EVALUATION REPORT Dr David Wilkinson, Research Toolkit June 2018 Acknowledgements This project was a collaboration between Go Higher West Yorkshire and Keepmoat Homes - working with two partner schools: Castleford Academy and Airedale Academy. 2 Contents: Executive summary 5 Introduction 6 Participant group 6 Keepmoat Homes 6 Go Higher West Yorkshire 6 Programme activity 7 Impact The programme format and structure 9 Development of financial skills 9 Teacher feedback 9 Construction site visit 11 Presentation skills 11 Working with mentors and facilitators 11 Learning gain Greatest increase 12 Smallest increase 12 Engagement with parents 14 Adaptations and changes 17 Strategy and values 18 3 “The most interesting part for me was being able to look at all the different layers of house-building and all the work that goes into it. We’ve learnt about everything – how houses are built from the ground upwards!” Deacon, Castleford Academy student 4 • All participating students welcomed the Executive summary opportunity to work with a group-assigned mentor. This person crucially provided detailed • The Go Higher West Yorkshire & Keepmoat and contextualised feedback on the emerging Homes programme is a collaborative content of the group presentations. intervention designed to raise career and Higher Education progression opportunities in • The greatest increase, or gain, has been in the construction industry. relation to questions focused upon construction and career routes/Higher Education progression • Participants for the project were selected opportunities. The considerable learning gains from two National Collaborative Outreach within these areas suggest that this project has Programme (NCOP) partner schools, Castleford been successful in drawing clear links between Academy and Airedale Academy. construction career pathways and relevant Higher Education progression options. • The programme undertaken by participating students focused on an activity-based house- • Some parents welcomed the opportunity building project. Mixed teams of students for their children to explore options, whilst were tasked with calculating costs and profits undertaking project work, for progression involved in housebuilding, designing a room beyond school. in the showhome and presenting their project ideas. • The workshop sessions have been intensive and stretching. Some students would have • The opportunity to work with other schools welcomed more time to think about and discuss was a beneficial element of the programme. the content of the programme. Students enjoyed working in groups that were mixed between the two participating schools. • Participating students had a good understanding of Keepmoat Homes and what they did as an • Financial assessment of building materials and organisation, but they were less confident about associated costs in the project tasks enabled all the remit of Go Higher West Yorkshire when participating students to contribute to activities asked about this at their final project session at that helped sharpen their financial literacy skills. University Centre at Wakefield College. • School feedback, provided informally at a • This project complements the social project review meeting, indicated that the responsibility values of Keepmoat Homes in programme worked well with Year 9 students that it facilitates their community partnership as they could begin to make links between the work, and helps to support local organisations, project activities and their school-based work. programmes and projects. • All students stated that they enjoyed the site • Collaborating with business to develop visit immensely. Timetabled to take place mid- meaningful and contextualised learning projects way through the project, this half-day visit was also links into a Go Higher West Yorkshire based at a working construction site nearby to philosophy of working with local industry the two partner schools. providers to support local developmental need. • Although most students were nervous about • With a clear focus on technically-driven skills, presenting their work to others, all were proud our project supports young people to follow a to show their work to parents and carers. progression path into construction and links to the Gatsby Benchmarks. 5 Introduction Keepmoat Homes The Go Higher West Yorkshire & Keepmoat Keepmoat Homes delivers high quality homes, Homes programme is a collaborative intervention often in areas that benefit greatly from designed to raise career and Higher Education housing-led urban regeneration. They build progression opportunities in the construction a range of styles and sizes of homes and seek industry. Key and specific areas of interest for to create long term partnerships with public Keepmoat Homes, which link to progression and private sector organisations that have drivers for Go Higher West Yorkshire included unused land or property, building homes and an exploration of students’ knowledge, communities that are recognised for both their confidence and awareness around careers in quality and value. construction. In addition, through an activity- based programme, Keepmoat Homes wished to The company has a well-developed approach provide accurate and contextualised information to engaging with the communities located on routes into construction, including Higher around the sites they develop. Their inclusive Education opportunities, (with an emphasis on approach to partnership working and community house-building). engagement forms a central part of their Corporate and Social Responsibility Strategy. Participant group Through their community partnerships, Participants for the project were selected from Keepmoat Homes provide support to local two National Collaborative Outreach Programme organisations, programmes and projects. This (NCOP) partner schools, Castleford Academy and commitment to community support enables Airedale Academy. Participants were selected areas to flourish and be places where people based on their interest in the subject area, and want to live, work and play. their potential to benefit from the programme. The Airedale Academy students were geography students and the Castleford Academy students Go Higher West were studying the BTEC in Construction. Yorkshire Go Higher West Yorkshire is a partnership of 12 Higher Education providers who operate the OfS-funded National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP) in West Yorkshire. Through partner Higher Education providers, Go Higher West Yorkshire offers a diverse range of progression opportunities for people of all ages to access Higher Education - including apprenticeships, diplomas and flexible degree programmes. Participating school Students involved in the project Castleford Academy 15 Year 9 students (12 boys, 3 girls) Airedale Academy 16 Year 9 students (13 girls, 3 boys) 6 Programme activity Castleford Housing Project The programme undertaken by participating Students participating in this project were students focused on an activity-based house- assigned ‘higher level’ job roles within building project. Mixed teams were guided construction including quantity surveying, and supported in developing their project ideas project management and interior design. by assigned mentors and structured activities Routes into these roles through Higher provided in the project ‘Student handbook’. Education were highlighted to the students Mentors consisted of school teaching staff, through their school-based sessions. Project representatives from Keepmoat Homes and tasks included: n Go Higher West Yorkshire, and undergraduate Calculating the cost and profit for a housing development. students from partner Higher Education n Researching local house prices. providers. Project sessions were usually n Researching and exploring the sales and timetabled to take place after the end of the marketing of new build houses. school day, although the site visit took place in n Deciding on a name for their housebuilding the morning and the presentation event at the company and a new housing development. n end of the project took place in the evening. Designing a room for the showhome. n Presenting their project ideas to their peers, Most sessions were hosted at one school site school staff, Keepmoat Homes and parent/ (Airedale Academy) as this enabled project carers/families. materials to be kept and stored in one location. Session Location Project launch and 1st student workshop Castleford Academy 2nd student workshop Airedale Academy Site visit – Flass Lane construction site Castleford 3rd student workshop Airedale Academy 4th student workshop Airedale Academy 5th student workshop Airedale Academy Student presentation event University Centre, Wakefield College 7 8 Impact Teacher feedback School feedback, provided informally at a The programme format and project review meeting, indicated that the structure programme worked well with Year 9 students as they could begin to make links between The opportunity to work with other schools was a the project activities and their school-based beneficial element of the programme. Students work. This was particularly so for the Castleford enjoyed working in groups that were mixed Academy cohort of students, who could directly between the two participating schools. Eathen, reference the content of the programme to a student from Airedale Academy commented their BTEC Construction course. Anecdotal on the first session which launched the project evidence, collated by teachers centrally engaged at Castleford Academy: “The most interesting