Argyll & Bute Council
Scoping Paper – Opportunities for All
Task
Evaluate the performance and impact of Opportunities for All focusing on Curriculum Flexibility, Skills for
Learning, Life and Work and 16+ Learning Choices.
Rationale
The Education Service is committed to the delivery of a high quality education service to its children and
young people and to working in partnership with parents and communities. The Education Service’s goal is
to deliver continuously improving standards of performance based on agreed outcomes which are shared
with relevant stakeholders.
Opportunities for All recognises each young person as an individual with an entitlement to access the
qualifications, activities and experiences that best equip them to fulfil their full potential. Young people
need to be able to move into positive and sustained destinations. In order for them to do so, they must
have the opportunity to develop the skills and capabilities that will enable them to contribute fully to their
families, their local communities and to the Scottish economy.
Resilience and adaptability are essential qualities that our education system must help develop within
young people to enable them to cope in a rapidly changing world. Consequently, it is essential that the
effectiveness of Opportunities for All is evaluated in terms of its impact in securing the most positive
outcomes for children and young people.
Self-evaluation has an important role to play within Opportunities for All in order to enable the Education
Service to improve performance and positive outcomes for our young people. Through our process of selfevaluation we have been able to innovate actively in response to the needs of learners and school
communities.
A range of evaluative approaches have been and will be used including:





online surveys taking views from children, young people and parents
presentations about the projects resulting from the Building Capacity days
evaluations from the Positive Partners Day
monitoring of SDS data and SLDR data to inform the 16+ Strategy Group
Periodic Service Review activity with stakeholders
The evaluative process has been and will continue to be informed by input from professionals, parents,
children and young people.
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What are we evaluating?
The evaluation team identified three main areas of focus within Opportunities for All;
Curricular Flexibility
Skills for Learning,
Life and Work
- Qualifications
-Skillsbook
- S6 Options
- Building Capacity
- Curriculum Developments - Sharing Good Practice
16+ Learning Choices
- Early Identification
- Supporting Vulnerable Groups
- Leavers Information
How are we doing?
What key outcomes have we achieved?
Improvements in Performance
It is possible to use performance data and measures to show trends over time. SLDR, alternative
qualifications and SQA Data trends are available for analysis and evaluation of our performance and inform
improvement agendas.
The quality and diversity of education provided by individual services and establishments can be
demonstrated by the range of alternative qualifications being offered by schools and their local learning
communities across the Authority. School review processes and partnership working help promote
effective improvement planning part of which should be the identification of the extent to which wider
qualifications are available to learners. These would include Duke of Edinburgh, John Muir, Prince’s Trust
XL awards, ASDAN awards, Sports Leader Awards, Saltire Awards, Drivers Ed and CLD based
qualifications. Argyll Voluntary Action offer Argyll and Bute Council the opportunity to be the only Authority
able to provide accredited Saltire Awards.
Over the last 5 years central education staff have worked in partnership with secondary schools to support
them to offer a greater range of qualifications and wider opportunities to young people in order to help them
move into a positive and sustained destination. The Authority recognises that in order to ensure genuine
personalisation and choice for each young person, parity of esteem of academic, vocational, and social
qualifications is fundamental.
In session 2011-2012 a total of 621 pupils took part in Skills for Work across our 10 secondary schools and
1386 young people opted to study alternative qualifications.
Graph 1 – Uptake of Skills for Work and Alternative Qualifications
2000
1800
1600
1400
1200
Skills for Work
1000
Alternative Qualifications
800
Total
600
400
200
0
2009/10
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2010/11
2011/12
2
Table 1 – Uptake of Skills for Work and Alternative Qualifications
COURSE/LEVEL
2009/10
419
401
820
Skills for Work
Alternative Qualifications
TOTAL
2010/11
647
787
1434
2011/12
621
1386
2007
Please see Appendix 1 for the breakdown listing all Skills for Work courses and Appendix 2 listing all of the alternative
qualifications on offer across Argyll and Bute secondary schools over this 3 year period.
