Preventing early school leaving in Europe - lessons learned from second chance education. Annex One: Case Study Compendium

Transcription

1 Preventing early school leaving in Europe - lessons learned from second chance education Annex One: Case Study Compendium

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3 European Union, 2013 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Publications Office of the European Union NC EN-N ISBN doi: /63590 September 2013 I 1

4 Table of Contents 1.0 Austria France Hungary Ireland Lithuania Poland Portugal Romania Sweden United Kingdom September 2013 I 2

5 September 2013 I 1 Austria

6 1.0 Austria Country Austria Name of 2 nd chance provision Schlangenfuß Level of education ISCED Level 2 Type of institution Location (city and borough) Vienna, Simmering Background information: country context When the European Council formulated the target of halving the number of early school leavers by 2010 in Lisbon in March 2000, the Austrian early school leaving rate at the time was 10.2%. The target was subsequently reformulated to reducing the rate to below 10% by From 2002 to 2006, the Austrian rate varied between 9.0% and 9.8%. In 2007 and 2008, it was above 10%. Since 2009, the rate has remained below the 10% limit. Compared to other EU countries, Austria therefore has a relatively low rate of early school leavers (8.3% in 2011), but has not yet met the original target of halving the rate, which would have brought it down to 5.1%. The reasons for the actual decrease lie in the many national policies and programmes that have been implemented and are described below. The situation is worse in the capital than it is in the rest of Austria: 15% of year-olds in Vienna are early school leavers. According to the OECD (e.g. Härtel/Steiner 2011), early school leaving (ESL) is an issue in the education policy debate in Austria. In recent years, several studies were commissioned (e.g. by government ministries or employer and employee federations) to explain and prevent ESL. Awareness of the social and economic consequences of inadequate education led to the formulation of a 6% ESL benchmark by 2020 in the Strategy for lifelong learning (LLL 2020) paper commissioned by several Austrian government ministries. There have been two main political efforts initiated to prevent ESL and provide early school leavers with a second chance: 1) A programme promoting basic education/basic skills and an adult education initiative offering 12,400 people the opportunity to finish school or acquire a basic education free of charge between 2012 and 2014 were put in place. 2) This new safety net has also been improved and substantially extended in accordance with the Austrian Youth Training Act (Jugendausbildungssicherungsgesetz). Young people who are unable to find a suitable apprenticeship when they leave school are offered guidance and apprenticeships outside the private sector. Alongside these efforts and in line with EU recommendations (2011/C 210/03), Austria has established a common form of school (Neue Mittelschule) for all 10 to 14 year olds, which should help both to increase equal opportunities in education and tackle school drop-out rates. However, it is also argued that the new school might perpetuate the tracking found in the old system. The ESL problem merits special September 2013 I 2

7 attention in this context, as the risk of poverty is especially high for school dropouts. A new teacher training (PädagogInnenbildung NEU) concept introduces completely new structures and processes in basic training and further education for the teaching profession. A core element in this concept is an individualized learning and development process for students that begins in the very early stages of their schooling and extends through to upper and post-secondary education. A new understanding of personal support for all students is another key element in this concept. Coaching and mentoring programmes for specific target or risk groups and multiprofessional teams for secondary levels 1 and 2 have been established in line with actual needs. In the 2012/13 school year, a youth coaching programme will be introduced nationwide to help young people complete school or vocational training programmes and not drop out early. Since 2008, the percentage of afternoon care places for 6-14 year-olds has been increased by 40%. This corresponds to 95,000 additional places. As defined in LLL 2020, an obligatory, free-of-charge kindergarten year has been introduced for all children over the age of five. Young people who are not capable of completing a full/regular apprenticeship or who need special support can now complete an integrative vocational education. They can complete only some parts of this programme (on an individual curriculum basis) and/or are given up to two years longer to complete it in full. Second chance schools offer people with no qualifications the chance to obtain a compulsory school leaving certificate. People who have completed compulsory schooling but did not obtain a qualification that entitled them to a place in university/tertiary education (apprenticeship, intermediate technical and vocational schools) or who did not complete upper secondary level schooling (ESLs or dropouts) can enrol in an AHS (academic secondary school) or full-time intermediate technical/vocational school for adults/people in employment. These schools use the same curricula and provide the same education as regular schools. They are run by the same schools and teachers, but classes are held in the evening. After four years of successful participation in such a school, students obtain a university entrance qualification. These second chance schools are part of the standard, formal education system. The second main route to an upper secondary qualification the vocational matriculation exam (Berufsreifeprüfung) for people with lower qualifications (usually apprenticeships) is partly implemented in the non-formal system. It provides the qualification needed to enter university/tertiary education. People who have completed an apprenticeship or intermediate technical/vocational school and dropouts who have successfully completed at least grade 3 at higher technical and vocational college and have three years of work experience are entitled to take the Berufsreifeprüfung, which consists of written and oral exams in German, mathematics, a living foreign language and a free choice vocational subject. Students who pass the exam can study any subject at university. The Studienberechtigungsprüfung introduced for the same target group also entitles students to a place at university. This place is however restricted to the examination discipline. The Berufsmatura (apprenticeship with upper secondary leaving certificate) lets apprentices sit the vocational university entrance qualification exam during their apprenticeship. There are also private schools which provide university entrance qualification September 2013 I 3

8 courses. Here, the exams are taken in front of an external commission. Students who pass the exam can study any subject at university. In Austria, children attend compulsory schooling from the age of six. After four years of primary school, they have to decide whether to attend an AHS (academic secondary school) or a Neue Mittelschule/Hauptschule (secondary modern school). After another four years, pupils have to decide between four parallel main routes: academic secondary school (AHS, ISCED 3a), full-time upper technical/vocational college (ISCED 4a), full-time intermediate technical/vocational schools (ISCED 3b) or the apprenticeship system (ISCED 3b). A young person has to be 15 to start an apprenticeship, so students who are not yet 15 years of age have to choose a oneyear interim school between secondary modern and the apprenticeship ( double transition ). A special-purpose Polytechnische Schule (pre-vocational school) is available to accommodate and prepare students for the step to apprenticeship. Of the OECD countries, Austria has one of the highest proportions of upper secondary students in vocational education and training (VET). Around 80% of each cohort enters VET after finishing compulsory education. About 40% start an apprenticeship, 15% attend school-based VET (Berufsbildende Mittlere Schule) and 27% enrol in a five-year VET college (Berufsbildende Höhere Schule) where they can acquire a double qualification: a VET diploma and the Reifeprüfung (Matura) which entitles them to go on to university. (e.g. Härtel/Steiner 2011) The Austrian federal government is solely responsible for the legislation and provision of upper secondary general education (lower and upper secondary), intermediate and upper secondary technical/vocational education (secondary), training colleges for social pedagogy (Bildungsanstalten für Sozialpädagogik) and training colleges for kindergarten teachers (Bildungsanstalten für Kindergartenpädagogik). The provinces (Länder) are responsible for the legislation and provision of compulsory schools and kindergartens. Teacher training is available at universities and dedicated teacher training colleges (Pädagogische Hochschulen, PH). The type of training required depends on the school sector the teacher wishes to work in. To teach in AHS and BMHS (full-time intermediate or full-time upper technical/vocational college) a university qualification is required. At present, eight universities and six arts universities offer teacher training. Teacher training for the entire compulsory school sector is provided at the PHs. Since 2007, nine state-run and five private PHs have offered such teacher training. History / background to developing the initiative This project was set up 10 years ago to reintegrate students who refused to go to school. Since 2007, the programme has focused solely on students who suffer from school phobia, anxiety disorders or depression. The programme is unique in Austria and is publicly funded. September 2013 I 4

9 Target groups Schlangenfuß is aimed at students between the ages of 11 and 15 who suffer from school phobia, anxiety disorders or depression. Most students join the programme in grade 7 and come from secondary modern schools or Neue Mittelschule. They have a long history of problems and school absenteeism (some staying at home for up to a year) before they come to Schlangenfuß. Students who take part in the programme would not be capable of receiving a school leaving certificate in a regular school. A clinical diagnosis of school phobia is prerequisite for participation in the programme, and all students are undergoing treatment. Most students come from middle class or lower class backgrounds. There are no significant gender differences among the students (53% male, 47% female), and only a few have a migration background. There is no systematic policy process for the monitoring of school phobia, so little is known about the extent of the problem. Vienna General Hospital (AKH) reports an increase in the number of young people who suffer from school phobia. The teachers are very committed and conscientious when it comes to dealing with hard to reach students. If necessary, they will even pick students up from home just to get them into school. Teachers also accompany those students who are afraid of using public transport. There are also some students who are not in a condition to participate in Schlangenfuß. These students need clinical care and can then participate in the programme. Key features of the provision and institutional setting One of the key aims of the project is the social reintegration of students through approaches to teaching which foster their social skills and the development of their self-esteem. Experience based teaching plays a large role in this, because it reduces anxiety disorders. Another key aim is to help students achieve mainstream qualifications. This in turn is ensured by using secondary modern school curriculum. A further aim of the project is to reintegrate students into their former schools. However, since most students start the project in grade 7, there is not enough time to reintegrate them and most of them complete their compulsory schooling in the Schlangenfuß programme. During their time in Schlangenfuß, students remain registered in their former schools and even receive their certificates from these schools. It is therefore not obvious that they have participated in the Schlangenfuß programme. The programme is publicly funded. Schlangenfuß cooperates closely with all parties (persons/institutions) involved in a case, e.g. parents, medical professionals, psychiatric hospitals, youth and family services (MA 11), psychologists and therapists, job coaches and other experts. As already mentioned, a secondary modern school curriculum is used within the project. The students study the core subjects (German, Mathematics and English) three times a week. Minor subjects are taught on a project oriented basis and teachers focus more on themes which meet the everyday life and experience world of the students. There is a strong focus on pedagogic methods which meet the students needs, e.g. constructivist pedagogy, project-oriented learning, experiential pedagogy, open learning methods and individualisation. September 2013 I 5

10 The small group sizes (3 groups with about 6 students and 2 teachers) facilitate individual support and attention to each student. Further the students receive any kind of professional support they need, e.g. therapeutic support, students are picked by teachers at their homes and so on. In the final school year, a career counsellor prepares the students for the transition into working life by providing them with one-to-one support once a week. This support includes writing job applications, practising job interviews and visiting potential employers. Key success factors Students appreciate the individual approach achieved through the small group sizes and the close relationships to their teachers. The students receive full attention from their teachers and are given as much time as they need to understand the material. Teachers concentrate on a student s individual strengths. The courses are project oriented and include elements of experiential pedagogy like group activities outside the formal learning environment (e.g. cooking for each other or outdoor activities like climbing) aimed at raising self-esteem. They feel less under pressure than they did in their former schools and experience less stress in exams. They are highly committed in school, a fact that is reflected in the high attendance rates, low dropout rates, and in the words of one student sense of family-like atmosphere. For these reasons, learner satisfaction can be considered high. The close cooperation between Schlangenfuß and all other parties involved in a case - especially the relationship to the parents - ensures that students receive any professional support they need, e.g. therapy. The career counselling is a further key success factor, because it prepares students well for the transition into upper secondary schooling or work. The monitoring data reflects these key success factors: 76% of students graduated successfully from the programme, while 24% left the project early. Of the students who graduated from the programme, 22% went on to an upper secondary school, 32% started an apprenticeship and 22% participated in further courses and training. Perspectives on transferability With regard to transferability, there are some key elements which could be adopted in initial schools: The first such element is inter-professionalism, which is one of the key success factors in Schlangenfuß. An interdisciplinary team of experts needs to be established in schools, assume responsibility for at risk students and work closely on the different cases. The work of this team should include team meetings, supervisions, interventions and close cooperation with external experts. A close, professional relationship between the parents and the school is also essential. In some cases, home visits could even be very useful. The next element is the professionalization of teachers. Teachers need to be sensitised to the topic, reflect their own attitudes towards students who suffer from school phobia and be able to respond to their problems. The development of these abilities, attitudes and competencies is essential and should be acquired through education and training. September 2013 I 6

11 Some structural conditions need to be improved to accommodate the intensive relationship work (a key success factor). One such condition is a reduction in class size, which Schlangenfuß experience shows to be highly relevant. Team based teaching, which has already been implemented in the Neue Mittelschule schools should also be fostered. These changes require additional financial, spatial and personnel resources. September 2013 I 7

12 Country Austria Name of 2 nd chance provision Chancen-Pool Level of education Type of institution Location (city and borough) Compulsory schooling Career counselling and advice on education options Vorarlberg Background information: country context When the European Council formulated the target of halving the number of early school leavers by 2010 in Lisbon in March 2000, the Austrian early-school-leaving rate at the time was 10.2%. The target was subsequently reformulated to reducing the rate to below 10% by From 2002 to 2006, the Austrian rate varied between 9.0% and 9.8%. In 2007 and 2008, it was above 10%. Since 2009, the rate has remained below the 10% limit. Compared to other EU countries, Austria therefore has a relatively low rate of early school leavers (8.3% in 2011), but has not yet met the original target of halving the rate, which would have brought it down to 5.1%. The reasons for the actual decrease lie in the many national policies and programmes that have been implemented and are described below. The situation is worse in the capital than it is in the rest of Austria: 15% of year-olds in Vienna are early school leavers. According to the OECD (e.g. Härtel/Steiner 2011), early school leaving (ESL) is an issue in the education policy debate in Austria. In recent years, several studies were commissioned (e.g. by government ministries or employer and employee federations) to explain and prevent ESL. Awareness of the social and economic consequences of inadequate education led to the formulation of a 6% ESL benchmark by 2020 in the Strategy for lifelong learning (LLL 2020) paper commissioned by several Austrian government ministries. There have been two main political initiatives to prevent ESL and provide early school leavers with a second chance: 1) A program promoting basic education/basic skills and an adult education initiative offering 12,400 people the opportunity to finish school or acquire a basic education free of charge between 2012 and 2014 were put in place. 2) This new safety net has also been improved and substantially extended in accordance with the Austrian Youth Training Guarantee Act (Jugendausbildungssicherungsgesetz). Young people who are unable to find a suitable apprenticeship when they leave school are offered guidance and apprenticeships outside the private sector. Alongside these efforts and in line with EU recommendations (2011/C 210/03), Austria has established a common form of school (Neue Mittelschule) for all 10 to 14- year-olds, which should help both to increase equal opportunities in education and tackle school drop-out rates. However, it is also argued that the new school might perpetuate the tracking found in the old system. The ESL problem merits special attention in this context, as the risk of poverty is especially high for school dropouts. A new teacher training (PädagogInnenbildung NEU) concept introduces completely September 2013 I 8

13 new structures and processes in basic training and further education for the teaching profession. A core element in this concept is an individualized learning and development process for students that begins in the very early stages of their schooling and extends through to upper and post-secondary education. A new understanding of personal support for all students is another key element in this concept. Coaching and mentoring programmes for specific target or risk groups and multiprofessional teams for secondary levels 1 and 2 have been established in line with actual needs. In the 2012/13 school year, a youth coaching programme will be introduced nationwide to help young people complete school or vocational training programmes and prevent them from dropping out early. Since 2008, the percentage of afternoon care places for 6-14 year-olds has been increased by 40%. This corresponds to 95,000 additional places. As defined in LLL 2020, an obligatory, free-of-charge kindergarten year has been introduced for all children over the age of five. Young people who are not capable of completing a full/regular apprenticeship or who need special support can now complete an integrative vocational education. They have the option of only completing some parts of this programme (on an individual curriculum basis) and/or are given up to two years longer to complete it in full. Second chance schools offer people with no qualifications the opportunity to obtain a compulsory school leaving certificate. People who have completed compulsory schooling but did not obtain a qualification that entitled them to a place at university or in tertiary education (apprenticeship, intermediate technical and vocational schools), or who did not complete secondary level schooling (ESLs or dropouts) can enrol in an AHS (academic secondary school) or full-time intermediate technical or vocational school for adults/people in employment. These schools use the same curricula and provide the same education as regular schools. They are run by the same schools and teachers, but classes are held in the evening. After four years of successful participation in such a school, students obtain a university entrance qualification. These second chance schools are part of the standard, formal education system. The second main route to an upper secondary qualification the vocational matriculation exam (Berufsreifeprüfung) for people with lower qualifications (usually apprenticeships) is partly implemented in the non-formal system. It provides the qualification needed to enter university/tertiary education. People who have completed an apprenticeship or intermediate technical/vocational school and dropouts who have successfully completed at least grade 3 at higher technical/vocational college and have three years of work experience are entitled to take the Berufsreifeprüfung, which consists of written and oral exams in German, maths, a living foreign language and a vocational subject of their own choice. Students who pass the exam can study any subject at university. The Studienberechtigungsprüfung introduced for the same target group also entitles students to a place at university. This place is however restricted to the actual examination discipline. The Berufsmatura (apprenticeship with upper secondary leaving certificate) lets apprentices sit the vocational university entrance qualification exam during their apprenticeship. There are also private schools which provide university entrance qualification courses. Here, the exams are taken in front of an external commission. Students who pass the exam can study any subject at university. September 2013 I 9

14 History / background to developing the initiative The Chancen-Pool (literally: Opportunities Pool ) project was established six years ago in the state of Vorarlberg. Its goal is to establish a central register of all young people who do not already have a place in further education at the end of compulsory schooling or who have dropped out of further education or an apprenticeship. The project helps young people on the Chancen-Pool register to find a place in further education by offering them career counselling, advice on education options, coaching or a place on one of the training programmes run by the Public Employment Service (Arbeitsmarktservice, AMS). Chancen-Pool covers the whole of Vorarlberg (inhabitants: 372,590, March ) and plays a pioneering role in this sector in Austria. The idea behind the project was to find a solution to the problem that many young people each year do not succeed in making the transition from school to the dual further education system and therefore run the risk of becoming early school leavers. Target groups The young people who receive assistance through Chancen-Pool are between the ages of 15 and 20 and have had difficulties in finding an apprenticeship position and/or completing their schooling. They have different levels of prior school or work experience. The spectrum ranges here from young people who have never even applied for an apprenticeship through to others who have previously taken up and later dropped out of an apprenticeship. The project also covers young people who have dropped out of a vocational middle or upper secondary school. However, the majority of participants are young people who are looking to take up an apprenticeship when they leave school. Most of the people on the register have attended either a secondary modern (Hauptschule), new secondary school (Neue Mittelschule) or polytechnic (Polytechnische Schule). They often come from disadvantaged backgrounds (lower socioeconomic status). Around 40-45% of the participants in the programme have a migration background. The gender ratio is balanced. Particularly noticeable is the fact that many of the young people show a clear lack of career orientation. One particular group of participants also has a very narrow picture of their future careers or illusions of taking up careers which are essentially beyond their actual skills or abilities. The young people on the Chancen-Pool register are often burdened by problems in their domestic situations and are therefore not able to concentrate on their further education. In such cases, the project focuses on helping them to resolve these problems, if necessary with the support of a social worker. Open forms of youth work, e.g. street work, have proved an effective means of winning over hard to reach groups. Young people who spend their free time in youth centres or public places can often be encouraged by street or social workers to take part in the Chancen-Pool project. Chancen-Pool counsellors also visit youth centres to establish contact with young people. The relevance of community youth officers, who frequently have good connections to young people in their area, should also be emphasised in this context. Community youth officers and volunteers collect information on young people who refuse the support of the project. In such cases, these young people often only agree to take part in the Chancen-Pool project after they have worked for a period with a social worker. The education and career counselling offered reaches its limits when it September 2013 I 10

15 becomes clear that a young person requires medical or psychotherapeutic help. Key features of the provision and institutional setting Potential Chancen-Pool clients are recorded in the central register, which is managed by a State Career Orientation Coordinator. This coordinator is also responsible for assigning Chancen-Pool clients to appropriate career and education counsellors. Chancen-Pool works in close cooperation with secondary moderns, new secondary schools and polytechnics. All secondary modern and new secondary schools have a dedicated member of staff on site to coordinate career guidance. These coordinators are also responsible for providing career guidance classes and forwarding the details of at risk pupils to the Chancen-Pool state coordinator. The state coordinator collects the data, enters it in the Chancen-Pool register and plans the next steps needed to provide each client with optimal support. Education and career counselling is provided either directly in schools or in Chancen- Pool advice centres. In exceptional cases, clients are also provided with access to additional, external career counsellors. These work with the young person to draw up a clearly structured individual plan of action which contains detailed daily and weekly schedules with targets, arrangements for internships or work experience, interview coaching and preparation in dealing with rejections. Further support is provided by community officers and volunteers, who serve as mentors and provide clients with local support and information. These community officers have specific knowledge in this field and contacts to the job market. The Chancen-Pool project itself has already gone through an extensive development process. In addition to the basic elements of the project described above, there are now individual programmes in place for specific target groups: young people who already clearly have little chance of obtaining a place in further education at the beginning of a school year receive extra support from Chancen-Pool throughout the year. So-called start-up checks have also proved a successful preventive measure. The target group for such checks are pupils at secondary modern, new secondary schools and polytechnics who are in their 9th, 10th or 11th year of compulsory schooling and have produced poor grades in German, maths and English. They can take a computer-based test at the beginning of the school year to determine whether they have the ability to complete an apprenticeship training programme. Those pupils whose test results indicate a need for further learning or qualifications are provided with a programme specially tailored to their needs or receive external coaching free of charge. The pupils can take the test again the following term to determine their progress. The programme is publicly funded. The primary sources of funding are the state government of Vorarlberg and the AMS. Local councils, schools, school authorities, AMS, the apprenticeship bureaus at the chambers of commerce and labour, open youth and street work services, social services and clearing offices are all important partners in the Chancen-Pool project. As a preventive measure against ESL, some of the counselling takes place directly in schools. Those pupils who need support are made known to the on-site counsellors and receive support throughout the school year. Care is taken to keep the number of September 2013 I 11

16 pupils per counsellor as low as possible. So-called risk pupils receive counselling on a regular basis. Young people recorded in the register (see FEA) receive counselling outside school in the Chancen-Pool offices. Social workers, staff from youth facilities and/or people with experience in dealing with young people (e.g. psychologists) can also recommend potential Chancen-Pool clients. The counsellors apply a systemic, results-oriented approach. The young person s background and environment (parents, school, peers) are also involved in the counselling. The focus here is systemic and aimed at achieving results. Scientifically proven tests like aptitude tests and analyses of potential are also used. Key success factors One success factor is the professional level of the counsellors, who have a tertiary education qualification and attend regular training courses. Before a counsellor begins working with Chancen-Pool, he/she has to complete a two-year training programme, regardless of whether he/she has already worked as a counsellor. Both the counselling work and the training provided are targeted at the specific needs and objectives of the program. The majority of such training is provided in-house by external experts. This has led to the acquisition of a great deal by the Chancen-Pool team over the last few years. Other important elements include the close cooperation between all persons involved in a case, the coordination of systems and the strong networking activities across the state. Despite this, each local authority has sought to establish its own particular way of implementing the concept to the best possible effect. When, for example, around 20 young people in the city of Bregenz are without a place in further education or training, all partners in the network (e.g. school social workers, AMS employees and everyone who is in contact with the young people in question) get together to discuss the individual cases and determine how to provide them with optimal support. Managing to motivate the young people is a central success factor: the young people are encouraged and motivated by the focus on their individual needs and strengths in the counselling. Particular attention is given to their needs and the requirements that qualified them for the programme. Their personal preferences are also taken seriously. Professional learning assistance has also proved its merit, because an improvement in scholastic achievement also improves a pupil s chance of finding an apprenticeship. This is complemented by the state-wide network of 44 community officers. More and more of these community officers see themselves not just as a first point of call, but instead look for and find apprenticeship places in the local community, maintain contacts with schools in their area and act in a coaching capacity. They represent additional social capital for the young people they deal with. A particular aspect that should be emphasised is the fact that someone is responsible for each young person on the register. Chancen-Pool maintains a custom-developed database of all registered young people which includes details of the respective responsible contact persons. This information is kept constantly up-to-date, and all steps taken in a particular case are documented in the database. Chancen-Pool activities are documented each year in an annual report. According to this report, 822 young people were added to the Chancen-Pool register in Of these, 388 entered an apprenticeship and 11 took up some other form of employment. 77 elected to continue with their education in the school system, 57 September 2013 I 12

17 gained an additional qualification through an AMS programme, 47 rejected further support from Chancen-Pool, 156 could no longer be reached (after four attempts) and 86 remain on the programme. The level of satisfaction with the support offered was assessed by means of a quantitative questionnaire. The results show that the majority of young people on the programme are very satisfied with what is on offer. Perspectives on transferability Secondary moderns, new secondary schools and polytechnics should use school coordinators for career guidance, aptitude testing and the identification of apprenticeship places. These coordinators should use tests and pupil surveys/questionnaires to identify problem cases and begin working with such pupils to draw up appropriate plans for their future by the beginning of their final year at school at the latest. Furthermore, pupils who are likely to have difficulties in deciding what they want to do and finding an apprenticeship place should be encouraged to contact the organisation set up to help them in this phase. Tutor and mentor systems should also be included in the network. Teacher training should include modules on career and further education guidance, coaching, tutoring, mentoring and networking to create a scenario in which at least one teacher at every school has such skills or competences and can assume the corresponding functions in a professional capacity. Central aspects of these approaches are individual support, personal support and sustainability. To achieve lasting, long-term effects, individual motivation and action plans are particularly important in the case of disadvantaged young people. Professional measures should be taken to teach them how to plan their own (career) development and skills while they are still at school. These measures can also be embedded in safety nets, albeit with the support and involvement of existing institutions. September 2013 I 13

18 France September 2013 I 14

19 2.0 France Country France Name of 2 nd chance provision Level of education Type of institution Location (city and borough) Background information: country context Ecole de la 2ème Chance (E2C) Champagne-Ardenne (Second Chance School) Réseau des Ecoles de la 2ème Chance en France (Network of Second Chance Schools in France) Young people (16-25) without any diploma or qualification School belonging to a national network of Second Chance Schools; the management of the national network is located next to the E2C Champagne-Ardenne Châlons-en-Champagne, Champagne-Ardenne Region The origin of Second Chance Schools (Ecole de la 2eme Chance E2C) is to be found at European level, with the publication of the White Paper (Green Book) of Edith Cresson in It highlighted the main principles of Second Chance Schools and financed ten test-projects throughout Europe for the period In France, the first Ecole de la 2ème Chance was opened in Marseille in After that period, the funding was continued at national level. Two institutions were created: In 1999, the ten cities originally selected by the European Commission created the E2C Europe association, which is a network for exchanges and for the promotion of the concept in Europe. All the Second Chance Schools created since have joined the network. Today the network still exists but is not very active; In 2002, Edith Cresson created the Foundation for Second Chance Schools, which aims at promoting the concept and financing pedagogical projects for Second Chance Schools. France is the country with the highest number of Second Chance Schools (more than 100 sites). After Marseille, six schools were created between 1997 and They then gathered into an Association to develop a Charter of Fundamental Principles. According to the six main principles, a Second Chance School: (i) is an institution supported by local and territorial public authorities; (ii) has the objective of ensuring the professional and social integration of young people with specific problems; (iii) works in close partnership with the private sector; (iv) does not provide diplomas, but seeks to certify acquired competencies; (v) supports and accompanies the personal and professional projects of the selected students; (vi) works in collaboration with all the stakeholders active with their target group. This Charter is a specificity of the French system. Between 2007 and 2009, several institutional and legal measures were taken: Law of March 2007 (art of the Education Code): the specificity of Second Chance Schools is recognised; the target-group is composed of young people aged years old; Law of August 2008 and early 2009: Second Chance Schools can collect training levy; the process of certification is recognised by both the Ministries of Education September 2013 I 15

20 and Employment; Circular of May 2009, which ensures the financial support of the State for the development of Second Chance Schools, for up to 30% of their budget; potential conventions between Regions and the State, for the funding of Second Chance Schools. Following the publication of this Circular, the development of Second Chance Schools has been very significant, with an increase of 40% per year during three years (almost one school per department); Inter-ministerial circular of 9 February 2011: informs the different State services of the practical terms of implementation of the battle against early school leaving. Ministries of Education and Agriculture, Local Missions, the Job Seekers Agency, as well as actors from the consular chambers, are invited to propose educational solutions for all young people of 16 or more, who would drop out of the education system, or who could not find a solution adapted to his/her wishes from curriculum counselling at the end of the school year. Report of IGAS (General Inspectorate of Social Affairs) of November 2011, following a study by a Group of experts ( ), which proposes to double the number of Second Chance Schools; Recommendation of the European Parliament in December 2011, which pleads for a refocusing of funds towards the group specifically targeted by Second Chance Schools. The four main activities of the national Network of Second Chance Schools are the following: Certification: Management of the Second Chance brand and the process of certification of candidate schools, evolution of the Charter of Fundamental Principles; Competencies: Evaluation and validation of the training path of the students on the basis of the certification of acquired competencies; Mutualisation: Annual meetings between students and pedagogical teams (teachers and support staff) to exchange experiences and share best practices; Development: Implementation of feasibility studies for the creation of new Second Chance Schools, and provision of support for active members. Since 2010, the funding of Second Chance Schools has been organised as follows: one third by Regional Councils (regional level); one third by the State; one third by the ESF, County Councils, training levy, sponsorship and other. The funding can be very different from one school to another. At the end of August 2012, the network was composed of 42 members, which manage more than 100 sites in 22 regions and 48 departments. In total, there were 11,454 students in 2011 and 13,916 in 2012 (prospective figures from 2011). Second Chance Schools almost cover the entire French territory, but are concentrated especially in the North and East regions (traditional industrial regions in decline with high levels of unemployment). Background information: locality context The Champagne-Ardenne region is characterised by a rural population (51% of the population); only one city has more than 100,000 inhabitants. The majority of the cities in the region consist of sensitive urban areas characterised by a high concentration of social and economic problems, and one of the highest levels of social housing in France. Champagne-Ardenne is also characterised by an ageing population, a negative net migration, a declining industrial sector and an unemployment rate which is higher than the national average, especially for young people below 25 years September 2013 I 16

21 old. In 2012 (second semester), the unemployment rate was slightly higher than ten per cent in the region. In terms of early school leaving, the situation of the Region is relatively encouraging, because it is one of the lowest levels in France and below the national level, estimated at approximately five per cent. In response to this general situation and to the inter-ministerial circular of February 2011, the Region set up pro-active policies to combat early school leaving. In 2011, 11 platforms to combat early school leaving have been set up; their management has been given to the directors of information and orientation centres, under the guidance of the directors of departmental services of national education, and under the authority of the Prefect (high level civil servant representing the State in departments). In March 2011, these centres have been taking care of 4,900 young people from the region, i.e. 4.5% of the young people reaching 16 years old without a diploma, who are no longer in school or not registered in school and/or apprenticeship for the following year. The Academy of Reims (capital of the Champagne-Ardenne region) has been performing well, notably due to its pro-active policy in this domain (set up of surveillance and monitoring mechanisms, General Mission of Integration, preventive hosting of pupils at risk of dropping out, and setting up platforms of access to qualifications, etc.). The academy also tested out a mechanism of School hosting and assessment sessions (SAS-Assessment). In 2010, 205 young people have been hosted in high schools with SAS-Assessment measure, and 88% of those pupils went back to initial education at the end of the year. In September 2011, 515 pupils (including 208 girls) have been hosted by this mechanism across the entire region: 83,5% of them started again with initial education afterwards. Second Chance Schools in the Region, which do not aim at combating early school leaving directly, but rather at finding solutions for pupils dropping out of school, are described in detail below. History / background to developing the initiative The E2C Champagne-Ardenne is one of the three components of the Centre Alfor, an associative management organisation which ensures the running and the management of decentralised and autonomous training activities, either directly or in partnership. Created in 1976 by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Champagne-Ardenne, the Centre Alfor is composed of trade associations and trade unions, which form the board of directors. The General Director of the Centre is also the President of the national Network of Second Chance Schools. The Centre Alfor has a staff of 115 trainers and a budget of 16 million. It receives more than 5,500 people for training each year, in its three main activities: CFA Interpro de la Marne (training of apprentices); Logistere (engineering training); and E2C Champagne-Ardenne. The general aim of the Centre Alfor is to host and support all target groups in acquiring the necessary competencies for their social and professional integration, as independent citizens and in the labour market. The three key objectives of the centre are to: (i) Mobilise: socialisation and acquisition of fundamental skills; (ii) Qualify: specific qualifications and competencies required for a given job; and (iii) Integrate: integration and development in social and professional life. The rationale behind putting these three structures within the same umbrella organisation is to share funds and have common financial and human resources (same premises, staff, etc.). The Second Chance School of Champagne-Ardenne was created in 2002, thanks to September 2013 I 17

22 the political will of the Region, and following the first experience in Marseille (1997). It is now one of the largest E2Cs in France, hosting almost 1,000 young people without qualifications or jobs (912 in 2011). The school is composed of 11 sites, divided into 11 labour pools across the districts in the region: Chalons-en-Champagne; Saint- Dizier; Charleville-Mézieres; Romilly-sur-Seine; Montcy-Notre-Dame; Troyes; Reims; Rethel; Chaumont, Vouzier and Sedan. The Second Chance School of Châlons-en- Champagne manages all the Second Chance Schools of the Region, and ensures that they all respect the fundamental principles and the quality requirements of the national Network of Second Chance Schools. This E2C is certified (ISO 9001 and Second Chance School label). It is financed by the State, the Champagne-Ardenne Region, the ESF and for a small part by the training levy paid by companies. Its objective is to provide professional training for young people between 16 and 25 years old, without a diploma or qualifications. Local Missions (local associations financed by the State, the Regions and local authorities helping young people to find a job or a training course) direct the young people towards the E2C. The young people who are being integrated into the School are supported by both a referral-trainer within the School and a referral person in the Local Mission. The aim is to continuously support the young people without interruption, so that he/she can achieve a sustainable integration in block-release training or a job. There are no formal entrance barriers to the School, only the motivation of the young people themselves. Target groups At national level, the average age of the target group is 20.5 years old. Gender equality is observed (51% of female and 49% of male), while the difference between rural (19%) and urban groups (81% including 39% from priority neighbourhoods) is dramatic. 92% of the young people have not completed level five of education (equivalent to the ninth year of compulsory general education or the non-completion of a first level professional diploma), and 60% have no previous professional experience. Furthermore, 19% of the students have been classed as job seekers for more than a year, and 2% are in disabled. The average age of the target group is different in each school; it depends on the regional economic context and the requirements of the funders. Several sites target young people between 18 and 25 years old, while others focus on the target group. The national average is years old. At local level, the E2C of Champagne-Ardenne targets all young people, male and female, between 16 and 25 years old, with no diploma or qualification, and who have left school for more than a year. Apart from these criteria, the only condition for entering the school is the individual motivation of the young people to engage in a social and professional integration scheme, and accept the constraints and environment of the school. 58% never had a prior professional experience. Moreover, 5% do not have French nationality, and 2% are classed as disabled workers. In the Champagne-Ardenne region, Second Chance Schools host an urban target group in majority (79%), including 30% of people from troubled neighbourhoods (quartiers Politique de la Ville ). However, in the sites located in the most rural areas (Rethel, Romilly-sur-Seine and Chaumont), the target group is essentially composed of rural young people. The evolution of the number of students in this E2C has been positive since its creation: 624 in 2007; 627 in 2008 (+1%); 699 in 2009 (+10%); 862 in 2010 (+19%); 912 in 2011 (+6%). September 2013 I 18

23 Key features of the provision and institutional setting Second Chance Schools target young people without any diploma, qualification or professional project, at risk of long term exclusion from the labour market and social life (dependency, delinquency and marginalisation problems). Their objective is to engage those young people in steps towards a professional experience, a concrete qualification, access to the job market and professional recognition. The vocabulary used is different than in initial education: teachers are called referral-trainers and pupils are called interns or students. The basic key functioning principles are common to all Second Chance Schools: Individualised training path: Autonomy of the student, permanent monitoring and follow-up by a referral trainer, possibility of starting at any time of the year; Dedicated human resources: Teachers and support staff are totally dedicated to the students; all the stakeholders concerned (pedagogical staff, referral-trainers, companies, etc.) work together to ensure the success of the students; Unified training path: The support provided to the students does not stop at any time, since they are continuously supported throughout their training path. Students are also financially supported throughout their training (approx. 400 euros per month); Block-release training: Almost 50% of the students training is done in private sector companies, where they acquire concrete and practical experiences of working life. Their professional project is developed with their referral-trainer and the company, and the experiences acquired are validated at the end. However, each school has its own specificities and practices differ from one school to another (with adaptation to the regional labour market needs). Annual meetings provide the opportunity for the teaching and non-pedagogical staff to learn from these differences and exchange good practices. There are different types of pedagogy relating to the approach developed by the E2C, based on an individualised training path of between 6 and 18 months: 1. Pedagogy of the contract, in order to make the students aware of their responsibilities: they start with a trial period of one month, during which the school learns about the newcomers (background, family environment, socio-economic situation), who are followed by a vocational guidance counsellor. Students can try different fields and do initial training in this trial period. Afterwards they sign a commitment contract according to which they must respect the rules of the school. During this period they acquire fundamental skills and develop their individualised training plan; 2. Active pedagogy based on concrete activities and raising awareness of the environment (visits to institutions such as the Parliament, learning how to read a bus schedule, management of a budget during field trips, etc.). Each student is individually supported by a referral-trainer throughout the time spent in the school; 3. Pedagogy of success, with the objective of valuing students and bringing students forward. Each student is systematically encouraged towards his/her achievement, and possesses a competence report book where he/she can note all the completed training and the abilities learned. During their stay in the school, students can try different professional orientations through internships, and therefore develop their professional orientation and integration. September 2013 I 19

24 This approach relates to three phases of integration considered by Second Chance Schools: (i) Pre-requisite phase, with the objective of socialising, pre-qualifying and developing a professional project for students (50% of the time spent in the school, 50% in companies); (ii) Qualification phase through a professional training, with the objective of giving a professional qualification to students (regular monitoring of the school); (iii) Social and professional integration phase, with the objective of maintaining the students in employment (post-training path follow-up by the school during one year). The training path is organised without interruption, following four main steps: (i) Evaluation of the student and elaboration of a training plan; (ii) Development of the student s project; (iii) Confirmation of the professional project; and (iv) Plan for a qualifying integration. Throughout the training path, there are continuous refreshment courses for students (French, Mathematics, IT), who also acquire socio-professional skills (mobility, team work) and can start building a portfolio of skills. The teaching staff have very different backgrounds compared to those in initial education. They are recruited based on their profiles, but also on their previous experiences (knowledge of the labour market and private sector) and their motivation to work with a particular target group. Teachers generally have a background in professional integration, curriculum counselling, education and training. Referraltrainers work with students to give them basic skills and help them define their professional project. Each referral-trainer is responsible for 15 students maximum. There are also educational coordinators (with a background in specialised education or sport education), who organise extra-curricular activities, such as visits to institutions and museums, sports activities, field trips, learning about companies or jobs, etc. At national level, the Network of Second Chance Schools benefits from the support of several institutional and private sector partners: Assembly of French Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Ministry of Equality of the Territories and Housing; Foundation of Second Chance Schools; Groupe La Poste; Fondation EDF; Unibail Rodamco (private companies). At local level, the Second Chance School also works with a variety of partners: institutions (European Commission, State, Regions, etc.); private sector companies (SNCF, EDF, La Poste, AGEFOS PME, MEDEF, Pro BTP, Memorial Charles de Gaulle); regional and national networks of Second Chance Schools (Centre Alfor, Local Missions, Edith Cresson s Foundation, European association of Second Chance Schools). In 2011, 1,218 companies agreed to select students from the E2C Champagne-Ardenne for internships and traineeships. The distribution of partners by sector is as follows: Trade (475 companies); Services (175); Hotel business (151); Construction (146); Other (133); Industry (28); Agriculture (24); and Logistical transport (20). More students are hired in the Trade sector (30% of the total) and the Hotel business (18% of the total). Employment in the Services and Construction sectors has increased in 2011, while employment in the agricultural sector decreased significantly. 81% of the students are employed in SMEs of less than 50 employees, on the one hand because they constitute the structure of the local economy, on the other hand because these organisations are the best placed to ensure a proper monitoring and integration of the students. Private sector companies are crucial for second chance schools and play various roles: financial or strategic support within the management board; partner for the pedagogical training path; evaluation of the competencies of students; simulation of job interviews; active collaboration with the school (concrete presentation of jobs: working hours, September 2013 I 20

