HOST Policy Research: Projects and Consultations

Recently Completed Projects

 

An Evaluation of the National Teaching and Learning Change Programme for Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS, formerly Quality Improvement Agency (QIA)), and Department for Innovations, Universities and Skills (DIUS) led by Professor David Parsons with Judy Staton, John Barry, Peter Foster, Dr Jacqui Hughes and Valerie Rowe

The Teaching and Learning Programme (TLP, previously the National Teaching and Learning Change Programme (NTLCP)) was launched by the (then) DfES Standards Unit in 2003 as a critical part of quality improvement across providers anticipated in the Success for All strategy. NTLCP has developed as a large-scale and multi-faceted approach, helping providers in the learning and skills sector to transform approaches to teaching, training and learning. It offers three main ‘enablers’ designed to work in concert as a framework for quality improvement and ‘… supporting the delivery of learner success’. These enablers are:

  • A widening series of teaching and learning resources.
  • The development of the national Professional Training Programme (PTP) for Subject Learning Coaches (SLCs), and now also for Advanced Learning Coaches.
  • A series of mainly regionally-based but interrelated SCNs were also developed, initially to support the roll-out and effective use of the teaching and learning resources.

In addition, in 2006-7, and 2007-8 and under LSIS (then QIA) management, a fourth set of activities, The Management Engagement Programme (MEP) was added to support stronger management awareness and use of the programme, and in particular of SLCs.

NTLCP has developed into a complex and multi-faceted programme of activities which combines specific subject contexts and needs with whole organisational improvement, and combining national and regional aspects to its delivery. It is a programme with very wide planned reach, and the diversity of activities is aimed at responding to quality improvement needs in a very wide range of provider (and learner) contexts and circumstances.

The evaluation aimed to reflect this diversity and to assess what worked well (and less well) in different provider and practitioner circumstances. This evaluation followed on from the independent review for DfES, also conducted by HOST, in 2003-6 of the Standards Unit Teaching and Learning Frameworks. The approaches adopted aimed to compare the continuing experiences of providers and practitioners in this (broader) programme. This evaluation was also wider in scope and included a review of new (and emerging) elements in delivery to the learning and skills sector. It also included an impact assessment1 across the three NTLCP ‘enablers’. The evaluation provided two annual curriculum reports (2006-2007 and 2007-2008), and concluded with a three-year appraisal in September 2009.

1 The impact assessment of the Standards Unit programme was separate from HOST’s process review and conducted by York Consulting over the same period.

 

Evaluation of the LSIS High Quality Managers Programme for the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) led by Ken Walsh with David Parsons and Simon Bysshe

The High Quality Managers Programme (HQM) was introduced to support the development of leadership capacity in the Learning and Skills Sector. The programme was designed to provide support to senior managers through working closely with a peer mentor in another training provider whereby ideas and experience could be shared. The pilot programme started in August 2007 with an original conclusion at the end of 2008. However, the pilot was extended and finished in July 2009 with the prospect of a roll-out of the programme subsequently.

HOST was commissioned by LSIS to evaluate the pilot and our work effectively started in January 2008 and involved a number of key elements, including electronic surveys of mentors and mentees, assignment case studies where mentor and mentee were involved, discussions with key individuals, plus analysis of administrative information generated by the contractor, Tribal. HOST reported on the pilot in September 2008 and was subsequently commissioned by LSIS to carry out a final evaluation with a report delivered in May 2009.

 

Best practice in tackling NEETs for the LSC Yorkshire and Humber (West Yorkshire Team) led by Simon Bysshe with Dorothy Berry-Lound, Judy Staton and John Austin

This project was concluded in February 2009. The purpose of the project was to evaluate a number of good practice interventions or systems in working with young people who are classified as NEET, and through data collection and action research to identify the key mechanisms of success that can inform policies, priorities, action plans and the design of the 14-19 system to facilitate improved participation, retention and success of post-16 learners. The final report with engagement scenario modelling provided evidence-based policy recommendations. The project outputs included a final research report, a summary report for practitioners, a summary report for policy-makers and managers, and two best practice guides, one in relation to Flexible Starts and the other E2E as well as a dissemination event.

 

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

Following the Tomlinson review, government has sought substantial reforms to delivery and learner progression at Entry Level and Level 1 provision, and for feeder routes into Level 2 provision. This has involved a collaboration between the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), Qualifications Curriculum Agency (QCA) and LSIS – with LSIS responsible for a support programme aimed at building provider capacity and responsiveness to the reforms. In spring 2008, HOST was commissioned to evaluate the programme.

This 13-month study combined formative and summative evaluation methods. It ran in parallel with a separate but inter-related review of the Qualifications Reform Support Programme (QRSP) – also by HOST. It included a review of the initial phase of 75 phased implementation sites, and the subsequent expansion to 185 pilot sites for FLT and progression pathways. A mixture of provider-level surveys, practitioner interviews, consultant consultation and in-depth case studies were conducted to include impact assessment and effective practices review. Two interim reports were produced (August 2008 and January 2009), and a final review report was delivered in June 2009.

