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CHAPTER FIVE: SCHOOLS' EXPERIENCE: CASE STUDY EVIDENCE

5.1 This chapter presents the evidence collected from interviews with 61 members of school staff as part of the case studies. The chapter begins by examining the evidence relating to information and support provision and explores teachers' views and reactions to DtS. The evidence related to implementation, interagency working and business engagement is then presented and perceived barriers to success are examined. Finally, initial perceptions related to the impact of DtS are explored along with the identified key learning points and good practice recommendations.

5.2 Visits were undertaken to 18 schools - three schools (one primary, one secondary and one special school) in each of the six case study authorities. The schools were selected by LA staff to be broadly representative in terms of the progress they had made in implementing DtS. Interviews were conducted with a member of the senior management team (usually the head teacher or a depute), the person responsible for coordinating the implementation of DtS/ EinE at school level, up to two members of teaching staff (either class teachers or subject teachers), and, where appropriate the careers/work-related learning coordinator. The achieved sample included 18 senior managers, 11 DtS/ EinE co-ordinators (in eight cases the senior manager was also the coordinator and in one case the role was shared by two members of staff), 26 members of teaching staff and six careers/work related learning co-ordinators.

INFORMATION AND SUPPORT PROVISION AND SUFFICIENCY

Awareness of the DtS strategy

5.3 The findings from the interviews with schools staff suggest there are differences in the levels of awareness of the DtS strategy. The senior managers in all the schools were aware of the broad aims of the strategy and were familiar with the recommendations and the implications for schools. However, the aims of the strategy were often interpreted differently by schools at a local level depending on the age of the children attending the school and their individual needs and priorities. There was less awareness of the strategy among teaching staff (particularly those working within the secondary sector). Awareness was noticeably higher in schools where head teachers were taking a leading role in terms of implementation. These schools had made concerted efforts to raise awareness (often drawing on support from the LA) and had an inclusive approach to implementation that involved all staff.

Informing head teachers about DtS

5.4 Interviewees were asked to indicate how they had first heard about the DtS strategy and to give details about the level and adequacy of information they had received. As noted in Chapter 4, information about DtS had usually initially been presented to head teachers, often at a LA meeting. However, some of the senior managers reported that they had seen information about DtS in the educational press prior to this. In several cases, the LA staff had organised a launch event which EinE co-ordinators had also attended. However, in most schools information about the strategy was said to have cascaded down to teaching staff via the head teacher.

5.5 In the majority of cases the LADtS team had given a presentation to heads about the DtS strategy and the implications for schools. The LA staff had usually shared their plan of action with head teachers and schools were given information about how the funding would be allocated. Most senior managers felt the information they had received had been sufficient, as illustrated by the following quote from a head teacher:

"We had the documents and also information about the strategy that is pertinent to the local authority, like the plan. I think we were well informed."

5.6 A minority of senior managers said they would have liked more information and/or documentation from their LA. One of these respondents was new to the post and had therefore, not attended the head teachers' meeting that had been organised by the LA. The other respondent had attended a presentation about DtS but felt they would have liked more information to inform their approach to implementation.

Informing teaching staff about DtS

5.7 In the majority of schools, it was reported that information about DtS had cascaded down from the LA to teaching staff, via the head teacher. This meant that head teachers had a central role to play in terms of presenting the aims of strategy to teaching staff and in terms of raising awareness. In some schools, this process had clearly worked well and the head teachers had been successful in communicating the aims of EinE and in motivating staff to take the strategy forward. However, there were differences across the sample and these differences had implications for how the strategy was implemented at school level.

5.8 In the majority of the schools visited, the senior managers had informed all staff about the strategy through a staff meeting. In one secondary special school, staff had been informed through a department meeting. The senior manager at this school felt that it had only been necessary to inform staff who would be "affected" by the initiative so information was passed on to a "core team" rather than to all staff.

5.9 Only two of the six secondary schools set up a working group to take the strategy forward (in one school such a group was already in existence). These working groups were cross departmental and involved staff from a variety of different subject departments.

5.10 Respondents' comments suggested that the use of an in-service day was the most efficient and effective way of informing staff about the strategy. However, only five of the 18 schools visited had adopted this approach. These schools invited the EDO from the LA to contribute to or to lead the session so that staff were aware of the role of the LA in relation to implementation. Senior managers said this had helped to raise the profile of DtS within the school and had "meant that everybody got the same message from the outset". The in-service day had often provided an opportunity for staff to clarify and explore what was meant by "Enterprise in Education" and to think about the implications for teaching and learning. The following quote illustrates the change in thinking that took place as a result of the in-service day in one school:

"To begin with staff thought enterprise was just about making and selling and there is nothing wrong with that but we moved on from that quite soon to thinking about the whole curriculum."

TEACHERS' VIEWS

Views about DtS

5.11 Half of the senior managers (predominantly those working in primary and special schools) said the reaction to the strategy from staff had been positive. Most of these respondents reported that their school was already doing a lot of work in this area prior to DtS and staff had welcomed the strategy as it was not seen as something that was new to them. As one senior manager explained:

"Because we had a firm grounding in enterprise they welcomed the fact that it was being considered by the Scottish Executive as a high priority and that there was a commitment with the funding they were putting in place."

5.12 In the other half of the sample, the senior managers reported that the response to the strategy from staff had been more mixed. Some staff were reported to be initially quite sceptical of a new initiative. Others were concerned about the extra workload involved in implementing the initiative and wanted to see how it would fit in with what they had been doing previously. The senior managers at these schools reported making efforts to tackle these concerns, usually by reassuring teachers that this was not something new. For example, one senior manager said: "At first, they [the staff] thought they would have to do a lot of extra work, but I reassured them that we are already doing enterprise activities". Another senior manager said that he felt it was his job to "sell it to them, but this had not been too difficult, as it is something they have been doing already. It is about enriching what they already do, not adding anything new".

Perceptions about the aims of the strategy

5.13 All interviewees were asked to outline what they thought the key aims of the DtS strategy were. The varied responses to this question indicate a range of different interpretations of the DtS strategy. Some interviewees admitted that they were not sufficiently familiar with the strategy to be able to comment on the aims. However, generally responses from interviewees demonstrate that schools have absorbed the messages about DtS from their LA ( see Chapter 4).

5.14 The two most common phrases that interviewees used related to developing a "can do attitude" in young people and preparing young people for life beyond school. For example, one interviewee said:

"As I understand it, it is about gearing pupils up for the world outside of school, making them realise they can take chances and opportunities and the can do, will do attitude and the kind of skills needed to drive our economy forward."

5.15 Across the schools interviewees saw the strategy as being about raising pupils' attainment. However, some of the teachers working within the secondary sector saw the focus as being more about the development of core skills and/or the vocational curriculum. In contrast, interviewees working in primary or special schools often interpreted it differently and felt the focus was on involving children in education giving them more ownership of, and responsibility for, their learning.

5.16 Other aims reported by fewer respondents were:

• To develop links with the wider community outside of school - "it gives you chances to link with the community and give the children real life experiences"
• To forge partnerships with business - "to have businesses recognise their role in enhancing and supporting education"
• Developing citizenship - "it is all about trying to build confident people who can take responsibility for themselves and the world they live in".

5.17 One primary head teacher felt the aims were unclear and were somewhat open to interpretation depending on the age of the pupils. He felt the language of the strategy was not helpful:

"I think it is open to interpretation as to what the aims are and within the primary context it is different too because we are not focused on future employment; our pupils are too young and by the time they are ready for employment the situation will have changed again."