The Education Service recognises the importance of responding to the need of individual young people
whilst addressing the demands of local labour markets. This may result in a variation in the number of
schools actively offering particular alternatives in any given year. Schools are now being asked to assess
the requirement to offer alternative qualifications based upon knowledge of their local circumstances
It is the intention of the Education Service that skills based needs analysis becomes standard practice as
part of curriculum review arrangements and must include consultation with young people, parents, partners
and employers. Curricular options and delivery will be supported by a range of appropriate professionals.
It is possible to measure the suitability of the senior curriculum by analysing leaver destinations and
academic progression in the senior phase.
Table 2 – Leaver Destination and Attainment Progression
783 Pupils
Positive Fit for
Leaver
Destination
655
83.65%
Negative Fit for
Leaver
Destination
128
16.35%
Showing
Progression
Not Showing
Progression
631
80.58%
152
19.42%
Table 2 shows that our current senior phase curriculum is enabling our young people to move into positive
destinations but that there is still a significant number for whom this is not the case.
Four out of five of our young people are following a curriculum which offers appropriate progression in
attainment. However, the Education Service needs to engage with schools to discuss and analyse why this
is not the case for one in five of our young people.
Table 3 – Combined Leaver Destination and Attainment Progression
783 Pupils
Positive Fit &
Showing
Progression
584
77.14%
Positive Fit &
No Progression
66
8.82%
Negative Fit &
Showing
Progression
33
4.59%
Negative Fit & Not
Showing Progression
72
9.45%
Table 3 shows there may not always be a direct correlation between positive progression and a positive
destination. Given this data, the Education Service aims to develop a more detailed analysis of issues
around what is being done in the senior phase that is assisting young people to move into positive
destinations.
As a result of an evaluation of our School Review process we have moved toward a system of Partnership
Working and Partnership Agreements with schools. The focus of this work is to assist schools effect
improvement.
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Considerable work has been undertaken by a consortium of partners including Psychological Services,
Social Work and the Throughcare Aftercare forum, to draw up a transition protocol for those young people
who are identified as having Additional Support Needs including those who are Looked After and
Accommodated (LAAC). This protocol includes a timeline which must be adhered to when supporting
vulnerable young people plan their transition from secondary education.
From March 2012 schools have been working with the Opportunities for All Central Team to identify those
young people who are at risk of not moving into employment, education or training. During their final term
in school these young people are assessed by Skills Development Scotland to ascertain if they would
benefit from an Activity Agreement after they leave.
How well do we meet the needs of our stakeholders?
Impact on Learners
Qualitative and quantitative data is available and demonstrates the extent to which learners are included
and participating. SQA and Authority data show levels of participation are increasing. Currently, secondary
schools are provided with the Fyfe Analysis performance of SQA information to assist in their own
investigation of attainment data. However, the Authority is aware that as more young people access a
wider range of qualifications and Nationals are implemented, a different approach to data analysis will be
required. This approach should produce a data set that is capable of evaluating all qualifications on offer.
The Education Service is engaging in a deeper analysis of the achievement of all young people in S4. The
apparent decline in achievement at Level 3, based upon school roll rather than presentation information,
may be misleading.
An increasing number of young people have chosen to pursue Skills for Work qualifications through
partnerships with colleges and are therefore not included in the current SQA analysis of Level 3. The
situation is further exacerbated by the range of alternative qualifications and programmes of study now on
offer to young people in Argyll and Bute secondary schools.
A central role of all partners will continue to be the emphasis of the equal recognition of academic and
vocational qualifications. Parity of esteem is essential to allow all young people to achieve their potential.
Across Argyll and Bute we have a number of young people with Additional Support Needs who now have
curricular arrangements specifically tailored to their individual circumstances. A range of models of
personalisation and choice are being adopted across our secondary schools and there are an increasing
number of co-curricular examples such as ‘Pathways’ in Oban High School. There has been a move away
from a content driven curriculum to a more skills based curriculum. A curriculum which builds skills for
learning, life and work may include opportunities for study in areas such as web design, digital
photography, driftwood sculpture, financial management, animal husbandry and child care as well as the
development of very active social enterprise companies.
