Introduction Booklet

Introduction SKILLS FOR LEARNING, LIFE AND WORK Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, and are entitled to opportunities for developing The skills and attributes can best be in particular Building the Curriculum 4 skills for learning, life and work. The skills are delivered through partnership working. (http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/ relevant from the early years right through to All establishments should work with partners Images/BtC4_Skills_tcm4-569141.pdf) the senior phase of learning and beyond. and share a common understanding and identifies the importance of skills for language around skills development and It is the responsibility of all pre-school, school learning, skills for life and skills for work. application. Together, we should plan and and college staff, professionals and adults deliver learning and other experiences which A ‘skill’, in its narrower sense, is an acquired working with children and young people to meet the needs of individual children and capability that enables an individual to support the acquisition of skills for learning, young people. engage in particular activities. It is the ability, life and work. It is important to recognise and competency, proficiency or dexterity to carry reflect on the role of parents and carers in The partnership between Education and out tasks that come from education, training, influencing young people. Economic Development will support key stages practice or experience. It can enable the 3-18 years and focus on employability skills It is important that children and young people practical application of theoretical knowledge alongside those for learning, life and beyond are aware of, and understand, the value of the to particular tasks or situations. ‘Skill’ is also to a positive destination. This innovative skills that they are developing. Adults, practitioners applied more broadly to include behaviours, partnership draws on expertise in education, and learners should reflect together on their attitudes and personal attributes that make employability and the business sector to offer progress in the range of skills that they consider individuals more effective in particular contexts Dumfries and Galloway Employability Awards to be important in their learning, lives and such as education and training, employment at bronze, silver, gold and platinum levels work. The assessment process should help and social engagement. from a range of modules based on national children and young people to understand why SCQF levels from the SQA. The award will The skills and attributes which children and skills are important, reflect on how they are be endorsed by national and local business young people develop should provide them developing their skills, identify the next steps in organisations and will be based around the set with a sound basis for their development their skills development and understand how of Employability Competencies identified by as lifelong learners in their adult, social and the skills they have acquired can be used across schools and employers. working lives, enabling them to reach their the curriculum and in their lives in and outside full potential. All children and young people the classroom or establishment. S:\Learning & Teaching\Curriculum For Excellence\CSI\Dumfries & Galloway Pathway to Employability https://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/ CareerEducationStandard0915_tcm4-869208.pdf Every child and young person is entitled This resource has been developed through to develop skills for learning, skills for life a collaborative approach involving SDS, and skills for work. Chamber of Commerce , Local Employers, Local authority and school staff recognising All staff have a professional responsibility the essential contribution each partner makes to ensure this entitlement is fulfilled for all to the progression of skills development. young people. Employability partnerships are a key Staff in schools will be familiar with ‘Building development within Curriculum for Excellence the Curriculum 4’ (2009) which sets out key Implementation Plan 2015-16 section on messages about how children and young Employability and Skills (DYW) delivered people develop and apply skills. It sets out in partnership with Skills Development skills for learning, life and work and shows Scotland and Scottish Funding Council how they are embedded in the experiences and outcomes and the senior phase. http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/ resources/c/genericresource_tcm4863260.asp We now need to think about evidence of progression in those skills and how they can be developed and applied across learning and in different contexts. There are different skills sets: where learners enjoy rich and active learning these skills will be developed. It is the recognition of a variety of skills sets and a shared dialogue between a learner, their peers the teacher and ultimately employers that is key to fulfilling their entitlement . The purpose of this publication is to recognise the different skills sets and demonstrate how they can be applied as the learner progresses through the pathway from school to positive sustained destinations. The resource includes increase opportunities for positive and sustained communication, as this would be less onerous employability for all of our young people. or several or indeed , every area. It was felt SECTION ONE: that all the skills included in the toolkit A survey was used to research employers’ Developing Skills for have equal importance and therefore the views from local business and services on the Learning, Life and Work Cluster chose to gather feedback on every strengths and areas for development our young area through an Audit questionnaire. The A skills and attributes toolkit from the early people present on entering the workforce. questionnaire results revealed that learners years through the Broad General Education, The results, along with National research had very limited opportunities to develop with accompanying DVD (appendix 1) and statistics e.g. Developing Scotland’s certain skills and also indicated that there was Young Workforce and anecdotal evidence This flexible toolkit raises awareness of little consistency in the skills being taught from Dumfries and Galloway Chamber identified core skills for learners, staff, parents, across the Cluster making it difficult for the of Commerce, demonstrated the aspects and partners in learning. It can be used Secondary to plan progression for learners and and learner outcomes which needed to be to promote a consistent approach to skills agree common areas for development. development in the classroom and could be highlighted and reinforced in schools. It was decided that due to other Cluster used for tracking the progression of skills From this information and further research, the priorities, focussing on communication and development through an audit tool. The film Skills for Learning, Life and Work Toolkit was teamwork had synergy with the ‘Working with can be used to promote professional dialogue devised by the SLDP3 Dumfries and Galloway Others’ programme already being undertaken to develop further understanding of the group, as part of the Dumfries and Galloway and gave a platform for promoted staff to relevance of these essential skills for staff, Skills Pathway shaped and supported by employers. develop across the Cluster. Next steps are learners and parents. Within the toolkit a film was made to illustrate that the promoted staff involved are to meet the discrepancy between the preconceived Case Study 1: Lockerbie Cluster regularly to plan and evaluate implementation understanding local young people have This shows how one cluster used the resource of skill strategies through the small test of about the World of Work and the actual skills to audit current opportunities for learners and change philosophy (Plan, Do,Study,Act). employers require. It was decided to pilot the skill areas requiring further development. toolkit within Lockerbie Cluster as it consists of Appendices: Kathryn Fraser, Partner Head Teacher of a large Secondary school and twelve Primary Appendix 2: How to use the toolkit Applegarth and Hutton Primary Schools, was feeder schools of varying sizes and demographics, Appendix 3: Audit Tool part of a Scottish Government Leadership which provided a wide range of feedback. Appendix 4 Employers survey Development Programme where the chosen At a Cluster meeting all Headteachers discussed ‘wicked issue’ was to develop a 3-18 toolkit whether to focus on a particular skill area e.g. which can be implemented by all schools to SECTION TWO: Case Study 2: Wallace Hall Academy The Employability Skills Progression Card (Appendix 5) will help all of the young people Developing skills for Work Employability skills progression card in Dumfries and Galloway to assess their level (Employability) (Appendix 5) of skill and identify areas for development. This section focuses on the key skills for work. Employers, parents and school leavers were This will also enable staff to focus on the skills It incorporates identified key skills required keen for the school to develop a structured which will have the greatest impact on future by employers. It includes an online skills approach to the development of employability employability. progression framework to be used by learners skills to ensure they could track these skills and employers to evaluate strengths and areas through the Secondary Curriculum. They were for development in relation to ten key areas. keen to raise awareness

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