Tag Archives: Senior phase

Castlemilk High School-Skills Framework⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

Developing young people’s skills is a priority in Castlemilk High School. The leadership team comprising of a senior staff member, a Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) lead, youth worker, careers advisor and MCR pathways coordinator have adopted a streamlined and transparent approach to developing young people’s skills for life, learning and work. To support this, a ‘Skills Framework’ – known as ‘the Two ships and the 3’C’s’ has been implemented across all aspects of the curriculum.

The Framework is embedded into learning to ensure that all young people are engaging with a holistic language which was carefully created to allow them to recognise and understand their skill sets and relate these to their career aspirations. The impact is that young people are better able to articulate their skills set preparing them for the world of work.

Collaboration with both the wider community and employers has been integral to successful realisation of this goal. Following guidance in key documents such as BTC4, a strategic meeting of the team identified assess skills gaps in the labour market. The staff and parents of young people were asked to identify skills that young people needed to develop further to make them ‘work ready’.
The view of our partnership employers events were also aligned with this. This ensured that the Framework reflected both our local community too. The development of visual design for the Framework was supported by a local graphics company.

The consultation with staff, parents and partners was highlighted as a key strength of the Framwork during a recent inspection by Education Scotland and was praised for its sector leading approach to skills development.

In a competitive world, Castlemilk High School feel it is important for our young people to be able to confidently articulate their skills to give them a better chance of securing positive destinations. The ‘Skills Framework’ was developed to address the skills requirement for the current and future labour markets. By creating a common language, they expect that these transferable skills will become more transparent and identifiable to the young people across their curricular learning.

Staff in the school are openly engaging with young people in conversations about their own skill sets and have displayed their own personal ‘skills journey’ from school to the work place in attractive poster displays created by the DYW team.

Staff use the ‘Two Ships and the Three Cs’ to compliment learning and teaching:

Science

Pupil Log Books are adapted to encourage learners’ to identify skills they have developed during a unit of work allowing them to make meaningful connections as to how these skills can be applied across curricular areas.

Drama and Music

A skills focus is shared every lesson with one skill from the Framework at the fore, strengthening our young peoples’ ability to recognise transferability of skills between curricular areas.

Wider Achievement programme has further developed and helped to track skills using the Framework. Young people elect to take three Wider Achievement blocks, one per term. Using a tracking system, young people assess themselves against the skills framework, recording their skills journey through a variety of activities designed to enhance personal achievement. For example:

Young person may decide to focus on enhancing their leadership skills during a wider achievement block. By opting for an activity designed to enhance that skill, they can target skills that need improvement and take ownership over working towards them.

Many young people need support in articulating their skills and describing the qualities that they have developed. By providing a common framework and language, this enables our young people to confidently compete more effectively in the post-school market against their counterparts. The Skills Framework is key in allowing us to work with the young people against the cultural and economic barriers they face in our community.

In addition, we have embedded flexible and tailored work placement opportunities for young people by effectively tracking our young peoples’ skills and aspirations. This approach has been praised by external agencies involved in DYW.

The work placement format focuses on ensuring young people get the most out of their time in the work place, setting goals with regard to the Skills Framework prior to going and reflecting on these when returned.

In addition, work-related subject choices with a focus in the Skills Framework have been embedded into curriculum:

Princes Trust,

Rural Skills

Community Youth Work Skills.

This ensures  learning is focused on providing the skills that allow them to flourish. These courses not only gain qualifications but they build on skills that aren’t always available in a more traditional school curriculum.

The Skills Framework has allowed a greater focus on the aspects of work-related learning that can have most impact to our young people. Partnership has been at the very heart of our ‘Skills Framework’ from the outset. The team itself consist of a number of diverse stakeholders drawn from existing partnerships with the Castlemilk Youth Complex, MCR Pathways and Skills Development Scotland. This has allowed the ‘Two Ships and the Three Cs’ to filter readily into our community.

The DYW team are responsible for co-ordinating all aspects of young person’s work journey and the Skills Framework are increasingly moving towards the centre of this. For example, in conversations with Skills Development Scotland advisor, young people are encouraged to describe and apply their skills when writing personal statements and applying for college or part time work. The Framework is used as a toll in 1:1 conversations to explore and develop young people’s career management skills, allowing them to identify their own skills and how this fits into the world of work.

In addition, MCR pathways co-ordinator uses the Framework to support her work with care-experienced young people. Young people are encouraged to develop their skills from the Framework and five S3-S6 young people are MCR Pathways Young Ambassadors.

