Post Scrutiny - Executive Response

2. That the online prospectus includes:

• Information on the full range of work based training opportunities available to 16-19 year olds;
• Information on the choices available to 14-16 year olds, especially in light of the introduction of the new diplomas.

I would support this the issue from an Quality Standards for IAG perspective is how/capacity to manage updates

1. The Area Wide Prospectus already includes opportunities for a range of work based opportunities for 16-19 year olds. Responsibility for the detail and accuracy of content remains with the providers, however, prompted by LA requests to update details. Through the Work Based Providers Network , the LA seeks to ensure that the range is comprehensive.
2. Full information on the complete KS4 learning offer is provided currently in the Area Wide Prospectus. It contains the complete range of individual institutional offers available at KS4, as well as elective borough wide offers such as Diplomas and Young Apprentices.

J Symington
14-19 Strategy Manager

Updated annually, ready for January

3. That consideration be given to the introduction of central monitoring of the information contained in the online prospectus, to ensure that all information is accurate and up to date.

Accepted

The 14-19 Implementation team in SCYP already accepts this responsibility, and works with schools, colleges, work based providers and other partners to update the offer annually by December/January of the year preceding September recruitment. The current revision is well underway. New content for Diplomas and other learning programmes is being revised for inclusion by December.

The 14-19 team is also looking at providing consistency of information to assist users, using the national XCRI (Common Reporting Information) standard, and the use of qualification codes to avoid different references to the same course (e.g. English, English Language, Eng. Lang.)

J Symington
14-19 Strategy Manager

Annually by January

4. That the Council continue to encourage teachers to take up training for delivering Careers and Education Guidance (CEG); and for schools to adopt the "kite-mark" standard that is currently being developed.

Accepted

Better Choices provides a range of support to schools, colleges and WBL providers including the publication of termly training & Development programmes, sent to all the above. As well as delivering the training and development programme the following are offered:

• Audit of IAG and careers education with recommended actions;
• Consultancy on careers education provision and how activity maps against the new secondary curriculum descriptors, in particular economic well being;
• Developing whole staff teams through training/awareness raising so that they are enabled to deliver effective careers education;
• Conduct of a health check against the Quality Standards for Young People's IAG;
• Mentoring for the Greater Manchester quality award – ACE (Award for Connexions Excellence) prior to assessment;
• Support on the use of on-line prospectuses/Individual Learning Plans;
• Support with implementing the Real Game series.

In addition the team produce materials that support the delivery of careers education, IAG, work related learning and the labour market. Recent products have included It's My Life and My Work, the A-Z of Work Experience and Work Matters.

? with support from Better Choices Development Team

5. That a further report be presented to this Scrutiny Panel on the development, take-up and outcomes of the "kite mark" initiative.

Accepted

As above but specifically: Audits of CEG/IAG against the national Quality Standards for IAG have been undertaken by Better Choices Development Team during 2008, following on from an event held in Tameside, about the Standards.

The Greater Manchester ACE Quality Award has also been mapped against the Standards and continues to be promoted across GM as a part of continuous improvement planning.

A briefing session is planned for senior leaders a after half term & a 1/2 day event for schools and colleges around action planning following their audit, linked in to national/regional IAG developments e.g. new SSAT support programme, IAG consultancy support & regional material "Bringing IAG to Life"

6. That the Council encourage representatives from business and industry, in particular (due to the difficulty in identifying work placements) representatives from the construction and engineering industry, to visit schools to inform pupils of the realities of work and training and the qualities they seek from employees.

I would support acceptance

Employer engagement work with schools is currently conducted through:

• Education Business Partnership links
• Specialist School sponsor links
• Diploma Line of Learning Planning and Implementation
• Chamber of Commerce links
• Post 16 College enterprise and other programmes
• Post 16 UK Career academy links
• Young / Full Apprenticeship schemes

Additional support from the Council in the named sectors, and particularly now, given the economic climate, will enhance and add value to these programmes involving employers, and bring an additional dimension to their work with schools.

J Symington
14-19 Strategy Manager, who would broker arrangements with the organisations referred to here, and others.

Ongoing

7. That a further report be presented to this Panel on the outcomes of the NEET Prevention Project.

Accepted.

Activity Survey 2008 to be made available to Scrutiny members with information on the targeted schools also provided.

The initial NEET prevention project has been concluded and the outcome will be monitored by the Activity Survey Report for 2008 leavers which will be available in early 2009

Sheila Piazza
Connexions Tameside

New ESF Pre 16 NEET Prevention funding secured till 2010 – PA appointed September 08 Focus on schools with higher levels of NEET at end of Y11 & particularly pupils who are self excluding. Report on 1 st year Sept 09

Preventing NEET Guide for schools and NEET Spotters Guide for Parents to be produced 2009

8. That greater consideration be given to the "marketing" of the Connexions' brand and procedures for accessing the services available, at school and college events, open evenings and in appropriate publications; to ensure that young people are aware that Connexions provides an independent source of information and advice both in school and post 16.

Accepted

The Annual Partnership Agreement with schools has been strengthened to include agreement on awareness raising processes for pupils.

Sheila Piazza
Connexions Tameside

Autumn term - trialling a personalised newsletter for schools aimed at staff, detailing activities of previous leavers and Connexions activities in school over the term for Y9 & 10

Audit of Connexions PAs' attendance at schools' Parents' events/evenings undertaken with recommendations Summer 08

Audit of "visibility" of Connexions in each school completed by half term 08.

New materials promoting Connexions Tameside website produced for distribution.

9. That the 14-19 Partnership explore some of the factors underlying the broad statistical trends already identified. For example possible correlations between college courses and retention rates and what proportion of young people who leave their course subsequently become NEET.

Accepted

Analysis following the completion of the September Guarantee (SG) (of an offer of learning to all Y11s; 1 yr course college students & selected NEETs) should provide useful data to augment the 14-19 Partnership's Retention project report. *Connexions Tameside are conducting qualitative follow up surveys of early leavers from college, based on a time bound procedure agreed with colleges.

(SG) Sheila Piazza Connexions Tameside

SG analysis to be built into the GM SG project plan for 2008/9

See * will be ongoing throughout the year.

10. That consideration be given to the possibility of introducing peer information sessions in schools for Year 10 and 11 pupils. Such sessions would be delivered by students in post 16 education and trainees, to inform pupils of some of the realities of post 16 education and training.

I would support acceptance

Both major post 16 providers make some limited use of this on taster visits to post 16 places of learning, and introductory visits to high schools, particularly for Year 11 students prior to the transition programmes to post 16 learning and training. The Aimhigher programme similarly makes use of post 16 and HE ambassadors to inform students of post 16 education. It is accepted that the work based learning route requires a higher profile in post 16 transition and the use of peer information needs to be expanded (also Year 9).

J Symington
14-19 Strategy Manager in liaison with Ashton 6 th Form, Tameside College and other post 16 providers, specifically work based and training providers

Autumn term, in advance of post 16 recruitment programmes for Year 11

Summer term for year 10 as part of CEG/PSHEe programmes

11. That a further report be made to the Panel on the outcomes of the scheme of joint college visits undertaken by the Alder Community High School PSHE teacher and Connexions PA; with a view to the Council encouraging other schools to adopt the most successful elements of the scheme.

This was Alder's own proposal

The PA who has taken over the lead in Alder, following the promotion of the previous PA, will liaise with the school's careers coordinator re her proposal & capacity to implement.

Alder High School