3.1 Improving the curriculum, learning and teaching and attainment
The evidence suggested that the ICS initiative had not directly influenced learning and teaching in schools. There was also little evidence that the initiative had led to widespread improvements in attainment as measured by examinations results and 5-14 attainment levels across schools, although there were several instances of improvements in broader achievements through extra-curricular involvement, out-of-school activities and activities which enhanced citizenship skills. While there were promising trends developing in some schools, overall improvements in both attendance and attainment were generally in line with national averages rather than significantly ahead of them. Authorities and cluster schools required to ensure that, where positive trends were developing, the strategies in use by staff and partners were fully evaluated to provide models of good practice.
Several positive developments effectively enriched and extended the curriculum, and children's learning, in the area of personal and social development and healthy living. However, these improvements were not always consistent across schools in a cluster. In a number of cases the initial gains had not been sustained beyond the pilot phase. Some of the initiatives involved effective joint working between staff from different services. In one case, the school nursing service worked with the clinical effectiveness team at the local primary care trust to evaluate a revamped sexual health and relationships curriculum package for personal and social education (PSE). In another cluster, parents, school staff and partners commented favourably on the impact of a joint education and social work peer education programme. Programmes of this type were being used successfully to develop the potential of pupils identified as being at risk from underachieving at school.
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Good practice The ICS initiative in one cluster had resulted in a very effective focus on extending the curriculum to support health improvement. The cluster had established a number of multi-agency projects aimed at promoting well-being and supporting the needs of all children and young people. This included pupils from a school for pupils with additional support needs accessing tutor/teaching expertise and swimming and physical education facilities from a local Red Cross House and secondary school. These activities formed part of the cluster's commitment to promote healthy living and active citizenship. |
A small number of disaffected pupils in some secondary schools benefited from following an amended school curriculum. This included opportunities for S4 pupils to have some experience of vocational courses in Further Education (FE) colleges or extended work experience, enterprise education activities and the further development of personal and social skills. In addition, pupils studied a reduced number of Standard Grade courses, including some National Units and core skills units. Two of the amended curriculum programmes were supported by the European Social Fund and organised through ICS projects. These programmes were popular and highly successful.
In some cases, young people were responding positively to the range of alternative or extended curriculum arrangements developed by individual schools or clusters to meet the needs of identified groups of pupils. This included a focus on vocational courses through the growing links with FE colleges or through involvement in national programmes supported by community learning staff and voluntary organisations. Where alternative courses and extended curricular programmes were well planned the small targeted groups of young people involved had demonstrated significant improvements in their attitudes to attendance, behaviour and learning. These benefits now needed to be translated into improved attainment through setting appropriately high expectations of pupils' performance. In addition, staff and partners required to monitor the progress and continued involvement of young people as they moved beyond school.
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Good practice In two clusters there was considerable improvement in vulnerable young people's self esteem and confidence through their participation in a mechanics course. They also benefited from taking part in national initiatives, provided in partnership with a range of agencies, to boost their motivation and develop skills for the world of work. The attendance and motivation of most of this small targeted group of S4 pupils had significantly improved. |
3.2 Developing pupils' skills and attitudes outwith the formal curriculum
Access to the curriculum was enhanced and extended in a number of clusters through developing the skills that pupils required to make the best of their learning opportunities. Initiatives such as breakfast clubs had ensured that some pupils were no longer hungry in school, reduced lateness and helped pupils with their preparation and readiness to learn as well as developing social skills. Pupils' confidence and skills were developed through peer support programmes, buddy arrangements, group work promoting positive behaviour and effective procedures for ensuring a smooth transition at critical stages in pupils' education. Related initiatives included activities to develop self-esteem and anger management, and to reduce the incidence of bullying.
