Transcript 14-19 IAG Diploma Consultancy

IAG Standards
National Good Practice Event
National Audit Feedback
Jenny Cryer
Business Development Manager
igen Ltd
Process
Registration and self assessment
Initial meeting with a Consultant
Consultancy Visit
Report
Action Plan
What the audit looks at
Our Consultancy Team
30 Experienced Consultants spread throughout England
All have a strong background in:
IAG
14-19
The development of Diplomas
The use of quality standards to develop practice
Progress by October 09
200 Consortia throughout England audited
50 further consortia matched to Consultants and in the
process of being audited
£5000 grant to support the process given by the DCSF to
Consortia in phase 1
Audits Completed by Region
14-19 IAG Audits
Yorkshire and Humber
West Midlands
South West
Yorkshire and Humber
West Midlands
Region
South East
South West
North West
South East
North West
North East
North East
London
London
East Midlands
East of England
East Midlands
East of England
0
5
10
15
20
25
Number of Audits
30
35
40
45
1. Young people are informed about how information,
advice and guidance services can help them and how
to access the services they need
Awareness of Connexions amongst young people
interviewed in the audits was high. They were less clear
about how this related to help they might need with Diplomas.
In some consortia, opportunities to signpost Connexions
services are being missed in centrally produced publications.
2. Young people receive the information, advice and guidance on
personal wellbeing and financial capability issues that they need
This standard was not well evidenced in the audits. Auditors were
particularly concerned about how students on alternative provision
accessed this help.
3. Young people have the information they need to
make well-informed and realistic decisions about
learning and careers
References to Diplomas in the 14-19 Prospectus websites
was not good in many areas. The standard of Careers/
Connexions libraries visited were variable. Information in some
setting was good, but in schools not yet delivering Diplomas,
information was much more patchy.
4. Young people have the advice and guidance that they need to
make well-informed and realistic decisions about learning and
career options
Young people valued the opportunity to have IAG. There were
some issues around the access to careers guidance for students
before they accessed the Diploma. In some areas this was good.
5. Information, advice and guidance services
promote equality of opportunity, celebrate diversity
and challenge stereotypes
Good efforts had been made to encourage non stereotypical
applications to Diplomas, but in general this does not appear to
have impacted on choices made.
6. Young people (reflecting the make-up of their communities) are
engaged in the design, delivery and evaluation of information,
advice and guidance provision
Young people are involved in Connexions development in many
areas, but this does not appear to have been developed to include
Diplomas. Young people interviewed were very keen to become
involved in developing and promoting Diplomas.
7. Parents and carers know how information, advice
and guidance services can help their children and
know how these services are accessed
It is clear that for Diplomas to be successful, the engagement
of parents is key. There was some concern expressed by auditors
around the accuracy of information provided for parents at options
events, and the need to include balanced information about all of the
curriculum offer. Information for parents relating to the Diploma given
on 14-19 websites is generally poor and this represents a wasted
opportunity.
8. Information, advice and guidance providers understand their
roles and responsibilities
The audits found high levels of commitment from all staff. However, it
was clear that not everyone understands everyone else’s role, and
this may be preventing collaboration from being as effective as it could
be. The major area for development in virtually all audits was the
understanding of the role of the tutor, and the need to provide CPD
and support for them in delivering Diploma IAG and signposting
students to other sources of IAG.
9. Programmes of career and personal development
for young people are planned and provided
collaboratively
The audits found fairly isolated examples of good practice
in developing a consortium entitlement to careers education
around the Diplomas, and to devising common modules that are
delivered throughout the Partnership. Where a learner entitlement is in
place this appears to be an excellent vehicle to promote consistency of
approach to the delivery of IAG.
10. Staff providing information, advice and guidance services are
appropriately qualified, work to relevant professional standards
and receive continuing professional development
IAG staff are well trained in terms of IAG but do not always
understand the Diploma offer. At consortium level, there does not
always appear to be a coherent approach to ensuring that all staff
are trained and understand the Diploma offer. The key area for
development in terms of training is the tutors. 78% of audits found a
need for tutor training.
11. Information, advice and guidance services are
regularly and systematically monitored, reviewed and
evaluated and actions are taken to improve services in
response to the findings
In some areas there appears to be a systematic process for
monitoring and reviewing progress, and for gathering feedback. However,
in many areas, those pupils interviewed who are currently on the
diplomas did not appear to have been asked for their views on the IAG
they received. In some areas, systems were in place at institution level,
but did not appear to be in place at consortium level. The use of CEIAG
quality standards appears to have declined in some areas.
12. Processes for commissioning impartial information, advice and
guidance services are effective and result in services that will meet
the needs of young people and their parents/carers
In most areas, 14-19 delivery consortia did not appear to have been
involved in the commissioning process either in terms of producing the
service specification, or in the evaluation process. Some concerns were
expressed about the impact that the full rage of Diplomas would have on
the IAG services offered to younger pupils within current arrangements.
General Feedback
Many Local Authorities welcome the opportunity to have
an independent assessment confirm areas for development that they
may be aware of, but that may have been difficult to address internally
The audits have revealed significant areas of good practice
and genuine commitment to IAG
Support from the audit has been welcomed. In many places this
support does not appear easy to access locally
IAG around Diplomas needs to be developed, in particular web based
information
General Feedback
In many cases individual practice is good, systematic
collaborative approaches to IAG are not yet in place in many
consortia
Tutors are key, and need CPD around both IAG skills and their
knowledge of 14-19 pathways
The buy in of schools is key to enable staff to access training
IAG needs to be central to the development of the Personal Tutor
role
Need for support for those developing CEIAG programmes in
local areas
igen working on behalf of the
Department for Children, Schools and Families
General feedback
Need for IAG support for 14-19 Leads within Authorities
There is some concern over access by younger students to the IAG
they need pre Diploma choice, which may be exacerbated when
more lines of learning and pathways are in place
The importance of Universal Service IAG in supporting 14-19, need
to be recognised in commissioning and resourcing
Need for direction on using local standards
The importance of quality assurance for 14-19 Prospectus
Contact
Jenny Cryer
igen Ltd
Telephone 0113 226 2141
Email: [email protected]
www.14-19iagconsultancy.co.uk