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SECTION 6
SELECTION AND INDUCTION
Consultation with Pupils
6.1 Section 2(1) of the Standards in Scotland's School
Act 2000 requires education authorities to "secure that the education is directed to the
development of the personality, talents and mental and
physical abilities of the child or young person to
their fullest potential".
6.2 Having considered a pupil's educational needs in
full consultation with the pupil and their parent or carer
(as required under section 2(2) of the Standards in
Scotland's Schools (etc) Act 2000, which is in accord with
the
UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child), schools should examine the most suitable means of
meetings those needs (which may or may not suggest
school/college partnership). If such partnership activity
is being considered for a particular pupil, the school and
college need to be clear about its educational or other
benefits. Early discussion should take place between both
partners. A key issue to be considered is whether the pupil
would be able to cope with the level and format of the
learning.
6.3 The activity should have clear
objectives and outcomes expressed in terms of pupils'
attainment and achievement (in relation to, among other
things, social skills, life skills, and self-reliance).
Participation in school/college activities should only take
place with the full agreement of the pupil and their parent
or carer.
Communication with Parents or Carers
6.4 Unless the pupil is attending college
full-time, schools are responsible for liaising with
parents or carers on all partnership matters, including
selection, achievement, behaviour, attendance and
discipline. Parents or carers should normally be informed
that the school is their source of contact for
school/college activities - not the college.
Selection
6.5 Colleges are responsible for the
selection and enrolment of students, including pupils, and
the particular learning opportunities they offer. In a
number of cases the college is centrally involved in the
selection of pupils but in a growing number of cases
colleges allow the selection of pupils for college
programmes, under partnership agreement criteria, to rest
with schools and local authorities. There are also examples
where school and college together with Careers Scotland
jointly take decisions on selection.
6.6 There should be transparent procedures
for the selection of pupils readily understood by all
concerned, including pupils and their parent or carer.
6.7 It is essential that staff involved in
selecting pupils for school/college activities have
relevant information about the pupils ability to cope with
the level and format of the course and their ability to
sustain a commitment to the course. Early discussions with
pupils and their parent or carer, alongside discussions
with teaching and Careers Scotland staff, are essential
prerequisites to meet the needs of the pupil.
6.8 It is particularly important that
partners work together to ensure pupils with additional
support needs are catered for and that schools, colleges
and local authorities consider the needs of all pupils and
establish plans to meet them as far as possible. There are
numerous examples of colleges working closely with schools
and other partners to make reasonable adjustments to meet
the additional needs of pupils. The success of initiatives
in colleges for students with additional support needs
shows that colleges are determined to widen access and
provide good support for all students.
Jewel and Esk Valley College, East
Lothian Jewel and Esk Valley College has developed
procedures in their document
Agreement for the Provision of
Educational Service to a School. The
College and the local schools sign the
agreement which stipulates the roles and the
responsibilities of the partners involved in
delivering the programme. In this way the
partners are clear on their responsibilities,
e.g.
"the School will provide background
information regarding achievement, additional
support needs, behavioural issues for each
pupil and pupils entitled to free
lunches". Other colleges have similar
provision in their agreements, e.g. Glasgow's
Vocational Programme, Borders College, and
Inverclyde Vocational Programme. |
6.9 An important standard in the
Access to Support section of
happy, safe and achieving their potential,
20 the report of the National Review of Guidance 2004, is
that schools will make clear statements of support
arrangements for pupils and parents where other services
contribute to the young person's learning programme outside
school.
6.10 Other sections of the report are
relevant to school/college provision. In the
Learning for Life section, one of the
standards requires that
"schools ensure access to information to help young
people make informed decisions and choices". This will
mean closer liaison with college staff on the options
available to pupils and how the transition arrangements
will be managed.
6.11 Senior staff from schools, working in
partnership with other agencies, have a co-ordinating role
to play in school/college partnership. The report
emphasises they should
"co-ordinate and integrate services to provide seamless
support for the young person" in courses within and
outside of school.
Midlothian Council Midlothian Council's
Preparing for a Working Future
document includes a section on the format for
interview with
S2 pupils about to move into
S3. During the interview the
member of staff is asked to comment on the
attitude and commitment of the pupil, the
pupil's understanding of timekeeping and
preparation for tasks, their interest in the
subject area, their interaction with others and
to intimate if the pupil is ready to make the
changes to get the most from the course. The
pupil is invited to two 'taster' events in June
comprising three afternoons each and these
sessions form part of the induction
programme. |
6.12 Schools and colleges should be
prepared to enrol on programmes pupils who may not possess
the recommended entry requirements where they consider that
the course would provide stimulating experiences and is one
in which the pupil may flourish.
