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CHAPTER SIX: THE SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE - SECONDARY, PRIMARY AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS

6.1 This chapter provides an overview of findings which were particular to the 3 different school sectors - secondary, primary and special schools. It indicates how the different structures, objectives and approaches which are evident across the 3 sectors have interacted with DtS. These findings have been gathered predominantly from the case study visits and supplemented by some of the issues raised through the headteacher telephone interviews. The relatively small numbers of schools involved means that findings should not be interpreted as absolute indications of sub-sectoral differences. However they do offer insights into how the sectors appear to be approaching DtS.

Secondary Schools and DtS

6.2 These findings are based on the issues identified from the 12 case study visits to secondary schools and have been grouped under the headings of:

• management and staff perspectives
• working with DtS
• pupil views
• partner views
• challenges
• outcomes.

Management and Staff Perspectives

6.3 All headteachers were positive and highly aware of the purpose and ethos of DtS. This was often expressed as a 'learner-centred' approach to education, to develop pupils beyond subject specialisms and prepare them for life beyond school. Headteachers of secondary schools were more likely to make connections between DtS and ACfE / the wider national agenda than were headteachers in primary and special schools. While most teaching staff had a broad understanding of DtS, this tended to be focused on the enterprise element.

6.4 The LA challenge funding element of DtS - while not a major concern - appears to have been a less satisfactory experience in secondary schools than in the other school sectors. Here, some schools indicated their dissatisfaction with both the apparent lack of transparency in funding criteria and - correspondingly - receiving less funds than they had hoped for. Very few schools noted that - where unsuccessful in receiving challenge funding - they had resorted to increased efforts for generating the funds elsewhere ( e.g. school fund-raising). Indeed, in most cases it appeared that the idea(s) behind the LA challenge funding was then dropped. There appears to be scope for improved EDOs support in driving forward schools' enterprising ideas by exploring alternative funding routes.

Working with DtS

6.5 Across all school sectors, secondary schools appeared to have engaged with the DtS strategy later than primary and special schools. However, there were strong signals within secondary schools of 'catching up', with particular efforts in putting into place structures and mechanisms to support DtS delivery ( e.g. staff working groups, assigning specific staff responsibilities, planning and undertaking audits). While such approaches might be a more obvious requirement in secondary schools, they indicate robust approaches to forward, systematic planning, for future sustainability..

6.6 As was noted in Chapter 4, the focus of DtS in higher attaining secondary schools was less marked and was often confined to after-curricular activities, school intervals, lunchtimes and specific classes (such as guidance, religious and moral education). However, there was evidence across most secondary schools that they had adapted some of their more mainstream school mechanisms to foster wider pupil engagement. This was seen in schools' approaches to 'recruiting' for school councils and their mechanisms for working with prefects and 'head boy' and 'head girl'. These were all geared towards pupil choice and encouraging a pupil leadership role.

6.7 There was mixed enthusiasm and variations in the effectiveness of approaches to planning for work placements and vocational education. Some schools noted that significant challenges exist in addressing this area, such as: finding employers; lead in times; resources to undertake placements; and the growing pressures on employers to conform to rigorous 'risk assessments' such as health and safety and Disclosure Scotland. Under these circumstances, views of and impacts on pupils were not always positive. Some pupils tended to under-value their vocational educational experiences, citing inadequate school planning, lack of support and poor matching of placements.

6.8 One secondary school had attempted to address this latter issue by encouraging pupils to source their own placements, in addition to those available through the school. Significant school-based support and guidance is likely to be required for this, in order to avoid a situation where only the most proactive and overtly confident pupils pursue this area.

Pupil Views

6.9 While the term ' DtS' was unknown to most secondary schools pupils, most of them were familiar with 'enterprise in education'. They tended to associate this with 'making and selling' projects and work experience. Pupils tended not to make the links between the skills and behaviours associated with these and their transferability to other areas ( e.g. curricular subjects, hobbies, life outside of, and beyond school). Once prompted, pupils did recognise that they engaged in activities associated with the 7 DtS themes but they tended not to see the wider value of these. In schools with a strong DtS ethos, there was more discussion and consideration of these issues, with an understanding of their transferability and importance.