25 wages, recruitment, etc). Companies and the school work together to offer relevant opportunities to their target group. Key success factors At national level, some of the key success factors identified are the following: Increasing the basic education standards of students from the beginning of their training path, so that they can acquire the basic skills needed in any job (French, Mathematics, IT skills, civic and social behaviour); Strong links and partnerships with private sector companies, industrial sites, institutional partners and centres for training of apprentices are crucial: Second Chance Schools play the role of intermediary between companies and students, who can gain real immersion in the private sector and practical hands-on experiences; Social and professional integration, especially through the opportunities given to students to visit companies, meet professionals, discover different jobs and have concrete experiences in the private sector; Possibility for the students to build their own professional project, and to be the main actor of their personal and professional development. As far as the E2C Champagne-Ardenne is concerned, the identified success factors are as follows: Change of environment and appropriation of the site by the students, who sometimes feel like they are part of a family ; Individualised training and curriculum (classrooms in U-shape, where each student receives his/her own dedicated exercises based on his/her level); Permanent monitoring and regular individual meetings with teachers; close relationships with pedagogical and non-pedagogical staff (open-door policy); The system is based on the resolution of personal and social problems as a first priority, before building the professional project of students as the second priority; Allocation of a dedicated referral-trainer for each student, who acts as a personal coach, a psychologist, a social support, almost like a father ; Half of the time spent in companies, through visits, meetings, trainings and apprenticeships; Students are considered as adults and made aware of their responsibilities (e.g. if they are late, they may lost part of their monthly salary ); It is an innovative concept of education, which combines a variety of activities: cultural visits, raising awareness of the local environment, specially adapted training, close relationships with staff, etc. Perspectives on transferability The success factors that could be transferred from second chance to initial education are listed here: individualised monitoring of the learner, personalised support, extracurricular support and advice, availability of the teachers and non-pedagogical staff. It also seems possible to reinforce the links between schools and the private sector, for instance through meetings with professionals, visits of companies, daily immersion training, etc. The teachers and professors in initial education could be recruited from a broader variety of backgrounds and profiles, in order to be able to adapt their teaching methods, and therefore be closer to the students expectations. However, transferability to initial education seems difficult in many ways: small size classrooms are rarely available; one to one relationships, as well as personalised and privileged relationships between students and teachers, are rarely possible; it is difficult September 2013 I 21

26 to detect children with particular problems in initial education system, given that they are part of a larger group. Other issues, such as the lack of time to advise and support students individually, and insufficient financial means, also limit the possibilities of transfer to initial education. Furthermore, the principles of initial education are based on objectives and results to be achieved, for both teachers and students. This is not the case at all Second Chance Schools, where there are no objectives, marks or any type of assessment system. The only assessment for students is either assimilated, being learned or nonassimilated. Interviewees tend to say that initial education is not innovative enough and not ready to accept new forms of teaching, learning or evaluation. The particular profile of the students targeted makes it difficult to transfer the good practice of second chance schools into mainstream schools and initial education. September 2013 I 22

27 Country France Name of 2 nd chance provision Micro-lycées 93 Level of education ISCED 3 Type of institution Location (city and borough) Second chance provision within the mainstream school Paris (académie de Créteil) Background information: country context Early school leaving in France was 11.6% in 2012 and remained relatively stable during the last decade according to Eurostat data. As in most EU Member States boys are more likely to leave school early then girls. The ESL rate for boys was 13.4% in 2012 and it was 9.8% for girls. 1 The ESL rate in France is lower then the EU average but still above the Europe 2020 target of 10%. According to national data for 2010, some 3% of all ESL left school at lower secondary education (collège), 8% drop out from general upper secondary education (lycée) and 20% drop out from upper secondary professional schools (lycée professionnel). 2 Similarly, as in other Member States covered by the study, the reasons for ESL are diverse and it is often a result of the complex situation that young people are facing. Among the key reasons for ESL in France are learning difficulties and class repetitions, school schedules not allowing sufficient time for developing learners interests, not sufficiently developed public transport (especially in certain areas), insufficient attention to guidance and support in vocational secondary schools, the tendency to devalue school and difficulties related to social and economic environment. 3 According to the Ministry of Education, reducing early school leaving and ensuring that each young person has the opportunity to develop their professional career as well as preventing social exclusion is a priority of school education. In addition, the Ministry set the objective to provide opportunity for 20,000 young people to return to education before the end of The measures to prevent ESL in France could be grouped into those that target young people under the age of 16 (compulsory education) and those that target young people over the age of 16. The measures to prevent ESL at compulsory education include such initiatives as promoting innovation and experimentation in education. 1 Eurostat, Early leavers from education and training, %. Available at: 2 Pierre Antonmattei and Annie Fouquet (2011), La lutte contre l absenteisme et le decrochage scolaires. Available at : chage_scolaires_octobre_20112.pdf 3 Ibid. 4 Information provided on the website of the French Ministry of Education: September 2013 I 23

28 The innovation has been promoted since 2005 and is funded through national as well as local funding sources. The Ministry of Education increasingly supports research into which of such practices make a difference in combatting ESL. 1 Measures to understand the situation of learners in order to ensure that they can re-enter their studies through appropriate apprenticeships are implemented for young people under 16 years old. Finally, a number of support measures have been implemented including: personalised support; classes et atelier relais that target young people at risk of dropping out, taking them out of school on a temporary basis and giving them individualised teaching and support designed to return them to mainstream schooling; open school initiative providing opportunity to come to school during holiday periods, Wednesday evenings and Saturdays; and introduction to different professions and different educational pathways. 2 There are number of preventative measures dedicated to young people over 16 years old. These include such measures as action plans to prevent illiteracy, a qualifications framework defining what a young person should know at different levels of education, personalised learning, school reform, actions to prevent truancy, prevention of bullying and others. In addition, specific measures are being implemented to prevent ESL for those who are above compulsory school age together with all stakeholders of the education system and family members. Similarly, as is the case for younger learners, educational innovation plays an important role in this regard. Some more specific measures include: personalised support of two hours per week; placements for students who are willing to change their educational pathways; individualised career guidance provided for students who choose vocational pathways; new organisations dedicated to provide support for those young people who have already dropped out of school; and digital databases available for schools in order to better monitor attendance. 3 The project for new law according to which the school reform will take place foresees new actions for preventing ESL. The key focus is related to development of early intervention and promotion of collaborative work that brings together schools, third sector and community in the efforts to prevent ESL. 4 Significant attention in France is given to development of compensation measures which provide opportunities for those young people who dropped out of school to reengage with education. For example, the information-sharing system has been in place since 2011 in order to improve monitoring of ESL. 5 The support system for ESL has been revised recently and the general mission of insertion (missions générales d'insertion) became missions for combating ESL (mission de lutte contre le décrochage (MLDS)). The key aims of the MLDS are to prevent ESL, to facilitate access to qualifications and to support access to educational pathways. They provide advice and support for teachers, senior management team and other school staff in development of preventative measures as well as in providing education for those young people who have already dropped out. In addition, they play a key role in setting up the new network Education, Qualifications, Work (Formation Qualification Emploi, FEQUALE) 1 Eduscol website: 2 Ministry of Education (2013), La lutte contre le décrochage scolaire. Available at : 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. 5 September 2013 I 24

29 which provides guidance and support for finding education or training opportunities for young people who dropped out from school. They also contribute to assessing the education and support needs for young people. The key aim of the new network is to increase the cooperation between different centres providing support for young people and increase the effectiveness of support provided. 1 The government has strong involvement in organising and funding public education in France. It is responsible for defining curricula, organising the teachers' admissions procedure and recruiting teachers who become civil servants, providing them with inservice training; it recruits and trains inspectors, responsible for controlling the quality of the education system. Education is compulsory for young people between 6-16 years old. In addition, a large majority of children attended pre-primary education in nurseries since the age of 3. The general education lasts until the age of 15 in France (ISCED 2) during which all young people learn the same subjects. The first stage of specialisation starts at the end of collège (lower secondary education) when young people choose to attend either a general and technological lycée or a professional lycée. Both types of school prepare young people to take the school leaving certificate (baccalauréat) which last for three years. The baccalauréat diploma (general, technological or vocational) marks the end of secondary education and opens up access to higher education. 2 Background information: locality context Académie de Créteil is the local educational authority at the outskirts of Paris. Its role is to implement national educational policies at local level. It is a second biggest académie in terms of the population size in France (4.1m). 3 It is a very diverse area and has high levels of unemployment and deprivation. Early school leaving is a significant problem in this académie and during the school year it is estimated that 20,000 young people out of 360,000 over the age of 16 left school without gaining the school leaving certificate 4. The local authority puts significant effort on reducing ESL. One of the core principles of its educational policy is to ensure that all young people are able to succeed in their learning journeys. The action plan to address school difficulties was established in It includes measures that aim to prevent ESL and includes actions in such areas as: ensuring that all young people develop sufficient competencies needed to pursue their education and especially obtain sufficient competencies in basic skills; personalising support and guidance; and contextualising learning and adapting it to the interests and needs of the learner. 5 Similarly, an action plan for addressing learning difficulties at professional secondary schools was put in place in Some 1 Ministry of Education (2013), La lutte contre le décrochage scolaire. Available at : 2 Eurydice website: 3 Académie de Créteil website: 4 Jerôme Teillard (2012), Presentation at the conference Reducing Early School Leaving. Available at: 5 Académie de Créteil (2012), Plan de lutte contre la difficulté scolaire tout au long de l école du socle. Available at : September 2013 I 25

30 8 priorities were identified for addressing the issue of ESL for the next academic year (2013/2014) including 1 : Establishing a group for preventing ESL in each school. Its aim is to coordinate resources available at the school and within the local authority in order to address issues that young people face and support them to remain in education. Development of individual pathways for young people at the end of lower secondary education (around 13 years old). Strengthening the support for young people starting their upper secondary education. Strengthening links with parents. Providing pathways and possibilities for receiving professional experience within the same district that would allow young people to change profession during the same or following academic year. Provide young people who dropped out of school to enter education during the same academic year. To avoid the situation where the young person has no opportunities to continue their education in September. Provide opportunity to come back to school for those young people who do not pass their final exams. In addition, reducing early school leaving is an important priority in the Île-de-France region. Since 2001 the programme Réussite pour tous has been implemented with the aim of reducing early school leaving and developing second chance education for those who have already dropped out. The programme provides funding for a wide range of initiatives that address the issues of ESL including personalised support, development of self-esteem and teaching basic skills. This programme also provides funding to micro-lycées. Recently, the commitment to reduce ESL in the region has been reaffirmed and the annual action plan for combatting against ESL was adopted in The key aims of this initiative are to provide personalised support for young people at risk of ESL, develop education pathways and initial vocational education opportunities in cooperation among regional and local authorities as well as other stakeholders and encourage young people to return to education. The annual budget of 2m per year is allocated for the implementation of the programme. 2 History / background to developing the initiative The idea to establish micro-lycées initially was developed as an initiative by teachers who were working in the mainstream schools and saw the need to provide the opportunity for young people who left school without qualifications to come back and to continue their education. This initiative was then supported by regional and local education authorities which made it possible to open the first micro-lycée in the académie de Créteil in As one teacher has put it: first the idea was developed as a teachers pedagogical initiative that received support from institutions and from this energy the first micro-lycée was established in 2000 followed by another two that were set up in the following years in the Créteil Academy. It was the micro-lycée of Sénart that was the first micro-lycée in this académie. 1 Académie de Créteil (2013), Priorities in combating against early school leaving. Available at : September 2013 I 26

31 The second micro-lycée was established in 2008 in Vitry-sur-Seine (94) and the micro-lycée 93 which was visited during the field work was the third micro-lycée established in the académie de Créteil. The third micro-lycée started its work in The following year one more micro-lycée started its work in the same local authority. All micro-lycées have been set up in different ways and there are some differences on how they work. In France, the school leaving certificate is very important not only for continuing education at a higher level but also for entering employment. Moreover, for young people who decided to drop out of school it is very difficult to come back to mainstream education especially if they have dropped out of school for more then a year and receive the school leaving certificate. Micro-lycées were established in order to address this issue and to provide opportunity to receive the mainstream school leaving certificate later on in life. The key aim is not to provide the opportunity for young people to enter into employment or continue their studies in vocational school but provide them with the opportunity to take part in general education. Target groups The target group is young people between year olds who dropped out of school without completing the last two years of school. The motivation for pursuing education after the completion of upper secondary education is a requirement for joining a micro-lycée and all young people who take part are motivated to complete general secondary education. Most of the young people who attend a micro-lycée stopped their studies in mainstream school at upper secondary level. Therefore, the interviewees emphasised that they do not have learning difficulties and could all receive the school leaving certificate. It is more likely that they dropped out because of personal, social or health related problems and where the school is not able to accommodate their difficulties, rather than due to learning difficulties. The micro-lycée 93 can host up to 45 people in total. During the academic year 39% of all young people who attended the micro-lycée were males and 61% females. The majority of them were between 18 and 21 years old. Some 57% of learners received a scholarship. The majority of young people (64%) came from the same local authority (départment 93), some 25% came from other departments in the same académie and the remaining 11% were living in Paris. More then half of young people (57%) found out about the micro-lycée while undertaking their own research. 1 This was also emphasised during the interviews with staff members who mentioned that young people tend to find the micro-lycée through their own research. They tend to look for opportunities to receive the school leaving certificate and try different options but often this does not seem possible. Many of them find information about micro-lycées on the internet and try to get in contact in order to find some more information. The interviews also emphasised that at micro-lycées young people come from very diverse family backgrounds which is rarely the case in mainstream schools. Therefore, there is a very diverse social group at micro-lycées. 1 Micro-lycée 93 (2011), Comité de pilotage. September 2013 I 27

32 Key features of the provision and institutional setting The micro-lycée is a scheme providing opportunity to obtain the upper secondary school leaving certificate (baccalaureat). It is co-located within the premises of a mainstream secondary school, with a common headship, and backed with a mix of local and national funding. Co-location allows for common headship, but with more specialist staffing accommodating the particular needs of the learners through smaller, group-based setting, with intensive learner support and more flexible learning methods. Micro-lycée 93 provides education for at two last years of secondary school. There were 11 teachers at the time of the field work and most of them also teach in mainstream schools. The majority of teachers teach in lycée Jacques Brel which where the micro-lycée is co-located. The micro-lycée is run on a day to day basis by two coordinators. It is supported by a pedagogical assistant who works at the micro-lycée full time and a clinical psychologist who spends 3 hours per week at the micro-lycée. In addition, support services that are available at the lycée Jacques Brel are also available for young people at the micro-lycée. Micro-lycées are an alternative scheme developed in France to address the problem of pupils leaving school early, and/or failing to achieve the baccalaureat degree at age 18. This is quite a specific problem in France, where the degree is universally accepted as being a minimum qualification to enter higher education and employment. The micro-lycée model is distinct from second chance education, which is also offered in France. Unlike second chance schools, which offer practical training and serve as a bridge into employment, the micro-lycées operate specifically to allow learners to return and attain the baccalaureate degree. This is done in a smaller, group-based setting, with intensive learner support and more flexible learning methods. However, the same curriculum is followed, and the end goal is to achieve the diploma qualification with equal status. Enrolment is voluntary. The scheme is advertised in the press, and prospective learners are invited to apply. They are interviewed to determine their suitability. Most learners have been ages 18 to 20, and have had a period out of the education system before they decide to re-engage. There has been less success with 15 or 16 year olds, who have usually reached a clear decision to leave their studies at the point of first becoming ESL and are more difficult to reach straight-away. The work of micro-lycée 93 focuses on three main areas 1 : Providing education. Micro-lycée on the one hand provides general education while on the other hand it needs to take into account different experiences of each learner and provide individualised support. To address this, two educational pathways are provided: education focusing on economic, social sciences and mathematics (ES) and education focusing on French, foreign languages, philosophy history-geography and the arts (L). The key characteristics of the pedagogical approaches used include a challenging schedule and small class sizes. The key tests take place at lycée Jacques Brel, significant attention is given to philosophy and plastic arts disciplines, evaluation is part of the learning which allows 1 Ibid. September 2013 I 28

33 achievements to be measured and there is a no exclusions policy. Social inclusion. Many young people have lost their links to the outside world since they dropped out of school. They often have difficult relations with their families and struggle to engage with other members of society. Therefore, social inclusion is another very important objective of the micro-lycée. The micro-lycée addresses this through developing strong community feeling at school. Young people need to re-establish such habits as getting up early, taking public transport, filling in forms, calling to let school know if they can not attend etc. Each young person has a mentor who they meet once per week and discuss any issues that are important for them. There is a personal record that is prepared together with the educational report. The former records issues related to personal development, while the latter focuses on educational achievements. Young people together with teachers look after the building where they learn which helps to create community feeling. A trip focusing on artistic creation has also been organised and is much appreciated by young people.providing advice and guidance for young people outside school. Micro-lycée 93 receives a lot of calls from young people asking about education opportunities. Therefore, advice about other education possibilities available in the local authority as well as the wider region is also provided. Key success factors One person has dropped out from micro-lycée 93 during the academic year Generally young people have difficulties in attending classes and some of them miss number of them but most of them still come back and continue with their education. The proportion attaining the degree is very similar to mainstream school levels (at around 70%), with the remainder usually pursuing alternative options such as second chance schools. The student survey that was undertaken in 2011 showed that the majority of young people (60%) found the welcoming at school motivating and 33% found it to be reassuring. All young people who participated in the survey felt that they re-engaged with school. The key reasons for re-engaging that were mentioned included more personalised teaching, small class sizes and having their difficulties listened to, which was mentioned by 80% of respondents. All young people who participated in the survey felt that their ability to understand the work has improved (40% reported yes and 60% reported yes to some extent ). Very similar results were reported when respondents were asked what they think about educational achievements. Young people reported that teachers explanations were among the key factors that helped their progress. 1 Some 80% of young people who took part in the survey felt that the requirement to call the micro-lycée in order to let them know about their absence is very important and motivating. The majority of respondents mentioned that they would not like their parents to get involved in school work more but a third mentioned that sometimes it would be important. 92% of respondents mentioned that mentoring is very important or important. The majority of young people felt that they are part of the community at the micro-lycée. The trip to Normandie was reported to be of significant importance 1 Ibid. September 2013 I 29

34 for development of relationships among peers. 1 The interviews with young people emphasised the importance of the role of mentor which is not possible at mainstream schools. The small class sizes, older and more mature learners as well as personalised attention were the most important strengths of the micro-lycée. The interviews with staff mentioned such issues as support from head teacher at the mainstream school being very important for the success and the development of the micro-lycée. Similarly, as in the case of the young people survey, getting to know the young people was mentioned as a very important success factor for the micro-lycée. Perspectives on transferability As mentioned above, the particularity of micro-lycée 93 is that almost all teachers choose to continue working at the mainstream schools. They have the interest of looking for solutions not only for those young people who dropped out but also of those who are still within the mainstream schools. When teachers go back to mainstream school they try to use the experiences from micro-lycée. Among other things, they try to be more flexible and more understanding and also they try to say that year repetition should not be a solution for young people. However, it is difficult because there are some important differences between the two systems and it is not always possible to introduce things into mainstream education that are possible in micro-lycée. In any case, being part of both mainstream education and micro-lycée is very important for thinking through how both systems can support each other and how the mainstream school should change in order to be more inclusive. Nevertheless, interviewees emphasised that transferability between the micro-lycée and the mainstream school is still very difficult. One of the difficulties for transferability is related to teacher training. There is lack of focus on working with young people who lack motivation and who have difficulties. The teacher training often focuses more on developing subject knowledge. The other difficulty is that teachers tend to work very individually and it is very difficult for the senior management team to say that they should learn from others. It gives a message that their work is not of high quality which is difficult to accept. This is not the case for all the teachers but it is still an important challenge. In order for the situation to change it is important to start changes in relation to teacher recruitment and teacher training which should be more focused on supporting young people and motivating them rather than on a teacher s academic knowledge of his/her subject area. Even when both the mainstream school and the micro-lycée are co-located they operate largely as separate initiatives. They are based in different buildings and they are working largely as separate structures and therefore it is difficult to facilitate exchanges between the two. Public opinion is the other challenge for transferability. General education is very well regarded and other pathways are seen as second class education. Things are slowly changing but progress takes a long time. Young people interviewed during the field work mentioned that for them mentoring is very important. It was emphasised that it would be important to look for opportunities to introduce it within the mainstream schools. 1 Ibid. September 2013 I 30

35 September 2013 I 31 Hungary

36 3.0 Hungary Country Hungary Name of 2 nd chance provision Belvárosi Tanoda Alapítványi Gimnázium és Szakközépiskola Level of education Type of institution Location (city and borough) ISCED 3A Background information: country context Secondary school providing general education for students that have dropped out from other secondary schools. Belvárosi Tanoda Foundation runs the school. The pedagogical programme is specialised to meet the needs of ESL students, providing an alternative to mainstream schools pedagogical programme. 5 th district (inner city), Budapest, Hungary Overview of the ESL indicators in the country, key trends during last years and the reasons for increasing/decreasing ESL levels; According to the Statistical Reflections no 2012/23 published by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (HCSO), ESL among year olds was 11% (10% for women and 12% for men) in There are significant regional differences within the country. Western-Transdanubia has the best situation with 7.7% ESL, whereas in Northern Hungary the rate is almost 4% higher, and the Northern Great Plain has an ESL rate more than 2% higher than the national average. Rate of ESL according to the data of Hungarian National Statistical Office between Indicator/dimensi on Early School Leavers, %a 13,6 12,9 12,2 11,8 12,6 12,3 12,4 10,6 11, ,1 according to gender male 14,3 13,3 12,5 12,4 13,7 13, , ,5 11,2 female 13,2 12,6 11,8 11,1 11,4 11,1 10,7 9,1 10,5 10,5 8,9 a) 2nd quarter data related to years old who have no more than lower secondary school qualification, and not participating in either formal or non-formal education. From 2006 on students on their holidays can be distinguished, and are not included as ESL. Most students in Hungary drop out from the 9 th grade of vocational education (estimated between 4,500-7,000 per year) since this is the school year where the most change occurs, due to changing school from initial education to a new one in a different environment with different requirements. As it was reported by schools in October 2010, million pupils and students took part in full-time education in Hungary, which was more than 89% of the 3-22 year old population. (Statistical Reflections no 4/2011) September 2013 I 32

37 Source: Statistical Reflections 4/2011 HCSO p_session_ id= &p_lang=en Key policy priorities related to ESL including prevention and provision of second chances; Overview of second chance education in the country; Child protection system The system of child and youth protection is laid out by a national act, and it is the local governments that create the structures for primary care. Where the child and youth protection system is properly set up at local level, then there is cooperation between the municipality, schools, child care centre (or social worker responsible for child care), local social and health care system, and special service providers (like foster homes, psychiatric or mental health service providers, etc.). This system of cooperation can create early warnings if a child is at risk of ESL, and seek out for solutions together with the family. If there is no cooperation from the side of the family, the authorities may decide to control the situation, and as a final solution the child can be taken out of the family. Since compulsory school age has just become 16 again in Hungary, this system covers students up to this age. Some of the regulations introduced in recent years put administrative control over students school attendance by depriving families of child care benefits in cases of unjustified absence from school. By this step authorities try to give parents a financial interest in motivating children to participate in education. Often high absence from school is the reason why students fail to show educational progress, and schools terminate student s enrolment. New Public Education Act, Bridge 1-2 Programmes There is a new Public Education Act, in force since September The Act introduces special programmes Bridge 1 and 2 for students lagging behind with their studies and still under the compulsory education age of 16. These two programmes will substitute the previous re-integration courses provided by vocational schools, and September 2013 I 33

38 is planned to build on experiences and knowledge gained through Dobbanto or Vocational School Development Programmes. The Bridge 1 programme plans to provide complex competency development based on personal learning need, and preparation for vocational education for students who finished 8 th grade of initial education but are not accepted to vocational education due to lacking skills and competencies. The Bridge 2 programme is planned to provide education and development services for students who completed at least 6 th grade but do not finalize 8 th grade of initial education by the age of 15. This latter programme is designed to develop basic competences, provide carrier guidance and prepare for basic vocational education. There is a plan to create a Bridge 3 programme in the framework of adult education for those who are above the compulsory education age and proved to be unsuccessful in achieving basic vocational education. Prevention schemes from early age to graduation When the Hungarian government sets a target to decrease ESL, the main focus is given to prevention of ESL. Since the Hungarian education system has not managed to work against inequalities of students with different social background (e.g. children coming from families in need compared to or better off children, Roma children versus non-roma children, etc.) there has been significant efforts taken to give support for children at risk of ESL from a very early age in various forms. Supported schemes included making early development services for underdeveloped localities, extracurricular support activities to ensure educational progress available through ESF support, grants for Roma students to participate in high quality education, mentoring talented young people coming from disadvantaged family backgrounds, or special school programmes supporting academic progress at schools for those falling behind. There is a set of financial instruments available from the central public budget defined by ministerial decrees for schools, teachers, and students to implement prevention actions. The amount available for 2012 is approximately 7,000 million HUF for this objective. According to a recent study, students receiving support through these measures are more successful than those disadvantaged students not being involved in any of the additional activities. Second chance educational provisions According to law, vocational schools have had a chance to start re-integration courses since 1996 for students not showing learning and academic progress within mainstream education. It was very much dependent on the individual school as to if and how they introduced such a course. At state level there were two initiatives to bring in more innovation into vocational education and make schools more capable of fulfilling the educational needs of students with difficulties in progressing. There was a Vocational School Development Programme (SZFP) in 2005, and the Dobbantó Programme started in Within SZFP schools can run one-year development courses for students coming from lower secondary education without proper competencies to enter vocational education. At the end of the course there is a competency test for students, and according to the results students can continue with a basic vocational course. Previous and present public education acts make it possible for actors running schools to introduce an alternative educational/pedagogic programme at school level if it gets accredited by the Ministry responsible for education. Based on this opportunity there are several schools providing alternative pedagogical programmes at primary or lower secondary level. There are also a few schools at secondary level providing an alternative to mainstream pedagogical programmes. Among others, Belvárosi Tanoda Alapítványi Gimnázium is offering a special pedagogical programme for those students September 2013 I 34

39 who had previously dropped out of other secondary schools, and intend to return to education and graduate from secondary schools. At present there is no other free of charge secondary school specialized solely for ESL target groups (i.e. accepting only drop-out students) in operation in the country. Under the NSRF the so called second chance school grant was made available for schools to start a special provision targeting those young people who had dropped out of schools. There was a round of applications for grants for ESF funding in 2010, through which ten schools received financing for one or two school years for running second chance educational programmes, including support services like mentoring, case management, and applying person-centred pedagogical methods. It is now the second round of applications. The amount available through grants is 3,500 million HUF (over 12 million) which shows that this time there is a high priority given to the measure. Through the present round of applications schools can receive funding for a longer period (at least two school years of operation can be covered). Key features of the mainstream education include: the level of decision making i.e. centralised, decentralised; flexibility of schools to adapt teaching methods and curricula; role of third sector organisations; teacher training arrangements, especially their preparation to work with young people at risk of dropping out. The Public Education Act and related regulation, including the National Curriculum, is created at national level. Public education provision had been run mainly by local governments according to the previous Public Education Act. Due to lack of finances or coordination, the quality of public education was not adequate. The decreasing number of students entering education, and ranking secondary schools based upon students achievements in exams such as graduation exams and higher education entrance exams, or results of national contests had created a very competitive system of secondary education. From January 2013 the responsibility for public education institutions will be included in the mandate of national government, and schools will be managed by regional level public authorities according to the new law. The system is still under development but better coordination and more even quality of public educational provision is expected from this change. As well as publicly managed schools, there are private and civic organisations managing schools at all levels that can receive state funding if they fit with the law; most of these schools belong to churches. Within the National Basic Curriculum, it is the education provider that creates the institutional pedagogical programme and local curriculum. Teacher training at colleges and universities in general does not prepare teachers to work with students at risk of dropping out. There are short courses, and special further education courses (such as integrative pedagogy, or social pedagogy) available both at general teachers training, and also within continuous training. However, it is not easy to translate knowledge gained into practice if a supporting team and structures are not there to make a change. Background information: locality context Rate of ESL and recent trends; September 2013 I 35

40 Key policy priorities in the field of ESL and second chance education in the municipality/local authority; Key initiatives related to second chance education. Belvárosi Tanoda Alapítványi Gimnázium is situated in the 5 th district, inner city Budapest, Central Hungarian region. The school is run by a non-profit private foundation (Belvárosi Tanoda Foundation). The municipality of 5 th district has provided the school premises free of charge as a support ever since the Inner City Youth House closed in 2002, so the school needs to pay only running costs. Tanoda has no other agreement or cooperation with the municipality or other local authorities. At the moment there are no students from the local district. The Inner City s economy is very strong, as many companies present in Hungary have their headquarters situated here, as do central governmental units. Within Budapest 80% of local taxes that businesses have to pay are generated in the Inner City. With the change of general functions the district has lost almost 50% of its population in the last 20 years, and the population is strongly characterised as ageing (there are almost four elderly persons for every younger person living here, according to statistics). It was very important to situate the school centrally in Budapest to make it easily accessible by community transport, otherwise the local context does not play a significant role for the school. Tanoda accepts students from Budapest and its agglomeration. There are students from the countryside as well, some using dormitories to live, others commuting daily. In Central Hungary the ESL rate is below the national average and below the objective of 10%. According to the data provided by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office based upon their second quarter labour force survey, the ESL rate in Central Hungary was 7% in 2010, and 9.8% in Budapest is not only the capital of Hungary but it is also the centre for institutional provisions and methodological development for human infrastructure. Schools, colleges, research and methodological centres are located in Budapest. One is more likely to find specialized services or larger variety of service provision for special needs of different target groups in Budapest than in other places or regions in Hungary. History / background to developing the initiative When the scheme/provision was set up; The rationale for setting up the scheme; What facilitated setting up the scheme; After a year of preparatory work Belvárosi Tanoda Alapítvány (Inner City Tanoda Foundation) was established in 1990, and Belvárosi Tanoda Alapítványi Gimnázium started its operation the same autumn. The objective of the Foundation was to find and provide (youth) care and education for young people who had dropped out of secondary school. The Gimnazium provides education services, and prepares for secondary level graduation exams at regular and advanced level. Tanoda s services go beyond education: they provide complex care tailored to personal needs based upon individual agreements with students. The structure, process and methods of learning and teaching differ from the regular school approach. Instead of grades and classes, September 2013 I 36

41 the students participate in the work of learning groups that best fit their competencies and pace of learning in each subject. 1 Since the first year of operation there has been a significantly higher number of applicants to Tanoda than the school can accept. Also the complexity of problems students face in their personal lives has deepened. This proves to founders, managers and staff of Tanoda that their services meet the existing needs of young people who have various obstacles to participation in formal or non-formal education provided by mainstream schools or training providers. The concept of providing help in facing personal problems (case management) together with educational services to prepare for secondary school graduation responds to existing social problems and fills the gap created by problems in society, education and welfare systems. Students arrive at Tanoda with (multiple) obstacles to their development and participation in education, the labour market, or normal social life; many times students face the prospect of a risky lifestyle and have gaps in their skills, knowledge and competencies. By 2001 three working groups were formed to provide specialized services: The Tanoda Programme is for young people who have dropped out of secondary schools but who still aim towards secondary school graduation, and chose Tanoda mainly for the person-centred help and education that it provides; The Stop Group Education Programme is education combined with day-care therapy for young people with addictions or serious problems in managing daily life, or in learning. The education programme is run in cooperation between Stop Group Foundation and Tanoda. The Change Programme is education and re-socialization for young people in a precarious situation, prisoners, (ex-)offenders, or those having criminal records. The Education programme is run in cooperation between Change Lane Foundation and Tanoda. The school has been in operation for 22 years now; the number of its students has increased from 30 to 135, and the number of staff from seven to If the scheme is well established and has been running for significant of time, key changes in the priorities, the way it is delivered. Three milestones in the service development of Tanoda were: The relevant target groups made a significant contribution to establishing the approach and operational model for Tanoda, through a dialogue during a year-long preparatory phase before starting up the operation of Tanoda. Starting from pilot projects, specialized services for specific target groups (young people with addictions, and with criminal lifestyles) were created, and independent organisations (Stop Group Foundation, Change Lane Foundation) were established by 2003 Going through the process of evaluating experiences and achievements, and forming the new pedagogical programme of the school during helped to reinforce the unique Tanoda approach of a helping school. There have been several other changes that needed to be dealt with (e.g. the founder Inner City Youth House was closed down, so new premises were needed as well, and 1 Summary of the scheme is based upon the Pedagogical Programme of Belvárosi Tanoda Alapítványi Gimnázium és Szakközépiskola, Budapest, 2010 September 2013 I 37

42 regulations made it necessary to separate the Foundation and the school, etc.) These did not change priorities, or the approach to delivering services. The school addresses the questions of labour market participation, and preparation for it. As a pilot action, secondary level vocational education was introduced in 2004, but the courses for which Tanoda was prepared (e.g. having space and equipment available) did not meet the interests of students graduating at the institution. Therefore, there has no longer been a vocational course starting this school year. There is a plan to organise students part-time jobs through a newly established organisation linked to Tanoda to help those students to find employment who need to make a living alongside learning. Since many students need to take jobs to earn a living, Tanoda staff try to support the harmonization of learning and employment by creating a labour exchange organisation for students, based on the same values as Tanoda. Target groups The overview of age of the participants in the scheme; The reasons for taking part; Level of education attainment; Overview of students backgrounds; Male/female participants; The applicants for full time studies at Tanoda can be young people between the ages of 16 and 25, and, for part-time studies or a correspondence course, between the ages of 16 and 35. Applicants must have completed at least eight grades in initial education, and dropped out, or be at serious risk of dropping out from another secondary school. Besides this, students accepted to Tanoda have needs regarding their general life conditions or mental health, that prevent them from taking part in formal or non-formal education at regular schools. There are 135 students altogether enrolled at Tanoda as students at the moment (this is the maximum formally accepted). Female and male participation has been even. 100 students are involved in the Tanoda programme. (There are present at school on a regular school day.) Approximately 15 students, who are inmates or exoffenders, are educated by the team of the Change Lane Foundation within the Change Programme,. Approximately 20 students are enrolled through the Stop Group Foundation within the Stop Group Programme. They have addictions and are involved in therapy (day care or inpatient). There are students graduating from Tanoda each year. The composition of students of Tanoda is very heterogeneous from the point of view of family, the social and individual problems they have, and their pace of learning. They drop out from previous secondary schools for many reasons, such as problems conforming or in their behaviour, poor progress in their learning, failing to meet school requirements, illnesses, difficulties managing their lives, addictions, crises, inability to accept school norms or environment, and problematic family background. Nevertheless there are common characteristics among the young people that are more related to their state of mind, such as problems managing everyday life, lack of self-awareness, low self-esteem, unclear perspectives and life strategies, failure in regular schools, poor learning skills, distress at being assessed, lack of trusted relationships with adults, a hunger for help and attachment, insecurity and loneliness. Students have the primary objective of graduating from secondary school when they September 2013 I 38

43 apply for Tanoda. Many other challenges have to be managed with support, such as behavioural disorders, gaps in learning competencies, social problems, addictions, influence of different sub-cultures, extreme social circumstances, foster care, being a member of an ethnic minority, long-term stays abroad, psychosomatic symptoms, speech impediments, communicational impairments, and criminal lifestyles. Engagement with hard to reach groups; Potential target groups that are not enough reached by the initiative It is solely the students application that is accepted by Tanoda; parents, teachers or other actors cannot hand in the application for them. Students need to negotiate and take responsibility for their education. Many students get to know Tanoda through other young people who are or have been enrolled at Tanoda. Some others are advised by parents, teachers or social workers to try Tanoda. The school does not need to run special events for recruiting students since there are several times more applicants than the school can accept. This is because of the intention of the school management to keep the school a small size, in order to maintain the high level of personal interactions. School staff find it important to develop the approach and model of complex youth care, and to disseminate knowledge, share experiences and develop the competencies of other teachers and auxiliary staff. In order to achieve this, Tanoda staff participate in pilot projects, teacher training, and other forums. Key features of the provision and institutional setting Institutional setting and level of education i.e. delivered within mainstream schools or by dedicated institution, vocational or initial provision; Belvárosi Tanoda Alapítványi Gimnázium is a secondary grammar school (ISCED 3A level) run by a not for profit civil organisation (Belvárosi Tanoda Foundation). The institution defines itself as a complex youth care service integrating education and care (help) for young people hanging about, into a unique provision based on person centred approach. It is providing general secondary school education as a second chance educational provision, and prepares students for graduation. The school has created the opportunity to run certain secondary level vocational courses, but at present there is not such a course being taken up. The Foundation has accreditation for adult education, i.e. they have accredited teacher training courses to share the Tanoda approach with teachers from mainstream schools. Key aims of the provision i.e. provision of mainstream qualifications, entry to the labour market; The school prepares students for general secondary level graduation, i.e. to achieve mainstream qualifications. Unlike at other gimnaziums in Hungary there is careful differentiation in setting personal objectives regarding the finalization of secondary education and preparation for further studies. Though approximately one third of students continue their studies in higher education after graduating, for others who arrive at Tanoda with significant gaps in learning competencies and knowledge, their time spent in Tanoda is not sufficient to achieve such an ambitious objective as directly preparing them for higher education. Many of the graduates continue studies at vocational education, or enter the labour market directly. Some students take a few more years of learning to prepare for higher education studies. September 2013 I 39

