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Studley High School


		11-16 schools

		6th form schools

		Colleges

About the case study

The appointment of a school coordinator to manage the provision of work-related learning can be a key strategy, especially if given adequate resources and well supported by the senior management team. This case study highlights how effective a coordinator has been in identifying key elements of a school’s current work-related learning programme and in using the review to decide what to do next.

The school

Studley High School is an 11-16 mixed comprehensive school in south-west Warwickshire. It is a foundation school in association with Warwickshire Education Authority with just over 700 students on roll. The school draws in students from 23 primary schools in its semi-rural catchment area. A number of students in the Studley area attend selective grammar schools in Alcester, just four miles away.

The area served by the school is relatively advantaged, with a small amount of socio-economic deprivation in parts. Approximately 6% of students are entitled to free school meals, which is below average, and 15% have special educational needs.

The school has a thriving Parent Teacher Association which runs a number of events for students. The governing body is also very active, with many governors (a lot of whom are parents) regularly visiting departments and observing the school day to day.

Using work-related learning to support change

The school’s last Ofsted inspection, while recognising that teaching was good or very good in 70% of lessons and that the school offered ‘sound value for money’, identified important issues for the school to consider, which included the need to:
· extend the range of teaching and learning styles
· improve the achievement of boys at key stage 4 by the introduction of more appropriate courses.
Work-related learning was seen as a strategy that could support developments in both these areas. The school ran an INSET programme to promote a range of teaching and learning styles involving work-related learning, including role plays, simulations and problem solving. New vocational courses were introduced for some year 10 and 11 students.

Meeting the statutory requirement for work-related learning at key stage 4

Management and coordination

Work-related learning has strong, active support from the senior management team. The headteacher is very committed and has been used by the LEA to make keynote speeches to other schools and colleges about the importance of work-related learning. The head of food technology was appointed as the school coordinator responsible for vocational courses and work-related learning including work experience.

The work-related learning coordinator has a detailed job description outlining her role and responsibilities and is given time to plan and implement new activities and programmes as well as administering existing ones. She is also responsible for delivering school INSET programmes, supporting teachers in the classroom and collaborating with outside partners. As a member of the school improvement group, which comprises five senior managers and the heads of English, mathematics and foreign languages, she can keep work-related learning high on the school agenda and enlist the group’s support in introducing modifications to its provision.

Auditing current provision

The work-related learning coordinator used the QCA framework to review how the school’s provision of work-related learning meets the statutory requirement. There is a wide range of work-related learning activities for students in key stage 4. These include:
· Preparation for Work (OCR short course) in year 10
· Connexions visit programme in year 10
· Increased Flexibility Programme and extended work placements; GCSEs in vocational subjects and NVQs for both years 10 and 11
· two-week work experience in year 11 with full briefing and debriefing sessions. Training is given to staff supporting and monitoring the placements through workplace visits
· curriculum subject links, for example work-related displays on notice boards. In RE, for example, students are reminded of the qualities that employers are looking for and how RE contributes by helping students develop skills such as gathering and evaluating information and making decisions
· special career events identifying progression routes to education, training and work post-16
· a hotel and catering day organised by a group of Stratford hotels
· an artist-in-residence who is a regular visitor to the school.

The audit helped the school to prepare for an imminent Ofsted inspection by identifying the gaps in provision. Some weaknesses were picked up, for example work experience debriefings were not always satisfactory. Other key priorities included the extension of the vocational programme, with more opportunities for links with work-based learning providers and more occasions for subject areas to promote and use work-related learning in their schemes of work. INSET and support from the work-related learning coordinator are seen as the way forward.

Working with local partners

Employer groups

A number of employers give good support to the work experience programme and work with the school on other initiatives. Strong links with a small number of large employers mean that key stage 4 students can practise interview techniques and get advice on how to complete curriculum vitae and job applications.

All students have access to the careers library and can research career opportunities using computers, videos and up-to-date information on career choices. The Warwickshire Area Connexions Service supports this and students can discuss interests and choices with the school careers adviser. The local Education Business Partnership is also very supportive and helps to organise events, for example an Industry Day for year 10 students.

Collaboration with schools and colleges

As a member of SWIFT (South Warwickshire Initiative for Training) the school collaborates with other local schools and colleges to provide vocational courses for year 10 and 11 students. Students can choose to study for a complete day each week on vocational courses. Some of these courses are equivalent to four GCSEs, so a very high level of commitment is needed. The initiative gets strong support from Warwickshire LEA.

The majority of the courses lead to GCSEs in vocational subjects (equivalent to two GCSEs) or NVQ level 1, or another vocational equivalent. Most of them take place at Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwickshire colleges and Inkberrow Design Centre. Local training providers are also involved in the initiative. The next step is for schools to take each others’ students for specific courses.

Local Education Authority

Warwickshire LEA leads on a project which supports links with community and business partners as well as other initiatives. For example, the work-related learning coordinator spends one day each week as a consultant and adviser to another school in the area that is introducing a more extensive vocational programme. As well as supporting the senior management team and the newly appointed coordinator in planning its implementation, she also gives first-hand advice to students and their parents on the new options and helps with recruitment and selection.

Future developments

The success of the vocational education programme is pushing the school to develop more post-14 opportunities in this field. There is a programme for intermediate and advanced student apprenticeships which started this year, building on the success of the foundation programme which has been in operation for several years.

In view of the strong emphasis of the work-related framework on enterprise education, and the Davies report advocating five days of enterprise leaning for students, from September 2005 the school plans to re-introduce a mini-enterprise programme that was last run in 2002.

More employer links and school visits will be encouraged, especially for the implementation of a student mentoring programme to advise and support students in their career and training options. Progress File is also an area that the school wishes to develop further.