Partner Views

6.10 While generally not aware of DtS, most partners - business, community and parents - were familiar with the term and ethos behind enterprise in education. There was also acknowledgement of increased engagement between school and partners ( e.g. businesses and the community). There was also awareness of a general 'shift' in schools to developing life skills and encouraging pupils to think about their lives beyond school.

6.11 Parents tended to perceive that enterprise in education was best suited to lower academic achievers, in providing them with an opportunity to raise their own expectations and empowering them with choices in their learning. This suggests that further awareness raising efforts are required to demonstrate to parents that all pupils can benefit from their engagement with DtS.

Challenges

6.12 The key DtS challenges intimated in secondary schools were:

• overcoming the more traditional views of some staff
• challenges in introducing DtS to subject specific areas, especially in the face of teacher resistance and lack of knowledge / confidence
• time to plan for building DtS into the day-to-day activity of the school.

Outcomes

6.13 Headteachers and some staff noted that DtS had encouraged new levels of pupil participation in the day-to-day working of the school. This was felt to have impacted upon pupil interest and motivation. Some schools also noted that this had allowed for closer staff-pupil relations with normally less engaged pupils. The challenge for schools will be to ensure that this more inclusive approach extends to all pupil groups.

6.14 Schools also noted that positive changes had taken place in pupil confidence, communication, creativity and willingness and ability to work with others. They were less sure if these changes could be attributed, directly, to DtS and were felt to be influenced by the wider policy agenda ( e.g. the focus on disengaged pupils, 'Better Behaviour, Better Learning').

6.15 The biggest impact was felt to have been on the school ethos, which one teacher described as 'a real buzz about the school'.

Primary Schools and DtS

6.16 These findings are based on the issues identified from the 7 case study visits to primary schools and have been grouped under the headings of:

• management and staff perspectives
• working with DtS
• partner views
• challenges
• outcomes.

Management and Staff Perspectives

6.17 Definitions and views of DtS were overwhelmingly positive among school management and staff and focused on the following interpretations:

• 'allowing pupils to reach their potential'
• 'preparing kids for the outside world…learning about their own value and worth'
• 'making the world out there more meaningful'
• 'giving them the ability to have a go at anything'.

Working with DtS

6.18 The pace with which schools had adopted DtS and progress with embedding it were very much dependent upon how school management were driving the agenda. Equally, it was felt that a school culture which promoted learning from mistakes was a strong indicator of a DtS-orientation, since this promoted a level of risk-taking, outwith the confines of the 'normal' school approach.

6.19 There was stronger enthusiasm for both the concept of DtS and the 7 themes underpinning it, in primary schools than in secondary schools. There was also more DtS-oriented activity taking place in primary schools than in secondary schools. It is likely that a relationship exists between this and the relative 'enterprising attitudes and behaviour' scores of primary and secondary school pupils. Primary school pupils generally scored themselves higher across the 7 themes than did pupils from the secondary sector.

6.20 More primary schools than secondary schools noted that the DtS strategy is 'not new' but has given schools a new level of importance and impetus in building on pre-existing work which was aligned to the DtS ethos. For example, pupil councils were assigned more importance than had previously been the case. In this way, DtS was felt to be legitimising the charting of new territory, whereby schools could engage in teaching and learning which was more experimental and more pupil-focused.

6.21 While all primary schools had engaged in some level of DtS-oriented CPD, this seemed to have more of an impact on the school environment where headteachers had sought to achieve more 'mileage' from it - i.e. in reinforcing the importance of learning transfer back to the school. This also seemed to keep staff more focused on the DtS strategy.

6.22 Schools also tended to relate greater parental involvement in the school to the DtS strategy. Equally, school efforts to 'get the whole school working together' were thought to be associated with DtS.

6.23 Schools also tended to relate greater parental involvement in the school to the DtS strategy. Equally, school efforts to 'get the whole school working together' were thought to be associated with DtS.

Partner Views

6.24 DtS has clearly contributed to primary school efforts in furthering community / school engagement. Several headteachers noted that DtS had offered clearer impetus for a more focused approach to partnerships. This extended beyond businesses to the statutory and non-statutory sectors and was seen to offer clear connections to the Integrated Community Schools agenda ¹⁵. This was more obvious in primary schools than in secondary schools.

