1. Planning for and Demonstrating Impact
Jim Dunbar
SEELB
Introduction
Working on the Extended Schools Programme for the last 5 years.
The purpose of the session is to look at how you move from identifying an issue that your school wants to address in partnership with the community and then taking the next step - turning an idea/concept/identified need into a programme which is planned to meet the need identified. The programme will also be planned and designed so that it provides evidence of impact.

2. Session Objectives
To review the policy context - demonstrating impact.
To understand the principles underpinning an effective action planning process.
To apply these principles to practical examples and explore how they can be used in your setting.
Quick reminder of key policies and the role of QI’s for measuring success/impact. Participants will likely be aware of these policies.
Principles of action planning - starting with an identified need, working in partnership with others to deliver programmes and then measuring the impact of these programmes. More chance of impact if you are clear about what need is being addressed – you will hear identifying and targetting need repeated.
In doing so we will draw upon the experiences of the Extended Schools Programme - the principles will apply.
Extended Schools programme is still a work in progress as far as delivering effective outcomes but significant progress has been made since it inception.

3. Policy Context – School Development
“School Connected to its Community” a common theme
Quality Indicators in each policy to measure progress
Reference to policies
ESAGS – Policy for School Improvement
TTI – An ETI resource issued by ETI to support schools with self evaluation
Schools for the future – JAN 2009 – area based sustainable schools.
Self Evaluation is not something to be carried out simply because someone tells you to do it - although that cant be ignored in the real world – rather the main reason is that informs future decision making which in turns leads to school improvement.
Example of Extended Schools – reducing budgets, competing agenda’s, what do I fund?
Programme A – perception of benefits
Programme B – evidence of impact

4. Policy Context – Example
Links and Partnerships: How effective are the links and partnerships with parents, other providers (including schools), other agencies and the wider community?
Indicators:
Evaluate the extent to which:
parents receive clear information about policies, the curriculum programme and the operation of the school;
relevant information is exchanged between professionals to ensure continuity and progression in the pupils’ learning and pastoral care at key transition stages;
regular contacts with local people and organisations are established to help foster positive attitudes and values among the learners;
the school makes use of and provides services to the community and nearby schools by utilising its resources, particularly outside normal school hours;
Not to get into the theory of self evaluation – example from the QI’s from TTI linked to the community.
Ref tables on ETI website. – Can be used at strategic level.

5. Principles - Planning for Impact
Baseline Information - audit and consultation
Identification of partners
Identify and prioritise need
Delivery/structures
Evaluation and Review
Move from policy and strategy down to operational level.
A brief run through the basic principles of action planning - a methodology to break down sometimes complex problems/needs into a plan to tackle the problem.
Baseline info: Reference to Nigel's session. Working with stakeholders in the community to identify need.
Partners – important that the school keeps in regular contact with partners/stakeholders etc..
Identify and prioritise need – school must be realistic re what it can commit to and deliver on. Important that programmes etc.. are consistent with School Development priorities.
Delivery – who is going to provide what, when will it happen, who will be the target group
Structures – is there an interagency structure required? Link in with local community forums, etc.. etc.
Draw up the Action Plan (more info on this later)
Evaluation and review –
In previous sessions you have each identified and issue (Nigel) and an intervention point (Seamus). How is this turned into a concrete plan of action. Take it down to the level of an individual - David’s story

6. Targeting Need - David’s Story
David moves to live with his maternal grandmother
Mother loses part-time job.
David is now in post-primary school.
Moves house again due to domestic violence and changes school.
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2008
2009
2010
2011
Starts school.
Older brother excluded from school.
Born to an alcoholic mother.
Moves house due to domestic violence.
David has a reading age of 6years 2 months and has low levels of achievement in most subjects.
Over the remainder of the session we will be looking at how you can plan provision to target identified need and we will also be looking at action planning which place monitoring and evaluation processes.
Activity will be split into two – first part is to look at planning programmes to target support.
David’s Story:
Behind these statistics lie real lives. The purpose of the Extended Schools programme and other community linked programmes is to provide schools with additional resources to influence these lives by supporting families and communities to develop their children. (African Proverb – It takes a village to raise a child).
We are now going to look at the life of an young boy and the barriers to learning that he is experiencing.