The concept of learning communities and the accompanying shift in perception that has taken place in
schools is having a profound impact upon what is offered as part of the school curriculum. This has
encouraged establishments to find ever more innovative and creative ways of delivering diverse learning
experiences to young people. As a result of this the range of qualifications being offered by Argyll and Bute
schools and their partners has been extended significantly.
In 2010 a Best Value Review of CLD in Argyll and Bute recommended that a Youth Service team be
established to work more closely with secondary schools. In practical terms this has resulted in CLD Youth
Workers working in schools to develop a wide range of activities including life skills and accredited
programmes. In addition, they’ve been actively involved in identifying and working with young people at risk
of not achieving a positive destination and the provision of Activity Agreements.
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Over the 4 years from 2008 to 2012 our schools have been supported in developing new curriculum
models. All now have in place a model for the broad general education and a model for the senior phase.
Practitioners and central staff have carried out evaluations of curriculum models throughout this period. At
a recent two day Secondary Head Teachers curriculum modelling conference in Lochgilphead, participants
were asked to take part in an intensive interrogation of their senior phase models, including the range of
alternative qualifications on offer.
A considerable amount of work has been undertaken to ensure that the range of progression routes are
becoming available for a wide range of qualifications. It is our intention that qualifications available across
Argyll and Bute will extend from National 2 up to degree level.
The Education Service is aware that work remains to be done particularly in terms of Quality Assurance
and assisting parents to understand the value and validity of certain curricular elements and innovations.
The Education Service is using a Risk Matrix held on the SEEMIS system to assist schools with the early
identification of children and young people who are at risk of disengaging from their learning and are at risk
of not making a positive and sustained transition post-16. Using an array of 25 fields, relevant information
is collated and appears as a Red, Amber or Green score (RAG) dependant on the cumulative level of
concern identified across these fields. This system will ensure that robust data with regards to early
identification is held across all of our education establishments.
Secondary staff are in the process of being trained in how to use the Risk Matrix and further training is
planned for nursery and primary staff. The Education service’s aim is that all secondary pupils will have
been assessed using this SEEMIS tool by December 2012.
In addition to the Risk Matrix, the Education Service has compiled relevant paperwork for all secondary
schools to use when recording senior phase leaver destination information. The new Leavers Pack has
been developed in partnership with appropriate Depute Head Teachers, Guidance Teachers,
Administrative Staff and Skills Development Scotland.
The Leavers Pack consists of:
1. S4/5/6 transition planning XL spreadsheet
2. 16+ Learning Choices Leavers Form
3. Guidelines for recording pupil destination using GIRFEC tab on SEEMIS
Secondary schools have been trained and issued with guidance on these new procedures during the
course of the last academic session. The key aim of the Leavers Pack is to ensure that all senior phase
leaver information is accurately recorded with known destinations as appropriate. In addition the transition
planner will allow the Authority to identify gaps in future post-16 provision and begin to address these gaps
timeously with our partner agencies.
Activity Agreements are now available for those young people struggling to make a positive and sustained
post-16 transition. During their final term at school pupils may now be referred to Skills Development
Scotland for an Activity Agreement assessment to be completed. Those young people identified at being a
risk are assigned a Trusted Professional and may begin on an Activity Agreement as soon as they have
officially left school. This early intervention helps to prevent young people becoming further disengaged
through unemployment.
SLDR data allows the Education Service to monitor and track how many young are entering and sustaining
a positive destination post-16.
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Table 4 - SLDR Annual Trends
YEAR
NO OF
LEAVERS
HE
%
FE
%
Training
%
Employed
%
Voluntary
work
%
Other
Known/
AA
U/E
Seeking
%
U/E not
Seeking
%
Not
Known
%
2008
2009
2009
2010
2010
2011
972
38.6
20.4
3.3
24.8
0.4
N/A
10.4
1.3
0.8
957
35.1
19.4
3.6
29.3
0.4
N/A
10.6
1.1
0.5
985
35.9
22.6
3.0
27.8
0.3
0.1
9.4
0.6
0.1
Overall the percentage of leavers entering a positive destination in 2010/11 is 89.8%, a rise of 2% from the
previous year, and giving the Authority a ranking of 11th highest out of the 32 local authorities. The
percentage of leavers reported as unemployed seeking has fallen to 9.4%, a fall of 1.2% points since last
year. The Authority now has the 16th lowest percentage of leavers becoming unemployed whereas last
year it was the 18th lowest. Of those reported as unemployed seeking in September 2011, 41.3% were still
in this situation in March 2012. A breakdown of the SLDR by individual schools can be found in Appendix 3.
