HOST Policy Research: Projects and Consultations

Projects Completed in 2010

 

Workforce Information Advice and Guidance in Restructuring Enterprises in Europe for Cedefop, led by Dr David Parsons with Kenneth Walsh and Simon Bysshe

This ten-month policy research study was commissioned by the European Commission’s expert centre for vocational education and training – Cedefop. It involved a cross-European team led and co-ordinated by HOST which assessed how different sectors, and different types of enterprises, are seeking to help employees made redundant or at risk of redundancy in re-engagement with work. The review had particular resonance in a Europe facing the deepest recession for over half a century, and has attracted policy interest from several European and international development bodies.

This timely review was conducted at two levels. The first aimed to provide a baseline of current practice and national influences on enterprise practice and provision. This covered all countries in the Union and EEA. A parallel review of conditions affecting innovation and better practice saw a second stage of the research identifying and conducting a series of organisation and partnership level case studies. The review combined systematic knowledge review, with enterprise-level case studies and was closely engaged with parallel international studies in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Organisation for Co-operation in Economic Development (OECD). A final report was delivered in February 2010.

 

Review of Management Qualifications and Training in the Learning and Skills sector for Learning and Skills Improvement Agency (LSIS) led by Valerie Rowe with Dorothy Berry-Lound, Simon Bysshe, and David Parsons

LSIS works in partnership with all parts of the learning and skills sector to provide support and enable continuous self-improvement and capacity building, delivered through a wide range of programmes and services. While LSIS and its predecessors Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) and the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) have been active in various areas of management development in the sector, these activities have tended to have a specific capacity building focus or to be embedded within distinct programme related needs. The new emphasis seeks to build on this track record, but to establish what may be a more directed and strategic approach. This, in turn, is recognised to need a firm foundation of understanding sector requirements, and the primary purpose of this review is to gather structured information from the sector about its distinctive needs and current requirements for management skills and qualifications.

The review had two main strands: a review of existing secondary research, past policy research and assessment of LSIS management information from current and previous programmes, and interviews with managers within LSIS and stakeholders in the wider learning and skills sector to discuss key trends, current issues and challenges, current and predicted skill management development requirements, sector rigidities and improvement drivers and in what ways LSIS could best support management development in future.

The final report was delivered in January 2010 and included a critical appraisal of the consultation feedback, identification of common and segmented issues, and gap analysis and underpin conclusions and recommendations on both the current requirements of the sector. It recommended further research and HOST is now engaged in survey research to fill information gaps.

 

Evaluation of EUSR Water Schemes for Energy and Utility Skills Limited, led by Dorothy Berry-Lound, with Susan Lanz and Susan Sibley

Energy & Utility Skills (EU Skills) operates the Energy & Utility Skills Register (EUSR), which is an independent skills register that provides a recognised standard across the whole of the utilities sector. There are a number of schemes available for the water industry and HOST was asked to conduct a small scale evaluation of six of these schemes, namely:

  • Water hygiene.
  • DOMS.
  • Leakage.
  • NCO (Water).
  • Confined Spaces (Water).
  • Utility SHEA (Water).

The evaluation comprised a simple review of scheme uptake data from the EUSR database system and qualitative-based survey work with employers. The final report was delivered at the end of February 2010.

 

Impact review of the Centres for Excellence in Teacher Training (CETTs) in England for Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS, formerly Quality Improvement Agency (QIA)), and Department for Innovations, Universities and Skills (DIUS) led by Dr David Parsons with John Barry, Peter Foster, Dr Jacqui Hughes, Valerie Rowe, and Judy Staton

CETTs were set up in 2007 following a government (then Department for Education and Skills (DfES)) review of the quality of teacher training in the post-16 sector. Over 400 UK providers were involved in bidding for CETTs status which led to 11 partnerships being designated CETTs. In summer 2007, responsibility for the three-year funding of the start-up and capacity building of CETTs was passed to (then) QIA, who later commissioned HOST to conduct a national impact review. This has included an assessment of the quality of start-up, sector engagement partnership working and annual reviews of delivery against respective business plans.

