Career information, advice and
guidance
delivered by Skills Development
Scotland
in South Ayrshire
25 March 2016
A report by HM Inspectors
The external review process
HM Inspectors undertake an independent review of the quality of provision of Career
information, advice and guidance (CIAG) delivered by Skills Development Scotland
(SDS) on behalf of the Scottish Government under a service level agreement between
the Scottish Government and Education Scotland. External review teams include HM
Inspectors and associate assessors.
During external reviews, members of the review teams observe group activities and hold
discussions with customers, staff and stakeholders. They consider information on the
quality of careers information, advice and guidance. They meet with recipients of the
service and obtain feedback from groups, partners and staff who work for SDS.
The purpose of this report is to convey the main outcomes arising from the external
review, to acknowledge service’s strengths and to provide a clear agenda for future
action to improve and enhance quality.
This external review results in judgements of grades that express the external review
team’s overall evaluation of Outcome and Impact, Service Delivery and Leadership and
quality culture and a judgement on capacity to improve based on the evidence from all
key areas, in particular Outcomes, Impact and Leadership.
The report also uses the following terms to describe
numbers and proportions:
almost all
most
majority
less than half
few
over 90%
75-90%
50-74%
15-49%
up to 15%
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Contents
Page
1.
Introduction
The external review
1
2.
Policy context
2
3.
The service and its context
3
4.
Background information
4
5.
Outcomes of external review
Judgement of grades
6
Section A:
Section B:
Section C:
Section D:
6.
Grades
Areas of positive practice
Areas for development
Main points for action
6
6
7
7
Outcome and Impact
How well are customers progressing and achieving relevant
high quality outcomes?
How well does the service meet the needs of stakeholders?
8
7.
Service Delivery
How good is delivery of key services?
How good is management of key services?
11
11
14
8.
Leadership and quality culture
How good is strategic leadership?
16
9.
Capacity to improve based on evidence from Outcomes and
impact, Service delivery and Strategic leadership
18
8
8
10. What happens next?
19
11.
Further information
19
12.
How can you contact us?
20
Appendices
21
Glossary of terms
21
1.
Introduction
The external review
The external review by Education Scotland took place between 25 January and
29 January 2016. The review focused on CIAG services delivered by SDS in South
Ayrshire area.
We examined activities that impact on the quality of customer experience. We
evaluated these against the three key principles of Outcomes and Impact, Service
Delivery and Leadership and Quality Culture using the 19 reference quality indicators
outlined in External quality arrangements for the review of Careers Information Advice
and Guidance services delivered by Skills Development Scotland, published in
May 2015.
The external review team talked with customers, staff at all levels in the organisation,
external agencies and other users of the service.
1
2.
Policy Context
The role of Skills Development Scotland
SDS all-age career information, advice and guidance services aims to support young
people and adults to make a positive transition into continued education, training or the
world of work. SDS achieves this by supporting customers in their development of
career management skills (CMS) which lay the foundations for success in their future
careers.
The services provided by SDS in schools are driven by the ambitions of Curriculum for
Excellence. Accordingly there are significant interdependencies between the roles and
responsibilities of schools and wider partners, the design and delivery of school
curriculum and the services provided by SDS. Planning for successful service delivery
through School Partnership Agreements requires effective collaboration between SDS
and its partners.
In March 2011, the Scottish Government published a framework for the redesign and
improvement of CIAG services. As the largest provider of CIAG services in Scotland,
SDS has a lead role in implementing this change. This change has been implemented
through an integrated service involving face to face meetings, communication through
contact centre and an online CMS environment, My World of Work (MyWoW).
Currently, this service is delivered on-site in Scotland’s 364 secondary schools.
Services include a blend of one-to-one Career Coaching support, facilitated group
sessions, drop in sessions, and supported access to MyWoW. The level of intensity of
support is determined by an assessment of pupil needs made in discussion with
schools. The greatest proportion of Career Coach support is provided to those young
people deemed at ‘medium or maximum risk’ of not securing and sustaining a place in
education, training or work.
Underpinning service delivery is the commitment of SDS to work with partners in
schools, local authorities and Education Scotland to build capacity to deliver the
ambitions of Curriculum for Excellence - Building the Curriculum 4, in particular
development of CMS. This partnership approach supports schools to deliver this
component of Curriculum for Excellence, whilst creating a learning context for young
people that is compatible with and builds upon the service delivery commitments of
SDS. As a result, much of the work of SDS requires effective collaboration with a range
of partners at national and local levels.
SDS has a key role to play in the delivery of the Scottish Government’s Opportunities for
All initiative, under which all 16-19 year olds will receive an offer of a place in learning or
training. SDS work in this area has been reinforced with the passage of legislation