S1-S3 YP are given opportunities to visit universities, S3-S4 can participate in a wide range of Talent Tasters that range from Construction, Hair Beauty, Factory Working, Law, Architect, Police, Nurse, Primary Teaching & Engineering. They use the Framework to reflect on skills developed. These individualised university visits, Talent Tasters and our flexible work experience opportunities have ensured that our young people are making informed choices about developing their skills to suit their future careers.

The totality of this work means that young people are therefore more able to sustain a positive destinations.

Parkhill Enterprise Academy⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

The Enterprise Academy at Parkhill Secondary School was formally opened to pupils in August 2017.

It is a vibrant initiative that supports young people with Additional Support Needs into positive and sustained destinations.

DYW Case Study

This is part of Parkhill Secondary School but is also available to pupils across Glasgow schools. Courses focus on vocational areas where there are opportunities for young people with Additional Support Needs to gain employment. At Parkhill they focus on the individual needs of every young person. The Enterprise Academy allows them to build on the interest and aspirations of the young people by helping them to develop new skills for work and future career choices.

Several rooms in the school were transformed as part of the development. These are, professional kitchen, café area, hotel bedroom and office training room. A boot room was also added to the already established horticulture area. These areas allow the school to offer realistic work environments where young people can develop skills for learning, life and work.

The Enterprise Academy works in partnership with colleges (Glasgow Kelvin and City of Glasgow) and has business partnerships, it 7 courses at present focusing on 3 key areas of Hospitality; Horticulture and Administration, this is a range of the courses available:

Introduction to Hotel Skills
NPA Professional Cookery Level 3
Culinary Ability (only centre in Scotland delivering this)
National 5 Practical Cookery
SVQ Level 1 Horticulture
NPA Level 4 Horticulture
NPA Administrative Activities.

These courses are delivered by college lecturers and teachers which offer the young people realistic vocational pathways into careers where there are opportunities open to them. The courses have been selected to reflect the interest and needs of young people working at SCQF levels 3 and 4/5.

One of the key successes of the Enterprise Academy is that it offers young people a safe and nurturing environment in which to learn, thus offering a bridge between school and college.

The school has worked closely with business partners Milnbank Housing Association, Hilton Glasgow and Radisson Red to develop a robust programme of exciting and innovative activities aimed at enhancing the employability of all pupils involved with the school and Enterprise Academy. This has included industry visits and supporting young people with activities in the school. They hosted a Business Breakfast in the school to help promote the Enterprise Academy and the pupils presented at this to inform them of future ideas along with showcasing skills that they have developed.

Furthermore the established work placements are incorporated into their timetable and are working very well. These have mainly been in the hotel kitchen and have proven to be very beneficial to the development of their skillset. Work placements are also supported by an ENABLE Employment co-ordinator.

The school undertook a project to examine how the work of the Enterprise Academy and the school’s partnerships reflect the Career Education Standards. The Enterprise Academy has also been a focus for an international ERASMUS + exchange programme which started in May 2017. The programme focuses on the hospitality and hotel skills classes. 6 Young people along with 2 teachers visit Nuremberg in Germany with a reciprocal visit to Glasgow allowing the young people to develop their skills in this area. They have secured funding for another 2 years and are in process of planning the next exchange which is extremely exciting for the school, this has worked very well and they look forward to being part of this international project again.

Parkhill Secondary School is a school for young people with Additional Support Needs and therefore Inclusion is always a key focus of the school. All of the young people who attend the school have some form of barrier to learning, many are on the Autism Spectrum whilst others have global learning difficulties. The Enterprise Academy gives the young people a structured and supportive framework to be able to access vocational opportunities and therefore positive and sustained destinations. One of the central aims of the Enterprise Academy is to ensure that all young people are given the best chance to enter employment and to develop their skills.

A very high number of the young people come from SIMD 1-4 backgrounds and have Free Meal Entitlement and therefore the school and the Enterprise Academy are acutely aware of the need to ensure parents and carers are not asked to supplement their son/daughter’s education and cover all costs through other funding.

Every young person who starts at the Enterprise Academy is given an induction where the expected behaviour in the school building is explained to them. This helps to address issues such diversity and equality, especially as many of the young people in the school can be very vulnerable.

