Improving Engagement with English and Maths in 16-18 Study Programmes

16-18 Curriculum Design Funding formula based on cash values Need to increase recruitment numbers (RPA) Retention is the key measure of funding performance Average rate of funding set at 600 planned learning hours (£4000 for 16-17 year old students) Curriculum to be based around study programmes to include: Substantial core qualification English and Maths (if learner not achieved GCSE A*-C grade) Non qualifications and purposeful work experience Effective transition and progression to further study and employment = key role for English and maths

Condition of Funding “Each institution remains responsible for the content of each individual student’s study programme, although they are expected to follow the broad advice in the document Study Programmes for 16-to-19 year-olds published in July 2012 in drawing up individual student learning programmes. In particular for those students who have not achieved the expected minimum GCSE grade C in English or mathematics, institutions should be able to show in the composition of the individual study programme how they are assisting the student to meet the necessary minimum education requirements before completing their study programme. The provision of English or mathematics will be enforced through a condition of funding from 2014/15 as set out in annex D.”

Definitions of English and Maths Condition From 2014 to 2015 academic year all students starting a new study programme of 150 hours or more, aged 16 to 18, or aged 19 to 25 if they have a Learning Difficulty Assessment or Education and Healthcare Plan, who do not hold a GCSE grade A*-C or equivalent qualification in maths and/or in English, are required to be studying these subjects as part of their study programme in each academic year. Any student who does not study one of the approved qualifications in each academic year, will be removed from the lagged student numbers in future years. The approved qualifications are either GCSE or a Level 1/Level 2 certificates (approved IGCSE) counting towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) measure, or an approved stepping stone qualification.

Approved Qualifications Ofqual approved maths and English language GCSEs offered in England for teaching to 2015 to 2016 only (current GCSEs); Ofqual approved maths and English language GCSEs offered in England for teaching from 2015 to 2016 (new GCSEs); maths and English language Level 1/Level 2 certificates, commonly known as regulated IGCSEs counting towards the EBacc measure grade A*-C to 2015 to 2016 only; Functional Skills (at the appropriate level, from Entry level 3 to level 2, for the student) and free-standing maths qualifications (at level 2 only) accredited by Ofqual, as a stepping stone to GCSE study; English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) qualifications accredited by Ofqual, as a stepping stone to GCSE study; the full Prince’s Trust TEAM Programme.

Clarification The student must be enrolled on an approved qualification (not based on exam entry so some flexibility when student sits exam) The student must be timetabled to attend lessons or appropriate blended learning and be progressing in the subject The student also has to meet the qualifying period for funding for each maths and English qualification (6 weeks for a qualification with a planned length of 24 weeks or more, and 2 weeks for a qualification with a planned length of less than 24 weeks)

Level 2 Programme for Progression Element Contact hours Note Vocational qualification 360 (10 x 36) includes 30 hrs planned study time in learning base Tutorial 72 (2 x 36) Work experience 100 60 hrs in RWE with instructor, 40 hrs with employer Functional skills 108 54 hrs each Total 640

Flexibility Students on programmes of less than 150 hours are not required to meet the condition but institutions should include some maths and English content in courses taken by such students to facilitate their learning Small part-time programmes also exempt, e.g. Traineeships, JCP, Supported Internships Flexibility in the ways that students can study maths and English, e.g. start on functional skill and then progress to GCSE before end of the academic year (for at least 6 weeks); short intensive programme for November retakes Continuing students who started their programmes in or before the start of the academic year 2013 to 2014 are not required to meet the condition

Core Elements of a Traineeship A focused period of work preparation training, which may include CV writing, interview preparation, job search Self discipline and inter-personal skills Vocational qualifications A high quality work placement, allowing the young person to develop workplace skills and provide an opportunity to prove themselves to an employer Core learning aim on ILR 100 – 240 hours English and maths for those without GCSE Grade A* - C or equivalent Functional skills more relevant Condition not applied

Example of a Traineeship Element Contact hours Note L1 award in Employability Skills 60 6 x 10 weeks English 54 3 x 18 weeks Maths Tutorial, coaching and careers guidance 36 2 x 18 weeks Work placement 180 (2 days/week for 10 weeks) Total 384 £2700

So what are your plans for English and Maths? Duration of study programme – years 1 and 2 of a two year programme Students without grade C in both subjects will study both in each year of their programme GCSE or Functional Skills – what is your policy? What about students with D grades (from 2015)? What about students who have already got level 2 Functional Skills? English and maths for those who have already met the conditions? Do students need to do/redo a whole programme? How do you improve engagement with English and maths?