6.25 As has been noted earlier in this report, it is perhaps less of a challenge for primary schools to engage in partnerships with the local community than is the case for secondary schools. The size and nature of the primary school is likely to be a contributory factor in this.

6.26 DtS also seems to have provided primary schools with more focus on enhancing and sustaining communication with parents. Headteachers noted that - since DtS - schools were more likely to consider inviting parents into the school for school or classroom presentations (delivered through the pupils) than would have been the case pre- DtS.

Challenges

6.27 The key DtS-related challenges noted by primary schools were:

• taking DtS to new levels by embedding it across the curriculum - schools often felt that this was enormously challenging in the context of a very full curriculum and a range of other competing factors. There was also some feeling that there was limited 'how to' guidance available for moving DtS beyond specific lessons or topics
• 'letting go of the reins' - both headteachers and staff, alike, identified this as being a key challenge for the classroom teacher, since it meant less direct control and teacher-directed input into teaching and learning.

Outcomes

6.28 Since teachers in primary schools are in more constant contact with the same pupils than in secondary schools, they were more likely to notice qualitative changes in pupil development. However, this assumes that teachers are actively seeking out any noticeable changes and recording these in a way which would allow for systematic recall. There was no evidence that this was happening in primary schools in anything more than an ad hoc way. This prevented the school from having an aggregated 'picture' of progress regarding DtS.

6.29 Some primary schools regarded the achieving of accolades (such as enterprise awards) as evidence of progress in working with DtS. While these are useful indicators - and are likely to support sustaining momentum within the school environment - there appears to be a need for schools to look beyond these in providing evidence of their progress with DtS.

6.30 Some schools pointed to new and revised approaches to involving pupils in the running / management of the school, through councils and committees. This was often aligned to the daily life of the school, in areas such as: recycling and waste disposal; planning and organising school events; and effective use of the school playground space. Staff noted that they were now more conscious of the specific skills and behaviours involved in pupils taking on these tasks ( e.g. time management, problem solving, managing conflict) and how - in the past - such areas might have been overlooked due to perceptions of the need to prioritise the teaching of 'curricular knowledge'.

6.31 Primary schools tended to note that DtS can have a more noticeable impact upon pupils who have shown less engagement with school. DtS was seen to offer these pupils an opportunity to 'shine', where more traditional teaching and curricular approaches had been less successful.

6.32 Across the 7 DtS themes, primary school teachers generally noted that personal effectiveness was the most difficult theme to address with pupils. This might be related to the challenge of teachers 'letting go' and encouraging pupils to take responsibility for e.g. planning their approach to learning, or it might be that this theme presents more of a challenge for younger pupils (pre-secondary school).

6.33 The theme which was most often commented upon by primary teachers was working in teams. This was also felt to impact upon some of the other themes ( e.g. communication and confidence). It is likely that the primary school sector offers more flexibility in learning through team working, given the freedom from timetabling constraints and more flexibility in planning than the secondary school sector might offer.

Special Schools and DtS

6.34 The special schools visited were working with vastly different groups of pupils, from those with social and behavioural problems to profound physical disabilities. This makes comparison of their views and achievements difficult. However, some patterns were identified across the schools and have been grouped under the headings of:

• management and staff perspectives
• working with DtS
• partnerships
• challenges
• outcomes.

Management and Staff Perspectives

6.35 The most obvious issue identified through special school consultation was that the rationale and ethos behind DtS is familiar to the special school environment. DtS was felt to fit very well with the pre-existing ethos of these schools and provided a level of endorsement which was motivating for the whole school.

6.36 School staff noted that adopting an enterprising approach to teaching and learning is an every day concept to the special school environment. The need to be resourceful and inventive in the face of - often quite significant - challenges was 'the norm' for special schools.

Working with DtS

6.37 While the concept of DtS was not new to special schools, there was strong agreement that the focus on the DtS strategy had challenged staff to 'critique' how much more they could be achieving in developing pupils' social skills and preparing them for life beyond school. One school noted that DtS was encouraging staff to have a less risk-averse approach to their classroom practice, and to try out things which they might ordinarily consider to be too ambitious.

