Final report for Aimhigher Hampshire & Isle of Wight

Evaluation of Aimhigher on-campus activities –

HEI/Schools/Colleges Survey Findings

August 2009

Contents

Contents......

Executive Summary......

Recommendations for the development and enhancement of the Aimhigher taster day and summer school programme

Introduction......

Methodology......

Background......

Profile of sample......

Roles and Responsibilities......

Selection and recruitment for summer schools and taster days......

Delivery and content: general aims and objectives of taster days and summer schools.

Final thoughts......

Acknowledgements......

Appendices......

Appendix 1: Schools/Colleges Survey. Profile of Sample

Appendix 2 : The impact of role on selection practices (results from the school/colleges survey)

Appendix 3: Year 10, third day of residential summer school, University of Southampton

Appendix 4: Aims and Objectives of taster days and summer schools for learners (combined survey results (HEI respondents and school/colleges respondents)

Appendix 5: Qualifications on offer to 14-16 year olds in sample schools (information taken from direct.gov.uk website)

Appendix 6: Student mentor role example

1

Executive Summary

The programme of Aimhigher taster days and summer schools offered by the four HEIs in Hampshire and Isle of Wight to schools and colleges is much appreciated and at a generic level its aims and objectives are well understood and shared by university, school and college partners. Key to the success of the programme are HEI, school and college co-ordinators who act as gatekeepers to a diverse and complex range of subject provision, qualifications and who are tasked with selecting learners using socio economic criteria. The Aimhigher invitation, with its emphasis on socio economic criteria is not an easy invitation to deliver and can become conflated with other invitations to learners e.g. Gifted and Talented. The well practiced processes for communicating with schools and colleges, selecting learners, delivering taster days, recruiting academic staff, recording impact have been carefully designed to take into consideration safeguarding children, Aimhigher selection criteria and collecting data for impact measurements set by hefce. Whilst these processes deliver what is required in order to run the taster day/summer school programme they can sometimes frustrate those delivering the programme to the extent that ‘paperwork’ appears to dominate their role disproportionately. This report sets out to prioritise recommendations which it is hoped will help all partners to reiterate the uniqueness of the Aimhigher offer and enhance and creatively develop the Aimhigher programme.

Recommendations for the development and enhancement of the Aimhigher taster day and summer school programme

Many of the recommendations which follow relate to the design and delivery of the taster day/summer school programme. However, in taking the programme forward, it may be useful for AH central to consider communicative and collaborative practices (e.g. co-working, consultation forums, discussions of individual learner experience, presentations of partner research) which help partners to communicate about the non operational aims and objectives of the Aimhigher taster days and summer schools programmes. These practices may help to free partners from the practical procedural elements of delivery and instead focus more on the emotional and ‘life changing’ impact of the Aimhigher experience.

It should also be noted that it may be the case that several of the recommendations which follow are already in place or planned. These are indicated in brackets.

a) Recommendation (roles and responsibilities)

  • Review the combined roles and responsibilities of all current Aimhigher co-ordinators in schools and colleges (consider using area meetings to discuss the requirements of roles such as Gifted and Talented co-ordinator and potential clashes of interest between roles)
  • Aimhigher central to consider creating a roles and responsibilities /job description for an Aimhigher co-ordinator as part of its Guidance pack (In place Sept. 08)
  • AH central to consider creating additional one page guidance card for all supply/cover staff asked to take up Aimhigher role. (Planned for October 09)
  • Consider making it a requirement of the role of the named Aimhigher school and college co-ordinator to attend at least one taster day/summer school.
  • AH central to consider offering Redbridge model as an option where appropriate by paying for internships in schools (see Appendix 6)
  • Promote buddying between HEI co-ordinators – consider arranging month long placements to promote understanding between HEI partners.
  • AH central/HEI co-ordinators to continue to consider ways of persuading more academic staff to get involved and rewarding those who do.
  • HEI partners to discuss experiences and uses of external agencies issues and benefits.

b) Recommendation (selection and recruitment)

  • Continue working with schools to promote the new learner targeting process
  • Consider using postcode targeting for all schools not just main ones
  • Review appropriateness of postcode selection procedure for colleges who issue open invitations
  • Ensure schools and colleges receive targeting info well in advance of first summer schools/taster days (In place July 2009)
  • Consider including a briefing note for teachers clarifying differences/permissible overlaps between G&T and Aimhigher programmes.
  • AH central to consider facilitating new ways of communicating the Aimhigher ‘invitation’. Suggest co-ordinators circulate or discuss at Area meetings case studies of how they select/target learners; how they ensure students feedback in school and college after event. Encourage teachers and college staff to share communication strategies (i.e. how they invite students) and discuss pros and cons (could be a session at an area meeting or the Aimhigher conference). Role play where co-ordinators play out possible scenarios and responses from learners and parents.
  • AH central to consider seeking advice on how to ask questions about sensitive issues and undertake a review of its paperwork (e.g. from School of Education). This will help with articulating and communicating targeting criteria and sensitive questions.
  • Consider making more of surveys/research being carried out by individuals and staff as part of AH or other roles to remind partners of the learners who benefit (e.g. include presentations at area meetings or other meetings) (In place September 09)

c) Recommendations (delivery and content)

  • AH central to consider updating learner progression journey (e.g. briefing sheets or parent leaflets) to detail overall aims and objectives of the taster days and summer school programme year by year for schools and colleges whilst emphasising importance of matching with local needs.
  • All HEI co-ordinators to consider ways to discuss aims and objectives of taster day and summer schools with school/college co-ordinators before event and talk about what the learners took part in the previous year. This will also provide opportunities to tailor the generic model a little more to meet the needs of specific contexts.
  • Ensure that any one off tailor-made event fits with the overall aims and objectives of the Aimhigher programme

d) Recommendations (subject range)

  • Consider holding multi partner events. (E.g. could have a diploma day)
  • Consider offering spare places to other partners (e.g. spare places on Modern Languages tasters provided by Portsmouth and Southampton could be offered to Winchester and Solent target schools).
  • Consider hosting events for partners (e.g. Winchester could host additional Music taster for Southampton partner schools, in return Southampton could host a Science taster for Winchester partner schools)

Introduction

The purpose of this evaluation was to seek to examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges of the Aimhigher taster day and summer school programme by considering the viewpoints of delivery teams, teachers and college staff. Two online surveys were designed with a view to ascertaining:

  • The extent to which the design of on-campus activities is appropriate
  • The extent to which the capacity of the university teams to deliver the programme in relation to former and new targets is appropriate
  • The perspective of the teachers, school/college Aimhigher co-ordinators and other school/college staff involved and the implications of this for the design and organisation of on campus activities
  • Reasons for variations in levels of participation with on campus activities by year group
  • The impact of new learner targeting methods on programme design and delivery

The sections of this report are dedicated to presenting and discussing the main findings of both online surveys. Where appropriate these findings are supplemented by responses from the HEI focus group and last years Evaluative survey of six Southampton schools engagement with Aimhigher Hampshire & Isle of Wight – what do schools think of widening participation activities? (April 2008 report). For clarity, discussion of the findings is broadly structured around the main sections of the online surveys and presented under the following headings:

  • Profile of sample
  • Roles and Responsibilities
  • Selection and recruitment
  • Delivery and content
  • Post event and evaluation
  • Final thoughts

The recommendations are made for consideration by AH central and its partners. It may be the case that several are already taking place.

Methodology

a) Online survey

The survey questions were designed to cover a number of different aspects of the summer school/taster day programme, including roles and responsibilities, selection and recruitment, delivery, and post event and evaluation. In addition, the questionnaire also aimed to accommodate respondents who wished to make further comments on these various aspects of the on-campus activities, through a number of open-ended questions. This enabled the capture of issues that may not have arisen in the main body of questions. The survey data was analysed using Bristol Online software (BOS) and then exported into Microsoft Excel for further quantitative analysis. Qualitative comments from the survey were also analysed and then used to provide more depth to the quantitative data.

b) Focus group, 23 April 2009

A focus group with HEI co-ordinators followed up on a number of issues arising from the online survey. Participants were invited to list the range of subjects on offer under the Aimhigher programme and to share (in a World Café format) the issues facing those delivering the HEI programme as well as brainstorming solutions to some of those issues and producing a no limits wish list.

c) Report to Aimhigher Partnership Committee

Reference is also made to last year’s Evaluative survey of six Southampton schools engagement with Aimhigher Hampshire & Isle of Wight – what do schools think of widening participation activities? (April 2008 report).

In addition, the report author attended one day of a year 10 three day residential on Science held at the University of Southampton. (see appendix 3)

Background

In many ways the Aimhigher summer school and taster day programme is the jewel in the crown of the Aimhigher programme. Successive annual reports to HEFCE include very appreciative and supportive comments from the schools and colleges who have taken part – something reiterated by the Evaluative survey of six Southampton schools engagement with Aimhigher Hampshire & Isle of Wight(2008).Quotes from 2006/2007 report to hefce are typical. These include:

  • ‘Ambassadors were well informed and enthusiastic with the students. The whole day was exciting and enthused the students’.
  • ‘Extremely well planned to include humour which the students loved’
  • ‘Thank you my group had a fantastic time with you. They are all talking about their future as if University is now naturally going to happen. This was not the case before they left here’

School/college respondents to the online survey also express their appreciation. Asked to provide any other comments about Aimhigher taster days/summer schools comments included:

  • They have been very successful and popular.
  • I think that they are of immense help in starting to break the mould.
  • The summer schools are fantastic and students want to go to university due to them – well done. Ambassadors are brilliant and help the students no end.
  • More places available for the Easter summer school for my students.. its getting to be a very popular trip!

However, as with any programme as complicated as Aimhigher, there are also factors which make the programme difficult to operate and to develop further. A summary of those issues to emerge from respondents to the HEI survey and focus group include:

  • Difficulty of engaging some target schools in onsite activity
  • Amount of paperwork required to facilitate a summer school/taster day
  • The diversity of the client group
  • Government initiative overload (i.e. schools are struggling to absorb and respond to all the different initiatives out there and can forget which one Aimhigher is)
  • Teacher and academic scepticism or pre-conceived ideas about the programme. Some, like the media and general public, are sceptical about the idea of widening participation
  • High turnover of designated Aimhigher co-ordinators in schools
  • Limited window of opportunity for Aimhigher to be included in the timings of the school/college year.
  • Difficulty of communicating Aimhigher’s mission widely in schools
  • Limited HEI capacity and fatigue

A summary of those issues to emerge from respondents to the online school and college survey include:

  • Clashes between timing of taster days and summer schools and lessons
  • Clashes with other timetabled events in schools and colleges (e.g. work experience fortnight)
  • Range of universities available (e.g. one respondent commented that the university they were linked to had high academic requirements)
  • Limited number of places on taster days
  • Non availability of some subjects (e.g. languages is not available in all four universities – therefore schools partnered with these universities are not offered language taster days)

It is hoped that by surveying a wide sample of Aimhigher partnership members this report will help to highlight why some of these issues are occurring as well as suggesting ways to address them.

Profile of sample

The schools and colleges survey was completed by respondents from 22 different Aimhigher target schools/colleges across the Hampshire and Isle of Wight area (41% response rate). The survey respondents represent a range of different roles in the compulsory/further education sector (e.g. management, teaching and student support). 15 respondents were from Aimhigher target schools (39% response rate) and 7 from Aimhigher target colleges (44% response rate) across the Hampshire and Isle of Wight area. In addition, one senior manager from a Local Authority is included in the data, taking the total number of survey responses from schools and colleges up to 23 in total.

The survey of HEI co-ordinators was completed by 10 respondents (83% response rate) representing a range of widening participation roles across the University of Southampton, Southampton Solent University, the University of Winchester and the University of Portsmouth.

Roles and Responsibilities

Central to the success of Aimhigher partnership between HEIs and colleges and schools is the network of Aimhigher co-ordinators in universities, colleges and schools. The HEI co-ordinator works with schools and college co-ordinators who are the gateways to the school or college – facilitating the selection of learners for taster days and summer schools and as well as providing the leverage for Aimhigher’s profile in a school. In many ways, the programme stands or falls on the effectiveness of this role.

Given the importance of these roles the first thing both online surveys endeavoured to establish was the extent to which Aimhigher was a single role for co-ordinators or part of a wider portfolio.

a) HEI co-ordinators

Results from the HEI co-ordinator survey show that the vast majority of the respondents (90%) are employed to deliver Aimhigher-funded summer schools and taster days. 40% of the survey respondents are also employed to delivery non-Aimhigher-funded summer schools/taster days (these respondents are based at the University of Portsmouth and SouthamptonSolentUniversity).

In addition, HEIs occasionally employ external agencies to deliver aspects of the Aimhigher programme. Respondents were asked to specify the degree of external agency involvement in Aimhigher taster days and summer schools (responses were registered on a three point likert scale of ‘no use’, ‘external agency delivers part of the programme’ and ‘external agency delivers full programme’). The results of this question are displayed in the table below:

Table 1: Degree of external agency involvement in Aimhigher taster days/summer school by HEI

Year 7 / Year 8 / Year 9 / Year 10 / Year 11 / Year 12 / Year 13
SouthamptonSolentUniversity / No use / No use / No use / No use / No use / No use / No use
University of Portsmouth / No use / No use / No use / Part use / Part use / Part use / Part use
University of Southampton / No use / No use / No use / Part use / No use / No use / No use
University of Winchester / No use / No use / No use / No use / No use / No use / No use

The results show a variation in the degree of external agency involvement across the year groups, with more external agency use in the activities for older year groups and especially year 10. This may reflect the fact that residential on-campus provision tends to be targeted at these groups. Use of external agencies appears to be used as a solution in some cases to difficulties in recruiting academic staff to the programme: one respondent wrote :‘less external presenters and more involvement from academic staff on site which would lower cost significantly’.

b) Roles and responsibilities: schools and colleges

One thing which becomes clear from both online surveys is the fact that many staff acting as Aimhigher co-ordinators in schools and colleges also hold other roles. In the schools/colleges survey respondents were asked to indicate, from a list, which roles and responsibilities they have as part of their job. All of the school and college survey respondents are involved in coordinating the Aimhigher events and nearly half of the respondents are involved in the Gifted and Talented Programme. Other responsibilities that the school/college respondents have include “borderline mentoring”, “Information, Advice and Guidance Advisor”, “Connexions Coordinator”, “Work-Related Learning Coordinator” and “parent partnerships”. Broken down by schools and colleges this reads: