Author: Douglas Weir
University of Strathclyde
14 March 2003
This report is based on a ten-day consultancy from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).
Within that consultancy, visits have been paid to ten schools in six local authorities, where face to face discussions have taken place with six Headteachers and eight teachers. Ten telephone interviews have also taken place with Headteachers, teachers, an HMI and a Director of Education. Finally, there have been three consultations with The Scottish Association for Education in Personal, Social and Vocational Skills (SAEPSVS) Committee.
In addition, two questionnaires have been sent out from SQA offices. One for the 186 schools which presented in 2001, 2002, or 2003 in Standard Grade Social and Vocational Skills (SGSVS) produced a 42% response rate. The other to 85 schools which do not present in SVS produced only seven responses.
The various forms of consultation did, however, cover two-thirds of the candidates for SGSVS as most of the responses came from the schools which are most active in submitting pupils for certification. By that measure the consultation is very representative.
Schools participating in SVS were generally pleased that the course was available. They felt that it met specific pupil needs and made a significant contribution to school aims in particular areas. The rationale in the Revised Arrangements document of 1987 was still seen to be relevant.
"The basic structure enables each school to develop a programme of experiences and activities suited to the needs of the pupils, the resources available, the staff experience and expertise. It is important that schools continue to have this flexibility."
There was, however, a concern to see the course updated in terms of its themes, experiences and activities in order to take account of changes in pupil interests and needs, of changes in curricular structures, and to reflect the new demands being placed on schools by parents, the community, and the Scottish Executive and its agencies.
With particular regard to curricular structures, SVS schools were anxious to see more opportunities for progression in two specific ways - Core Skills and NQ Personal and Social Education.
Within these trends, however, one characteristic of SVS was especially highlighted. SVS is not one course; it is many courses, and not all accredited by SQA. Even from its inception the argument has been that SVS is not a distinct subject but rather a course or a curricular approach. It is not surprising therefore that each school sees SVS serving a different need and that some schools have sought different ways of delivering its approaches for example, through the ASDAN awards, through the Prince's Trust xl Clubs or through local authority pre-vocational programmes (now being addressed by SQA through Scottish Progression Awards).
For schools which still offer SVS the form in which it is presented includes:
This report will, therefore, seek to deal with these trends in opinion and experience and will make proposals under four headings:
3.1 Themes
Both interviews and questionnaires made it clear that the "Home" theme was increasingly redundant both in terms of relevant experiences and activities and in terms of the assessed content of the final examination.
When regard was paid to the questionnaire item: "What crucial values do you believe that SGSVS can or should give pupils access to", the overwhelming response concerned "Self", e.g. self-respect, self- esteem, self-confidence, and responsibility for self. If, then, the Home theme was to be replaced, the most popular alternative is a Self theme, with some adjustment of pupil evidence to be collected being required to consolidate that theme, and with the experiences including opportunities to develop self and independence. A consequential bonus of making this adjustment would be to begin the process of better harmonisation between SGSVS and NQ PSE where:
Themes = Contexts
Self = Personal
Community = Social
Work = Vocational
3.2 Experiences
The greatest strength of SGSVS is its experiences. The In-School experiences are seen as relevant, interesting and challenging to pupils.
"The themes relate to pupils' lives directly now, or will be very soon after they leave school. It gives them practical skills and knowledge. Many students see them as worthwhile and find the course interesting and challenging."
They are practical and experiential. They are flexible in catering for a range of school circumstances and pupil needs. They do require a range of staff skills and school organisational structures that are not always available but they can be presented successfully and well when the flexibility inherent in the Revised Arrangements is used.
The principal issues for staff are resourcing and timetabling. Without a reasonable budget, pupil ideas for projects and events have to be constrained and without flexible timetabling pupils are frustrated at having to stop their activity after 55 minutes.
The one clear division of opinion amongst respondents was over the Leisure experience. Over half of the responses highlighted this as an issue, but they were equally split between positive and negative opinions on Leisure. In one group, where the Out-of-School experiences were difficult to organise, it was argued that a larger Leisure experience with pupils taking more responsibility for organising and planning their Leisure programme outwith the school was desirable. Such respondents would then argue for Leisure to be placed in the Out-of-School Experiences. In the other group the argument was in favour of broadening Leisure to include Health (diet, fitness, hygiene, etc.) while retaining it as an In-School experience. In fact, Leisure could be offered to schools, within the Course Arrangements, in both modes, for them to select one.