The Monitoring Impact group is monitoring the impact both on leavers destinations which has been reviewed and is now looking at individual targets for each pupil. They provide data regarding destinations of leavers and it has been recorded through Career Interviews that more young people are identifying potential career paths in line with the key areas. Furthermore, in S1-3 young people have shown much greater interest in the 3 key areas of Academy.

The Enterprise Academy has helped raise the profile of the school through features on websites, media and is active on social media. This in turn has had a huge effect on the confidence of the young people.

The school have been encouraging parents to get involved in many ways and they have shown a keen interest throughout the establishment its development including being on a Steering group and have been invited to take part in a number of events. Parents have also attended visits to Hilton and Radisson Red to help raise their understanding of the kinds of vocational opportunities their young people may be able to access in the future, they also have a pilot programme with Hi (Hub International) which will deliver workshops to parents.

The school staff members have had CPD opportunities to be up-skilled in Horticulture and attended “Buddy Days” in the Hilton Hotel. These have been invaluable as they now have knowledge and skills which enable them to support and assist in the delivery of lessons. Also, by ensuring that the business partners have been involved in the process of the establishment and continuous development of the Academy, this has fostered a real feeling of ownership for the project and an understanding of the aims. This has also given a great sense of achievement to all involved.

DYW – Quick Start Guide⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

The following information outlines the core essentials around DYW, in order to provide a quick overview and introduction to support  planning and implementation.  It includes the following sections:

  • What DYW is? – Introduction
  • What are the key priorities? – DYW essentials
  • Key Resources

What is Developing the Young Workforce?

Developing the Young Workforce is a seven year programme to reduce youth unemployment by 40% by 2021.
 The national milestones are set out in Scotland’s Youth Employment Strategy.  The programme is built on the CfE entitlements for children and young people set out in 2008 in Building the Curriculum 3.  DYW is a key education policy, as highlighted by John Swinney at consecutive SLF addresses : “Our education policy is enshrined by three major policies, Getting it Right for Every Child, Curriculum for Excellence and Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.” (SLF 2017) A focus on STEM sits at the heart of DYW. The Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy, Making Maths Count report and  STEM Strategy for Scotland  will contribute useful and relevant insights.  DYW has a particular and significant contribution to make in realising the Scottish Attainment Challenge outcomes, in particular priority 4: Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school-leaver destinations for all young people.

DYW Essentials:   What are the key DYW priorities ?

1. The Career Education Standard (CES 3-18):     Read the Career Education Scotland (3-18).  This document contains the key entitlements and expectations around DYW in education and provides guidance for planning and progression.

Reflective question:

  • To what extent am I familiar with the entitlements and expectations outlined within the CES 3-18?
  • To what extent do I use the CES 3-18 to plan relevant and coherent learning experiences?

2. Education -Employer Partnerships:    Establishments need to continue to develop sustainable partnerships with employers, businesses and colleges, which will enable the delivery of meaningful work-related and work-based learning opportunities.

Reflective question:

  • What type of education-employer partnerships do I currently have in place?
  • How do I ensure that these partnerships are effective and sustainable?
  • To what extent do the partnerships contribute to the curriculum design and delivery?

3. Curriculum design:   Embed DYW consistently across all that is planned for children and young people throughout education, ie. within the curriculum,  through interdisciplinary Learning, Personal Learning and Achievement and  the life and ethos of the school as a community.  For more information see Scotland’s Curriculum Refresh Narrative.   Resources for teachers and practitioners can be access on My World of Work.

In secondary schools learner pathways should be planned to reflect the needs and aspirations of young people and offer a diverse range of tailored learning programmes from BGE into the senior phase.  This should draw on a wide range of work-related courses such as Foundation Apprenticeships, Skills for Work modules, HNCs etc delivered in collaboration with colleges, training provides and employers alongside traditional subject choices.

Reflective question

  • How effectively do you plan for career education opportunities and progression pathways for learners in your school?
  • In what ways does the curriculum provision and timetabling in your establishment incorporate career education for all learners?

4.  Connect learning with the world of work:  Whenever relevant learning should be linked to careers, the labour market, employability both theoretically as well as practically.    Education establishments should therefore create work-related learning opportunities for all learners from early years to senior phase.  This may include career insight, work  inspiration, enterprise, simulated  work environments connections.   Work-based learning should be provide to all learners aqs and when required, particularly however in the senior phase.  The implementation of the Work Placement Standard should be an integral element of this.