allowing SDS and key partners, including Local Authorities, schools and Further
Education Institutions to share data on all the young people they work with. The
Post 16 Education (Scotland) Act 2013 and the statutory guidance mandate SDS and
key partners to share data in order to support young people in their post-school
transitions.
2
3.
The service area and its context
In carrying out the external review of services delivered in South Ayrshire Area,
Education Scotland took the following area context fully into account.
SDS CIAG services in South Ayrshire are delivered from the main centre in Carrick
Street, Ayr, and Youth Employability Hubs in Girvan, Troon, Ayr and Maybole.
Seventeen members of staff are employed to deliver CIAG services in the area,
(11.9 FTE).
South Ayrshire’s land area is the 15th largest area by land mass in Scotland, covering
around 1,222 square kilometres. The area is a mixture of urban, rural and isolated
communities. South Ayrshire has a population of 112,510 which accounts for 2.1% of
the total population of Scotland. Since 1988 the population has fallen overall, whereas
Scotland’s population has risen over the same period.
The Ayrshire economy as a whole generates 5% of the total Scottish Gross Value
added output, 40% of which comes from South Ayrshire. In recent years economic
growth has lagged behind both the Scottish and UK averages. South Ayrshire has a
higher proportion of businesses in retail, accommodation and food service, arts,
entertainment and recreation, agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors than the Scottish
average. The largest category of occupation is 'professional occupations', employing
16% of all employed people in South Ayrshire.
The employment rate for residents aged 16 to 64 increased by 3% in the year
March 2012 to March 2013. However, South Ayrshire’s employment rate is below the
rate for both Scotland as a whole and the UK and has been for the last four years. The
areas of highest deprivation are in Ayr North and Girvan. These communities account
for around 10% of the working-age population and approximately a quarter of those who
are unemployed in South Ayrshire. The unemployment count for 18-24 year olds has
fallen faster than the Scottish average in the last three years. The average weekly
earnings of fulltime workers in South Ayrshire is above the Scottish average.
There are eight secondary schools and two Additional Support Needs schools in the
area. Each school is supported by an SDS Career Coach, Work Coach, and Personal
Adviser. The team also offers CIAG services to learners studying at Ayrshire College.
3
4.
Background information
Terminologies used in this report.
The term ‘service area’ is used to describe the geographical area referred to in this
report. SDS uses a variety of approaches to deliver CIAG services. This is often
referred to as a blended service. SDS promotes a Universal Offer to support all
secondary school pupils. In addition, a Targeted Service Offer is aimed at pupils who
are at risk of not entering or sustaining a positive destination. SDS offers access to a
range of services for post-school customers. The different offers are shown below:
SDS School Universal Offer consists of:
o Access to My World of Work (MyWoW) web service
o Group-work sessions on:
 Introduction to MyWoW
 Introduction to career management skills (CMS)
 Introduction to labour market information (LMI)
o Drop-in clinics for career management and employability
o Opportunity for any pupil to request a face to face session
SDS School Targeted Service Offer consists of:
o
Structured programme of one-to-one career coaching
o Handover to dedicated work coach
SDS Post-school 16-19 Service Offer consists of:
o
o
o
o
o
Access to MyWoW web service
Structured programme of one-to-one career coaching
Dedicated work coach service for targeted young people
Telephone access to SDS contact centre
Open access to public centres (47 locations throughout Scotland)
SDS All age Service Offer (adults) consists of:
o
o
o
o
o
Access to MyWoW web service
Access to one-to-one career coaching
Telephone access to SDS contact centre
Partnership action for continuing employment (PACE)
Integrated employment and skills (IES) – joint work activities with Job
Centre Plus
o Open access to public centres (47 locations throughout Scotland)
Further information on Skills Development Scotland’s services to individuals and
employers can be found at www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk. My World of Work
web service can be accessed at www.myworldofwork.co.uk.
4
Staff roles
In South Ayrshire, SDS use a number of titles to describe the roles of the staff. These
include Career Coach, Work Coach and Personal Advisor. Throughout this report, the
term careers staff is used to refer to all staff involved in delivering CIAG services.
One-to-one career coaching sessions
A major strand of SDS CIAG work is the delivery of one-to-one Career Coaching
sessions revised arrangements for external review now include observation of
one-to-one Career Coaching sessions as part of the evaluation of SDS CIAG services
within this report.
5
5.
Outcomes of External Review
Judgement of Grades
Section A:
Grades
The review team awarded grades for each of the six key themes based on the following
criteria:
excellent:
very good:
good:
satisfactory:
weak:
unsatisfactory:
Outstanding and sector leading
Major strengths
Important strengths with some areas for improvement
Strengths just outweigh weaknesses
Important weaknesses
Major weaknesses
Key theme
Grade
Customer progression and achievement of
relevant high quality outcomes
very good
Meeting the needs of stakeholders
excellent
Delivery of key services
very good
Management of service delivery
excellent
Strategic leadership
excellent
Capacity for improvement
excellent
Section B:
Areas of positive practice

