Jan Novitzky

NIACE regional development officer

Supporting Progression: a view from the field

We know progression is critical to the government’s skills strategy and we know its value to individual learners. We also know there isn’t a quick fix or single solution to ensure learner progression. Supporting progression is a complicated and challenging enterprise, which involves a great amount of professional judgement and experience.

How do Skills for Life practitioners and managers think we can best support progression? NIACE was asked by DIUS to elicit views from each of the nine English Regions, through specially convened seminars with teachers, managers and providers. At all nine events DIUS gave an input on their draft progression strategy, and were keen to hear what participants had to say. After each event we captured some of the good practice and analysed the key issues raised by participants. This article represents the feedback of over 300 Skills for Life practitioners and managers.

Progression spans the entirety of the learning journey and is applicable to all learners at all levels on all different types of provision, so, of course, a huge number of issues were raised in field, with a number of broad themes emerging. The key aspects of progression challenging providers were:

  • How to define, measure and track progression.
  • How to obtain good quality IAG and learning support.
  • The need for long term funding which supports partnership working particularly to develop clear progression pathways
  • The development of a learning culture alongside the focus on targets.
  • The need for a flexible curriculum, with more choice, modular learning and provision at all, including lower, levels.
  • Excellent teaching skills, including ITT and CPD opportunities

Defining, measuring and tracking progression

This was something raised at every event. Providers felt that official definitions seemed too linear and too connected to S4L and level 2 targets. Delegates felt policy needed to take more account of what we know about learners, their concerns and interests and their learning journeys. They felt there is a need to also take account of progression into and within employment, volunteering, improved health and well being, lateral progression and soft skills eg growth in confidence. Such types of progression cannot always be measured by qualifications, but there are ways of measuring them effectively. Participants at regional events welcomed the DIUS view that we need an accurate system of tracking progression, which may include the introduction of a unique learner number, and many expressed their support for policy like this being developed at a national level.

Quality information, advice and guidance

There was a strong view from the field that more, better and different or varied types of IAG are needed to ensure learners get onto the right programmes and are able to progress. It was felt that IAG needs to be joined up both within and across organisations, including community organisations, and referral agencies. It was felt that no one model of IAG fits all situations. The situation which works in a college may not be appropriate in community settings.

Funding

Many, many delegates referred to funding issues in relation to a strategy for adult progression. It was felt that current funding arrangements can sometimes restrict progression. Funding which is focused on targets can inhibit responsiveness to learners’ needs – it can prevent the flexibility necessary for progression. Funding constraints have meant that some previously embedded, softer skills courses, (e.g. study skills) are no longer delivered. Many referred to the need for predictable longer term funding, which would support the types of developments which have proved successful in supporting progression: learning champions, taster courses with IAG, partnership working, support for childcare and transport where needed. A constantly raised theme was how to continue effective joined up partnership working, particularly in the crucial area of developing clear learner pathways between providers when the funding climate encourages an element of competition. Many felt that a considerable amount of publicly funded provider time is spent on seeking funding which could be better spent on delivery.

The development of a learning culture

Providers told us that a ‘target culture’ has had detrimental effects on the development of a learning culture. There was an emerging consensus that for progression to be implemented effectively there is a need for culture change within the UK to bring about a genuine enthusiasm for learning as a lifelong journey from birth to old age. Delegates felt there is a need to put learners at the heart of policy, focusing on what progression might mean to them rather than how government defines it. A strategy needs to value the soft outcomes of learning and capitalise on learner motives such as helping children, developing personal skills, finding a job and moving on in employment. Practitioners felt learners should be supported to see their course of learning as a stage on the learning journey rather than as an end in itself. Many participants made us aware that the learners who achieve most and keep progressing are often those who have had previous good experiences of learning, have achieved what they set out to, and can see how it has benefited them.

A flexible curriculum

Many issues were raised about recruiting and then supporting learners to progress. A widespread view was that more non-accredited, informal learning provision is needed, in order to engage those learners we most want to reach. This type of learning not only engages new learners but can act as a safe and welcoming stepping stone into accredited learning, if effective partnerships are in place. Many people expressed their view that the targets will be very difficult to meet if we don’t engage those often called ‘the hardest to reach’.

There was widespread support for the development of an effective credit framework to include bite sized, modular learning as this is often the best fit for the learner and the most effective introduction for skills development and progression

Quality teaching

Participants at the nine regional events were clear that improvements in supporting progression cannot be achieved without a greater emphasis on quality teaching and learning, including effective initial and formative assessment, constructive feedback, and a shift away from the concept of failure, towards expecting achievement and fostering independent learners. It was felt there was a need to develop a positive and proactive approach to progression amongst both new and existing teachers. At one of the events it was felt that the appointment of a progression ‘champion’ amongst the staff of each provider institution could be beneficial in this respect, as could progression-focused CPD programmes as well as ensuring methods for supporting progression were built into initial teacher training and into the CPD opportunities for all staff.

Throughout the recent research into learner persistence funded by DIUS and led by the QIA, learners themselves have stressed the importance of the relationship with tutors. Successful tutors know what is of concern to their learners, how they learn best and what is relevant to their lives. Identifying goals can motivate learners but for some learners this is hard to do and it takes time. To achieve all this tutors need to be well trained and have opportunities to develop their experience. This is crucial to ensure learners are encouraged to move on to the next stage at the right time. It involves professional judgement.

The learner view

Not withstanding the importance of developing structural improvements to support progression, perhaps the last word could go to a learner on the importance of the learning context and good teaching:

“Learning is not just about the subject, it involves emotions and getting on with other people: tutors and other students. It involves understanding yourself more, and learning how to deal with your feelings. It involves finding something you are interested in; something that you want to learn. If you don’t there’s no reason to learn. Tutors are critical in helping you in all this.” (Patricia)

Jan Novitzky

NIACE regional development officer