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Good Practice During 2000-2001 a successful Thinking Skills project had been carried out through the NCS pilot initiative in one authority. Pupils showed significant gains in achievement and self-esteem, and in their readiness to learn. These approaches had not yet been extended to other local schools. |
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Good practice Evidence from an ICS pilot project in one authority indicated that since 1999 total pupil absences had fallen relative to the other schools in the authority and pupil exclusions had considerably decreased. There were notable improvements in attainment across the range of data for 5-14 levels and National Qualification awards. |
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Good Practice In one secondary school, S5 and S6 pupils worked with a project worker from a voluntary organisation addressing aspects of mental health. Using a peer education approach pupils delivered sessions to their own peer group as well as engaging with younger pupils. Responses from staff, young people and their parents were very positive. There was evidence of increased confidence in those delivering the programme as well as the response from younger pupils who attended sessions. Pupils from this secondary school were subsequently involved in the development and launch of new guidelines on positive mental health and young people in Scotland. |
Several clusters had effectively extended pupils' learning experiences outwith the normal school day. In many cases, children benefited from well-attended lunchtime and after-school study support groups and homework clubs. These groups provided pupils with a quiet working environment where they had access to specialist teachers who helped to address individual learning needs. Examples of extra-curricular activities provided within ICS projects included swimming lessons for primary and secondary pupils, fitness training for pupils and other members of the community, riding for the disabled and summer residential camps for vulnerable pupils in P7 to ease their transition into S1. Many of these well-supported activities were provided through effective partnership working.
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Good practice In one cluster, pupils who had been given fresh fruit, water and healthy snacks were aware of the benefits to their overall health and wellbeing. There was also evidence of benefits from initiatives such as increased numbers of children and families swimming at weekends, an alternative curriculum for Christmas leavers involving college courses and contacts with the world of work and an increase in out-of-school activities. The provision of horse-riding lessons for children with additional support needs was successful in building confidence and self-esteem. |
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Good practice The use of arts activities in one authority was a key component in supporting ICS objectives. Carefully-planned activities for pupils included summer schools for literacy and dance, digital video activities, and dance and music workshops. Staff ensured that participating pupils, including targeted vulnerable young people, were given challenging but appropriate activities. Pupils had grown in self-confidence and in their desire to learn through the positive impact of these activities. |
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Good practice Innovative projects developed by one ICS initiative, in partnership with other services, included an Active Breaks pilot in which the Scottish Executive's Better Behaviour-Better Learning funding was being used to deploy youth workers in primary and secondary schools. The initiative was proving successful in giving support to vulnerable and isolated pupils, reducing absenteeism, developing social skills and improving behaviour. |
Many initiatives to extend the learning and broaden achievements of children, including those who are vulnerable, were related to authority schemes for providing out-of-school care and learning. Although these initiatives were not all provided under the aegis of the ICS initiative, many illustrated good practice which was clearly relevant to the development of ICS provision. In one case, large numbers of P6 and P7 pupils took part in a ten-week choral programme and instrumental instruction. Primary pupils who were involved in an arts project to improve the local environment developed environmental awareness as well as active citizenship skills. In another project, both primary and secondary pupils benefited from their experience in creative dance workshops. Two authorities had organised masterclasses in drama, science and sport in cooperation with local theatres and universities. Children's interest and expertise in science was also fostered through a number of school science clubs. A number of authorities provided children with a wide range of opportunities for outdoor pursuits. These included Duke of Edinburgh Award Schemes offered in partnership with outdoor education units, summer sports leader programmes and Scottish Football Association training courses for coaches.
3.3 Personalising pupils' learning
Some good initiatives placed a closer focus on identifying and meeting the needs of individual pupils through negotiating individual learning targets with pupils and involving them in systematically reviewing their progress. This was done in a number of clusters through the use of Personal Learning Plans (PLPs) with the close involvement of pupils, parents and staff from a range of services. The concept of PLPs was highlighted strongly as a key characteristic of NCS in the original prospectus document. The pupils and staff in these schools reported a better understanding of both the process and the outcomes of establishing individual plans. Many pupils showed a readiness to discuss their PLP targets effectively and showed understanding of the steps taken to achieve them. In many cases, the operation of PLPs was very time consuming and relied upon additional staff funded through pilots. For this reason, the use of PLPs was often discontinued beyond the ICS pilot phase. The principle of personalised learning embodied in the use of PLPs was sound and valued by children and their parents but ways needed to be found to make implementation sustainable.