44 Funding arrangements; The education is free of charge for students; there is no tuition fee required either from students or from parents. Financing for complex youth support services is not available in the public budget. Government supports either educational or social services. Therefore, Tanoda receives regular financing of public educational institutions that covers approximately 30% of the yearly budget of Tanoda. From this school year on for 5 years, there are 27 schools that have received additional state support from the central budget (this means approximately 55% of their budgets are covered this year). However, schools still need to find extra budget from grants to cover activities. Local partnerships; Tanoda has developed partnerships with different actors targeting the same or related objectives of providing (specialized) care and services for young people considered to be at risk. These partnerships are with state or private funding agencies that serve social development, or with national and international associations and professional bodies and aim to strengthen and disseminate the Tanoda approach. The school cooperates with the following service providers among others: Megálló Csoport Alapítvány (Stop Group Foundation) which provides daily care services and therapy for drug users. Part of their service is to make education available for clients. For students enrolling into education, they are officially students of Tanoda, and they take final exam at Tanoda. Váltó-sáv Alapítvány (Change Lanes Foundation) which target social inclusion of prisoners, ex-offenders, and young people with criminal lifestyles. They also provide educational services with a similar structure to Stop Group. Leo Amici 2002 Addiction Foundation providing programmes supporting the rehabilitation of substance-dependent patients and the prevention of substance abuse. Vadaskert Foundation for Children s Mental Health providing services for children and youth. Foster homes where some of the students come from. Kék-pont Alapítvány (Blue Point Foundation) that provides health care, and social and legal services for drug users. Many visitors (teachers, researchers, students studying to become teachers) are accepted at Tanoda and anybody who wants to know more about its operation or activities is welcome. There is cooperation with college/university units to provide practical placements for future teachers at Tanoda. Curricula and pedagogy; The school as a public education institution operates according to its pedagogical programme and local curriculum accredited by the Ministry responsible for education. The latest pedagogical programme was accepted in 2010, and the institutional (local) curriculum, accepted in 2005, is an alternative to the mainstream secondary grammar school curriculum, specifically tailored to the needs of ESL students returning to school. Besides preparing students for secondary school graduation, the main pedagogical objective is to break down obstacles related to learning, socialization, the development of motivation and communication skills and the development of learning based on realistic self-assessment, taking responsibility, and independent management of life. Tanoda is characterised by its person-centred approach to development, and by the large variety of methods used in the teaching and learning process. September 2013 I 40

45 The most important instruments to achieve the pedagogical objectives are the helping pair (case management) of students-teachers, personalized learning programmes implemented on the basis of individual student agreements, and personal development plans. The latter include expected learning outcomes, targeted time-frames and agreed time schedules, ways of learning. These personal development plans are assessed and revised regularly together with the student and his/her helping pair. The institutional curriculum includes subjects divided into modules, each with specific content requirements and number of lessons to cover. Pathways for progression in learning are regulated by the curricula of each subject, including the number, content, length, requirements and correlation of modules. For each term, individual student agreements are signed, including subjects and modules taken, and ways of learning. Students are involved in students groups based upon this; there are no classes or grades. The content of modules is the same for all students, but the number of lessons and the weekly schedule can differ based upon students agreements, which may be for full time, part time or correspondent education. This is regulated by law, and is a minimum of 27, 15, or three lessons per week respectively and students legal status differs accordingly. The progress of personalised programmes is registered subject by subject. Assessment of learning progress is made through exams at the end of each term, with the objective of preparing students for graduation. Students can take repeated exams, or can take the same course again if they fail to fulfil requirements the first time. The institutional curriculum includes subjects (e.g. literature, Hungarian language, history, foreign languages, mathematics, IT, natural sciences, arts, social studies, etc.) and their structure is based upon the national curriculum for public education. Students can prepare for the graduation exam at regular and advanced levels just like in other secondary schools. The so called divided graduation exam is a good chance for many students. Students can take the final exam in a specific subject when they are prepared, and they can continue with studying other subjects, and preparing for the rest of the exams. Some students typically took this route to graduation. In the new Education Act, this method will not be possible for most of the subjects. Student support and guidance. Case management (mentoring) is provided through a helping pair mentoring system. In the admission process, students and members of the core (mentoring) team agree on helping pairs. Each student has the opportunity to have at least a 30 minute mentoring session a week included in his/her schedule. This is provided as part of the system, and students and teachers all know about it (to avoid ad hoc case management). It is the student s decision whether or not to use it. Students can ask for help or a discussion with any staff members at other times as well. Helping or supporting students with problems outside the progress of their education is embedded in educational activities. Though staff members have other degrees (like psychology) they are basically helping teachers. If students are in need of special care or therapy, they receive help at other institutions (e.g. some students received psychiatric care outside of school, or therapy for drug addicts at Stop Group or at Leo Amici 2002 Foundation). The concept is to provide support for students within Tanoda as much as possible to avoid students (or their problems) getting lost in between September 2013 I 41

46 institutions or specialists. Tanoda is characterised by strong teamwork. Mentoring teachers meet weekly and talk about students and their personal feelings. This way teachers support each other in managing difficult situations or strong feelings, understanding the situations better, and developing their personal and professional skills. Students of Tanoda pointed out the following issues related to personal support received and the climate of Tanoda: The school staff entrust things to students. Every student receives personal attention. It is like a second family. Staff can remember personal issues, and they are very open to us. There is nothing like bad grades here. At first it seems very loose and free. It results in students missing classes without control. Later we recognize ourselves that we need to take the graduation exam. Every student is led to this in a way that best fits for him or her. We are always treated like partners. There are always more options at Tanoda. If there is any problem or issue, the student can discuss it with the (mentoring) teacher pair or with any other teacher as well, even if it is a problem with the teacher himself or herself. There is an option for meeting as a pair once a week within the schedule. And even if you do not use this chance you receive the support in an indirect way. Key success factors Quantitative indicators i.e. drop out rate, attainment of qualifications, pursuing education, entering labour market if information available; There are students graduating from Tanoda every year. The dropout rate is around 20% but it is very hard to tell the accurate number. There are students who abandon studies for different reasons but later (even a few years later) they go back to school and decide to take the secondary school graduation. The school usually accepts it, and provides students with repeated chances. These students statistically would count as newcomers, but they are not in practice. Experiences show that these students regularly finish secondary schools after enrolling for a second or third time at Tanoda. The majority of students enter the labour market or continue with vocational education after graduation. Still there are a few students who continue with higher education studies after graduation from Tanoda. Success in motivating students to learn; The objective of the school is to provide chances for young people who could not manage their studies under different circumstances. For teachers and students it is very important to have a mutual understanding of having the same objectives (successful graduation of students) and work towards it together. This determines what staff do and how. As described by a staff member: We ask questions to students: what?, how?, what will you contribute with?, what are your obstacles? Shall we give lessons? Shall we talk? Any other help? Development? We teachers do not know the answers. Together we create answers for questions but the student is the main character. At other schools students are told what is good. Those who can not fall into line with it will be rejected. The climate of the school and human relationships help students to take responsibility September 2013 I 42

47 for their own life. Personal development is achieved through various crises, downturns and upturns. Strengthened mental and psychological state helps students to perform. As a teacher said: It is very interesting to provide the preparatory courses before graduation exams. There is a difference at that stage in students attitude. They come and ask shall we start/continue the lesson? Content-wise it is not so interesting; there is a need to cover all what s needed. Results achieved by students of Tanoda at graduation exams are similar to an average Hungarian secondary school. Graduation is considered to be a great achievement in the life of Tanoda s students. The most important day in the school year is the day of receiving diplomas which is celebrated together. Students are stronger and more realistic in their self-assessment at Tanoda when they graduate than at other schools. Teachers and professionals from outside of Tanoda summarized the key success factors as follows. The approach used at Tanoda has significant effects on the attitude of ESL students. They change their attitude because they are offered and not obliged to go to school, there are similar students there, there is a large variety of activities to be involved in, and assessment does not include labelling. The freedom to decide can be very motivating for these students who are smart. Also the personal attention given through mentoring counts. Through this approach the adolescent can live as he/she wishes, and he/she can find cooperating partners in adults. Learner satisfaction; The students are asked to fill in a questionnaire to give feedback on their satisfaction with courses at the end of each period. Teachers have looked into it but it has not been used for anything else. As part of the quality management system there is a new questionnaire introduced to ask for feedback from students leaving school. Other success factors related to the provision as perceived by stakeholders. Tanoda is characterized by team work and community. The teams are built upon one another. There is a team for helping (mentoring) staff, operational staff, and the students team. Core team members have a significant background with Tanoda, having been employed there for six years or more. Meeting each other cannot be avoided under the given circumstances at school. Intensity of interactions is part of the Tanoda concept. There are only a few rules but they are fundamental. There are not rules for everything. There are clear rules that are understood and known for all parties. There are no other factors interfering with the agreed rules. We cooperate and live naturally altogether. It is not necessary to have an autocratic relation among us, or live in fear. As it is stated by the head of the school, the major issue when working towards prevention or reintegration of ESL is the personality and attitude of teachers: how open or sensitive they are towards students, or how far they can be considered as model for students. For this reason it is very important to create a caring and supportive school climate where teachers personalites are taken care of. At Tanoda September 2013 I 43

48 the concept and practice is in harmony, so human relations are natural and make everyone feel at home. To create a climate more suitable for all students, there is a need to change the focus of the school operation. Instead of focusing on curriculum, class or institution, the focus needs to be shifted onto people and personality. Group and community activities create opportunities for receiving and giving feedback to one another, and taking responsibility and caring for each other. It is very important for the development of self-awareness and self-assessment. Perspectives on transferability Discussion on views from key stakeholders regarding transferability; There has been a new Public Education Act put in force since September There have been issues such as the uneven quality and performance of educational institutions, financial difficulties, malfunctions of the educational and social systems, demographic changes, the supply of local labour markets not meeting demand and related phenomena. These have required changes. However, there are questions whether the newly developed system will serve the needs of students at risk of ESL. Concerns are related to issues such as A strengthened structure that makes early decisions about students educational pathways and builds upon values like effectiveness and competitiveness; lowered compulsory age for education to 16; more centralized decision making and operative supervision; larger group sizes; administrative instruments to control teachers and students presence and performance at school. These issues work against the need to change the focus from performance to pedagogic work to reduce ESL, which is the main message coming from Tanoda case. With the focus on providing more standardized education provision, the climate in schools may easily become more autocratic and less capable of fulfilling special personal needs. At the same time the new Act makes clear forms and options for students up to the age of 16, who are lagging behind with learning, to participate in the Bridge 1 or Bridge 2 programmes to catch up with their progress and prepare for continuing with vocational education. When developing these programmes there is consideration of the previous positive experiences (including the Dobbanto scheme), and these are built upon. It is understood and supported at the level of national government that schools need support to make the changes needed to become capable of breaking down obstacles faced by students at risk of ESL. Therefore grants are available to cover developmental activities such as: institutional development such as adapting the pedagogical programme of the school, developing the methodological approach, building cooperation with other relevant actors (e.g. with Roma minority self-government), or preparing teachers for the new educational provision, etc. creating educational alternatives for students returning to school, such as flexible assessment of academic progress, providing mentoring, developing the system for personal pathways of educational progress, provision of courses in small groups, continuous support for teachers and other staff, etc. career guidance, organising extracurricular activities for students, providing support for achieving and maintaining mental health, etc. September 2013 I 44

49 From the point of view of creating equal chances for all, it is more favourable to enable regular schools and the educational system as a whole to prevent and deal with ESL, rather than running and financing specific institutions for creating chances. At the same time, there are many arguments coming from empirical observations that show the need for organisations such as Tanoda to be capable of providing second chances. Overview of the opportunities identified for transferability and key conditions for it; The role of teachers and schools needs to be rethought. If the role is to cover curricula at the highest level possible, than schools/teachers want to get rid of students who can t progress. If the role is considered as pedagogical work then schools and teachers are committed to keep all students. At regular schools in general (in Hungary), teams (or departments) are formed by teachers teaching the same subject. In this way teachers who share experiences through teams never teach the same students. Creating structures at schools where teachers teaching the same students talk to one another about experiences would be very beneficial. If there is a problem/conflict between a teacher and a student, teachers could share experiences and views to judge whether the problem is with the student or with the teacher, etc. It is important to make this set up institutionalized and part of working hours for teachers (this cannot be an extra activity on top of the regular tasks of teachers). Later when teachers get used to such discussion, this team can be turned into a case conference. The system of mentoring teachers could be introduced at school level for students at risk of ESL. A supportive teacher can play a significant role in the retention of at risk students. These teachers could receive training to prepare them for the task. (A system of mentoring teachers has already been introduced for alented students.) Also mentoring teachers can work in teams at a school, and a supervisor could help their work. It would be important to let students choose the mentor. A major issue when working towards prevention of ESL is the personality and attitude of teachers, how open or sensitive they are towards students, and how far they can be considered as a model for students. For this reason it is very important to create a caring and supportive school climate where teachers personality is taken care of. As students formulated it: Teachers should be selected based upon personal attitudes. Those who misuse power, or want to rule others simply should not be employed as teachers. Students should not be inferior to teachers at schools, that is not a democratic system. Staff openness towards students should be transferred to other schools (including less formal relations). Also it would be important to transfer a personalized approach. Assessment of learning is at the end of each quarter in the form of exams. This is a good way of practising for the graduation exam according to students. A student interviewee sees it as something that is transferrable to other schools. There is no consequence of failing an exam, other than the consequence that the student has to repeat the course in another quarter, and cannot continue with a higher course. It is very important to involve young people in activities where there is an objective relevant for the young people. Acting together to work towards a shared objective is useful, to learn that a crisis may arise but it can be shared, and solutions can be September 2013 I 45

50 found together. It is also important to let young people try different things so they can gain experience what they are good at, and failure at other things will not cause frustration. Instead of creating several simultaneous requirements that students have to fulfil, more room for gaining experiences are important. Whole school activities, not strictly related to courses, where teachers and students participate together on an equal basis without distinctions in rules can be beneficial for initial education schools. At Tanoda these are sports activities like football or table tennis, school trips, cooking together, etc. Also places for community activities are important at school. Schools need to involve students and parents in asking question, thinking together, discussing problems, and developing consensus in cooperation. It is the task of schools to spread this climate, and empower students and parents to become partners. It is very important to show parents the place and the operation of the institution where their children grow up. There is a need to make different generations and actors think together. It is also important that different age groups or actors with different roles can trust each other. If discussion or dialogue is not created than actors see only parts from the same situation, and they are in a position of not being capable of putting the whole picture together. Key challenges identified by stakeholders regarding transferability Because of personalized educational pathways, teaching is organized more like at a higher educational institution and not like at secondary schools. This makes the structure very complicated and expensive as well. Small groups and even individual courses are available at Tanoda. This cannot be transferred to initial education. When students come at the beginning of the school year the teacher-student pair plans the schedule of the student, based on personal background, targets, and availability of courses. Class teachers have to be able to hold students together at regular schools. There is a question as to how far this, and a partnership approach, can be realized if classes or the whole school is large, and students are under If a teacher acts like a partner when working with a class, to achieve the common objective of graduating from the secondary school, then this contributes towards the prevention of students dropping out. Many teachers are normal from this point of view at other schools. If the general atmosphere of a school is more autocratic, then such attitudes cannot be maintained without pressure or conflict. There is a tension between the attitudes of let s work together and I rule. There are systems in education and at schools and it is not possible to work permanently against the system. Creating a climate of trust in which students can share problems at school is very important to prevent ESL. At Tanoda everybody knows that all others have problems as well so nobody feel like hiding problems. This climate is difficult to create at schools with large class sizes, and in a more competitive atmosphere where students problems are dealt with by specialists (like psychologists or child/youth protection specialists). Teachers need better training on making them understand how an adolescent develops, and accepting that some students are different from the rest. Assessment and feedback at general schools always comes with classification (best, not so good, etc.). The culture of giving feedback is not very developed at schools. It would be important to have the practice of talking to a child face to face if something September 2013 I 46

51 comes up with his/her behaviour. Many times teachers fail to do this and they make remarks, or question students for their behaviour in front of the class. This can frustrate students with a vulnerable self-image. Even if it is a class for talented students, the best and the not so good receive different tasks from teachers. So very early students learn that they are not the best ones, and they lose motivation. Instead the education system should help young people to find out what they are good at. And if a student is good at something it is possible to develop him/her further. Due to the changing environment it is harder and harder to stimulate attention through regular front of classroom teaching, or covering a unit from a school book. Many times the curriculum and structure of learning are not suitable for making students interested in learning. Involving students in learning and making them interested requires creativity, and preparation from teachers. There is a need for continuous teacher development on what methods and tools to use, how to interact and how to cover the content of curriculum. Even at secondary grammar schools which are in the position of selecting from among several applicants, there are some students who become at risk of ESL. This usually happens at 9 th or 10 th grade. In these cases there might be cooperation among the family, teachers and youth (social) workers to manage the situation; nevertheless, years can pass very fast trying different solutions without success. When a child is absent from school regularly, the school may offer to change their status to private student. This means he/she does not have to attend classes but can take the exam at the end of the year and still progress formerly with studies. Usually this is not a real solution since these students are not in a state to prepare for exams all by themselves. After a while teachers can lose patience with those students having problems with regular school attendance and learning outputs. Adults become angry at the youngster because he/she promises everything but will not act accordingly. This is not tolerated for long at regular schools. If two to three years pass without progress, it is very difficult for the student to start going to school again in classes including younger students. September 2013 I 47

52 Country Hungary Name of 2 nd chance provision Level of education Type of institution Location (city and borough) Dobbantó (Springboard) project Secondary (ISCED 2/3C) It is an additional reintegration year usually taken after completing 8 th grade, with an option to take the final exam and complete 9 th grade at the end, usually taken at the age of Vocational schools (szakiskola) (ISCED 2/3C) or complex profile schools usually offering secondary education and vocational education. In the case of Harruckern School in Gyula the institution provides vocational education, upper secondary education, basic arts school, and re-integration courses. Dobbantó project as a pilot scheme was implemented in 15 schools throughout Hungary with coordination and knowledge centre in Public Foundation for Equal Opportunities of Disabled Persons (FSZK), Budapest. Selected Harruckern School is situated in Gyula, Békés county, South-East Hungary. Background information: country context Overview of the ESL indicators in the country, key trends during last years and the reasons for increasing/decreasing ESL levels According to the Statistical Reflections no 2012/23 published by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (HCSO) ESL among the population was 11% (10% for women and 12% for men). There are significant regional differences within the country. Western-Transdanubia has the best situation with 7.7% ESL, whereas Northern Hungary is almost 4% higher, and Northern Great Plain is more than 2% higher ESL than national average. The statistical data on ESL is based upon the second quarter labour force survey conducted by HCSO. Regular statistics on education do not include data on early school leaving. Regular data collection on education is based upon reports of schools given between 1-15 October each year. (More specific information about statistical methodology and source of data is available here: According to interviewees data does not reflect numbers related to students who enrol in school but do not attend courses due to timing of data collection, as well as schools financial interest to have higher number of enrolled students to receive more money. As it was reported by schools in October million pupils and students took part in full-time education in Hungary, which was more than 89% of the 3-22 year old population. (Statistical Reflections no 4/2011) September 2013 I 48

53 Source: Statistical Reflections 4/2011 HCSO &p_session_ id= &p_lang=en Most students in Hungary drop out from the 9 th grade of vocational education (estimated between 4,500-7,000 per year) since this is the school year where the most change occurs through changing school from initial education to a new one in a different environment with different requirements. Key policy priorities related to ESL including prevention and provision of second chances Overview of second chance education in the country; September 2013 I 49

54 The education and training system in Hungary in 2010/11 1 Red mark indicates where additional year Dobbanto course is situated in the system. Students of vocational education (ISCED 2/3C) are most likely to prove unsuccessful in educational progress. It is obligatory for children to participate in general education (ISCED 1 and 2) until the age of 16, and schools keep them in their courses and records even if no progress is achieved. Students showing better progress chose some type of secondary schools (ISCED 3A). Vocational education has problems attracting students, and provides services meeting the needs both of the labour market and students going back to the early 1990s. Most of the students having economic, social, mental, or family disadvantages will attend vocational schools and not other types of secondary schools in Hungary. According to the Public Education Act, from 1993 the first two years of vocational education (9 th and 10 th grade) included general education mainly based on theoretical and frontal education. Since 1996, with the change of the law, 10% of the week could be used for career guidance and vocational orientation in the first two years of vocational education. This was the time when vocational schools were allowed to start re-integration courses unfortunately without sufficient finances and preparation of teachers. The National Vocational Education Institution started monitoring the educational progress of students in vocational schools in 1998 with the lead of László Kerékgyártó who published outcomes of research yearly until The results of monitoring were frightening: there were around 50% of students who did not pass at the end of 9 th grade in 2000, and many dropped out of school. The possibility of attending re-integration (felzárkóztató) courses lasting for one or two school years in vocational schools was introduced only in 2003 in national legislation, and in 2007 the conditions under which it could be implemented were clarified,. Students can continue with a two year vocational course after they finish the re-integration course. Completing the re-integration course is equivalent to the qualification for general education (ISCED2). This change made it possible to avoid traditional theoretical education based on mainstream national curricula, and competency development through the module system and project work was accepted. In 2001 it was decided that schools would receive double normative support for students enrolled in re-integration courses. Although this was cancelled in 2007, this at least for a period ensured that schools could start smaller groups for re-integration if management was committed to take care of this problem. At state level there were two initiatives to bring in more innovation into vocational education and make schools more capable of fulfilling educational needs of students with difficulties in progressing. There was a Vocational School Development Programme (SZFP) in 2005, and the Dobbantó Programme started in Within SZFP schools can run one-year development courses for students coming from lower secondary education without proper competencies to enter vocational education. At the end of the course there is a competency test for students, and according to the results students can continue with a basic vocational course. Dobbanto is focused on meeting the needs of students with special learning or 1 Chart is from Spotlight on VET Hungary by CEDEFOP available at September 2013 I 50

55 behavioural difficulties through providing an additional year of re-integration and preparation course. Possible pathways are discussed in relevant regulations. As a main pathway to students from the Dobbanto course they can go on with 9 th grade of vocational (or secondary) education. There is a new Public Education Act according to which from September 2013 vocational education will last again for three years (instead of four), and curricula and mode of delivery will be more practically focused. This new law also includes three different types of re-integration courses (Bridge 1-3 programs) provided by vocational schools for those having difficulties in mainstream education. Key features of the mainstream education including the level of decision making i.e. centralised, decentralised; flexibility of schools to adapt teaching methods and curricula; role of third sector organisations; teacher training arrangements especially their preparation to work with young people at risk of dropping out. The Public Education Act and related regulation including National Curricula is created at national level. Until next year public education provision is mainly run by local governments. Besides publicly managed schools there are private and civic organisations managing schools at all levels that can receive state funding if they fit with the law; most of these schools belong to churches. Within National Basic Curricula it is the education provider creating institutional pedagogical programmes and curricula. Due to lack of finances or coordination, the quality of public education is not sufficient. Next year the responsibility for public education institutions will be included in the mandate of national government and schools will be managed by national public authorities. Teacher training at colleges and universities in general does not prepare teachers to work with students at risk of dropping out. There are short courses, and special further education courses available both within general teachers training, and also within continuous training but it is not easy to translate knowledge gained to practice if supporting the team and structures are not there to make a change. Background information: locality context Harruckern Public Education Institution in Békés County is one of the 15 vocational education schools implementing the Dobbanto course. The institution operates different types of educational units in 6 settlements. It is the vocational school unit in the city of Gyula that provides the Dobbantó course. Rate of ESL and recent trends; No data was found about ESL in Békés county or in Gyula. Publicly available data includesthe population in different age groups, number of students enrolled in different types of schools at different levels, or number and qualification of staff. Data also includes number of students completing/failing requirements of courses. But it is hard to tell how many young people become early school leavers. Drop-out rate at institution level at Harruckern School according to school statistics: 2008: 6% 2009: 7% 2010: 7% 2011: 6% September 2013 I 51

56 Key policy priorities in the field of ESL and second chance education in the municipality/local authority; Békés County s Concept for Developing Public Education discusses the difficulties that vocational schools and its students have. It also includes objectives related to reducing students socio-cultural disadvantages, supporting education of students with learning difficulties or with special education needs and integration in education. Tasks and activities in order to achieve these objectives at vocational schools include: 1. differentiation of programmes, curricula, methods for meeting needs of disadvantaged and disabled students; 2. preventing students dropping out from education; 3. promoting educational success and progress; 4. motivating students to gain vocational education qualifications, etc. Helping students who lack competencies and adults with low levels of qualifications to develop competencies is also a task for general secondary and adult education. It is also discussed in the document that unused resources due to fewer number of students in the coming years could be rearranged to provide more services in strengthening education, and re-integration of students and young adults with special learning or behavioural difficulties. The Vocational School Development Programme (SZFP) is discussed in detail in terms of what and how the scheme helps schools to meet economic and educational needs in a more efficient way. Key initiatives related to second chance education. The county government made it possible for schools to join national initiatives, or apply for grants targeting re-integration of people who dropped out from school early. Extra finances are not provided by the county but schools could attract developmental funds with some extra efforts of staff and management. Harruckern school participates in all possible initiatives in order to prevent ESL or reintegrate drop-out studentsthey are involved in SZFP and Dobbanto and also provide special courses called felzárkóztató for students not properly prepared for vocational education. The courses are now well-known in the county and different related actors look for the services of Harruckern school. The Dobbanto course is offered to students with special learning needs or behavioural problems. One or two-year long catchingup courses called felzárkóztató are for students aged who have completed 8 th grade or less of general education. The objective of the course is to prepare students for vocational education. Within the development program of vocational schools (SZFP) the so called vocational preparatory course was introduced. This prepares students for vocational courses by strengthening their general and vocationspecific competencies. This was the first initiative at vocational schools through which structure of curricula and methods of delivery for competency development were created. In practice it is very difficult to differentiate among courses offered by different initiatives. It is anticipated that a more transparent system of re-integration and catching-up courses will be created from 2013 with the introduction of the new Public Education Act. History / background to developing the initiative When the scheme/provision was set up 1 Békés county s Concept for Developing Public Education vailable at: September 2013 I 52

57 The rationale for setting up the scheme What facilitated setting up the scheme If the scheme is well established and has been running for significant of time, key changes in the priorities, the way it is delivered The legal basis of launching the Dobbantó Programme was the 2007 amendment of the Public Education Act, in particular Article 126 thereof. Pursuant to this Article, the authorities responsible for education at the county level are required to designate vocational schools to offer personalised development programmes for year old students who were not able to complete secondary school or obtain a vocational qualification due to learning and behavioural difficulties that are not of organic origin. The designated schools may organise small sized preparatory classes for such young people (i.e. offer an additional ninth year of schooling before entry into a mainstream vocational school programme), where everybody can progress at their own pace. Considering that no ready-made programme was available to implement this statutory requirement, and the teachers of the vocational schools were not prepared for using personalised development programmes adapted to the students own pace of progress, the state secretariat responsible for education within the Ministry of National Resources (Ministry of Education in 2007) provided to FSZK the successful applicant for undertaking the task HUF 850 million from the central budget for improving vocational training and education (Training Component of the Labour Market Fund) in support of implementation. (from the document Dobbantó A springboard for opportunity published by FSZK) The Dobbantó Programme was initiated in response to the 2007 amendment of the Public Education Act, in particular Article 126. Considering that no ready-made programme was available to implement statutory requirement to provide reintegration courses, and that vocational school teachers are typically not prepared for using personalised development programmes adapted to the students own pace of progress, the state secretariat responsible for education within the Ministry of National Resources (Ministry of Education in 2007) provided to FSZK, the successful applicant for undertaking the task of development. The pilot scheme was implemented between including preparation, selection of 15 vocational schools to be involved, 2 full school year implementation, and evaluation. 12 out 15 schools still make available Dobbanto course at the moment. Major change implemented in the original plans was related to strengthening teachers training component and exchange of experiences among schools during pilot period. Harruckern School in Gyula implements Dobbantó as a mix of second chance and prevention provision for early school leavers, and for students with learning or behavioural problems not fully prepared for participating in vocational or secondary education. Majority of schools use Dobbanto course for prevention of ESL. In Harruckern School it was decided to implement Dobbanto course as a second chance provision mainly due to the commitment towards supporting young people who dropped out of school by Team Leader and Head of school. Target groups The overview of age of the participants in the scheme September 2013 I 53

58 Level of education attainment; Overview of students backgrounds; The scheme targeted year old young people who have so far been unable to complete secondary school or obtain a vocational qualification due to learning and behavioural difficulties that are not of organic origin. Since the course offers personalized pathways in education there are no specific preliminary requirements regarding level of education. The majority of students have finalized primary education (i.e. 8 th grade finished) when they enter. Extreme examples mentioned in Gyula included one student from a travelling family without any proven school record, and on the other end one student with finalized 10 th grade with behavioural problems. Statistical data on students taking part in Dobbanto programme are presented below. On 1st September On 1st September Students enrolled in Dobbantó Altogether scheme Altogether ,00% ,00% 81 46,55% Diagnosed with special learning needs ,08% (a or b) or integration and behavioural difficulties 89 51,15% (directly) come from primary school ,84% 69 39,65% Have attended another secondary 62 33,15% school, among them 20 11,49% - come from the same vocational school (e.g. those who did not pass) 22 11,76% 1 0,57% - come from the same secondary 2 8,00% school 22 12,64% - come from another vocational school 30 24,00% 11 6,32% - come form another secondary school 5 2,67% 15 8,62% - come from outside of education 3 1,60% (ESL) 22 12,64% years old 42 22,46% ,56% years old ,43% 35 20,11% Older than ,70% 31 17,82% Have not finished 8 th grade 49 26,20% 11 6,32% Unknown age 12 6,42% Male/female participants; No data found The reasons for taking part; Students of Dobbanto have experienced failures in progressing with their studies. September 2013 I 54

59 Most of them carry a stigma because of it. Main characteristic of ESL students are - Disadvantaged family background. - Young people who are taken from school because of family responsibilities and cultural traditions; - From families experiencing difficulties. - Having learning difficulties (like dyslexia, dyscalculia, etc.) sometimes not discovered, and many times not properly developed learning skills; - Having behavioural difficulties, problems to cope with keeping rules; - Coming from vulnerable groups like received foster care, becoming parents early; - Having experienced school failures (not passing requirements of one or more subjects at the end of school-year). When students were asked they reported about various reasons for taking part in Dobbantó: - there are no jobs so I needed something to do daily, and to cover social insurance - for a good vocation there is completed 10 th grade required (prerequisite to join the vocational course) - I wanted to finish course on nursing but I repeatedly failed 9 th grade. I wanted to finish it, and to go on with studying. Now I have managed to do it! - My brother and my sister come to this school too, everybody is here. - When we came to see this place I saw this is a playroom here (i.e. different and more attractive than other schools). So I agreed to come and join. - It s better to be here than to work. - I was kicked out from other school in the middle of the year. What else could I have done for the rest of the school year? Plus my brother is here. Most of the students in Dobbantó scheme were referred to the course by the vocational school running the course. Some were advised by external actors including initial education and social service providers, whilst others discovered the course by themselves or through families when looking at other courses provided by the school. Engagement with hard to reach groups; Potential target groups that are not enough reached by the initiative Approaches, methods and curricula developed under Dobbantó can be adapted to various disadvantaged groups. For example, in vocational training programmes for Roma youngsters, in projects improving the access of disabled young people to the labour market, or in programmes facilitating the entry of disadvantaged groups into the world of employment. As pointed to in the final report of the pilot scheme it is not possible to differentiate disadvantages. Often, one disadvantage generates subsequent others, so it is very important to keep a holistic approach in development instead of categorising rigidly. From the data provided on participating students it is obvious that young people who dropped out from schools are less represented, and schools have not targeted them very well. September 2013 I 55

60 Key features of the provision and institutional setting Institutional setting and level of education i.e. delivered within mainstream schools or by dedicated institution, vocational or initial provision The programme began in 2008 with 15 participating schools five from the capital city and ten from other regions selected from applicants across Hungary. The participating vocational schools implement the Dobbantó Programme in one or more groups of 12 to 16 students who complete a preparatory ninth year of education. 1 In Bekes County s Harruckern Public Education Institute it is the vocational school unit in Gyula (previously in Szabadkigyos) implementing Dobbanto course. There was a preparatory phase (from start until September 2009), two full school years (September 2009 June 2010 and September 2010 June 2011), and a closing and evaluation phase of the pilot scheme. The majority of involved schools still continue Dobbanto course provision after finalising the pilot. Teachers training and support, support for decision makers, as well as organisational development and institutionalisation of results at schools were key components of the pilot scheme as it aimed to develop the pedagogical and technical background, and to create efficient operational conditions that support learning and personal development of target groups. Development of decision makers at the school level was implemented through support given by the so called edu-coaches. Team Leaders and teachers teams were supported by mentors. Edu-coaches and mentors were external experts regularly meeting their clients throughout the pilot scheme. They had also been working in teams to provide sufficient external support all the way through the development process, and to give feed back to the central unit on outputs and challenges of implementation. The development of teachers and decision makers was multi-faceted including planning and decision-making competencies, leadership, team-work, approaches to meeting needs of target groups, pedagogical methods (differentiation, project pedagogy, etc.), and personalised support for students. On-going monitoring pointed out that local teams require further opportunities for exchange of experiences and more teachers training. Management of the pilot scheme made it possible to organise workshops for participating teams to exchange experiences and good practices, as well as the development and testing of a 120-hour teachers training module to provide preliminary training for teachers newly involved in the Dobbanto course. There were methodological hand-books on elements of personalised pedagogy printed to discuss specific issues such as developing learning competencies and personal assessment. Key aims of the provision i.e. provision of mainstream qualifications, enter labour market Dobbanto is focused on meeting the needs of students with special learning or 1 Based on information provided by the Team Leader for pilot project. September 2013 I 56

61 behavioural difficulties by providing an additional year of re-integration and preparation course. Possible pathways are discussed in relevant regulations. a main pathway for students from Dobbanto course is that they can go on with 9 th grade of vocational (or secondary) education. If they take a successful exam on 9 th grade requirements at the end of the Dobbanto year, they can continue to the 10 th grade of vocational (or secondary) school. Students aged 16 years or older parents can request to move into 11 th grade of vocational school. Students aged 18 years or older they can learn in adult education or take a job in the labour market. Funding arrangements Schools receive funding for the Dobbanto programme from the public budget provided at national level. Present and future regulations at the national level foresee that funding should be provided for work in small-groups providing reintegration and prevention measures. This does not cover extra costs related to development of teaching materials, methodologies and approaches, creating special learning environment or the extra work of teachers needed to provide pedagogical approach different from mainstream. The Ministry of National Resources (Ministry of Education in 2007) provided HUF 850 million to FSZK (the successful applicant for undertaking the task), from the central budget for improving vocational training and education (Training Component of the Labour Market Fund) to support implementation. 1 (The sum used for the pilot scheme finally went up toaround HUF 950 million by the end of 3 rd year of implementation.) School each received HUF 18 million from the pilot scheme, of which 40% could be used for staffing (excluding regular salary of teachers), and 60% for material expenditures and equipment. This cost was mostly related to the development of Dobbanto provision (creating physical environment, teachers preparatory training, etc.). Schools could also finance some costs (like learning excursions, basic materials for learning activities) that are difficult to finance after the end of the pilot scheme. Local partnerships Pilot scheme management helped schools and heads of schools to communicate towards local decision makers (i.e. settlement or county level governments and authorities) about Dobbantó, for example, its goals, problems that are tackled, and outputs.. A special aspect of development at the school level was finding and retaining earlier drop-outs. This can be done in partnership with local public service providers (e.g. social centres, child and youth protection, initial schools, etc.). At Harruckern School in Gyula a team leader is responsible for Dobbanto and other re-integration courses, and also helps heads of classes with supporting young people having problems in their lives. An informal network for education and social service providers is well-developed after three years of experience with Dobbantó. It is an objective to make networking more organised and embedded into the institution. For this reason there was a workshop organised by school on second chance provision this spring to spread information and experiences towards relevant actors. Curricula and pedagogy 1 Dobbantó A springboard for opportunity published by FSZK September 2013 I 57

62 The Programme is based on changing in a complex and fundamental way the broadly understood learning environment, including: - The physical learning environment (course room is equipped with computers with Internet access, with small library, arrangement of desks and chairs are different from traditional school room of frontal education, room includes rest area with tea kitchen, mirror, etc.). - The organisation of learning (school week and school days are arranged differently, informal learning is supported, etc.). - The learning content (module based curricula on developing general competences, employment competencies, carrier guidance, etc.). - The instruction methods (active involvement of students in deciding on content, differentiation based on personal learning objectives, interactive methods, etc.); and - The pedagogical approach and practice (pedagogical paradigm of exploring and meeting personal and learning needs of students, personalised student support, etc.). The experiences of young people in relationto the above issues in initial education schools played a role in the earlier school failures and shaped their views of school, learning and themselves. 1 The Dobbantó Programme defines the potential requirements to be applied in the development of students within a system of competences. The development work focuses on five main competency areas: communication competences, learning competences, social competences and competences required for healthy life, core employment competences and carrier building work competences. Besides the five competency areas there are modules developed for the traditional curricula of communication, society and present age, English and German as a foreign language, mathematics, and nature science. Introducing students to the world of work is a key element of the Dobbantó Programme. This is achieved by improving the students career building skills and introducing them to a range of occupations from a practical perspective. The modules designed for this purpose are included in the Programme component called Bridge to the World of Work. The career building modules and the teaching materials developed for the introduction of twenty-one job categories, which also have a modular structure, heavily rely on the use of information and communication technologies; allow individual exploration, research and discovery; include many activities aimed at developing the students personality and competences; and have been adapted to the interests of the Dobbantó target group. The teaching materials are supplemented by detailed guidelines, disciplinary and pedagogical background information provided for teachers, worksheets, self and peer assessment sheets designed for students, and several publications facilitating orientation in the world of work for both students and teachers. A detailed manual has been developed for job shadowing, which represents a novelty in the Hungarian practice, including the conscious planning and preparation of such activities, as well as the subsequent reflection on the shadowing observations and experiences. As shown by the 40% share of these modules within the total time, the Bridge to the World of Work is given high emphasis within the Programme. The Programme places 1 Dobbantó A springboard for opportunity published by FSZK September 2013 I 58

63 high emphasis on observing real work situations outside the protective classroom environment and on developing a realistic view of a wide range of known and unknown jobs and occupations. 1 The Dobbantó teachers must follow a student-centred pedagogical approach. In other words, teachers focus on the individual students and on individual progress. Regarding instruction methods, the Programme gives preference to the approaches of the so-called alternative pedagogies, i.e. it encourages the application of the appropriate variations of cooperative learning and project-based learning, as well as the various forms of individual learning. Formative assessment plays a key role in the Dobbantó, as it strengthens reflective attitudes and practices among students and teachers alike. Student support and guidance Student support is of key importance for Dobbanto. Complex professional (psychological, social, and learning) support is provided for students in order to understand and respond to their individual needs and personal skills. Personalised development and services reduce or remove barriers to achieving learning goals. To provide student support there are different tools used. These include personal assessments, personal development plans including objectives and activities, and short term developmental agreements, student-teacher support pairs. The teachers work in a team, help one another, and discuss problems at their weekly team meetings. This makes their work significantly easier because they are not left alone to manage often complex student problems. 1 Dobbantó A springboard for opportunity published by FSZK September 2013 I 59