Reflective question:

  • To what extent do I plan and incorporate work-related learning opportunities across the curriculum
  • To what extent are partners involved in delivering meaningful, work-related experiences for learners,  the delivery of skills and qualifications and highlighting prospective career opportunities?
  • To what extent do all learners our have access to relevant work-based learning experiences and palcements.

5. Improvement Planning:  DYW should be included within the establishment improvement plan and the targets should be realistic and manageable and able to be overtaken in one school year. External partners, such as employers, community learning and development and colleges, and parents should be part of the improvement planning process.  However the voice of young people  should be clear in the establishment improvement plan.   All DYW activity and targets should be clearly focussed on outcomes for learners.

Reflective question:

  • What impact are improvement measures having on learning, success, achievement, confidence, positive destinations and so on?

6. Skills:   There should be a clearer focus on enabling children and young people to recognise and track their own skills development and achievements across their learning.

Reflective Questions:

  •  How effective are profiling processes across the school/establishment?
  • To what extent do I provide opportunities to engage in profiling that supports learning and the development of skills for work and future career choices?
  • How well do I engage children and young people in meaningful discussion about their achievement within and outwith school, the development of their skills and assist them in profiling these to support their career journeys?

7.  Equalities and Inclusion:   Planning for DYW should address issues of equity, equality and inclusion. This includes: addressing parity of esteem across all types of learning and future destinations; challenging gender stereotyping; and meeting the specific needs of young people with additional support needs, from black and minority ethnic communities and those with experience of living in care.

Reflective question:

  • To what extent is our DYW offer inclusive of all learners and challenges stereotypes and bias with regard to gender, race/ethnicity, disability and learners with additional support needs ?

Resources to help you:

Next steps

  • Sign up for Education Scotland’s DYW e-newsletter
  • Find DYW news and information on the Education Scotland Learning Blog
  • Follow us on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ESskills @ESSkills

DYW – Support Offer⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

In these unprecedented times Education Scotland would like to ensure you continue to get the professional support you may require around DYW over the next months.

the following will provide you with an offer of key professional online support:

  1.  A quick start guide to DYW: This includes the key essential around DYW such as main documents, key links to latest information and updates.
  2.  Professional learning and reflection tools:  here you find all the essential tools and learning modules collated in one area.
  3. Career, Information, Advice and Guidance – My World of Work:  This is Skills Development Scotland’s online support hub for teachers and practitioners as well as learners .  It contains classroom resources, Labour Market Information, guidance on Meta – and Career Management Skills amongst a range of other interactive and engaging resources
  4.  Online professional dialogue – virtual meetings:  We have set up 3 session for teachers and practitioners to ‘get together’ in order  to share their DYW experiences, exchange information and discuss challenges.
  5.  National Improvement Hub – DYW  Summary Page:  This website page contains all our resources, tools, exemplification etc. in one place.  .

For more information on the above please follow the links.

If you have any specific questions please don’t hesitate to contact us directly at:  EDSDES@educationscotland.gov.scot

Marine Engineering Workshop⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

The Marine Engineering STEM Workshop was chosen to receive the Maritime UK STEM Award for 2019. The award recognizes the quality, hard work and dedication of the team in delivering workshops and promoting DYW and STEM as a route into engineering for pupils in schools throughout Scotland. Since starting the program 4 years ago, they have delivered the workshop to more than 26,000 pupils nationwide.

They have developed a new marine environmental engineering workshop that looks at our ocean plastics problem and how students and engineers can help to save our world’s marine wildlife. The workshop culminates in the students building a working submarine with the ability to retrieve materials from the ocean floor.

Their diary is now open for 2020/21/22 and they would like to give all Scottish schools the opportunity to book their free workshop.

MEP JP Buoyancy Workshop Flyer

DYW Annual Reports⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

Scottish Governments’ Programme Board for DYW publishes DYW reports to highlight the progress made across the  5 Change Themes.  The following reports have been published so far:

  1. Annual Report 2014-15
  2. Annual Report 2015-16
  3. Annual Report 2016-17
  4. Annual Report 2017-18
  5. Annual Report 2018-19

Lochend Community High School: Developing the Young Workforce⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

At Lochend Community High school they strive to open up opportunities for all of young people regardless of ability or background. They have a strong focus on Developing the Young Workforce across the whole school and through their links with colleges, universities, employers, local business and other organisations. They want to embed work related learning opportunities across the whole school. They continue to expand and develop skills through a range of activities in and out of the classroom with a particular focus on ‘closing the gap’. They are empowering young people to develop their skills for Life, Learning and Work. This strategy involves establishing ever-increasing local, regional, national and global partnerships to support all curricular areas to provide real- life contexts for learning.