He felt it was important not to have mechanistic view of enterprise and to interpret enterprise within the local context which is in line with the Executive's recommendations. In doing so, he saw DtS as a vehicle for change and felt it could be related to "inclusion and to achievement and to young people being citizens and making decisions".

5.18 All of the senior managers were positive about the strategy and reported that they agreed with the aims, as illustrated by this quote from a primary head teacher: "I have been in education long enough to recognise that this is most definitely the way forward". Most felt the aims were ambitious but achievable although, several senior managers stressed that they were long term aims and would take time to become realised.

5.19 Some of the interviewees had reservations about the wider aims and doubted whether these would be achievable across all schools. For example, one of the primary head teachers commented that the specific recommendations were realistic and achievable but the wider changes in culture would be dependant upon the quality of teaching and learning:

"If the aims are to ensure that every child has an enterprise experience each year then yes the aims are realistic. If the aims of the strategy are that they have an enabling experience that teaches them something about how to work with others, then it depends on the quality of the teaching."

A senior manager at a secondary school also had doubts, as illustrated by the following quote:

"I think the aims are praiseworthy but need to be set against the national picture; we have a national shortage of teachers in secondary schools in Scotland and teachers are feeling quite de-motivated at the moment and demoralised. I'm not sure how realistic the aims are but they are certainly praiseworthy."

5.20 One of the primary head teachers, who was also the cluster coordinator working closely with a secondary school, felt it would be more difficult to engender change within the secondary sector because of curriculum constraints and organisational differences:

"I work with a secondary school quite closely and I see that from their perspective they have far more difficulties managing what they have to achieve because of the pressures of the curriculum and the targets that they have to meet. There is more flexibility with us when you have a class for the whole day and we can work things through where as when you have a class for 40 minutes it is much more challenging."

5.21 When asked whether there was anything else they would have liked to have seen in the strategy the majority of interviewees did not make any suggestions. However, one of the primary head teachers said he felt the DtS documentation needed to have more of a core value in terms of education and less of an emphasis on the values associated with business. He felt less comfortable with the business association and felt it was not inclusive enough:

"Felt it was too fixed an idea about entrepreneurship. I think it is more important to develop everybody. I am more interested in the context outside of business and what does entrepreneurship mean to those people. It has to be about improving the quality of life for everyone not just about being successful in the workplace but in life in the wider sense. I think the document needs more of a core value coming through that isn't just related to business development or entrepreneurs."

A senior manager at a secondary school felt the strategy should have been "more focused and not spread across a number of areas".

Perceived strengths

5.22 All of the senior managers and most of the teaching staff identified a number of strengths of the DtS strategy. The most common strength mentioned was that the strategy brought with it additional resources and support for schools, as illustrated by the following quote from a head teacher at a special school:

"One of the strengths would have to be the additional resources because that has helped and it has given it status within the school because it is resourced; also the additional staffing and the expertise and support that brings at LA level."

Other strengths mentioned were that the strategy:

• Challenged schools to improve the quality of teaching and learning - "it has made us sit up and question our aims, what we are teaching, and in some cases why we are teaching certain things" (head teacher at a primary school)
• Raised the profile of vocational education and provided a context for developing core skills - "it has raised the profile of vocational education and the whole enterprise culture and recognises the importance of these aspects of education" (senior manager at a secondary school)
• Was inclusive as it involved all sectors and was cross curricular - "it is relevant to all areas and doesn't conform to just one subject area" (class teacher from a primary school)
• Encouraged inter-agency working - "we have come together more as a team and parents have been involved as well and other agencies".

Perceived weaknesses

5.23 Eight interviewees were unable to identify any weaknesses and felt the DtS strategy had a lot of potential. Others did identify weaknesses although some of these were not directly related to the strategy itself. For example, several respondents talked about the "plethora" of new initiatives and said DtS was one of a number of priorities for schools. They felt that this made it easy for teachers who were not immediately affected by it to reject it and to leave it to others to manage. Some interviewees were concerned about staffing and felt there were not sufficient resources in place to implement the strategy effectively.

5.24 A minority of interviewees were not comfortable with what they saw as the narrow focus of the strategy on preparing children for work. For example, one primary teacher said:

"From a philosophical perspective I have concerns about it [the strategy] as it seems to be suggesting that a primary function of school is to prepare pupils solely for the world of work."

A head teacher commented that the strategy clashed with her own views as an educator:

"I wasn't comfortable with the idea of fitting people for work or being too focused on trying to develop young entrepreneurs."

Other weaknesses identified were that the strategy:

• Was a bit " woolly" and difficult to grasp - some felt more explanation was needed as to what EinE was
• Was lacking a "master plan for all schools" to promote consistency and enable continuity and progression when children made the transition from primary to secondary school
• Could have a negative impact in relation to narrowing rather than broadening the curriculum in schools - "I suppose the weaknesses would be that you could become a bit sidelined and only teach what is relevant to DtS and some things would be watered down".

Perceptions about the relevance of EinE

5.25 The majority of interviewees felt that EinE had enormous potential to make a difference to pupils' experience of education and to their learning gains and outcomes.

5.26 Respondents suggested that EinE could:

• Make education seem more relevant to young people - "it broadens their ideas and makes learning in the classroom real, they see that things have a significance"
• Help link learning in the classroom to the outside world - "I think it brings a bit of life to what we are teaching them and makes it more meaningful"
• Bring about a change in attitude as it made learning enjoyable and could help build social skills - "They can all have a role and they feel important and valued. You can see a change in their approach to their learning. They can identify new strengths and that gives them confidence and it can raise their self-esteem"
• Help young people develop the necessary skills for work and prepare them for their future - "it can really build confidence for pupils so that when they go out into the workplace they are no thrown into an alien environment. I think that it is really important that in addition to the academic subjects they are doing they have this opportunity".

5.27 Interviewees were asked whether they thought EinE was only relevant to certain aspects of the curriculum or to certain types of pupils. All interviewees felt EinE was relevant to all and most thought it could be integrated across the curriculum. However, nine interviewees said that although it was relevant to all, certain types of pupils (such as those who were less academically able) could particularly benefit. For example a teacher working in a primary school said: "I think it is relevant to all but more so for those who don't normally get the opportunity to shine because it is about different skills". A few respondents (4) working in the secondary sector felt that EinE was more relevant to disaffected pupils or to those who were marginalized: "it helps disengaged learners most, those that are switched off, it is a way of engaging them as they can see a real, practical product at the end. "

5.28 A few of the respondents from special schools felt that those children with complex needs or those at the extreme end of the autistic spectrum may not benefit in the same way as other children. However, they felt the experiences EinE offered could be beneficial as they offered "reward" and "joy" to these children.

5.29 Several teachers acknowledged that EinE could "lend itself better to some aspects of the curriculum" but the majority felt that this did not mean that it could not be taught across all areas of the curriculum: "It is easier to implement in some subjects than others but it can have relevance across the curriculum'. The curricular areas most commonly suggested as being a suitable context for EinE were:

• Environmental studies
• Art
• Religious education
• Personal and social development
• Citizenship.

5.30 There was some evidence to suggest that although most respondents thought EinE was relevant across the curriculum it was not necessarily being integrated in this way. For example a number of the secondary teachers that we interviewed admitted that they had not been involved in implementing DtS. They felt that currently EinE was only relevant to specific departments such as business education and technology within the context of their school. Some expressed concerns about this as they felt in order for DtS to impact it needed to involve all departments.