The Education Service’s commitment to ensuring that all learners have the opportunity to become
successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors, requires that the
widest range of learning need is accommodated within all educational settings.
To this end the Education Service aims to be fully compliant with the principles and practice embodied in
Getting it Right for Every Child. Use of the GIRFEC Practice Model for assessment and support has been
adopted as the standard model across all educational establishments and across all services. Multi-agency
training and GIRFEC workshops continue to be offered across the Authority.
As part of the Education Service’s efforts to address the wider needs of learners in all educational settings,
Education Support Officer input is made available to educational establishments to assist them in
developing strategies, procedures and protocols to support learners with particular behaviour needs.
These may arise from social and emotional difficulties as well as difficulties such as Autism Spectrum
Disorder and ADHD. Providing inclusive strategies for managing behaviour is central to the learning
success of many of our young people.
The Education Service is committed to delivering the Scottish Government Opportunities for All initiative.
Opportunities for All is an explicit commitment to offer a place in learning or training to every 16-19 year old
who is not currently in employment, education or training. It will ensure that the post-sixteen system
focuses on supporting those at risk of disengaging and those who have already done so and should seek to
reengage all young people appropriately with learning or training between their 16th and 20th birthdays and
enable support to be offered to young people more effectively beyond that age.
Education Services Opportunities for All team has recently been involved in developing:
1. An Argyll and Bute Youth Employment Action Plan
2. An Argyll and Bute Skills Pipeline
In addition the Authority hosted a Rural Action Forum on Youth Employment with the Scottish Government
on the 18th September in Oban.
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How good is our leadership and management?
Leadership, Improvement and Quality Assurance
The Education Service is confident that it will have robust evidence upon which to base its evaluation of
Opportunities for All. Current evidence suggests that significant improvements have been made in
providing positive outcomes for young people and that as a service we have become more open and
inclusive in our professional practice.
The Education Service has identified that leadership and management of the process has been reactive
rather than proactive with regards to Opportunities for All. Our self-evaluation using the Scottish
Government 16+ Learning Choices Toolkit helped us to look closely and honestly at our performance as a
service provider. Over the course of the last eighteen months we have progressed from being classified as
a high risk to a low risk authority, moving from 32nd to 16th place.
Having made an assessment of the needs of establishments and stakeholders, we have attempted to
address our findings by putting solutions in place and developing the skillsets of our staff. We have
centrally developed and provided ‘products’ to assist educational establishments widen the range of activity
and opportunity on offer. We have provided a range of staff training opportunities including Child
Protection, Risk Matrix, skillsbook, Trusted Professionals and Coordinators Training. Our model has been
to audit, identify need, centrally source solutions and then provide appropriate training and structure for
partners to take things forward.
The Education Service has the capacity to continue improving. Effective Quality Assurance arrangements
will require to be further developed. We have a high level of confidence in our developing process of
evaluation, which will utilise a range of data gathering approaches including:





online surveying to evaluate suitability and highlight areas requiring further improvement and
development
short term pilots across multiple subject areas investigating ‘workability’ and stakeholder
understanding of the language of skills and the development of skills progression
an evaluation of skillsbook
a recall day for building capacity
an evaluation of the use of 16+ Learning Choices related policy and procedures by schools and
partner agencies
How do we know?