How have they done this?

Working with young people and partners to embed opportunities and developing skills across the curriculum.

Enhance young peoples understanding of different career routes ,offering curricular programmes and regular engagement with employers.

Actively collaborate with partners to develop and deliver a curriculum that supports the development of young peoples employability and career management skills.

Reviewing the work placement model in line with the ‘Work Placement Standard’,creating bespoke opportunities tailored to the needs of all young people.

Careers Events
Allowing  young people to find out about potential employers. Young people have the opportunity to talk directly with representatives from industry and education.

HE/FE Fairs
Partnerships with City of Glasgow, Glasgow Clyde, Glasgow Kelvin, West College Scotland, GCU, UWS, UoG, Strathclyde, Stirling and Glasgow School of Art. Each year group has a short presentation and an opportunity to meet with the Further and Higher Education representatives to ask  questions about courses, entry requirements and education beyond school in general.  Parents of senior phase young people are invited to attend.

Mock Interviews
All young people are given interview skills training and mock interviews from their business partners.

Salters Chemistry Festival
In partnership with University of Glasgow, Salters Chemistry and Royal Society of Chemistry, young people are given experience of working in a working laboratory carrying out investigations and experiments.

Chemistry Careers Event
In partnership with Glasgow Science Centre, UWS and Royal Society of Chemistry young people learn about laboratory techniques, discuss career pathways and alternative routes into careers in Chemistry

STEM Glasgow/Jacobs Engineering Challenge
In partnership with DYW Glasgow, West Partnership, Glasgow City Council and Jacobs Engineering young people are involved in real life engineering challenges. Working  with partners to create a solution to plastic pollution while investigating and learning about careers in the sector.

Go4Set
Young people have the opportunity to develop skills, inform subject choice and change perceptions about STEM, raising awareness of how studying STEM related subjects can lead to rewarding careers.

SmartSTEMs
In partnership with Glasgow Kelvin College young people explore STEM related careers with input from various organisations. Young people take part in practical activities to enhance skills and knowledge of STEM based careers.

Science Club
In partnership with STEM Ambassadors S1 young people are involved in weekly activities which promote learning and careers in STEM.  Links are made to STEM careers and young people are encouraged to explore and research  career pathways.

Numeracy Week
Making links between numeracy used in subjects across the school and how numeracy is used in the world of work. Using partners such as credit unions, Barclays Bank, Santander, Mott McDonald, NHS, Marks and Spencer to showcase Maths in the world of work.

Apprenticeship Tests
Young people have the opportunity to learn and practice numeracy tests for apprenticeships, colleges and universities.

P7 Maths Challenge
Young people work in teams to learn about Maths in the world of work.

ScotBeef/Aldi 
Young people working collaboratively,  researching existing products and designing a new product to present as part of the competition. The winners will have their product marketed, displayed and sold in Aldi stores across the country.

Quality Meat Scotland Chef Visit
Chef visit to work with S2 young people, demonstrating and embedding skills as well as sharing their experience of working in the hospitality industry

ZooLab Junk Bus
Delivered in partnership with Zoolab Junk Bus young people learn about the production of some of our favourite foods.

GHA/ Loretto Afternoon Tea
Partnership with Glasgow Housing Association and Loretto Housing allowed young people to work with local partners  and allowed an opportunity to experience working in this sector.

Future Textiles
Developing an understanding of the textile industry and the available progressions pathways.

Marks and Spencer – Work Placement Programme.
The partnership was set up to strengthen the link between employers and young people, building  confidence and supporting the transition between school and the workplace.

30 young people have had the opportunity to apply and experience a work placement in the retail sector. Many young people have secured part time jobs as a result of the experience.

Glasgow Kelvin College Pathway
As part of the S2 options process, young people will be offered the opportunity to attend Kelvin College for one afternoon per week throughout the school session. This partnership programme allows young people to participate in a college based course alongside their school studies. This will not only enrich their learning experiences but will provide them with qualifications in the form of SCQF Level 4 units. Young people enrolled in these courses will also be considered as an internal applicant for any further courses.

RUTS
RUTS aims to equip young people with the confidence and skills, raising their aspirations. RUTS are currently delivering a bespoke personal development/employability, this is achieved through motorcycle and bicycle based programmes tailored to the individual needs of the young people.