IMPLEMENTATION OF DTS IN SCHOOLS - AIMS AND APPROACHES

Previous experiences of enterprise learning

5.31 A large number of the schools (15 of the 18) had a history of delivering EinE related activities prior to DtS. Many of these activities were described as 'stand alone' activities and enterprise learning was usually not embedded in the curriculum. In some of the secondary schools, vocational education opportunities were already in existence before DtS was introduced and many had existing links with employers to enhance careers education. Furthermore, some of the schools were involved in other initiatives which they felt complemented DtS, such as the motivated school initiative and the assessment for learning programme.

5.32 However, the majority of interviewees said that DtS had made a difference to provision despite the fact that many schools had been focusing on this area for some time. Most felt that DtS had encouraged them to take a more consistent approach to EinE and to expand provision to ensure access for all. A few interviewees (notably those with a long history of EinE related activities) felt the strategy had not made a significant difference in terms of generating new approaches and ways of working, although it had helped to reinforce what they were already doing in this area.

5.33 Interviewees in those schools with less of a history of EinE related activities felt that DtS had been a vehicle for change at their school and had helped to raise the profile of the importance of these activities.

Approaches adopted: aims and priorities

5.34 Most of the senior managers/ DtS co-ordinators reported taking a school-wide approach to implementing DtS that involves all staff. In some cases, schools had also involved support staff in implementation and a few reported communicating with parents and children about the changes they were making. In the words of one head teacher: "I wanted to involve all teachers, pupils and parents, so that they know that this is the beginning of change".

5.35 Several schools were adopting a joined-up approach, choosing to link DtS with other related initiatives such as Eco Schools and Health Promoting Schools. One primary head teacher explained their decision to link the initiatives:

" DtS came in at the same time as health promoting schools and eco schools for us and we looked at it and thought as it stands this is not going to be manageable unless we can find some kind of link. What we decided was to have enterprise as the link."

5.36 A number of the secondary and special schools reported that there had been organisational issues that they had to take into account when deciding on their approach to implementation. These issues usually related to the curriculum and timetabling and this had, in some cases, caused problems as the curriculum was felt to be quite restrictive. However, there were secondary schools who reported that careful planning and enthusiasm from staff had meant the curriculum and timetable had not been a constraint. For example, one senior manager said: "As a school we have given it high priority and we have a tradition of being flexible within the timetable. We are very enthusiastic as a staff".

5.37 Senior managers were asked what had been their main aims and priorities in terms of initial implementation and the most common answer was that schools wanted to ensure provision for all pupils. For example, one head teacher at a special school said:

"We had a lot of discussion about what we wanted to do, what our goals were and what we wanted to achieve. We wanted to embed it in the curriculum and make sure all pupils had opportunities to be involved throughout the year."

5.38 Other priorities in terms of initial implementation mentioned by senior managers and DtS co-ordinators were:

• Raising the profile of EinE
• Developing teaching and learning
• Making links with local businesses
• Encouraging a positive attitude to school
• Increasing parental involvement.

EinE activities delivered

5.39 In some schools there have been concerted efforts to implement DtS/ EinE across the curriculum and schools have made changes to their practises and pedagogies as a result. However, in some schools EinE provision appears to remain varied and is dependent upon a few dedicated members of staff. Effective management appears to be related to successful practice and where teachers are fully supported and involved in implementation, provision is more consistent. The findings suggest that some schools are beginning to embed EinE within their curriculum and pedagogical approach. However, a considerable number of schools are continuing to provide enterprise experiences that could be described as 'stand-alone' activities. The kinds of activities that schools reported delivering and the kinds of projects pupils were involved in have been divided into six broad categories for discussion. These categories are:

• Business enterprise projects
• Environmental enterprise projects
• Community enterprise projects
• Citizenship projects
• Challenge activities
• Embedded approaches.

5.40 It is worth noting that it was impossible for the research team to identify how much intervention individual students were getting in terms of hours and subjects within the scope of this study. As discussed in the previous paragraph, schools had adopted different approaches and had different priorities. Some schools were attempting to ensure that all pupils were experiencing EinE, while others were gradually increasing and expanding provision. The extent to which EinE was being integrated and embedded across the curriculum is explored in more detail at the end of this section.

5.41 Business enterprise projects were the most commonly reported activities across schools. These projects often took the form of make and sell activities although, in some cases, projects were on-going and had become more embedded. Examples from schools included seasonal projects such as making Christmas cards and decorations or making edible items to sell on a stall or in a school café/tuck-shop. In one of the primary schools, all pupils had been involved in making cards to sell to parents. The younger children had been involved in producing the cards and the older children had managed production and were responsible for marketing and selling the cards. Several schools had involved a group of pupils in Young Enterprise projects; others had run a business enterprise project with an ICT focus. In four schools (two secondary and two special schools) interviewees reported that business enterprise projects were part of an accredited course, such as the SQA Social and Vocational Skills course.

5.42 Environmental enterprise projects were often larger projects that were taking place over a period of time or involved changes in school policies and practices. A number of the projects related to improving the school grounds or to recycling school waste. Examples of projects included schools working with the forestry commission on a project planting trees, the planning and design of a kitchen garden in the school grounds and developing a whole school recycling programme. One of the primary teachers explained how the recycling project they had been involved in started in her class and how the children had ownership of the project from start to finish.

5.43 Community enterprise projects often involved schools working with outside agencies and many involved parents and the wider local community in school events. Children were usually given responsibility for organising an event right from the planning stages (writing and sending out invitations) to hosting the event itself. Examples included a literacy showcase event organised by primary pupils which involved parents and the local library; a 'grandparents day' which involved the children making visits to the local community and the local community coming into school; and a community café which was run by pupils in a special school. The head teacher at the special school explained that "the children made biscuits and things and invited the various organisations in the community and two classes ran the café each day for the visitors".

5.44 Citizenship projects were not reported as frequently, as other projects but where they were, the projects focused on improving communication structures in schools and/or working together to make positive changes. Examples included, a secondary school that had a focus on fair trade issues, where a speaker came in to talk to pupils and a primary school that ran a peer mediation project to help tackle behaviour problems in the playground.

5.45 Challenge activities were also reported less frequently. These activities usually involved large groups of pupils, often whole-year groups or, in some cases, the whole school working together as a team. On occasion they were delivered externally. For example, in one local authority all schools had been allocated a number of places on a leadership challenge activity that was delivered by an external agency.

5.46 Embedded approaches were being adopted by a quarter of the schools (usually, although not exclusively, those who had a history of EinE related activities prior to DtS). In these schools EinE had impacted on teaching and learning right across the curriculum. In one primary school three groups or 'companies' had been formed to involve pupils in school activities and events right from the planning stage. In previous years, companies had been formed on a temporary basis but the school staff wanted to change this to enable EinE to become more embedded within the life of the school.

Vocational and work-based learning

5.47 Staff working within the secondary sector (and where appropriate those working in special schools) were asked to detail any developments that had taken place in relation to vocational and work-based learning. The majority of schools had taken steps to increase the vocational education opportunities available to pupils. However, the progress made in this area differed from school to school and appeared to be dependent on several factors. Most schools had links with FE colleges for vocational education prior to DtS and many had on-site facilities for pupils and were adopting a more flexible curriculum for some pupils. These issues made it difficult to identify how provision had changed/developed since DtS. Furthermore, other funding opportunities and developments within this area ( e.g. Skills for Work) were also impacting on provision. However, DtS did seem to have stimulated change as it had strengthened existing links with colleges and additional funding had meant that provision could be expanded. The majority of vocational courses were accredited and most were delivered in FE colleges rather than in school.

