Core Skills Appraisal Project Evaluation (April 2008)

Background to the Project

With the SSSC's requirement that all Residential Child Care (RCC) staff need to be qualified by 2009, roughly 3000 staff were required to begin an HNC for registration.

The Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care (SIRCC) offers the HNC Social Care through a number of educational institutions throughout Scotland. Around 70% of RCC staff who apply for this course do not have the necessary entry-level qualifications.

Previously, students on SIRCC HNC courses struggled with the academic content of the course, frequently took longer than average, and occasionally failed.

Consultation with Stakeholders

To identify the best way forward, SIRCC consulted with students, employers, adult learning specialists, SQA, and colleagues in further and higher education institutions. We concluded that we would need to assess candidates' core written communication skills to identify specific learner support needs.

The Core Skills Appraisal Project (CSAP) was proposed by SIRCC and funded by the Scottish Executive beginning May 2004.

Objectives of the CSAP

CSAP aims to encourage RCC staff into formal learning by creating and maintaining a system of assessment support for all who do not have the required educational entrance criteria for the HNC.

It also aims to support employers to develop a plan for the registration of their workforce, by providing them with an accurate assessment of their staff's capacity for success and the resources needed.

The Implementation of the CSAP: Surpassing Objectives

In order to achieve these objectives, the CSAP evaluates individuals' core skills in written communication, and provides recommendations and resources to those who require further preparation prior to beginning the HNC.

Appraisal Preparation:

The application system for the SIRCC HNC is now a centralised process, where applicants are required to undertake an Appraisal as the first stage of the process.

Outcome: Since May 2004, 2016 individuals have applied to the HNC. Sixty eight percent of applicants (1372) have not had entry-level requirements and therefore must undertake the Core Skills Appraisal.

Outcome: From May 2004 – March 2008 the CSAP has successfully recruited approximately half of all expected RCC HNC applicants throughout the country.

The Core Skills Appraisal

The appraisal has two components:

1. An assessment of punctuation, spelling, syntax and listening skills on a computer-based diagnostic tool.
2. A written piece of work that examines understanding, analysis and evaluation.

CSAP staff provide flexible, peripatetic appraisals using portable technology throughout Scotland, in locations ranging from local colleges to candidates' places of work.

Outcome: The CSAP has completed 1134 appraisals so far. Only 435 (38%) of those appraised have successfully completed the appraisal without any learner support required. The other 62% require learning support.

Following the Appraisal

CSAP staff give feedback to each candidate. Where support needs are identified, CSAP staff discuss with the candidate how these needs can be best met to prepare for progress to HNC.

CSAP Core Skills Course

The process of mapping resources helped CSAP to identify a lack of short term learner support. In response, the CSAP developed a five day Core Skills course to address these particular needs, and it is now on offer throughout Scotland.

Outcome: Outcomes for the courses have been positive with the majority of people passing on re-appraisal. To date, 344 people have completed this course, and 267 (78%) have successfully passed re-appraisal. Those who did not were given further support either by the project or by referral to an outside organisation such as WEA.

• I am much more confident to write now.
• I find reading easier.
• I can analyse what I read now.

Partnership Working

• The Core Skills course training pack was published and is offered free of charge (with training) to training officers who wish to provide this course to their staff.

• CSAP have identified learning support available across Scotland and can refer applicants to a local venue or arrange work based support.

CSAP staff have formal links with the WEA Return to Learn Project and refer people who need more intensive learner support to this course.

Stakeholder Feedback

The CSAP has significantly evolved in its short lifetime based on feedback from its stakeholders. While originally the Project intended to assess and identify learner support needs, feedback from stakeholders soon identified the need for additional support in the form of the Core Skills course, the training pack and the WEA partnership. Feedback from stakeholders is continually encouraged.

The CSAP's Unique Benefits

This Project's activities and linked-up approach is distinctive in Scotland.

By appraising learner support needs at an early stage, the CSAP offers opportunities for RCC staff who would not normally consider undertaking the HNC.

I've been away from learning for years now and didn't think I'd be able to do this. The appraisal has helped me to see exactly what I need to do to get to college.

Employers have a clear, specific picture of the learner's needs and, importantly, advice on how to meet those needs.

• This is exactly what we need to help prioritise who is ready to begin their HNCs.
• We always knew there were problems in the workplace but never knew how to begin to address them.
• The Core Skills Project is helping us to target resources and plan.

Staff who undertake the Core Skills course are more positive and self-assured.

• I feel more confident now.
• The personal contact between RCC and CSAP staff breaks down fears and builds confidence, critical to academic success.
• If it hadn't been for the support I got from the [CSAP] Coordinator during my appraisal, I would never have been confident enough to think about coming on a course.

HNC routes are not bottlenecked with students who cannot complete due to academic difficulties.

• Tutors report that the work of students who have completed the Core Skills course is of a high standard.

Young people benefit from staff's quicker completion rates, as staff working closely with young people can maximise consistency in their lives.

Both staff and their employers' needs are being met by this project. This supports the Scottish training and qualifications agenda, SCQF, and is in line with principles of the National Education and Training Strategy.

Evaluation

Evaluation has been undertaken in a number of ways.

• Students are asked to complete detailed feedback forms at the end of each day of the course.
• Verbal feedback is continually sought from students throughout the course, in particular before going on to a new element of learning.
• A more formal means of evaluating students' achievements is by reappraising them. This is done at the end of the course and the results so far have been extremely encouraging.

Finally, for the first time, we are able to evaluate by tracking former Core Skills students on their HNC.

CSAP's monitoring and initial review demonstrates that the CSAP is surpassing its targets.

The Project uses a range of evaluative tools to determine precisely individual needs.

Quotes offered in this proposal are taken from the feedback from Core Skills Appraisal completers, Core Skills course graduates who are current HNC students, and employers.

Future Developments

The appraisals have recently taken place as part of a staff recruitment process and we look forward to other different uses.

Conclusion

We are delighted that this unique Project has begun to address the difficulties described above and that it is enjoying immediate success whilst benefiting Residential Child Care.