Strategies to Reduce NEET Rates: The September Guarantee Initiative

1. NEET and the September Guarantee Tuesday 27 February 2007 Presented to: 14-19 Partnership Group By: LSC Birmingham and Solihull Partnership Team Welcome

2. Background 01

3. Background (1) • Context: • 14-19 reforms, including curriculum content and new ways of working: • Aimed a increasing attainment (and skills) pre-16 • Encouraging ‘staying-on’ and retention post-16 • Supporting the transition between the two • Public Service Agreement (PSA) target: • Reduce the number of 16-18 year olds Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) • LSC National, Regional & Local Priority: • 90% participation by 2015 (national priority) • Reducing NEET in areas above the national benchmark (LSC West Midlands Regional Commissioning Plan) • 2006 Joint Area Review (JAR) of Birmingham: highlighted the relatively slow reduction in NEET figures

4. Background (2) • Local Response (1): • NEET Action Plan delivered to Government Office, indicating a range of current and planned activities • Joint management group between Connexions, Local Authority and the LSC: • Shared ownership for strategy, delivery and performance of provision • Target provision specifically at those localities where there are high concentration of disadvantaged young people: • Shape provision to meet the requirements of young people: offenders, teenage parents, those leaving the looked after system • Provision with an aim, not just for the sake of engagement

5. Background (3) • Local Response (2): • Recognising the majority of provision for Young People will be secured through dialogue with Colleges, Providers and Schools (through the Local Authority) • Consolidating growth where providers are above target • Protecting LLDD provision at institutional level • Commission for new Apprenticeship provision in key sectors from providers offering the best Success Rates • All volumes linked to: • Improving Success • Quality Assurance • Mix and balance of provision: representative of local and regional skills needs and the need for specific client group engagement

6. Background (4) • Local Response (3): • Identify and fill the gaps in our current range of provision aimed at young people in the NEET group or at risk of becoming NEET • Commissioning Strategy: • Consortia approach: FE/WBL/Voluntary & Community Sector in partnership with Connexions • Responsive provision to target neighbourhoods and client groups • Securing progression to mainstream, including Level 1 programmes • Through ESF, tender for additional provision where required • Implement a ‘September Guarantee’ of learning from September 2007

7. September Guarantee 02

8. The Guarantee (1) • A simple definition: • Target learners who have not been successful in securing a post-16 place during the final year at school with at least 2 suitable offers of learning by the first Monday in January • Birmingham and Solihull response: • To go beyond the above definition • Offer a ‘wrap-around’ service that recognises and brings together all current practice into a coherent framework: • Essential components already exist – albeit fragmented • Learning from the two year ‘LEAP’ pilot – still in operation across four schools

9. The Guarantee (2) • - pre-NEET - Planning - Prospectus Core interventions for those at risk. Assisting the transition to Post-16 Knowledge of the cohort to assist in planning provision. A learning entitlement for all pupils Providing informed leaner choice. A managed system for the collection and process of post-16 applications • Underpinning Themes: • Education, Advice & Guidance (Yrs 8 & 9) • Predicted Grades & Career Aspirations (Yr 10) • Universal Application (Yr 11) • Clearing House (Yrs 11, 12 & 13)

10. The Guarantee (3) • Proposed ‘Framework’ (1): • Years 8, 9 & 10

11. The Guarantee (4) • Key Features (1): • The framework for the Guarantee to be built upon careers education and guidance delivered in schools at Years 8 & 9 • More systematic use of predicted grades: • Start of the process for targeting learners who are at risk of becoming NEET • Those at risk may be academically able: ‘at risk’ should mean those Year 11s who may not take up their learning entitlement by failing to make a successful transition to post-16 education and training. • Linked to all learners completing a ‘careers aspiration form’ • Softer information, again to all target young people who are undecided or have no intended destination

12. The Guarantee (5) • Proposed ‘Framework’ (2): • Year 11

13. The Guarantee (6) • Key Features (2): • Better use of current Connexions resources • Identified learners to have specific interventions: visits to post-16 institutions, taster days, introductions to various pathways, application filling days, EMA applications: ‘Timetabled in’ • Such interventions proved very successful within LEAP pilot • Universal Application: • Through LEAP many learners were not able or willing to complete multiple applications. • Most were put off by the experience and valuable time/resource was taken up by having to complete and then track multiple applications • One single form across all post-16 institutions/funding streams • Providing standardisation for schools, Connexions, learners and parents • Eventually linked to online Area Prospectuses

14. The Guarantee (7) • Proposed ‘Framework’ (3): • Year 12 & 13

15. The Guarantee (8) • Key Features (3): • Clearing House • Managed process linked to a Universal Application • IT Solution to track the cohort between pre to post-16 destinations • Not just one-way: monitoring of those learners in Year 12 and 13 that drop out early – initiate a follow-up response • Learners within the Clearing House system with out destinations, to benefit from previously mentioned NEET Consortia Commissioning • Potential to remove the burden of multiple applications and chasing multiple offers from institutions • Institutional buy-in to the service, providing economies of scale

16. Weighing the Benefits 03

17. Why? (1) • Customer focus: • Inclusive of all deliverers: • Schools, FE Institutions, Work-Based Learning Providers • Inclusive of all stakeholders: • Local Authorities, LSC and Connexions • Inclusive of all recipients: • Young People and Parents • Roles and responsibilities better defined: • A more targeted use of resources

18. Why? (2) • The bigger picture: • Co-ordinated support for young people • Support prior to and through enrolment • Early identification of potential course demand • Informing supply and demand • Clearer transition pathways • Increased post-16 retention • Feedback on learner destinations • Systematic data exchange • Strategic focus on inclusion/view of all provision • Increase numbers in Education, Employment or Training