Careers education

5.48 Interviews were carried out with a careers coordinator in six of the schools we visited (four of these interviewees were principal teachers of guidance). Analysis revealed that awareness of the DtS strategy was relatively low among this group and DtS appeared to have had a minimal impact on careers education in most schools. None of those we interviewed had received any specific training or guidance since the launch of DtS and many felt they would benefit from additional support and liaison. Although schools had careers fairs and industry days for pupils, these had usually been in place prior to DtS and minimal changes had taken place since. Several schools reported working closely with Careers Scotland to improve careers education, and activities such as 'Make it in Scotland' were widely used by the secondary schools, and in some cases, the special schools. In most schools, staff were trying to improve the opportunities available for work experience. The business links that had been developed through DtS were often used to support developments in this area. However, most staff felt more work was needed and wanted additional support from the LA and Careers Scotland to help with this.

5.49 One secondary school had made attempts to involve senior pupils in careers education with an EinE focus. They had introduced 'subject champions' who were senior pupils who prepared presentations to help inform younger pupils choosing their subject options. The head teacher explained the approach:

"Normally the teacher's advise them [the pupils] on their options but I had this idea that it would be good if the older pupils advised them because they had been through it. They could talk about their choices and their experiences. We introduced it this year and we trained the young people who would be the subject champions. They made PowerPoint presentations based on their experiences and delivered it to the classes who were making their options. The kids found it really useful and we want to repeat it next year."

Steps to change teaching

5.50 All interviewees were asked to what extent they had taken steps to change their teaching approach to make it more enterprising or experiential. The majority of interviewees reported that they had made changes as a result of DtS. Changes to teaching appear to have taken place more commonly in primary and special schools rather than secondary schools. Furthermore, changes in practice and pedagogy appear to have taken place in schools where teachers have had access to training and where awareness of the DtS strategy was high among staff. Where changes have occurred in secondary schools several related factors seem to have supported these changes. These include:

• Strong support and leadership from the SMT
• An inclusive approach to implementation that is cross departmental
• The inclusion of DtS/ EinE on the school development plan
• Guidance and training opportunities for teaching staff.

5.51 The most common reported changes were that teachers were giving pupils more ownership of their learning and some interviewees felt the balance of leadership had changed as a result. A class teacher in a primary school said:

"I try and talk to the children and bring out their ideas rather than just delivering all the time. I try and give them time to think and to contribute".

In some cases, teachers admitted that initially they had found it difficult to "let go" and to hand over responsibility to the children, as illustrated by the following quote from a class teacher in a special school:

"I have realised that children are able to take on more responsibility. I am happy to hand that over now because I know they can manage it with support."

5.52 Other reported changes included:

• Making learning more experiential - "we have been learning about milk and so the children made butter in the classroom. I think we have to re-think the way we work. It is the experiences the children have that they will remember the most"
• Making links across the curriculum - "I think differently about what I do now and what could be enterprising so I have changed my outlook on things. I am thinking more about how subjects link together now rather than separate"
• Introducing more practical learning experiences -"if we can bring in a practical element to the lesson we will so that everything is multi-sensory"
• Considering individual learning styles - "I look at different learning styles and more at the individual child. We are all thinking more from an enterprising stance now than we were before".

5.53 A few teachers (four in total) said they had not made any changes since DtS, as this was something they were already doing and eight said they had not made any direct changes yet, although some of these respondents said they were hoping changes would occur over time as a result of DtS.

5.54 Senior managers were asked how teachers at their school had been prepared or helped to make changes to their teaching and most said changes had taken place gradually over time and were due to raised awareness of the benefits of EinE (often attributed to training). For example, one head teacher at a primary school said:

"It has happened because teachers are more aware - before it would have been 'this is what we are going to do', they are now more aware and the children are more involved. It has been a gradual change".

A head teacher at a village primary school explained that she had tried to act as a role-model:

"W e have discussed it but I have also role modelled; my class teacher was able to see how it worked and what impact it could have on learning and teaching and on school ethos."

Support for DtS

5.55 Senior managers and DtS co-ordinators were asked to indicate the levels of support for DtS among the senior management team, the school board, other teachers and finally parents and carers. Most of those interviewed said that all groups were supportive of DtS/ EinE and could see the benefits. A head teacher at a special school explained that staff were keen to be involved and to make changes: "they have wanted to take it forward and that has made it easier for me. I haven't had to convince them about the benefits".

5.56 However, several respondents reported that awareness of DtS/ EinE among parents and carers was relatively low. Some of these interviewees talked about plans they had in place to try and raise awareness. For example, a coordinator at a special school explained: "this year we are doing an enterprise newsletter for parents to raise awareness and we have a press office in school so they pass things onto the local press as well". As reported in the previous chapter, most LA staff also reported awareness of DtS/ EinE to be low among parents and carers. Furthermore, most LAs had done little to raise awareness and to include parents and carers in implementing the strategy ( see Chapter 4).

5.57 Three interviewees working within the secondary sector felt that support for DtS among the teachers at their school was mixed. As discussed in relation to awareness, some teachers were reported to be enthusiastic and supportive but others were said to be reluctant to get involved, as they did not see EinE as their responsibility.

Use of resources

5.58 Schools had received funding from their LA to implement DtS in a variety of ways. As discussed in Chapter 4, the LAs which were the devolved model tended to give schools a lump sum of money and schools were free to spend it as they saw fit. A few schools had been allocated funding per cluster, which meant the cluster coordinator had to oversee how resources were being spent. In some cases, interviewees reported that this had proved difficult to manage. LA-led model authorities had often required schools to write bids for funds, which meant they had to argue a case and were required to explain in writing how they planned to use the funding. Some of the LAs appeared to have used a combination of these approaches (these LAs were adopting a hybrid approach to implementation, see Chapter 4).

5.59 The resources were used by schools in a wide variety of ways. Most frequently, school staff said funding had been used to buy materials for specific EinE activities/projects. Several schools used the lump sum of funding that they had received to purchase ICT equipment such as video cameras or printers. Often schools had used some of their funding to pay for staff cover so that staff could be released to plan, develop and coordinate EinE activities.

5.60 Other uses for funding mentioned by just a few interviewees included:

• Additional staff who were employed to help implement DtS
• A business lunch event to engage local businesses
• Pupil transportation costs.

5.61 Senior managers commented that they had often used school resources to fund additional projects or had supplemented the LA funding where this alone had not covered the costs incurred.

Support from LAs and the Scottish Executive

5.62 Senior managers and DtS co-ordinators were asked what support they had received from their LA and from the Scottish Executive to help implement DtS at their school. The majority of those interviewed were very positive about the level and adequacy of support they had received, although the nature of the support varied.

5.63 In most cases, respondents said they had received help and advice from LA staff, where necessary. Some of the schools had worked closely with the EDO in relation to implementing DtS/ EinE and most had regular contact and communication. Staff at some of the LAs organised meetings for school co-ordinators to attend. School staff found these meetings a useful opportunity to discuss progress with colleagues from other schools and to share ideas. For example, one coordinator at a primary school commented that she had found the support from the EDO invaluable in tackling initial negative attitudes from staff. A minority of co-ordinators, mainly those who had received regular help and advice, were concerned about the level of support dropping over the next year and some were anxious about how they would manage with less support. For example, one coordinator said:

"They have set up a forum and that has been excellent; we have had quite a lot of support and we have had meetings. The EDOs sat in on those meetings and next year they won't do that. We are a bit concerned about that because we feel they have access to the bigger picture and we can miss things so we have concerns about how that will work."