In 2014/15, the number of young people entering a positive destination on leaving
school in South Ayrshire is 94.3%, which is above the national performance rate.

Over the last three years there have been no unconfirmed destinations of school
leavers in the School Leaver Destination Returns (SLDR).

SDS careers staff work collaboratively and effectively with all secondary schools to
prioritise actions to support school pupils to progress to positive destinations.

The area team takes very good account of the needs of local communities in
South Ayrshire.
6

The area manager and team leader work productively with staff in the local
authority to plan delivery of services.

Almost all schools have made significant progress in developing approaches to
embed CMS within curriculum delivery.

The revised SDS CIAG universal offer is being used effectively careers staff to
plan and deliver approaches to support younger pupils (from P7 to S3) to develop
Career Management Skills (CMS).

The Local Management Team (LMT) provides highly effective leadership for the
delivery of CIAG services in South Ayrshire.

Managers support staff well to develop positive and productive partnerships.

Managers empower staff to reflect on delivery and implement innovative and
creative solutions to meet the needs of the local area.

The LMT adopt well-considered strategies to support the skills development of
staff and their wider understanding of the CIAG services.

The recently introduced Everyday Leadership approach is impacting positively on
the staff ownership of service delivery and is supporting the development of
leadership skills across the team.
Section C:
Areas for development

In 2013/14 leaver destinations for six of the eight secondary schools are above the
national average. However, two of the secondary schools are below the national
average.

SPAs do not always reflect the full detail of innovative and creative approaches
being developed and piloted in schools.
Section D:

