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CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusions
6.1 This chapter presents the main conclusions of the evaluation of key stakeholders' views and experiences of the early planning and implementation stages of the DtS strategy. As such, it draws on all four data collection exercises: the strategic interviews with 12 key representatives, the desk study of key documents and implementation plans, the interviews with all 32 LAs, and the in-depth case study visits in six authorities.
6.2 Overall, the evaluation has shown that LAs and schools had so far made considerable efforts to implement the DtS strategy. In particular, almost all LAs had:
- Set up multi-agency steering groups
- Recruited EDOs to operationalise the strategy
- Developed links with other organisations, in particular colleges
- Implemented communication strategies to inform schools and teachers of the aims and objectives of DtS/ EinE
- Increased the opportunities for pupils to engage in enterprise activities.
6.3 The analysis of LA delivery plans and interviews with all 32 authorities helped to develop a typology of implementation models. Five authorities were found to have followed a LA-led model, while a larger number (ten) were categorised as having adopted more of a Devolved approach. Other authorities were thought to have adopted more of a hybrid model, combining elements of the two models.
6.4 The strengths of the LA-led model appeared to be that authorities set clear targets for all schools in their authority, with progress towards these targets being monitored centrally. As a result, most of the authorities adopting this model had achieved more uniform progress across schools in their area. However, such an approach tends to be costly and is unlikely to be sustainable in the long term. There is a risk that schools may rely too heavily on the support provided by the LAs, which might not be available beyond 2008.
6.5 The strengths of the Devolved model were found to be that it allowed schools and clusters to adapt EinE to local needs and that it encouraged schools and clusters to take responsibility for the strategy rather than rely too much on outside support. Also, this model appears to be more sustainable in the long term. The drawbacks of this model are that it was shown to lead to uneven provision across schools and clusters in some authorities.
6.6 Some of the authorities adopting more of a hybrid model had attempted to address this drawback by putting in place strategies to ensure that provision was more uniform across schools in their LA - these included the use of challenge funds that schools had to bid for and requiring clusters to submit detailed plans of action.
6.7 Evidence from the case studies showed that within the sample of schools visited:
- Most senior managers were very aware of the DtS strategy and were trying to disseminate information to other teachers in their schools
- All secondary schools had developed links with their local colleges in order to provide increased opportunities for vocational learning
- Most teachers were satisfied with the level of support received from their LAs and valued the funding provided for EinE by the Scottish Executive
- Most teachers had received training and development related to DtS and felt more confident to develop their practice as a result
- Primary and special schools had made most progress towards embedding EinE into the curriculum
- Most teachers were able to identify positive impacts of EinE activities on their schools, including an improved school ethos, increased motivation among teachers, and improved attitudes among pupils.
6.8 Despite these positive steps in implementing the strategy, the evaluation has identified other areas in which progress at this early stage of the implementation process had been more limited and where further development appeared to be needed. These included evidence that:
- Not all LAs had so far put in place effective structures to support the implementation of DtS, including recruiting EDOs and providing relevant CPD opportunities for all teachers
- Secondary schools had made less progress in embedding EinE into the curriculum
- LAs and schools had so far made limited progress in making links with business and developing successful partnerships
- Teachers other than senior managers and those acting as DtS co-ordinators in their schools were less aware of the DtS strategy and the nature and aims of EinE
- Few LAs and schools had so far implemented successful strategies aimed at increasing parental awareness and involvement
- Very few schools had put in place methods for evaluating the success of EinE strategies, including making use of the HMIe evaluation guide.
RECOMMENDATIONS
6.9 The Scottish Executive needs to consider how they can further support small authorities with very limited DtS funding to make progress towards implementing DtS. This could include encouraging LAs to model the practice established by some authorities which had set up joint strategies with neighbouring LAs with a view to sharing good practice, links and resources. Small LAs may, for example, want to consider linking together with other similar authorities in order to employ one shared EDO tasked with particular targets such as increasing business involvement or embedding EinE into secondary schools.
6.10 Both the Scottish Executive and LAs need to ensure that a greater focus is placed on encouraging and supporting secondary schools to take steps to embed EinE into the curriculum. In particular, LAs may need to dedicate specific resources - as was already planned by some authorities (see paragraph 4.83) - to improve provision in this area. This could include:
- Setting specific targets for secondary schools to adopt more whole-school approaches and move away from just providing stand-alone EinE activities
- The development and provision of CPD specifically aimed at helping secondary teachers to adapt their teaching and learning methods
- The dissemination of specific guidance and examples of good practice tailored to the needs of different subject departments of how to integrate EinE into their curriculum areas.
6.11 The Scottish Executive needs to consider ways in which they can support LAs and schools to help them make more progress in the area of business engagement. This could include promoting the benefits and successes of EinE projects and existing partnerships to businesses nationally as well as providing targeted help to authorities encountering specific problems. Furthermore, there needs to be a consideration of the reasons why only some authorities have managed to develop strong partnerships with Careers Scotland for this purpose and what could be done to encourage closer ties with LAs. Finally, neighbouring LAs may be encouraged to work more closely together in this area, sharing good practice as well as links with employers.
6.12 The Scottish Executive and LAs may need to consider extending existing communication strategies to address some teachers' misconceptions of the aims and objectives of DtS. Furthermore, while most of the teachers interviewed in the case study visits had received training and development related to DtS, there appeared to be evidence that such provision was not uniform across the whole of Scotland. LAs will need to ensure that all teachers, including head teachers, subject teachers, probationer teachers, and trainee teachers, receive adequate training to ensure they are fully aware of the aims and objectives of DtS and how it needs to impact on their teaching and learning methods adopted.
6.13 The Scottish Executive needs to ensure that all LAs make plans to involve and engage parents and carers and that good practice in this area is disseminated. It may also consider how parental awareness and commitment to the strategy can be raised nationally via stronger promotion of DtS.
6.14 The LAs need to emphasise the importance of evaluation to all schools in their areas. Furthermore, HMIe may need to encourage more LAs to provide CPD activities targeted at DtS co-ordinators in schools in order to raise awareness and skills in carrying out evaluations using the Quality Indicators. The Scottish Executive needs also to continue working closely together with HMIe to promote the Quality Indicators to schools and head teachers.
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