The HOST evaluation has been formative, and although independent of the programme, has worked closely with LSIS, and the cross-CETT network group now co-ordinated through the Association of CETTs (ACETT) to review early development messages. The evaluation team also developed a cross-CETT guidebook on setting impact assessment strategies, and conducted a workshop (training) to help CETT managers embed the guide in their internal monitoring and evaluation activities.

The evaluation included a series of staged reviews with CETT directors and co-ordinators, and selected CETT partners, together with a wider sector survey and (shortly) an impact survey across all CETT partner institutions and collaborators. Longitudinal analysis conducted from baseline evidence to assess delivery, and the direct and indirect impact of CETT activities and collaborations. A baseline report (December 2007), and two annual reports (March 2008 and 2009) have been prepared. A final report was prepared in March 2010.

 

National Evaluation of Support for Excellence (SfE) for Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS, formerly Quality Improvement Agency (QIA)), led by Dr David Parsons with Dorothy Berry-Lound, Jane Holland, John Austin, Dr Jacqui Hughes, Bob Hughes, Susan Lanz, Valerie Rowe, and Judy Staton

Following the Leitch and Tomlinson reports, government announced an overhaul of regulatory arrangements for the post-16 sector with a policy goal to prepare the sector for self regulation. Two parallel strands of early activity were expected with the LSC leading on the Framework for Excellence, and (then) QIA looking to cross-provider review through multi-provider Peer Review and Development (PRD) Groups. In autumn 2007, HOST was selected to design and conduct the national review of PRD capacity building and its effectiveness within this policy agenda. In July 2007, Deloitte were awarded the contract for PRD Group brokerage and support.

This two-year review of the support programme for PRD working (Support for Excellence) has involved close working with LSIS and Deloitte to provide an independent and formative evaluation. This has included a range of evaluation methods including some group observation, but with the main inputs through review of programme management information (MI) and reach, staged participant profiling, surveys of PRD partner, and effective practice case studies. The evaluation has also looked at awareness and attitudes among non-participant providers, and HOST has also provided impact guidance across the PRD network. A series of interim evaluation reports have been produced at key decision making points in the programme, and a final report was produced in March 2010.

 

National Evaluation of Support for Excellence (SfE) – Peer Review and Development (PRD) Groups in Offender Learning in England for Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS, formerly Quality Improvement Agency (QIA)), led by Dr David Parsons with Valerie Rowe, and Judy Staton

This project has been set up to parallel the mainstream evaluation of the Support for Excellence Programme. In summer 2008, a separate activity was commenced by LSIS to promote and support PRD Groups across Her Majesty’s Prison Service and the National Probation Service. HOST was asked to conduct an independent review of capacity building and its effectiveness across the 45 prisons and youth offending institutions taking part.

This one-year review included a review of programme reach, e-surveys of all HMP/YOI participants, a non-engagement survey, and a small number of process case studies. Brokers and support consultants have also been engaged in the review. An interim evaluation report was produced in February 2009, and a final report in March 2010.

 

Evaluation of the Foundation Learning (FL) Capacity Building Programme in England for the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS, formerly Quality Improvement Agency (QIA)), led by John Austin and Dr David Parsons, with Alan Bloomfield, and Simon Bysshe

Following the Tomlinson and Leith reviews, government has been looking for substantial reforms to delivery and learner progression at Entry Level and Level 1 provision, and for feeder routes into Level 2 provision. To support this, LSIS has been providing phased implementation support to selected providers since 2007 to develop and test new delivery routes within new qualifications flexibilities. This has been substantially expanded since May 2008 to help an estimated 900 post-16 providers in England build provider capacity and responsiveness to the emerging FL reforms. In summer 2009, HOST was commissioned to evaluate this expanded programme, and to review implications for future provider support for 2009-2010 and beyond. The evaluation focused on those areas of provider support centred on post-16 provision, and particularly for adults.

