Evaluation Report for ‘Cam wrth Gam’ Scheme 2013-14

August 2014

Evaluation Report for ‘Cam wrth Gam’ Scheme

  1. Main Findings:
  • The Cam wrth Gam scheme has the capacity to provide CACHE Level 3 Diploma training in Child Care, Learning and Development across Wales;
  • The company has over ten years of experience in managing and implementing the scheme and during that time, it has trained over 1500 early years education practitioners able to work through the medium of Welsh;
  • Cam wrth Gam has a powerful marketing campaign, utilising wide-ranging and varied methods to advertise the course, and securing a response from over 420 prospective candidates a year on average over the past three years;
  • The scheme has a thorough recruitment process ensuring that the best candidates are selected and that the highest standards are maintained;
  • The scheme can provide suitable work placements for the candidates within a reasonable distance;
  • The candidates are supported by a team of able and experienced assessors providing advice and support of a high quality;
  • Cam wrth Gam has developed a bank of purposeful resources over the years to support candidates with their training, including the development of an electronic library on the PaperFree system;
  • The scheme has a very strong management and quality assurance system which is acknowledged by CACHE as an example of good practice;
  • The scheme has an effective and purposeful system to record the progress and achievements of candidates against the criteria of the qualification;
  • The scheme has a history of comparable success in terms of candidates completing the course and securing jobs;
  • The scheme makes effective use of the feedback from candidates at the end of every course in planning for the future, implementing purposeful measures to respond positively to specific matters raised;
  • The scheme has consistently managed to ensure high satisfaction levels from candidates for the support provided to them during their training;
  • The scheme has made a great contribution to the achievement of Welsh Government objectives, namely elements of the Welsh-medium Education Strategy relating to the training of bilingual practitioners to work in the Foundation Phase. If Welsh education is to grow in future, substantial investment must be made in the growth of Welsh-medium early years education, whilst ensuring at the same time that there are plenty of qualified practitioners available to satisfy the need. It appears that the Cam wrth Gam scheme fully achieves that purpose.
  • The scheme has responded positively to the fact that the completion rates for Cam wrth Gam – which have been slightly lower than the completion rates for the further education sector in Wales over the past few years - by employing Support Officers to provide support for candidates having difficulties in coping with the requirements of the course.
  1. Background

2.1 Cam wrth Gam is a national training scheme which prepares candidates for the CACHE Level 3 Diploma qualification in Child Care, Learning and Development. The course is provided through the medium of Welsh, usually between April 1st and March 31st the following year.

2.2 Cam wrth Gam is a subsidiary of Mudiad Meithrin and has administered the scheme since 2004. The first agreement was based on a financial application made by Mudiad to Welsh Government to implement some of the objectives of Iaith Pawb: A National Action Plan for a bilingual Wales, published by the government in 2003.

2.3The intention of the original scheme was to ensure that the early years care and education sector in Wales would be enriched by hundreds of new practitioners able to work confidently through the medium of Welsh or bilingually. It was thought that the increase in the numbers of bilingual practitioners would lead to the expansion of the Welsh-medium provision in the Foundation Phase for 3-7 year olds.

2.4Although the aim of Cam wrth Gam is to train Welsh-speaking candidates, for many years, the scheme has welcomed Welsh learners wishing to have the opportunity to use and improve their Welsh-language skills. Suitable Welsh courses are provided for them offering the necessary language skills to work with young children through the medium of Welsh.

2.5Since the first agreement, Mudiad Meithrin has been successful with competitive tenders to administer this scheme in 2008-2011, 2011-13 and 2013-16.

  1. Terms of Reference

3.1The terms of reference of this interim evaluation considers the following core elements and assesses to what extent the scheme is:-

Achieving the general requirements of the tender

Achieving against specific targets

Implemented effectively

Relevant to the policies and agenda of Welsh Government

Planning and developing for the future

Below, each of these aspects are considered in detail

  1. Methodology

4.1The methodology used to undertake the evaluation includes:-

  • Desk-top research
  • Interviews with key individuals
  • Feedback from candidates
  • Interpretation of relevant data

4.2 The desk-top research is vital for familiarization with the aim and objectives of the scheme, the agreed targets, the expected outcomes and the relevance of the scheme to Welsh Government strategies and policies. The documents considered during the evaluation include:-

  • The Welsh Government's policies on the Welsh language and Welsh education, for example - Iaith Pawb, Welsh-medium Education Strategy, A Living Language; A Language for Living;
  • The tender application made by Mudiad Meithrin to Welsh Government;
  • Reports from the Director of the Scheme to the Management Board of the project and the Management Committee of Mudiad Meithrin;
  • Relevant documents relating to the implementation of the scheme;
  • Cam wrth Gam resources packs;
  • The PaperFree computer system;
  • The Report of the Internal Quality Assurance Officer
  • The report of CACHE, the external verifier.