Main points for action
SDS should continue to work with schools to further develop the use of
School Partnership Agreements (SPA) to fully reflect the approaches being
developed and piloted in schools to develop CMS.
7
6.
Outcomes and Impact
How well are customers progressing and achieving relevant, high quality
outcomes?
How effective is the area team at achieving and maintaining high levels of service
delivery?
The South Ayrshire area team makes very effective use of national and local targets to
plan delivery of services and in 2014/15 met all nationally set targets. The
unemployment claimant count for 18-24 year olds has fallen faster than the Scottish
average over the last three years.
Over the last three years the number of young people entering a positive destination on
leaving school increased faster than that of the rest of Scotland. In 2014/15, the
number of young people entering a positive destination was 94.3%, which is 0.4%
percentage points above the national performance rate.
In 2013/14 SLDR rates in South Ayrshire were 92.1% compared to a national average
of 92.3%, with six of the eight secondary schools achieving rates above the national
average. However, two of the secondary schools were below the national average.
The number of young people who sustained their initial positive destination in 2013/14
was 91.9% which is 0.4 percentage points above the national average. Over the last
three years there have been no unconfirmed destinations of school leavers in the
SLDR.
SDS careers staff work collaboratively and effectively with all secondary schools to
prioritise actions to support school pupils to progress to positive destinations. They
make very good use of SPAs to agree targets for delivery of services and monitor and
review targets regularly. The area team works collaboratively and effectively with a
range of partners to ensure that young people who withdraw from initial destinations
re-engage and progress to other positive destinations.
How well does the service meet the needs of stakeholders?
How well do customers make progress and achieve individual outcomes?
The SDS careers centre is situated conveniently in the main town of Ayr. Centre
facilities are accessible to customers with restricted mobility and wheelchair users.
In order to overcome geographical and transport challenges, staff utilise a network of
Youth Employment Hubs (YEHs) located within partner premises to deliver services
within local areas. This enables customers to access services within their own
community. Partners recognise the significant role the YEHs are playing in engaging
positively with young people and adults and supporting progression. All staff make
effective and innovative use of the CMS framework to develop customer understanding
and support progression to positive destinations.
SDS careers staff have a very strong presence within all secondary schools in the area.
Individual Career Coaches are visible within schools and their input is valued highly by
8
school partners. The range of CIAG services offered to school pupils is well planned,
appropriate and meets the needs of school-age customers well overall. Almost all
group work sessions delivered by SDS staff are helpful in supporting school pupils to
develop CMS. Almost all schools provide pupils with opportunities to further develop or
consolidate these skills within the broader school curriculum. Young learners studying
programmes at Ayrshire College are supported well by careers staff to access CIAG
services and develop CMS.
SDS careers staff take good account of changes to the customer profile in South
Ayrshire. This includes the increase in the number of adult customers who are
25+ years of age and the impact of welfare reform. The SDS area manager and team
leader work very effectively with staff from the Department for Work and Pensions
(DWP) and other agencies to coordinate and plan approaches that meet the needs of
this customer group. This includes taking account of the roll out of Universal Credit and
the Integrated Employment and Skills (IES) service offer.
The area team makes effective use of Career Development Plans (CDPs) to help
customers make progress towards achieving their individual goals and targets. Effective
promotion of a wide range of opportunities, including Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) is
raising awareness of school pupils of pathways through the senior phase and beyond.
The area team uses and shares data effectively with partners to track young people and
support them to sustain positive destinations.
SDS careers staff are supporting an increasing number of young people who are
care-experienced or who have additional support needs to participate in relevant work
experience opportunities. Staff work well with partners to help young people to develop
their understanding of the world of work through delivery of the employability
qualifications.
How well do services meet the needs of relevant communities and other local and
national stakeholders?
The area team takes very good account of the needs of local communities in South
Ayrshire. SDS careers staff demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the needs of
customers and work well with partners to deliver services which meet the needs of
individuals and groups. They make good use of a network of YEH to provide services
within local communities. Some partners are replicating the YEH model adopted by
SDS staff to extend and deliver services to adults.
The area manager and team leader work productively with staff in the local authority to
plan delivery of services. They work well to resolve issues and plan approaches to meet
local and national priorities including arrangements for Developing the Young Workforce
