Building Pathways
Creating new models through programme design to
engage students and to grow achievement, retention
and pathways for future learning.
Brent Ingram
Hagley Community College, Christchurch
October 2013
Hagley Students
 Students are characterised by:
 Diversity of age and culture
 Diversity of learning need
 Short-term study duration
 Mobile population structure
 Significant essential learning skill deficits.
 About 1000 new enrolments each year.
 85%+ are post compulsory age students.
 Most students come with previous poor
education experiences and history. Over 1/3rd of
all student enrolments have no qualifications.
Research shows that schools
are challenged by students
who are . . .
 From low SES status (60%)
 From NESB backgrounds (33%)
 From recent migrant groups (18.5%)
 First-in-family / first generation (65%)
 Lack academic preparation (80%)
 Second chance learners (90%)
 Older age groups (56%)
 Part-time students (45.5%)
 Learning disability / Mentally unwell (30+%)
Hagley – A Regional Hub
 We are the ‘glue’ between all clusters for
disengaging / disengaged students at postcompulsory secondary education.
 We re-engage students, capture them back into
learning, and bridge them to higher learning.
 We provide a high return on investment in the
secondary sector in Canterbury for the
Government.
 We are strongly aligned to the Youth Guarantee
goals of achievement, retention and transitions.
Creating New Models
Schools can enhance and grow learning opportunities
for students through different educational delivery
models to achieve deep and sustained student
engagement and achievement
Learning Opportunities
 Choice: Large, diverse choice of subjects
Philosophy - electronics , psychology - trade science
 Packaged Programmes: Pre-Nursing Studies,
Leadership Laboratory
 Full-focus courses: Jewellery Design: Early Childhood
 Schools within Schools Initiative: Theatre Company,
School of Fashion, School of Cuisine, Tertiary Trades
Academy, School of Music, School of Dance
• Clustering Communities
Refugee HW Centres, School of Young Writers & Writers
Institute, Industry Partnerships, Catch-Up College
Transitions Example
Catch-Up College
 In 2013 the college had 105 students from
Canterbury and beyond that came for the
‘Catch-Up’ programme.
 These students failed to gain entry into university.
 96% of these students were successful by
completing their qualifications and gained entry
into their university in the same year.
 All of these students had left secondary school
and would not have gone to university.
 This is a very good outcome for the BPS target
leading to Level 4+ qualifications.
Pathways Example
School of Fashion
 Full-time immersion into fashion and design.
 Level 3 National Qualifications with strong
staircasing and pathways.
 Most students enter with low or no qualifications.
 Mixture of adolescent and adult students with
ethnic diversity. (NZE, Maori, Pasifika, Asian).
 Retention is at 94%.
 The achievement rate is also 94% NCEA L2+ with
most students gaining NCEA L3. This is a very
good outcome for both BPS targets.
Using A Framework
The use of key criteria based on action research and
real practice to guide the development of a learning
pathway –’ programme design for engaging schools’
Where do we start?
 Develop a concept around a students passion or
interest and one that is grounded in their world or
develop an area that has the potential to fire their
imagination. Eg Music, Health, Life Sciences.
 Be prepared to immerse the student(s) into this as
a programme of full-time study (20+ hrs).
 Apply the design principles for ‘engaging schools’
 Align assessments and qualifications across the
design principles.
 Create next steps pathways for on-going learning.
www.innovationunit.org
Learning Futures Booklets
Leaders Handbook
Design Principles for Engaging Schools
Design Principles
 These design principles are essential components
to help design an effective programme or to
evaluate an existing programme.
 The design principles cover four key areas:
 Pedagogy and assessment design principles
 Curriculum design principles
 Teachers and students design principles
 Parents and community design principles
What are the design principles for . . .
1. Pedagogy & Assessment?
Commitment to rigorous project
based learning.
Rebalance student enquiry and
transmission teaching.
Maximise time for deep learning
by simplifying the timetable.
Use authentic real world assessment.
What are the design principles for . . .
2. Curriculum?
Integrate curriculum subjects within
student projects.
Have a curriculum which integrates
head and hand – knowing and
doing.
What are the design principles for . . .
3. Teachers and Students?
Teachers plan, design and teach in
teams.
Teachers really know their students
as individuals, and students feel
known as learners.
Students feel a sense of ownership
and take responsibility for their
learning.
What are the design principles for . . .
4. Parents & Community?
Persuade local organisations to
provide authentic locations and
opportunities for learning..
Actively involve parents and
volunteers as tutors, experts, mentors
and coaches..
Work in partnership with parents and
respect them as the primary
educators of their children.
Our Next Steps
The transition Hagley is making to provide a
comprehensive number of F/T immersion learning
pathway programmes.
Priorities to Action
 Schools within schools eg School of Music, School
of Fashion. Evaluation against the design
principles for engaging schools.
 Vocational Pathways eg CTC and HCC
 Vocational Pathways Mentor
 Strategies to Literacy and Numeracy
 The development of learning pathways
 Evidence based model in teaching and learning
F/T Pathway Programmes:
Achievement, Retention, Transitions
 Discussion at department level on
what might be possible.
 Discussion at individual or small group
level.
 No set model but possibly a variety of
models. (Vocational Pathways MOE
and Engaged Schools Design
Principles are great starting points)
 Initial focus on NQF Level 2.
 The target for implementation is 2015
but might be possible to introduce one
or two examples for 2014.
The Personal Story
Students at the heart of learning and learning at the
heart of students. Transformational stories.
The personal face of a ‘school within a school’
What is the impact?
Otago Polytechnic
(Degree Course)
Creating Options: CPIT &
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
Christchurch Press, October 16, 2013
I owe my success to Hagley