Performance Data
Argyll and Bute Council use a range of performance information which includes:
Fyfe Analysis of SQA Data
Risk Matrix analysis and timeline
Positive Partners Evaluation
Alternative qualifications on offer across secondary schools
Transition spreadsheets for each school across each year group
Social Work LAAC transition spreadsheets for ABC
SLDR – October 2011 and February update 2012 plus now June 2012 update
Activity Agreement Analysis – June and September quarterly return
Analysis of SLDR data for 2011 against educational attainment
Statistical analysis of pupils using skillsbook
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Stakeholder views and feedback
Approaches for gaining insight into the experiences of our stakeholders include;
Meet with Activity Agreement young people
Opportunities for All Cowal Locality Group Meeting
Opportunities for All Strategy Group Meeting
Meet with pupils using skillsbook
Meet with skillsbook group
Meet with Early Years staff developing skillsbook
Direct observation of practice
Examples of good practice from Argyll and Bute secondary schools includes:
Pathways Project at Oban High School
E-Portfoilo move to skillsbook
Co-curricular at Islay High School
skillsbook pilot at Dunoon Grammar School
Dunoon Grammar School S5 list
Columba 1400 in Dunoon and Campbeltown as these areas are unemployment hotspots
Feast of Talent – Rothesay Academy
Local Authority Argyll 100 initiative
Positive Partners Evaluation
Opportunities for All
Argyll and Bute Council Scottish Government Action Plan and Report 2012/13
Argyll and Bute Council DMT paper on Opportunities for All, Argyll 100 and Columba 1400
Risk Matrix Training Pack
Argyll and Bute Council Senior Phase Leaver Policy and Procedures
Activity Agreement Policy and Procedure brochure and relevant statistical analysis
SDS: Argyll and Bute Council Community and Planning Partnership Report (Feb12)
Argyll and Bute Council Opportunities for All 16+LC Timeline
Argyll and Bute Council CfE – 16+LC: Senior Phase 15-18
Argyll and Bute Council Opportunities for All Newsletters
Argyll and Bute Council Work based Vocational Learning Policy and Procedures
Skills
Argyll and Bute Council Skills Framework
Argyll and Bute Council Skills good practice CD
Statistical analysis of pupils using skillsbook
Recall day – 10 pilot project descriptions
S6 Partnership with UHI
Discussion paper for proposal
S6 Pupil information booklet
S6 Options a guide for Parents and Carers
S6 Option Choice booklet
Frequently asked questions paper for Senior Leaders
Frequently asked questions paper for Students
Qualifications
Fyfe analysis of SQA data
Alternative qualifications on offer across each secondary school
Analysis of SLDR data compared with educational attainment
Skills for Work Partnership Agreement with Argyll College
Argyll and Bute Council Columba 1400 discussion paper
Dunoon Grammar School pilot paper
*All of the above documentation can be accessed from the online folder
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What are we going to do now?
The Education Service is committed to continuing to embed, develop and grow Opportunities for All
approaches across the Authority. This will be achieved through:



using performance data to identify areas of development for Opportunities for All
gathering and collating stakeholder views’ and feedback to improve delivery of outcomes
analysing data to inform improvements in curriculum flexibility
Curricular Flexibility
 continued development of academic and vocational curriculum
 better consultation and analysis of local labour market needs
 development of curricula relevant to young people and their local context
Skills for Learning, Life and Work
 implementation of skillsbook
 evaluation of skillsbook – June 2013