6.38 One headteacher noted that DtS challenges special schools to move beyond their caring and pastoral role, to encourage staff and pupils to reach for new levels of achievement. The rationale for this was that: 'success lifts all spirits'.

6.39 Importantly, special school staff noted that some of the 7 themes underpinning DtS had much less relevance to their work than was noted in primary and secondary schools. The term 'enterprising' was not embraced as positively, or deemed to be as relevant, as the wider ethos which DtS promotes (of which, 'enterprise' forms only part). This is likely to differ from one special school to another, depending on the pupils' needs.

6.40 This might explain why the quantitative survey results for teaching staff in the special school sector tended to demonstrate low scores for most of the themes underpinning DtS. The survey results probably mask the real enthusiasm which exists for the concept of DtS, the ethos it promotes and the significant relevance of the Life Beyond School theme.

6.41 Examples of how this ethos was being applied included:

• a more ambitious approach to school fund-raising - one school noted that this was not about buying 'any old rubbish' for the sake of supporting the school but encouraging staff and pupils to think competitively and financially about raising the school's profile and encouraging a greater community presence in the school
• planning more regular visits to the local community ( e.g. supermarket, cafes and library) - it was felt that pupils and the community needed to engage in more dialogue and interaction. This was done within the context of 'life beyond school', where - due to the nature of their disabilities - many of the pupils would be unlikely to secure work in the future. As such, their local communities would be a key focus for their future lives. DtS was felt to focus teachers' minds on how they could bring pupils and the community closer together
• importance of a practical focus to learning - special schools noted that more purposeful learning within their environments was often achieved through hands-on, practical learning. This challenges staff to consider greater and more creative use of resources. DtS was felt to have brought a new dimension to this thinking.

Partnerships

6.42 Special schools felt that both parent and community partnerships had been enhanced due to DtS efforts. There was felt to be a need to keep such partnerships informal and fluid and that this allowed for flexibility of ideas and thinking.

6.43 There was also some evidence of more meaningful partnerships with the FE sector. While DtS was not directly responsible for these, it was felt to offer a focus for the continued development of the partnership arrangements and to ensure that the nature of learning for special school pupils retained a strong pupil focus.

6.44 Partnerships had also been developed with mainstream schools. These were felt to be of mutual benefit since the 'exposure' of both sets of pupils to each other encouraged greater self-awareness and team working.

6.45 Importantly, one special school noted that they had felt more valued - as a result of DtS - in their school cluster. This was because the other schools in the cluster saw the special school as 'taking a lead' in DtS-oriented work. This was a real boost for the special school and provided the other schools with new insights into teaching and learning which could be applied in their own schools.

Challenges

6.46 There were two key challenges noted by special schools in relation to DtS. The first related to the nature of DtS / enterprise in education materials and the general absence of guidance or support for the special school sector. The second challenge relates to the 'resistance' which some special schools feel persists in attempting to forge partnerships with businesses. While some elements of vocational education will not be appropriate for all special school pupils, there was felt to be a general resistance among businesses to engage with special schools in different ways ( e.g. through visits to schools).

6.47 It is likely that EDOs can offer guidance and support in addressing both of these challenges. Correspondingly, it appears that special schools have a great deal to offer secondary and primary schools in developing their plans and ideas for further incorporation of DtS work within their schools.

Outcomes

6.48 The 7 DtS themes were more difficult to apply and consider across special schools, due to the nature of some pupil groups ( e.g. personal effectiveness was a less applicable concept for pupils with profound learning difficulties). However, all schools noted the importance of the 'life beyond school' theme, as a focus for shaping the school's approach to teaching and learning.

6.49 One school - dealing with behavioural issues - stated that DtS had been a key contributing factor in supporting the return of a group of pupils to mainstream education. A range of DtS-oriented projects with these pupils had offered a focus for engaging the pupils in learning, boosting confidence and communication and encouraging them to view school as a place to achieve success.

6.50 Another school described how their endeavours to engage pupils in more team working activities had encouraged greater use of technology and more flexible approaches to teaching. This produced a level of communication between pupils which had previously been overlooked. This example offers strong evidence that DtS can offer a catalyst for staff to take different approaches and try out new forms of teaching, with clear pupil benefits.

Summary Points from Chapter Six

Table 6.1: Summary Points from Chapter Six

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