NHS @ Work
Young people S1-S6 have the opportunity to attend an NHS@Work Event showcasing the careers available within the NHS, dispelling some of the myths about working in the NHS.

Widening Participation
Educational support and guidance programme designed to widen access to higher education.

FARE
FARE are a voluntary organisation based in Easterhouse . They work with communities to improve the lives of children and families. FARE are employed within the school, engaging with a number of projects and programmes that link to the DYW agenda.

Young Enterprise Company Programme –
The Company Programme is the ultimate business experience for S5 and S6 young people. They set up and run their own company and develop a range of skills throughout this entrepreneurial experience.

Career Ready
Career Ready is a programme that prepares young people for the world of work. The model links young people to employers through master classes, mentoring, workplace visits and internships.

EY Foundation partnership
EY Foundation is a charity that works directly with disadvantaged young people,employers and social entrepreneurs to create and support routes into education, employment and enterprise. They support the school in world of work events, mock interviews and industry presentations. They also have a paid work experience programme called Smart Futures.

Skills Academy
Working with a range of business partners, young people who are studying less than two National 5 qualifications are invited to attend a programme that helps develop crucial knowledge and understanding of the world of work.

Flexible Work Placement Model
Lochend  offer a flexible approach to work placements, encouraging and supporting young people to source and secure their own work placement . There are also targeted placement opportunities available on WorkIT and via our business partners which are available to all young people.

Departmental DYW displays 
Displaying potential careers and pathways relevant to their own curricular area. The Pupil Leadership Team have created a number of notice boards around the school to promote the DYW agenda. The boards also include live job/apprenticeship and work placement opportunities.

Lochend CHS Skills Framework
They established a systematic and progressive skills development framework that will be used across learning. Young people will have the opportunity to reflect on these on an on-going basis and incorporate them into their profiling activities. The Skills Framework will be displayed throughout the school.

During the academic year all staff took part in CLPL around the DYW agenda.  Staff received an introduction to the Career Education Standards and an introduction to labour market Information.

Social Media
All information relating to DYW and employability is advertised on Facebook and the DYW Twitter page. Parents engaged regularly with posts on Facebook which ensured that parents/carers/guardians were more aware of the range of opportunities and supports available.

Work Inspiration Visits
Young people have has the opportunity to experience the world of work and to find out more about career pathways:

Art Galleries Hilton Hotel Group IBIS Hotel Group
UK parliament Engie GHA
Auchenlea Building Site TIGERS Construction Training STV
Glasgow Film Theatre National Theatre of Scotland Platform @ The Bridge
Emirates Arena Braehead Shopping Centre BBC Scotland
Glasgow Fort Marks and Spencer Glasgow Kelvin College
City of Glasgow College Glasgow Caledonian University FARE
Glasgow Life

Next Steps
Increase the number of MWOW ambassadors

Engage in  more profiling support

Recording achievements using My World of Work

DYW newsletter

Parental Engagement

Quotation
“I developed so much confidence from taking part in a lot of these activities. I have met so many great people who have helped nurture me and give me the platform to learn. I have so many more contacts now than I did before.”
Young Person

Portlethen Academy: Raising the profile of skills in learning and teaching.⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

Every classroom has a poster for Skills for Learning, Skills for Life and Skills for Work. Pupil-friendly definitions of these skills were produced by a working group of staff. Teachers are asked to make reference to these skills in their learning intentions and success criteria and in the content of the lesson itself. The impact of DYW is discussed in the videos:

All S1 pupils are recording the development of these skills in a Skills Passport booklet during DCT. The main purpose of the booklet is to help the pupils document the skills they are developing, the subjects in which they use these skills and the evidence they have to support their judgements on how well they are progressing with particular skills in learning, life and work. The booklet also includes sections on profiling, SMART targets, reflection, mental health, recognising wider achievement, subject reports and self-evaluation.

The school has used several key methods to ensure that the strategy has the desired impact to the learners:

  • Researched examples of skills frameworks and received valuable input from Larbert High School after seeing their materials on the National Improvement Hub
  • Decided to develop their version of a skills framework and to link it to their tutor time programme for tracking purposes
  • Established a staff team to develop the framework and materials
  • Introduced the focus on skills to staff at collegiate session.
  • Introduced the focus on skills to pupils at year group assemblies.
  • Produced a set of posters for every classroom
  • Obtained feedback on reference to skills for learning, life and work through pupil focus groups where 5 pupils are selected from various year groups once a week.

