DETERMINED TO SUCCEED
LOCAL AUTHORITY DETERMINED TO SUCCEED
PROGRESS REPORTS 2008-11
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND KEY MESSAGES
Ruth Bryan and Sue Granville
George Street Research
Scottish Government Social Research
2011
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
Determined to Succeed (DtS) is a strategy to develop the enterprise and
employability skills of young people, ‘better preparing them for work and life in a
globalised society through embedding enterprise in education across and within the
curriculum and ethos in every school in Scotland’1. The second phase of DtS ran
from 2008-11. There are four key strands to DtS: enterprising learning and
teaching; entrepreneurial learning; work-based vocational learning; and appropriately
focused career education.
Each local authority is responsible for the delivery and reporting of DtS, and progress
reports were submitted in 2008-09 and 2009-10. The Scottish Government
Enterprise and Employability for Young People Division, Determined to Succeed
team, commissioned George Street Research to conduct a review of the 2009-10
reports, and to undertake further research in 2010-11.
Aims and objectives
The aims of the research were to:
 conduct desk research to produce a composite report analysing the 2009-10
local authority progress reports by question (this is available as a stand-alone
report which outlines findings of the analysis and includes examples of best
practice across local authorities)
 conduct qualitative research to gain an in-depth understanding of the critical
success factors and challenges in delivering DtS, and an overview of the
achievements of the strategy overall
 produce a final report describing the key messages under each of the four
strands of DtS in relation to achievements, success factors, challenges, and
sustainability of enterprise in education within Curriculum for Excellence
Methodology
In 2009-10, George Street Research conducted desk research analysing the 32 local
authorities’ reports, and an additional report submitted by Jordanhill School. A
bespoke analysis matrix was developed and findings were presented for each of the
progress report questions. In 2010-11, telephone interviews were conducted with
key local authority contacts in order to gain more in-depth information about the
issues involved in delivering DtS.
Key findings
Funding, leadership and developing capacity
A number of overarching factors have contributed to the successful delivery of DtS,
including:
1
See for example http://www.employersandyoungpeople.org/Home
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The National DtS Team, which has provided strategic input, facilitated sharing
of good practice, and provided individual support and leadership development
opportunities for local authority contacts
Local authority Development Officers have played a vital role in promoting
and supporting delivery of DtS in schools
Ring-fenced DtS funding has been crucial in ‘kick-starting’ many initiatives,
and has been used in a wide variety of ways
A devolved model of delivery, enabling local authorities to make decisions to
suit their own needs (with central support where required)
Leadership within schools – attitudes and commitment of senior management
teams is crucial
DtS has been characterised by strong partnership working at both a strategic
level and in the day-to-day management of DtS activities
Enterprising learning and teaching
Enterprise in education is viewed as a crucial part of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE)
across local authorities, and is reflected in relevant strategy papers and guidance
documents. Schools are increasingly embedding enterprising approaches across
the curriculum. Critical success factors in this area include:
 The timing of DtS and its relevance for Curriculum for Excellence
 Commitment / enthusiasm demonstrated by school senior management
teams / other school staff
 Staffing structures in place to deliver DtS (e.g. using school-based enterprise
coordinators)
 The role of DtS Development Officers in developing School Improvement
Plans and input to the Quality Assurance process
 Actions taken to build capacity, including formal and informal CPD
 Activities undertaken to broaden the reach of DtS to a range of sectors
 A focus on enhancing Scotland’s international profile
Challenges in this area were harder to identify. The main issues included:
 Challenging traditional views of ‘enterprise’ and ensuring that it is seen as an
integral part of learning and teaching rather than an ‘add-on’ activity
 Ensuring buy-in across all schools
 Ensuring enterprise is embedded across the curriculum in secondary schools
as well as primary schools
 Competing demands facing schools / other issues to contend with
Entrepreneurial learning
Entrepreneurial learning has been developed through a range of activities, including
entrepreneurial challenges, development of social enterprises, and other specific
projects. Critical success factors in developing entrepreneurial learning include:
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Partnership working with organisations such as Young Enterprise Scotland,
the Princes Scottish Youth Business Trust, The Social Enterprise Academy,
The Co-operative Education Trust and involvement in the Social Enterprise
Awards and Young Enterprise Company Programme
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Activities undertaken to enhance our international profile (e.g. involvement in
Fairtrade, establishing social enterprises with linked schools abroad etc)
Actions taken to build capacity of staff, including CPD and informal support
specifically related to social enterprise
Several respondents suggested that this was the most challenging of the DtS
strands. The key challenge in this area related to misconceptions among teachers
about the definition of entrepreneurial learning, and some resistance to the idea of
setting up businesses and a lack of understanding about appropriate strategies for
the development of entrepreneurial skills set in the context of their own subject area.