(DYW) and meeting the requirements of The Children’s and Young Persons Act 2014.
Careers staff and partners in secondary schools work together well to design and
deliver activities to embed CMS across the wider school curriculum. More Choices
More Chances (MCMC) groups work collaboratively and use the needs matrix
effectively to target support. Innovative pilot projects in pupil profiling are enhancing the
use of the needs matrix to identify and support pupils who need additional engagement.
However, SPAs do not always capture the innovative and creative approaches being
developed and piloted in schools.
9
Key stakeholders and partners work collegiately and productively to support young
people who have become disengaged from learning. They use data very effectively to
vigilantly chart and monitor the destinations of young people. As a result, the
destinations of all young people have been accounted for over the last three years. The
YEH partnerships work effectively to plan deployment of resources to meet the needs of
individual communities.
Across South Ayrshire, partners contribute productively to Partnership Action for
Continuing Employment (PACE) activities. The team leader supports PACE partners
well to respond quickly to assist employers and coordinate support for employees facing
redundancy. Local labour market information (LMI) is used well by partners to help
adults experiencing a redundancy situation to progress to other employment
opportunities or develop new skills.
10
7.
Service Delivery
How good is delivery of key services?
How well do services meet the needs of all customers?
All careers staff work together very effectively to deliver a highly visible and flexible
service to customers across South Ayrshire. They use local intelligence well to identify
and target delivery for all customer groups, including young people in broad general
education, and in support of DYW early intervention strategies. All careers staff work
well with partner agencies including DWP, Access to Employment and South Ayrshire
Employability and Skills Team to provide opportunities for customers to access CIAG
services. All staff are innovative and creative in their approach to the delivery of CIAG
services. They regularly adapt resources to better meets the needs of customers.
All careers staff engage effectively with customers who have additional barriers to
learning. They work collaboratively with school staff to deliver CMS as part of the SQA
Employability Award to enable pupils to develop their skills and raise aspirations.
Careers staff meet the needs of post school customers well. They devise and deliver a
range of highly effective employability workshops to support adult customers who are
seeking employment. The Lifelong Learning Partnership provides effective inter-agency
referral to assist customers who require access to further support. The area team is
working increasingly with the local college to provide targeted support to customers who
require help to sustain their learning and progress to a positive destination.
In schools, careers staff use an appropriate range of delivery approaches including
one-to-one coaching, group work and MyWoW sessions to engage school-age learners
positively in developing CMS. SDS staff participation in parents’ evenings and career
events is helping to raise awareness of the full range of opportunities available to young
people.
Careers staff and school managers regularly review and revise the needs matrix to
target support for pupils who are most at risk of not entering a positive destination.
Almost all schools have made significant progress in developing approaches to embed
CMS within curriculum delivery and are actively encouraging subject teachers to engage
pupils in developing CMS within subject areas. Collective planning of careers
development and work experience is supporting school pupils well to make informed
choices. Almost all young people are able to identify the skills they are developing for
employment.
All customers value the individualised support they receive from SDS staff. They are
able to describe the ways in which services have supported them to develop CMS.
Partners, particularly schools, are appreciative of the seamless approach to delivery of
services.
11
How effective are relationships with customers?
The area team has established highly proactive and productive relationships with a
diverse range of customers and partners. Staff make good use of the coaching
approach during one-to-one engagements to establish a positive rapport and support
customers to gain confidence in developing CMS.
Staff are highly committed to developing and sustaining high quality relationships with
customers. Almost all customers value highly the support they receive from SDS staff.
They regard staff as approachable, accessible and take good account of their individual
needs and circumstances. School staff speak highly of the proactive approach adopted
by Career Coaches in their work with pupils.
Most customers can identify how development of CMS has supported them to identify
progression pathways and plan steps to realise their aspirations. As a result of positive
relationships with SDS staff, customers are confident in accessing the full range of
services.
How accessible, flexible and inclusive are services?
All careers staff work well with a range of community partners to identify the needs of
school-age and adult customers. Staff recognise and anticipate the barriers which can
inhibit access to CIAG services for customers and take appropriate steps to help
overcome them. School pupils, parents and caregivers are very appreciative of the
flexible and responsive service provided by the area team, including home visits if
required.