5.64 A few co-ordinators felt that contact between the school and the LA had been insignificant: "we have had only minimal involvement from the authority, you have to request help if you want it". These respondents were working within LAs that were devolved in their approach to implementing DtS ( see Chapter 4). Staff reported that they were not concerned by the level of support and felt there was help and advice available if they wanted to access it.

5.65 As regard the Scottish Executive, most of the senior managers and DtS co-ordinators said they had received indirect support in the form of funding and/or documentation. Several interviewees commented that resources which were provided by the Scottish Executive that helped to share good practice (such as the website and "success stories") had been particularly useful.

Planning and policy development

5.66 Senior managers and co-ordinators were asked whether or not DtS/ EinE featured in their current school development plan or quality improvement plan and whether or not they had a formal school policy for EinE. The majority of schools had included EinE in their current plans but schools had done this in a variety of different ways. Some had placed emphasis on targets for the future, whereas others had focused more on auditing current provision. It is worth noting that some of the schools in LA-led authorities had been required to include EinE in their development plans so that progress could be monitored over time.

5.67 The issues that had been highlighted by schools as areas for development included:

• Increasing the number of trained staff
• Increasing the number of enterprise activities
• Reviewing learning and teaching across the curriculum
• Developing eco school projects
• Linking with primary feeder schools
• Raising awareness of EinE.

5.68 A senior manager at a secondary school explained that they had asked all departments in the school to look for opportunities to include EinE/ DtS within their own forward plans:

"Every department has been asked to look at identifying in their planning the opportunities for enterprise within their subject curriculum. We have planned actions to implement DtS and we want to link more with the primaries and review the curriculum in light of enterprise."

It is worth noting that this school had a long history of enterprise learning prior to DtS and was in the minority in adopting this approach.

5.69 A few schools had been required to develop a cluster plan in collaboration with a number of schools in their area. In some cases, this had prompted schools to work together on similar projects and the cluster plan had often been used as a basis for the school's own planning processes. Some schools had not included EinE/ DtS in their current plan as this was already in place prior to implementation but they intended to do so next year.

5.70 About half of the schools we visited had a formal policy in place for EinE. The other half did not, although some of these schools had plans to develop a policy in the coming months. The policies had usually been developed in consultation with school staff. The policies schools had developed differed in length but usually included a statement about the implications for learning and teaching.

5.71 When comparing those schools that had a formal policy with those that did not several issues emerge. One of the LA-led authorities had required schools to develop a policy and this had to be submitted to LA staff. Subsequently all of the schools we visited in this area had a written policy in place. Interestingly, when looking across the sample those schools that had a policy in place were the same schools that had highlighted areas for development as part of their forward planning. The schools that had a policy were predominantly primary schools or special schools. Only two secondary schools had a formal policy.

Monitoring and evaluation

5.72 The evidence indicates that few schools had made attempts to evaluate their provision so far and the majority have not made use of the HMIe framework. The majority of interviewees said they were attempting to monitor developments particularly in relation to how funding was being used. However, many said they had not made attempts to evaluate progress as they felt it was too soon. For example, a head teacher at a special school said: "we monitor all learning as that is ongoing but we will start to evaluate what we have been doing next session".

5.73 Only a small number of schools were formally monitoring and evaluating progress and collating information as part of their quality improvement plans. Most schools involved staff in this process although some schools were also involving pupils, as illustrated by the following quote from a DtS coordinator:

"We evaluate each of the activities with staff and pupils and we have had good feedback. We are also evaluating the bids [that were put forward for funding] and monitoring how the money was spent and how effective the projects were."

A minority of schools had developed evaluation sheets which staff used to inform future planning. Others were monitoring and evaluating progress more informally, mainly by discussing developments regularly with staff.

5.74 While staff in the majority of schools reported monitoring developments, staff in only two schools reported using the HMIe Quality Indicators in Enterprise in Education for evaluation purposes. Senior managers in all of the schools said they were aware of the document but the majority said they had not used it yet. Most interviewees felt they needed to get practices in place before attempting to evaluate, as illustrated by the following quote from a head teacher at a special school "we wanted to get to grips with the planning and organisation first and then look at how good we are".

5.75 Staff at only two schools reported that they had actually made use of the framework to audit provision. One of the schools had also used it for evaluation. This school had a history of EinE related activities and had been evaluating activities for a number of years. Staff reported finding the document particularly useful in encouraging staff to take a "fresh look" at how enterprise could be implemented "across the school and across the curriculum".

TRAINING AND CPD

Training opportunities for teachers

5.76 The interview evidence indicates that the levels of trained staff were high across the sample of schools. The majority of interviewees reported that they had attended a training session or course since DtS had been launched, and usually these courses had been organised and/or delivered by LA staff. The courses had often provided teachers with guidance on how to implement EinE and many teachers reported that they felt more confident to develop their practice as a result. Those interviewees who had not attended training had often received Schools Enterprise Programme training in the past (prior to DtS) and felt it unnecessary to attend more. Several teachers at one of the secondary schools had experienced an industry placement but this was also prior to DtS.

5.77 Staff at most of the schools said they had access to copies of teacher resource packs (such as, Up for Enterprise and/or Enterprising Infants). Teachers found these packs provided a useful reference point and many said they were used widely to support EinE (particularly in primary and special schools).

5.78 Some LAs had organised a showcase event for schools and some teachers regarded this as a useful development session. Several teachers commented on the benefit of sharing practice and they said they found it both useful and informative to discuss ideas with teachers from other schools. In a few cases, where schools were working closely with those in their cluster, the cluster coordinator had provided guidance and support for schools.

5.79 Awareness of the aims of DtS was noticeably higher among those interviewees who reported having received training from the LA. Those schools that were making attempts to embed EinE across and within the curriculum all had members of staff who had received training.

Teachers' views on training

5.80 The majority of interviewees said they had found the training they had received "really useful". The training had helped them to gain a wider understanding of EinE and had given them ideas on how to implement practices at their school. A teacher in a special school explained that the trainers had "provided opportunities to explore the materials and to share ideas with other people" which she had found really useful. Several teachers said the training had developed their understanding of EinE and helped them to "realise the benefits of it".

5.81 Only two teachers (notably from the same LA) said they had found the training they had received to be a "waste of time" because it had not introduced them to anything new or innovative and had not been particularly inspiring.

5.82 Interviewees were asked whether they felt they needed or wanted any additional training and about a third said they would. The most common topics interviewees requested training on were:

• Making business links
• Linking EinE to ICT
• Using the resource packs when teaching children with complex special educational needs
• Current and future relevant policy developments.

5.83 Most of those who did not feel the need for future training did say they would like more opportunities to reflect upon and develop their practice, as illustrated by the following quote from a class teacher in a special school:

"I would like to join a forum so we could exchange ideas and good practice rather than training, discussion and meeting up with other people would be useful."

A few teachers said they would like additional guidance on EinE"about the wider enterprise experiences and what constitutes enterprise education". A few teachers said they would benefit from some development time to build EinE into their planning. In the words of a primary teacher:

'I would like some training and development time to work it more into my planning and I would like to see a more integrated approach across the curriculum."