64 Key success factors Success in motivating students to learn; For the Dobbantó pilot scheme following numbers show the success of the scheme: 2009/10 Number and fluctuation of Dobbantó students 2010/11 school year during the school year school year 174 Number of students starting the school year Number of students joining after the beginning of the school year 30 Number of students leaving before the end of the school year 5 Number of actual drop-outs within these students 191 Number of students completing the school year Students remaining in education and training Students entering the world of work 9 8 Students entering neither further education, nor work Source: Dobbantó A springboard for opportunity published by FSZK The percentage of students continuing their education and training after completing the Dobbantó Programme was 89.0% in the first year and 92.4% in the second year. Learner satisfaction The final external evaluation of the pilot scheme included a survey on student satisfaction. According to this survey students are most satisfied by the development of their own motivation to learn and learning how to learn. They think that motivation comes from the attention paid to them by teachers, and the personalised support they received. They agreed that Dobbanto made it possible to gain basic competences that can contribute to success in their further life. Technical knowledge, basic skills, language skills, and skills to get information were highly valued by students related to competency development. Students are Also satisfied how far norms and rules are understandable, and they find rules are important to follow. They feel responsible for their own development, and are ready to make efforts. Cooperation with others within and outside of the group is also satisfying for students. Students think that they were assessed by teachers are realistic. Other success factors related to the provision as perceived by stakeholders 12 out of 15 schools maintained a running Dobbanto course after the pilot scheme ended, and in some schools there are more parallel groups running (Regarding the three others there were change in heads of schools in two cases, and full institutional set-up changed in the third). Teachers prepared through Dobbanto use modules and approaches in other groups as well, so this helps disseminate knowledge. Significant work has taken place on developing networks with other actors in localities related to target groups, and prevention of ESL September 2013 I 60

65 Perspectives on transferability All stakeholders agreed that the curricula, approach, and mode of delivery are very relevant to student needs, and could be transferred to mainstream schools on a larger scale. Most importantly all actors agreed that carrier guidance and vocational orientation modules (40% of curricula during the additional year of Dobbanto) are filling a gap in present educational structures. This part increases self-assessment and awareness of students, broadens knowledge regarding the labour market, and provides basic skills and techniques related to decision making and planning future. Other key elements of the program are the personalised approach and personal support given through student-teacher pairs. This is key for rebuilding trust, and future educational progress. As pointed to by an expert, Dobbanto as a whole is a well-developed system, so if it is to be used under different circumstances or with different target groups, then the system should be adopted even if some elements are ready to use in initial education or in mainstream vocational education. For students, the content of curricula, mode of delivery, environment, and the different teacher-student relations were most significant in changing their attitude towards learning. Personal attention not focused only for educational results, significant responsibility for their own development, active involvement in learning and in decisions, variety of ways to learn were all valued by them. For teachers the significant freedom to adopt curricula to student needs, the welldesigned and thorough content of handbooks and modules, and team work meant the most. These conditions create an opportunity for getting to know students better, use more techniques and knowledge that fits the group (both teachers and students), share responsibility within the team and group, and to be creative in work. For management (team leaders and heads of schools) the curricula (content and way of delivery) is the most relevant for use in other courses. The commitment of the team, and team work is the most important to transfer. For this they value external help (teachers training, coaching, mentoring, support in project planning and implementation, exchange of experiences with other schools) they received through pilot scheme. Key difficulties in implementation and challenges in transferability are related to the involvement of families and larger communities where students come from; and placing Dobbanto the group into the environment of a large school. Questions are all related to how to extend the outcome of a different educational approach to a larger environment. Institutional, community and localised social changes are needed to make efforts more efficient and long lasting. Many times team leaders and teachers feel they have to fight against too many actors and factors besides dealing with students with difficulties in progression and in their lives. Due to a strong emphasis on communication and dissemination it is now planned that new reintegration and prevention courses under Bridge 1 programme of the new Public Education Act will take over the Dobbanto system with some modification. This means that in vocational schools there will be a chance to run additional year courses for those students coming from general education but not yet properly prepared for vocational education. The size of groups, small teams of teachers, content and mode of delivery of curricula will be taken over from Dobbanto. There will be some issues that do not seem realistic to implement in larger scale. Most likely there will not be September 2013 I 61

66 the finances needed for creating special physical infrastructure for groups, and school will provide their own facilities, workshops to experience work environment under vocational orientation. Decision makers do not believe it is feasible to do it differently. September 2013 I 62

67 September 2013 I 63 Ireland

68 4.0 Ireland Country Name of 2 nd chance provision Ireland Youthreach Level of education FETAC qualifications Levels 3-5. Type of institution Location (city and borough) Community learning provider for young people Ballymun, Dublin, 9 Background information: country context The legal definition of early school leaving in Ireland is leaving school before reaching 16 years of age, or before completing three years post-primary education, whichever is later. More specifically, early school leavers are those who leave the education system without a minimum of five passes in the Leaving Certificate or equivalent qualification 1. A number of non-formal education facilities provide high quality, relevant education and training opportunities outside mainstream education settings for early school leavers. However, the government priority is to support young people to complete their mainstream education, namely the three-year Junior Cycle (lower secondary). This is followed by a two or three year Senior Cycle (upper secondary), depending on whether the optional Transition Year (TY) is taken. Recent trends in early school leaving in Ireland, (based on 2010 figures), demonstrate: Each year, around 9,000 young people leave school before taking the Leaving Certificate. The proportion of young people staying on in school has remained relatively stable since the mid 1990s. Early leaving rates vary notably by social class background, with much higher levels among young people from working-class and unemployed households, particularly young men. Early school leaving often has its roots in early experiences of educational failure and struggles with schoolwork, which may have started in primary education. Drop-out rates tend to be higher in schools with a concentration of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Ability grouping (streaming students according to their academic ability) has a significant effect on school drop-out. Students allocated to lower stream classes can experience low expectations and negative student-teacher interaction, and are much more likely to leave school early 2. In terms of preventing early school leaving, the Department of Education and Skills in Ireland funds the Delivering Equality Of Opportunity In Schools (DEIS) programme. DEIS measures include the School Completion Programme (SCP). The SCP offers support to students at risk of early school leaving and their parents through in-school support, after-school support and holiday support, including 1 Citizen s Information Board programmes/early_school_leavers_programmes.html 2 No Way Back? The Dynamics of Early School Leaving, Delma Byrne and Emer Smyth, The Economic and Social Research Institute, published April 2010 September 2013 I 64

69 breakfast and lunchtime clubs, mid-term break camps, Easter revision courses for exam students, and recreational summer camps. (The SCP is funded under the National Development Plan with assistance from the European Social Fund) 1. The SCP is a support strand within the National Educational Welfare Board under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. It forms part of the Department of Education and Skills social inclusion strategy (DEIS), to help children and young people who are at risk of or who are experiencing educational disadvantage. The DEIS programme also funds Home-School Liaison community teachers, Attendance Officers and Youth Workers to support individual students identified through the SCP. The National Education Welfare Board (NEWB) was set up in The NEWB provides an Education Welfare Service (EWS), which checks that every child aged 6-16 is attending school according to statutory requirements. The EWS employs Educational Welfare Officers (EWOs) to investigate unexplained absences to try and retain potential early school leavers within mainstream education. The EWO convenes a case conference with all relevant parties. The Year Head, class tutor and parents attend the meeting, which may involve the national education psychology service, a public health nurse, a School Completion Programme representative, and a child psychologist from CAMHS. One of the representatives will always meet with the child, who may also attend the meeting, depending on their age. The group devise an action plan to help the child continue in mainstream education if at all possible. Other second chance education in Ireland includes: The Back to Education Initiative, for adult learners and early school leavers who want to upgrade their skills. The initiative builds on existing schemes such as Youthreach and Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS). It also includes adult literacy schemes, community education and Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses. Youthreach, a joint programme funded by the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. Youthreach helps young people return to learning and prepare for employment and adult life, and provides opportunities to gain certified qualifications. The programme is aimed at unemployed early school leavers aged 15 to 20. Youthreach is delivered through Youthreach centres and FÁS Community Training Centres. A similar programme (to Youthreach) is delivered through Senior Traveller Training Centres, which provide basic compensatory education for Travellers over the age of 18. The centres aim to provide Travellers with the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to successfully make the transition to work and adult life, and engage with the community. The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) provides courses designed to meet the education needs of unemployed people. The scheme provides options from basic education and training to advanced vocational preparation and training. It targets people over the age of 21 receiving unemployment payments or who have signed for credits for a minimum of six months. It is delivered through the Vocational Education Committees (VECs) at centres across Ireland. The Department of Justice workshop programme, which runs employment placement, education and training services for offenders to help them develop work-related skills. Many of the available training opportunities carry accreditation 1 DEIS (Delivering Equality Of Opportunity In Schools): An Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, May 2005, September 2013 I 65

70 or certification for people who complete the required course to the approved standard 1. Citywise, set up in 1991, provides young people with after-school and out-ofschool educational support, which is often urgently needed by those growing up in difficult or hostile city environments. Citywise s educational programmes are designed to raise the learning aspirations of young people, and encourage them to access further education 2. Mainstream education in Ireland is traditionally very centralised, however, the Junior cycle (for year olds) is currently being revised. The new strategy (detailed below), will give more autonomy to schools. Teachers in post-primary mainstream schools in Ireland are normally required to teach at least one subject which they have studied to degree level. Qualification is usually achieved by gaining a primary degree from a recognised third-level institution. This degree must include at least one subject from the post-primary schools curriculum for the Leaving Certificate Programme. The primary degree is followed by a postgraduate qualification in education such as the Higher Diploma in Education (H.Dip.Ed.). Alternatively, some teachers gain a degree awarded by a recognised third-level institution on the basis of a concurrent course of academic study and teacher training 3. Most tutors working in community education are practitioners who have previously worked in the sector and do not require a specific teaching qualification in Ireland. This work experience enables tutors to relate theory to practice, which is very beneficial for learners. Background information: locality context Poor school attendance is commonly associated with chaotic family backgrounds, and a history of poor attendance by other family members. Local stakeholders commented that students with poor numeracy and literacy are more vulnerable to early school leaving. There is only one second level school in Ballymun, which caters for the most disadvantaged young people in the area. Student backgrounds are commonly affected by alcohol and drug abuse, poverty, emotional, physical, and psychological harm. The school identified "a huge fall out" of boys of low academic ability leaving school at the age of 16. Some of these students progress to Youthreach as they need more support: "The one size fits all approach doesn t work with all our students some have individualised needs and can work better in a more intense setting than we have." (Deputy Principal, local secondary school). The School Completion Programme (SCP) identifies students at risk of early school leaving and offers them additional support, as described above. The SCP Co-ordinator works with schools, providing continuity across the transition from primary to secondary school. Schools receive additional funding through their DEIS status to counteract problems associated with educational disadvantage. The grant supports school-based initiatives and pays for a Home-School Liaison community teacher. SCP schools have an attendance officer and a youth worker who work with individual students. The Youth worker provides one to one or small group support to 1 Citizen s Information Board acher_qualifications_at_primary_and_post_primary_level.html 2 Citywise 3 Citizen s Information Board acher_qualifications_at_primary_and_post_primary_level.html September 2013 I 66

71 try and reduce potential early school leaving. Students receive attendance awards and are encouraged to join school clubs. Unfortunately class sizes have increased recently because of cuts to the education budget as a result of the recession. All students are tested on literacy and numeracy prior to their entry into the first year, (for dyslexia etc). Schools normally have a support class for SEN students in the Junior cycle which has a maximum of 15 students. Ireland currently has 33 Vocational Education Committees. City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee (CDVEC) is the largest one in the country. VECs are separate from the local authority, but in essence are the education arm of the local authority. However, at the end of 2012 the VECs are becoming local Education and Training Boards and reducing from 33 to 16. History / background to developing the initiative Mainstream education in Ireland is focused on an academic curriculum. Around 70% of young people progress into higher education. Early school leaving is a national challenge, with the numbers of early school leavers remaining relatively consistent over time, (at around 20%). Some small-scale alternatives were devised for this group, but a low value has been placed on non-academic routes traditionally. In the 1980s Ireland experienced a recession, resulting in second-chance education becoming almost non-existent. Youthreach was set up as a national programme in 1989 in response to the high youth unemployment levels arising from the decline in factory and agricultural work caused by the recession. Youthreach was initially established in 12 centres in 11 VECs with 300 learners'. It has expanded significantly over time - it now offers 3,760 education places and 2,300 training places across 108 centres. Skills training and skills transfer workshops were held during the 1990s to align teaching practices across the centres. A major review of Youthreach took place in 2000 and a quality framework was developed to demonstrate the value of provision to external stakeholders. Youthreach now caters for around 12.5% of early school leavers. The recent recession has resulted in an increase in applications for Youthreach. The case study is focused on the Ballymun centre. Target groups Ballymun is a very disadvantaged area and therefore less young people complete their Leaving Certificate. Only 3% of the local Ballymun population (12,000) go onto further education at college or University, having completed their Leaving Certificate. The local mainstream school refers students to Youthreach if they drop out of the Leaving Certificate Applied, or do not complete their Junior Certificate and are 16. The target group is year olds. (Although a small number of 15 and 21 year olds also attend the centre). The majority have a history of drugs or substance misuse or a chaotic family background, and some live in residential care. 48% of the cohort is from single parent families, and many have low literacy and numeracy levels. Some have dyslexia. Most dropped out of school early: "They all have crisis' going on in their lives, there's not one that walks through the door that doesn t, that's why they are early school leavers". (Centre manager, Youthreach). Participants are mainly white working class, which is reflective of the local population, and about 10% are travellers. The gender split is Some learners are second generation (ie their parents also attended Youthreach) and some are single mothers. September 2013 I 67

72 Participants left school early for a variety of reasons, including the academic nature of the curriculum and the pace of lessons, which did not allow for discussion and individual support: "I was not enjoying it, there was too much pressure exam pressure. (Learner, Youthreach). "I left because of the teachers they were just too strict...i left because I hated Maths too. The teacher would say 'do it for homework' and I wouldn't have a clue The teachers never listened". (Learner, Youthreach). Peer pressure and lack of discipline were also cited as reasons why participants left school early. Key features of the provision and institutional setting Youthreach operates from dedicated vocational centres in local communities. Most staff are trained teachers who have a bachelors degree and Higher Diploma. Some teachers are from industry backgrounds (plumbers, cabinet makers, social workers, self employment etc). Youthreach is funded by the Department of Education and Skills, to provide a ratio of one teacher to eight students compared to one teacher per eighteen students in mainstream schools. All learners receive a government training allowance whilst they are at Youthreach. The local council funds the counselling service, but this has recently been reduced because of budget cuts. Youthreach is a member of an interagency network, collaborating with the HSE (the Health Service Executive), the local Education department, the Drugs Task Force, the Jobcentre, regional youth organisations, the Police, the Probation Service, the after school project, Dublin City Council, and the Ballymun Schools Completion programme. The network ensures joined up delivery, and provides case management for high risk young people and families. Youthreach also liaises with the local Equal Youth scheme, which tracks young people and liaises with apprenticeships, community workshops, probation services and social services. The local University (DCU) runs a scholarship programme with Youthreach. The local secondary school shares pupil information and assessments with Youthreach, and is very supportive of their work: "I have seen students leave our school in a bad way and I've seen them flourish over here, they have the best of services [at Youthreach]." (Deputy Principal, local secondary school). The centre also has good links with the City of Dublin Police. The Police run a crime prevention programme at Youthreach, which covers legislation, alcohol use, substance use, antisocial behaviour, public order, people's rights, understanding the Police, and respect. The Youthreach curriculum focuses on vocational subjects such as woodwork, metalwork, art, framing, food and nutrition, and computers. Students are supported to develop their Maths, English and communication skills and apply these to vocational subjects. The centre provides FETAC qualifications at Levels 3-5. All the courses are accredited apart from outdoor pursuits and SPHE 1. The majority of subjects are assessed through a portfolio based approach (although some exams are used in Maths 1 FETAC Level 3 is the equivalent of the Junior Certificate. FETAC Level 4 is the equivalent of the Leaving Certificate Applied, meaning learners completing Level 4 are in effect progressing onto Further Education. September 2013 I 68

73 and for Level 5 qualifications). The centre runs careers days and provides progression opportunities within the centre, including a framing enterprise run by learners with a FETAC Level 4, and a radio station. Students are encouraged to attend educational history trips to broaden their horizons. The pedagogy emphasises group work and the practical application of Numeracy and Literacy. For example, practical examples are used in woodwork to demonstrate mathematical principles. Participants commented that this helps them understand how Maths relates to everyday life. A key aspect of Youthreach provision is developing students' life and social skills, through tutors and students socialising together: "We are on first name terms, we all sit down together for our lunch, we play football it s a great leveller they see you as an individual. That's a far better grounding than 'I'm a teacher you have to give me respect, it doesn't work that way, you have to earn it'". (Woodwork tutor). In addition to small class sizes (maximum of 12 students), learners receive one-to-one support and mentoring from teachers. The mentoring programme was developed by Youthreach's national psychologist and uses a web wheel to explore less risky issues initially, such as time keeping and attendance. If serious matters emerge students are referred to a counsellor from the City of Dublin Psychological Services who is based at the centre one morning a week. Some students are referred onto anger management courses run in the community or a drugs rehabilitation programme run by the Youth Action project. The centre recently introduced a peer mediation programme to promote restorative justice, and also has a student council. Key success factors Learners' aspirations increased significantly at Youthreach, with some progressing onto to Level 5 qualifications with mainstream further education providers: "I could never have seen myself going to college. Youthreach has helped me go to college. I just thought I'd get a job, but now I've got an education and I'm going to college." (Learner, Youthreach). Smaller class sizes and the applied curriculum were identified as key success factors. For example, the Police commented that the applied curriculum increased participants 'respect' for and interest in education as tutors are seen as positive role models. Mainstream education representatives agreed: "The small class sizes, a curriculum that is not as demanding. There are better relationships The curriculum is more practical and hands on." (Deputy principal, local secondary school). The key worker and mentoring relationships were also viewed very positively. Each key worker is also a tutor, and knows the students well. The key worker contacts their students if they fail to attend and mediates if there is an issue with another member of staff. This approach works well: "I know what is going on in their lives they get the feeling that we take time to listen to them because they are important, and any issues they raise are confidential." (Woodwork tutor). Participants summed up the value of the key worker role: "If you have any problems you can go to your key worker for new people coming in, its great. They treat you like adults They become like friends we re all like a family." September 2013 I 69

74 (Learner, Youthreach). The mentoring programme utilises the web wheel, which is based on developmental psychology, to help students address their problems and direct their own learning. The web wheel was originally designed by the Connexions Service in Britain. Youthreach has adapted the web wheel so the process is led by the young person, to help them make responsible choices. Participants also commented on the value of an advocate who attends the centre once a week to provide careers guidance, and help students prepare their CVs and for interviews: "She's great she does tests to see what jobs you'd be good for." (Learner, Youthreach). Perspectives on transferability The main challenges to transferring approaches to mainstream education are structural and financial. There is very limited scope within the Junior cycle (national curriculum for year olds in Ireland) to differentiate the pace of learning. Budget cuts, as a result of the recession, have reduced the already limited resources for providing additional student support: "There should be a mini Youthreach in each school, but practicalities won't allow it funding. But the concept should be there. There should be a Youthreach in every school, rather than expulsion there should be inclusion. But that requires resources, it requires teaching staff, but they are being cut, cut, cut." (Police community liaison manager, City of Dublin Police). However, learning from second chance education is already being taken on board to some extent in Ireland. Stakeholders have recommended: "Reducing the number of subjects or reducing the timetable for children who have huge issues." (Educational Welfare Officer, National Educational Welfare Board). The government is launching a new literacy and numeracy strategy next year. The new Junior cycle, being phased in for first year students from 2014, will have a reduced number of subjects and more focus on statements of learning and key skills and learning outcomes in literacy and numeracy. The new strategy will feature more continuous assessment and have less emphasis on exams. The new strategy will give more freedom to schools, by including 'short courses' which schools themselves will set the exams in 1. Stakeholders felt some second chance pedagogies could be transferred to mainstream education. Schools would be keen to become the focal point of the community, and increase dialogue between local education providers from primary school onwards to support students. At a local level, there is a willingness for schools and Youthreach to work more closely and deliver joint training: "I would like to see more of that that's what we want." (Deputy Principal, local secondary school). However, legislation would need to be amended to enable this. A cultural shift would also be required to introduce second chance approaches into mainstream education. For example, schools would be keen to implement the mentoring approach and notion of a trusted adult but this would require teacher training and resources: 1 Towards A Framework for Junior Cycle, NCCA (National Council for Curriculum and Assessment), November A Framework for Junior Cycle, Department for Education and Skills, October September 2013 I 70

75 "These approaches would work in mainstream schools, especially the mentoring, for kids who are very much at risk of dropping out." (National Coordinator for Guidance, Counselling and psychological service, Youthreach). Stakeholders recommended conducting research into the long term cost savings produced by Youthreach in terms of crime reduction and increased employment, to make the case for investment. September 2013 I 71

76 Country Name of 2 nd chance provision Level of education Type of institution Location (city and borough) Ireland An Cosán Background information: country context Introductory courses in personal development and a wide range of non-accredited courses. Level 2-7 FETAC qualifications. Delivery of Level 8 qualification due to start 2012/13. Community adult learning provider. Jobstown, West Tallaght, Dublin 24 The legal definition of early school leaving in Ireland is leaving school before reaching 16 years of age, or before completing three years post-primary education, whichever is later. More specifically, early school leavers are those who leave the education system without a minimum of five passes in the Leaving Certificate or equivalent qualification 1. A number of non-formal education facilities provide high quality, relevant education and training opportunities outside mainstream education settings for early school leavers. However, the government priority is to support young people to complete their mainstream education, namely the three-year Junior Cycle (lower secondary). This is followed by a two or three year Senior Cycle (upper secondary), depending on whether the optional Transition Year (TY) is taken. Recent trends in early school leaving in Ireland, (based on 2010 figures), demonstrate: Each year, around 9,000 young people leave school before taking the Leaving Certificate. The proportion of young people staying on in school has remained relatively stable since the mid 1990s. Early leaving rates vary notably by social class background, with much higher levels among young people from working-class and unemployed households, particularly young men. Early school leaving often has its roots in early experiences of educational failure and struggles with schoolwork, which may have started in primary education. Drop-out rates tend to be higher in schools with a concentration of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Ability grouping (streaming students according to their academic ability) has a significant effect on school drop-out. Students allocated to lower stream classes can experience low expectations and negative student-teacher interaction, and are much more likely to leave school early 2. In terms of preventing early school leaving, the Department of Education and Skills in Ireland funds the Delivering Equality Of Opportunity In Schools (DEIS) 1 Citizen s Information Board programmes/early_school_leavers_programmes.html 2 No Way Back? The Dynamics of Early School Leaving, Delma Byrne and Emer Smyth, The Economic and Social Research Institute, published April 2010 September 2013 I 72

77 programme. DEIS measures include the School Completion Programme (SCP). The SCP offers support to students at risk of early school leaving and their parents through in-school support, after-school support and holiday support, including breakfast and lunchtime clubs, mid-term break camps, Easter revision courses for exam students, and recreational summer camps. (The SCP is funded under the National Development Plan with assistance from the European Social Fund) 1. The SCP is a support strand within the National Educational Welfare Board under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. It forms part of the Department of Education and Skills social inclusion strategy (DEIS), to help children and young people who are at risk of or who are experiencing educational disadvantage. The DEIS programme also funds Home-School Liaison community teachers, Attendance Officers and Youth Workers to support individual students identified through the SCP. Other second chance education in Ireland includes: The Back to Education Initiative, for adult learners and early school leavers who want to upgrade their skills. The initiative builds on existing schemes such as Youthreach and Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS). It also includes adult literacy schemes, community education and Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses. Youthreach, a joint programme funded by the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. Youthreach helps young people return to learning and prepare for employment and adult life, and provides opportunities to gain certified qualifications. The programme is aimed at unemployed early school leavers aged 15 to 20. Youthreach is delivered through Youthreach centres and FÁS Community Training Centres. A similar programme (to Youthreach) is delivered through Senior Traveller Training Centres, which provide basic compensatory education for Travellers over the age of 18. The centres aim to provide Travellers with the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to successfully make the transition to work and adult life, and engage with the community. The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) provides courses designed to meet the education needs of unemployed people. The scheme provides options from basic education and training to advanced vocational preparation and training. It targets people over the age of 21 receiving unemployment payments or who have signed for credits for a minimum of six months. It is delivered through the Vocational Education Committees (VECs) at centres across Ireland. The Department of Justice workshop programme, which runs employment placement, education and training services for offenders to help them develop work-related skills. Many of the available training opportunities carry accreditation or certification for people who complete the required course to the approved standard 2. Citywise, set up in 1991, provides young people with after-school and out-ofschool educational support, which is often urgently needed by those growing up in difficult or hostile city environments. Citywise s educational programmes are 1 DEIS (Delivering Equality Of Opportunity In Schools): An Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, May 2005, 2 Citizen s Information Board acher_qualifications_at_primary_and_post_primary_level.html September 2013 I 73

78 designed to raise the learning aspirations of young people, and encourage them to access further education 1. Mainstream education in Ireland is traditionally very centralised, however the Junior cycle (for year olds) is currently being revised. The new strategy, (detailed below), will give more autonomy to schools. Teachers in post primary mainstream schools in Ireland are normally required to teach at least one subject which they have studied to degree level. Qualification is usually achieved by gaining a primary degree from a recognised third-level institution. This degree must include at least one subject from the post-primary schools curriculum for the Leaving Certificate Programme. The primary degree is followed by a postgraduate qualification in education such as the Higher Diploma in Education (H.Dip.Ed.). Alternatively, some teachers gain a degree awarded by a recognised third-level institution on the basis of a concurrent course of academic study and teacher training 2. Most tutors working in community education are practitioners who have previously worked in the sector and do not require a specific teaching qualification in Ireland. This work experience enables tutors to relate theory to practice, which is very beneficial for learners. Background information: locality context Poor school attendance is commonly associated with chaotic family backgrounds, and a history of poor attendance by other family members. Local stakeholders commented that students with poor numeracy and literacy are more vulnerable to early school leaving. The School Completion Programme (SCP) helps to identify students at risk of early school leaving and offers them additional support, as described above. The SCP operates in three local schools St Thomas' Junior, St Thomas' Senior and Mount Seskin secondary school. The SCP Co-ordinator works across the three schools, providing continuity across the transition from primary to secondary school. The schools receive additional funding through their DEIS status to counteract problems associated with educational disadvantage. The grant supports school-based initiatives and pays for a Home-School Liaison Community Teacher. About 80 of the current cohort of 270 students at the local secondary school can access SCP support. The school has an attendance officer and a youth worker who works with individual students identified through the SCP. The Youth worker provides one to one or small group support to try and reduce potential early school leaving. Students receive attendance awards and are encouraged to join school clubs. Unfortunately class sizes have increased recently because of cuts to the education budget as a result of the recession. All students are tested on literacy and numeracy prior to their entry into the first year, (for dyslexia etc). The school have a support class for SEN students in the Junior cycle which has a maximum of 15 students. However, education providers recognise that there are limitations to the level of personalised support mainstream schools can provide to reduce early school leaving: "We are so caught up in delivering the curriculum and covering the syllabus that the key skills can get we are presuming, we have to, that the students are ready to 1 Citywise 2 Citizen s Information Board acher_qualifications_at_primary_and_post_primary_level.html September 2013 I 74

79 engage at the level we require them to be at its Catch 22 the teacher is obliged to deliver the curriculum and prepare their students for the state exam, and yet there's a disjoint with where some students are at and where the school needs them to be in order to perform." (Principal, local secondary school). Within the local context, the main initiatives providing second chance education are Youthreach (refer to other case study), Citywise (described above) and An Cosán. History / background to developing the initiative In the 1980s Ireland experienced a recession, resulting in second-chance education being almost non-existent. An Cosán was set up in 1987 as part of the women's education movement and is now the largest independent community-based education centre in Ireland, offering a range of community education programmes. Originally provision was centered around the Shanty Education Programme, which provided opportunities for adults to take the first step back into education in a supportive environment. This has gradually developed into a three strand educational curriculum, enabling adults to progress from basic to intermediate education, and then onto training programmes for work and /or diploma courses in preparation for third level education and degrees. Some past students have gone on to third level colleges and universities, gaining certificates, diplomas and degrees. An Cosán was established to give people a second chance to engage with education: "They just need the confidence; a lot of our learners are early school leavers. A lot would have had their confidence knocked before, through school or their home life, through the partners they chose, and now they are coming back to build up their confidence again and make something for themselves." (Senior administrator/ support worker and early school leaver, An Cosán) Target groups An Cosán supports about 600 learners per year, including those at the Shanty and Fledgelings, its childcare training centre. The centre is based in a severely disadvantaged area of Dublin, with high levels of unemployment, poverty, and substance misuse. The unemployment rate of principle earners is around 67%, and 40% of families are headed by lone parents. Most local residents reside in rented housing in large, local authority estates. The area has a high immigrant population. An Cosán provides adult education for the local area. Students vary in age from 17 to 84, with most students being over the age of 23. Around 90% of students are early school leavers, and 90% are women. However, the gender balance is improving, and the centre has recorded a steep rise in foreign nationals accessing provision, (from 40 different nationalities in 2010/11 to 120 different nationalities in 2011/12). Initially foreign nationals were clustered on ESOL courses, but their participation is diversifying, particularly on IT courses and degree programmes. Participants left school early for a variety of reasons. Some had learning difficulties such as dyslexia which were not identified by their school. Some commented that the standard of teaching and discipline at their schools was poor: I was bored, I hated it Teachers would just walk out because they couldn t control the class, it was pointless being there The teachers were not able to cope." (Learner, An Cosán). Consequently the level of educational attainment amongst participants was generally low; 27% of the local population having no formal education or only primary level education and over 34% of the population leaving school under the age of 16. The September 2013 I 75

80 target group can be difficult to engage because they may have low literacy levels and previous negative experiences of education, lack of familial encouragement academically, a family history of early school leaving and lack of interest in education. However, a large proportion of participants are now parents and looking for a second chance to learn; to improve their life chances and help their children develop. Key features of the provision and institutional setting An Cosán is a community based provider, providing accredited and non-accredited courses. The ethos of the centre is to place education at the heart of the community. An Cosán is predominately funded by the Department of Education and Skills, administered by the VEC. It also receives some funding from the Department for the Environment. In the past the centre received more funding from the voluntary sector and private funding from Vodafone Ireland Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropie. Irish Aid part-funds the education programme. Basic and community education course are free, but student fees are attached to degree courses and some other accredited courses. An Cosán award a number of scholarships as fees can be a major barrier for people returning to education. The VCE provided EU funding for non-eu participants. The centre has an effective partnership with a third level college, the Institute of Technology Carlow, which was recognised in their recent HETAC review. The college validated An Cosán s degrees in community development and childcare. An Cosán is also well linked with national and local community projects, benefits agencies, the local authority and support services: "We are well networked, we are a community organisation that serves the local community It is vital to how we work to be networked into all local community development projects, family resource centres, schools, partnership organisations." (Education Manager, An Cosán). The curriculum at An Cosán ranges from basic, short courses in English and ESOL, personal development activities and parenting courses, through to accredited training courses, ECDL and computing courses, diplomas (such as in Social Studies and Women s studies) and degrees (such as a degree in Community and Leadership Development). The centre provides a progression route through FETAC (Levels 2-7) and onto HETAC qualifications 1. An Cosán also offer a degree in Applied Addiction Studies and Community Development, and are introducing an Early Years and Childcare degree (FETAC Level 7) and a Level 8 qualification in Leadership and Community Development in 2012/13. Non-accredited courses include drama, U3A (the University of the Third Age), global citizenship, grandparenting, and spirituality. Most students studying Basic English now progress onto NALA online awards in general learning at FETAC Level 2-3: "This is a fantastic opportunity for them to achieve on the national qualifications framework." (Education manager, An Cosán). The learning methodologies used at An Cosán emphasise group work and discussion, to help students become independent learners. The centre offers e-learning where possible. Assessment methods vary according to the programme. Degree programmes include group work, essays, and community projects. Less emphasis is placed on exams than in mainstream education: There is huge emphasis on continuous assessment Continuous assessment works 1 HETAC is the qualifications awarding body for third-level educational institutions outside the university sector in Ireland. September 2013 I 76

81 extraordinarily well. (Education manager, An Cosán). An Cosán runs an active citizenship programme which encourages learners to explore democratic processes and promotes peer learning. The programme includes events to discuss forthcoming elections with local politicians, led by students from the degree course in leadership and community development. There is a student forum, to encourage interaction between students from different programmes. The centre also runs a grassroots leadership network, to support grassroots leaders to develop their skills, critical analysis and reflective practice. The network has been very successful in engaging travellers. Study support is provided for accredited courses, including short courses about returning to learning, to help students develop their literacy, numeracy, critical thinking and study skills. Mentoring support is available for students on accredited programmes. The mentors (sometimes previous students) encourage mentees to reflect on their learning, help with IT issues, planning assignments and critical analysis. Students might access different mentors to help with particular issues. Fully qualified counsellors work at An Cosán and around a quarter of students access the counselling service at any one time. Free childcare is also available. Key success factors An Cosán records very high retention rates on its accredited courses; 95% across their degree programmes. Retention rates on other courses such as personal development, ESOL, and drama are lower, with around 65% completing these courses. Students dropped out for a variety of reasons including: work commitments (including shift work and seasonal work), illness, and caring for dependents. The centre attributes its success in part to its commitment to the local community; a high percentage of An Cosán staff are local people who joined the centre as learners, being early school leavers themselves. Theses staff are now working in a variety of roles, including as support workers, administrators, education facilitators and tutors. "What hooks them back in is that its something for them, like the women and wellness programme. From that, learning about healthy lifestyles, they might decide to try something else like computers. (Education Facilitator/ tutor, An Cosán). An Cosán provides a transformational education model, designed to support the learner spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually. Every class begins with an 'opening circle', to make everyone feel welcome. This aids communication and engages students in a holistic, psychological way. The focal point is a central table with a cloth, candle, and flowers. A poem is read and music played. Students and tutors are on first name terms and develop genuine respect. A key differential between An Cosán and mainstream education is the emphasis on experiential learning. Tutors use group work and reflective practice to engage learners. In addition to a tutor, each class has an education facilitator who supports participants and contacts individuals if they miss a session and offers support. The education facilitator supports the tutor with session planning, and helps learners decide if they wish to progress onto other courses. Some education facilitators are previous participants, providing opportunities for peer learning: Education facilitators act as a support and keep the door open, as returning to education can be very challenging She was hugely significant as a peer role model. Part of her progress was to co-deliver, this was a powerful experience for herself and other students She has huge credibility with the group, it was fantastic, very inspirational. (Education manager, An Cosán). September 2013 I 77

82 What s very good about learning here is that it is completely different to a school setting, you re not judged, everyone is seen as an equal. There is no judgement made if you can t do something you are made to feel important and your word is valued. (Senior administrator/ support worker and early school leaver, An Cosán). Perspectives on transferability The main challenges to transferring approaches to mainstream education are structural and financial. There is very limited scope within the Junior cycle (national curriculum for year olds in Ireland) to differentiate the pace of learning. Budget cuts, as a result of the recession, have reduced the already limited resources for providing additional student support: We have a very pressurised, streamline curriculum in Ireland. It is trying to put a square into a round hole The curriculum, class sizes Some of the approaches could be included into the structure of the secondary system to retain students, but this would require staff and resources." (Tutor, An Cosán). However, learning from second chance education is already being taken on board to some extent in Ireland. The government is launching a new literacy and numeracy strategy next year. The new Junior cycle, being phased in for first year students from 2014, will have a reduced number of subjects and more focus on statements of learning and key skills and learning outcomes in literacy and numeracy. The new strategy will feature more continuous assessment and have less emphasis on exams. The new strategy will give more freedom to schools, by including 'short courses' which schools themselves will set the exams in 1. Stakeholders felt some second chance pedagogies could be transferred to mainstream education, such as using more group work to engage more artistic learners and encourage collaboration rather than competition: "A lot of the approaches applied in adult education could be applied to the senior streams of secondary school education Schools would need to see themselves as centres of collaborative learning Participative methodologies are the best ways to engage critical, analytical skills for students." (CEO, An Cosán). Stakeholders felt the education facilitator role could also work well in schools, providing additional support alongside classroom assistants. Opening circles could also be used in mainstream settings, to help children focus on learning, improve communication and feel comfortable asking for support. A cultural shift would be required to introduce some second chance approaches into mainstream education. NALA (the National Adult Literacy Agency) recommends schools work more closely with parents, recognising their critical role in supporting their child's learning from birth, and enabling them to make effective transitions between different education stages. NALA recommends a re-balancing of schools into a more community-centric model in which the roles of the school, parents and the community in the learning process are all recognised. This could be encouraged by replicating the citizenship programme in mainstream education settings. 1 Towards A Framework for Junior Cycle, NCCA (National Council for Curriculum and Assessment), November A Framework for Junior Cycle, Department for Education and Skills, October September 2013 I 78

83 September 2013 I 79 Lithuania

84 5.0 Lithuania Country Lithuania Name of 2 nd chance provision Vilnius Jonas Ivaškevičius Youth School Level of education ISCED 2 Type of institution Location (city and borough) Dedicated public school Vilnius Background information: country context Early school leaving in Lithuania reduced from 16.5% in 2000 to 7.9% in 2011 according to Eurostat data. 1 Moreover, the ESL rate has been reducing yearly since However, there are significant regional differences with ESL being at 4.6% in urban and 12.2% in rural areas in The main causes of such differences are related to differences of school network development, lack of infrastructure of educational support in rural areas and insufficient teacher qualifications 2. In addition, there are significant gender differences and boys are more likely to leave school early then girls with 10.6% ESL rate for boys and 5% for girls in In addition, stakeholder interviews identified that young people in Lithuania tend to leave school early at the age 12 to 14 when they are going through significant changes in their development and the workload at school increases significantly. Not all young people are able to deal with increasing work loads and school does not respond to the changing needs of young person. The key strategic documents defining education policy priorities include reducing ESL as one of the priorities. One of the key priorities of national education strategy for is to ensure the development of lifelong learning, continuing, accessible and socially inclusive education system. Reducing early school leaving is one of the specific objectives contributing to this strategic aim. The key initiatives in reducing ESL focus on prevention measures. The key policies that have been put in place recently in order to reduce ESL rate in Lithuania include: Development of pre-primary education provision. 21 pre-primary education institutions were established between 2011 and The accessibility of preschool education in rural areas has increased during recent years. The project Development of Pre-Primary and Pre-School Education was implemented in Eurostat, Early leavers from education and training, %. Available at: 2 Lithuania: National Reform Programme Available at: 3 Lithuania: National Reform Programme Available at: September 2013 I 80