All careers staff create welcoming and supportive environments that encourage
customers to visit SDS centres to access CIAG services. Careers staff use My Career
Plan well to help customers with additional needs to develop CMS. The Creating
Connections event and associated materials have increased awareness across all
partner agencies of the range of CIAG services available to support this customer
group.
SDS staff make effective use of the needs matrix to allocate resources and plan levels
of engagement at key stages for school-age and post-school customers. Staff are
engaging well in innovative projects at Marr College and Girvan Academy to further
assess the needs of individual pupils and direct support where it is most needed. Within
the projects, young people who have been assessed as being most at risk of not
sustaining a positive destination, receive more frequent engagement with a Work
Coach.
Managers make good use of the skills and expertise of staff to plan and develop
approaches which take good account of the needs all customer groups. Employability
YEH within local communities are contributing positively to the destinations of
customers from all parts of South Ayrshire.
12
How well are services delivered?
The area work-plan is effective in planning delivery of CIAG services in schools. SPAs
are in place for all schools and are reviewed regularly by careers staff and school
managers. Overall, SPAs are very effective in ensuring engagement and planning of
services throughout the school year. SDS use a wide range of creative and innovative
approaches and initiatives to engage school pupils in developing CMS.
In almost all schools, careers staff work well with guidance staff to plan and deliver
services as part of a personal and social education programme and link the
development of CMS to the wider curriculum. These arrangements are working well
and are helping to equip young people in the senior phase of Curriculum for Excellence
(CfE) with skills for employability. The revised SDS CIAG universal offer is being used
effectively by careers staff to plan and deliver approaches to support younger pupils
(from P7 to S3) to develop CMS. This is helping to introduce young people to the range
of future opportunities and progression pathways available to them.
All careers staff are highly visible and accessible within schools and use their
professional knowledge creatively to deliver effective group work sessions to school
pupils. As a result, most school pupils can identify the range of opportunities available
to them on leaving school.
CIAG services are promoted well through the use of visual display screens and notice
boards. SDS staff ensure that partners have an up-to-date knowledge of the range of
CIAG services and resources available across South Ayrshire. Across partner
agencies, CIAG services are well-signposted and there are effective referral
arrangements to ensure customers and partners are able to access additional support
when required. Careers staff develop customers’ independence and confidence in
developing CMS through interactive group work and one-to-one coaching engagements.
Almost all customers engage well in CMS sessions and display knowledge and
understanding of how to apply these skills in researching and planning next steps in
their learning or employment.
All careers staff have a comprehensive and current knowledge LMI. They use this
effectively across South Ayrshire, with customers and partners, to raise awareness of
local employment opportunities. The local PACE partnership uses LMI well to support
individuals and employers facing redundancy to progress to suitable alternative job
opportunities or further learning.
13
How well do staff reflect on service delivery to improve services?
Within the area team there is a strong culture of quality enhancement. Careers staff
use a range of formal processes well to reflect on and review service delivery. The area
team draws very effectively on these arrangements to make improvements to the
delivery of services for customers. The observation framework is used well to identify
areas for development and share good practice. SDS managers from across Ayrshire
work with the South Ayrshire team to undertake observations and support reflection and
future planning. Careers staff use the Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) well to plan
work and set targets for improvement. This has included supporting the post-school
team to implement CMS assessments, to help develop skills and plan future needs
based on feedback from school Career Coaches.
Reflective practice is used productively by all careers staff to discuss and share ideas to
enhance delivery of services. All staff engage enthusiastically in informal professional
dialogue and sharing of practice which creates a positive ethos and culture of
continuous improvement. Across the team Everyday Leadership is supporting regular
reflection and action planning well. The team gathers and uses good practice with other
agencies through participation in the Equalities Group, Employment Hubs and PACE.
All careers staff support each other very well to deliver high quality CIAG services to the
full range of customers. They regularly discuss current research and ideas to inform
new practice to better reflect current employment needs. For example Personal
Advisors have created and refined CV workshop materials to reflect employer needs
which they have shared throughout Ayrshire.
How good is management of key services?
How well does the organisation work with partners to improve outcomes for
customers?
Partnership working in South Ayrshire is very effective. The area team contributes
effectively to a wide range of strategic partnerships to improve outcomes for customers.