As far as the other In-School experiences were concerned, Community Event, Provide a Service and Make an Item are all highly popular and schools often run all three, even integrating them to culminate in the Community Event. That event is seen as highly desirable as a showcase for the virtues of SGSVS, generating a great deal of school and community approval and providing a great deal of positive feedback for pupils.
In general, however, schools do wish Provide a Service and Make an Item to be in the course and not any longer on an "either/or basis". The one change respondents propose is that one or both of them is packaged even more explicitly than in the Revised Arrangements as "Enterprise". This would bring a strong credibility factor to SGSVS against the time when the recommendation in the Scottish Executive's "Determined to Succeed" report (2002) that all pupils should have an enterprise experience in every year of schooling is implemented.
Moving to the Out-of-School Experiences presents a clearer picture in that schools are only required to deliver one of these. Most schools find one or other of them difficult. Work Experience may be a separate whole school provision. Community Service placements may be hard to find. Pupils may not be suited to a Residential Stay. But, irrespective of local circumstances, all schools can comfortably offer one (or more) and find that pupils respond well to the Out-of-School opportunities.
Finally, with regard to Experiences, there is provision in the Revised Arrangements for schools to write additional experiences. Many do, both formally and informally, but there is still scope for more provision of this type to be encouraged and supported, especially in areas such as Thinking Skills, ICT and Citizenship.
From all of this set of evidence a picture emerges of a set of experiences similar to the present set. It would be slightly larger if Leisure could be either Out-of-School or In-School and if Make an Item and Provide a Service were separated.
Then schools could be advised to deliver five experiences, at least one of which was Out-of-School. That would not only reflect the range of schools and their circumstances, it would also allow schools to accredit the work, outwith SVS, which pupils themselves take part in through voluntary and extra-curricular activities so long as it was structured and evidenced.
3.2 Activities
The most contentious issue is the pupil activities. These are generally considered out of date as far as their specification and exemplification is concerned, but new guidance materials could resolve that problem. Some are also considered to be redundant in the light of the Experiences which schools now offer and the nature of exam questions.
From the responses, the least necessary activities, in descending order
of precedence are:
6. Determine lengths, weights or quantities.
9. Use hand tools in a range of household tasks.
8. Use common domestic appliances.
7. Prepare and present foods.
5. Investigate appropriate actions in emergencies.
15. Shop for the family or school using cash.
It is reassuring to note that most of these relate to the Home Theme which other responses indicated should be removed.
When then asked what other activities should be added, the respondents indicated, in descending order of precedence:
Indeed, some of these proposed additions are so extensive that schools may well structure them as such a way that they constitute the local, additional, Experiences mentioned above.
While some further investigation of these two lists is required and some development work undertaken on existing and new activities, the amendments proposed are unlikely to significantly change the course [The Consultant's personal view is that an attempt should be made to generate a list of 20 activities (old and new) from which schools would select 16 according to their circumstances and pupil needs - ADW].
3.3 Staffing
In reaching decisions about course content, regard has to be paid to the staffing profiles in SVS schools.
In general, SGSVS is as it always has been - a course with a superficial match to practical subjects but suited to delivery by any teacher depending only on their enthusiasm and commitment. In practice, as Home Economics declined in popularity, it was convenient for some Headteachers to locate SGSVS in Home Economics departments in order to maintain staffing levels. Accordingly over one- third (27) of the schools responding to the questionnaire had SGSVS located in the Home Economics Department. One-sixth (13) of the schools responding offered SVS to all pupils as a core subject which was delivered by a heterogeneous group of staff. The remaining schools (just under half) had a mixed group of staff involved, with one or two now having a sufficient workload to claim to be SVS specialists.
Such a diverse picture is likely to remain since there is no recognised teaching qualification in SVS and the course will typically depend on volunteers who are prepared to learn to teach SVS. With that in mind, diverse course content with consistent learning and teaching approaches, and a choice of activities and experiences, is the most appropriate.
