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