SDS managers are valued as key strategic and operational partners in taking forward
local priorities for DYW and MCMC. In all secondary schools there is very effective
partnership working in the MCMC groups to support and manage progression pathways
for all school leavers and unemployed young people aged 16-19.
SDS careers staff contribute very effectively to a wide range of community and area
projects. This is helping to improve awareness of partners of the range of CIAG
services and how CMS development can support customers. There are examples of
multiple agencies working together to provide support to vulnerable young people,
including and in particular, care experienced young people. Careers staff work
effectively with staff in DWP to support customers to meet the mandatory requirements
of Universal Credit. Joint delivery of well-considered services is helping to develop the
employability skills of post-school customers.
The SDS team leader chairs the Employability Forum and works well with an extensive
and diverse range of partners including Ayrshire College, Community Learning and
Development (CLD) organisations and the voluntary sector to provide a comprehensive
range of options for customers. The Employability Forum has been innovative in
14
embedding CMS within Employment Fund referral and review processes and in
establishing common terminologies across partners to aid professional dialogue.
The area team proactively supports partners to develop understanding of CMS and its
role in taking forward DYW. This approach is reflected in the team’s response to local
and national initiatives and staff are working with partners to identify collective solutions
which reflect local contexts. For example, careers staff are working with DWP to
support post-school customers to develop CMS and employability skills to enhance
work prospects.
The area team are part of an Ayrshire Equalities Group. All SDS members have
individual and collective responsibilities to lead on specific issues and draw on this to
plan activities to develop the awareness and skills of staff and partners.
There is widespread recognition amongst all partners of the valuable role which the area
team play in the Learning Community Partnership as an all age service and in
contributing to the CLD action plan.
How effective is the organisation’s knowledge and information management in
supporting service delivery?
The area team shares management information to plan, profile and monitor service
delivery as set out in the SDS South Ayrshire Work Plan. Processes are in place and
used effectively by the area team to analyse impact, inform future planning and plan
allocation of resources. Progress towards targets is reviewed regularly by the area
manager and team leader and shared with the South Ayrshire team at team meetings.
Pupil profiles and the needs matrix are regularly updated and monitored by schools,
careers staff and relevant partners to ensure all stakeholders understand the
requirements and needs of customers.
Staff adhere to statutory requirements and make good use of national, regional and
local data to inform local planning and strategy. LMI is used well by staff to support
planning for future provision. Staff use SDS Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and
data from the Customer Support System and Employability Fund, effectively to guide
approaches to plan the delivery of services. SDS staff apply statutory requirements
appropriately. They proactively make arrangements to address issues around equality
and diversity and additional support needs.
Partners use the Data Hub effectively to analyse the requirement for services and
provision. The effective capture and use of data by partners has helped to ensure the
destinations of all school leavers are recorded and there are no unknown (no
unconfirmed status) school leavers in South Ayrshire. However, this information is not
always used consistently by partner agencies to plan future services.
15
8.
Leadership and quality culture
How good is strategic leadership?
How effective is leadership for partnership working and service delivery?
The LMT provides highly effective leadership for the delivery of CIAG services in South
Ayrshire. Managers support staff well to develop positive and productive partnerships.
All staff are highly committed to the vision of SDS and take good account of local,
regional and national priorities to address the development of CIAG services. They
consider well the local economy and future skills requirements to develop effective plans
to meet the needs of a broad range of service users. Planning takes good account of
local and national priorities including DYW and the Career Education Standard. The
LMT works productively and collaboratively with partners to maximise the use of
resources.
The LMT has a high regard and trust of staff to develop and design appropriate
methodologies which deliver positive outcomes for customers and partners. Managers
empower staff to reflect on delivery and implement innovative and creative solutions to
meet the needs of the local area. All staff are highly motivated and enthused by the
opportunities given to them to develop approaches to meet the needs of customers.
They work well as a team to address the development of CMS in a South Ayrshire
context. Everyday Leadership is used well to utilise the skills and expertise of staff to
best effect.
How well do leaders develop and lead people?
The LMT adopt well-considered strategies to support the skills development of staff and
their wider understanding of the CIAG services. The Aspire process is used well to plan
CPD opportunities for staff based on the needs of both individual staff members and the
area team as a whole. Staff recognise and value the ability to progress in the