3.4 School Curriculum
In questionnaire and interviews, respondents were asked what contribution SVS made to the overall curricular aims of their schools. Since most were committed to SVS it is hardly surprising that their response (paraphrased) was: "If SVS didn't exist, it would have to be invented". But they were then able to give specific examples from their own school aims with respect to where SVS made a significant or unique contribution in delivering:
Enterprise and/or
Citizenship and/or
Work Experience and/or
Core Skills and/or
PSE
"An SVS course can, through the Themes, deliver Citizenship and Enterprise and Working with Others."
while, in addition, making a major contribution to the school's public relations effort and community reputation through the public, visible, and practical nature of SVS outputs and outcomes. Furthermore, where pupils of lower ability were concerned, parents were very positive about the school when they could see their children being successful in SVS to a greater extent than in other subjects.
There was, however, one frustration for SVS teachers which they wish SQA to address. The vast majority of SVS teachers see one of the principal values of SVS as improving pupil skills in Working with Others. Whatever else is or is not changed as a result of the review of SGSVS, 93% of questionnaire respondents believe that SGSVS should give automatic certification for Core Skill Working with Others at the same level as the equivalent to the Standard Grade level pupils reach.
In addition, depending on the choices made by schools over Experiences and Activities, over one-quarter of respondents believe that Core Skill IT could also be certificated, and a smaller number can see ways of producing evidence which will lead to the certification of Core Skill Communications.
The philosophy behind Core Skills is compatible with the practices of SVS teachers. Giving Core Skill certification for SVS would not only seem natural; it would also strengthen the credibility of SVS within schools.
4.1 New Developments
Social and Vocational Skills was originally designed to ensure that pupils were able, in a practical setting, to acquire those skills which were helpful to their future lives in community and work. It was also designed to allow pupils who were more suited to learning through direct experience rather than "desk study" to gain certification for that form of learning.
It can be argued that these two goals are more important than ever for school education and that there is, therefore, an important place for a course such as Social and Vocational Skills (suitably revised) in the school curriculum.
A number of new expectations, consistent with SVS, have recently been placed on schools.
Under the auspices of Learning and Teaching Scotland the framework for Education for Citizenship in Scotland has been issued (2002). Many of that report's suggestions are totally consistent with SGSVS and indeed SGSVS was specifically mentioned as a vehicle for Citizenship..
"(The disposition to be active and responsible citizens) is rooted in knowledge and understanding, a range of generic skills and competences, including 'core skills', and in a variety of personal qualities and dispositions. It finds expression through creative and enterprising approaches to issues and problems." (Section 2.2, p.11)
In a similar fashion, Her Majesty's Inspectors of Education (HMIE) have published (2002) a review of Social Inclusion policy and practice, entitled "Count Us In".
"Encouragement of life skills, creativity, enterprise and positive attitudes to learning, through active participation in a wide range of experiences including outdoor activities, community and work experience." (Para. 3.18, p.22)
That report likewise provides a number of examples of good practice which are already part of the philosophy of SGSVS, especially where meeting the needs of more vulnerable pupils is concerned.
"(SVS is) very relevant to our pupils who sometimes lack social skills and often are not given responsibility elsewhere in the school. They also feel they are achieving something and they enjoy interacting with staff on a less formal basis."
Finally, and already referred to, the Scottish Executive report on Enterprise Education, "Determined to Succeed", makes proposals which SGSVS is already compatible with and which can be achieved with minor adjustments to SGSVS. These include "expecting all pupils over the age of 14 to have an opportunity for work-based vocational learning linked to accompanying relevant qualifications" and calling on the SQA to "revise and improve their units and courses that provide an opportunity for certification."
Adjustments to SGSVS to accord with these three publications can be made by changes of emphasis rather than major surgery and would then enable SQA to market SGSVS as meeting even more of the expectations placed on schools than the original course.
There is, however, a consequential issue. Reports such as those mentioned deal not only with S3 and S4 but raise demands over the whole of schooling. In the review of SGSVS, therefore, some questions were asked of respondents about the articulation between SGSVS and S1/S2 on the one hand and S5/S6 on the other hand. Respondents were clearer on the latter than on the former.
4.2 Progression S1 to S6
As far as articulation with S1/S2 is concerned, those who did respond could identify a number of links with 5-14 in both philosophy and practice.
"SVS could build on the experiences of primary schools which run enterprises, understand group activities, and develop pupil skills in working with others."
The largest numbers of responses (about one quarter) saw the best linkage as that with 5-14 Personal and Social Development. A slightly smaller number also saw the development of robust Enterprise programmes in S1 and S2 as a good link.