Informing Pupils of Choices
6.13 Pupils should have comprehensive
information to inform their curricular choices. There are
many examples of good practice in providing pupils with
information, advice and guidance to enable them to make
informed choices about learning opportunities. The range of
activities can include:
- presentations from college staff to school
staff;
- clear marketing information on the types of courses
available;
- open days and evenings at college and school for
parents or guardians; and
- establishing a programme of interviews and
facilitating discussions between potential students
with pupils already enrolled on programmes.
Dundee College's Construction Trade
Initiative As part of the construction trades
initiative at Dundee College, pupils are
invited to meet staff from the College at the
local secondary schools to discuss the
vocational education options available. College
staff give presentations on the options
available and discuss options further with
individual pupils. If the pupil decides to
apply for a course they are invited to the
College, along with their parents or carers, to
see the facilities and discuss their options
with staff. The school submits reports and
recommendations on the suitability of the pupil
for specific courses and short group interviews
follow with college, employer and education
representatives. If pupils receive a place they
are invited to an induction afternoon with
their parents or carers. |
South Lanarkshire Council South Lanarkshire Council produced a video
What's With Work? which
portrays the activities pupils can access at
South Lanarkshire College and at Motherwell
College. This has proved very effective in
terms of providing parents and guardians with a
visual representation of college life, the
range of activities on offer at college and the
benefits these courses provide for pupils. The
video takes the perspective of the pupil and
demonstrates how engagement in college
programmes can make classroom based subjects
like Mathematics and English more relevant in
applying knowledge in a simulated work
environment. |
Vocational Pathways Programme,
Shetland Education Service This initiative is managed by the Shetland
Educational Service in partnership with
Shetland's secondary schools, Shetland College,
North Atlantic Fisheries College, Shetland
Career Construction Group, Shetland
Construction Training Group, Shetland Salmon
Farmers Association, Careers Scotland, Shetland
Enterprise and Train Shetland.
S3 and
S4 pupils are involved in a
range of vocational programmes which will
assist them access modern apprenticeship places
and further education courses on completion of
their course. A helpful
DVD has been produced which
provides good information on the activities in
the programmes. |
6.14 The procedures mentioned earlier are
important in supporting a pupil make informed choices.
Another important element of a college programme is
supporting the transition of school leavers from a school
environment to a college environment. The
Moving On From School to College21 report by
HM Inspectorate of Education (2002) is
particularly useful for colleges and others helping pupils
with additional support needs make the transition to a
college environment.
6.15 The report outlines a number of ways
in which the pupil is prepared through partnership for the
transition to college. It establishes guiding principles
and ten characteristics of good practice which include
ensuring that:
- pupils experience curriculum continuity between
school and college, building on current
attainment;
- the curriculum includes the development of skills,
behaviours and attitudes appropriate for young people
at college and work placement;
- there is a named and available staff contact to
help advise young people and their parents; and
- there is mutual awareness, information sharing and
communication among schools and colleges and other
bodies in respect of both the overall management of the
transition process and the individual young
people.
6.16 Examples of good practice are
described fully and there is a section on how colleges can
evaluate their transition arrangements and practices.
Enrolment Arrangements and Procedures
6.17 The majority of colleges have Student
Agreements, which set out the rights and responsibilities
of pupils as enrolled college students. A model Student
Agreement is at
Annex F.
6.18 The welfare and safety of pupils
attending college is paramount. Any agreement between
schools, colleges and local authorities on enrolment
procedures for pupils should:
- enable the daily attendance of pupils to be
communicated to schools;
- ensure the college is informed of pupil absence
through illness;
- inform college staff of learning support and
medical needs;
- ensure the contact names and numbers of staff at
school and college are known to relevant people;
- ensure the pupil is clear about whom to approach if
problems arise;
- deal with bullying issues; and
- ensure disciplinary procedures are in place.
6.19 At enrolment it is normal procedure
for pupils to be registered with a college's Management
Information System (
MIS) records system. The college
generates a register of pupils which is completed on the
day of attendance by a nominated member of staff. In many
instances a vocational co-ordinator or support staff,
employed by the education authority, will attend college at
the same time as the pupils and register and monitor
attendance and behaviour of the pupils while they are at
college. Given the importance of pupil welfare, attendance
of pupils should be relayed to the school as soon as
possible, but certainly within 24 hours of their college
course. Any unauthorised pupil absence from college classes
should be reported directly to the school or via the
co-ordinator immediately.
