–10, in the following areas: Access to HE; Business Management; Classroom Support, Early Years, Nursing and Midwifery. Projected student numbers for 2010–11 were 661, showing continued growth despite the HEFCE funding cap. As of 2010, Aylesbury Vale is entering a period of forced growth, with a need to upskill its workforce to develop its knowledge-based economy.
‘Progression via work-based learning’
Lead organisation Aimhigher MKOB
Additional organisations involved Progress South Central
Date March 2010
Project summary In March 2010 Progress South Central and Aimhigher MKOB delivered a joint conference Progression via work-based learning aimed at practitioners working in the field of information, advice and guidance. The conference was held at the Oxford Belfry Hotel and was attended by 73 delegates.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 51 “Very useful for someone like myself who had very little knowledge of apprenticeships.”
The aim of the conference was to raise awareness of progression to HE via work-based learning, including progression via Foundation degrees, HNCs, professional qualifications and apprenticeships. It offered the opportunity for practitioners to hear more about national policies and support services; to meet with a range of employers and providers; to discuss the issues impacting on progression; and to hear the employers’ perspectives on the value of work-based learning. A summary of the day’s programme: •• The value of progression via work-based learning Adrian Anderson, CE of the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC) , presented an overview of the BIS-sponsored review of vocational and applied learning and Higher Education. He presented the rationale for progression based on skills needs, employability and social mobility but highlighted some of the arguments concerning the ‘fitness of purpose’ for progression from Level 3 vocational qualifications. Issues such as part-time funding, IAG and HE programme design were identified as potential barriers to HE progression. Adrian suggested that the critical message for HE and FE was around flexible smaller employer-focused higher level programmes linked to local skills needs, business needs and social mobility. •• The role of the National Apprenticeship Service in supporting progression John Chudley, Regional Director of the National Apprenticeship Service , presented an overview of the NAS and the rationale for continued investment in apprenticeships. He highlighted the Apprenticeship Vacancies service and reviewed current issues such as Level 3 to Level 4 progression, the need for greater awareness of Apprenticeship frameworks, the continued need for HE awareness and aspiration-raising amongst work-based learners and the development of innovative/flexible provision. John suggested ways forward, including targeting access to the professions – recognising the issue of social equity through parity of esteem for work-based vocational education and academic full-time education. •• Workshops Workshops were offered by a range of local providers including ATG Training, Henley Training Company, Oxford and Cherwell Valley College and Abingdon and Witney College. The workshops offered delegates the opportunity to learn more about local provision and to learn about the range of work-based learning courses offered by their chosen provider. •• Round-table discussions/employer panel The afternoon featured round-table discussions of issues impacting on progression via work-based learning and an employer panel where employers gave their perspectives on work-based learning. Employers represented on the panel included Oxfordshire County Council, BMW Group, Infocene and NESC. The panel addressed questions from the delegates, including on their attitude to taking on older apprentices; the opportunities for expansion of work-based learning and the issues regarding 19+ funding.
52 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Impact A total of 43 delegates provided feedback. Respondents were positive about the day overall, with over 80% rating the event ‘Good’. One delegate commented on a ‘well put together and well thought out’ event’. Forty-two out of forty-three respondents (98%) claimed that the conference had improved their knowledge and understanding – one claiming to have moved from ‘No knowledge to a level of useful knowledge’. The employer panel was very well received, with comments including ‘excellent idea’ and ‘very informative’. Other selected comments from delegates: “Very useful exchange of ideas and information.” “Excellent opportunity to share ideas and look at alternative ways to organise provision and curriculum.” “Very useful for someone like myself who had very little knowledge of apprenticeships.”
‘Building Bridges’
Lead organisation Moving Ambition
Date March 2010
Project summary ‘Building Bridges’ was a one-day conference that took place at Lane End Conference Centre in March 2010, organised on behalf of Progress South Central by Moving Ambition Ltd. The conference was designed to attract academics, industry employers, trade associations, Trade Union representatives and funding bodies to explore, improve and potentially work together to create new and appropriate higher education progression opportunities for the Building Services Engineering industry. Additional aims were to examine and improve progression links between the vocational pathways within schools and colleges to higher education awards and to foster networking opportunities and closer working relationships between industry and higher education. The programme for the day included a presentation from Richard Allen, Chief Executive of Moving Ambition, of the results of both industry and education research into the services further and higher education establishments provide in advancing the personnel and training needs of the Building Services Engineering sector. Graham Manly, Director of Gratte Brothers and President of HVCA , then presented industry reaction to the research findings and the HE response to the conclusions of the research was given by Andrzej Ordys and Claire Arbon of Kingston University . Keith Marshall, Chief Executive of SummitSkills , the Sector www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 53 Skills Council for Building Services Engineering, spoke about what the SSC is doing to bring employers in the sector and the education community closer together. The final presentation was given by Tony Thomas, Visiting Professor of Work-based Learning for the Building Services Engineering sector at London South Bank University .
