The Scottish Government

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SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION

1.1 The publication of this guide, which accompanies the issue of the Scottish Executive's strategy for school and college partnership ¹, marks the completion of the Executive's review of collaboration between schools and colleges in Scotland. The strategy and this guide have been informed by research, consultations, and the work of a number of Working Groups representing both sectors and pupil and adult student interests - the Working Group on 'Best Practice' for Planning and Management and Pupil Welfare and Support, the Working Group on Funding, and the Working Group on the Qualifications of College Staff to Teach School Pupils. We want to take this opportunity to thank the chairs and members of the Working Groups for their contributions. The Working Groups' membership and remits are at Annex A.

1.2 The papers and other documentation relating to existing school/college collaboration referred to in this guide are available from an electronic document repository on the Scottish Executive's website at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/SCRStrategy/Repository .

Status of Guide

1.3 This guide is non-statutory. In it we suggest how schools, colleges, local authorities and others should work in partnership. It contains recommendations for best practice. We have also highlighted in bold in paragraphs 6.1, 6.2, 6.20, 6.22, 10.14 and 10.18 some legislative requirements which may be relevant. This guide is not a definitive interpretation of the law, which only the courts can provide.

1.4 The guide predominately covers arrangements for pupils attending college on a regular basis. For courses such as 'taster' courses, the recommendations should be applied proportionately.

1.5 It is ultimately a matter for the organisations concerned to consider the extent to which they can adopt the recommendations in the context of their arrangements, procedures and local circumstances and to seek where appropriate their own legal advice on matters such as the employment rights of individual staff members.

Private Training Providers and Other Organisations

1.6 This guide may also help inform consideration of the arrangements for other school and other college partnerships for the delivery of learning opportunities to pupils. For example, schools may engage private training providers to help deliver aspects of vocational education. Such providers may be engaged by a college within the context of a school/college partnership.

1.7 As the strategy for school and college partnership outlines, where a private training provider or other organisation is involved in a pupil's learning, the local authority, school or college will ensure through conditions of payment that HMIE can observe teaching and assess student progress and achievement.

Pupils with Additional Support Needs

1.8 We will also publish an insert to Partnership Matters², which will contain specific guidance on school/college partnership for pupils with additional support needs. The insert will set out the roles and responsibilities of local authorities, NHS Boards and further education colleges in providing support to pupils with additional support needs. The document will be published by summer 2005 and will build on this guide.

Purpose of Partnership

1.9 The overall rationale for school/college partnership is to enable colleges to help schools in their task of developing the capacities of young people as outlined in A Curriculum for Excellence³: to enable them to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society and at work. It can be encapsulated in the following purposes:

• to widen pupils' opportunities for progression and prepare them for further study;
• to ease pupils' transition from school to further learning, training or employment;
• to broaden pupils' curriculum choices; and
• to enrich pupils' educational experiences.

1.10 For example, we encourage partnership between schools and colleges to enhance opportunities to ⁴:

• give pupils access (appropriate to their educational development) to specialist staff, materials and facilities, which schools may generally be unable to offer (because of too few pupil numbers or other constraints such as accommodation);
• give pupils the opportunity to undertake meaningful courses and experiences in vocational areas;
• give pupils the opportunity to study specialist subjects, such as Psychology and Philosophy;
• stimulate pupils creativity and enterprise, including through Enterprise in Education under Determined to Succeed;
• place into context for pupils the relevance of aspects of their learning
• provide pupils with a different learning environment from that of school;
• provide pupils with a wider range of learning opportunities (e.g. open and distance learning);
• improve pupils' access to a wide range of educational opportunities to improve pupils' confidence, self-reliance, self-worth, life skills and attainment, which are important to the delivery of social justice;
• demystify post-school learning, encouraging pupils to see the value of post-school education and understand the 'lifelong' nature of learning;
• re-engage pupils most at risk of disengagement with the traditional education system;
• give 'winter leavers' opportunities to pursue the options most suitable to them in their final school term;
• support the learning of pupils with additional needs and from special schools;
• improve pupils' retention rates at school and their acquisition of qualifications, both of which have a positive impact on pupils' lifetime earnings;
• give pupils the opportunity to explore career options within the context of the 3-18 continuum of career planning;
• improve pupils' general work-readiness and improve their prospects for employment, including developing attitudes and behaviours necessary for work;
• give pupils over school age technical skills to improve their chances of securing employment in their chosen field;
• promote to pupils over school age career opportunities in key areas of Scotland's economy and where skills gaps exist or are emerging;
• break down pupils' gender stereotyping of occupations;
• encourage pupils' interest in science, technology, engineering and maths; and
• encourage pupils' interest in creative and cultural subjects, including sports, art, theatre and dance.

1.11 The pooling of resources between the two sectors is essential to the delivery of a modern flexible school curriculum.

1.12 All secondary and special schools in Scotland will by 2007 have effective, meaningful and appropriate partnership with at least one college for S3 pupils and above. Similarly, all Scotland's colleges will have effective, meaningful and appropriate partnership with secondary and special schools.

1.13 Pupils of all abilities in S3 and above will be able to be considered for college learning opportunities. It should be a positive choice to access specialist provision in colleges - it should not be regarded as opting out of school for pupils with additional support needs or disaffected or disengaged pupils.

1.14 Options will be made available to pupils as they are with all other students in further and higher education - on the basis of available capacity. Given there is an inevitable limit on capacity to maintain colleges' central ethos as voluntary centres of learning for adults due regard will be paid to pupils who will benefit most from activities that enhance their life chances.

Collaboration and Partnership

1.15 Collaboration is about working with another on a joint project. Partnership, on the other hand, entails a relationship in which organisations work together with a common purpose. It is indicative of the depth and maturity of existing school/college links that we can now adopt a partnership approach across the country founded on mutual trust and respect.

1.16 We have no preferred mode of delivery for school/college partnership (or for the delivery of vocational education more generally for that matter). However, schools and colleges must work in partnership - not in competition.

Success

1.17 The success of the school/college partnership strategy and this guide will be measured by the success of the pupils undertaking school/college partnership activities - by their attendance, by their attainments and achievements, and by the ease of their transitions into further learning, training or employment.

School/College Review Publications

1.18 Publications issued as part of the school/college review are listed in Annex B. They can be found on the Scottish Executive's website at www.scotland.gov.uk/publications. You can telephone Freephone 0800 77 1234 to find out where your nearest public Internet access point is.

1.19 All review publications are also available from:

By telephone: 0141 242 0102

By email: scrt@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

By fax: 0141 242 0251.

1.20 The February 2004 consultation paper, the review's interim report, and the strategy for school/college partnership are available on request in alternative formats.

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