Stevenson College,
Edinburgh Stevenson College has a schools liaison
policy statement which clearly outlines the
internal responsibilities of college staff.
These statements cover the activities of the
schools liaison officer, the combined studies
manager, heads of faculty, curriculum leaders
and programme lecturers. In this way the staff
can refer to documentation which offers
guidance on their responsibilities and those of
other relevant staff members. |
Information Exchange
6.20 A number of areas of law are relevant to a school
or education authority's ability to share information.
Exchange of information may not be lawful in all cases;
this depends on the individual circumstances under
consideration.22
6.21 Where permitted within the legal
framework, it is vital that schools and colleges share
information about the progress of pupils and evaluate the
factors which might impact upon their progress. Schools
retain a great deal of information on individual pupils but
they may be unsure about what level and types of
information could be shared with colleges. Where permitted
by law, nominated college staff should have access to the
full range of information on a pupil: this requires the
full and informed consent of the pupil and the parent or
carer.
6.22 Most of the information on a pupil
would come from the college application procedures and from
referrals by school and college staff during their liaison
meetings. These arrangements could be agreed between
partners in a partnership agreement. Colleges should
consider how information on pupils should be lawfully and
appropriately shared with their relevant staff to promote
effective teaching and support.
The arrangements for retaining this information are
subject to the conditions of the Data Protection Act
1998.
23
6.23 Information about the additional
support needs of pupils is a very important issue in
school/college partnership. Given that personal learning
plans will be the vehicle for exploring the needs of the
pupil, where permitted in law, there should be the
capability between schools and colleges to share the
personal profile of the pupil and shape their curricular
choices to suit their needs.
Fairfield School and Clackmannan
College Fairfield School in Clackmannanshire
provides for students with a wide range of
complex needs from autism to epilepsy and
associated challenging behaviour. The School
sees the local community as a learning resource
for the pupils and works closely with a range
of agencies. In particular it works with
Clackmannan College to involve the community as
much as possible. For example, pupils undertake
a catering course at the College and make cakes
and scones to sell in the School's 'Brambles
Café'. Regular formal meetings between staff
from the partners support the programme but
most contact is made informally, almost on a
daily basis. An example of the input from all
the partners involved with the pupil is the
Future Needs Meeting on individual pupils: - Pupil consultation
The pupils are fully involved in
these meetings, using
PEXS or talking mats to
communicate effectively. In addition,
various agencies and representatives have
an input to the assessment, including
psychological services, social work, speech
therapists, parents, befrienders,
home-school link officers, and leading
school/college staff.
|
6.24 It is essential that information on
pupils is stored securely and can be retrieved quickly. The
information should include family contacts and medical
information. As part of a partner agreement the college
should have permission to contact the parent or carer of
the pupil should an emergency occur while the pupil is on
the college premises. In all cases the college should
contact the school co-ordinator to inform them of any
problems.
6.25 The quality of information supplied
by schools to colleges about pupils is an important element
in tracking pupils' progression and ensuring their welfare
and well-being while on college premises. It is important
that colleges report on the progress of the pupil at agreed
stages during their courses. It is recommended that the
partnership agreement should determine the level and types
of information to be kept by the college and ensure that
information is updated regularly and linked to the pupil's
progress.
Glasgow City Colleges An agreement document prepared by Glasgow
City Council as part of the partnership
arrangements with Glasgow's colleges contains a
Confidentiality Undertaking
document which college staff are required to
sign. In it the staff member undertakes to keep
personal data on pupils confidential, safe and
secure and stipulates they will only disclose
information, with the express permission of the
pupil, to staff members of partners who are
similarly bound by duties of confidentiality,
or where required to do by law. The document is
signed by the staff member in the presence of a
witness and kept with the pupil consent form.
The pupil consent form requires the consent of
the pupil to pass on personal data to named
individuals and is signed by the pupil, their
guardian, an authorised signatory from the
school and an authorised signatory form the
college.
A copy of this consent form is held by
the school, the education authority and the
college. |
6.26 Schools should advise colleges of
information relating to pupils that would enable colleges
to devise the most approach learning and teaching
strategies.
Pupil Induction
6.27 Preparing the pupil for college
learning is essential and should commence at an early
stage. Before commencement of programmes, a well-planned
induction framework should be devised by the college and be
ready for implementation.
6.28 Induction should consist of three
main phases:
pre-induction;
induction on commencement; and
ongoing induction procedures.
6.29Pre-induction phase - There are numerous examples
of induction programmes where procedures are in place prior
to the commencement of the programme. Experience suggests
that the arrangements should occur before or at the time
the pupil is making course choices. It is vital that
pupils, teachers and parents or carers have information
about the programme and what it entails, and college life.