85 and supported by EU structural funds. It is expected that increasing the quality of pre-school education will contribute to reducing ESL rate from formal education 1. Projects supporting the quality of special needs education were implemented in Some examples include: Preparation of Special Teaching Aids, Reorganisation of Special Schools, Establishment of Methodological Centres and Development of Quality and Efficiency of Student Assistance 2. The action plan for improving the education in minority languages was developed in The preparatory work for development of school autonomy has been undertaken. 4 In addition to the above measures, a very important initiative that contributes to reducing ESL is the establishment of a social pedagogue position at schools. As a result the large majority of schools in Lithuania has a social pedagogue since Interviews identified that due to financial difficulties schools increasingly waive the social pedagogue position, however, this initiative remains of significant importance in supporting pupils in their school life. Local authorities have an important role to play in developing and implementing ESL prevention programmes. The key document defining guidance for local authorities is Recommendations for Local Authorities and Head Teachers on Preventing Law Offences, Truancy, Drug and Psychotropic Substances Abuse, HIV/AIDS and Violence prepared by the Ministry of Education and Science. The study shows that the most common prevention activities are those related to awareness raising and non-formal education such as lectures, talks, one off initiatives, sporting events, competitions etc. 5 Significant attention in Lithuania has been given to the development of school education system through ESF-funded projects. Therefore, number of projects funded through ESF has been implemented during recent years that are likely to contribute to reducing early school leaving. Some of such projects include Increasing Effectiveness and Quality of Support for Learners, Inclusive Technology Support System Development 6 and development of Learning Schools Network. The latter project aims to bring together school community and increase capacity of those involved including teachers, senior management teams, other school staff, pupils and parents to address issues related to learning. 7 The second chance education in Lithuania is mainly provided through Youth Schools, adult education centres, adult schools and adult classes within mainstream schools, ESF funded projects Alternative Education and Returning the young people who dropped out of school back to educational system. Each of the schemes are 1 Lithuania: National Reform Programme Available at: 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. 5 Remigijus Auškelis, Ieva Dulinskaitė and Sandra Valantiejienė (2010), Prevention Programmes in Lithuania. Prevention Programmes Implemented Internationally. Available at: 6 Ministry of Education and Science (2007), Minister Decree on School Improvement Plus Programme. Available at: 7 Project website: September 2013 I 81

86 presented below: Currently there are 24 Youth Schools in Lithuania. Youth Schools were set up during early 90s as a result of the social, economic and cultural changes taking place during the move to independence. At the time initial education schools were not able to adapt to such changes and many young people left school early. Youth Schools aimed to address this situation and provide an opportunity for young people to complete lower secondary education. Today the schools are open to young people aged between 12 and 17 year old who did not have lower secondary education qualifications and are not in education, training or employment. Youth Schools teach according to mainstream lower secondary education curricula and provide lower secondary education qualifications. However, there are some differences from mainstream schools including individualised attention, smaller class sizes and opportunity to take part in vocational training. Adults who are over 18 years old and do not hold lower or upper secondary education qualifications have an opportunity to receive such qualifications through taking part in adult education centres, adult schools or adult classes within mainstream schools. 63 lower secondary education schools provided opportunity for adults to gain qualifications 1. In addition, there were 32 dedicated adult schools in 2011/12 2. Similarly as in the case of Youth Schools, adult education institutions teach mainstream school curricula but it is adapted to the needs of the learners. The project Alternative Education is being implemented by Education Supply Centre from 2009 to It aims to develop alternative education models in Lithuania. During the project productive learning model has been developed. It aims to help young people at risk of early school leaving remain in education through personalised learning programmes which combine theoretical learning and practical work experience. Currently productive learning is being piloted in three schools. It targets young people between year olds and provide an opportunity to undertake significant part of their learning in the work place. The project Returning the young people who dropped out of school back to educational system is implemented by Special Pedagogy and Phycology Centre together with 14 partner organisations between 2009 and The key activities included 12 activity groups for young people who regularly do not attend school, have lost motivation, have behavioural difficulties and suffer from difficult family backgrounds. Additional 4 activity groups were organised for young people with special needs. The key aims of such groups were to provide pedagogical, psychological and social support for young people in order to support their learning skills, increase their motivation, self-confidence and support their abilities to deal with difficult life situations. In addition, some three violence prevention initiatives were implemented in schools, teacher and staff training delivered and number of methodological information prepared and a register to monitor ESL has been developed 3. 1 Ričardas Totoraitis and Ilona Tarasevič (2009), Lifelong Learning Strategy: a Variety of Views. Available at: 2 Ministry of Education and Science, Centre of Information Technologies in Education (2012), Lithuanian Education in Numbers 2012: Secondary Education. Available at: pdf 3 Special Pedagogy and Phycology Centre website: September 2013 I 82

87 In Lithuania compulsory education starts at the age of seven and lasts until the age of 16 with completion of lower secondary education. Primary education lasts for four years and is provided in primary education schools and pro-gymnasiums. After the completion of primary education pupils continue their learning at lower secondary education level in such institutions as pro-gymnasiums, basic education schools, secondary schools, gymnasiums and vocational schools. Upper secondary education last for two years and is delivered in gymnasiums, secondary, vocational and other (e.g. The International Baccalaureate) schools 1. The education system is centralised with the Ministry of Education and Science having overall responsibility for development and implementation of education policies. Local authorities are responsible for implementation of national education policies in the municipalities, development of strategic education plans for municipality, development of school network and ensuring development of environment necessary for providing compulsory education 2. As mentioned above, local authorities are also responsible for ESL prevention programmes within municipalities. Funding for pre-primary, primary and secondary education is funded by the national Government. The funding is allocated using the principle of pupil s voucher and the funding for each educational institution depends on the number of students. When pupil moves a school the funding allocated for the voucher moves with him/her 3. Initial teacher training is provided in eight higher education institutions in the country. Vocational education institutions can also be involved in providing initial teacher training together with higher education institutions 4. According to new Law on Education (2011), teachers need to take part in continuing training for at least five days per year 5. Continuous teacher training is provided in wide range of private and public training institutions including teachers professional development centres in local authorities. Background information: locality context The total number of pupils in Vilnius schools were 60,985 in 2011/ One of the key challenges that schools face nationally as well as in Vilnius is reducing the number of young people joining schools due to demographic changes. Therefore, many of schools in Vilnius experience increasingly reducing number of pupils joining schools which result in increasing competition among schools as well as financial difficulties in many schools. According to national statistical data, the number of young people of school age who do not attend school was 2,129 in Vilnius out of 14,584 nationally in school year. The school leaving rate has been reducing during last three years slightly 1 Eurydice website: 2 Ministry of Education and Science (2010), Education Lithuania. Available at: 3 Ibid. 4 Vytautas Magnus University, Vocational Education Studies Centre (2006), Subject Teachers Training in Lithuania. Available at: 5 Eurydice website: 6 Vilnius City Municipality (2012), Decision on Reorganisation of Secondary Schools Network in Vilnius City Municipality Available at: September 2013 I 83

88 both in Vilnius as well as nationally. The data for academic year shows that 30% of those young people who do not attend school in Vilnius were living abroad. Some 1.5% (32) do not attend school because of social, psychological and other reasons and the reasons are unknown for 69% of young people 1. Although the data shows that the number of young people who do not attend school because of social, psychological reasons is relatively small, the reasons for not attending are not known for a large proportion of young people. A survey on the reasons for ESL that was undertaken in different schools in Vilnius shows that the main reasons for lack of motivation to learn were perception of unfair evaluation by teachers and lack of learning stimulus 2. Importance of disagreements with teachers for leaving school early has been confirmed during the interviews with students as well as teachers. Providing second chance education is the responsibility of national government and municipality has limited responsibilities in this field. As a capital city Vilnius benefits from large majority of national second chance programme that are described above. Similarly ESL prevention takes place mainly through national projects that are funded by European Social Fund (ESF). Some of the most important prevention projects were related to anti-bullying and prevention of substance use. History / background to developing the initiative Youth schools in Lithuania were established in Vilnius Jonas Ivaškevičius Youth School was the first in Lithuania and was set up the same year. Now there are around 20 youth schools in Lithuania. During the years following independence, schools were not able to adjust to changing social, economic and cultural situation in the country and many young people left school early without gaining their school leaving certificates. Youth Schools were set up to address this situation and to provide opportunity for those who left school to receive their school leaving certificate. Youth schools aim to provide education which is based on practical activities and initial professional training. Vilnius Jonas Ivaškevičius was set up within already existing infrastructure for providing initial professional training which facilitated its set up. When the school was set up there were 37 places available for young people and 15 staff worked at the school. Over the years the school grew and now can accommodate around 100 young people. Target groups The target group of the school is young people between year olds who do not have lower secondary education certificate, lack motivation to learn and/or are not in education and training. In terms of geographical coverage school targets young people living in Vilnius. At the time of the field work there were around 80 young people enrolled to the school. According to the data for 2008, over 60% of young people taking part at the school had difficulties with learning and/or experienced emotional trauma. The data from the 1 Official Statistics Portal. Available at: 2 Valdonė Indrašienė and Violeta Suboč (2010), Factors Influencing a Decrease in Students Learning Motivation September 2013 I 84

89 same survey shows that 44.5% of learners decided to join Youth School because they were looking for safer learning environment, 14.1% of learners decided to join because of conflicts with teachers and 14.1% joined because they wanted to receive school leaving certificate. 1 Young people interviewed during the field work emphasised that the opportunity to obtain school leaving certificate was a key reason for them to join the School. The opportunity to take part in vocational training was also mentioned among the reasons for joining. The interviews with staff emphasised that the key reasons to leave the School are often related to the conflicts with teachers and difficulties in learning. After a young person starts missing lessons they find it difficult to catch up. Young people often change around four schools before joining the Youth School. The interviews identified that sometimes learning difficulties are related to difficulties outside the school but if the school provides supportive environment then it is possible to achieve good results. However, if school environment does not provide support for young people they find it very difficult to remain at school. Key features of the provision and institutional setting Jonas Ivaškevičius Youth School is a dedicated school operating independently from other schools or educational institutions. It provides opportunity to obtain mainstream lower secondary school leaving certificate. Although the school provides general education qualifications it also provides opportunities for young people to gain some vocational education too. This is very distinctive feature of the young schools in Lithuania because especially for girls there are no other opportunities to take part in vocational education pathways at lower secondary education level. Moreover, majority of graduates continue their studies in vocational education schools. The education is provided in a smaller setting when compared to majority of the mainstream schools. Here the maximum number of young people can be 130 and the actual number in Jonas Ivaškevičius Youth School was around 80 at the time of the field work. The class sizes are also smaller in youth schools when compared to the initial education. There are around 12 learners per class in Jonas Ivaškevičius Youth School. The small class size allows to develop individualised approaches to learning and get to know each young person. Assessment of achievements is different in the youth school when compared to the mainstream schools. At Jonas Ivaškevičius Youth School learners accumulate the points during the course of the term. The maximum amount of points that learners can accumulate is 100 during the course of one term. At the end of the term the points are transferred into 10 point scales which are used in the mainstream schools. Importantly, students achievements are not assessed during the first month after they join the school. It allows them to get used to new environment before their achievements start to be assessed. Although the youth school teach the mainstream curricula, it is able to adapt up to 1 Youth Schools? Youth Schools!: Good News about Us. Project Implementation of Youth Schools Conception: Strengths and Ways for Addressing Problems material. Available at: September 2013 I 85

90 40% of its content to the needs of the learners. There is no homework in the Youth School but learners can ask for some additional work if they feel that they have some gaps and are interested to do some additional work. It is possible to accumulate additional points that lead to the overall assessment through additional work. Teachers also hold individual consultations for those learners who want to receive additional tuition. Creativity and arts is encouraged at the Youth School in order to improve the learning environment. There are some opportunities to develop creative interest after school hours. For example, the photography courses are very popular. School wide arts competitions are organised regularly. A lot of attention is dedicated to sports with seven out of 20 hours dedicated to informal learning being devoted to sports. The school takes part in local sports competitions (basketball, football) organised among all the schools in the neighbourhood, annual sports festival is organised. The cooperation with local amateur basketball team is established which comes to school every year visits the school to have a game with school s basketball team. Similarly, cooperation is established with the professional basketball team in Vilnius which regularly sends invitations to watch their games. Martial arts became very popular as one young person got interested in it and encouraged others to take it up. The cooperation between the Youth School and initial education schools has changed with the changes in the way the funding is provided to schools. Before funding for schools was linked to the number of pupils, more schools used to refer young people to youth schools. Currently the referrals are less frequent and schools tend to try and ensure that small number of young people would drop out. However, the cooperation takes place through such activities as participating in common projects, taking part in each others events, organising common sports competitions. Significant attention is given to cooperation with parents. Class teacher develops close contacts with parents when possible. Teacher contacts parents not only when there is a problem but also to highlight achievements. In addition, to the above mentioned stakeholders the youth school cooperates with police, State Children Rights Protection and Adoption Service, social service providers. The funding for school is provided by the local authority and national government. The former provides the funding for maintenance of the building and school environment and national government provides remaining funding. It is allocated on the basis of per-pupil formulae, which is also used to support mainstream schools. The support for learners is provided in a largely similar way to the mainstream schools. The key difference is related to the small size of the school which allows developing closer contacts with learners. Learners receive support from social pedagogue and psychologist. Almost half of learners receive lunch free of charge. September 2013 I 86

91 Key success factors According to the data provided during the interviews, around 85% of the graduates of Jonas Ivaškevičius Youth School continue their studies in vocational education institutions. Some 10% continue their education in mainstream schools and 5% take part in education provided in evening classes. The key success factor when engaging with learners in the youth school was related to the small class size. This has been emphasised as being of key importance by both the learners and school staff. Teachers emphasised that small class sizes allows them to get to know each young person much better and engage with them in an informal environment. Teachers spend time with young people during the breaks; they drink tea and have lunch together. This helps to get to know the story of each young person, to understand their environment and what they live with. Having small class sizes makes it much easier to develop such contacts with learners. Communication with young people is very important in motivating them to re-engage with learning. Class teachers dedicate a lot of attention for engaging with young people outside formal school environment. For example, they celebrate birthdays together with the whole class. The teacher also emphasised that as a reward for good attendance during the term she brings in the cake which is very motivating for the class. Teachers keep in contact with their class through social media, especially facebook. Highlighting the achievements, especially publically, is very important. Similarly contacting parents when there is something good to tell and not only when there is a problem is very important for motivating young people. Graduates often keep in contact with teachers after they leave school and come back to visit it years after. Cooperation among teachers is the other success factor of the school as highlighted by staff. The interviews identified that there are methodical groups, discussion clubs and informal communication to discuss any issues related to both teaching different subjects and engaging with learners. If class teacher finds it difficult to engage with young person, other teachers would get involved. Similarly, if there are some difficulties when engaging with parents other teacher or Head Teacher would approach parents. Teachers also share experience informally. Learners emphasised that the possibility to get involved when making decisions about their learning. For example, there is a student club active at the youth school. It undertakes surveys of young people in order to identify what works well, what are the issues that need to be addressed and what the possible solutions could be. Then young people together with teachers discuss how this could be addressed. Young people also appreciated that they learn not only from books but teachers use active learning methods. The lessons that take place outside school environment were appreciated by learners. Similarly different assessment system is appreciated by them. September 2013 I 87

92 Perspectives on transferability Young people when asked what they would recommend to change in their old schools in order to respond better to the needs of students suggested that: Learning should not be only from the books. Teachers should be more understanding. There should be no homework and no need to bring in the books. The assessment should be based on accumulated points rather then marks. There should be possibilities to take part in practical extra-curricula activities. There should be more opportunities for learning outside classroom. This shows that for young people the most important things that they would like to change at mainstream school were pedagogical methods to teaching and relationships with teachers. As the experience from youth school shows one of the key factors that could facilitate this is smaller class size. It is very difficult within the mainstream schools to develop closer links to pupils when there are over 25 people in a classroom. Most of the interviewees consulted emphasised that initial teacher training does not prepare teachers to work with unmotivated young people. Further support for teachers professional development especially regarding their work with pupils who lack motivation would be important in order to reduce ESL. One of the key challenges for transferability as highlighted by many stakeholders interviewed is related to the public acceptance of non-academic learning pathways. Currently, the academic learning is very strongly appreciated by teachers, parents, young people, decision makers and wider society. Moreover, any learning opportunities that are different to academic learning are seen as second class education. This is a barrier for development of alternative pathways as well as is likely to result in lack of acceptance of the changes that are coming from alternative pathways into the mainstream schools. September 2013 I 88

93 September 2013 I 89 Poland

94 6.0 Poland General Secondary Second Chance School based in the Centre of Continuous Education Schools (CENTRUM KSZTAŁCENIA USTAWICZNEGO (CKU) 1 Level of Education - General Secondary Location (City And Borough) Warsaw /Praga 1. Background information: country context. ESL indicators in Poland The Eurostat data shows that in 2011, the ESL rate in Poland was 5.6%. It remains below the European 2020 target of 10%. 2 However, it has increased slightly every year since 2008 when it was 5%. According to national information sources around 0.5% of young people fail to comply with the legal obligation to attend education. More than 80% of lower secondary education graduates continue their studies in higher level education institutions. More than 50% of upper secondary education graduates continue their studies in higher education. Expelling young people under 18 years old from school is prohibited by law. However, around two per cent of young people in primary and lower secondary education need to repeat a school year. Some students need to repeat year many times and they turn 18 in primary or lower secondary education. Since the 1970s, this solution has been perceived as an extreme one. Most often, it happens when he or she misses more than 50% of lessons during the school year. Nevertheless, young people who continuously repeat school year drop out from school without even primary school diploma. They are unable to continue their education at primary or lower secondary education and joining a second chance school is the only option for them. Education policy in Poland Education policy in Poland focuses on preventing ESL. There is also a legal obligation to attend school until the age of 18. Financial support for students is also provided for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in the form of scholarships, allowances and subsidies provided by welfare institutions and NGOs. The funding provided through European Structural Funds is also used for the development of modern forms 1 Center of Continuous Education is a complex of few schools: General Secondary, Lower Secondary and Post-Secondary, however, senior management is the same for all the schools. 2 Eurostat (online data code: tsisc060). Available at: [Accessed at: 17 August 2012] September 2013 I 90

95 of teaching and basic curricula, which better address the needs of young people and subsequently are likely to reduce ESL. 1 A student, who has difficulties with learning, receives support from school. Many schools hire counsellors, sometimes even psychologists. Additional lessons are provided for students who are from disadvantaged backgrounds. If, despite these attempts, a student is unable to cope with the school requirements (particularly at the lower secondary education), he or she can access the Voluntary Labor Corps, which combines studying with vocational training. Second possibilities are so-called Special schools which provide education for young people who have special education needs. The parents must give their consent for the transfer of a student to a Special School or Voluntary Labor Corps. The youth court has a mandate to decide to place young people in a Reform School if they have significant behavioural difficulties. Second chance education in Poland Schools in Poland are characterised by low selectivity and therefore the second chance school system is weakly developed. The most significant task of second chance schools is to provide vocational education to those young people who are unemployed. These are often graduates of lower secondary schools or general secondary schools who are unable to find a job. There are about 16000students at lower secondary second chance schools (of whom only about 4000are women). In comparison, there are about 1.3 m students in initial education schools. Students in lower secondary second chance schools constitute only about 1% of the whole student population (Statistical Yearbook 2011). These schools are attended mostly by young people (aged 16 to 18), who could not complete lower secondary education, most often because they failed to comply with the school regulations. In an interview for the CKU cases study, the students reported that they had often had bad relationships with teachers, who had many difficulties in dealing with them. Some of these students are girls, who became pregnant and preferred to change school. There is also a group of older students (above 18 years of age), who abandoned their education for various reasons, and now want to obtain their lower secondary school diploma. At second chance general secondary schools, there are 123,000students, compared to 632,000at initial education schools. Therefore, students in general secondary second chance education constitute about 19% of the total student population at this level. Reasons for students to drop out from general secondary schools are similar to those relating to lower secondary education. These schools provide opportunities for students who did not complete education at upper secondary level. 1 Marta Trawinska (2012), Poland Report ERM Comparative Analytical Report on young people Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET). Available at: September 2013 I 91

96 There are also 7000students at second chance technical secondary schools compared to in initial education schools. There are also supplementary general secondary and supplementary technical secondary schools for those who have finished basic vocational education and would like to obtain their secondary education diploma. But this kind of schools will be closed in the next year. Second chance schools are often grouped into the so-called CKU - Centra Kształcenia Ustawicznego (Continuous Education Centres). These cooperate with Practical Education Centres providing vocational training. The mode of operation of these schools is somewhat different from initial education schools. They offer classes for only three days a week; usually from eight am until two or three pm. Students below 18 years of age are obliged to attend vocational training for the remaining two days of the week. Those who work can attend weekend classes, organised every second week. There are no art, music or sports classes at these schools. Attendance at these schools is strictly monitored. If a student misses more than 50% classes, even for justified reasons, such as illness, work etc, they are removed from the school. Knowledge is tested quite frequently through monthly or twice yearly exams. Organization and management of initial schools Education is compulsory below the age of 16 and if a young person does not attend a school, the parents may be subject to criminal liability as a result. The obligatory schooling period is ten years. It includes the last year of pre-primary (starting from six years of age), six years of primary and three years of lower secondary education. After the lower secondary education, students have the following choice for following their education: 1) basic vocational education; 2) general secondary education; or 3) technical secondary education. The largest proportion of young people choose to follow upper secondary education, which is attended by about 40% students aged After a three year study period, they pass the secondary school examination. Graduates of these schools usually attend colleges and universities. About 30% young people go to technical secondary schools. Graduation allows them either to enter university or start working in a profession. Basic vocational schools are the least popular ones, chosen by about 15% of young people. Graduates from these schools can either go to work or continue education at upper secondary schools. School management and funding is decentralised in Poland. Government provides funding to local self-governing bodies for education, which is based on the number of students in the local authority. However, it is up to the local authorities to decide, which school will receive the money. In most cases, these authorities also provide cofunding for schools in their area. The amounts differ depending on the level of affluence of community, views of authorities concerning education and perceived significance. September 2013 I 92

97 The regulations related to class organisation, school evaluation and ways of supporting disadvantaged students are decided at the central level. The managerial responsibilities of school head teachers are therefore somewhat limited. They are financially dependent on the local authorities, while strategies for solving educational and learning problems are specified at national level. Within the legal framework teachers and head teachers have responsibility for adapting curricula and teaching methods to the level and interests of the students. However, despite this legal responsibility, teachers do not usually change anything in the curriculum. They indicate that the curriculum is very overloaded, they are only able to use traditional teaching methods, as interactive learning methods are usually too time consuming. Importantly, the local authorities and local community s perceptions of a school s role is based on the results of final examinations. This criteria is also used when assessing school performance by authorities. Therefore teachers often assess students knowledge using tests and they make sure that the students are able to pass final examinations. Head teachers indicate that there are some significant limitations in regulation relating to planning and to the recording of teachers working hours. These have to be entered in advance into the schedule, which prevents effective organization of events and trips. Most importantly, lower secondary and upper secondary schools in Poland are public schools. In addition, there are private schools, Catholic schools and schools established by various associations. The curriculum taught is the same as in all schools. They all aim at achieving good results in final examination, which makes them all more or less similar. Principals at non-public schools, however, enjoy greater freedom in the management of their personnel. Teachers at these schools work in accordance with different rules, which are more flexible in comparison with public schools. Cooperation between schools and NGOs in Poland is very weak. There are several associations working on behalf of schools, e.g. for civic education, equal opportunities or fighting discrimination. Usually, these activities are limited to their mandate. Associations offer short term programmes for schools, which usually end when the project is completed. There is no continuity or stability in such activities, and their effectiveness is difficult to assess. Teacher training is one of the greatest difficulties in the education system in Poland. Teachers are prepared for work during university studies. Their knowledge is only theoretical and they find it very difficult to work in class, particularly with students who have behavioural difficulties and are more challenging. The best teachers choose good schools, and schools in good or wealthy districts and in areas where educated people live. In less prestigious schools with more difficulties, there are usually more teacher vacancies, which are more likely to be filled by worse teachers, who go wherever they can find a job. September 2013 I 93

98 Some continuous professional development training is available on how to cope with aggressive or difficult students, although their scope is fairly limited. Another issue is that teachers are not well prepared to cooperate with parents, in particular, with the parents of difficult students. Relations between teachers and parents are usually focused on conflicts. 2. Background information: locality context ESL in Warsaw The case study scheme is the CKU in the district of Warsaw Praga. Various indicators are used to analyze how schools function, and they are perceived differently in rural areas and small cities, compared to those in large cities. In Warsaw, the variation in external examination results is greater than anywhere in Poland. There are schools in which examination results are very high, and others which obtain very poor results. Some schools face only minor problems, while others encounter major problems, particularly in disadvantaged areas. It is very difficult to determine ESL rates for Warsaw, due to mobility of its inhabitants. Many people from other cities and towns, as well as immigrants, search for jobs in Warsaw. Sometimes when they move, their child leaves the school and it is difficult to establish whether the child is still attending school somewhere else, or whether he or she has dropped out. The police search for such children, but it often takes a long time, before the issue is resolved. In Warsaw, there are 51 students, who have been recorded as failing to comply with the obligation to attend education in primary schools, and 39 such students in lower secondary. In many cases, students who stop coming to school are classified as needing to repeat the year. Therefore the number of students who need to repeat the year may include students, who have in fact dropped out. Last year in Warsaw, there were 73500primary school students, and only around 300 needed to repeat the year. This number was slightly higher at lower secondary schools. (It should be noted that primary education school lasts 6 years, and lower secondary education school only three years, so there are many more students in primary schools.) Out of 34300, about 1100 had failed to progress to the next year, that is, about three per cent 1. Key policy priorities in the field of ESL and second chance education. Despite indications that the official ESL statistics may not be very precise, the number of students who are dropping out from schools is still fairly low. The department of the Education Office in Warsaw, which organizes and manages the CKU does not treat the reduction of ESL as a priority. The priority is focused on the development of vocational schools and improving the profile of professions, which are popular in the labour market. The department managers have at their disposal analyses of the labour market and its trends in Warsaw; however, they are not interested in how many students drop out of the system. 1 Calculations based on unpublished data for 2011, supplied by interviewer during telephone interview with the Department of Education at the Municipal Office of Warsaw, 19 June September 2013 I 94

99 3. History and background to developing the initiative Praga is a district of Warsaw, separated from the city centre by the river; due to the low number of bridges, it has maintained its specific character of the 19th century as a district of small trade, inhabited by many people without a permanent job, often very poor. The crime statistics are higher here in comparison with other districts. At present Praga is developing and the new areas are different. However, if a school is located within the region of old' Praga, it is characterized by a high percentage of students failing to progress into the next academic year. The national average of students who need to repeat the year at lower secondary level is eight to nine per cent of students, while in the schools of old Praga, this number ranges from 12, 14, 20 to 53%. In primary schools, failure to progress to the next academic year occurs rarely; on average 1-2 per cent of students fail to do so, while in northern Praga, there is a school where the proportion reaches 16%. A new CKU was established eight years ago in the district due to the difficult situation of schools in Praga, and in the vicinity of Warsaw. This is the third Centre of this kind in Warsaw. It is believed to be one of the best in Poland. It is distinguished by friendly and caring attitudes towards the students and a good, cooperative team of teachers. 4. Target groups Students at the CKU schools in Praga belong to various age groups. In the general secondary second chance school examined, student age varied from 18 to 50, although the majority were aged The share of men and women was equal. The aim of the scheme is for students to obtain a general secondary school diploma (matura). Some students want to continue their education at university level. Others need the diploma to maintain their jobs, because the diploma, or at least a certificate of graduation from a general secondary school, is required by their employers. In many cases, these are young people from difficult and disadvantaged communities, however, not all of them. Some are people who found it difficult to develop their artistic passions, for example, as musicians or painters, at the mainstream schools; others found it difficult to cope with the school discipline and the fact that they were treated like children. The CKU conducts no special activities to encourage people who drop out of school to return to school. The CKU team informs schools in Praga and the neighbourhood of the possibility to continue education, by distributing flyers. People who enroll as CKU students intend to engage in or continue their education, and found out about school on their own or from their friends. People who do not see the need to continue their education are not targeted by CKU. September 2013 I 95

100 5. Key features of the provision and institutional setting The main objective of the CKU is to enable students to complete upper secondary education, in order to provide them with an opportunity to continue their education or find a job. The CKU has at its disposal a very well equipped library and ICT equipment. The centre cooperates with the neighbouring Practical Education Centre, which organizes various vocational courses including some for lower secondary school students. The CKU curriculum is the same as in the initial education schools, and CKU students must pass the same examinations. The key difference from initial education schools is that students are treated differently, like adults at CKU. The teachers are aware of the fact that many students have been through difficult times and they are there to provide teaching, psychological support and help in searching for a job or applying for benefits. There are no different teaching methods, no arts, no sports and only normal lessons. However, they have lessons only three days a week, so they have much more work at home. The most important difference the school s atmosphere, as learners are treated as adults by teachers who are very polite and cooperative. 6. Key success factors The CKU consists of several schools with different characteristics. At the lower secondary level (three years), about 50% students drop out before graduation. At the general secondary level (three years), students who were initially eligible for benefits on the basis of their enrollment often drop out after the first year, as well as students who have been discouraged. This group of students constitute about 30-40%. Students who reach the second year of general secondary level usually (about 80%) are able to graduate. The CKU does not keep in touch with its graduates, therefore, they do not know the percentage who failed to enter university or find a job after graduating from the school. During the interviews, the students expressed their satisfaction with the school, particularly with the way they were treated and the support that they got. The counselors help them to cope with their social and financial difficulties, the psychologists help them when they have personal problems. The careers counselor is also employed in the school to help them to obtain a job. The school has a good reputation among the municipal and district authorities, and the students who enroll come here because of encouragement from their friends. 7. Perspectives on transferability. Initial education schools in Poland are supposed to support the students and there are many ways in which they can do so. There are additional lessons, school counselors, and sometimes psychologists. The greatest problem is reported to be related to the teachers themselves and their training, as they are poorly prepared to work, particularly with students from disadvantaged communities. They cannot, and sometimes do not want to, take into account the remarks of counselors or psychologists. Of course, this does not apply to all, but unfortunately to many. September 2013 I 96

101 Both teachers and students of the case study CKU listed bad treatment of students and discouraging from learning, as the basic disadvantage of initial schools, and in particular a lack of ability to cope with students from disadvantaged communities. A prerequisite for transferability would be a different way of providing teacher training. Another factor identified during the interviews is staff gender balance. In the CKU, half of all teachers are men, while in initial education schools, 80 to 90% of teachers are women, which has some disadvantages. Staff diversity is an important factor for transferability. Bibliographical notes Data and information concerning Polish educational system based on: Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Poland 2011 (2011), Warsaw: Central Statistical Office; Education in 2010/11 School Year (2011) Warsaw: Central Statistical Office; Both publications available at: http// September 2013 I 97

102 Portugal September 2013 I 98

103 7.0 Portugal Name of 2 nd chance provision Matosinhos Second Chance Education School Level of education Type of institution Location (city and borough) Secondary (offers certification equivalent to the sixth year and ninth sixth year of school; usually completed at the age of 12 and 15) Independent school run by an NGO in partnership with the local authority and government education ministry Matosinhos, northern Portugal Learners age Places available 40 Introduction Country context When the project to launch the school began in 2005, 20% of Portuguese young people had not completed the nine years of compulsory education, in common with more than half of the population as a whole. However, the rate of early school leaving used by the EU, counting all those who do not complete secondary school was around 40%, which has now come down to nearer 30%. Interviews identified that currently ESL is the key problem for young people from Roma and immigrant background. Some schools, local authorities and local networks have developed their own projects and initiatives to address the issue of ESL, but most education policy is set out fairly rigidly in law. Since 2003, Municipal Education Councils have taken on a more active role in the design and implementation of education policy, coordinating between government education ministry and local schools. 1 Some schools, local authorities and local networks have developed their own projects and initiatives to address the issue of ESL, and it is important to recognise that there is some flexibility in the educational system to allow innovation, despite a strong legal framework. The main provision for early school leavers aged 15 plus (or 14 in exceptional cases) is a range of Vocational Education and Training Courses (CEFs), designed to appeal to those with less academic interests. The courses lead to certification equivalent to the sixth, ninth or twelfth year of school. They are made up of socio-cultural, scientific, technological and practical components, and may be taught in state schools, private or 1 Araújo, Helena C. (2008) Trabalhar em Rede na Educação, Desdobrável September 2013 I 99

104 cooperative educational establishments, Vocational Training Centres run by the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP) or through other accredited training bodies. Psychologists, careers advisors and other professionals may work together with teachers to identify eligible students, to offer support, seek work experience placements and teach job hunting skills. 1, 2 An important government education policy to prevent ESL, launched in 1996, is Priority Intervention Education Zones (Territórios de Educação e Intervenção Prioritária or TEIP). They aim to promote success at school, through positive discrimination in favour of deprived neighbourhoods. Groups of schools work together with families, communities, colleges, health services, police and other local agencies to coordinate resources. 3 More recently, New Opportunities Centres were set up to address ESL and targeting young people over 18. The National Education Council reports annually on the state of education, highlighting examples of new and different experiences in schools which have developed their own strategies to succeed in reducing ESL. They have improved their results year on year, despite having similar infrastructures to other schools facing similar problems endemic to the educational system and working with vulnerable populations characterised by poverty, unemployment and immigration and low expectations and levels of education. 4 Local context In the borough of Matosinhos, which has a history of fishing, industry and demographic influx from rural areas, around 20% of housing is social housing. There are high levels of social exclusion, particularly in some areas, and a wide range of social support initiatives aiming to prevent ESL. The council is seen as having a very interesting pedagogical offer, which goes beyond the legal requirements of its role. For example, one project for those at risk of ESL has a team of nine full time psychologists, approximately one for each school, who act as mediators between the 20% of students who do not pass their end of year exams, and parents and teachers. Another project targets early year settings, identifying four year olds before the start school who have difficulties with Portuguese and maths, in order to reduce the future possibility of repeating the school year. 1 Direcção Regional de Educação de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo, Equipa Multidisciplinar Novas Oportunidades (2011) Cursos de Educação e Formação de Jovens Cidade das Profissões Isabel Ferreira, Ana Rita Teixeira (2010) Territórios de Educação e Intervenção Prioritária: Breve balanço e novas questões, Sociologia: Revista do Departamento de Sociologia da FLUP, Vol. XX, 2010, pág Conselho Nacional de Educação (2010) Estado da Educação 2010 September 2013 I 100

105 Background to developing the initiative The school was set up as an initiative of a group of education workers, whose professional experience led them to believe that the mainstream education system was failing to fulfil the constitutional right of education for all. They established an NGO, the Association for Second Chance Education (AE20), with the aim of opening a school within the framework of the European Second Chance Schools Network (E2C). To promote this idea they ran international exchange programmes, which tried out artistic and interactive teaching methods that were to be used in the school to engage early school leavers. Even during just a week of such activities, there was an impact on disadvantaged young people's lives, and the project gathered interest from professionals. 1 The local conditions which led to the establishment of the school included favourable conditions related to personal networking. The founder of the school was well linked among key stakeholders in the education field in the area and received support from key personnel in adult education, the local authority education department and the regional body of the government ministry of education. It facilitated establishment of the school. The development of the initiative was inspired by visits made to a Danish production school a decade ago. The founder was impressed by the freedom and flexibility of the curriculum; its relevance to students' interests; the creativity and lack of hierarchy, as well as the close relationship with the world of work. The disadvantaged young people who accompanied him on the visit said that they would like to have the opportunity to attend a school like that in Portugal. The school place significant value on creativity and the arts that shapes and directs the holistic curriculum in the school. This feature is innovative compared to the European context and could help other countries to expand their offer and make the curriculum less dry and more appealing. 1 ESOM (2010) Setting up a second chance school, Newsletter of E2C Europe September 2013 I 101

106 Key elements of the model or approach Target groups The school targets 15 to 25 year olds who have left school without qualifications and do not have a place anywhere else. Many students are referred through court support teams for young offenders, and others come through social services or mainstream schools. Others self-refer, having heard about the provision through word of mouth. The student profile is extremely diverse. The majority have completed no more than four years of initial education, which is usually undertaken in primary school at ages six to ten (1 st cycle). Others have continued to the next school stage, completed the sixth year (usually at the age of 12, known as 2 nd cycle) and gone as far as the eighth year of education (usually at the age of 14), but left before the ninth year (3 rd cycle) which is the end of compulsory schooling. For many, their interests and talents lie in practical rather than academic skills and they left because they disliked school, were expelled, lacked support or for economic reasons. Failure in exams is seen as a major factor causing ESL, because many students lose motivation when they must repeat the school year, so a 14 year old may be in a class alongside nine or ten year olds. When schools only contact parents to complain about children's behaviour, they too may be further discouraged from contact with the school. Staff described different aspects of students backgrounds as being difficult for many reasons such as large families or single parent families; young people who grown up in institutions; unemployment and reliance on benefits; living in deprived social housing estates; violence in their homes and neighbourhoods; criminal convictions and involvement in the courts; childcare responsibilities; and psychological and behavioural difficulties. The estimated gender split varies between 25% female and 75% male, to 30% female to 70% male. Staff estimate that the ethnic breakdown is broadly representative of the local population which is largely white Portuguese with less than five percent being Gypsies and a very small number from African backgrounds. Even though Roma girls tend to leave school early, it is expected that their participation in school would be higher. Admissions are by interview, depending on need, but available places do not meet demand. There is some flexibility in the criteria, for example, two to three of this year s students had already completed the compulsory nine years of education but were not ready to move up to the next level of mainstream provision. They came to the school via recommendations from friends and will stay for one year without completing further certification. September 2013 I 102

107 Type of provision The provision offers vocational subjects with an emphasis on creative and practical skills, and has 40 student places lasting one year, which can begin at any point in the year. Building up a portfolio of work leads to certification equivalent to the sixth year of school, (usually completed at the age of 12), or the ninth and final year of compulsory education (usually completed at age 15). This school is unique and the only one of such kind in Portugal. Organisational arrangements Governance and system-level supports The school opened as a partnership between the Association for Second Chance Education (AE2O, a local NGO), the local authority which provides the site, and the government education ministry. The latter provides teachers through the Northern Regional Directorate for Education, as it does for mainstream schools, although there were serious problems with not enough teachers being funded in , which delayed the opening of the school in the autumn term. Support from the local authority has been of critical importance to the school's survival and there is a strong will to continue the provision. There was some sensitivity to initial suggestions of a gap in provision for early school leavers from the Association for Second Chance Education, among those working in the relatively centralised system of social support, led by the local authority. In the past four years, relationships with local agencies have become stronger as public recognition of the school's contribution has increased. However, while there was initially some external hostility which has decreased, the school's internal energy and enthusiasm levels have waned slightly compared to the first year, due to the pressures of the work and the school's survival. Funding Financial survival is a major challenge for the school. In the first year of opening in , significant funding was available from ESF. However, it was not the case during the following years. As mentioned above school also receives funding from local authority and national government. Among other financial resources are more fragmented ones such as participation in international exchange programmes. The Grundtvig programme provides funding for one teacher in Last year the school developed an alternative model for sustainability, going beyond annual grant applications to integrate new partnerships, such as the one with the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP) which funds the sewing classes, and with the Social Security office which funds some of the psychological and social support. In the school's current fourth year of existence, the school had to open late because of a lack of resources including teachers. September 2013 I 103