Several authorities have avoided promoting ‘entrepreneurial learning’ as a separate
entity, but have instead focused on embedding enterprising learning and teaching
which would then have an indirect effect on entrepreneurial activity.
Work-based vocational learning
Work-based vocational learning has been developed through two main routes: the
introduction / expansion of vocational programmes and Skills for Work courses; and
through work experience programmes, which are increasingly becoming more
flexible and targeted. Critical success factors in the delivery of work-based
vocational learning include:
 Strategic level commitment from local authorities
 Staff buy-in (at all levels, and from all relevant partners)
 The development of strong partnerships with colleges, and close working with
internal local authority colleagues, employers and Sector Skills Councils
 The availability of DtS funding to contribute to work experience programmes
and / or college engagement
The main challenges identified included:
 Delivering vocational programmes in the context of college funding cuts
 Geographical issues (e.g. local authority size and / or remoteness) which can
limit access to colleges and employers
 Promoting parity of esteem to ensure Skills for Work courses are seen as
being relevant for all young people
 Some issues relating to employer engagement (see page iv)
Appropriately focused career education
Career education is being delivered to young people via a range of activities and
through embedding enterprise in the curriculum more generally. Critical success
factors in the delivery of appropriately focused career education include:
 Partnerships with a range of organisations: e.g. SDS, local employers and
professional organisations, further and higher education providers,
collaboration with other LA departments such as More Choices, More
Chances (MCMC) and 16+ Learning Choices (16+LC) teams
 Close links with the Skills for Work agenda and the development of relevant
vocational courses
 Use of Labour Market Intelligence (LMI) to inform careers education at the
local level
Challenges include:
 Keeping up to date with relevant LMI
 Sourcing appropriate work experience placements
 Managing young people’s expectations about realistic career options
 Encouraging the delivery of appropriately focused career education across all
sectors
Engaging employers
The number of employer partnerships across local authorities has increased year on
year and has been crucial to the success of DtS; further increases in the number of
partnerships in the future are also expected. The nature of employer engagement
has developed since the introduction of DtS, moving from ‘one off visits’ to a more
sustained input and increased partnership working. Critical success factors include:
 Having central DtS staff available to drive forward employer engagement /
facilitate partnerships
 Willingness / buy-in from both sides (encouraged by clear communication
about the benefits of partnership working)
 Effective links with the Chamber of Commerce where relevant
 Utilising a more strategic approach to employer engagement, e.g. using one
central point of contact
 A range of factors contributing to successful partnership working (e.g.
individual personalities involved, clear communication, regular meetings etc)
 Recognition of employer partnerships, e.g. through award events, business
breakfasts, media coverage etc
Challenges included:
 The time required to develop employer partnerships
 The capacity of employers to engage with schools due to the pressures of
running a business
 The availability of a range of employers, particularly in some smaller
authorities
Supporting future delivery
Respondents described a number of actions that are being taken to support future
delivery:
 Setting up partnerships with Chambers of Commerce and other organisations
to take forward employer engagement
 Taking action to ‘build capacity from within’ (e.g. the use of local networks to
share good practice, internally delivered CPD etc)
 Devolved funding models / empowering schools to deliver activities
themselves
 Concerns were expressed about the loss of central DtS staff, because of their
crucial role in policy delivery and the importance of having somebody in post
to ‘drive things forward’. Respondents will also miss the support and strategic
overview provided by the National DtS Team.
Although funding will still be available despite the end of ring-fencing, there were
some elements of DtS which respondents identified as being more challenging to
maintain. These included Skills for Work / vocational courses, CPD, EEBL
placements, and work experience programmes that been funded / subsidised by DtS
funding.
Conclusions and recommendations
The journey travelled
The local authority reports and feedback from the qualitative interviews indicate that
considerable progress has been made in relation to delivery of DtS, and much has
been achieved in phase 2 of the policy, across all the key strands of DtS.
For example, there is an overall trend of increasing levels of engagement with
relevant partners, development of activity across education sectors, and progress in
offering a wide range opportunities related to enterprise and employability skills to
young people across Scotland. There is also an increasing focus on enterprise in
education as a key element of Curriculum for Excellence, and this is reflected in
Curriculum for Excellence implementation plans and other strategic guidance and
documents produced by local authorities. Many schools are increasingly placing
enterprise within the context of Curriculum for Excellence and building
interdisciplinary learning through such activities.
Overall, it appears that a solid foundation has been laid for enterprise in education
throughout the lifetime of DtS. Responsibility for various elements of the programme
has been shared across a wider range of teams and individuals and will be taken
forward through a variety of continuing activities, particularly in the implementation of
Curriculum for Excellence.
