1A: How to achieve success in learner achievement

Achievement is measured by the extent to which young people entering YOIs are prepared for accessing, participating and progressing in education, training and employment:

• during their stay in custody
• during the community element of the sentence
• beyond the end of the sentence.

Key to this is ensuring that learners are motivated to learn swiftly and that they receive an appropriate amount of literacy, numeracy and language provision:

• focused literacy and numeracy skills sessions
• literacy, numeracy and language learning embedded in all areas of learning, including vocational courses, offence-related work, citizenship and enrichment programmes
• one-to-one sessions and private study.

Young people need to be reminded by all staff on a regular basis of the importance of literacy, numeracy and language skills in terms of enabling them to access, participate and make progress in areas of learning that are of interest to them. They need also to understand the relationship between these essential skills and employability. To this end, literacy, numeracy and language development should form a core element of any education, training or employment programme.

Programme design

All individuals bring some resources to a situation that can be built upon. Recognising and using such resources, in combination with the identification of individual learning needs, seems to be a hallmark of effective literacy, numeracy, and language programmes (Stephenson, 2005).

Figure 6: Relationship between learning context, the core curricula and the learning programme

It is the job of those responsible for designing effective programmes to ensure that all sessions are:

• structured in a way that meets the needs of young people
• underpinned by the objectives of the literacy, numeracy and ESOL core curricula.

Figure 7: Relationship between learners’ needs and interests and learning opportunities linked to the adult core curriculum Entry 2, Module 4: Buying food

Figure 7 shows how the needs and interests of a learner can be used to select appropriate learning opportunities for the development of skills related to the adult core curricula.

The kinds of learning materials that a practitioner might use to support this learner are shown overleaf and are taken from the PLUS strategy modules for numeracy at Entry 2.

SAMPLE LEARNER ACTIVITY FROM THE PLUS STRATEGY MATERIALS

View sample learner activity PDF (377Kb)

Measuring progress and recognising achievement

The opportunity to achieve nationally recognised qualifications is also crucial. The Central Evaluator’s report of Youth Justice Board ETE projects (Youth Justice Board, 2003) established a clear link between measured gains in attainment in literacy and numeracy, gaining qualifications and positive outcomes, such as progression to ETE and reduced recidivism. It is, therefore, vital that gains in literacy, numeracy and language attainment are measured, achievement is recognised and recorded, and that young people are clearly signposted to further ETE opportunities.

Evidence from young people suggests that they value awards and certificates and strongly associate these with getting a job or accessing further educational opportunities. Any qualifications young people achieve should provide them with a firm foothold on the qualifications ladder and be recognised and valued by mainstream schools, colleges and employers.

Accredited awards and qualifications can serve a range of purposes. They can:

• act as a ‘signpost’ on the path to further achievements
• provide a measure of what has been learned
• provide evidence of the current level of attainment that will be recognised by schools, colleges and employers
• offer wider credibility to the process of learning
• provide a useful target for young people to aim for
• be a valuable source of motivation.

Any literacy, numeracy and ESOL qualifications must be recognised within the Skills for Life framework.

However, there is clearly a danger in merely encouraging young people to jump through short-term testing and accreditation hoops. The longer term development of more positive attitudes to learning in order to ensure that young people can access, participate in and make progress in suitable, full-time ETE are important.

Further, it is important that young people understand what they have achieved and where they can go next, particularly when they return to the community. Their achievements need to be readily understood by schools, colleges, training providers and, in particular, employers. The individual learning plan is critical to achieving this. It should provide an up-to-date record of what has been achieved, and contain the long-term, realistic goals and SMART targets for achieving those goals, referenced to the core curricula.