7. Activity – David's Story
Design an extended schools programme to support David.
Shade the segments of the clock to show what happens when.
List the partners that might be involved in delivery
School only influences around 17% of David’s life
What services/activities will support David’s development and attainment?
In this task the groups are asked to design a programme of services/activities to support David. They will have ten minutes to complete this task in small groups.
Using the handout - shade segments and label them to show the types of activities and services they think should be supplied to support the ‘David’ character.
They ideally should ensure that they not only provide support for David directly e.g. counselling, but also for his family e.g. Supporting the parents to help David with homework and reading, and for the community he lives in e.g. a summer scheme.
Point out that whilst this is a simplistic and somewhat contrived example that there are David’s out there who need tailored wrap around support which continues beyond the traditional school day.
It may be worth while skipping back to the last slide during the task so that the groups can identify the barriers to learning.
If you have time take feedback. If not simply put the flipcharts up on the wall so that the participants can see what the others produced.

8. Demonstrating Impact Baseline information as reference point
Targeting need
Outputs - what is measured
Outcomes - what has changed
Monitoring and Evaluation
How are we doing and how do we know?
What more can we do and how can we do it?
Types of Evidence
Now we are going to look at demonstrating impact. As per planning for impact – run through the basic points.
Focus on “Outcomes”– explain difference between outputs and outcomes. In the past there was perhaps more emphasis on Outputs (number of people attending, did the activity actually happen) but we are moving towards a more “Outcomes” driven approach to evaluation. (What has changed as a result of the activity service).
Whilst it is usually easier to measure (and provide evidence of) outputs – attendance registers etc. , it can be often more of a challenge to provide evidence of outcomes. Measure outcomes requires thought in advance.

9. Outputs & Outcomes - Example
20 pupils will attend the Breakfast Club , 5 of whom will be pupils whose attendance is giving cause for concern.
Attendance rates for the target pupils will improve over the year by an average of 5%
Measured by
Attendance register at Breakfast club to show how many are attending and who is attending.
Analysis of attendance rates for target pupils - provides evidence of improvement (e.g. SIMS)
Both forms of evidence are valid – the evidence that the outcome has been achieved is more robust.

10. Demonstrating Impact – Evidence
Quantitative
Qualitative
Questionnaires (closed ended)
Focus groups
Results (PIE/PIM, NFER, KEYSTAGE, GCSE A LEVEL)
Interviews
Attendance
Observations
Targeting Need (SEN, NINIS/NOBLE)
Questionnaires (open ended)
DSD Neighbourhood Renewal Areas
Tutor/coach reports
School registers (e.g. late books, detention, suspension, expulsion)
Photos
SIMS / Assessment Manager
Self-esteem tree
Outline of the types of evidence used – give some examples from the Extended Schools Programme.
Extended Schools are asked to score against a range of Ext Schools QI’s – the more comprehensive and

11. Monitoring & Evaluation
Action Planning
Baseline information
Delivery/Input
Output
Outcome
Monitoring & Evaluation
School Data
In this column describe What is going to happen, When it is going to happen, Who will participate, Where the activity/service will happen.
Who will help deliver the programme and how will it be funded?
Describe how the school plans to target the need identified within the programme.
An Output must be measurable and is usually defined with a number. For example: 12 pupils will ….; Six parents will….;
The output usually describes what happened.
An outcome describes the change in circumstances, achievement or behaviours as a result of participation in this activity/service. For example: There will be a reduction in the absence rate in the school.
The outcome should change the baseline information.
Describe the strategies you will use to monitor progress of the plan e.g.. Specific milestones, Attendance Records, External tests etc..
Where possible the school should gather both qualitative and quantitative evidence which demonstrate impact.
How often will evaluation occur.
School Data is specific data from your own school e.g. Attainment, attendance, FSME etc..
Community Data
Community Data is specific demographic information on your local area and the people who live in it.
Anecdotal Data
Anecdotal Data is simply what people are telling you or information for which there is no verified statistical basis

12. Demonstrating Impact Action Plan Activity
In groups - use the template provided to complete an action plan for a programme which targets support at your identified need.
Nominal budget of £10k
Each Group will be given an action plan for which baseline and delivery has been completed - in groups participants are asked to work out what the outputs and outcomes could be for the particular programme and how the programme will be measured.
Feedback should emphasise
Clear baseline information makes demonstrating impact easier - has the baseline changed?
Difference between Outputs and Outcomes
Basic self evaluation model – how are we doing, how to we know etc.

13. Review and Summary Policy of self evaluation
Plan for impact using baseline information
Target and prioritise need
Measuring impact – outputs and outcomes
Evidence based review
Brief Review

14. Further Thinking Joseph Rowntree Trust – www.jrf.org.uk
“Evaluating Community Based Prevention Programmes”
“Evaluating Community Projects – a Practical Guide”
Joyce Epstein et al (John Hopkins University)
“Schools Family and Community Partnership – Your Handbook for Action”
Second resource contains a section on “Planning and Evaluating Your Partnership Program” .
Handing over to Nigel who will look at how you might access additonal funding and will also take your action plan to the next stage.