The study combined both formative and summative evaluation methods. It included a mixture of stakeholder review to establish policy intentions and goals, a series in-depth provider profiles looking at engagement and adjustment in FL, and an end-of-programme participant sample survey to also look at early impact and effective practices. An interim report was produced in mid December 2009 to provide early evidence on participation and roll-out of the contracted support programme, and a final report was produced at the end of March 2010.

 

An Evaluation of the Teaching and Learning Programme for the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), and Department for Business Innovations and Skills (BIS) led by Dr David Parsons and Judy Staton, with John Barry, Peter Foster, Dr Jacqui Hughes, Valerie Rowe and Dick Willis

The Teaching and Learning Programme (TLP) is one of the longest-standing improvement programmes in the post-compulsory sector aimed at building teaching capabilities and innovation across the post-16 sector. Previously (with QIA) the National Teaching and Learning Change Programme (NTLCP), it was launched by the (then) DfES Standards Unit in 2003 as a critical part of the Success for All strategy. HOST were appointed (by then DfES) as the programme evaluators in 2003-2006, and subsequently also by QIA for 2006-2009 – for which a final evaluation report was presented to LSIS in September 2009. With a growing emphasis on the sustainability of the programme and embedding the practices and developments of the last six years, LSIS commissioned HOST to conduct the concluding stage of the programme evaluation to March 2010 and also to review evaluation options for any activity thereafter. TLP has developed as a large-scale and multi-faceted approach, and the evaluation will be widened significantly to include activities recently developed or not previously in scope, and in particular in the e-CPD programme. TLP now offers a series of sub-programmes designed to work in concert as a framework for quality improvement and ‘... supporting the delivery of learner success’, and including:

  • A widening series of teaching and learning resources – commonly accessed through the Excellence Gateway.
  • The development of the national Professional Training Programme (PTP) for Subject Learning Coaches (SLCs), and now also for Advanced Learning Coaches (ALCs).
  • A series of mainly regionally-based but interrelated Subject Coaching Networks (SCNs) were also developed, initially to support the roll-out and effective use of the teaching and learning resources.
  • A programme of activities aimed at supporting provider managers and Senior Management Teams (SMTs) in effectively integrating the TLP activities and making best use of the opportunities.
  • A programme of STEM-related activities run in conjunction with the mainstream activities but with some special cross-STEM activity.
  • Funding for the sector to take part in Excellence Improvement and Innovations Fund projects, and to share the resources and outcomes with others in the sector.
  • A programme of activities aimed at building e-CPD capacity across diverse providers.

This evaluation reported at the end of March 2010.

 

Evaluation of post-16 citizenship support programme for the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS, formerly Quality Improved Agency, QIA) led by Judy Staton with Dorothy Berry-Lound

Since September 2006 the Post-16 Citizenship Support Programme has been assisting staff and organisations from a wide range of post-16 settings to develop and enhance their citizenship provision. This built on an earlier development programme which was set up in 2001 following recommendations in the ‘Citizenship for 16-19 Year Olds in Education and Training (2000) report and the government’s decision to make citizenship education statutory at key stages 3 and 4. Over the last three and a half years the support programme has worked to promote the benefits of citizenship education to a wider audience, to develop good practice in this and to strengthen its links with cross-governmental policies such as the promotion of community cohesion and of Every Child Matters. In order to achieve these aims it has used a range of strategies and tools, for example, by making available teaching and learning and staff development materials, other promotional materials, a dedicated website and a range of national and regional network and training events.

HOST was commissioned by QIA in the autumn of 2006 to evaluate the first phase of the support programme and has undertaken evaluations of each subsequent phase, producing four reports in total. Each of the evaluations has been independent of the programme and formative: its recommendations have helped to influence the ongoing development of the programme. The current evaluation commenced in October 2009 and focuses on two specific aspects of the support offered which were viewed by LSN as key to achieving programme outcomes. These are:

  • Centre-based or customised training. Free sessions of ‘in-house training’, which were first offered in June 2008, are designed to help practitioners to improve the quality and range of their citizenship provision.
  • Development projects. These commenced in September 2009 and are intended to yield specific outputs, that is materials or resources and case-studies, to support the dissemination of innovative practice in citizenship education. It was also anticipated that they might help providers to develop their own provision as well as perhaps establishing arrangements for collaborative working which might continue beyond the life of the projects.