4.3 The evaluation included interviews or conversations with the following personnel, asking their opinion on the implementation of the scheme and the extent to which it achieves the aim and objectives set for it:-

  • The Chief Executive of Mudiad Meithrin
  • The Director of Cam wrth Gam
  • National Training Coordinator
  • 2 Regional Coordinators
  • Internal Quality Assurance Officer
  • 5 experienced Assessors
  • 2 trainee Assessors
  • The scheme's administrative officers

4.4 The work of measuring the feedback from the candidates is based on a written questionnaire distributed at the end of every year. The results of the survey found in this report is based on the opinions of the candidates who completed the course in March 2014.

4.5 The data presented in this report includes:-

  • The numbers who responded to the adverts and the marketing
  • The numbers who were interviewed
  • The numbers who started the course
  • The numbers who left the course before completing it
  • The numbers who joined the course at a later date
  • The percentage of males/females
  • Completion rates
  • Destinations

5Achieving the General Requirements of the Tender

5.1Tender Details

The tender from Welsh Government includes many elements which are fundamental to the success of the scheme. These include:-

Identifying the need for training for the CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care, Learning and Development

Ensure sufficient publicity for the recruitment and training of 200 candidates

Undertake basic skills assessments, especially in numeracy and literacy, as part of the recruitment process

Ensuring placements in appropriate workplaces

Provide training across Wales in accessible settings and within reasonable distance

Develop appropriate resources to support the candidates on their learning journey

Ensure that internal processes are in place to check quality, to monitor the effectiveness of the scheme and for quality assurance

Ensure that accountability structures and firm project management structures are implemented

Develop links with employers/setting leaders

Each of these elements are considered in the remainder of the report under the headings referring to the terms of reference of the evaluation.

5.2Identifying the Need and the Recruitment Process

5.2.1Over many years, the scheme has identified the need for training for Welsh-medium early years education practitioners. Cam wrth Gam also recognises that wide publicity is needed nationally and locally to recruit and train at least 200 candidates, which is the target set by Welsh Government.

Cam wrth Gam has developed many effective methods of publicising the scheme, adapting the methods used based on their experience over many years. The national marketing work undertaken to recruit candidates for 2013-14 and the current year for example included:-

  • A 20 second advert on S4C over Christmas and the New Year
  • A 10 second advert on S4C over Christmas and the New Year
  • Specific adverts in national newspapers and magazines e.g Western Mail, Daily Post, Golwg, Y Cymro, Yr Athro
  • Papurau Bro – adverts appearing in November and December
  • The website of Mudiad Meithrin/Cam wrth Gam which includes a promotional video
  • The internal intranet of Mudiad Meithrin/Cam wrth Gam
  • Information leaflets
  • All Wales Jobs Banner
  • A Banner on the S4C Website
  • Early Years Partnerships of the County Councils of Wales
  • The websites and networks of organisations such as the Language Initiatives, the Urdd, Merched y Wawr, Children in Wales, Young Farmers Clubs
  • Attendance at national events such as the National Eisteddfod, the Urdd Eisteddfod, the Royal Welsh Show
  • Job Centres
  • Careers Wales
  • Holding 'Open Afternoons' in Aberystwyth, Caernarfon, St Asaph, Ammanford and Cardiff
  • Social network sites such as Facebook, Twitter etc

Through more local marketing campaigns, the scheme has been able to target areas where there is a lack of Welsh-medium practitioners in the Foundation Phase. This has happened by:-

  • Distributing leaflets through Ti a Fi groups and Cylchoedd Meithrin
  • Posters for Primary Schools
  • Posters for Cylchoedd Meithrin
  • Adverts in local newspapers
  • Adverts in papurau bro
  • Conversations on local radio
  • Attendance at local shows and events
  • Open afternoons in five centres across Wales

5.2.2 To understand the effects of the different marketing methods on therecruitment process, Cam wrth Gam officers undertake an annual analysis of how candidates heard about the course. The data collected over recent years shows that the majority of candidates hear of the scheme from friends or colleagues in cylchoedd meithrin or schools. The table below shows the patterns in relation to the candidates who started the course in 2013/14:-

Cylch Meithrin / 94 / 43%
School / 26 / 12%
Mudiad Meithrin website / 25 / 11%
Friend / 25 / 11%
Television / 21 / 9%
Facebook / 15 / 7%
Papur Bro / 4 / 2%
Careers Wales / 2 / 1%
Job centre / 2 / 1%
Newspaper / 2 / 1%
Tutor / 2 / 1%
Development Officer / 1 / 0.5%
Various places / 1 / 0.5%
Total / 220 / 100%

5.2.3 Following the marketing campaign for the said year, 2013/14, 451 peoplerequested an application form - although many more could have printed an application form from the internet, which would not have been included in this figure. This compares with 429 in 2012-13, showing an increase in the numbers responding to the various adverts. From these, 347 sent in a formal application for a place on the course, compared with 325 during the previous year, an increase of 22. Based on the quality of the application forms, 312 prospective candidates were offered an interview, but for various reasons, only 285 accepted this offer.