INTER-AGENCY WORKING/BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT

Links established

5.84 Most of the schools had established links within their local community. Usually links had been established to support specific EinE projects that schools had undertaken, although in some cases schools had made links so that they could draw on expertise or facilities. Several schools had developed links with community organisations such as local libraries, sports centres and leisure facilities. A number of schools had made links with local sheltered housing facilities, their local church and/or charitable organisations. Often schools had been involved in fundraising activities, as illustrated by the following quote from a principal teacher of guidance:

"We have links with the local community and the wider community and have been involved in lots of fundraising and mini enterprise projects to raise money for community organisations and charities."

Members of the community and representatives from these organisations had often been invited to attend and contribute to school events.

5.85 In a few cases, schools had worked closely with health departments but this was usually when EinE had been linked to the health promoting schools initiative, as illustrated by the following quote from a teacher in a special school:

"We have worked closely with the health department and they have come in to see what we are doing and have attended meetings and things."

A number of schools reported that they had links with the police but these had usually pre-existed DtS.

5.86 All of the secondary schools had linked up with FE colleges in their area in order to provide vocational education opportunities for pupils. This was the case even for those schools that had on-site vocational facilities. Some of the special schools had developed links with mainstream secondary schools and were able to access equipment and resources that they did not have on-site. Most secondary schools also had strong links with Careers Scotland (for further information see paragraph 5.48 above).

Business engagement

5.87 Schools were asked about the links they had established with local businesses in response to DtS and the strategies they had employed to do so. Some schools had made concerted efforts to develop "meaningful" links with local businesses; others felt this was something they would focus on in the future and had subsequently made little progress to date.

5.88 A number of schools had existing links with local businesses and many hoped these would be formalised in the future. However, some school staff, like LA staff ( see Chapter 4), felt that it would be difficult to formalise these existing links as local businesses felt apprehensive about committing themselves through a formal partnership agreement. Staff at these schools were concerned that the formalisation of business links was off-putting to small businesses that felt uneasy about making a long-term commitment. It should be noted that although formalising partnership agreements was encouraged by the Scottish Executive, as it demonstrates an ongoing commitment from both the school and the business to a partnership approach, it is not a requirement.

5.89 Schools appeared to have had varying levels of support with business engagement from their local authority. Some LAs had assigned an EDO specifically to help and advise schools on business engagement, whereas others had provided less guidance and had delegated this responsibility to schools. Examples of LA support included helping schools to organise business breakfast meetings. These meetings were reported to have been quite successful in engaging the business community. A head teacher at a primary school talked about her experience:

"The authority organised a business breakfast in each of the cluster areas and that was very, very useful. I went along and met a lot of business people. I explained what I was trying to achieve here at our school and that is how some of our contacts were actually made. I was asked to discuss with people who we would like to invite. We are fortunate because we are a small cluster and there is a familiarity."

5.90 However, staff at a school within the same authority did not have such a positive experience and felt the event in their area was badly organised and the LA involvement may have actually put people off:

"I feel that the LA involvement frightened off many small employers who thought that too much was being demanded of them. With some businesses you've got to start small and not ask the earth otherwise they'll withdraw."

5.91 One local authority had contacted a team of consultants to help schools with business engagement. The schools with EDOs or other external support tended to be more successful at setting up links than those who did it by themselves, but there were some exceptions. One school had independently organised a business lunch event and had used DtS resources to fund this event. The school had put an advert in the local press and had an excellent response from local businesses. The lunch took place in a local hotel and the school felt it was a 'great success' and had led to several meaningful partnerships:

"The business lunch enabled us to develop partnerships and that has had a big impact and we have developed links as a direct result."

5.92 The kinds of links that schools had developed with employers varied quite considerably. Examples included:

• A secondary school that had linked with several local employers in relation to a careers awareness event
• A primary school that had developed links with a local photographer who had acted as a mentor for pupils who had set up a camera club
• A secondary school that had developed links with a local publishing company that had agreed to work with the English department to publish a book of short stories written by pupils.

5.93 Despite the positive steps that some schools had taken, others were finding the business engagement process particularly difficult and felt they needed more time to develop links and more support and guidance from the LA. The difficulties that were identified by interviewees will be discussed in more detail in paragraphs 5.94 - 5.97.

5.94 Overall, only two schools (both secondary schools) reported having made formal partnership agreements with local businesses, although some of the other schools were in the process of organising these at the time of interview. The schools that had agreements were both schools that had been involved in EinE related activities for a number of years. One school had particularly focused on business engagement and had implemented a successful strategy (they had independently organised a business lunch event which had led to several new links) and the other had received considerable support from the LA in developing links.

Liaison between schools

5.95 Liaison had taken place between schools in most of the case-study LAs but to varying degrees. Where liaison had taken place it was reported to have been useful as it had provided opportunities for teachers to share good practice. In some LAs liaison had been encouraged by LA staff who had set up forums and organised meetings.

5.96 In LAs where schools were working closely in clusters on DtS/ EinE, close liaison had usually taken place. A coordinator in a secondary school talked about the links she had made with schools as a result of DtS:

"I have been responsible for liaising with the other primary schools, I attend the forum meetings once a month and have close links with people in our cluster group. We have linked much more with our feeder primary schools and we have shared what we are doing."

Some of the schools had worked together on projects and shared common aims and objectives. As one head teacher explained:

"With the eco project we are working as a cluster together; all of the schools have purchased resources to develop a kitchen garden and we are going to grow fruit and vegetables and then have a joint food market to sell the produce."

5.97 Some secondary schools had made efforts to link with their feeder primary schools, particularly to aid the transition from P7 to S1. For example, one school had organised a maths challenge activity for pupils in P7 and another school had organised a leadership challenge activity to share what they had learnt at an event organised by the LA.

BARRIERS TO SUCCESS

Lack of time

5.98 The most commonly identified barrier/constraint to implementing DtS was not having enough time. Teaching staff talked about not having enough time to plan and deliver activities and co-ordinators mentioned the lack of time available for attending meetings and for liaison with staff and other schools. Some schools had tried to overcome the time constraints by running after-school clubs for pupils to attend. This allowed additional time for EinE activities without disrupting school routines.

5.99 DtS co-ordinators generally felt that they did not have enough time allocated to coordinate implementation and many reported using after schools hours. Some staff said they had found it difficult to manage their responsibilities particularly if they also had teaching responsibilities, as illustrated by the following quote from a principal teacher: "you get so many constraints from your own subject curriculum that it ties you down". It is worth noting that the role of DtS coordinator had been given to a variety of different members of staff. In most cases, the role had been taken on by a senior member of staff but in some cases it had been given to someone more junior. Those members of staff, with teaching responsibilities, tended not to have their own office and phone line. This made it difficult for these members of staff to use their non-contact time effectively and in some cases this was highlighted as a barrier.

5.100 Another reported constraint that is somewhat related to time was supply cover. In some schools, there were staff shortages and a lack of supply cover. This made it difficult to release staff to accompany children on external activities and to discharge co-ordinators for non-contact time. For example, a teacher at a secondary school said: "because staffing is so tight we have a shortage in some departments and this makes it difficult to find cover".

Funding issues

5.101 Funding was also frequently highlighted as a constraint despite the fact that schools had received funding from their LAs to help implement DtS. Some interviewees felt the funding had not been adequate and others were worried that the funding would not be sustained over time. In some cases, this unease was felt to have constrained efforts to implement change. For example a teacher at a secondary school explained that "people are worried about getting their teeth into it and then funding being pulled…there is an issue of sustainability". Several schools felt that more resources were needed in order to effectively implement the strategy: "more money is required, bus fares, teaching materials, facilities and enterprise experiences all cost money". However, most interviewees commented that schools could always do with more financial resources, as illustrated by this quote from a primary head teacher: "the funding was very welcome, although like with any funding it would have been good if we could have had more".

