Stephen McKinney, Stuart Hall, Kevin Lowden - PowerPoint Presentation

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Stephen McKinney, Stuart Hall, Kevin LowdenUniversity of GlasgowEducation and Employers Taskforce Research conference 2014

Poverty and school leavers’ in Glasgow secondary

s

choolsSlide2

Selected Aims of Study To explore the relationship between deprivation and attainment (exam performance) and deprivation and school leaver destinations

among pupils in Glasgow secondary schools.

To undertake further research (case studies) into schools that appear to ‘buck the trend’ in relation to either deprivation and exam performance and/or leaver destinations. Slide3

Background: PovertyApprox 1 in 4 people in Glasgow classified as income deprived (Scottish average: 1 in 7 = 14% of population) (Green, 2007; Burnett and

McKendrick

. 2007 ).

Children born into deprivation are most likely to be trapped in cycle of deprivation. School education and possibility of social advancement/mobility important part of anti-deprivation initiatives.

(House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee 2008).

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Methodology

Attainment and leaver destination data identified for three years (2006/7, 2007/8, 2008/9) and figures aggregated for these years. Advantage of increasing the numbers of pupils included in the research and reducing the potential effects of year on year variations.

Creation of new measure of deprivation POVAR2 which is based on three existing proxy measures of deprivation.

Aiming to repeat exercise this year for 2010-2013.Slide5
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School Leaver DestinationsThe importance of school leaver destination was noted in the Child Poverty project (2009):

For children and young people living in poverty, employment is often the main means of attaining a better life. Youth employment promotes social integration and citizenship, and benefits economic development

.

We reviewed school leaver destination data for 2006 – 2009.Slide7
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ConclusionsThere is a significant negative association

between deprivation and attainment in Glasgow secondary schools.

There is a

significant positive association

between deprivation and leaver destinations (excluding HE)

Some schools serving poorer areas are leading the way in terms of the proportion of pupils going onto positive destinations their first post school opportunity.

Schools may be more able to impact on leaver destinations than attainment. This may be an important finding for education and anti-deprivation strategies. Slide10

Qualitative MethodSample: 5 secondary schools in Glasgow Schools A, B, C, D and E.

Schools A and C are denominational; B,D and E are non-

denominational.

Key informants

Interviews

June/July

2011.Semi-structured interviews by two members of research teamAll interviews recorded and transcribed for analysisInterviews designed to establish what methods of intervention were being used; how they were measured; personnel involved; barriers encountered.Slide11

SampleGroup 1

Schools B,

C and E.

Schools B, C and E all have high success rate with initial leaver destination

This is despite high levels of deprivation

Schools B and C work in close partnership

Group 2

Schools A and D

High levels of deprivation

Less successful with initial leaver destinationSlide12

Sample - IntervieweesSchool ADeputy Head Teacher

School B

Head Teacher

Principal Teacher Pastoral Care and Careers coordinator

Skills Development Scotland e/e

School C

Deputy Head Teacher

School D

Head Teacher

Former Employment

Officer

School E

Deputy Head Teacher

Principal teacher of Enterprise, Employability and PartnershipSlide13

Findings

S

ocio-economic context of the school

Socially challenged families and areas

Cuts in school budgets and external staff

Employability and sustainable futures

ApprenticeshipsRise in University tariff and University feesCuts in College provision

Personnel involved

Importance of leadership and designated staff

Collaboration with external partners

Nature of intervention

Intervention at an early age

Targeted interventionSlide14

Personnel involved: Importance of Leadership – Shared VisionVision of expectation

The staff in the school…definitely do their utmost and they are rigorous in terms of providing quality education, in setting high standards for the children, high standards as soon as they come in the door – in terms of their learning, in terms of their conduct, in terms of their expectations about quality, about presentation, about working with others, about respect, about basically only the best will do

(DHT school C).

Vision of

inclusivity

I am absolutely committed one hundred percent to positive leavers destinations…all I want is young people to achieve their potential and if that’s University then that’s the focus, if that’s going into a training position, that’s the

focus

(HT

school

B)

.Slide15

Personnel involved: Importance of Leadership - Vision and OperationCommitment of HT‘socially just approach’

(Thomson, 2010).

vision of

expectation

and

inclusivity

Essential support from: Other members of school leadershipMembers of teaching teamsCollaboration with external partners

Allocation of resource?Slide16

Personnel involved: Importance of Leadership - OperationSchools B and E funded school posts

Principal Teacher of pastoral Care and careers coordinator (B)

Teacher of skills for life, skills for work and skills for

learning (B)

Principal teacher of Enterprise, Employability and Partnership (E)

Schools B and E funded more time from external partners

Careers Advisor for two extra days (E)Careers advisor for one extra day (B)Slide17

Personnel involved: Importance of leadership - OperationGroup 1

Leaders work with designated members of staff – funded internal posts

Devolved responsibility for operational matters and working with external partners

External partners important – extra time funded by school

Working in close collaboration with school

More intensive contact on individual basis with young people

Group 2

Work with wider teaching team – no funded internal posts

Some responsibility for operation resides with HT/DHT

Problematic: school D charismatic leader on

secondment

(Griffiths, 2008)

External partners important – no extra time funded

Looked to externa

l

partners for some of the intensive contact on individual basis, but more autonomousSlide18

Further ResearchThis research project intends to further investigate: A) A

ttainment 2006-2013; Leaver Destination 2006-2013.

B) Schools that continue to have high levels of positive leaver destination

Attitudes and views of pupils preparing for leaver destination

Pedagogy of poverty

Publications

McKinney, S.J., Hall, S., Lowden, K., McClung, M. and Cameron, L. (2012) The relationship between poverty and deprivation, educational attainment and positive school leaver destinations in Glasgow secondary schools,

Scottish Educational Review 44

(1), 33-45

.

McKinney

, S.J., Hall, S., Lowden, K., McClung, M. and Cameron, L. (

2013) Supporting school leavers in areas of deprivation into initial positive school leaver destination (Case Studies in Glasgow Secondary Schools)

Improving Schools 16

(1), 63-78.