Impact 34 delegates attended the conference, 16 from either universities or colleges of FE and 18 drawn from employers and sector representative organisations. The original objective for the range of delegates to represent an effective balance between industry and educational personnel was therefore broadly met. Feedback from the delegates was positive. 70% of those feeding back felt that the day had helped them gain a better understanding of the scope and guidance on content in providing courses at Level 4 and above in Building Services Engineering. All the representatives from organisations in the Building Services Engineering industry fed back that they now had a better appreciation of the value of closer relationships with HE institutions. As a result of the conference, 34 areas for priority attention were identified surrounding the relationship between HE and Building Services Engineering, suggesting that a conference forum of this type was long overdue. Following the conference, a draft positioning paper was compiled of the issues addressed, containing the recommendations and points for either industry or academic attention. This document was designed for circulation to national HE funding agencies, Government, the sector skills council SummitSkills, as well as to the educational unit of The Royal Academy of Engineering to assist policy planning and help inform discussions of priorities.
HE management learning for the building services engineering sector
Lead organisation Moving Ambition
Additional organisations involved University of Reading (School of Construction Management and Engineering)
Date October 2010
Project summary This project, led by Moving Ambition in partnership with the University of Reading, aimed to tackle the identified deficit in customised management training at MSc level by developing a validated management module bespoke to the Building Services Engineering sector. It was agreed by the University that this would be presented as an option within the established and popular MSc in Intelligent Buildings, as well as being capable of being delivered as a stand- alone programme of learning for those meeting experience criteria of work within the sector. The impetus for this module arose from the earlier joint HE/industry conference ‘Building Bridges’, which had identified a need for contextualised learning to improve management and supervisory skills in the Building Services Engineering sector. An Industry Advisory Group was established, drawn from different industries within the sector. It was seen as essential that the membership of this group should comment authoritatively on proposed outline content, delivery mechanisms and methods associated with accreditation in order to maximise the legitimacy and credibility of the finished work. The completed full MSc module award, based upon 10 credits, is dependent upon a minimum of a 50 per cent pass in a one hour open book test at the end of the course period, and satisfactory completion within six weeks of a maximum 2500-word industrial assignment that relates to management and supervisory processes and procedures within the sector. Where
54 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk possible, it is seen as desirable that assignment work should be tailored to the employment situation and circumstances of the candidate.
Impact As of January 2011 the module is going through the University of Reading’s internal accreditation process. Marketing of the module has been delayed until the accreditation process is complete. The partners are committed to a further joint meeting to assist such planning and agree draft copy to be used in both e-literature and print. ECA , HVCA , CIBSE and SummitSkills have already committed their communication channels to help support marketing activity being planned by the partners. Richard Allen, Chief Executive of Moving Ambition, presented work in progress on the project at meetings of the Careers and Diversity Strategic Advisory Committee during 2010. The important UK membership of this group expressed great enthusiasm for the work tackled and thanked partners for their continuing efforts to produce an outcome that would be of value to the whole sector. All involved in this project are convinced that the work completed will be of major assistance to Building Services Engineering employers and employees in addressing key issues that have been previously stated as holding back professionalism and both effectiveness and efficiency in the sector. Industry representatives have been keen to work with and assist the partners in establishing common ground and a benchmark for necessary proficiency.
For more information Moving Ambition
Support for work-based learning: a package for work-based mentors of Fd students in the health and social care sector
Lead organisation Bucks New University
Date October 2009
Project summary This project had two aims, both related to supporting those in the workplace acting as mentors to Foundation degree students: •• To develop a generic educational audit tool that could be used to assess the appropriateness of the work-based learning environment to achieving the learning outcomes of the Foundation degree A series of focus groups were held with Foundation degree course leaders to explore whether an educational audit tool would be useful and, if so, what form it should take. There was agreement that the student experience would be enhanced by the establishment of an audit tool establishing the suitability of their workplace to support the student’s learning and meet the requirements of the course. It would also play an important role in ensuring equity and parity across all courses and enhance the quality management processes of the Foundation degrees. Due to differences between the settings of the various Foundation degrees, it was agreed that some required a more structured educational audit than others. Given this, it was agreed that the audit should be made available electronically to allow the course team to devise a flexible tool that met the needs of their course. •• To develop and validate an educational programme for identified mentors of students undertaking Foundation degrees in the Health and Social Care sectors During the project, two educational programmes were developed and delivered for www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 55 mentors of Foundation degree-level students and feedback gathered from the students and lecturers. The first was a certificated course, ‘Introduction to Enabling Learning’, delivered at Level 6 attracting 15 CATS points, and the second was a non-certificated, attendance-only four-day course.