Recommendations
Enterprise in education, as a theme across learning should continue to be
promoted and supported to enable all young people, wherever learning takes place,
to develop the skills and attributes associated with enterprise and employability.
While DtS has worked towards the embedding of enterprise within the curriculum, it
will be important to ensure that schools continue to have the support in terms of
delivery and quality assurance in order to deliver Curriculum for Excellence, which
embodies the four strands of enterprise in education.
A focus on and support for entrepreneurial learning is required to ensure all young
people develop entrepreneurial knowledge and skills through the context of every
day learning and through the involvement in setting up and running a business.
The input of dedicated DtS staff has been crucial to the success of DtS. The
continued availability of this kind of support would be beneficial, but would have to be
considered within the wider economic perspective and the development of
Curriculum for Excellence.
There is an ongoing brokerage role for local authority staff and schools to ensure
that opportunities are identified and capacity increased, in ongoing development of
employer relationships and other partnerships at the school and local authority level.
It is also important that recognition is provided for these partnerships.
Delivery of relevant CPD will help ensure enterprise continues to be embedded
across the curriculum. Sharing good practice and learning from colleagues is an
effective way of teachers and other staff ‘building capacity from within’.
Sharing of good practice should continue to be encouraged, both within and across
local authorities, and across sectors.
KEY MESSAGES
Determined to Succeed (DtS) is a strategy to develop the enterprise and employability skills of young
people. There are four key strands to DtS: enterprising learning and teaching; entrepreneurial
learning; work-based vocational learning; and appropriately focused career education. This Key
Messages document outlines the findings of work undertaken by George Street Research to analyse
LA progress reports and conduct qualitative research into the achievements of DtS 2008-11.
The journey travelled
Considerable progress has been made in relation to delivery across all four strands of DtS. There is
an overall trend of increasing levels of engagement with relevant partners, development of activity
across education sectors, and progress in offering a wide range of enterprise and employability
opportunities to Scotland’s young people. There is an increasing focus on enterprise in education as
a key element of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE).
Critical success factors
 Strategic level support and funding: the national DtS Team provided strategic direction, while
ring-fenced DtS funding has been crucial in enabling the key aspects of delivery
 Dedicated personnel at all levels including the National DtS Team, local authority DtS
Development Officers, and networks of school-based Enterprise Co-ordinators
 Leadership and staff commitment: DtS works best where head teachers demonstrate
commitment and enthusiasm for enterprise in education, and encourage this attitude among
teaching staff
 Partnerships: DtS has been characterised by strong partnership working at both the strategic
level and in the day-to-day management of DtS activities
 Building capacity: Investment in the development and support of professional learning in
enterprise in education, both formal and informal (including joint CPD with other learning partners)
Challenges
 The need to challenge traditional views of ‘enterprise’ and ensure that it is seen as an integral
part of learning and teaching within Curriculum for Excellence rather than an ‘add-on’ activity
 Awareness and recognition of the importance of entrepreneurial leaning, and the delivery of
experiential opportunities for all young people
 Ensuring buy-in across schools, and consistency across sectors
 The time required to develop effective partnerships, particularly with employers
 The capacity of employers to engage with schools due to the pressures of running a business
 Geographical issues (e.g. LA size and / or remoteness) which can limit access to colleges and
employers
 Promoting parity of esteem to ensure Skills for Work courses are seen as being relevant for all
young people
Recommendations
 Enterprise in education, as a theme across learning should continue to be promoted and
supported to enable all young people, wherever learning takes place, to develop the skills and
attributes associated with enterprise and employability
 While DtS has worked towards the embedding of enterprise within the curriculum, it will be
important to ensure that schools continue to have the support in terms of delivery and quality
assurance in order to deliver Curriculum for Excellence which embodies the four strands of
enterprise in education
 A focus on and support for entrepreneurial learning is required to ensure all young people
develop entrepreneurial knowledge and skills through the context of every day learning and
through the involvement in setting up and running a business
 The input of dedicated staff has been crucial to the success of DtS: the continued availability of
this kind of support would be beneficial but would have to be considered within the wider
economic perspective and CfE implementation
 There is an ongoing brokerage role for local authority staff and schools to contribute to the
development of employer and other partnerships at the school and local authority level. It is also


important that recognition is provided for these partnerships
Delivery of relevant CPD will help ensure enterprise continues to be embedded across the
curriculum. Sharing good practice and learning from colleagues is an effective way of teachers
and other staff ‘building capacity from within’
Sharing of good practice should continue to be encouraged, both within and across local
authorities, and across sectors.