108 The school receives hundreds of applications for volunteer placements, which are perceived as being particularly valuable. Most of the current 15 volunteers are graduates undertaking a placement of around two days per week as part of or after a course in education, social education, psychology or social work (or multi-media studies). They offer provision such as educational and careers advice, counselling, parental education and sex education, some of which the school could not otherwise afford. The current training and pastoral care coordinator initially came to the school on a two month placement as part of her Masters in Education, and then gained a one year vocational work placement, before beginning this role as her first job. Local partnerships Strong links have been developed with the local Centre for New Opportunities (CNO) and mainstream school. The second chance school being outside formal education system offers certification that is provided through CNO centre, to those aged 18 plus. For younger learners (15-17) certification is provided through the local secondary school. However, it has recently received official recognition as a certified training body. This reduces the need to rely on links with other training bodies, allowing greater efficiency and autonomy, as well as making an extremely important contribution in terms of public recognition and affirmation of the viability of this model. 1 The school's relationship with mainstream schools is very close, with the director having been director of the local secondary school, before setting up this initiative. However, there have been challenges with maintaining these relationships as the school has gained greater autonomy over time. Some mainstream school teachers are also members of the NGO running the school. The school frequently receives requests for support from an increasing number of local mainstream schools that are experiencing difficulties in integrating individual young people. Staff also run training including forum theatre techniques, and how to work with at risk young people. 2 The school is a member of the borough level Social (Development) Network, responsible for the Matosinhos Social Development Plan, which identifies tackling early school leaving as a priority. It is also a member of a Local Council for Social Action, which operates at a local administrative district, and takes parts in activities and meetings of the Local Social Development Contract in a neighbouring district September 2013 I 104

109 Teaching and learning arrangements Curricula Students are helped to decide on their own timetable and combination of subjects. The objective is for students to eventually attend for six hours of training each day, but most begin with a shorter timetable which they can increase. They may begin at any point in the school year, and stay for one year, which is important as it can avoid them having to wait for months with nothing to do, for example, if they leave mainstream school part way through the year. Each morning there are vocational training workshops on ICT and media, cookery, electricity, carpentry and sewing in groups of 10-15, also offering additional support with literacy, numeracy and certification. Students have the opportunity to put together portfolios of work to gain certification equivalent to the sixth school year or to the ninth and final year of compulsory education (usually completed at age 12 and 15 respectively). They also create products to sell, giving the students a sense of satisfaction and social usefulness as well as understanding of the need for high standards. The sewing workshops, for example, that take place in the mornings cover a range of subjects such as the fashion industry and classification of textiles, as well as hands on skills, which are integrated with different subjects and focused on events, such as Christmas, Carnival in February and a local festival in March. Afternoons are more free, with a range of artistic workshops focused on different skills including dance, music, drama, graffiti and visual arts, as well as cultural activities, sports, health and hygiene and international youth exchanges. The idea of extra curricular activities is not relevant as such because they are treated as part of the curriculum. All students have the opportunity to complete work experience placements of two weeks or 50 hours, during which time they belong to the company and are expect to fulfil a similar role to an employee. It is difficult to find willing employers, such as a local café and carpentry workshop, where owners are keen to work with the young people, but about half of placements are very successful and some students have gone on to work at the same company. Pedagogy A teacher commented that the school s practical and holistic pedagogical approach means that students learn to play and they learn to learn, through a dynamic connection between subjects. So students work towards a cultural event such as Carnival, across all subjects, for example designing and making costumes and taking part in the local procession. September 2013 I 105

110 Personal and social education is a distinct subject but it is also taught in a cross cutting way through different media, in response to issues that arise within a group, individual or family setting. The examples of approaches used in school include building an environment where students feel trusted to talk about their personal problems; for example with a sex education teacher. The drama teacher uses 'forum theatre' techniques. Students require significant amounts of reassurance to overcome personal insecurities and encourage them to try again if they make mistakes, and to encourage them that it is a normal part of learning. The Youth Mediator is planning to encourage respect for the environment by helping students plant a garden. Staff sometimes work on personal issues with students and their families, who are often part of complicated issues that influence a student s progress. Although there are not resources for parental education, parents build up trust for staff, whom some treat as an intermediary with other agencies, asking for help with different issues such as benefits, food and jobs. Teachers and students both highlight the importance of students knowing that they are cared for. For example if they do not attend, staff will make contact by telephone every day to check why and whether they are ill or feeling down. A teacher commented, We are a second family for the students, and for some a first family. This is the secret of the school. Compared to the automatic threat of exclusion for non-attendance in mainstream schools, it seems to help students to know that their teacher will be sad and even miss them, as well as offering understanding and help with whatever issues are keeping them away. Very rarely students bring their children into school, which is accommodated as it is seen as preferable to missing school. In a drama group that starts as 12 students, staff expect two or three to drop out of that subject. There is also an acceptance of students taking some time out during a lesson or workshop, when they may just sit on a chair rather than participate, not least because some are less keen on a particular subject. The school removes the common sanction of sending students out of the classroom that is common in mainstreams settings, but which students sometimes talk about as a prize for bad behaviour. Instead there is not that get-out clause in this school, because teachers will still be there, offering unconditional acceptance. Here the students are intentionally given some breathing space, and there is a rejection of some of the restrictions in mainstream schools, such as insistence on not wearing caps. The role of the Youth Mediator is primarily to deal with behaviour issues in order to pre-empt the need for disciplinary interventions, and to encourage them to stay in the classrooms or return after they have walked out of class. He attributes his relative success to his non-authoritarian voice, and informal respectful approach, whereby he gently coaxes initially, becoming more insistent if necessary, with the option of back up from either the training and pastoral care coordinator, the head teacher or the security guard. Offering praise and positive encouragement, for example, when students become more punctual, increases self esteem. Part of the approach to discipline uses negative consequences as punishment. The Youth Mediator tops up September 2013 I 106

111 their free student travel pass either on a monthly basis, permitting freedom to travel outside school, or only with return journeys for school on a daily or weekly basis, depending on behaviour and attendance. He also oversees students washing off graffiti that they have done. Support There is a perceived need to expand the support on offer beyond that offered by teaching and pastoral staff and volunteers, because sometimes education is the least of students problems. Staff have developed interventions with students and their families in the areas of employment, justice, health and housing, for example helping to resolve issues such as legal immigration status and benefits applications. Limited resources mean that additional support from the Education Ministry would be welcome. Whereas the school used to employ psychologists, it is volunteers who now offer additional psychological support. One teacher commented that some students are far more receptive to volunteer psychologists based within the school, who they trust more easily, compared with externally provided support. Lessons learned Engagement and support Engaging students is a major challenge where every day is a conquest and staff need to be sensitive to the fact that the same student may present different issues from day to day..one of the main reasons why students engage more successfully with this school is because it is so different to previous experiences of mainstream school; particularly in terms of how much attention they receive and their individually tailored plans and timetables. They don t have to walk around with a rucksack full of books on their back. Here they are seen as individuals, known by their names, and not just seen as one group. We know their families, said one teacher. There is an open door policy, which teachers described as being very popular and having a real impact, as students know teachers are available to help. The staffstudent relationship involves teachers giving as well as making requests and demands in response to students' needs and progression. Initially teachers give more and ask for less in return, but once they have built up trust and confidence, they can increase their expectations of students and make more demands. Initially students may baulk at the idea of studying Maths, but usually become ready later. It is a challenge to enable students to enjoy the school experience and feel that the school is their space, according to a teacher interviewed during the visit to school. He believed there are no recipes or formulae, instead the key is to have an open heart and mind, thus he avoids planning before getting to know a new group and sensing which methodologies will work. Not only does he tailor his teaching to the group, but September 2013 I 107

112 the students participate in the planning, so his role is to provoke them to think for themselves and choose what work they will do, which he compares to teaching them to fish rather than supplying the caught fish. Staff encourage motivation by discussing example of people who have managed to overcome difficulties, and the dance teacher is strong positive a role model because he used to be a student at the school. They talk about places they have travelled, to encourage students to broaden their horizons, and not be limited to the often very insular estates where they live. Some students return to education because they have been unemployed and want to gain qualifications in order to find work, sometimes because of a change in circumstances when they become parents and find a paternal or maternal desire to be able to provide for their children. Many who are referred through the court support team are ready to try a different sort of school because they have been from pillar to post and reached a point where they want to move away from their lifestyle and world of criminality. A motivation for most young women in the sewing workshops is the opportunity to make clothes for their children or children of relatives and friends. Some students choose cookery classes because they do not have enough food at home and expect to be able to eat what they cook. Staff have to be attentive to pick up on these cases, for example, noting when someone arrives in the morning looking particularly pale, and they now distribute food parcels from a food bank. Learner satisfaction When asked what they thought of the school during a group interview, students responded that it is cool and cited the following reasons, most of which were given in contrast to earlier school experiences: 1 Being treated differently, for example, teachers making telephone contact to check on student's welfare when classes are missed; 2 Getting on well with their peers who have got to know each other as a group; and, 3 Choosing subjects they like such as music and dance, and making carnival costumes However, what was more revealing about their strength of feeling, was when students expressed their contrasting feelings of aggression towards their past schools, compared with the joy they feel at this current school through a physical drama exercise - using their bodies to create a sculpture to illustrate their responses. High levels of learner satisfaction and a sense of belonging are also evident in students' statements to teachers and frequent media interviews, as well as feedback from their families and other support agencies. A summary of the results from the first three September 2013 I 108

113 years of the school's existence refer to a progressive "reduction in incidents and crises, leading to a school atmosphere that is usually calm and safe". 1 Quality of provision The school has produced three annual reports and a separate quantitative record (see next section). The director identified the need to refine the school s quantitative data collection, and is creating an instrument to record student s progression once they leave the school. The curriculum and organisation of the school are important, but its quality and success depend on the people and relationships. The high demand to join the school was cited by staff as being an indicator of quality; along with the frequent invitations to take part in dissemination of experience and knowledge at local, national and international levels. 2 The school has received significant media coverage, for example when the school had difficulties opening last year. It has been the subject of journal articles and two to three Masters dissertations. The school won three prizes in 2010: A national Prize of Recognition in Education presented by the Minister of Education A local prize approved unanimously by the local council A national prize, as a body which distinguished itself in its tutoring and educational measures for integration into employment, as part of the Valere Community Programme Prevention and Fight Against Crime. 1 ESOM (2011) Resultados de 3 anos de formação /2011(resumo) 2 ESOM (2011) Resultados de 3 anos de formação /2011(resumo) September 2013 I 109

114 Attainment and progression In the first three years after the school opened, 120 students undertook vocational training and worked towards certification, with 60 students achieving the sixth or ninth year of schooling. Many went on to find work and some returned to mainstream schools, or progressed to complete CEF courses. Around 10% of students are reported to drop out of the provision, often because they find work, marry, emigrate; or they require more specialised support, for example, relating to mental health, drugs or learning difficulties; or occasionally because of a serious disciplinary incident; although many of them keep in touch. Among the remaining students, attendance was seen as relatively high at around 75-80%. 1 Some figures taken from the available annual reports are summarised below: Figure 1.1 Summary of enrolment, completion and destination data School year Enrolments Students who completed 6 th year certificate Students who completed 9 th year certificate Students still working towards completing certificate Students who completed vocational training and found work Students who enrolled in follow on courses Students who left the provision after around 6 months Total over 2 or 3 years (23%) - 29 (23%) 10 (12%) 24 (29%) 25 (19%) A teacher described the central aim of the school not as certification, but integration, engaging the students and taking them away from the streets and environments where they may have been involved in crime and drugs. On a day to day basis, success is when students attend each day. Students increase their self esteem and show great pride in their work, for example, taking lots of photographs not only for their portfolios for certification but also to show their families. In the longer term, the school can have an impact which changes students lives. Staff recognise the limits as they cannot solve everything. However, a large proportion of former students keep coming back to visit and share news from their new lives, such as a new course, partner, baby or job, and bring their families to meet staff, which they find rewarding. 1 ESOM (2011) Resultados de 3 anos de formação /2011(resumo) September 2013 I 110

115 Some examples of the impact of the school on young people's lives are as follows: An intelligent young man who had been dealing drugs on a large scale and been in trouble with the police, but worked very hard and completed both his sixth and ninth year certification in just one year, then progressed to train as a security guard elsewhere. Another student who learnt electrical skills at this school went on to work for an electricity company in Lisbon. A pregnant young woman who chose cookery because she was hungry, has since moved to sewing because she plans to work from home and make money from mending. Transferability Possibilities and existing work around transferability Transferability of the lessons from their experience is an issue that school staff have given a lot of thought and attention, as they seek closer relationships with mainstream education providers. Because the vast majority of guaranteed resources go to mainstream schools, their view is that it is essential to find ways of doing some of the same work with young people at risk of ESL, but based in these settings. While the school would like to grow and came very close to opening a second branch in a neighbouring borough, this seems difficult in the current climate. A next step would be for the government Ministry of Education to formally recognise them as part of a national education system. Because there are not enough student places at this school, an alternative objective is to work more with mainstream schools, to promote messages about how to work with these young people before they leave school. The school already has regular contact with several mainstream schools and is seeking to develop a programme of cooperation, building on the success of its support when other schools request their help and the promotion of the project. It offers support to students at risk of ESL with attendance and certification. There is a wish to invest more in a part of its mission, which has always been to develop a borough level strategy to systematically identify and respond to cases and design the school to be an intervention that fits. However, there have been some issues with referrals from other agencies, not least because of competition for students from other vocational training providers, where some students enrol but leave, finding it too similar to mainstream schools. September 2013 I 111

116 Teachers suggested that the following elements of their success could be transferred to mainstream settings: Small group work; Integration of extra curricular activities; Teacher training to encourage the deconstruction of traditional ideas about stereotypes of the normal compliant student and what counts as a lesson, to encourage teachers to be ready and willing to offer support; Using teams that have plenty of goodwill, understanding and empathy for these students; Integration of non-teaching staff offering social support; Allowing students to discover their own skills and develop them; Valuing students knowledge and interests, for example, in practical work; and Starting within students comfort zone and building up to the introduction of more academic or theoretical elements, for example, teaching maths through practical projects. Limitations It is important to be aware of what it is about mainstream schools that the young people who leave early have rejected; whether this relates to the classroom or the curriculum. This school aims to compensate for problems in some mainstream schools such as the lack of communication channels, whereby students do not understand the expectations of them and are unable to explain their own problems, and many teachers are unable to listen. An interviewee commented that in mainstream schools even psychologists may only have 15 minute slots available, as Schools listen a little and talk a lot. Here the ones who do the talking are the students. He summed up how many mainstream schools are highly regulated and have legal requirements setting out almost every detail of what they must and must not provide. In contrast, this school s approach that here almost everything is possible. The local councillor for education who was a teacher for 37 years and a headteacher for 26 is frank about his doubts regarding the potential for transferability: "Regular school, for some young people whose life stories cannot be described as regular, is just explosive. Teachers are in a difficult position and must either dedicate themselves to the one student with complex needs while neglecting the other students, or dedicate themselves to the 'good students'. The tendency is to exclude the students with complex needs." He is therefore adamant in his defence of alternative provision within a second chance education school, because there are not sufficient numbers of students at risk of ESL to develop a structured solution within individual schools, so this works better at borough level. Other local authorities have shown interest in their model, which the councillor describes as "true investment" for the local council, which would otherwise September 2013 I 112

117 have to spend more later on dealing with the consequences of crime and drugs, for measures with a far lower success rate. Teachers also felt that some elements would be very difficult or impossible to replicate, which is a reason for the demand for second chance education schools. They identified the following potential difficulties: Offering the same high level of individual attention in a larger setting. The issue of scale is important because it is of course easier to offer deeper and closer relationships in a smaller setting. The need to lower expectations of attendance, attainment and behaviour for certain individuals, while still stimulating and managing the larger group. Effectively managing students difficult behaviour, rather than expelling them from the classroom or school, which is necessary in order to give them a chance to improve; for example when they express themselves aggressively or walk out the classroom repeatedly. Avoiding segregating these students who risk being seen as troublemakers on the margins of the school Changing the culture of many schools where it is the teachers who talk and students role is to listen. Changing the culture of many schools which are seen as highly controlled by legal requirements and have little room for flexibility, whether in terms of curriculum or rules of dress. Moving from talking about student centred approaches to implementing structural and cultural changes that would allow this to happen in practice. September 2013 I 113

118 Conclusions Some of the key success factors which emerge from this case study are as follows: Flexibility in the curriculum content and delivery; Contrast with mainstream school culture, curriculum and pedagogy; Relationships, communication, caring, extra support from existing staff, even if limited resources, being like a family ; Holistic approach to curriculum delivery; Students feel like it is their space and they belong there; Different expectations of behaviour less rigid, with support from the youth mediator role Creative and practical skills focus; and Understanding of students personal situation/ needs. Expert local opinions are divided on the important question of the potential for transferring lessons from the good practice example of the Second Chance Education School in Portugal. A professor of education concludes that it is a "very interesting example of guidance and practices that are relevant to education". The conclusion of the councillor for education is more muted, as he believes that the way in which mainstream schools are structured does not permit teachers to address the complex needs of a minority of students who do not fit in, while catering for the rest of the class at the same time. In the meantime, the school itself is already sharing good practice with local mainstream schools (as well as international second chance education providers), and has identified the need to build on this joint work. The opportunity for the key interviewees and stakeholders to take part in a further workshop at the next stage of the study would certainly shed further light on how far these partners can make the most of their experience and expertise to support students before they abandon school. This school appears to have successfully innovated, and creatively found itself a place on the edge of the education system, being well respected yet without having guaranteed sustainable funding. Operating on a relatively small scale, it has found ways to respond to the needs of disadvantaged young people who have nowhere else to go. Its uniqueness and difference form the mainstream is a key part of its attraction, which cannot necessarily be replicated in large mainstream settings. However, there are two main possibilities for transferring the lessons from their experience: mainstream schools applying some of the same important principles themselves to help engage students, and secondly, working directly in cooperation with second chance education providers. It is important to recognise that ESL may be prevented in some cases through adapting initial education provision, but for those whose reasons for dropping out lie outside the school, more intensive support with wider issues beyond education is needed. September 2013 I 114

119 September 2013 I 115 Romania

120 8.0 Romania Country Romania Name of 2 nd chance provision Level of education Type of institution Location (city and borough) Nicolae Iorga School Primary and lower secondary education Public primary and lower secondary school Cluj Napoca (Cluj county, Iris neighbourhood) Background information: country context The Romanian school system is controlled nationally by the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports (hereafter referred to as Ministry of Education). The Ministry is responsible for drafting the legal framework (National Law of Education, National Curricula etc), overseeing all public and private schools programmes, administering all the public schools, EU alignment policies, administering some EU educational funds etc. At the county level, the School Inspectorates are the official representatives of the Ministry of Education, and all activities happening in public schools need to be approved at this level. The NGOs act as partners, implementing a large number of educational projects that are supporting the mainstream school system or that are complementary, through non-formal and informal education. The curriculum is approved at the level of the Ministry of Education, and the schools have little space for flexibility. The place to be flexible is in the optional subjects area of the curriculum, which exist at all educational levels and consists of one subject per school year. Most teachers engaged with young people at risk do not receive special training. The school system is structured as follows 1 : 1 N.A. (2011). Studying in Romanian. Retrieved from September 2013 I 116

121 According to Eurostat data he ESL rate dropped in Romania from 22.9% in 2000 to 17.5% in 2011, with the most visible reduction between 2005 to 2008, within a background of sustained economic growth and several measures aimed at reducing ESL 1. Despite this change, the ESL rate remains one of the highest in the EU. The most cited reasons for this are: precarious economic situation of the families, low educational achievements in the family and thus lack of parental models, low trust in the benefits of completing compulsory education and migration. Specific reasons quoted for the Roma communities include: early marriage and an alternative homebased educational model 2. The drop in the ESL rate can be explained macro-economically through an improvement in the overall Romanian economy, but also through a number of different policies and projects implemented across Romania by the Ministry of Education and other third sector organisations (such as the Soros network, UNICEF and Save the Children). These programmes include: second chance education schemes, incentive-based measures (offering free food and school supplies at school through the Milk Croissant and Apple Programme), initial environment influencing measures (school mediators: social workers intervening in the families to support school attendance, Parent s School), and academic and social support centres (School After School national programme, Summer Schools, Day Care Centres). 1 Abbott, Denis and Avraam, Dina. (7/06/2012). Există progrese în reducerea ratei de abandon școlar timpuriu și în creșterea numărului de absolvenți în Europa, dar este nevoie de mai multe eforturi. Retrieved from: and Commission of the European Communities. (2011). Progress Towards the Common European Objectives in Education and Training: Indicators and Benchmarks 2010/2011. Retrieved from: 2 Voicu, Bogdan (coord.). (2009). Abandonul şcolar timpuriu: cauze şi posibilitati de prevenire. Retrieved from: September 2013 I 117

122 Second chance education has existed in Romania since 1999 and is provided through initial education schools. If initially an initiative of civil society (Education NGO), since 2001 it has been taken on completely by the Ministry of Education, and recognized by national legislation as an official programme working towards ensuring equal access to education and reducing the number of people who do not have qualifications equivalent to compulsory school leaving certificate (10 years of initial education). The programme covers the entire country, and is offered in about 150 schools to more than students. Second chance education is open to people over 14 years of age, who have either never entered the school system or left the school system before completing the compulsory 10 years of schooling. It has two main components: primary and lower secondary. The primary second chance component covers the years 1-4 of the mainstream education system, and the lower secondary component covers the years 5 10 of the mainstream education system, additionally offering a professional education certificate. The framework allows for the programme to be offered in Romanian or one of the national minorities languages (Hungarian, Romani), but all the participating schools use Romanian. The curriculum is specially designed, fulfilling the learning objectives of the national curriculum but organised differently. The curriculum is structured in modules. For primary second chance, the curriculum is divided into 4 years of study, equivalent to grades 1-4 of the mainstream education system and includes 4 compulsory curricular areas (Language and Communication, Mathematics and Science, Humans and Society, IT and Counselling) and other optional areas Arts and Sports. For the lower secondary second chance, the curriculum is structured in 4 years but covers the equivalent of grades 5-10 of the mainstream education system. It includes the same curricular areas as the primary second chance, plus Arts and Sports, among the compulsory curricular areas and in addition includes a professional education certificate. The curriculum for the second chance programme is flexible in several ways: Timing: Students can enter the programme between October and February. They decide the timetable together with the school (either morning or afternoon or weekend). Duration of the programme: The modularisation of the programme allows students to learn at different paces. For example, a student can finish in four or two years, depending on his or her personal experiences, abilities and capacities. The module structure also offers the possibility of advancing more quickly in one subject while taking more time in another one. Background information: locality context Although exact statistics were not made available for this study, Cluj is considered to be one of the counties with the lowest ESL rates in Romania, with the municipality of Cluj-Napoca being one of the main educational centres in Transylvania. The reasons for ESL in Cluj are very similar to the ones quoted at the national level. (poor families, troubled families, children sent to work, children working in the household, early marriage, lack of trust in the benefits of the educational degrees, migration etc). The School Inspectorate, which is the local official educational authority responsible for the entire county, implements key programmes and policy priorities which exist at the national level, including policies in relation to ESL. The School Inspectorate September 2013 I 118

123 coordinates several programmes aimed at decreasing ESL rates across the entire county. Among these there are: the second chance programmes, Milk, Croissant and Apple ; School after School and Summer School Programme to Prevent School Leaving. Additionally, the School Inspectorate encourages the work of NGOs, especially when they bring extra resources into the system (funding for books, equipment etc; meals for the students; or sponsorships for different school events). The Save the Children Alliance, the Soros Foundation, World Vision, the Cluj Napoca Patriarchate, the Foundation for Children and Families, ProTin and other organisations are all NGOs which run projects aiming at reducing the ESL in the Cluj - Napoca municipality. In the context of this background of support from the School Inspectorate to provide second chance education, the possibilities for cooperation with NGOs, and also the needs observed in the school and community by the leadership of the school, the Nicolae Iorga school started to offer the second chance programme in It was one of the schools in the pilot second chance programme. Iris, the neighbourhood where Nicolae Iorga school is located, is one of the poorer areas in Cluj-Napoca, a former industrial area where many factories where closed, leaving a trail of unemployment and poverty. The participants in the second chance programme come not only from this neighbourhood but from different parts of Cluj - Napoca town and Cluj county. History / background to developing the initiative Second chance education is provided through initial education schools. The second chance programme was founded in 1999 by the organisation Education (part of the Soros network) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. It was taken over by the Ministry of Education in The programme was recognised by national legislation as an official programme working towards ensuring equal access to education and reducing the number of people who do not have qualifications equivalent to compulsory school leaving certificate (10 years of the initial education). While the pilot project of Education was funded by the Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, later the second chance programme was funded through PHARE (Programme of Community aid to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe) and POS-DRU (Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development). Most infrastructure in the second chance programme has been developed and improved since the programme was set up (especially regarding curriculum, legislation, qualifications of teachers and experts). The Ministry of Education report published in 2007 provides a good overview of this evolution. 1. While in 1999 the pilot project had a little more than 300 students in 11 different schools, in 2004 the number of students was over 7500 in 150 schools and in 2011 there are more than students enrolled in the programme. Since 2001 the programme has been open to people who have either never entered the school system, or left the school system at primary or lower secondary levels and have passed the maximum age to re-enter the system. The curriculum of the programme is flexible in several ways: Timing. Students can enter the programme between October and February. They decide the timetable together with the school (either morning, afternoon or 1 Copoeru, Lucia. Pop, Viorica. Vermeulen, Paul. (2007). A Doua Sansa: Raport de monitorizare si evacuare a programului A doua sansa in Romania. Retrieved from: September 2013 I 119

124 weekend). Duration of the programme. The modularisation of the programme allows students to learn at different paces. For example, a student can finish in 4 or 2 years, depending on his or her abilities and capacities. The module structure also offers the possibility of advancing more quickly in one subject while taking more time in another one. The key changes in the programme are: i. Ownership and Management. It started as a civil society initiative in partnership with the Ministry of Education, and then the second chance programme went on to be completely owned by the Ministry of Education from 2002 onwards. The management was also shifted from school level, to the School Inspectorate, Teachers Association, Ministry of Education and partly also remained in the individual school ii. The target group focus. The programme initially targeted Roma people who had not completed compulsory education, but is now open to all ethnic groups. Also, while the initial pilot phase was limited to youth (up to 24 years of age), now it does not have an upper age limit. iii. The funding sources. It started with a small amount of funding from the Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The programme then received funding from PHARE and ESF (Human Resources Priority Area) which guaranteed a substantial financial base for programme activities, equipment, teacher and expert training, influence from legislative initiatives and a curricular framework. Currently this funding has ended, and the second chance programme is funded from the Ministry of Education budget, which already poses financial challenges to the schools that are implementing it. iv. Mainstream qualification achieved. The programme initially offered only lower secondary certification (equivalent to years five to eight) and a limited range of professional qualifications, in Currently it offers complete compulsory schooling certification (years one to ten) plus professional certification in over 50 different domains. Nicolae Iorga school implemented a literacy programme called Alphabetisation offering primary level education. It was funded by the Soros Foundation. This programme was later integrated into the second chance programme providing primary education. v. Flexibility. The programme grew in flexibility in many directions. The duration of the study developed from being fixed at three and a half years to being flexible. The schedule changed from evening classes to daily lessons. Decisions are made together with the student about which schedule to choose (morning, evening, weekend etc). The curriculum used to be mostly an adaptation of the mainstream curriculum for the needs of young learner. Currently it has been completely reformed taking into account the competencies of learners, and is modularised and adult-oriented. vi. Assessment. Learner assessment also changed from the classical assessment of grades to a more complex system. The latter includes an initial assessment at the start of the programme (valuing previous knowledge), a mixture of grades and credits for the lower secondary programme and descriptive grades (good, very good, sufficient etc) for the primary level. The assessment consists of three main components: grades throughout the module (30%), portfolio (20%) and final examination (50%). vii. Pedagogical base. From 2001 to 2007, the manuals, the Teacher Guides, the Student Guides and the Evaluation Guide have been produced and revised. The interviews identified that there is still room for improvement but the progress made from 2001 to 2007 is evident and extremely beneficial. These materials are one of the most frequently cited elements for potential transferability. September 2013 I 120

125 Many of these changes happened in the PHARE funded period ( ), and can be viewed in the project Report to the EC 1. The second chance programme has been implemented in Cluj Napoca from the very beginning, as the town was among the national pilot group in The School Inspectorate has been engaged not only as participants in the training programmes organised by the Ministry of Education and international experts but also as authors of the school textbooks and the methodological guides. Luminita Chicinas from the School Inspectorate has been trained as a local expert and has co-authored some of the second chance manuals. Another school inspector Lucia Copoeru has been actively engaged in the implementation of the PHARE projects. The second chance programme started in Nicolae Iorga school in 2000, one year after the pilot programme was initiated nationally through the Education2000+ project. Currently the second chance programme is well established nationally and also at Nicolae Iorga school in Cluj-Napoca. Target groups The participants in the second chance programme at Nicolae Iorga range from 14 (the minimum age for entering the programme) to about 54. The percentage of those who are aged has been quite constant since 2008 at close to 30%. During the first years of the programme, participants were mostly from a Roma background. The percentage changed, with some years even having a majority of Romanian students. Currently about 70% of the students come from Roma families. The percentages of women and men are fairly equal with small annual variation. The students normally come to the programme because of their own interest, some having been guided by social service institutions (Day Centres, Centres for Delinquent Youth etc). They enter the programme mostly to obtain the compulsory education certificate which they need to get jobs with legal contracts, outside the black market. Another reason cited, especially with younger males in the programme is obtaining the drivers licence. In Romania it is compulsory to have primary education to be able to obtain a driver s licence. Once in the second chance programme, students find the environment motivates them to stay, both in terms of personal relationships (especially with the teachers as they appreciate the support, respect and understanding) and in terms of student needs being recognised and accommodated (through real life examples, a flexible schedule, and recognition of their life experiences). Most second chance students are enrolled in the lower secondary programme with the majority having graduated five or six years before leaving school. Among those who are enrolled in the primary programme, some never went to school, and some completed one or two years at school. There are also interesting cases of elderly students, who graduated in primary education (even one who had completed eight 1 Ibidem. September 2013 I 121

126 grades) but who do not have competencies for the primary level. These cases are a challenge, as the legislation would direct them towards the lower secondary level, but their initial assessment places them from the first year of the programme. These cases are resolved by the management of the school attempting to best serve the student s interest and being flexible with the legislation. Most students in the programme have a problematic background (either violent or poor families, Roma traditional culture not valuing girls participation in education, lack of parental support and guidance, or even criminal offences). However, the merit of the programme is not in reaching hard to reach groups, as most students come to the programme of their own initiative. There are elements of outreach through the work of the school mediators and social service. The number of potential students is still estimated to be far greater than the students who are currently enrolled. The groups which the programme does not reach sufficiently well are still the Roma communities, especially in the rural areas, or those living partly or totally abroad and the poor children from rural isolated communities. Key features of the provision and institutional setting The second chance programme is set within the mainstream educational system, and in the case of the Nicolae Iorga school within the school premises. Each year since 2008, the school has organized seven groups for second chance education, two for primary second chance and five for lower secondary second chance. Each group had between eight and 15 students. In this time period, the total number of students in the provision varied from 86 to 102. The academic content is delivered within the Nicolae Iorga school and the technical courses are provided at a partnering Technical College (Edmnund Nicolau College in Cluj-Napoca). Students can also opt to find a technical education institution independently, and transfer the credits earned there towards the second chance graduation certificate. Once the students graduate in second chance primary education, they get a certificate equivalent to 4 grades. Once they graduate in second chance lower secondary education, they receive a certificate of 90 credits, equivalent to the obligatory schooling (10 grades), and a technical qualification in a certain trade. The aims of the provision are both to provide mainstream qualifications and to use them in continuing their education (there is the possibility of entering high-school classes with a flexible timetable) or of entering/continuing their course in the labour market. Another aim is to socially integrate young people and adults as equal participants in the community, through building their basic social behaviour skills (from working with norms and rules, to space and time orientation etc), and their trust, their self-esteem and their capacity to envision a future. A number of partnerships with local NGOs organisations (Save the Children, ProTIn foundation) have been very beneficial to the participants in the programme, as they have brought in material resources and know-how in key areas (CV writing, job applications, etc). Also the cooperation with the Day Care centre is fundamental for students coming from these centres. The partnership with the Technical College is fundamental for the professional qualification. If sufficient attention is paid to this, and a process is created, a multi-actor strategic partnership could be further explored and implemented. September 2013 I 122

127 The curriculum is set by the Ministry of Education and implemented at the school level. Only two of the teaching staff at Nicolae Iorga (out of 21 who teach in the scheme) have attended special courses for the second chance provision and this issue is a challenge and a gap in the current provision. Some teaching staff felt that they are lone rangers and that passion, dedication and Google are not sufficient for guaranteeing the best support for their students. However, most find the official guides and manuals useful, and demonstrate a general understanding of the pedagogical principles to be implemented (combination of formal and non-formal methods, adult-specific learning etc). The arts and sports are still not really part of the focus of the academic pathway, although students (especially in primary second chance education) seem to appreciate and become very enthusiastic and motivated by these subjects. The teachers are the main actors offering support, although all the structures of the school (counsellor, secretariat, mediator) are open to all students. The school counsellor is appointed to provide professional psychological counselling, to identify potentially problematic situations and to ensure that the students have the required support and safety (emotional, affection etc). The secretariat is the administrative body of the school, and they are mainly responsible for the registration, the school statistics and the auxiliary personnel (cleaning, technical support etc). The school mediators are also support staff that work to encourage families to send / return or keep their children at school. The mediators normally come from Roma or economically disadvantaged communities themselves to ensure that they understand and are accepted in the environments where they have to work. Additionally, to create a specific support structure within the curriculum, there is a specific subject, counselling and orientation that aims to provide career and personal support to the students. Key success factors The participants, teachers and authorities evaluate the scheme as successful. In the period , between 87 and 89 percent of the students enrolled in the second chance programme at Nicolae Iorga school successfully completed their studies for the respective school year. Aside from these quantitative indicators, the teachers engaged in the programme recall many anecdotes where they have met former students who managed to get jobs. Many of the students in the programme aspire to finish their high school education, and a former student confirms that the second chance programme provides a good base to continue towards high school, although there are some challenges especially of an academic nature in getting back into the system. The students are motivated to learn and attend the second chance programme by several factors: Self-motivation: many of the students are mature and realize on their own the benefits of having an educational degree (from driver s licence to a work contract). Teacher-induced motivation: most teachers are passionate about working with disadvantaged groups, they understand and practice respect with their students, they appeal to learner-centred pedagogical tools that facilitate understanding of heavy or abstract academic material (real life examples, work-sheets, positive feedback etc), and they understand the need to provide life-guidance and soul- September 2013 I 123

128 guidance, aside from academic guidance. Environment-induced motivation: some students come from Day Care centres where they are encouraged to attend the programme, or have a member of the family as a motivating factor, or are motivated by the school mediator. As well as the student motivation, other success factors are the fact that the scheme is flexible with the timetable, the curriculum is practical and applied, the diploma with the professional degree useful. Perspectives on transferability Most stakeholders, namely students, teachers, representatives of the School Inspectorate, find that the second chance programme has its own peculiarities, and was build specifically for a certain target group. Therefore many of its characteristics cannot be transferred to initial education. These include: modularisation and bringing different subjects together (for example, sciences are taught together in the second chance provision); adult-oriented learning; flexibility of the timetable and the individual learning opportunities. Teachers and students consider these to be optimal for the second chance provision, but in the mainstream education, they see them as affecting the quality and depth of the learning process. What can and should be transferred are a set of pedagogical norms and principles, such as accessibility and attractiveness of textbooks, the practical nature of the academic content, the respect and appreciation for the student (emphasising assets rather than punishing gaps), the assessment through grades and portfolios, the focus on achieving key competencies, the cooperation with NGOs and the practical orientation towards a career or job market opportunities. These principles are part of school reform and are considered on paper, but are only practiced in few educational institutions. This is why many of the interviewees actually did not consider them as transferability, but rather positive aspects of good educational practices both in second chance and mainstream education. A key condition for these elements to happen is the continuation of the school reform 1 and also more training for teachers both from initial education and second chance programmes (the groups are actually overlapping). Another factor is the continuation and increase in funding. A practical example is the fact that several teachers have done research and would like to publish a book on the Second Chance experiences but lack the funding for this. 1 The school reform has been a continuous and tedious process ever since the 1990s. Several changes were made in the school system (grading for primary school, school year division, examination style, pedagogical methodologies,etc), some with the aim of making the system more modern, some with the aim of providing alignment to the EU norms. The most recent education law was passed in September 2013 I 124

129 September 2013 I 125 Sweden

130 9.0 Sweden Country Sweden Name of 2 nd chance provision Studiemotiverande folkhögskolekurs Level of education Type of institution Location (city and borough) Study motivation course Folk High School Stockholm Background information: country context Mainstream education is organised and implemented at the local level but guided by national guidelines. Quality is assured by the Schools Inspectorate. Upper secondary school is optional and free of charge. Yet, municipalities have a responsibility to follow up people to the age of 20. There are 18 national programmes in the upper secondary school, 12 vocational programmes and six programmes in preparation for higher education. All programmes in the upper secondary school are three years in duration. In 2009, some 123,000 students started upper secondary education and out of these some 69% completed their studies with complete grades. This rate has remained largely unchanged over the last decade. 87% of those with complete grades are eligible for university or higher education studies. This is normally higher for women (90%) compared to men (83%). There are also differences between students with a Swedish background and ethnic minority background. Sweden has recently introduced several changes to its school system: New education act The Swedish Education Act from 2011 contains basic principles and provisions for compulsory and further education, preschool, kindergarten, out-ofschool care and adult education. It promotes greater knowledge, freedom of choice, and student safety and security. New curricula New consolidated curricula for compulsory schools for all students, Sami schools, special schools and high schools came into force July 1, The curricula contain new general goals, guidelines and syllabuses. The preschool curriculum includes clearer goals for children s linguistic and communicative development and for science and technology. Mandatory national subject tests are held in years 3, 6 and 9 of compulsory school to assess student progress. There are also new qualification requirements for areas including high-school studies. New grading system The old Swedish system of Pass (G), Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass with Special Distinction (MVG) and Did Not Pass (IG) has been replaced by a new grading scale with six grades from A to F. A to E are passing grades, with F as a failing grade. Beginning with the fall term of 2012, grades will be assigned starting in year 6. September 2013 I 126

131 Introduction of teacher certification Beginning December 1, 2013, professional certification will be required for school and preschool/kindergarten teachers on permanent contracts. The decision, a milestone in Swedish education policy, aims to raise the status of the teaching profession, supporting professional development and thus increasing quality in education. Proportion qualified for educational programmes the academic year 2011/ % - Vocational programme 86.5% - Arts programme 85.1% - Economic, humanities and social science programmes 83.5% - Technical and natural science programme To be accepted into a national programme, students must have pass grades in Swedish or Swedish as a second language; English and Mathematics; as well as nine additional subjects, for a total of twelve. For a vocational programme, students must have pass grades in five additional subjects, for a total of eight. After completion, students should be well prepared for working life and the education should be of high quality, and provide them with competence in their profession. It should be possible for students to immediately begin their professional career on completion of the education. All students in a vocational programme also have the opportunity to achieve basic eligibility for higher education during their upper secondary education. Achieving this requires that students choose courses which provide basic eligibility for higher education. After completion of a higher education preparatory programme, students should be prepared for studies in higher education. There are also five introductory programmes for students who are not eligible for a national programme. Five different introductory programmes are intended to provide those students who do not fulfil normal eligibility requirements with new opportunities. By means of these programmes, students can become eligible for a national programme, be prepared for the labour market, or progress to other forms of education. Introduction programmes are replacing individual programmes. The main difference is that the Introduction programmes are only available for those that are not eligible for upper secondary education. The five introductory programmes are: Preparatory education The education targets those who are missing at least one of the pass grades required to enrol at a national programme. The education primarily focuses on the required grades from elementary school and last for up to two years. It can also include classes form a national programme or other educational institutions in order to achieve the qualifications. Students have the possibility to choose a preparatory education even though they are allegeable for a vocational programme. In such cases the preparatory education is intended to lead to the qualifications for a college preparatory programme. Programme oriented individual options (PRIV) PRIV targets those who miss at least one of the pass grades required for a vocational programme. To enrol at PRIV requires a minimum of six pass grades. Including one in Swedish as first or second language. A pass grade in maths or English plus four additional subjects is also a requirement. The alternative is pass grades in math and English, plus three additional subjects. The education includes the elementary school classes which the student has yet to pass. It is also possible to study classes that are part of vocational education in combination with Learning at Work. September 2013 I 127