Impact An electronic audit tool was developed and, following approval by the course teams, was prepared for trial during 2009/10. The certificated course ‘Introduction to Enabling Learning’ was developed as an interdisciplinary module. Three mentors attended the course, of which one successfully completed. The students experienced some issues with workload and time constraints which led to difficulties with attendance and meeting assessment deadlines; in addition, the students found the academic level challenging and felt they needed considerable support to reach the academic standard required. Feedback from the lecturers also highlighted this issue, and noted that students were diverse in educational and work background and starting at different points on the lifelong learning continuum. However, all students commented on the value of the interdisciplinary forum and learning from each other, and the lecturers found it stimulating and challenging to facilitate such a mixed group of professionals. In terms of level and progression the students were concerned about their professional development and how they could build on the course academically and gain recognition in the workplace. There appears to be a need to identify a recognised career pathway for work-based learning mentors to develop their mentoring/coaching skills. The non-certificated attendance-only course was offered to work-based learning mentors across the faculty and five took up the offer. All the students commented positively on the interactive work and the value of sharing experience and challenging practice. All commented that at the end of the course they were interested in doing an assessed course and further formal study, having enjoyed the experience of higher education. The students were keen to have the University Certificate of Attendance to add to their Professional Development Portfolio and felt that it would be useful to them and their employer in the workplace.
For more information Bucks New University
56 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Research
Higher Education for Slough and East Berkshire – reaching the right learners with the right provision
Lead organisation Thames Valley University
Additional organisations involved Slough Skills Campaign
Date June 2010
Project summary This research aimed to identify gaps in HE provision for young people and adults in Slough through a study of the mismatch between the jobs available in Slough and the skills held by the town’s adult population. Slough is a growing diverse town with a high population of young people, where only 13% of the population is of pensionable age. Through examining the current supply and demand from local employers and the local community, steps to skill the local workforce with the right provision can be established. The overall aims and objectives of the research study were to: •• Establish a partnership approach with the local FE college, local authority and TVU to identify demand-led HE provision for Slough and surrounding communities •• Produce a systematic study with supply and demand analyses to identify gaps in provision with recommendations to address that demand •• Ensure that the research study takes a wide view of stakeholders and captures HE provision that is focussed on employers and the local community.
Impact The study confirmed that there are a wide range of full-time undergraduate opportunities that match student and employer demand available within 25 miles and 30 minutes travel distance from Slough. Over the last 9 years there has been a 49% increase in entrants to full-time HE from Slough, a much greater increase than for the South East as a whole over the same period (23%). The strategic gap in the provision of HE for Slough is the lack of work- based learning opportunities for advancing technical, enterprise and professional capabilities and for engaging with knowledge transfer and research. Other findings and recommendations: •• The research established that there is a lack of students progressing onto advanced apprenticeships and Foundation degrees, with the gap being particularly notable for 19–24 year olds and for the 25 plus age group. It is important to review the match of the Foundation degree curriculum and delivery with the advanced apprenticeship programmes and experiences, and the promotion of apprenticeships must emphasise the opportunities for progression into HE. •• It is clear from the research that the opportunities afforded by Foundation degrees for students and employers need to be more clearly communicated and promoted. Information, advice and guidance must form a key part of the HE provision for Slough strategy.
www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 57 •• It is suggested that a modular approach to HE that embraces work based and blended learning as well as face to face contact with lecturers may provide a more accessible and effective approach. A key feature is the opportunity for learners to study at a pace and place that suits their needs. The study recommended developing a ‘hub and spoke’ model that offers a select range of local provision at centres in Slough and provides access to a wider range of learning and knowledge transfer within 30 minutes travel time from Slough. The aim would be to build on the success of the Slough Skills Campaign to develop a multi- partner approach embracing public and private sector organisations. This group would provide a forum for developing the portfolio, considering the infrastructure needs and promoting the provision. The aims would be for Slough residents and communities to have local access to an affordable range of vocational programmes in their work place and at the higher education centres in Slough but also to be able to draw on more specialist and advanced provision within a 30 minute travel time.