 building capacity, ongoing development and sharing good practice
 monitoring and evaluating by the Skills Strategy Group
16+ Learning Choices
 continued work with schools to embed 16+ Learning Choices policy and procedures
 implementation of Risk Matrix procedures, supported by training of all appropriate staff
 through partnership working with Social Work and Education Psychology, focusing on supporting
vulnerable groups through their post-16 transition
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Appendix 1 - Skills for Work Qualifications
COURSE/LEVEL
Creative Design Media Int 1
2009/10
0
2010/11
26
2011/12
19
Construction Int 1
53
65
60
Construction Int 2
37
20
33
Cosmetology
15
0
0
Early Education and Childcare Int 1
110
138
102
Early Education and Childcare Int 2
0
41
45
Engineering Int 1
0
4
8
Financial Services Int 1
Hairdressing Int 1
15
53
6
64
0
85
Hairdressing Int 2
10
7
24
Hospitality Int 1
42
54
50
Hospitality Int 2
26
17
47
Motor Vehicle C&G Int 1
Rural Skills Int 1
10
29
41
56
26
60
Rural Skills Int 2
Sport and Recreation Int 1
Uniformed and Emergency Services Int 1
9
0
10
7
15
86
17
7
32
General Operations Hospitality NC
TOTAL
0
419
0
647
6
621
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Appendix 2 – Alternative qualifications on offer
COURSE/LEVEL
ASDAN – bronze
ASDAN – silver
ASDAN – gold
ASDAN - new horizons
ASDAN – transition challenge
ASDAN – Work Right
ASDAN – towards independence
ASDAN – COPE
Beauty Therapy Higher
BSC First Aid
BSC Basic Food Hygiene Certificate
BSC Health and Safety at Work
BSC Lifting and Handling
Digital Photography
Duke of Edinburgh – Bronze
Duke of Edinburgh – Silver
Duke of Edinburgh – Gold
ECDL
Creative Computing Int 1
Enterprise and Employability – NPA
Personal Finance – Intermediate 2
Recording Financial Transactions HN Unit
Friends Against Bullying (FAB)
Health and Social Care – Higher
John Muir
Leadership – Intermediate Two/Higher
Princes Trust XL PD – Access 3
Psychology – Intermediate 1
Psychology – Intermediate 2
Psychology – Higher
SALTIRE Awards Scheme
Youth Achievement
Millennium Volunteer Awards (50-200)
Sports Coaching Award – Tennis Level 1
Sports First Aid
Sports Leader Award
SFA Early Touches – Football
Getting Started – Basketball
Pool Lifeguard
SQA Personal Development Award – Int 2
Tutoring
Work Experience - Intermediate 1
YASS – S6 Open University
TOTAL
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2009/10
66
12
4
0
0
0
0
0
11
22
16
12
12
6
63
27
10
3
6
65
6
0
0
0
3
0
0
2
3
0
0
13
26
0
3
2
0
0
4
0
0
2010/11
45
25
6
8
3
4
12
10
0
0
244
47
0
20
41
8
1
3
0
99
8
0
0
9
10
0
8
0
20
0
0
2
70
1
12
70
0
0
0
0
0
2011/12
7
21
5
8
3
4
12
10
0
0
204
24
0
20
49
39
10
33
0
80
10
2
25
6
51
25
16
2
5
6
70
2
68
5
0
59
14
14
0
2
28
0
4
401
0
1
787
439
8
1386
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Appendix 3 – School Leaver Destination Return by School 2010 / 11
2010/11
NO OF
LEAVERS
HE
FE
Training
Employed
Voluntary
work
Other
Known/
U/E
Seeking
U/E not
Seeking
Not
Known
%
+ve
AA
Campbeltown
Grammar
84
27.4
Dunoon
185
33.5
Hermitage
Academy
247
Islay
26.2
2.4
34.5
0.0
0.0
8.3
1.2
0.0
90.5
28.6
4.9
23.2
0.0
0.0
9.2
10.0
0.5
90.3
43.3
21.9
2.8
17.4
0.8
0.4
13.0
0.4
0.0
86.6
32
18.8
9.4
0.0
53.1
0.0
0.0
12.5
6.3
Lochgilphead
High
87
36.8
13.8
0.0
42.5
0.0
0.0
6.9
0.0
0.0
93.1
Oban
202
35.1
16.8
4.0
34.2
0.5
0.0
8.9
0.5
0.0
90.6
Rothesay
Academy
83
36.1
41.0
3.6
9.6
0.0
0.0
8.4
1.2
0.0
90.4
Tarbert
Academy
31
38.7
12.9
3.2
38.7
0.0
0.0
6.5
0.0
0.0
93.5
Tiree
High
9
33.3
11.1
0.0
55.6
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
100
Tobermory
High
25
32.0
24.0
0.0
44.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
100
TOTAL
985
35.9%
22.6%
3.0
27.8%
0.1%
9.4%
0.6%
0.1%
89.8
Grammar
0.0
81.3
High
High
0.3%
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