The school believes that the changes have impacted on their learners, the key indicators:

  • Promoted skills development in learning and teaching
  • Ensure staff are consistently embedding skills development in their classroom practice
  • Ensure pupils know what skills they possess
  • Helping pupils develop the ability to confidently articulate the skills they are developing
  • Ensure pupils can utilise these skills across different subject areas
  • Ensure pupils realise the value and importance of skills they develop in school and how these relate to the world of work

This is a journey for staff and young people, the key points are:

  • Staff are referencing skills development in their lesson planning
  • Pupils are noticing the increased focus on skills and realising the value as they progress through the school
  • Pupils are becoming more aware of how often they are using different skills
  • Pupils are realising the value of transferrable skills
  • Pupils are realising the importance of skills for their future careers

It has allowed them to monitor it through their focus groups, and they can reference it more easily due to the visual nature of their posters. When they have speakers or reference areas of employment in their career of the week they ensure skills are highlighted.

Portlethen are working hard on partnership and engagement with industry. Curricular experiences through DYW include:

Breadth of careers
Mock interviews
Rural skills
Air traffic control
NHS
Enterprise day (S2)
Micro Tyco
MWOW ambassadors
Hospitality (chef of the week, Royal navy chefs)

Porthlethen see DYW as integral and underpin out their work with young people by making the links between skills and the workplace. They refer to the school as just another workplace, which reinforces the link between education and skills for work. The skills framework has helped by providing a clear focus.

  • Having a visual display of the skills you are focusing on
  • Reference skills in all aspects of the lesson where appropriate
  • Help pupils realise the range of skills they possess
  • Ensure pupils know which skills they are developing
  • Help pupils transfer these skills to different contexts and subject areas

Next Steps
They have started formally recording and documenting skills development and progression in S1. They are looking at creative ways to record and document skills development as the cohort become more mature and progress through the school. They will formalise the inclusion of skills development in lesson planning, learning intentions and success criteria to ensure a consistent approach by all staff.

“I like the framework because I can click on it and see what it means” S1 pupil

“Having the framework on your website helped me link my presentation to the skills required to work in the catering industry in a way that pupils could understand”  DYW presenter.

“The framework diagrams give me a key point of reference in planning lessons and for reference in class.” Teacher

DYW, helping to reshape the curriculum?⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

Does Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) provide schools with a mechanism to offer a wider range of subject choices in the Senior Phase?

This key question has been discussed in TES articles over the last few months. Here are  some of the key messages, with the emphasis on DYW and it’s potential impact on the curriculum and subject choice:

Subject Choice

“Local authority education bosses have hit back at suggestions that pupils in secondary schools are seeing their options narrow. In recent months there has been a high-profile debate about the number of subjects pupils are able to study in S4, but MSPs were told today that it can be misleading to look at this issue in isolation.”

 “Mark Ratter, who heads up quality improvement and performance at East Renfrewshire Council’s education services, said that, thanks to partnerships with colleges, universities and employers, as well as the Developing the Young Workforce national policy, there was actually now “a far greater choice” in what pupils could study. In one East Renfrewshire secondary school, for example, S5-6 pupils “have a choice of over 130 different courses”.”

“Tony McDaid, South Lanarkshire Council’s executive director of education resources, said you could understand parents comparing how many subjects different schools were offering at S4 and their “natural anxiety” around that. However, they reacted well when they heard that “this is not just about your fourth year, you can do another subject when you move into fifth year”, and that there was a focus on the career a pupil was ultimately heading towards and the qualifications they would gain “across the whole senior phase” from S4-6.”

 Work-based learning

“Angus Council schools and learning director Pauline Stephen said there was “an ongoing challenge” to communicate to pupils’ families the “shifting and different” education system that pupils experience in 2019. Dr Stephen cited new types of qualifications such as Foundation Apprenticeships, which were little known outside education circles and sometimes wrongly viewed as inferior to other qualifications.

Dr Stephen said that Brechin High, for example, had worked with a local roofing business to open a construction centre at the school, which “allows us to offer qualifications alongside an employer in partnership – it’s been really successful”.”

