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Count Us In: We're still here: Successful Transitions from Secondary School

People

Dimension 7: Reflects on its own work and thrives on challenge
Dimension 8: Values and empowers staff and young people

The Journey to Excellence focuses on people. It is very largely through relationships with others – their peers as well as their teachers – that young people learn. Empowering young people in their learning leads to greater independence and an improved capacity for taking on challenges. Young people who are used to having their views considered, and who are practised in finding their way through difficulties, are more likely to be resilient and less likely to be discouraged by problems and stresses. These qualities are particularly important when young people are moving on from one setting to another. Staff too need to be empowered and challenged, to reflect on the successes or otherwise of the learning and support they have planned for young people.

Empowering young people

Auchinleck Academy promoted an open and participative learning style. Young people were involved in making decisions and expectations of all learners were high. The school allocated group mentors to all learners and individual mentors to learners with additional support needs, including those who were looked after and accommodated. An individual member of staff supported the learning of these children in English and mathematics through guiding and monitoring their use of personal laptops and software. Personal education plans were shared with pupils and reviewed regularly.

In order to develop young people’s leadership skills, during a Skills for Work lesson in a Sport and Recreation Intermediate 1 course the teacher explained to a group of learners that each learner would lead an activity in the swimming pool. They had to plan the activity, state its aims and objectives and explain and instruct the group on how the activity was to be carried out. Peer assessment of each leader’s performance at the end of the lesson provided effective feedback. This approach was successful in enabling learners to take responsibility for their learning and use feedback from peers to plan for improvements in their future activities.

The Heads Up programme within Our Lady and St Patrick’s High School in Dunbarton was aimed at S2 and involved pupils who were identified by the pastoral team in school and then selected by the Tullochan Trust. The pupils worked in groups supported by project workers. Young people were given the opportunity to follow taster courses at college, again supported by the youth workers. They were very positive about their involvement with the Trust. If pupils successfully completed a project then they could go on to another Trust project. Participation in any of the projects was dependent on pupils meeting individual targets in attendance and behaviour. Outward Bound courses as well as the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme were delivered in the Trust Clubs which offered evening sessions to young people until they moved on to further education or employment. Pupils were confident and focused on their learning goals. Staff highlighted the effect on pupils who had been isolated in S1 and unable to communicate. They now managed to contribute to discussions and readily give their opinions.

In the Vale of Leven Academy in Alexandria pupils spoke highly of the Heads Up project, Way through the Wilderness (a leadership course lasting 29 days), and the Trust Club. All were encouraged to have career goals. Staff spoke positively about pupils’ increased confidence as the project progressed. Staff personnel highlighted the ongoing problem with territorialism and sectarianism within the area. They felt that because the Trust projects involved pupils from other secondary schools, problems were minimised and pupils’ behaviour targets were being met.

Reflecting on the quality of what is delivered

In Fife there were regular opportunities for liaison between schools and colleges. A strategic group involved college principals, headteachers, careers and a planning and implementation group involving other relevant staff focused on monitoring transition arrangements, chaired by Social Work Services. Young people were also involved in carrying out evaluations, with Careers Scotland undertaking to feed back. Overall, school staff reported that college experiences had had a positive impact on young people, particularly in promoting positive behaviour. Young people enjoyed the vocational courses and valued the ‘adult environment’ within the college setting.

In Dumfries and Galloway, the Schools Link Partnership consisted of the college principal, headteachers or representatives from each secondary school and a Determined to Succeed officer. The focus of this group was to oversee and monitor projects which involved working relationships between schools and colleges. It ensured staff involved with young people had the appropriate knowledge and skills particularly when dealing with challenging young people.

Signposts to excellence

• All young people are given opportunities to develop their leadership skills and to contribute effectively within their school and community.
• Staff see the potential in pre-vocational and community-based programmes for young people to take on real responsibilities for planning and managing activities and projects. They encourage empowerment and responsibility, and enable young people to take risks in a managed and safe environment.
• Schools use feedback from young people and other key stakeholders systematically and effectively to evaluate programmes, identify areas for development and plan for improvement. Staff ensure young people’s views are taken on board and outcomes shared with them.
• School staff work well in teams and in partnership with staff from other organisations in the planning, delivery and review of programmes.
• School staff and their partners from other organisations, develop and implement approaches for monitoring and reporting on the extent to which programmes are successful in engaging young people and on their progress and achievements.
• Schools identify the development and support needs of staff involved in the planning, delivery and review of programmes and provide appropriate training and support as required. This includes training for staff working with young people with additional support needs, for example, in helping young people with autism spectrum disorders make successful transitions.
• Schools identify and share innovation, good practice and success internally and with key partners.
• Leaders take good account of the skills of individual members of staff, particularly in developing positive relationships with young people, when planning the delivery of programmes.

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