5.2.4 Following the interviews undertaken in five centres across Wales, 242 were

invited to join the course. Before the course officially started, the successful candidates were invited to an induction workshop held in each of the five centres. The purpose of the workshops was to inform them of the nature, structure and requirements of the scheme, and the policies and rules. Every candidate is expected to accept and sign the conditions of the scheme before they are permitted to begin the course officially. Each candidate also receives a resources pack to assist them on their journey. Unfortunately, 34 decided not to register for the training, including a large number who were present at the induction workshops. This left a total of 208 who would start the course in April 2013.

5.2.5The average age of the candidates in 2013-14 was 30, and only two were

men.

5.2.6Each candidate for the 2013-14 course was given a basic skills assessment in numeracy and literacy as part of the interview, and this was done electronically for the first time. The score of this assessment and the scores for the quality of the application form and the formal interview contributed towards the total. The application form also asked every candidate to assess their ability in Welsh across a range of different skills, but this was not scored in the same way as the literacy test. The information regarding the Welsh-language skills enabled the scheme's officers to identify which support methods would be needed to improve the skills and language confidence of the candidates.

5.2.7During 2013-14, 26 candidates received support to improve their languageskills by receiving 20 hours of support from a tutor on a one to one basis. The staff of Mudiad Meithrin were mainly responsible for providing the language support but staff from some of the Welsh for Adults Centres were used occasionally.

5.3Provide training and ensure placements in appropriate workplaces within reasonable distance

5.3.1Cam wrth Gam is a work-based training scheme. The candidates are placed in local cylchoedd meithrin, schools and nurseries, and attempts are made to ensure that the settings are in convenient locations for them. The candidates are assisted in each setting by the meithrin leader/teacher, who undertakes the role of personal mentor, and by an experienced team of assessors employed by the scheme.

Care is taken when selecting the settings to ensure that they are able to offer the necessary support to candidates. The criteria used by Cam wrth Gam include:

The setting's leader/mentor has a level 3 qualification

A sufficient number of children to meet the requirements of the course

A setting able to offer a sufficient number of hours and a full range of experiences necessary for the qualification

5.3.2Each setting used by the scheme has been registered with the local authority for the provision of the Foundation Phase and is inspected by Estyn. In the 2013-14 cohort, 108 were places in a cylch meithrin, 5 in a nursery and 95 in a school. In a small number of cases, candidates work in two different settings to ensure the necessary number of hours and experience.

5.3.3Every candidate is expected to complete 16 hours a week in an early years setting to meet the requirements of the course, equating to 600 hours a year. They are also required to attend monthly workshops considering relevant topics within the child care, learning and development syllabus. At present, the workshops are held in five different centres, Caernarfon, St Asaph, Aberystwyth, Ammanford and Cardiff. In all centres apart from Caernarfon, simultaneous translation facilities are offered to candidates lacking in confidence with their Welsh-language skills. The workshops are usually undertaken by Cam wrth Gam Regional Coordinators and central staff, and the odd session is presented by the assessors. Occasionally, external agencies contribute, for example, during the last workshop, Cam wrth Gam has traditionally provided a session preparing candidates for the workplace. Sglein is the company usually used for sessions on filling in application forms, preparing CV's and preparing for interviews. It is felt that this workshop has been very useful for the candidates in the past for their career development.

5.3 Develop appropriate resources to support the candidates

5.4.1 Over time, the scheme has developed a bank of very useful resources, many of them now available electronically. The scheme has developed many of these resources itself or they have been purchased from companies specialising in education services.

5.4.2The PaperFree computer system acts as an intranet for candidates. Theprogramme includes a resources file which has booklets, guidelines, activity packs, policies, theoretical research, reference books, DVDs and lesson ideas. Noted below are examples of the types of resources produced or commissioned by Cam wrth Gam over the past few years:-

  • Health and Safety Guidance for Early Years settings (Mudiad Meithrin)
  • Learning to Play DVD (Cam wrth Gam)
  • Language Immersion DVD (Cam wrth Gam)
  • Learning Outdoors DVD (Cam wrth Gam)
  • Candidate's Resources DVD (Cam wrth Gam)
  • Story Time Booklet (Cam wrth Gam)
  • North and South Basic Language Scheme Booklet (Cam wrth Gam)
  • North and South Language Patterns Booklet (Cam wrth Gam)
  • North and South Language Patterns Pocket Book (Cam wrth Gam)
  • Good practice examples resources for using Dewin (Cam wrth Gam)
  • Welsh Course Handbook (Cam wrth Gam)
  • Qualification Specification for the Level 3 Diploma in Child Care, Learning and Development (CACHE)
  • Children and Young People’s Workforce (Hodder)
  • Exploring the Environment in the Foundation Phase pack (Canolfan Peniarth)
  • Give it a Go Pack, Foundation Phase Challenge Cards, Continuous Provision (Canolfan Peniarth)
  • First Step, Music and Movement in the Foundation Phase (Canolfan Peniarth)
  • Rhifeddodau – An interactive numeracy pack (Cam wrth Gam)

The candidates greatly appreciate the resources provided centrally and electronically to assist them with their coursework.