132 Vocational introduction This education is for those are missing the required grades in order to be accepted at PRIV or a vocational programme. It includes elementary school classes, vocational education, learning at work, internships or other inputs that might benefit the learning process. After the introduction the goal is to find work or continued studies at a vocational college. Individual alternative The individual alternative is for those who do not have the pass grades to enter a national programme. The education can either aim to lead to work or the qualifications to be accepted to college. It includes elementary school classes, classes from national programmes or other inputs that can benefit the learning process. Language introduction The introduction targets those who have recently arrived in Sweden and do not have the qualifications for a national programme and need language training. It includes Swedish as well as elementary school classes, classes from national programmes and other inputs that benefit the learning process. This education enables the student to continue to college or another educational institution. Adult education is grouped under three areas: 1) Sfi (Swedish for Immigrants)/Gruv (swedish, english and math) 2) GY Hög/Yrk (nursing, child and recreation) and 3) Särvux (Education for adults with intellectual impairment). 1) is primarily made up of people that do not have Swedish as their first language and also takes up much of the funding available for adult education. 2) is distributed according to need (defined here as the lowest level of attainment) as a consequence, people that are relatively close to obtaining a full qualifications are often not admitted; students include early school leavers but also people that are employed that want to gain a full qualification. And 3) addresses adults with learning disabilities or acquired brain damage and is based on their previous education, experience and abilities. Just under 9% of students leaving upper secondary school in 2010 started municipal adult education (Komvux) in 2010/11. This rate was higher among students who did not obtain complete grades (14% compared to 8% with full grades). Around 11,000 continue with municipal adult education, which is particularly common for people in health and social care, business and administration, and child and leisure programmes. The Theme Group Youth (ESF ) has estimated that persons in Sweden aged did not have employment or education in The group consisted of about an equal number of men and women. However those not born in Sweden represented 30% of the group.. Recent research commissioned by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions 1 highlights a number of success factors that have been identified by upper secondary education schools in terms of reducing early school leaving: 1. Good treament. To believe in the students and their abilities. To treat them as uniquie and equal individuals. 2. Clear goals with emphasis on result. The schools must analyse why the students leave and implement measures to guard against this. 3. To undertake the right education. A flexible supply, a good introduction and availability to qualified student counseling will help the students to feel motivated and to find the appropriate educational path. 1 Sveriges Kommuner och Landsting, Motverka studieavbrott September 2013 I 128

133 4. Quality through co-operation and participation. The staff need to learn from each other and involve the students in their education. The school should also have good co-operation with working life. The ability to identify and care for the needs of the students is important. Routine follow-up of the students results, as well as the competence of the school health staff may contribute in an efficient way. History / background to developing the initiative This was a temporary Government initiative from 2010, implemented by PES and Folkbildningsrådet. The state is providing targeted funding for the initiative until 2013 (this was extended by two years as it was originally due to end in 2011). It was set up within Folk High Schools but not under the direction of the headmaster and school, as a separate initiative. Each course runs for 3 months. The aim is to motivate the unemployed to undertake further studies. Having the programme set up within a Folk High School is therefore extremely useful as it prepares the students for the environment that they may be in if they continue their education. In 2013, they have a capacity for 4000 learners aged 16 to 24 and an additional 4000 for those over 25. Folkbildningsrådet are responsible for admissions, dissemination of information and project follow-up. No teacher training is required for staff/ teachers (although most of them have some teaching experience). Most staff and teachers have previously worked with difficult groups. The background to the initiative was the fact that some 30% of young people who start their upper secondary education do not complete it with full grades. Initially only 50% of the allocated places were used in the programme (largely as the PES did not refer enough people to the programme). Following a government push to use more of the spaces, the demand for the programme has improved in The aim of the programme is that 20% should be motivated to go back to education. Target groups The target groups are those who do not have full grades from elementary school or upper secondary school. Specifically: Job-seekers aged 16 to 24 within the youth employment guarantee and the job and development guarantee. Job-seekers aged 25 and over within the job and development guarantee Students come from different social classes and are made up of equal proportions of men and women. Their average age around 21 years. Year No of students September 2013 I 129

134 Key features of the provision and institutional setting The programme includes courses to assist orientation and motivation. There is no curriculum as such, and no targets for learning the sole aim of the SMF programme is to motivate youngsters to go back to school. As such, there is more freedom in terms of the content, which is consequently not as rigorous as initial school education. There is a minimum requirement of 20 hours per week but at Alma Folk High School they provide hours per week. Students are not provided with a formal qualification but they are provided with a statement of courses and activities undertaken. The coordinator and teachers are also happy to act as referees should that be required. Most of the learning activities are classroom-based although at regular intervals various excursions are undertaken. The relationship with the teachers is much better at the SMF programme, with good support offered during and outside lessons. During the lessons there is more discussion and group work not only listening to the teacher and working on your own. There is better contact and relationships between pupils, and less homework than in initial education, as well as less pressure and more time to take things in. Teachers were very clear that the methods used in the SMF programme would be somewhat different if the students went on to study at the General Course (Allman kurs) or Komvux (municipal adult education). Timekeeping is seen as important in the programme. Not all lectures were appreciated, and there was a view that the attitudes of some substitute teachers were not good. There were no fixed classrooms, so students had to move around a lot which was confusing at times. The programme coordinator helps out when dealing with public authorities (she previously worked for the Public Employment Service which is a big help). In addition to the introduction courses on core subjects, the programme also provides information on healthy eating, exercise and other social issues. Another programme based at the school is targeted at people with aphasia so the SMF programme was used to explain what it was, to improve the students awareness. Pedagogical methods were very different from initial school education, and the SMF programme has different objectives, being a motivational course and thus do not leading to a formal qualification. Teaching needs to be flexible as there are significant variations in terms of previous skills (some are still at middle school level, whilst others are at upper secondary school level).for example, no text books are used and the teachers act more like coaches. Furthermore the learning methods cut across subject areas, for example, students were asked to set up a company website in English and to develop a logo and catchphrase etc. The programme uses a lot of class discussion in order to ensure that the students pick up the English. It has developed a full 16 week programme but has never had time to implement the whole programme, as new people are added constantly. Because they have different backgrounds, the programme has to be flexible in terms of its content and has to be suitable to a range of different educational levels. It is important to provide activities initial school education that engage students, particularly those that are at risk of ESL. During group work teachers need to make sure that the groups consist of students with similar skills. Teachers need to think in advance about how pupils may solve particular tasks, as September 2013 I 130

135 given the diversity of students, their ways of solving problems are likely to be equally diverse. If something of relevance comes up in the discussions, the teachers tried to incorporate that into the lesson, rather than following a set programme of lesson plans. Teachers seek to give the pupils plenty of time to solve problems, which is different to initial school education where there is more pressure to complete certain tasks and subject areas. The SMF programme operates within a friendly environment, where there is considerable respect between teachers and other staff. Staff are aware of individual students personal weaknesses and seek to support them in improving those areas. There are better personal relationships between teachers and students, but there still has to be a certain degree of respect for teachers. Key success factors On average around 23-24% of participants go back to education and 15% go into employment. An important success factor is that they are young adults. A study carried out by Folkbildningsrådet in 2012 shows that 24% of the learners have continued to further education and 17% have found employment. 1 It also showed that: 70% of the learners thought that they had received good support from their teacher; 62% thought that the group had been an friendly environment; 52% felt that they were recognised; and 52% thought that the programme had helped them believe that education is a way to find work. The SMF programme has been successful in terms of building up close contact with students. Students feel valued and teachers use personal experiences to gain trust and respect. They adopt a personal approach in the first instance it is about building up the students confidence and gaining their respect before they learn. Closer links between teachers and pupils could be usefully improved in initial education. In this particular case the programme coordinator is seen as invaluable, particularly in terms of recruitment (students have to be referred from the PES and because she has previously worked for the PES, she has managed to establish a good relationship). All staff are working together to reach the same goal, to motivate the students to continue their educational journey. Statistics may not tell the full story and students appear very happy during the programme. Life experiences play a key part in working with these students. Being able to read people is also a key skill for teachers in programmes like this. Second chance education has a more flexible approach to learning and teaching (particularly at the People s High Schools). One size fits all approach is not working. Teaching and learning methods used in initial education are very much dependent on individual teachers. The skills of the teacher represent an important aspect of delivering a successful programme. Teachers base their method of teaching on previous experiences of working with difficult students, learning year after year and receiving support from 1 Folkbildningsrådet, Studiemotiverande folkhögskolekurs 2011 September 2013 I 131

136 colleagues. There is a calm environment with less pressure, good personal relationships between staff and students, smaller classes and a higher staff to student ratio. Mapping the students when they arrive involves giving them a week to complete a questionnaire, to provide details of their background and issues, which requires an honest appraisal. The programme coordinator then sits down with them with 24 hours after the questionnaire being handed in. Staff members are supporting each other, sharing their previous experiences and issues about the students. They use flexible working methods. Only one person has been asked to leave the programme, who had two days left and came in under the influence of drugs, as there is a zero tolerance regarding drugs and alcohol misuse. Smaller classes in initial school education would improve things, by making it easier then to provide the students with the support required. Students that are sick of being in school need to get more support from teachers and other staff, but it is difficult for initial school education teachers to find the time to provide the support required. Other important success factors are the diversity of students, smaller classes, more scheduled classes and high attendance as well as the fact that students are assisted in planning for the future. Teachers believe in the students and give them self confidence. Perspectives on transferability Initial school education could be improved by using problem solving more and relying less on the textbook. There are provisions to use more time for core subjects like mathematics if the allocated lesson time is not sufficient. The attitude among teachers could be improved more consideration of social issues is needed, and using differentiation during lessons. Smaller classes in initial school education would improve things, by making it easier then to provide the students with the support required. Students that are sick of being in school need to get more support from teachers and other staff, but it is difficult for initial school education teachers to find the time to provide the support required. September 2013 I 132

137 Country Sweden Name of 2 nd chance provision Municipal second chance education Level of education ISCED 2 and 3 Type of institution Location (city and borough) Various Gothenburg Background information: country context Mainstream education is organised and implemented at the local level but guided by national guidelines. Quality assured by the Schools Inspectorate. Upper secondary school is optional and free of charge. Yet, municipalities have a responsibility to follow up people to the age of 20. There are 18 national programmes in the upper secondary school, 12 vocational programmes and 6 programmes preparatory for higher education. All programmes in the upper secondary school are three years in duration In 2009, some 123,000 students started upper secondary education and out of these some 69% completed their studies with complete grades. This rate has remained largely unchanged over the last decade. 87% of those with complete grades are eligible for university or higher education studies. This is normally higher for women (90%) compared to men (83%). There are also differences between students with a Swedish background and foreign background. Sweden has recently introduced several changes to its school system: New education act. The Swedish Education Act from 2011 contains basic principles and provisions for compulsory and further education, preschool, kindergarten, out-of school care and adult education. It promotes greater knowledge, freedom of choice, and student safety and security. New curricula. New consolidated curricula for compulsory schools for all students, Sami schools, special schools and high schools came into force July 1, The curricula contain new general goals, guidelines and syllabuses. The preschool curriculum includes clearer goals for children s linguistic and communicative development and for science and technology. Mandatory national subject tests are held in years 3, 6 and 9 of compulsory school to assess student progress. There are also new qualification requirements for areas including high-school studies. New grading system The old Swedish system of Pass (G), Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass with Special Distinction (MVG) and Did Not Pass (IG) has been replaced by a new grading scale with six grades from A to F. A to E are passing grades, with F as a failing grade. Beginning with the fall term of 2012, grades will be assigned starting in year 6. Introduction of teacher certification Beginning December , professional certification will be required for school and preschool/kindergarten teachers on permanent contracts. The decision, a milestone in Swedish education policy, aims to raise the status of the teaching profession, supporting professional development and September 2013 I 133

138 thus increasing quality in education. Proportion qualified for educational programmes the academic year 2011/12: 87,6% - Vocational program 86,5% - Arts programme 85,1% - Economistic, humanistic and social sience programmes 83,5% - Technical and natural sience programme To be accepted into a national programme, students must have pass grades in Swedish or Swedish as a second language, English and Mathematics, as well as nine additional subjects, for a total of twelve. For a vocational programme, students must have passing grades in five additional subjects, for a total of eight. After completion, students should be well prepared for working life and the education should be of high quality, and provide them with competence in their profession. It should be possible for students to immediately begin their professional career on completion of the education. All students in a vocational programme also have the opportunity of achieving basic eligibility to higher education during their upper secondary education. Achieving this requires that students choose courses which provide basic eligibility for higher education. After completion of a higher education preparatory programme, students should be prepared for studies in higher education. There are also five introductory programmes for students who are not eligible for a national programme. Five different introductory programmes are intended to provide those students who do not fulfil normal eligibility requirements with new opportunities. By means of these programmes, students can become eligible for a national programme, be prepared for the labour market, or progress to other forms of education. Introduction programmes are replacing individual programmes. Main difference is that the Introduction programmes are only available for those that are not eligible for upper secondary education. The five introductory programmes are: Preparatory education This targets those who are missing at least one of the pass grades required to enrol at a national programme. The primary focus is on the required grades from elementary school and last for up to two years. It can also include classes form a national programme or other educational institutions necessary to get the qualifications. Students have the possibility to chose a preparatory education even though they are allegeable for a vocational programme. In such cases the preparatory education are intended to give the qualifications for a college preparatory programme. Programme oriented individual options (PRIV) PRIV targets those who miss at least one of the pass grades required for a vocational programme. To enrol at PRIV requires a minimum of six pass grades. Including one in Swedish as first or second language. A pass grade in math or English plus four additional subjects is also a requirement. The alternative is pass grades in both math and English, plus three additional subjects. The education includes the elementary school classes which the student has yet to pass. It is also possible to study classes that are part of vocational education in combination with Learning at Work. Vocational introduction The education is for those are missing the required grades in order to be accepted at PRIV or a vocational program. It includes elementary school classes, vocational education, learning at work, internships or other inputs that might benefit the learning process. After the introduction the goal is to find work or September 2013 I 134

139 continued studies at a vocational college. Individual alternative The individual alternative is for those who do not have the passing grades to get in to a national programme. The education can either aim to lead to work or the qualifications to get accepted to college. It includes elementary school classes, classes from national programmes or other inputs that can benefit the learning process. Language introduction This targets those who have recently arrived in Sweden and who do not have the qualifications for a national programme and need language training. It includes Swedish as well as elementary school classes, classes from national programmes and other inputs that benefit the learning process. The education enables the student to continue to college or another educational institution. Adult education is grouped under different areas: 1) Sfi (svenska för invandrare)/gruv (svenska, engelska och matematik) 2) GY Hög/Yrk (omvardnad, barn/fritid) and 3) Särvux. 1) is primarily made up of people that doesn t have Swedish as their first language and also take up much of the funding available for adult education. 2) is distributed according to need (defined here as the lowest level of attainment) as a consequence people that are relatively close to obtaining a full qualifications are often not admitted; include early school leavers but also people that are employed that want to gain a full qualification. Just under 9% of students leaving upper secondary school in 2010, started municipal adult education (Komvux) in 2010/11. Higher among students that didn t obtain complete grades (14% compared to 8% with full grades). Around 11,000 continue with municipal adult education. Particularly common for people on the health and social care, business and administration, and child and leisure programmes. The Theme Group Youth (ESF ) have estimated that persons in Sweden aged did not have employment or education in The group consisded of about an equal number of men and women. However those not born in Sweden represented 30% of the group. Recent research commissioned by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions 1 highlights a number of success factors that have been identified by upper secondary education schools in terms of reducing early school leaving: Good treament. To believe in the students and their abilities. To treat them as uniquie and equal individuals. Clear goals with an emphasis on result. The schools must analyse why the students leave and implement measures to guard against this. To undertake the right education. A flexible supply, a good introduction and availability to qualified student counseling will help the students to feel motivated and to find the appropriate educational path. Quality through co-operation and aprticiaption. The staff need to learn from each other and involve the students in their education. The school should also have a 1 Sveriges Kommuner och Landsting, Motverka studieavbrott September 2013 I 135

140 good co-operation with the working life. The ability to identify and care for the needs of the students. Rutines to follow-up the results of the students at the same time as the competense of the school helth staff is udes in an efficient way. History / background to developing the initiative Sweden has a long tradition of municipal second chance education provision and it can be said to be more widespread in Sweden than many other countries. 1 The second chance education provision includes introduction programmes aimed at those aged years that are not eligible for upper secondary education, as well as adult education at the basic level and at upper secondary level. Importantly, municipalities are legally required to offer adult education at the basic level to all adult that lack the skills usually acquired in compulsory school. The New School Act requires that students that have not obtained full grades will be provided with a statement explaining what aspects of the course that they have fulfilled so that they can restart the course at that stage at a later date (helps with the validation). Adult education provides tailored/ individualised support for students. Students are able to determine the length of the course (normally up to 20 weeks but option to complete it in 10 or 15 weeks); classroom based or online/remote; day or evening classes. Digital platforms have been developed where students can contact the teacher and get information about the classes and home work (lectures are recorded and uploaded onto the digital platform). Individualisation is both a challenge and a success factor. Good balance between digital and personal contact. Gothenburg City Council has its own adult education committee, in other municipalities it is normally part of the education or the labour market committee. About half of the upper secondary school are in municipal care whilst the remaining half are free schools. Three learning centres (Lärcentrum) in the municipality one in each upper secondary school area. 2 City of Gothenburg has trained around 500 teachers in learning styles (Dunn & Dunn). It has also provided certified coaching training. The adult education unit at Gothenburg City Council offer guidance services for students before they are admitted to a course. They provide independent information about potential adult education opportunities (and in some cases other alternatives) and seek to determine what they have already got (initial validation). Important challenges include validating foreign qualifications, particularly for those without the necessary documentation. Provides an initial study plan that can be built on and revised at the school. 1 It is generally not referred to as second chance education 2 Lärcentrum Skånegatan, Lärcentrum Centrum and Lärcentrum Lindholmen September 2013 I 136

141 Target groups Upper secondary school is voluntary but in practice it is mandatory. Introduction programmes are targeted at those aged years that are not eligible for upper secondary education, whilst adult education is targeted at those aged 20 and over that either lack the basic skills usually acquired at compulsory school or those that wish to acquire knowledge and skills at a level corresponding to that of an upper secondary schools education. People aged 19 may also be admitted, if there are free places. Though only if they have a full level 3 qualification. The majority of the students are aged years. Municipalities have a legal responsibility to follow up young people (aged years) that have left compulsory school but not started or left upper secondary school education (SoL). In Gothenburg, the municipality has managed to get in touch with and started counseling/ guidance with over 70% of those not in education or employment (around 1,300 people). Drop-in services and reception is important to engage this group. Meet every three months. No registration required, which also helps. During the selection process, precedence is given to those qualified applicants who have short periods of formal education. There are significant differences among students in terms of previous experiences such as education and work. They might have multiple problems (alcohol/drug abuse, difficult family conditions, crime, mental health issues, etc). Young people on Preparand, PRIV and Språkintroduktion are often fairly study motivated. Young people on Yrkesintroduktion and Individuellt alternativ are more lost. More resources here for student health special teachers and student guidance staff and welfare officers. They are more involved in the students situation at school and outside school. Regular contact with special teachers/ welfare officers and parents. In Gothenburg, people that leave the national programmes often find there way back into education through the Learning Centre. Students leaving the IM are rare (around 8-10%) no other alternatives before the age of 20 (municipal adult education). Students in PRIV and Prep can move down to Individual Alternatives etc. Key features of the provision and institutional setting Municipal adult education (Komvux) provides basic adult education and upper secondary school adult education (the municipality also offers education for adults with intellectual impairment (Särvux), Swedish tuition for immigrants (Sfi). In the City of Gothenburg around 20-25% of adult education is provided by the municipality through Studium (around 70 million SEK). The remaining share is outsourced to specialist providers such as ABF and Lernia. The aim of the education is principally to obtain eligibility to upper secondary school or upper secondary school education. All adult education is free and funded through a state grant. The provision is regulated by the framework contracts agreed between the municipalities and the providers. The national curriculum, published in December 2012, does not control the methods used for teaching. Though it provides a strong focus on aims and targets. September 2013 I 137

142 The aims for adult education at upper secondary level and upper secondary schools are the same. The content may, however, take different forms. For example, unlike upper secondary school, Komvux has no programmes. Instead, the courses the individual choose to study are determined by the individual needs and aims. Municipal adult education at the upper secondary level should use the same subject syllabuses and knowledge requirements as the upper secondary school. At the same time, adult education should be flexible and adapted to the needs of adult students. Furthermore it has multiple aims social inclusion, personal development (self confidence, etc), improve opportunities for employment and further education and provide opportunities to enable individuals to reach their goals. Personal development is highly rated by individuals, whilst more emphasis may be placed on employment and further education by policy makers. Accessibility and flexibility as regards to time and location is a major feature of the adult education system. Activities will be characterised by consideration and recognition of knowledge and skills acquired by an adult in other contexts, such as his or her working and social life. As such, validation is a natural part of municipal education. Orientation courses may be organised at upper secondary level to allow for the introduction of courses, guidance and validation. In all forms of education, the adult may obtain grades or certificates. If certain conditions are met, a diploma can also be issued. Student democracy and influence frames the content of the education. There is a requirement to set up student council. Though most students are only studying single courses and thus do not get involved to the same extent as those in longer programmes. Learning Centre is a flexible and individualised upper secondary school education. The content and structure is customised to needs and circumstances of the students and can be undertaken from distance or online. The aim is to get a full secondary education. Courses are read during one semester at a time. Training time can vary from one semester up to three-four years. Studies can for a shorter period be combined with an internship. Admission is ongoing (every other week), regular schools only have admissions twice a year. Learning Centres in Gothenburg are different to Learning Centres in other municipalities (where they act more as meeting places). Other options for schooling include an Online school (based on the Not School concept developed in the UK), People s High School and adult education (for those aged 20 years and over). Kickstart (Navigatorcentrum) is a six week course, laying the foundations for education and employment. Induction programmes (IM) the five different induction programmes allow ineligible students new opportunities. Introduction programmes replace the former individual programmes and seeks to better meet students' different needs. 1 IM Sluss four are employed to map those at risk for early school leaving or without 1 asieskolan.pdf September 2013 I 138

143 full grades. Efforts are made to establish contact with students in grade 9 (could usefully be done already at grade 8). IM Sluss also consist of a number of student guidance officers and special teachers. Helps student find a suitable educational place. Coaching staff are not currently employed but would be useful. Digital learning platform ( Hjarntorget ) digital interaction with teachers, course material uploaded together with tasks. Success is primarily measured by the points obtained by the students which will provide them with eligibility to regular school. For Preparand 90% become eligible. PRIV 60-70% eligibility. Yrkesintroduktion and Ind Alt 40-50% continue their education (in PRIV and Prep and then move on effectively resulting in a 5 year upper secondary school education). Digital learning platform ( Hjarntorget ) digital interaction with teachers, course material is uploaded together with tasks. Several methods are used in terms of teaching study groups, case studies, exercises, working with both images and texts. There is not much time for study visits. Around 20 students in each group. When a student wants to study quicker than other students they are welcome to do so but it will require more independent work (normally a course runs over 20 weeks but can be completed in if desired and as appropriate). Key success factors In 2011, over 70% completed their adult education studies, whilst around 17% left without completing their studies. The remaining share of participants continued their adult education studies into the next year. Notably, there has been a falling share of participants not completing their studies (down from 20% in 2005) 1. The completion rate is notably higher for those studying at the upper secondary education level than those studying at the basic level 73% and 60% respectively. To some extent, this reflects a higher proportion of students continuing their studies the next year (around 16% compared with 11% overall), although it is still; the case that around a quarter do not complete their studies at the basic level. Evidence from the City of Gothenburg suggests that around 45% of participants are in employment six months after completing their studies, with a further 14% are participating in higher education. Notably, the proportion of participants in employment after their studies is showing a slightly increasing trend over the last few years from 40% in 2005 to 45% in The main aims of the studies for participants have been to become eligible for further studies (at higher education level), obtain a vocation education or improve opportunities to get employed. Importantly, 73% reported that they had fulfilled their aims through the adult education, with a further 16% suggesting that they had partly fulfilled their aims. Having an individual study plan helps to achieve objectives. Notably, participants with 1 Skolverket, Betyg och studieresultat i komvux kalenderår 2011 September 2013 I 139

144 an individual study plan are more likely to be in employment following their studies. Students are followed up by teachers through surveys and impact studies. Teachers are given more time with each student and there is less time pressure than in a regular school. It is just as important that the students understand the route to their goals as actually achieving them. The relationship between the teacher and the students is also seen as one of the most important aspects. Important that staff have the competences to engage with and respond to student needs. A good relationship is required to be able to understand learning preferences and for individualisation. Important to build up trust as well as giving them support, structure and guidance. Student health meeting every week helps identify the support required. This is not left to the teacher but instead involves working togerger. There has to be a line between pedagogical work and social service type tasks One of the most important factors for young people to return into education is that they realise themselves that they need education and training (Kickstart project helps with this). Not always the case that the student guidance service has immediate results may be a few years before the young people realise. Perspectives on transferability Sweden has a different context and structure to many countries - more flexible in adult education. There is a varied supply of education and training is considered important to keep young people in education - learning centres, online training, distance learning, introduction programmes, adult education, etc. A varied supply is more expensive, though not In relation to the societal costs of exclusion. Students are both more mature and more motivated than in initial education. They have often had a realisation that they need to gain basic level and upper secondary school education qualification to progress in life. Either if it is through further studies or in employment. A common view from the learners is that initial education at upper secondary school level could benefit from more individual choices and flexibility in delivery. Suggestions included reduced pressure, flexible attendance, less home work, shorter days, fewer parallel courses and more individual choices of subjects. However, within the framework of the national programmes this may be difficult to achieve. Other suggestions where more support from teachers and other staff as teachers today often are under extreme pressure and have little spare time and that they should be educated further in social issues etc. Another issue raised is that it is important that the welfare officers have all the required information as information barriers affect both students and staff. Furthermore it is considered important to realise that adult education cannot deal with all issues. Society must also work in other aspects (availability of jobs, labour market mobility etc). ESL should be prevented in earlier stages. September 2013 I 140

145 September 2013 I 141 United Kingdom

146 10.0 United Kingdom Country UK Name of 2 nd chance provision Level of education Type of institution Location (city and borough) Fairbridge Provides alternative education to young people between the ages of 13 and 25 who are viewed to be lacking motivation, self confidence and skills they need to change their life. A charity Middlesbrough, Teeside (25 other centres across England). Background information: country context The change in the British government in May 2010 has led to a significant shift of policy emphasis surrounding early school leaving and NEETs. The current government published a strategy document Supporting Youth Employment in May This highlights five key areas of policy: Raising attainment and ensuring that young people have the skills they need through quality vocational education and training; Helping young people at risk of falling through the net by supporting local partners (often community and voluntary organisations) to provide effective and co-ordinated services; Encouraging employers to offer more work experience, internships and apprenticeships; Promoting personal responsibility by ensuring that work pays and those on outof-work benefits who can work prepare and search for work; Creating the wider conditions for economic growth. 1 Compulsory schooling ends at 16 in the UK, however there is recognition that young people should if possible continue in some form of education or training until at least 18. In 2008 the previous government tool steps to formalise this by raising the compulsory school leaving age to 17 in 2013 and 18 in It should be noted that education and training can be combined post-16. A number of other recent developments include an increase in budget for disadvantaged young people (<16) via the pupil premium. This is paid directly to 1 ERM Comparative Analytical Report on Recent Policy Developments related to NEETs September 2013 I 142

147 schools and academies to support disadvantaged young people and encourage continuing engagement with education. Schools are free to spend the money as they see fit, but are accountable to central government. In May 2011 the government a 10 million annual Innovation Fund. This will be distributed by the Department of Work and Pensions to schemes aimed particularly (but not exclusively) at NEETs. The hope is that it will facilitate the voluntary and community sector to develop innovative approaches to helping target groups most notably NEETs. Lastly there has been a commitment to implement the main policy recommendations of the Wolf Report (see below). The Wolf Report was focused on improving vocational training and was published in May Incentivising young people to take the most valuable vocational qualifications pre-16, while removing incentives to take large numbers of vocational qualifications to the detriment of core academic study; introducing principles to guide study programmes for young people on vocational routes post-16 to ensure they are gaining skills which will lead to progression into a variety of jobs or further learning, in particular, to ensure that those who have not secured a good pass in English and mathematics GCSE continue to study those subjects; evaluating the delivery structure and content of apprenticeships to ensure they deliver the right skills for the workplace; making sure the regulatory framework moves quickly away from accrediting individual qualifications to regulating awarding organisations; removing the requirement that all qualifications offered to 14- to 19-year-olds fit within the Qualifications and Credit Framework, which has had a detrimental effect on their appropriateness and has left gaps in the market; and enabling lecturers and professionals to teach in schools, ensuring young people are being taught by those best suited. According to the European Commission data, the early school leaving rate in the UK in 2009 was 15.7%. 1 A recent report for the DfE on Improving Alternative Provision 2 suggests there is no reliable data on the number of pupils in Alternative (Education) Provision (AP), but the latest figures from the Department for Education (DfE) 2011 AP Census recorded 14,050 pupils in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) and 23,020 in other AP settings on full or part-time placements. The census found that children attended AP for a wide range of reasons, but predominately they are children with behavior difficulties in years 10 and 11. These children have either been permanently excluded from school and are placed in AP by the local authority or the PRU, or they are sent to AP by individual schools as early intervention to change behavior. Background information: locality context Improving Alternative Provision: Charlie Taylor. The Governments Experts Advisor on Behaviour September 2013 I 143

148 Middleborough is one of five local authorities that make up the Tees Valley area in the north-east of England. Middleborough is situated on the south side of the River Tees and is a small, predominantly urban and densely populated town that covers an area of 5,387 hectares. The current resident population of Middleborough is 139,200. Middlesbrough has a proud economic heritage and an international legacy in iron and steel manufacturing but this has diminished in the last 25 years and has now almost disappeared. Service industries now account for the largest proportion of local employment in Middlesbrough (88.2%) whilst manufacturing and construction make up most of the remainder of the current economy (10.8%). The latest official unemployment rate is 7.7% and is almost double the national rate. Middlesbrough has some of the worst deprivation in the country. Ward rankings for the 2010 Index of Multiple Deprivation show that six of the 23 wards are among the most deprived one percent of wards nationally, with 13 among the most deprived 10% of wards nationally. 1 Attendance in secondary schools fell by almost 1% year on year in the 2008/09 school year to 90.1%, but has improved by 0.9% over the last four school years. Persistent absence has showed signs of sustained improvement over the last four school years, falling from 13.4% to 7.6%. Unauthorised absence presents a particular problem for secondary schools, having risen from 1.9% to 3.3% in the last three years. 2 Related to these figures Middlesbrough undertakes an Annual Young People s Survey and the TellUssurvey (2009). 5 Young people are asked various questions about their time at school. In the 2009 Annual Young People s Survey 46% of secondary age pupils said they were happy at school most of the time, with 12% saying they were rarely or never happy at school, an increase of 2%over the last three years. The increase in unauthorised absence and of young people not feeling happy at school bot have the potential to contribute top early school leaving within the borough. Many of those who attend the Fairbridge centre were not happy at school as it did not suit their particular needs. In order to deal with these issues Middleborough s Children and Young People Plan t 3 has identified a number of key priorities for the area related to early school leaving and second chance education. this includes actions related to: Developing early intervention strategies to tackle the barriers to learning identified around behaviour, literacy and numeracy. Establishing literacy development as the central theme for education improvement to unlock learning for all children. Being better at identifying the needs of young people who require additional support around their education provision at the point at which additional support September 2013 I 144

149 is planned. Improving service provision and support for hard to reach and vulnerable groups, including teenage parents, young people with a learning difficulty or disability and young people leaving care. Initiatives in the area include support within the schools from dedicated youth support worker, SIDs place a dedicated space within a school for those young people who feel unable to cope (for a variety of reasons) with formal lessons (see below) a number of school in the area are trying to emulate this successful model and centres such as MYPLAC which is a new youth centre in the city with all the youth services and a youth club facilities all under one roof. Government money was provided to build new facilities or redevelop old ones to provide a space for young people (there are a number of them across England). The business model was always that these centres needed to be self sustaining, so they need to rent out space and bring in partners. The Excel programme which is alternative provision for young people and ran by the Princes Trust and is held at the centre Monday Wednesday. The centre also provides other basic skills education and in the evenings they provide a range of positive activities, for example the centre has a recording studio and dance studio as well as an amphitheatre in the garden. History / background to developing the initiative The Fairbridge Centre has been established for 26 years in Middlesbrough, the centre provides a tailored personal development programme for the most hard to reach groups of young people. The national organisation has always worked with the hardest to reach groups in the most deprived areas of the country. The Middlesbrough centre provides this support for two cohorts year olds and 16+, the young people they support are either NEETs, educational underachievers or potential NEETs. The young people are often from workless households and many have problems with drink or drugs. The young people are assessed on their presenting needs; they must have three presenting needs to be enrolled on the programme. These needs can range from being on the child protection register, to homelessness, to low self esteem or mental health issues. The young people that are dealt with at the Middlesbrough centre have on average 8.5 presenting needs. Fairbridge is now part of a wider initiative for young people known as the Princes Trust. Fairbridge merged with the Princes Trust in April 2011 and Fairbridge are now managed by the Princes Trust s structures (a charity). Fairbridge fits very well with the Princes Trusts portfolio of support for young people as Fairbridge centres deal with the very hardest to reach groups which the Princes Trust have not done in the past. September 2013 I 145

150 Target groups As explained above, the Middlesbrough centre provides support to some of the most deprived young people in the area in two age groups year olds and 16+. Below are a list of the presenting needs groupings which are used by Fairbridge Presenting needs groupings: History of offending History of drug/alcohol/substance misuse Victim of crime/bulling/abuse Temp. mental health/low self esteem Physical or mental disability Asthmatic/epileptic/diabetic Looked after history/child protection register Parent/carer Literacy or numeracy help required Most young people are referred to the centre by their school, social worker, probation officer or support worker. Reportedly many of the young people on the programme have tried a number of other kinds of support, alternative education and/or counselling before they attend the Fairbridge programme. They are a diverse range of young people on the programme, from those with behavioural problems and drink and drug problems, who may have only attended school for the minimal amount of times. To those who did attend school on a regular basis, but who have very low self esteem and this is preventing them moving on into further education or employment. Key features of the provision and institutional setting When a young person arrives at the centre for the first time they are assigned an outreach development worker who will stay with them throughout their journey on the programme. For the first week all young people must complete an 'Access Course', one access course is ran each month for under 16 year olds and one for over 16 year olds, there are 12 places on each course, these course are full virtually every month. The aim of this course is to show to the young people what the Fairbridge Programme is about and provides a chance for the young people to get to know each other and the staff. In the first week they undertake many outdoor pursuit activities in order to build trust, confidence and to stretch the young people. They go abseiling; rock climbing and gorge walking. The highlight of the week for most of the young people is a residential trip for one or two days in a stone hut or tent to the Lake District. Once the young person has completed this course they move onto 'The Programme', this continues supporting their personal development and challenges their self belief and self awareness. Sessions on this course may include a rock climb about the risks of drug taking for example. Young people are able to stay on this programme as September 2013 I 146

151 long as they need, for some it takes six weeks to be ready to move on, for others they stay on the programme for a number of years. The programme is not a 'welfare to work' scheme, but is the step before this. The whole approach is based on choice theory, they are not forced to do anything, as it says on the website " its is your choice to join the programme it is your choice to stay on it and you will not be made to do anything you don't want to." An important element of the programme is that the young people are involved in the choice of activities they will undertake on the programme, they suggest what they would like to do and this is taken into consideration when planning the access course and the main programme. Activities and/or support are provided to the young person for six hours a day. All the learning which is undertaken at the centre is embedded learning; they use practical activities such as outdoor pursuits or cooking to teach maths or communications skills for example. Young people are motivated to re-engage because they have a choice of the activities provided to them and the teachers and support staff embed the learning into the activities the young people have suggested. A basic skills teacher is employed for five hours a week to teach literacy and numeracy, she does this through other activities such as cooking, art or construction for example, but she never teaches in a classroom setting. She works on individual needs, some young people want to be able to read to their children or count their change properly, whereas other want help with writing their CV or spelling issues. The Princes Trust has a central fundraising team, which is split between public and private fundraising. It costs 2,100 to put a young person through Fairbridge, the Centre tries to encourage the institution that is referring the young person to at least fund some of the cost (i.e. the school, the probation or the Pupil Referral Unit), but often the Centre has to use their own resources and pay for the young person themselves they do not turn young people away because the agencies who refers them won t fund them. Key success factors Fairbridge has a high success rate, in the past 12 months 85% of participants went on to achieve something tangible, this means they may have got a job, gone on to do a training course, stayed in education or reduced their alcohol or drug activity. For other young people success can mean engaging in basic skills support for the first time or increasing their self esteem, so they are better equipped to find work or return to education. At the centre in Middlesbrough the percentage of young people achieving one or more positive outcomes is as high as 90% (data covering the past 4 years). At the Middlesbrough centre the retention rate on their Access course over the past 4 years was around 85% and 80% on the longer term follow on programme. More detail of the achievements are provided in the table below these are cumulative figure from April June 2012 September 2013 I 147

152 No. of completers No. of those with related outcomes Percentage 16+ and unemployed 245 Into employment/voluntary work not in education 72 Returned to education/training 54 22% 23 32% NEET 51 EET 15 29% U16 in education 156 Retained in education Improved performance in education % 29% History of offending 332 Reduced criminal activity % Homeless 45 Securely housed 18 40% History of drug/alcohol and substance misuse 290 Reduced drug or alcohol use % Smoker 131 Reduced or stopped smoking 86 66% Low/no qualifications (level 1 or below) 539 Gained a qualification or an award % Another method of assessing the progress of the young people is through a self image profile. One of the first things completed when the young person starts at the centre is a self image profile, this self image is assessed again after 100 hours on the programme and again once they complete the programme. This is one of the ways in which the success of the programme is measured, on average the self image of the young people on the programme goes up at least 0.5 points (they score out of 5) after 100 hours on the programme and by 1 point by the time they leave the programme. See template below. September 2013 I 148