For more information Thames Valley University
An ethnographic study of vocational students in FE
Lead organisation University of Reading Institute of Education
Date November 2009
Project summary This project aimed to use an ethnographic approach to gain a fuller understanding of: •• How students studying vocational courses in FE colleges experience and perceive their training •• How they are being prepared for either studying at Higher Education or the workplace It explored, through focus groups, the experiences of students studying vocational courses in FE establishments and, more generally, represented an attempt to focus on the learner voice in the context of fast-moving policy development in 14–19 education and training. Data was collected between January and June 2009 from 40 students attending two FE establishments in the South East of England. In total, ten focus groups were carried out with student volunteers on a variety of courses: Hairdressing, Hair and Beauty, Public Services, E-media, Computer Gaming, Music and Musical Theatre. Data was collected on students’ attitudes to, and experiences of, their current course, why they had opted to undertake a vocational pathway and who they had spoken to for Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) on the decision-making process. Focus groups also explored students’ experiences of school and their plans for the future.
Impact The research found that the majority of the participating students were finding college to be more rewarding and engaging than their previous school experience and almost unanimously stated that their relationships with fellow students and tutors contributed significantly to this. Students feel respected and supported and, perhaps more importantly, feel a sense of autonomy in their learning. In addition to the positive learning experience, the background and ‘hands on’ experience of the tutors gave courses a greater credibly, relevance and connection to the work place, enhancing significantly students’ opinions overall.
58 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Whilst students discuss with enthusiasm many aspects of studying for a vocational qualification, some areas of weakness were indentified. In particular, these related to a lack of good IAG in the process of finding their course, a lack of practical lectures/guest speakers, work experience and poor organisation of assessment. A lack of information and guidance regarding progression into higher education was also identified. On a more implicit level, a sense of academic underachievement appeared to underpin many of the educational identities of students included in this study. This suggests that for some students at least, the choice to undertake a vocational course was a last resort for those who did not deem themselves suitable for A-level study. While many considered the academic requirements of their vocational course more challenging than traditional courses such as A-levels, clearly negative stereotypes exist surrounding what type of learner undertakes a vocational course.
For more information University of Reading Institute of Education Link via our web pages to the full project report
What makes work experience work?
Lead organisation Bracknell & Wokingham College
Date October 2009
Project summary This research set out to investigate the employer perspective of work experience in order to stimulate the offer of more placements for school/college students undertaking health and social care courses, to meet the anticipated increased demand for work experience for students undertaking courses in the sector, including Young Apprenticeships, BTEC Diplomas and the new Diploma in Society, Health and Development. The project was led by Bracknell and Wokingham College on behalf of the Berkshire Skills for Care Group. Skills for Care are supporting and promoting the range of opportunities for young people to experience working in the sector as part of their commitment to raising the profile of the social care workforce. The project was in three parts: •• Data was gathered from six Training Providers regarding demand for their courses, their experiences in finding work experience placements and their view on what resources would help. All responded that finding work experience placements was not easy and that demand for them is likely to increase due to the anticipated increased demand for places on courses. Due to a number of factors, the same few ‘tried and tested’ employers tended to be used. Barriers to work placements noted centred around perceived lack of employer awareness and the administration time involved in complying with legislation and carrying out risk assessments. The Training Providers surveyed indicated that they would welcome a resource to support employers so that they understand the requirements and expectations. •• Data was gathered from six employers in the care sector regarding their experience of student work experience placements, their perception of the barriers to work experience and the resources that they would like to see available. All of the employers were supportive of work experience providing that there is the level of support, information and matching of student to placement. Employers would welcome a simple guide to school/college-delivered qualifications that require work experience. An event was held in Reading to bring together employers who had experience of taking on work experience students and employers who wanted to know more about how www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 59 the process worked. The meeting was very positive. Employers were able to share their experiences, the type of activities they get the student to do and how the student is best supported. However employers are so heavily regulated with CRBs and legislation that they are unclear how this impacts on successful work experiences; there needs to be more clarity and better guidance so that employers are ‘not afraid’ of taking on a student. Employers felt that there are insufficient resources and guides to help overcome many of the barriers to supporting work placements. •• Case studies of three students following Young Apprenticeships in Health and Social Care who had done three-week work placements at Ravenswood Village in Crowthorne, which caters for people with learning disabilities.
Impact The research produced clear guidance on where the barriers are to successful work experience placements and what might be done to address these. The report highlighted the following recommendations and/or requests from training providers and employers alike: •• Clear guidance for employers on curriculum requirements. •• Either guidance or workshops across Berkshire to help employers understand the changing needs of social care qualifications. •• Guidance for employers on how best to support work experience students. •• Practical informative guide for training providers. •• Promotion of work experience with employers: this should be a dedicated ‘resource allocation’ to enable reaching out to employers and support them in understanding and embracing work experience practice.
For more information Bracknell & Wokingham College
60 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk