Service Strategic Management Team

Service Strategic Management Team

Sixth Form Network Meeting

MEETING /

PRESENT:

DATE: / 24th November 2006 / Maureen Harrison; Sue Styles, Nick Beale (Carr Hill), Nikki Latham (Haslingden); Adrian Conway (Heysham); Jackie Garnet (Ripley; Louise Bailey (Baines); Louise Sissons and John Hill (Hutton); Ian Wylie (Lytham); Pat Davies (LRGS); Jane Leigh (OLCC); Penny Smith (Morecambe); Trevor Elkington (BRGS)
VENUE: / Woodlands, Chorley /

APOLOGIES:

David Leckey (LRGS); Martin Wood (Ormskirk); Peter Mulholland (Clitheroe); Janet Hopkinson (St. Wilfrids); T. Roache (St. Mary’s Blackpool); Lisa Moiser (LSC) Andrew Thompson (BSSF); Emma Copeland (Fleetwood)
AGENDA ITEM
/
NOTES
/
ACTION
Welcome and Apologies / SJS distributed two Policy Watch resumés covering:
  1. The debate over funding for 14-19 provision
  2. The Queen’s speech – covering 14-19 and LSCs.

PLAMS (Post-16 Learning Aims Management System / Early experiences / issues were discussed. Colleagues reported that it is:
  • Very time consuming vis-à-vis data entry
  • Not user friendly
  • Not always reliable (problems reported logging in and out)
  • Linked to funding and monitoring (LSC is looking for success/achievement/completion and benchmarking provision against 87%)
  • Not of direct use to schools – but may well be used to identify issues concerning viability
  • To be used as a fact finding ‘system’ which will inform 2008-9 developments i.e. for one year only.
/
  1. MH will send User Guide to all
  2. ALL Deadline for final data entry is 15th December

Area Prospectus / MH demonstrated the Area Prospectus and how it can be used for identifying gaps in provision and planning for collaboration. Development is ongoing and will accelerate in the new year with the appointment of a full-time 14-19 web developer / Further training date to be circulated before Christmas for January
My iPlan (online Individual Learning Plans) / MH demonstrated the iPlan (online individual learning plan) – currently being trialled in a number of centres in Lancashire and shortly to be extended to include KS4 engagement projects and Aimhigher.
Post 16 Level 2 Provision / There was general discussion exploring the extent of Level 2 provision in sixth forms.
  • Sixth form have traditionally been A level providers with opportunities for GCSE retakes (especially English and Maths)
  • Morecambe – offers one Level 2 course depending on what students do pre-16 (BTEC first in Business Studies).
  • Heysham offer 4 BTEC courses (Media, HSC, Public Services, Sport) and re-sits in English and Maths (and some key skills)
  • Haslingden offers a combined one year Business and Arts full time package for students. Plus English and Maths resits (every student who took the course last year has gone on to do A Levels).
  • Ripley – offered one Level 2 course. Numbers declined so this was no longer viable. Would be interested in vocational provision, but pointed out that it is difficult to come up with good vocational facilities when a college is nearby.
Penny pointed out that gaps relate to those students who have 1 x B and 5 x C’s – these are not provided for (i.e. beyond further Level 2 but not quite A Level standard). Sciences, Maths, English A/AS levels need GCSE Grade B. So, these students often find that they can only access e.g. Business and Applied ICT in the sixth form.Implications with relation to Y12-Y13 progression and access to A2 courses were outlined. / SJS suggested that all
  1. need to have an eye on the barriers to progression to A2 and the implications for IAG.
  2. need to plan for different packages – 14-19 impetus means we will have to look at collaboration across providers.
  3. look at creative delivery models e.g. see item 6

Plans for Post 16 Collaboration / In the context of the above and general 14-19 developments, there was discussion about the extent to which sixth forms were collaborating with other curriculum delivery partners.
Heysham reported 3-way collaboration with Morecambe and Our Lady’s CatholicCollege - looking at logistics, but proposing collaboration on Economics, German, Chemistry and Health & Social Care).
SJS described the Burnley Schools Sixth Form – staff move to students (timetabling has a lot of common planning principles across all Burnley schools). Some colleagues have worked in sixth form collaboratives where students are moving – very difficult. The only solution is a curriculum framework. / MH /IP – will also investigate and circulate good practice curriculum models of good practice. (e.g. BurnleyCollege, Habergam and St. Theodores did this)
Information Advice and Guidance (IAG) / It was agreed that information about the restructured Connexions service would be very useful. Issues needing specific attention include:
  • Where do we get the best information on careers
  • Most are happy with offering HEI information (don’t know enough about employment)
  • Connexions reorganisation and implications for post-16 (BRGS received a phone call this morning offering a day a week of Connexions support).
/ SJS will invite Charlie Hooper to attend the March meeting.
AOB / General 14-19 Developments. It was clear that communication from the LEAD Groups is not filtering through to Heads of Sixth Form (e.g. LGGS, Lytham St Annes, Haslingden and BRGS).
Online Network : It was agreed that a portal on the Lancs NGFL network would be a useful tool for Heads of Sixth Form to access information specific to their needs.
Trevor requested an agenda item on SEFs / MH /IP to review communication flow and check for improvements at the next meeting.
MH will arrange for portal to be set up.
SJS will provide this at the next meeting.
Date of Next Meeting / 1st March 2007 at Woodlands, from 1.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.

1

Top View