1. Raising of Achievement and Aspiration in Redcar & Cleveland Zohrah Zancudi Assistant Director – Employment, Skills and Culture Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council

2. Today’s Objectives To examine current trends in the achievement of White Working Class pupils in schools and learn from the key findings of educational research To identify the reasons and factors for White Work Class Pupils’ underachievement To share effective strategies to raise achievement and close the gap and discuss what strategies we could be using across our schools To develop a joint strategy across Primary, Secondary and post-Secondary to raise attainment

3. Today’s Objectives To examine current trends in the achievement of White Working Class pupils in schools and learn from the key findings of educational research To identify the reasons and factors for White Work Class Pupils’ underachievement To share effective strategies to raise achievement and close the gap and discuss what strategies we could be using across our schools To develop a joint strategy across Primary, Secondary and post-Secondary to raise attainment

4. Purpose of this session To seek your views about a proposal for a new partnership approach to facilitate stronger relationships between the education and business sectors in Redcar and Cleveland, so that together we can nurture a confident, aspirational and skilled local workforce for the future

5. What the UKCES Employer Survey 2013 tells us about Tees Valley employers and young people Three out of every ten employers in Tees Valley have recruited a young person aged under 24 direct from education –81% of those recruiting direct from Higher Education felt the young people were well/very well prepared –81% of those recruiting direct from Further Education colleges felt the young people were well/very well prepared –62% of those recruiting direct from school felt the young people were well/very well prepared Some of these figures challenge the conventional wisdom that most young people are not work ready

6. However, a small but significant minority find young people to be poorly prepared 31% of those that took on school leavers, 15% of those that took on FE leavers and 17% of those that took on HE leavers find young people to be poorly/very poorly prepared For school leavers lack of working world experience was cited as the main reason for poor preparedness (67%); poor attitude or lack of motivation (45%); lack of required skills (31%); and lack of common sense (19%) were also given as reasons; 10% cited Poor Education or lack of Literacy/Numeracy skills.

7. Young people and employers concur Importantly there is agreement between employers and unemployed young people on the importance of experience. Recent research found that lack of experience was the factor most commonly cited by young people when asked what was preventing them getting work.

8. “Pathways to Work” consultation Through this we were told that… Examples of local good practice need to be recognised and replicated Some partnerships need reinvigorating, as they are not as productive as they might be We need to recognise the value of work experience in school, and develop a more joined up approach to strengthen the links between the world of education and the world of work Increased investment needed We need closer working so that employers are talking to schools about local opportunities; and there are interactions between business and schools at a strategic level We need to work with those at risk of becoming NEET earlier on in schools Supporting people into employment is everyone’s responsibility

9. Improving achievement Raising aspiration

10. Redcar & Cleveland Approach Scaling up good practice and co-ordinating oversight of vocational activities which are delivered by and with employers to raise students’ awareness of, interest in and aspiration to local jobs.

11. Redcar & Cleveland Approach Building on local apprenticeship schemes to increase range and sustainability, and raise up more first-time apprentice employers

12. Redcar & Cleveland Approach Increase the opportunities for young people to take up work taster opportunities

13. Redcar & Cleveland Approach Activities and support are free for all schools and businesses, based on in-kind contributions and partnership working

14. Redcar & Cleveland Approach Strong links with local press and social media to raise profile of the scheme and the opportunities in the local labour market

15. Redcar & Cleveland Approach Modelled on the successful Foundation for Jobs Scheme…

16. Redcar & Cleveland Approach … with a Redcar & Cleveland focus …

17. Redcar & Cleveland Approach … in our Tees Valley context.

18. Local Employers Public & Voluntary Sector Schools & Colleges Redcar & Cleveland Approach Partnership Board with equal representation at strategic level from the business, education and public / voluntary sectors

19. We would like to hear your views 1)How can this Foundation For Jobs initiative best link with and build on the work you are already doing? 2)What are the top 3 issues / concerns which you think this partnership should address? 3)What are the top 3 activities which you think this partnership should drive forward? 4)How do we best represent the views of the education sector as a whole (for young people aged 0 – 25) through this partnership?