 

National Evaluation of the Qualifications Reform Support Programme (QRSP) in England for Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS, formerly Quality Improvement Agency (QIA)), led by Professor David Parsons with John Austin, Alan Bloomfield, and Simon Bysshe

Government has sought a reform of the National Qualifications Framework to provide for a credit-based and more flexible approach. The new Qualifications Credit Framework (QCF) is being implemented progressively as diverse Awarding Bodies adapt and adjust requirements for targeted qualifications, with providers developing their own staff development and MIS responses to QCF. Working with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and the Qualifications Curriculum Agency (QCA), LSIS put in place a cross-sector support programme aimed at building provider awareness and adjustment during 2008 and 2009, with HOST commissioned to evaluate this in spring 2008.

The study ran in parallel with the separate but interrelated review of the support programme aimed at providers piloting the Foundation Learning Tier – also by HOST. QRSP is a complex programme and has evolved as provider needs and information gaps have emerged. This complexity has been reflected in a staged review of QRSP participation across over 600 providers in England, and a combination of manager and practitioner surveys, consultant consultation and in-depth case studies to review early impact and effective adjustment to QCF. Two interim reports were produced in August 2008 and January 2009, and a final review will be produced shortly.

 

HOST was commissioned in September 2008 by LSIS to evaluate its Post-16 Citizenship Support Programme. This was a follow-on from previous evaluations of the same programme, also undertaken by HOST, but for this phase the emphasis was on impact on providers

More specifically, the evaluation aimed to gather and assess evidence from participants in the support programme about how this had affected their capability to deliver Citizenship. It also sought to review the effects of such participation upon numbers of learners engaged in Citizenship activities, time allocated to this within the organisation and the approaches that were being used to deliver this. Evidence about constraints on impact and suggestions for improving this was also sought.

The project was led by Judy Staton, Senior HOST Associate, working with Dorothy Berry-Lound, HOST’s Managing Director. Two main tools were used to collect evidence of provider impact. An e-questionnaire, which was accessed via e-mail with an embedded link, was sent to those participants in support programme events who were in a position to deliver Citizenship within their organisation. The other tool was a small number of case studies or ‘impact profiles’ which were compiled using telephone interviews with a small number of survey respondents. These were intended to illuminate the relationship between programme inputs and outputs as well as providing specific and contextualised illustrations of outcomes in terms of Citizenship education from involvement in the programme. The evaluation concluded in February 2008 with the submission of a draft report to LSIS: before being finalised, this was discussed at a joint meeting with LSIS and the support programme contractor.

 

Developing a National Research Strategy for the Work-based Learning Workforce for Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK), led by Valerie Rowe, with David Parsons, John Barry, Susan Lanz, John Austin, Jacqui Hughes and Peter Foster

Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK), the independent sector Skills Council for staff working in the Lifelong Learning sector is seeking to have a distinct focus for research in the WBL sector as part of its wider FE Workforce review work in England. The project was conducted by HOST and is seen as an important opportunity to start to fill evidence gaps that have been especially acute for this part of the LL sector. Specifically, the HOST review:

  • consulted with a wide range of external stakeholders and representative organisations (including selected regional groupings) to review WBL workforce research and information needs, and current issues and concerns;
  • sought direct inputs from WBL providers – including through ongoing LLUK activities engaging the WBL sector;
  • consulted with sector development bodies to review known issues, evidence and current and planned activity which could contribute to future knowledge about WBL.

From this, the review identified intelligence gaps in WBL, and the key research questions which will need to be answered by future research in this area. It also set out the priorities and delivery implications for LLUK.

The project produced a research strategy for the WBL workforce, and also an implementation plan for taking this forward, subject to available resources. This was an intensive project which HOST began in April 2009 and completed the intelligence and issues review and all consultations by early June. A draft strategy and plan were produced for LLUK in June 2009.

 

Women and Work 1, 2 and 3 Programme Evaluation for Energy and Utility Skills Limited, led by Dorothy Berry-Lound, with Kenneth Walsh and Susan Sibley

The Women and Work Sector Pathways Initiative forms part of the government's response to the Women and Work Commission report Shaping a Fairer Future (February 2006). The national initiative – the Women and Work Programme, as it is popularly known – is funded in four phases from April 2006 to March 2011 and is led by participating Sector Skills Councils (SSCs), including Energy and Utility Skills (EU Skills). The initiative is intended to test new recruitment and career pathways for women in sectors, sub-sectors or occupations where there are current skills shortages.

The evaluation for EU Skills was of Phases 1 and 2 which are completed, and Phase 3 which is ongoing. It comprised a review of participant data from the EU Skills database, e-surveys of participant employers and employees with selected follow-up telephone interviews. The final report was delivered on 18 December 2009.