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Parklands High School


		11-16 schools

		6th form schools

		Colleges

About the case study

This case study shows how a school is delivering its work-related learning programme at key stage 4 and how it is planning to meet the statutory requirement for September 2004. The school recognises the benefits to students of a broad work-related curriculum. Examples of two individual students illustrate its achievements to date.

The school

Parklands High School is a mixed 11-18 comprehensive school in an Excellence in Cities Education Action Zone and serves the large outer-city council housing estate of Speke and South Liverpool. There are approximately 780 students on roll.

There is significant social and economic deprivation in the area. The DfES has identified the school as ‘one of concern’ for its high levels of absenteeism and truancy, which are well above the national average. The school has been a Compact school since 1989 involving mainly key stage 4 pupils in the Compact process. The school’s last Ofsted inspection report highlighted the school’s relationship with the local area stating that ‘it has very good curriculum enrichment through links with the community.’

The school is part of a brand-new multi-million-pound development that includes a youth centre, library, city learning centre and a range of sports and recreational facilities. The city learning centre is a result of the school’s involvement in the government’s Excellence in Cities initiative. This provides state-of-the-art technology for use by Parklands students and the wider community.

Monitoring current provision

The school reviewed its current provision to see if it met the work-related learning statutory requirement. In year 9 the careers officer introduces each student to vocational education and they can choose a variety of off-site learning opportunities at key stage 4. All year 10 students go through a mock interview programme arranged by Liverpool Compact Education Business Partnership, with help from a wide range of local employers. Annual careers conventions are well supported and found to be of great benefit to the students.

Preparation for work experience in year 11 is delivered through the PSHE programme and involves outside partners. For example, Liverpool Compact delivers the ‘health and safety’ and ‘self-presentation’ modules. All year 10 and year 11 students are involved in the Compact goal-setting programme that covers attendance and punctuality, coursework completion, behaviour and successful completion of work experience, together with the collation of evidence of their achievements. Successful Compact graduates are recognised at the annual city-wide graduation ceremony.

Planning to meet the statutory requirements for work-related learning in key stage 4

Implementing new courses

At key stage 4 qualifications on offer to all students include the new GCSEs and GNVQs, mainly delivered in school, and competence-based skill qualifications delivered in partnership with Liverpool Community College and local work-based learning providers. Options include GNVQs in business foundation, leisure and tourism and ICT, and all include business involvement.

The school is fully committed to the Increased Flexibility Programme for a range of students at key stage 4. More and more students are opting for competence-based skills learning at the college and/or with local work-based learning providers. In 2003, this became an option for a whole band as part of the key stage 4 provision. A number of year 11 students follow a foundation to construction course, in conjunction with Speke Garston Education Action Zone, and are working towards a recognised industry qualification.

Reviewing work-related learning policy

The school’s current work-related learning policy spans several areas including careers guidance overseen by Connexions, off-site learning coordinated by a senior teacher, and GCSEs in vocational subjects and GNVQs coordinated by the curriculum manager. There have been four meetings to review the school’s work-related learning policy involving, among others, key stage coordinators, curriculum and pastoral heads, heads of year, Liverpool Compact, Connexions and parents. Their conclusions supported the view that that QCA’s work-related learning framework gives opportunities to develop teaching and learning styles appropriate for all pupils, but especially for groups of challenging pupils in years 10 and 11.

Working with business partners

As well as the challenges of the curriculum, more able students have access to graduate mentors and business mentors, organised by Liverpool Compact. The Marriott Masterchef programme delivered in partnership with a local hotel has been a great success and the Aim Higher project enables high-ability students to visit industry and commerce. The Enterprise Springboard Project, delivered by Liverpool Compact, enables groups of students to develop enterprise skills, team working and investigative skills with support from business advisers.

The school has strong links with many of the major employers in the area and continues to develop these by hosting school/business lunches and meetings on set themes.

Recording achievements

The school bases its work-related learning programme on the individual needs of its students and recognises success by recording their achievements. Parkland students are rewarded for good work and behaviour. The school has a merit award system and constantly seeks to promote a positive attitude. Pupils are presented with various awards including certificates, pens, key rings, school mugs and calculators.

Reviewing provision

Through regular planning and review meetings between departments and with the Liverpool Compact, the school is considering its work-related learning programme in the light of the statutory requirement, and modifying it as necessary. The fundamental principle is a recognition that by working in partnership with education providers, businesses, Liverpool Compact and neighbouring schools, the school broadens the variety of learning opportunities for the students and embeds work-related learning within the key stage 4 curriculum.

Professional development

The school is committed to running INSET days exploring and developing different teaching styles and experiential learning activities that deliver enterprise outcomes. It uses professional development placements to ensure that all staff spend at least one day in the world of commerce to raise their awareness of the increased need for enterprise skills in the workforce of the future.

Student examples

Here are two examples of individual students to illustrate the school’s achievements to date.

Amanda’s programme

Amanda is gaining her work-related learning through her GCSE programme and time spent at work-based learning providers where she is studying NVQ level 2 in childcare and ‘skills for working life’ in hairdressing.

Amanda has had many problems with attendance in her school career but is now achieving over 90% attendance with her work-based learning provider. In school, Amanda receives support from learning mentors. Her time in hairdressing has been particularly successful and she has been marked out as a future professional.

Paul’s programme

Paul’s experiences are described in his own words.
‘I got involved in Lovell [a construction company] because I wanted to be involved in the construction world. When Lovell started 30 students from three schools, we all had to do a project on construction and then we all got interviewed, which was nerve-wracking. After a week, 12 got picked out of the 30 to do the two-year project. I was on the reserve list but someone dropped out and I got a place.

In the project we had to do presentations on how a live site works and the stages of the construction programme. We had to establish the building costs, land costs and whether it would be beneficial to build 30 new homes in the centre of Speke. In another project we had to take pictures around Liverpool and make an advertisement board to take to Nottingham where we went for a few days to do our presentation on Liverpool. This was brilliant because we had to do a presentation in front of about 25-30 people, which was scary, but it went well.

After we had done the presentation I felt I had achieved a lot out of it. I have improved my skills, such as communication, presentation and work-based skills. I did my work experience placement with Lovell and I thought it was good. I would recommend it to anyone who has the chance to get involved in a project like this. It is fantastic and you meet lots of new people, so just go for it.’