This should include a general health and safety briefing,
progression arrangements when the pupil completes the
programme, and whether the pupil will be taught in classes
with adult learners or with pupils from other schools. At
this stage it would also be useful to discuss with the
pupil the learning and teaching approaches that will be
deployed on the programmes. It is important that pupils
understand the style of learning and teaching in a college
may be different from their experiences at school and this
approach would help prepare the pupils for their college
programme.
6.30 It is important that teachers and
parents or carers are fully informed of what the college
has to offer and the format of the proposed learning. Many
colleges screen learners for core skills abilities and
deploying this approach for pupils would help to identify
and hopefully remove barriers to learning. To ensure
confidence levels the information must be clear and in a
format that parents can understand because for many parents
or carers this may be the first time they have experience
of a college and its induction arrangements.
Jewel and Esk Valley College, East
Lothian Jewel and Esk Valley College provide a
handbook for parents which offers answers to
typical questions posed by parents of pupils on
the school/college programme. The booklet is
intended to help parents and guardians assist
pupils make informed choices by providing up to
date information on the college and the
opportunities available. The booklet is also
available in its own section, under the heading
school programmes, on the college web page. A
similar handbook is available for pupils with a
designated web page for school/college
programmes on the college web site.
http://www.jevc.ac.uk/schools_stuff/default.htm |
The Nicolson Institute and Lews
Castle College, Stornoway The Nicolson Institute and Lews Castle
College offer a skills development programme
for pupils in
S3 and
S4. In
S2 the subject options
booklet includes detailed information on
college options and careers guidance is
available through Careers Scotland and the
school guidance tutor in liaison with college
staff. |
6.31Induction - Arrangements for induction on
commencement of the programme should reinforce the
principles outlined in the pre-induction phase. Induction
procedures provide an opportunity to contextualise general
arrangements within the specific nature of the programme.
For example, general health and safety briefings should at
this stage refer to the specific subject area.
6.32 Many colleges provide pupils with a
Student Handbook written specifically for
the them. Where provided, Student Handbooks should be
comprehensive and available, and where appropriate, be in a
range of formats. Induction programmes and Student
Handbooks generally cover the following matters:
- Dress code and attendance
- Absence reporting
- Transport arrangements
- Contact names and numbers
- Monitoring progress and feedback arrangements
- Support, welfare and health and safety
procedures
- Employment and progression opportunities
- Holiday entitlement
- Complaints procedures
- Anti-bullying policies
- Discipline and sanctions
- Channels of communication with parents
- Refectory arrangements, including free meal
entitlement
- Security of personal belongings/changing
facilities
- Rights and responsibilities/code of conduct
- First aid procedures
- Evaluation of the college experience
- Appeals and grievance procedures
- Process to be followed when considering withdrawing
a college place for a pupil
- Pupil representation.
6.33Ongoing induction - It is evident that colleges
utilise induction arrangements which suit their local
circumstances. Colleges should reaffirm the principles on
the range of topics in their induction procedures on a
continuous basis as part of a rolling programme of on-going
induction.
South Lanarkshire College South Lanarkshire College provides a user
friendly induction booklet for catering classes
which prepares pupils well for their programme
and ensuring their safety. During each class
pupils refer to the booklet to help them
understand the importance of hygiene and health
and safety arrangements in a catering
environment. |
Discipline
6.34 Education authorities and schools are
responsible for the whole package of school pupils'
learning and welfare, including any formal discipline of
pupils. Schools' formal discipline procedures are designed
specifically with the human rights of school pupils in
mind. Schools should inform the colleges of their policies
and procedures and agree with colleges the process for
schools instituting their formal disciplinary procedures.
That said, colleges determine the particular courses they
wish to offer and the pupils and students they accept on to
them (including the withdrawal of such provision).
6.35 Colleges and schools should agree at
the outset on a due process for circumstances where the
college is considering withdrawing a place for a pupil
because of their behaviour.
6.36 Colleges must consider if there are
any disability-related reasons that had led to a pupil's
behaviour. For example, if a pupil's behaviour arises
because they have an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, under the
Disability Discrimination Act (
DDA), the college must first have to
look at reasonable adjustments that can be made to retain
the pupil in college.
6.37 Given the difficulties inherent in
reintegrating a pupil midway through a year back into a
full school curriculum, the withdrawal of a place requires
careful consideration. Early notification of problems is
essential. The withdrawal of a place should come as no
surprise to either the pupil or the school.
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