Ofsted Study programmes will be “central to inspections” as Ofsted seeks to challenge a slow response to the initiative. An Ofsted report, based on a survey during the year of the programme, found that many providers had not done enough to change their curriculums to fit in with government wishes. Providers should expect to see their ratings fall if they had not made enough changes to curriculum to meet government requirements. In the new CIF, study programmes will be separately graded as part of more holistic approach More emphasis on English and maths, and work experience elements

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment of learners in the CIF Inspectors evaluate the extent to which: teaching and learning supports learners to develop the English, mathematics and functional skills they need to achieve their main learning goals and career aims learners’ progress in literacy, numeracy, language and functional skills is monitored and reviewed, and their work is marked carefully learners appreciate the importance of improving their English, mathematics and functional skills as appropriate, in the context of their learning goals and life ambitions all teachers focus on spelling, punctuation and grammar in their teaching and assessment

And .... Where relevant, inspectors should take into account: the success of different strategies used for improving the English, mathematics, functional and language skills of different groups of learners whether staff have the qualifications, experience and skills needed to teach English, mathematics and functional skills management of performance of the staff who deliver in those subjects

Too much emphasis on exam practice Targets too general and focused on task completion Activities were insufficiently stimulating Employability and equality and diversity not addressed Too many whole group activities which were either too easy or too difficult for most Few links to vocational context Not enough personalisation Over reliance on paper-based resources

It’s really hard… …especially with teenagers

What has worked 1? Strong institutional focus on English and maths in all programmes, e.g. audit of staff skills, whole college E/M strategy Raise awareness of the demands of English and maths with supporting staff development, e.g. for vocational teachers and assessors Training and upskilling for your own staff, e.g. to levels 3/4/5 Sharing good practice in delivery of English and maths, e.g. handbook for academic and vocational teachers Appointing senior staff to lead on whole organisational strategies Connecting English and maths with the vocational context Effective use of e-learning materials for stretch and challenge, e.g. convert functional skills to GCSEs

What has worked 2? ‘Business as Usual’ model for embedding and contextualisation, e.g. mapping job tasks against English and maths functional skills at Virgin Media and other employers Focus on one vocational area first to win hearts and minds, where engagement has worked Appropriate use of pre-apprenticeships and traineeships, e.g. to improve English and maths skills Rigorous initial and diagnostic assessment, e.g. Guroo, BKSB Front loaded English and maths in off-the-job training, e.g. 3 days a week in the training provider for first 6 weeks Situating English and maths in a familiar environment but including taught elements that are unfamiliar, e.g. STEM centres, hairdressing salons

Effective Assessment Group A 20 Group B Group C Group D Group E Weeks 1-6 All students taught English and maths in mixed level groups while assessment is ongoing 7-36 L2 L1 16 15 E3 10 12 E2 6

The right expertise

What has worked 3? Effective use of social media to reinforce learning and encourage collaborative learning, e.g. Google Drive, Twitter Track and track again! Essential part of classroom and workplace reviews Regular reports on learner progress in English and maths, including attendance at off-the-job training Mapping English and maths against all components of study programmes, e.g. STEM subjects, work experience Get ready and practice for the test, and resit if necessary! On-line support materials, e.g. Target Skills, Learning Curve Sell benefits of English and maths to learners and employers …… but how?

Work Experience Task English Maths Employability 1 x 2 3 4 5

Selling English and Maths

And a range of effective teaching and learning strategies Appropriate use of specialist teachers and advisers Learner groupings Motivational techniques Innovative curriculum e.g. problem solving, presentations to clients Range of enrichment activities to extend knowledge and skills, e.g. work placements, practice companies Avoidance of excessive focus on preparation for exams Others ...

Key actions for teachers and managers (discrete classes) Differentiate, differentiate, differentiate Contextualise, contextualise, contextualise Assess, assess, assess Innovate, innovate, innovate

Key actions for teachers and managers (vocational classes) Promote, promote, promote Embed, embed, embed Mark, mark, mark

Key actions for specialist and vocational staff Communicate, communicate, communicate