One of the greatest concerns for teachers of SGSVS is the lack of progression into S5 and S6. They believe that the development of NQ Personal and Social Education was a missed opportunity. Even those who are presenting in Personal and Social Education or are considering presenting find the course model to provide a poor linkage with SGSVS and to be frustrating for pupils who have succeeded in SGSVS and fail to succeed in PSE mainly because it is "paper-driven". Over half of the questionnaire respondents want a progression for their pupils into S5/S6 but see none which is suitable. There is some progression through the use of NQ Units such as Enterprise Activity and Workplace Experience, and in some special schools and units, the Access route in NQ PSE is being used, even to replace SGSVS but mainly (in both contexts) because they are internally assessed.
Respondents in schools offering SGSVS are clear that an S5/S6 course could be delivered but equally clear that it would be a direct progression from SGSVS, possibly even with the same title.
"SVS can be seen by some as the option for less able pupils. Work needs to be done to reduce this image by introducing progression into Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2, and Higher – SVS!"
It may be true that NQ PSE was developed to cater for FE students as well as school pupils. It may also be true that the shape of NQ PSE was designed to resemble the specifications of other NQ courses. Neither of these arguments persuades schools currently offering SGSVS. They know that the natural population of pupils for PSE is those currently studying SGSVS. They know that most of the small numbers of candidates currently being presented for NQ PSE come from schools. They also know that arguments about a common shape for most courses were raised during the Standard Grade Development programme and were defeated by the SVS lobby with the result being SGSVS - well-suited to its purpose and succeeding in meeting the needs of its pupils.
The inevitable conclusion from the review is that NQ PSE needs to be recast to fit SGSVS. That would not only improve the take up of NQ PSE but it would also improve the credibility of SGSVS.
"Pupils are often disappointed when there is no progression beyond S4."
A reasonable progression S1 to S6 in the curricular area of which SGSVS is a part can therefore be achieved but will require a radical review of the relevant S5/S6 course.
5.1 Assessment
When the pupil population of SGSVS is so diverse, it is inevitable that even a liberal assessment regime will not meet the needs of all candidates. There are two particular areas where the review highlighted concerns. SGSVS has always attracted candidates from special schools and units because of its strong focus on lifeskills developed in an experiential context. Some pupils from these settings have, however, been disadvantaged by the written examinations. While this has not prevented them, if they could make a minimal response to the written exam, from gaining a Standard Grade award, a number of special schools and units are now presenting such pupils for NQ PSE at Access levels on the grounds that they can gain a course award, based on internal assessment, at a level which they perceive to be higher than Standard Grade.
Although it may require a slight shift in SQA polices, SGSVS already deviates from general policy such that allowing some candidates to overtake SGSVS through 100% internal assessment must be considered. If strategies could be developed which produced equivalences to the written exam on Communicative Skills which were based on internal evidence, such a change would be in the interests of a number of candidates and would retain them in the Standard Grade population rather than forcing them into the National Qualifications area of qualifications designed for 16 to 18 year olds. A further suggestion in that regard is too allow more choice for pupils in the exam paper where the convention is for all questions to be compulsory. If the course is amended to offer pupils and schools more choice of experiences and more choice of activities then that change in the written paper would be inevitable.
The second area of concern is the means by which evidence is recorded for internal use and for external verification if required. The pink ("Think") and blue ("Do") recording sheets cause concern to a number of schools such that they require to be redrafted, with exemplification of processes and standards, by the Principal Assessor and her team.
"Task sheets are not well-received by pupils. The pink ('think') sheets are particularly laborious to complete and should be abandoned. Blue ('do') sheets are useful but should be re- structured to include personal targets for future course experiences."
5.2 Materials
SGSVS in not sufficiently large or sufficiently attractive to a publisher so as to have its own dedicated support materials produced on a regular basis. There was a large amount of material produced by the Standard Grade Development Programme in the 1980s and by some local authorities around the same time. Since then teachers have been dependent on occasional support from Learning and Teaching Scotland and on customising materials produced for other purposes.
Much of the support material is therefore as dated as the course itself. Accordingly, a significant number of questionnaire respondents ask that SQA facilitates a regular process for producing or commissioning or otherwise providing support materials for the new course, both by updating existing materials and by securing new materials for new course components.
5.3 Staff Development
Social and Vocational Skills is not a subject like other subjects. At present it only exists at Standard Grade; it does not have its own teaching qualification; it does not have a place in the promoted post structure of schools through which to build a stable position; and it is more a course than a subject.
Staff development for SVS does not therefore have a high priority for any national agency or teacher education institution. To maintain even its present position, SVS depends on self help through its national association (SAEPSVS) or through the willingness of local authorities to resource local networks of SVS teachers. It is not surprising that the strongest provision of SGSVS is where there are strong local networks.
SGSVS has demonstrated, over twenty years, that it meets real pupil needs and has its own particular rigour. It does, however, face a challenge from an overcrowded curriculum, from National Qualifications, and from other forms of certification than SQA awards. At a time when teachers' conditions of service have been amended to include annual, structured, continuing professional development (CPD) and when many teachers aspire to Chartered Teacher status, there is a ready market for more staff development for SVS teachers. Such CPD would give SVS teachers more confidence and more expertise with which to sustain their subject's competitive position.
While it may seem simplistic, it is reasonable to argue that, since SGSVS is an SQA provision, SQA should seek to ensure that it survives and even flourishes. Changes in the structure of promoted posts in schools may help SVS by placing it in a "department" and giving it an advocate within the hierarchy of schools. Changes in conditions of service to include a commitment to CPD will dispose more teachers towards SVS related training courses. Linking SGSVS more closely with NQ PSE will increase the population of teachers in this area and thus make creating staff development programmes more attractive to providers. Nevertheless, even after allowing for these developments, there remains a responsibility on SQA to provide or otherwise arrange ongoing structured staff development for SVS teachers.
5.4 Providing an appropriate environment
In the Revised Arrangements for SGSVS there are various references to how best SVS can be supported by school management. In the best provider schools these conditions are met and exceeded but a significant number of schools struggle to provide SGSVS because some of these recommendations have been forgotten or ignored.
SGSVS flourishes where most, if not all, of the following are provided
5.5 Enlarging the SVS Culture
From the beginning of SGSVS in the early 1980s it was recognized that most schools embraced the principles of SVS but many would not necessarily represent these through a certificate course at Standard Grade. From conversations with schools which do not offer SGSVS and from the few questionnaires returned by non-SVS schools it is apparent that the picture remains the same today.
There is of course a major difference between the situation in the 1980s and the one pertaining now. Today, through SQA, there are additional means of recognising pupil achievements in this area, especially through NQ Units.
An issue for SQA therefore is how to create a culture through which schools see a purpose in extending the SQA certification of pupil achievements. Some schools are anxious not to over formalize the "soft skills" assessment of pupils, preferring to celebrate those forms of pupil achievement at school and community levels. Other schools, however, would like to certificate in these areas through embedded recognition of what happens naturally across the curriculum in their schools.
This is a complex matter which cannot be resolved easily. It might, however, be possible to extend the range of Core Skills within SGSVE and NQ PSE to encourage schools to use these units and courses.. It might be possible to extend the range of NQ Units in the relevant areas and to make clear the ways in which they relate to each other and address the Scottish Executive's National Priorities in Education. Even at the simplest level, it would encourage schools to broaden certification if there was a better articulation between a revised SGSVS and a revised NQ PSE.
From the evidence collected during this review it is clear that there is still a role for SGSVS. It attracts enthusiasm and commitment from those schools and pupils which are involved and offers a different form of learning and teaching from many other Standard Grades which is attractive in a wide range of schools and educational settings.
There is no doubt, however, that the course requires to be updated and its teachers require more support. That can be achieved within a reasonably short period of time and should sustain the course in the medium-term or until new forms of certification in S3 and S4 are provided.
There are, however, wider issues which would require a longer period for development and implementation. Many schools which are committed to SGSVS are frustrated by the lack of articulation with NQ PSE and would prefer to see NQ PSE rewritten to resemble SGSVS. Other schools, which already deliver all the core components of SVS and PSE without seeking certification for them, could be persuaded to certificate if a better rationale and a simplified assessment regime were available for all SQA provision in the area of life, social and work skills.
What is undoubtedly true is that SGSVS has an inherent flexibility which enables it to adapt to changes in expectations of the school curriculum from areas such as enterprise, citizenship and social inclusion. It is a robust course which deserves to be sustained and, if possible, enlarged.