5.102 A minority of interviewees expressed frustration at what they saw as the LA"top slicing" funding rather than devolving resources to schools. One of the case-study LAs had used resources to fund external activities and schools were allocated a set number of places. Some of the interviewees from schools within this LA felt that if the money had been given directly to the school they would have used it more effectively: "we feel if we had been given that money we could have allowed a wider range of pupils to access opportunities". This frustration is perhaps an offset of the LA-led model approach to implementation.

5.103 A number of interviewees mentioned the cost of transportation to engage in vocational learning options and other external projects and felt more resources were needed in order to overcome issues associated with being in a rural area. For example, a teacher at a secondary school explained: "any time our pupils are involved in travel there are cost implications for us". This school was in a rural area and the travel costs incurred for any external activities were considerable.

Difficulties with business engagement

5.104 A substantial proportion of interviewees felt that the business engagement aspect of the strategy had posed several barriers and constraints and progress in this area had been difficult. A few schools felt these issues were related to being in a rural area where there were fewer local businesses. However, business engagement was also reported to be difficult for some of the schools in urban areas. Schools were often finding it difficult to communicate with the business community, and as a result, were finding it hard to identify suitable partners. Several interviewees felt more support was needed from the Scottish Executive to help raise awareness of DtS among the business communities across Scotland:

"Business partnerships are very difficult to set up. There needs to be better coordination and the Scottish Executive needs to encourage businesses to take part."

5.105 Staff at several schools reported experiencing problems in trying to establish meaningful partnerships that were two-way and offered mutually beneficial outcomes. Staff felt training and support was needed to help schools overcome these barriers:

"I think it will be a challenge to get the business community to realise that there is something in it for them too. I think we need to promote ourselves and actually build a partnership. That's why we want the training to help us."

5.106 Staff at several of the special schools felt this area was particularly difficult for them as their pupils required considerable support and any business partners would need to be committed and would need to have the time and resources available in order to meet their needs. This was also a finding reported in the literature review ( see Chapter 2). Staff recognised that it would be even more difficult for small businesses to manage, as illustrated by the following quote from a head teacher in a special school:

"This will be more difficult for us as a special school, our kids need a lot of support and employers will need to give quite a lot of time and commitment and small businesses will find that difficult."

5.107 A minority of interviewees felt that having to formalise business links was itself a barrier and meant links were being established simply to meet targets rather than to enhance and develop EinE. A head teacher at a primary school explained how he wanted to take time to develop links that were meaningful and that linked to the children's interests:

"I feel it is a bit contrived and it is just being done so that we can tick a box and say we have a business partner and really it has to come about more naturally…we need to develop it and explore it so that it comes from something the pupils are doing and is more genuine."

Curriculum/timetabling constraints

5.108 A number of interviewees (more commonly but not exclusively those working in the secondary sector) reported that the curriculum and/or timetable posed constraints. In some cases, the constraints were related to timetabling and teachers expressed regret about not having enough time to focus on EinE because lessons were too short. In other cases, teachers reported feeling pressured to focus on certain aspects of the curriculum which reduced the time available for EinE. A head teacher at a primary school explained that teachers were often anxious about assessment in certain subject areas:

"Teachers feel pressured by the curriculum because they know they have assessments to do in English and Maths and they worry about it if they spend time doing other things."

Teachers' attitudes

5.109 Several interviewees identified teachers' attitudes as a barrier. Staff reported finding it difficult to implement DtS because not all staff were positive about the strategy and some needed to be persuaded as to the benefits of EinE. For example, an interviewee admitted that a major challenge for him had been "convincing staff that this is something worth doing". Others were concerned that staff were continuing to view EinE as an "add on" and attempts to embed practice across the curriculum were hindered by this attitude.

5.110 Staff in some schools reported that only a few of their colleagues were making efforts to implement DtS. These interviewees felt that there needed to be a whole school approach if practices were to change. An interviewee at one school felt there needed to be more done to help teachers make changes and any intervention needed to offer teachers some flexibility:

"There is only a small percentage of staff that have taken it on board. We are constrained by the system that we are working under and there needs to be a bottom-up approach. It needs to be sold at the chalk-face, to classroom teachers but it can't be too prescriptive, teachers need to be able to adapt it as necessary."

5.111 In relation to changing teachers' attitudes, interviewees said several different factors had helped to overcome barriers. Training was thought to have helped to raise awareness and had facilitated a change in attitude towards EinE. A head teacher explained how the in-service day had helped overcome negative attitudes:

"The feelings of staff can be a barrier if they feel is this is just something else they have to do. I think the in-service day helped with that, and by involving people you can overcome that barrier."

Support and leadership was also thought to be important in implementing change, as was having an inclusive approach that gave responsibility to all staff. A head teacher at a primary school said: "because I was enthusiastic they were enthusiastic. In the past I have had to work with people who were resistant, but we all moved forward together here".

5.112 Twelve interviewees said they had not experienced any particular constraints or barriers when trying to implement DtS. These interviewees felt the experience had been extremely positive so far and they had not come up against any barriers in their efforts to implement the strategy. However, this did not appear to be related to the level of SMT support in schools.

5.113 Senior managers and co-ordinators were asked to comment on which aspects of the strategy they thought would be hardest to implement or achieve within the context of their school. The two most common responses to this question were making business links and embedding EinE. As discussed in the previous section several schools were finding it difficult to engage local businesses in a meaningful way and a number of senior managers said they would need help and support if they were to meet their targets. Embedding EinE and changing practices and pedagogies were also thought to be difficult and several interviewees felt this would take a considerable period of time.

5.114 Other areas that were felt to pose difficulties included:

• Developing the employability skills of pupils with SEN
• Working with other agencies to improve careers education
• Sustaining impact over time without the same levels of funding and support
• Changing practice in secondary schools because of curriculum constraints.

IMPACT OF DtS

5.115 All interviewees were asked whether they had noticed any early indications of the impact of the DtS strategy on school ethos, teachers and pupils. A minority of interviewees stressed that it was still "too early" or that impacts were difficult to measure and/or quantify because of the multitude of different influencing factors. Furthermore, several interviewees reported that there had been no significant impact across one or more of the areas. However, most interviewees had noticed changes which they felt were related to the impact the strategy was having on their school.

Perceived impact on school culture and ethos

5.116 In terms of impacting on school culture and ethos, several interviewees said they thought the school had developed more of a supportive atmosphere as a result of the EinE work they had been doing. Often EinE activities had involved several classes or the whole school working together on a project. Children had often been working in mixed groups and this had encouraged children to work together and support each other. Activities were thought to have brought pupils together within a supportive environment and had encouraged teamwork.

5.117 Another key impact mentioned by a number of interviewees was that EinE had encouraged staff and pupils to take pride in their school and to celebrate success and achievement. Some schools had received awards for their EinE work; others had been involved in sharing their successes with their community through the local media. This increased attention and recognition of schools achievements had engendered a sense of pride in both pupils and teachers, as illustrated by the following quote: "they have taken ownership of their school and think of it as their school and they are proud of their school".

5.118 Other impacts on school culture/ethos mentioned by one or two respondents included that DtS had:

• Encouraged departments to work together more
• Raised the profile and status of vocational education
• Helped to promote positive behaviour.

Perceived impact on teachers

5.119 In relation to the impact DtS was having on teachers the most common change reported was that teachers were feeling more enthused and motivated as a result of the work they had been engaged in. A number of interviewees said that teachers had overcome their initial reservations about the strategy being "something else" they need to focus on and had started to see EinE in the wider context. For example, a teacher at special school said it was about the

"Realisation that it is not about the product it is about the process and it is about giving the children opportunities to be independent and giving them more responsibility for their learning."

5.120 Furthermore, interviewees mentioned overcoming their initial worries and anxieties about handing over responsibility and giving pupils ownership, as illustrated by the following quote:

"I think staff are willing to give children more responsibility and more ownership even the younger children are able to cope with that more so than I expected."

Training sessions and the increased focus was felt to have helped to raise awareness of the importance and value of EinE.

5.121 Other impacts mentioned by one or two interviewees included that DtS had:

• Encouraged staff to evaluate their practices and pedagogies
• Prompted them to use new and innovative approaches
• Prompted them to give children more ownership
• Encouraged staff to work as a team.

Overall, perceived positive impacts on teachers were more commonly reported within primary schools.

Perceived impact on pupils

5.122 The majority of interviewees reported that the strategy had impacted positively on pupils. The most common impact mentioned was that there had been a change in attitude. Pupils had developed confidence and were motivated and enthused and keen to take part in activities. A head teacher at a primary school said that pupils were "more motivated, more enthused and independent" and that they had more ideas and were thinking ahead more, taking responsibility and organising themselves. A number of interviewees said that pupils had really enjoyed the activities and experiences they had been involved in and feedback about activities from pupils had been very positive.

5.123 A number of interviewees felt DtS/ EinE had helped to widen the educational opportunities available to pupils and this had helped children to develop new skills as a result. Interviewees felt that EinE had encouraged pupils to work as a team and many had felt empowered and had become more engaged in their learning. For example, a senior manager at a secondary school said:

"I see more confident young people and I see good relationships in the classroom and young people getting involved, the willingness to get involved is increasing."

Other impacts

5.124 A minority of interviewees felt the strategy had helped to increase parental involvement in the life of the school and had encouraged a partnership approach by strengthening links with the community. A head teacher at a primary school explained:

"It has also had a big impact on our parents because they are more aware of the relevance of education and of what we are teaching the children. They are enthused because their children are going home enthused. Also they have become more supportive because the requests for help come from the children."

Future impacts

5.125 Interviewees were asked whether they hoped to see any other impacts in the future and if so, what these might be. A number of respondents said they wanted to build on and develop the early impacts to ensure any positive outcomes were sustainable. In the words of one head teacher:

"I hope we continue the work we are doing and continue to develop our ethos and improve the outcomes for our pupils, and build links with the community."

Several interviewees mentioned wanting to embed EinE and "incorporate it more right across the curriculum".

5.126 A number of interviewees said they hoped a future impact would be what they termed as "the broadening of the curriculum". For example, a senior manager at a secondary school said:

"I would hope that there is an advancement of the curriculum that the climate in education generally will provide a more flexible approach and allow the development of enterprise activities and we will then be providing equal opportunities for pupils and provide a more relevant experience related to the world of work."

5.127 Other future impacts mentioned by one or two interviewees included:

• Increasing links with the community
• Developing partnerships with businesses
• The development of new vocational qualifications.

LESSONS LEARNED

5.128 Co-ordinators were asked what lessons they had learned so far from coordinating the implementation of DtS strategy. The most common response related to the importance of effective communication and support. A head teacher at a special school explained: "teachers need support and that needs to be on-going so that they feel supported and valued". Several interviewees said they thought it was important to fully involve staff in implementation so that they felt included and valued, as illustrated by the following quote from a senior manager at a secondary school:

"I think it is important that all staff are made aware at the outset of any initiative so that they can plan and get the maximum benefit. It is also important to involve staff in face-to-face situations rather than paper based or e-mail. People are more responsive to face-to-face and it makes people feel valued and included."

5.129 Several interviewees said they had learned about the value of liaison and had seen the benefits related to sharing ideas with other teachers both in their own school and in neighbouring schools.

5.130 All interviewees were asked to detail any good practice recommendations they would pass on to other schools implementing the strategy. The most common response was the need for careful planning in relation to EinE and to set clear and realistic goals. Several respondents said it was important to have manageable outcomes so that pupils could be involved and take responsibility where appropriate. Recommendations included: "be flexible in your approach, particularly if you want the children to take ownership of what they are doing". A number of respondents said it was important to ' stand back' and give children time to contribute so that they had ownership of activities. For example, a primary teacher said:

"I think you just need to try things and give the children different experiences and encourage them to think, they need to be involved and we need to give them the time to feed in ideas and come forward."

5.131 A number of interviewees said it was important for teachers to be open to changes and developments and to be flexible and 'give things a go', as illustrated by the following quote:

"The key thing is to recognise this as an opportunity to bring the curriculum to life again; don't put up the barriers but work with it and adapt it. I find it difficult when people talk about this initiative and say 'oh not something else' when it is not something else it is something you are already doing and it is bringing a structure to it. DtS is a way of recognising on-going good practice."

5.132 Other good practice recommendations included the importance of:

• Effective communication and support structures
• Making sure teachers were kept up to date with developments
• An inclusive approach to implementation
• Promoting and celebrating success.

MAIN FINDINGS

5.133 The key findings emerging from the school data were as follows:

• Senior managers were aware of the broad aims of the strategy and were familiar with the recommendations and the implications for schools
• The main perceived strength of the strategy is the additional resources and support it provides for schools. The main perceived weakness is a concern about staffing and resource to manage the strategy effectively
• The DtS strategy was often interpreted differently by schools at a local level depending on the age of the children attending the school and the schools' individual needs and priorities
• Schools were found to have adopted different approaches in terms of implementing DtS. Some schools were involving all staff and were attempting to ensure equality of opportunity from the outset; others were gradually increasing and expanding provision
• Awareness of the strategy was generally higher among headteachers and lower among teaching staff and was related to the levels of support and direction that was provided by the school Senior Management Team
• Most teachers had received training or guidance related to DtS and felt more confident to develop their practice as a result
• Teachers' main perceptions about the aims of the DtS strategy for young people were to create a 'can-do attitude' and prepare them for life beyond school
• Changes in practice and pedagogy appear to have taken place more commonly in primary and special schools where a whole-school approach had been adopted and where teachers had had access to training on EinE
• Effective management at school level seemed to be related to successful practice. In some schools EinE provision remained variable and was dependent upon a few dedicated members of staff. Where teachers had been fully supported and involved in implementation, provision was more consistent
• Some schools were beginning to embed EinE within their curriculum and pedagogical approach. However, some schools were continuing to provide enterprise experiences that could be described as 'stand-alone' activities
• To date, few schools had evaluated their provision and the majority had not made use of the HMIe framework
• Most schools had made links with the wider community to support and enhance their EinE work
• All secondary schools had developed links with their local colleges in order to provide increased opportunities for vocational learning
• Most schools had made efforts to develop partnerships with local businesses but progress in this area was varied. Schools that had made the most progress either had previous experience of EinE related activities, prior to DtS, or had benefited from support from their LA
• Most schools had noticed early indications of the impact the strategy was having on enhancing a positive school ethos, motivating staff and encouraging positive attitudes in pupils.

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