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1998/1999 |
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Strategic Objective 1
(a) Raise the baseline attainment, year on year, of children on entry to school
(b) Create increased consistency of pre-school intervention across areas and communities
1. Promotion of the common messages through a range of activities and materials
We have supported the identification of common messages that can be promoted to parents through a range of channels.
2. Opportunities for joint and shared curriculum, staff and materials developments through BookStart and through parent workshops. The various initiatives will be increasingly aligned at city and local levels
We have supported the extension of BookStart to reach ìhard to reachî groups. We have supported the establishment of activity in health centres, surgeries and community venues. We have enabled groups of staff to come together for joint planning sessions.
3. Developments that accelerate language development in children aged 0-3 and Developments that support the Early Years Development Plan
Towards the end of the year we began to identify the mechanisms by which these could be progressed in 1999-2000.
Strategic Objective 2
(a) Raise, year on year, the attainment levels of pupils of school age
(b) Produce a body of key staff who are highly skilled in the teaching and learning of the key skills of literacy and numeracy (including the supporting use of IT)
1. Extending the professional development of target groups: - Newly Qualified Teachers; Language Co-ordinators / Numeracy Co-ordinators; Governors; Headteachers
We have supported training courses for these key groups - with a clear link to national literacy and numeracy strategies for schools
2. Continuing the programme to expand the use, by pupils, of new technology that accelerates the acquisition of literacy/numeracy skills.
A further 70 schools have been supported to purchase integrated learning systems to boost literacy and numeracy development
3. Supporting school-based curriculum support activities.
We have been responsive to spreading examples of good practice between schools
4. Implementing whole school approaches to the planning, implementation and review of literacy and numeracy developments
Using the Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark framework, more than one third of primary schools have clear basic skills plans
5. Implementing interagency development plans for family literacy, for volunteer support and for out-of-school activities
National models have been developed around family literacy and numeracy; and for curriculum bridges between KS2 and KS3. Increased focus has been given to employee volunteers
6. Creating coherence of developments by bringing school-based developments within an overall framework
Partners agree that there is now a much more coherent menu of support available to schools
Strategic Objective 3
Increasing the amount of own-time investment in key skills levels by young people
1. Expand the number of literacy and numeracy springboard sessions through the University of the First Age.
The number of holiday literacy and numeracy activities has been doubled, and given a clear focus
2. Extend the skills of a range of staff in order to create increased literacy/numeracy contents within out-of-school opportunities
Staff from the Play Service, from the Youth Service and from the Library Service have been supported in developing out of school literacy/numeracy support
3. Enable organisations to work to common, agreed standards within a cohesive development strategy
We were instrumental in bringing a range of organisations together, to work to joint standards. This led to a coherent approach to new funding via the New Opportunities Fund
Strategic Objective 4
Meeting the needs of specific target groups
1. The disruption to learning of young people whose schooling is (for one reason or another) interrupted - especially children with behaviour difficulties, those in hostels and those looked after by the Local Authority
Library resources and ICT resources have been provided in hostels and children's homes
2. Those young people and adults who have a range of specific needs
A multi agency plan to support young people and adults with dyslexia has been implemented
3. Those young people who find it difficult to engage with mainstream provision because of homelessness, risk of offending etc.
Outreach and bridging support has been given to young homeless; young offenders and other groups not accessing mainstream pre-vocational and vocational training
Strategic Objective 5
Increasing the employability and job-retention of adults
1. Integrate key skills into existing training curricula for target groups of unemployed people currently underrepresented in training and employment
2. Explore ways of meeting basic skills in mainstream provision e.g. through Welfare To Work
Core Skills focus given to New Deal developments
3. Provide training for front-line staff in a range of agencies to enable them to more adequately refer and assess people with core skills needs.
4. Undertake curriculum development
5. Implement a collaborative city-wide plan for the development of ESOL
ESOL development plan implemented
6. Meet the needs of employees for vocationally-specific core skills enhancement
Strategic Objective 6
Meeting the needs of employers for key skills at work
1. Work with cohorts of employers to find sustainable ways of meeting employees key skills needs and add to models of employee development.
Work started. Focus carried over into 1999-2000
2. Increase the volume of employee volunteering to enhance the core skills of others.
Strategic Objective 7
Increasing the individual commitment to core skills development
1. Voluntary organisations and community organisations assisted
Organisations have benefited from a small grants system and from capacity building where organisations are providers of pre vocational/vocational training. A Consultancy has been arranged to look more closely at the potential within the voluntary sector
2. New volunteers
Volunteers have been recruited from the community and from businesses. These reach schools via 2 or 3 different routes. We have worked to bring agencies together to give more coherence to these processes. Links have been made to recruiting volunteers in Education Action Zone areas