organisation through completing formal qualifications including Qualifications in Career
Guidance and Development. Staff engage regularly in CPD opportunities to enhance
and develop their individual skills.
The area team has a strong commitment to developing services and have regular formal
and informal meetings to share practice, plan provision and develop skills of staff.
The recently introduced Everyday Leadership approach is impacting positively on the
staff ownership of service delivery and is supporting the development of leadership skills
across the team.
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How well do leaders secure improvement of quality and impact of services?
The area team shares a strong commitment to ongoing and continuous quality
enhancement. Staff use a wide range of national and locally devised feedback well to
evaluate provision and identify actions to enhance the quality of services. The business
excellence approach is used well by staff to identify and implement improvements to
services. The CIP is monitored, reviewed and updated regularly to record progress on
actions and identify improvements.
Staff take good account of a range of data and feedback from partners and
stakeholders to inform future planning and improve outcomes for customers. They are
proactive in identifying local issues within schools and other partners and take prompt
action to address them. This is leading to improvements in positive destinations for
customers across South Ayrshire. A number of innovative projects, for example the
pupil profiling projects, are impacting very positively on service delivery.
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9.
Capacity to improve based on evidence from Outcomes and
impact, Service delivery and Strategic leadership
The LMT provides highly effective leadership for the delivery of CIAG services in South
Ayrshire. Managers support staff well to develop positive and productive partnerships.
All staff are highly committed to the vision of SDS and take good account of local,
regional and national priorities to address the development of CIAG services.
Partnership working in South Ayrshire is very effective. The area team contributes
effectively to a wide range of strategic partnerships to improve outcomes for customers.
All careers staff work well with a range of community partners to identify the needs of
school-age and adult customers. Staff recognise and anticipate the barriers which can
inhibit access to CIAG services for customers and take appropriate steps to help
overcome them.
The LMT adopt well-considered strategies to support the skills development of staff and
their wider understanding of the CIAG services. The Aspire process is used well to plan
CPD opportunities for staff based on the needs of both individual staff members and the
area team as a whole.
The area team shares a strong commitment to ongoing and continuous quality
enhancement. Staff use a wide range of national and locally devised feedback well to
evaluate provision and identify actions to enhance the quality of services. The area
team share management information to effectively plan, profile and monitor service
delivery as set out in the SDS South Ayrshire Work plan. Processes are in place and
used effectively by the area team to analyse impact and inform future planning and
resource allocation.
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10. What happens next?
Following publication of this report, SDS and partners are expected to produce an action
plan to address the main points for action and/or areas for development in the report
and other quality assurance and enhancement activities.
A follow up visit will be carried out involving SDS and partners 18 months after the initial
review to determine if satisfactory progress has been made towards the main points for
action.
Barbara Nelson
HM Inspector
11. Further information
The review and judgements relate to the service area as a whole. For further
information about Education Scotland, the external review methodologies, or other
information about reviews, see www.educationscotland.gov.uk
For further information about Skills Development Scotland, see
http://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/
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12. How can you contact us?
This report has been produced as a web-only publication and is available on our
website at
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/othersectors/careerss
ervices/index.asp
If you would like to receive this report in a different format, for example, in a translation
please contact the administration team on 0131 244 5684.
If you want to give us feedback or make a complaint about our work, please contact us
by telephone on 0131 244 4330, or email: complaints@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk or
write to us addressing your letter to The Complaints Manager, Denholm House,
Almondvale Business Park, Livingston, EH54 6GA.
Crown Copyright 2016
Education Scotland
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Appendix 1
Glossary of terms
CIAG
CIP
CLD
CMS
CPD
DWP
DYW
IES
LMI
LMT
MCMC
MyWoW
PACE
SDS
SLDR
SOP
SPA
SQA
Careers Information, Advice and Guidance
Continuous Improvement Plan
Community Learning and Development
Career Management Skills
Continuous Professional Development
Department for Work and Pensions
Developing the Young Workforce
Integrated Employment Skills
Labour Market Information
Local Management Team
More Choices More Chances
My World of Work
Partnership action for continuing employment
Skills Development Scotland
School Leaver Destination Returns
Standard Operating Procedure
School Partnership Agreement
Scottish Qualification Authority
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