Staying the Course

Stayingthe Course Initial and Diagnostic Assessment, Learning Styles, Resources and Staff Development presented by Paul Ellis

Stayingthe Course Springboard Southwark The Community Service Volunteers (CSV) set up Springboard Southwark in 1979 as a Community based training provider. In 1986 we became an independent charity and limited company. However, we continue to be managed by CSV through a formal management structure and operate within the framework of their policies Our approach to training delivery is guided by CSV’s policy of non-rejection and imbedded with an emphasis on the importance of individuals playing an active role in the life of their community. Springboard Southwark has a strong commitment to equal opportunities and we work on the assumption that each person has the potential to achieve. Our Mission is: “To offer quality opportunities in which people can develop their personal and vocational skills while working for the care and benefit of members of the community” Our Provision

Stayingthe Course Our key objectives are: To provide quality foundation and vocational training leading to employment for people in South and South East London. To ensure equal opportunities and to operate an open door policy (according to eligibility regulations set down by funding bodies) responding to local needs. To work with employers and the local community for the economic regeneration of South and South East London. In achieving our mission we aim to create opportunities for those most disadvantaged in the labour market through providing innovative, flexible and responsive programmes. Our Provision

Stayingthe Course • Springboard Southwark has three training sites, 2 in central London (Peckham) working with: - • School excluders from years 10 & 11 • Entry to Employment • Apprenticeships • ESOL • Train to Gain • Our Kingston site which focuses on: - • Entry to Employment • The communities in which we operates are diverse in both ethnic make up and affluence. Meeting Learners Needs

Stayingthe Course Our an open door policy which responding to local needs Means we get a wide variety of clients form all areas of the community, with varying Social Behavioural Educational needs ranging from Entry Level 1 – Level 3 Meeting Learners Needs

Stayingthe Course Due to the diverse nature of our client base. The programmes must be flexible and understand the individuality of the clients and that they all have varying levels of Personal/Social experience Educational Background Learning Preferences and Styles Aims and Ambitions Meeting Learners Needs

As part of the “Staying the Course” project we looked at our systems and processes as part of this project and with the aid of 2 external consultants we identified a weakness within the initial assessment and induction aspect of our provision which resulted in an inconsistent standard of personalised support for each applicant and provision. • Our Aim was to • Review and improve the Initial Assessment process for Literacy & Numeracy making it more robust. • Implement the assessing of Learning Styles. • Developing subject specific resource materials and equipment to meet the individual needs of the learner. • Develop staffs capacity to support the learner and meet their need more effectively. Stayingthe Course Tool Kit Evaluation

Stayingthe Course Initial Assessment & Diagnostic Assessment What we found from the toolkit was we were focusing to heavily on the Literacy & Numeracy aspect of Initial Assessment and overlooking the naturally occurring indicators of pear to pear, one-to-one and group interactions which are evident in all training centres. As a result learners were feeling they were “over tested” and “overloaded with paper-based assessments and screenings”. We implemented a working group lead by and external consultant who worked with us to explore the good practice which had been developed over the years and enabled us to re-form an Initial Assessment which was learner lead. Success

Stayingthe Course Initial Assessment & Diagnostic Assessment We introduced as new computer based Initial assessments programme (Basic & Key Skills Builder) This has enabled our initial assessment to be more learner lead and give this learners the option of completing either a paper based or computer based assessment. The computer based assessment also have both visual and audio support measures enabling is to allow the learners to customise to their preferred learning style. We are also now using a range of resource materials using the Education & Skills Initials Assessment Resource Pack as a foundation and adding internally produced structured activities to observe learners personal and social interactions which will enable us to highlight and monitor changes in the learner which may be an indication the learner is at risk of leaving. Success

Stayingthe Course • Initial Assessment & Diagnostic Assessment • Our process now includes six stages of assessment. • Documentation (application, disclosure, form filling) • Self Assessment (Identifying own Strengths and Weakness) • Discussions (one-to-one, group) • Observations (one-to-one, group) • Structured Activities (individual, group) • Testing (BSA, BKSB, Move – on) Success

Stayingthe Course Documentation Self Assessment Testing Initial Assessment Success Discussion Structured Activates Observation

Stayingthe Course Learning styles Although we were identifying the main learning styles of our learners it was left to each department to identify and use the resource materials available on the Web to find the learners preferences. This in itself caused problems as different assessments gave different results and varied in wording and suitability. This would in some cases mean that learner needs would not be identified. We therefore purchased a Computer Based Learning Styles Assessment for BKSB This is a quick interactive, self-marking assessment that identifies the ways in which individuals prefer to learn. From this we found that group of learner who generally socialised together had similar learning styles this has enabled us to adapted our training to include more, Visual, Audio and Kinesthetic activities to support each learner. Success

Stayingthe Course Documentation Self Assessment Testing Initial Assessment Success Discussion Structured Activates Observation

Learning Styles Stayingthe Course Documentation Learning Styles Self Assessment Testing Initial Assessment Success Discussion Structured Activates Observation

Stayingthe Course Resources Now that we had the facilities to identify the needs of the learner more accurately it was now able support our training staff, improve our equipment and resources to enable us to meet more of the individual needs. This included : - 3 staff members attending Level 3 training at university for subject specific courses in Literacy and Numeracy. From this training resource materials including, books, DVD’s, were identified and purchased to support both the staff training and development and the implementation of that learning into the learning environment. Success

Stayingthe Course • Resources • We then went further to arrange additional training in • Dyslexia awareness • Disclosure of Leaning Difficulties and Disabilities • Disability Discrimination • E-Learning • This has enabled us to identify and support learners at risk and give them supported one-to-one time with a personal tutor. • We were able to identified the need for more portable E-Learning resources in the form of projectors and laptops which would be beneficial to make the training more interactive and engaging for the learners. Success

Learning Styles Stayingthe Course Documentation E-Learning Learning Styles Self Assessment Testing Initial Assessment Success Discussion Structured Activates Observation

Stayingthe Course • With the aid of the “Stay the Course” we have identified • an improvement in learner timekeeping and attendance • An increase in learner work product • An increase in learner achievement on Entry to Employment • An increase in progression from Entry to Employment • An increase in retention Conclusion

Staying the Course