The evaluation aimed to contribute to assessment of the impact of both of these programme strands on individual organisations’ delivery of citizenship. An e-questionnaire was distributed to lead contacts for all providers participating in customised training between June 2008 and October 2009. This sought to elicit their views on the way that the training has influenced their delivery of citizenship and on their capability and future plans for doing so. The main tool for evaluating the development projects was a number of telephone interviews selected from the primary contacts of participating organisations supplemented by a review of documentation and attendance at the contractors’ evaluation meeting. HOST’s final report on the current phase of the support programme was delivered in March 2010.

 

Supporting the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in the development of a Delivery Balanced Scorecard led by Dorothy Berry-Lound with Dr David Parsons and Susan Sibley.

HOST assisted DWP with developing a Delivery Balanced Scorecard by conducting a pilot of a potential series of quarterly e-surveys.

 

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is convening a Global Dialogue Forum on vocational education and training (VET) in late September 2010, with the focus on the employment and the working environment of teachers and trainers, as well as with the larger lifelong learning framework to which public and private vocational education and training contributes. In preparation for this forum, Kenneth Walsh and David Parsons at HOST Policy Research were commissioned to write two key parts of the preparatory form report.

The work covered the remuneration and the teaching and learning environment of teachers and trainers in vocational education and training; and related social dialogue mechanisms. Drawing on a wide range of international sources from bodies such as the OECD and UNESCO, as well as the European agencies such as Cedefop and the European Training Foundation (ETF), the work also focused in more detail on a small number of countries with contrasting educational systems and at different levels of development such as Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Nigeria, and South Korea.

International comparisons across so many diverse countries always make it difficult to draw out commonalities and examples of good practice. However, the report was able to identify some key trends such as the development of public and private partnerships in the delivery of VET, the growing role of identifying employer demand in determining VET provision, and the increasing role of IT in the delivery of VET – all of which affects the way in which teachers and trainers work.

 

Phase 3 of the Review of Management Qualifications and Training in the Learning and Skills sector for Learning and Skills Improvement Agency (LSIS) led by Valerie Rowe with Dorothy Berry-Lound.

LSIS works in partnership with all parts of the learning and skills sector to provide support and enable continuous self-improvement and capacity building, delivered through a wide range of programmes and services. While LSIS and its predecessors Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) and the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) have been active in various areas of management development in the sector, these activities have tended to have a specific capacity building focus or to be embedded within distinct programme related needs. The new emphasis seeks to build on this track record, but to establish what may be a more directed and strategic approach. This, in turn, is recognised to need a firm foundation of understanding sector requirements, and the primary purpose of this review is to gather structured information from the sector about its distinctive needs and current requirements for management skills and qualifications.

Following HOST’s earlier review of available evidence and discussions with key stakeholders, LSIS commissioned a Phase 2 research activity comprising a series of e-surveys aimed at managers within individual sub sectors of the learning and skills arena in order to fill research gaps identified from the earlier research, and to elicit more detail on junior and middle management skills, development and qualifications. The research reported in August 2010. Following on from that, LSIS commissioned HOST to conduct a series of case studies on best practice that were reported in December 2010.

 

Skills needs of food and drink manufacturing employers in Wales and Scotland led by Kenneth Walsh with Alyson Jenkins

HOST was awarded a project by Improve, the Sector Skills Council for the food and drink industry to identify the current and likely future skills needs of food and drink manufacturing employers in Wales and Scotland. The project comprised a literature review and a series of 20 interviews with selected employers in both countries.

The project reported in July 2010

 

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HOST consortium research and workshop programme

“Because of their existing knowledge and contacts HOST were able to hit the ground running on a project with a very short turnaround time, which enabled milestones to be hit in a timely manner.”