Developing the Young Workforce

“DYW is a ‘game-changer’ – and it has Curriculum for Education to thank for that”

“It’s a potentially misleading debate, however. The supposed narrowing of the curriculum is concerned with subject choices in the senior phase. Setting aside arguments about the extent to which this is happening, there’s a basic flaw in the reasoning: by looking only at subject choices – largely at National 5 and Higher – it misses what appears to be a widening of the curriculum in other ways.

 “This fixation with exams and academic subjects – plus ça change – ignores the fact that, in many schools, there is now a much richer range of opportunities. Last week, for example, I visited a secondary with a spaghetti junction of pathways for its senior pupils – where apprenticeships and college courses truly do have “parity of esteem” with university, to use the jargon – and a determination to bend the curriculum to individual aspirations. If that means pupils going to another school for a certain Advanced Higher or spending some of the week in college, or teachers setting up a work placement with an employer they’ve not dealt with before, then the school’s attitude is, so be it.”

 “Developing the Young Workforce may be an equally uninspiring, chosen-by-committee title. But whereas CfE is typically viewed as falling short, the reaction to DYW – a far newer kid on the block – feels very different. Visiting schools, I’ve been struck by how often it’s cited as a positive influence, a driver of cultural change that has gone beyond its initial promise to boost vocational education. For example, one special school depute head said that, while she wasn’t sure those behind DYW were really thinking of her sector, it was a “game-changer”, helping to create work and training opportunities for school-leavers with complex needs.”

Head teachers and the curriculum

“We are free to shape the curriculum,’ say Scottish heads”

“An investigation into whether Scottish headteachers have the freedom to tailor their school’s curriculum to the needs of their pupils has found that “almost all” heads believe they have that power.”

 “It adds that heads were, in most cases, “well supported” by their local authorities and “empowered to work with staff, pupils, parents and wider partners to design learner pathways which best suit the needs of their local community”.

 “It adds: “Most are taking account of Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) to deliver a curriculum which includes an understanding of the world of work and vocational pathways. However, there continues to be a need to increase progress in delivering DYW priorities and ensure that pupils and parents are aware of the range of vocational options and pathways available.”

I have added links to the full articles but free registration  is required for full access:

Pupils’ study choices expanding, not narrowing, say education bosses

Developing the Young Workforce will define Scottish education

We are free to shape the curriculum,’ say Scottish heads

 

Scottish Traditional Building Forum Workshops⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

Secondary pupils from schools in Glasgow, Stirling, Perth and Edinburgh take part in traditional building skills event held at  various locations. The hands-on practical workshops provided 13 to 15 year olds with the chance to discover more about traditional skills apprenticeships, and allowed them to have a go for themselves. They tried their hand at stonemasonry roof slating, joinery and painting and decorating, expertly assisted by current Modern Apprentices in these trades. The event was hugely valuable in raising the profile of the vital skills needed to maintain our unique built heritage.

13 & 14 May

Traditional Building Skills Demonstration outside Edinburgh City Chambers

17 & 18 May

Traditional Building Skills Demonstration at STEM at The Helix

18 & 29 May

Traditional Building Skills Demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament

3 & 4 June

Traditional Building Skills Demonstration outside Glasgow Cathedral Square

20 to 23 June

Traditional Building Skills Demonstration at the Royal Highland Show, Ingliston

19 to 22 August

Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival (part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

23 & 24 September

Traditional Building Skills Demonstration at Perth City Centre

The events are organised by the Scottish Traditional Building Forum as part of Construction Scotland’s, Inspiring Construction programme. It is supported by a range of partners including CITB, City of Glasgow College, West College Scotland, Dundee and Angus College, Edinburgh College and Developing the Young Workforce.

The construction industry currently employs 233,600 people, but it’s estimated that 28% of that workforce will need replacing by 2027, creating at least 21,000 vacancies. Attracting more potential employees to our industry to address this imminent skills gap is one of Construction Scotland’s top priorities.

“What better way to encourage young people to consider a career in the traditional skills side of construction than to invite them to give it a go for themselves. With the Scottish Parliament as the backdrop to this event, I hope the school children feel truly inspired to think of construction as a varied and exciting career choice. “Ian Hughes, Partnerships Director at CITB Scotland

“These Traditional Building Skills events are part of our Inspiring Construction programme, which aims to attract more school leavers to the sector by informing young people and their parents, teachers and career advisors about the huge and diverse range of careers available in construction, and importantly, how to access them. From professions like architecture, engineering and surveying to the more traditional trades like joinery and stonemasonry, this industry has something to suit everyone.” Ken Gillespie, Chair of Construction Scotland