153 September 2013 I 149

154 Perspectives on transferability The UK appears to be fairly advanced in terms of implementing initiatives in support young people whilst at school. The two schools consulted during the research already had alternative provision for young people who found mainstream lessons too much. One was known as Sids Place a converted caretaker s office and the other school employed two youth support workers to work on a one to one basis with a range of students in their school. The Fairbridge Centre worked closely with these people based at schools and although they are able to support some young people to stay at school the youth workers all agreed that for other young people being out of the 'regular' school environment was essential to them moving on and breaking the cycle which was preventing them learning. For other young people school had never been a good environment to learn in and the Fairbridge Centre provided this complete break from the mainstream provision to focus on their own personal development issues. When the young people were asked what they felt could be transferred into mainstream schools to make it any easier for them or to provide them with more support, they all said the one to one learning was important, but often the young people had already received some specialised support within the school environment which had not solved the issues they had at school. Many seemed to feel that being away from school in a totally different environment, with a different approach had been one of the important factors to them engaging on the programme. The basic skills teacher at the centre thought that the amount of targets (Government and Ofsted) and the large classes sizes and pupil to teacher ratios make it is very difficult to provide the right sort of support and for teachers to make a proper assessment of why young people are not engaging in their education. The schools which were consulted in this course of this work felt that intervention should start much earlier, some young people are already experiencing barriers to learning at Primary school, but there is less provision to support younger children within the school system and they cannot be referred on to the Fairbridge Programme until they are 13. The consultations with support workers at the mainstream school, said that many institutions do incorporate self esteem building and provide one to one support to young people who need it, similar to the model used by Fairbridge. However, there still appear to be scenarios when the Fairbridge programme is the best option for some young people. September 2013 I 150

155 Preventing early school leaving in Europe - lessons learned from second chance education Annex Two: Technical Information September 2013 I 151

156

157 European Union, 2013 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Publications Office of the European Union NC EN-N ISBN doi: /63590 September 2013 I 1

158 Terms of Reference September 2013 I 2

159 PDF to be inserted. September 2013 I 3

160 Mapping of Second Chance Education Schemes September 2013 I 4

161 Mapping of second chance education schemes 10.1 Austria Measures targeting ESL Obtaining Degree of Lower Secondary Education/Second Chance Schools 1 Short description The measure of obtaining a (belated) degree of lower secondary education after finishing the regular school career for young people up to 18 years of age was first implemented in Austria in 1998 within the framework of the National Action Plan (Employment) in order to give young school drop-outs the possibility to get a formal degree even at a young age. The programme is not centrally coordinated, but is implemented by the provinces. Thus, some regulations and requirements differ; e.g. there are some differences in age requirements and course costs. Preparatory courses are offered by various educational institutes at varying costs a majority of them are subsidised publicly (e.g. ESF, Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Arts and Culture bm:ukk) and thus free of charge for individuals. The courses are not compulsory, however. Some thirteen different school subjects (including German, English and Maths) are to be passed. If someone does have a school certificate of the eighth year of education, which essentially covers the same syllabus as the 2nd chance exam, in which subjects have been passed with a positive mark before, exams in only those subjects which were either not passed or not assessed due to various reasons, need to be taken. Courses available usually take between ten and twelve months and can be attended in the evenings so as to enable participants to work full-time during the day. Exams can be taken at any schools of the type of which the degree is to be obtained ( Hauptschulen, i.e. lower secondary schools). Target groups Young people who do not have lower secondary education certificate are targeted. 1 Allinger, B. (2011), Austria: ERM Comparative Analytical Report on Recent Policy Developments related to those Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET). Available at: September 2013 I 5

162 Evaluation/success factors Evaluations and data on the measure are scarce; a study by L&R Social Research from 2004 estimates that an age cohort of about 5,000 students do not reach a formal school-leaving degree of compulsory education annually; every year, about 300 young people make use of the 2nd chance degrees, marking a rate of about 6% only (cf. Lechner et al. 2004: 134). The drop-out rate of those young people starting preparatory courses lies at a very high 50% (cf. ibid.: 138). Of those students successfully passing the exam, however, some 58% start an apprenticeship thereafter and 36% find employment immediately and start working (ibid.). More recent data by the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection (BMASK) show that over the course of 2006, 1386 persons taking preparatory courses were approved, of which 43% were female (cf. BMASK 2010a: 268f); however, this includes adults over 18 years of age, as well. No information about funds allocated to this specific measure is available Project Gaaden 1 Short description Three months cycle of education supported by specialist teachers and education psychologists. The education is provided in small classes. Students live and take the classes in youth hostel outside Vienna and during the weekends they go home. Students are allowed to stay longer if they do not make enough progress. The teaching is provided based on the individual learning programmes and focus on where students stopped in regular school, support development of self-esteem and improve attitudes to learning. Target groups Students with long histories of non-attendance are targeted by the project. They need to have clearly defined aim such as achieving secondary school certificate, pass the year or others. Evaluation/success factors The Child Protection Agency (Jugendamt) found that out of 18 pupils per trimester, 12 could be helped in the long term. The cooperation between teachers and childcare workers is seen as key to success especially for young people in stressful living conditions Project Schlangenfuß 2 1 GHK (2011), Reducing Early School Leaving in the EU. Report for the European Parliament. 2 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 6

163 Short description Schlangenfuß was founded 10 years ago with the aim to help students (aged between 10 and 15 years) who suffer from school phobia, anxiety disorder or depression, achieving a secondary modern school certificate. The pupils are divided into two groups: group one consists of 6 pupils educated by two teachers; group two consists of about 12 pupils educated by a team of three teachers. The two groups cooperate intensively in form of projects, excursions and celebrations. The courses are project-oriented and include elements of experiential pedagogy such as group activities outside the formal learning environment i.e. cooking for each other; outdoor activities. To enhance the group cohesion the daily joint breakfast is an important ritual. There is also a focus on musically and artistically creative education. The most important academic goal is the achievement of a secondary modern school certificate. In addition to this goal there is strong support in the transition to work period through providing individual support for students once a week. This is possible due to cooperation with Lehr Einstiegs Begleitung (LEB) which provide support in writing job applications, practice job interviews and visit potential employers. Further goals are the social integration and reintegration in the regular school system. The project also fosters the pupils social skills like developing their personality, coping strategies, self-competence and communication and conflict abilities. There is also a focus on preventing substance abuse and violent behaviour. The aim of the project is to help students to achieve secondary school certificate, gain work experience and social integration. Outdoor days are used to complement lessons and promote the practical application of things learnt within class. Attention is given to develop sense of belonging to the group through having joint breakfast every day. Experience pedagogy when students are invited to take part in group activities outside their formal learning environment i.e. cooking for each other or outdoor activities such as climbing to increase the sense of belonging is used. Target groups Young people between years old who suffer from school phobia and anxiety disorder. It covers not only those who left school but also targets young people who are still at school. Evaluation/success factors The cooperation with parents is highlighted as one of the key success factors. Parents and teachers meet every two weeks. The aim of the meetings is not to highlight disruptive behavior of young person but to advice parents on issues within the family. Also networking and communication between Schlangenfuß and institutions like therapeutic centres, the youth welfare, psychiatric hospitals are an integral element of the daily work. September 2013 I 7

164 Measures to facilitate access to employment There are number of projects and initiatives supporting young people to enter employment and in some cases undertake necessary training. These measures target not only young people who left the school early but also include those who are not in employment. Nevertheless, they often focus on supporting young people with low skill levels Production schools 1 Short description In production schools, young persons can obtain/catch up on basic knowledge and skills. They receive socio-educational counselling and are slowly introduced to the labour market with a combination of work and learning. The measure aims to integrate youngsters into schooling, apprenticeship training or the labour market, depending on individual needs and interests. There are around 20 production schools in Austria. Target group Young people (15-25 years old) who have completed compulsory education in particularly those with special educational needs and difficulties such as family problems, alcohol or drug abuse Pilot project C mon 14 2 Short description In the provinces Vienna and Styria, a project called c mon 14 was initiated in order to facilitate the transition management between school and employment for disadvantaged young people who need support. The programme was initiated in January 2010 in Vienna (and in May 2010 in Styria) and is scheduled to run until the end of The consultants, who are called case managers, provide support with finding an apprenticeship place, provide information and support in making choices on further schooling or employment options, but also on other topics like difficult family situations or credit counselling. Furthermore, case managers hold informational workshops (on topics like how to write applications and CVs, or different professions and job profiles) and provide mobile consultation at some schools. Participation in the 1 Allinger, B. (2011), Austria: ERM Comparative Analytical Report on Recent Policy Developments related to those Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET). Available at: 2 Allinger, B. (2011), Austria: ERM Comparative Analytical Report on Recent Policy Developments related to those Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET). Available at: September 2013 I 8

165 programme is free of charge for the adolescents. Case managers also accompany the students to important meetings. The duration of the programme for an individual is up to two years. In Vienna, the programme is funded by the AMS, ESF and Viennese Employees Promotion Fund WAFF (Wiener ArbeitnehmerInnen Förderungsfonds), in Styria it is funded by the BMASK; partners are the AMS and the provincial government of Styria. In both provinces, the programme is implemented by ÖSB Consulting. The innovative character of this measure is that case managers also provide mobile consultation at schools for students, teachers and parents and can thus be considered a low-threshold initiative. Also, timing is an important factor in this programme; the earlier disadvantaged youth who are endangered of becoming NEETs are being approached, the better are the chances of a successful start into further education or training. Target groups Target groups are young people who have finished compulsory education and are in the need of support with regards to career or educational orientation. The project targets young people between years old. Evaluation/success factors An evaluation of the programme is not yet available Chancen-Pool Vorarlberg Short description The project Chancen-Pool Vorarlberg is an area-wide advisory and support system for young people in the area (Vorarlberg) who have finished compulsory school or who dropped out of upper secondary school and don't have good prospects of finding an appropriate apprenticeship position. Chancen-Pool is a network and collaboration of the BIFO (organization for career counselling), schools, employment offices, community commissioners and job coaches who advice young people individually. If pupils are in danger of dropping out teachers inform them about the project and enrol them by sending contact data to the programme coordinator. The coordinator is the main contact person during the whole support process and is responsible for the collaboration between all involved persons/organizations. Target group Young people between 15 and 20 years old who have not found an apprenticeship position after finishing compulsory school or students who dropped out of upper secondary school without prospects of finding a work place. September 2013 I 9

166 Evaluation/success factors The collaboration of the menitoned involved organizations is highlighted as one of the key factors. The supporting activities are optimally adjusted to the students specific needs e.g. professional coaches and students work on an individually structured activity plan which supports them finding an apprenticeship position, a work place or other qualification measures. In 2011 about 740 young persons were involved in the project. More than half of them (388) could find an apprenticeship position, further eleven students found a work place, 77 students attended a further year of school and 57 attended some further qualification measures Job Coaching Project 1 Timescales The project was implemented between December 2005 July Short description The aim of the project is to provide young people support in getting a job or on-thejob training. The project provides a personal coach to young a person who is in regular contact with the young person. The coach accompanies young person to the interview and supports them with the interview and new employer. The coach also supports young people to deal with other public organisation such as PES. The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber and the Public Employment Service Austria are contractors and finance this project. The company AUFLEB (agency for unemployed people) is in charge of the organisation and implementation. The participants are selected by the Public Employment Service. The project starts with a qualification unit which takes eight weeks. During this time, the young people are trained in communication and social skills, in mathematical and other fundamental skills, so deficits can be compensated before their job applications and job interviews. Additionally, the adolescents will get to know a stable daily routine and social structure in order to ensure sustainable integration in the working environment. The second step is the placement. The coach acquires adequate job offers for the adolescent and makes the appointment for the interview. The coach accompanies the adolescent to the interview and takes if it is necessary part in the job interview. The coach accompanies young person in the new employment for 2 months in order to support young person during the beginning of his/her employment. Companies employing young person are eligible for financial support as well. Target groups 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 10

167 The project targeted young people between years old who are long-term unemployed. It targets in particular young people from disadvantaged groups and who did not integrate in the labour market following the participation in other programmes. Evaluation/success factors Since 2005, 2,012 young people have participated in this project. About 65% have found a job. As a result of the success of the job coaching project a follow-up project started in June Berufsmatura (apprenticeship with higher vocational diploma which grants access to tertiary education) Short description Since September 2008, apprentices can take part in preparatory courses for a vocational diploma which gives them access to tertiary education during their apprenticeship at no costs. Before (i.e. since 1998), this was only possible after the completion of an apprenticeship and the costs had to be borne by the apprentices themselves. The new measure is funded by the Austrian state which subsidises the educational facilities providing preparatory courses with EUR 6,000 per student. It is expected that about 1,600 students will make use of the measure annually Aktion Zukunft Jugend ( Project Future Youth ) Short description Measure targeted towards decreasing unemployment among year old persons by providing every person of that age group who has registered with the AMS a qualification measure or employment within six months of registering Überbetriebliche Lehrausbildung (Supra-company apprenticeships) Short description Since 2004/05, supra-company apprenticeship places are offered through the Youth Training and Education Provision Act (JASG, which was first implemented in 1998 in the framework of a National Action Plan for Young Workers). Additionally, in June 2008, the social partners negotiated a labour market package for young workers in Austria with a focus on improving the situation of young apprentices. Together with the federal government, an apprenticeship training guarantee was agreed upon (among other measures). This means that sufficient offers of places in supra-company training facilities are available for those who cannot find a regular apprenticeship placement in a company; in other words, every young person who is interested in an apprenticeship is guaranteed a place if no place is found at regular approved September 2013 I 11

168 apprenticeship employers, the apprenticeship can be taken at supra-company apprenticeship facilities. Compensation which apprentices receive in the supra-company facilities lie at EUR 240 per month in the first two years and EUR 555 in the third year (which is the last year) of the training. Target groups All young people who are not able to find regular apprenticeship places. Evaluation/success factors Over the course of the school year 2008/09, some 16,107 young people participated in the programme (with varying durations). 22% of them were either without employment or apprenticeship for more than six months or participated in educational courses before the onset of the measure. The number of young persons participating in the programme amounted to 10,213 on 31 December In 2010/11, the number of places was increased to 13,782 (1,500 more than in the year before) in order to provide every young person in need with a place. In 2009/10, EUR 187 million of funds were used of which 86% were taken over by the AMS and the rest by the provincial governments. This example was chosen as an effective practice as it provides every young person in need with an apprenticeship place and thus the dependency on employers providing places is reduced. In uncertain economic times, for example, when employers reduce their trainining activities, apprenticeship training for all adolescents is now guaranteed which is an important measure towards decreasing the number of NEETs in the country Intensive Vocational Training Short description Within the framework of the Intensive Vocational Training early school leavers have the opportunity to complete a full apprenticeship in the short period of 15 months. Classes: 38 class hours per week. Duration: 15 months up to 24 months. At the moment 4700 in Austria attend this programme which is financed by the Public Employment Service Austria. The applicants can choose among the main apprenticeship occupations but have to undergo rigorous selection procedures before they can start with the programme. September 2013 I 12

169 Evaluation/success factors There is a high demand for the graduates on the job market. 70 % to 80 % of the graduates of the Intensive Vocational Training Programme find a job within a period of three months. Target group People with only compulsory education (Early School Leavers); applicants' age: between 17 and 19 years; among the Intensive Vocational Trainings you can also find specific programmes like the Intensive Technical Training for job seeking women (apprenticeship in production engineering); 80 % of the women find a job after graduation France Actions organised in each Académie under the responsibility of MGI (general mission of incertion) 1 Short description State representatives in the departments which is responsible for collecting information and contact details about students who are no longer enrolled in education or have no pre-determined qualifications. Secondary schools and apprentices learning centres provide this information. Monitoring also involves youth integration centres (mission locales) and the public employment services. Regarding the number of young people who benefited from MGI actions and their origin, according to the latest available report on MGI activities ( ), pupils had a preliminary interview with MGI services (-7.7 %, compared to figures; the report mentions that the number has diminished every year by about 7 % for the previous 4 years). 40 % of these young people came from lower secondary education, 41.7 % from vocational upper secondary education and 15.7 % from general and technologic upper secondary education. Types of activities and their results: activities preparing the return to a formal education; aiming at building a new personal and professional project for early school leavers, through an individualised training plan; focus on guidance and active preparation of orientation; consolidation of learners skills; alternation between courses and vocational training/on-the-job training; individualised follow-up. 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 13

170 Example of a full-time activity: Local reinsertion scheme (Dispositifs d'accueil Locaux d'insertion) in the Académie of Toulouse. Young people can start and end their participation at any time during the year. They are registered in a lower or upper secondary school supporting the DALI scheme. The competences, needs and centre of interests of the participant are assessed and an individualised plan is devised with him/her or his/her parents if under 18. The training includes a combination of course modules focusing on basic skills (e.g. maths, written and oral expression) and more specific skills (e.g. job search methods, ICT, English, health and safety, etc.), in alternation with vocational training (on-the-job training or within a vocational school) to discover a profession and develop contacts with the world of work. Modules can also include French classes for foreigners, if needed. Participants can obtain some officially recognised certificates. Target group Young people over 16 years old who left school early, have no qualifications and do not have any options for further training or professional development. The aim of the actions is to identify early school leavers and support them in building new personal and professional project. Evaluation/success factors At the national level in , the activities preparing the return to a formal education (full-time) concerned 46.7 % of participants, with the following results: 63 % resumed their studies (9 % through another specific MGI action, 57 % within regular education and training institutions, 9 % in the private sector and 4 % started an internship organised by the regional authorities); 4%found a job; 4 % were oriented towards other structures (mission locales); 13 % did not find any solution. The activities preparing the return to a formal education (part-time) targeting students still registered in an institution but seen as at high risk concerned 33.8 % of all participants, with the following results: 79 % resumed their studies (2 % through another specific MGI action, 31 % within a regular education and training institution, 20 % in the private sector and 9 % started an internship organised by the regional authorities); 9% found a job; 7 % were oriented towards other structures (mission locales); 20 % did not find any solution. Activities in view of the award of a diploma: Modules de re-préparation aux examens par alternance, MOREAproposed by the Académies give an opportunity to re-take an examination (CAP, BEP, BAC) for those having already failed twice. Candidates take September 2013 I 14

171 the modules that they need and are assigned an individual tutor. An important feature of this scheme is alternation of classes with work. In this type of activity concerned 12.3 % of all participants with the following results: 63 % resumed their studies (9 % through another specific MGI action, 57 % within regular education and training institutions, 9 % in the private sector and 4 % started an internship organised by the regional authorities); 4% found a job; 4 % were oriented towards other structures (mission locales); 13 % did not find any solution. Activities to prepare professional insertion: these activities are generally targeted at young people who already hold a qualification but have difficulties in finding a job. In , this concerned 7.2 % of participants with the following results: 25 % found a job; 9 % were oriented towards other structures (mission locales); 37 % resumed their studies (2% through specific MGI action, 28 % within regular education and training institution, 6% in the private sector and 2 % started an internship organised by the regional authorities); 29 % did not find any solution. Evaluations of the MGI have shown a positive impact of its activities. At the national level, in % of pupils supported by the MGI had found a solution to their problems through the MGI (71 % continued their studies, 3% found a job and 4% had been oriented towards other counselling structures). However, the number of persons followed by the MGI is much lower than the number of early-schools leavers Second chance schools (Écoles de la 2eme Chance, E2C) 1 Short description The aim of second chance schools is to motivate young people to develop their own pathways leading them to employment. At the end of 2010, there were 27 schools responsible for 81 sites in 15 regions. Registrations can be made at any time during the year and there is no strict limit for the duration of participation, which can vary from 6 to 24 months. The pedagogy in the schools is based on alternation between learning on the job (internships in companies) and individualised learning modules. Ultimately participants do not receive a formal diploma but a certificate of acquired competences and a competences portfolio which have been designed to be recognised easily by employers as well as to facilitate an eventual application for validation of non-formal and informal learning. The first E2C was inspired by the principles outlined in the Commission White Paper Teaching and learning towards a knowledge society. After the first successful 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 15

172 experimentation phase, the E2C has become a label that can be awarded to education and training providers. The label is given for 4 years and is renewable after an evaluation foreseen by an agreement between the State, the region and the school. Several E2C benefit from support from the European Social Fund. Target group Students between years old who do not have diploma or qualification are targeted by second chance schools. Evaluation/success factors The evaluation of E2C shows that in 2006, 82 % of registered participants stayed in the school after registration, and 63 % found a solution at the end of their stay: 33 % in employment, 16 % in further training and 14 % in alternation of training and work Defence 2nd Chance Scheme (Defense 2eme chance managed by Etablissement Public d Insertion de la Defense, EPIDE) 1 Short description There are around 20 such centres in France which can accommodate around 2,250 students. Among staff members majority of them are teachers from public education institutions. The aim is to re-motivate young people through a global education project that focuses in particular on skills for employability. The idea is to give young people a new start in a new context (boarding school). Participants sign a contract of at least eight months and follow different training modules: fundamental skills; civic and social skills (e.g. health and safety); vocational training linked with local education and training providers and employees targeted towards recruiting professions. Target group year olds who are not in education or employment and have particular learning difficulties Evaluation/success factors A study carried out in 2010 revealed that 73% of participants were successfully integrated into employment or training several months after participation in the programme. 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 16

173 Reinsertion schools (établissements de reinsertion scolaire, ERS) 1 Short description Some 20 schools established in France between It is one year long boarding school, providing adapted education (classes in the morning and sport and cultural activities in the afternoon) and helping develop common core of competences, learn how to respect school rules and improve social relations in order to facilitate further participation in education and training. Staff include teachers, pedagogical assistants and staff form judicial services in charge of young people and volunteers. Target Group Young people between years old who have been expelled from other schools due to behaviour difficulties Experimental structure of national public education systems e.g. micro upper secondary schools (Micro- lycees) and the CLEPT (lower and upper secondary school - College et Lycee Elitiste pour Tous) Micro-lycées 2 Short description The aim is to re-engage young people into education and support their work towards baccalaureat. Majority of the micro lycees focus on general baccalaureat but there some provisions for vocational baccalaureat. Micro lycees is attached to the secondary school but benefits for its own national and local public funding. It is an experimental structure and often develops as part of an action research project developed by teachers. Therefore, the teachers devoted to it are at the centre of the initiative. Using innovative teaching methods is at the core of the micro lycee including adaptation to young persons needs and their backgrounds, global approach to young person with tailored support allowing them to enter logic of attainment and to appropriate the rules of the structure. The principles of micro-lycee includes attendance on voluntary basis, maximum adaptability of what young person wants, people-centred approach, appropriation of the structure to young person, right school team. 1 GHK (2011) 2 European Commission Conference on Early School Leaving on 1-2 March 2012 information September 2013 I 17

174 Target group Young people over 16 years old who left school without qualifications are target by the scheme College et Lycee Elitiste pour Tous (CLET) 1 Short description Similarly as in the case of micro lycee participation is voluntary. They were established in 2000 in Grenoble. They are small experimental structures including students each. The aim of CLET is to reintegrate young people back to general education, help them to prepare for diplomas such as baccalaureate and to support construction of personal training project. Teachers are responsible for a large variety of tasks: teaching but also tutoring, mentoring, administrative tasks, etc. One important principle is also that evaluation is seen as a tool to support learning rather than sanctioning pupils. Pupils are first oriented towards a reintegration module for a period of six weeks to one year before joining a class. Staff is also responsible for training teachers in the region on aspects related to ESL. Target group Young people between years old who have interrupted their learning for at least 6 months Class relais initiative 2 Short description It tackles the worst cases of truancy and exclusion from education. It takes young people out of school on a temporary basis and gives them individualised teaching and support designed to return them to mainstream schooling (or training, depending on age) as soon as possible. The initiative brings together the Education and Justice ministries in partnership with key local actors. The Classes-relais professional teams combine teaching/instruction skills with youth work skills. Teaching is highly individualised and flexible with average class sizes of around 6-8. Specialists can be brought in to teach particular subjects. Participants may also return to a normal school for some lessons, often planned as part of the return to mainstream schooling. About 50% of participants - particularly in the older age groups - take part in work experience in local firms. 1 GHK (2011) 2 GHK (2005) September 2013 I 18

175 Target group It targets under 16s identified as severely disruptive, violent or with a history of regular absenteeism who are at risk of suspension or dropping out of school. Participants characteristically have behavioural problems rather than learning difficulties and come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Evaluation/success factors Overall, 67% of the young people surveyed who had been in a Classe-relais in 1997/98 were still in education or vocational training at the end of the 1998/99 school year, i.e. about a year after leaving. Young people respond in particular to the high degree of personal attention, the individualised, flexible teaching style and the opportunity to gain work experience Hungary Belvárosi Tanoda Secondary School 1 Short description Belvarosi Tanoda offers alternative education for young people who dropped out from mainstream school. The school provides individual support for students and adapt teaching to their needs thus helping them to complete secondary education and pass final exams. The main principle used in the school is that it is not the student intending to learn who should fit the school, but it is we who should try to fit the institutional framework to his or her needs within state regulations. In 2007, the school had 146 students and 37 staff members. These included 100 fulltime and 35 part-time students in general upper secondary education and 11 students in vocational (art and culture) postsecondary education. The school employed 18 fulltime and 13 part-time teachers and 6 additional staff members. The school is situated in city centre and therefore accessible and attractive to young people. The classrooms are used in various ways and they provide specialised equipment for classroom teaching and are used for leisure, cultural and sport activities. The school environment provides pleasant space for young people which is especially important for those coming from difficult backgrounds. The school operates in a family atmosphere, ensuring a safe and accepting environment for the youth, and serves as a kind of home for many. Every room is accessible to everyone; even the staff room is used by both teachers and students and has become the heart of 1 Limbacher, L. (2008), A Second Chance School in Hungary. Available at: um= a406b22a2d8d5fa1a September 2013 I 19

176 community life. One special contribution to the informal environment is that there is no organised school meal; students eat in the rest area or the staff room. Teaching methods are centred around the personality of each student, who learns at his or her own pace. Every student pairs with a teacher of his or her choice for help both in learning and in other aspects of life. The student signs a study contract with personal objectives for the school year and learns according to a personal timetable. The school offers no full-year classes but organises small study groups by subject. One-on-one teaching is used when necessary and possible. One of the main objectives of the school is to create a rich social climate with various opportunities to learn appropriate social roles and develop self-esteem. This objective is met by the staff and students sharing living spaces during the day. The staff can thus demonstrate their views on life serving as models for relating and communicating with others, for dealing with various experiences in life, for recognising and expressing emotions, and for managing and solving daily problems and conflicts. The school is maintained by private foundation which is unusual in Hungary as most schools are run by local authorities. Half of the operating costs of the school are covered by state. School does not charge students tuition fees. Target group The school targets year olds who dropped out from secondary school Dobbantó (Springboard) project 1 Short description The changes in legislation in 2007 in Hungary require vocational education institutions to provide personalised learning for young people with learning and behavioural difficulties. The Dobbantó Programme has been designed to respond to this requirement with a view to providing young people an opportunity to close the gaps in their education and to reintegrate into school by joining a so-called preparatory 9th grade class organised in designated vocational schools. The unique features of the Programme include student support, personalised development pathways, and student centred teaching methods and practices. Some 15 schools took part in implementation of the pilot project. The key features that differ Dobbanto from mainstream education includes the following: Physical learning environment; Organisation of learning; Learning content; Instruction methods; Pedagogical approach and practice (pedagogical paradigm). 1 European Commission Conference on Early School Leaving on 1-2 March 2012 information September 2013 I 20

177 Importantly the programme provided significant support for teachers and heads of schools in order to be able to provide necessary support for students. It aimed at helping them to replace their traditional way of teaching organised around subjects by approaches and practices that focus on the individual progress of students, and to enable teachers to securely navigate in the new complex learning environments that reflect the pedagogical paradigm of the Dobbantó Programme. The programme was delivered within mainstream schools and teachers are teaching both students within Dobbantó Programme and students in initial education. The participating schools joined the Dobbantó Programme on their own initiative, because their teachers felt the need for a change, and for learning and using new pedagogical approaches. In addition to the innovative learning materials, the Programme provided continuous mentoring to the teacher teams to help them implement the necessary changes and in a way which is quite unusual in the contemporary world of education coaching to the heads of the schools to help them improve their leadership skills and test and incorporate into their practice the outcomes of improvement work. Moreover, the participants could visit a different school in each semester so that they can also learn from one another and exchange their experiences. The curriculum framework gained accreditation one year ago, and accreditation is underway for a related teacher training programme. These two ensure that the Dobbantó Programme can be scaled up and developed from a pilot into an approach that is suitable for mainstream application. Target Group The initiative targets young people between years old with learning and behavioural difficulties and who have dropped out of school or are on the verge of dropping out. Evaluation/success factors The programme was subject to number of evaluations some of the results are provided below. The Dobbantó students are rarely absent from school, the drop-out rate is very low, and the heads and the teachers who could also experience success with their students not only like using the Dobbantó toolkit and approach, but also often adapt them to other vocational school classes or grades. Therefore, the Programme can offer a solution for the renewal of vocational schools. The table below shows what students do after completion of the programme. September 2013 I 21

178 Participating in public education % Employed 6 3.2% Neither working, nor participating in 8 4.2% education or training Refused to respond / were not % available Total % The table below shows some of the students who continued their education and training in the formal school system feedback: Yes No When I think about last year, I am happy that I was a 97.6% 2.4% Dobbantó student. I know what I need to change to improve. 89.0% 11.0% I am aware of my strengths, and I know what I am 90.6% 9.4% good at. I definitely do not want to drop out of school. 90.6% 9.4% The Dobbantó gave me a lot of knowledge an practical skills that I find very useful in my life. 87.4% 12.6% Former students found the following five practical outcomes to be most useful (quoted in order of frequency of mention): Learning how to write a CV Information on employers, visiting workplaces, gaining work experience Job selection criteria Self-awareness (increased self-confidence, better understanding of who I am and what I can do) Personal development, improved manual skills Learning to learn (learning has become easier, acquired a different learning method) Cooperation (helping others, working together with peers, listening to others) Catch-up programmes 2 Short description The 2003 amendment of the Public Education Act provided for the launch of one or two year long 'catching-up' programmes (felzárkóztató oktatás) in vocational schools to help students over the age of 15 without the primary school graduation certificate (ISCED 2A). The programmes help students to obtain the competences required to enter a VET programme. The certificate awarded is equivalent to the primary school 1 This category includes two students participating in adult training in the same school where they completed the Dobbantó class. 2 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 22

179 certificate in cases where the participant has completed at least six years of primary school, and thus entitles the student to pursue their studies in the VET schools. In 2008/2009 catch-up programmes were offered in 18 % of vocational schools, involving a total of students. Target group Young people over 15 years old without primary school graduation certificate. Evaluation/success factors Over the course of the programme around every fourth student drops out and in total almost half of the students enter the vocational training programme after the course. With regard to the effectiveness of catching-up programmes, a 2007/2008 study, based on data from 166 schools, revealed mixed results. The success of the programme may lie in the fact that it is based entirely on the project method and thus is tailored to meet the needs of the target group. However, the human resource and material needs of the project method exceed those of more traditional methodologies. As a result, the success of the programme is to a great degree contingent upon the actual opportunities, preparedness and commitment of specific participating schools and teachers. While there are quite a few enthusiastic teachers who are genuinely committed to the reintegration of disadvantaged young people, there are also schools where the turnover of teachers is very high Digital Secondary School 1 Short description The Digital Secondary School prepares disadvantaged adults for the high school diploma through a combination of distance learning and local education classes. The programme enables students to continue their post-secondary vocational education or third level academic programmes. Students participate in online distance learning and training is also delivered in secondary schools in small towns (Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén). In some cases the courses are held at elementary schools or local educational centers. Computers are provided by the Digital Secondary School, so that students who do not have a computer at home can also participate in the programme. This model enables students to study flexibly to gain a high school diploma. The curriculum covers the same learning material as an ordinary secondary school, and prepares students for the high school final examination. The curriculum is defined by law and has been checked by the Ministry of Education and Culture. Many of the candidates received poor results in elementary school, and/ or left formal education decades ago. The curriculum is designed to progresses students from basic knowledge 1 Downes, P., (2011) Towards a Lifelong Learning Society in Europe: he Contribution of the Education System. LLL2010 project report. September 2013 I 23

180 to the requirements of the final exam, and students can carry on to complete the advanced level high school diploma through the programme. Digital technology (films and audio materials) are used to engage students, and the content of the curriculum is designed to be of interest to the target group. The curriculum includes English, Maths, and art history, and some modules are compulsory. Students often have learning and literacy difficulties. The curriculum is being developed further using student feedback. Students can access the curriculum, communicate with teachers and receive feedback of their work online, using the internet in the training centres. Students also have access to chat room facilities and a video-conference system. A teacher is based in the computer room to answer the students questions. Offline consultations are held on Saturdays in the local schools or education centres. The school is funded by a consortium of three institutes: Földes Ferenc Secondary School: one of the ten best high schools in Hungary; the University of Miskolc; and the Innocenter Innovation Centre. Tuition is free. The programmes' success is attributed to its well-trained and highly motivated teachers from one of the best high schools in the country, who developed the learning materials and provide daily classes. Participants receive a high quality education, and learning materials are simplified for students with special needs. The combination of distance education and digital technology also enable students to study when it is convenient to them. Limited funding for the programme has reduced the development of alternative options and support such as mentoring. Target group The project is aimed at disadvantaged adults from the North-Eastern part of Hungary. Originally the project was aimed at Roma adults with political ambitions, but is now open to other disadvantaged adults. Roma students account for around 50% of the current student cohort. Those who had previously started their secondary school studies but could not pass the final exam can take a preliminary examination, can enter the programme in the second or third year, so they do not have to repeat courses they have already passed. Prisoners are also supported by the programme. Teachers from Földes Ferenc Secondary School deliver lessons at a youth prison. The Digital Secondary School was founded in 2003 in Hungry's least developed region, which has the highest unemployment rates in Hungary, which has deeply rooted social problems, including tensions between Roma and non-roma inhabitants. September 2013 I 24

181 10.4 Ireland Back to education initiative (BTEI) 1 Short description The scheme allows young people and adults to take part in approved second and third level training courses. The studies are carried out on a part-time basis, thus enabling participants to combine education and training with other commitments such as family and work. Programmes are offered in the mornings, afternoons, evenings or at weekends. In 2001, the scheme was made available to early leavers who had been out of formal education for at least two years. A scheme of free tuition and reduced fees applies. A small proportion (10 %) of BTEI provision is set aside to support projects proposed by community education groups. A total of places are on offer through Vocational Education Committees (VECs) at a cost of EUR 9.3 million, while a further places are provided through community centres at a cost of EUR 1.6 million. Target group Young people and adults receiving social benefits are targeted by the scheme The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) 2 Short description It is full time second chance education initiative. It is delivered locally by Vocational Education Committees (VECs). Courses between levels 3 and 6 on the National Qualifications Framework are offered to VTOS students. Tuition, stationery and books are provided free of charge. A childcare grant is also available to VTOS students and they can access the adult guidance service. There are VTOS places available nationally every year. Target group Adults over 21 years old and who are unemployed are targeted. Evaluation/success factors VTOS has proved very successful in opening up learning and progression opportunities for people who have been unemployed with 71.5 % of students, who completed their VTOS programme in summer 2006, moving into employment or further education courses. 1 GHK (2011) 2 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 25

182 YouthReach 1 Short description It is a national scheme which was established in The Department of Education and Science delivers Youthreach through out-of- school Centres for Education managed by Vocational Education Committees (VECs). The programme is also delivered in a network of 45 Community Training Centres (CTCs) funded by FÁS and ten 'Justice Workshops' funded by FÁS and the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform. A parallel programme is delivered in the 33 Senior Traveller Training Centres (STTCs). Young people attending Youthreach Centres are given the opportunity to attain FETAC awards (at NFQ level 3 and 4), the Leaving Certificate Applied, as well as Junior and Leaving Certificate subjects. The programme is funded by the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Youthreach participants show higher than average incidences of risk factors such as difficult family backgrounds, substance abuse and juvenile delinquency. Because of these increased social and personal needs, Youthreach interventions must be flexible, non-threatening, informal and accommodating in order to achieve their objectives. Youthreach classes are small with average student - staff ratios of 8:1. Participants are provided with individualised education plans, career counselling assistance and arrangements for work programme placements and apprenticeships. Youthreach caters for around 7,000 trainees every year. The programme has grown into a well-established national programme, which plays a central part in the policy agenda. A quality framework has been developed after an in- depth consultation with all stakeholder groups including learners, staff and management. This has resulted in the development of quality standards and a range of quality assurance processes. In addition, a mentoring project has been implemented to support some of the Youthreach centres to hold on to those young people who are most problematic and enable them to better cope with their lives when they leave the centres. The project uses mentoring as a process for engaging young people, through a web wheel model which aims to pay attention to each individual on the programme looking at what s happening to them both outside and inside the centre. The aim is to enable the mentee to identify how they would like their life to be, both in the short-term and long-term, then to come up with a plan and try to link up the work done by the Youthreach centre with that plan, as well as the support the mentees receive outside of the centre. Youthreach staff take on the role of mentors the Webwheel model provides a system to formalise / give a structure to something that was previously taking place on a more ad hoc basis. Target group 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 26

183 Early school leavers between years old are targeted by the scheme. Evaluation/success factors In 2004, of those Youthreach participants who completed the course, 72 % went on to employment or further education or training. Studies undertaken by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) in Ireland have found that Youthreach does seem to provide positive learning experiences for young people. Through qualitative research, it was found that a number of young people felt that if they had had similar learning experiences in school and been treated the same way as they had been in Youthreach, it would have been a more positive learning experience. Youthreach evaluations report that participants highly value their experience on the programme and would recommend it to others. Key findings, reported in several evaluations, included the positive relationship between staff and learners which was characterised by mutual care and respect. Linked to the overall structure of the programme, the evaluations reported that a positive climate is cultivated and activities take place in a supportive and structured environment. A study on the influence of Youthreach on the employability and efficacy qualities of early school leavers in a medium-sized town in County Louth found that Youthreach participants revealed a collective resilience (to past negative failures, to negative voices, to economic despondence) and a common positivity towards educational opportunity and their own futures. According to stakeholders interviewed, one negative aspect of Youthreach seems to be that it is relatively limited in terms of participants opportunities for progression Senior Traveller Training Centres (STTC) 1 Short description There is a network of 33 centres throughout Ireland with over approved places on the programme. Within an environment that acknowledges Traveller culture, the aim of the programme is to provide Travellers with the knowledge, skills and confidence required to successfully make the transition to work and to participate fully in their communities. The programme is designed to be flexible to respond to the needs, talents and interests identified by Travellers. Particular emphasis is placed on encouraging parents to participate in STTC activities as this can have positive effects on their children s participation in education. Typical activities at STTCs include classes in literacy, numeracy, I.T. alongside creative and practical activities such as music and woodcarving. Travellers are able to undertake work based learning activities such as 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 27

184 renovating buildings, which have assisted in community cohesion. The centres deliver important education in community-based settings, helping to break down barriers between different groups in the community. Target group Target traveller community members who are over 15. Evaluation/success factors Success rates have been high and some centres have waiting lists for members of the travelling community wanting to participate in educational activities The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) 1 Short description Weekly payment equal of social welfare benefits is provided to unemployed who return to second or third level education. In 2009 the timescales when unemployed are eligible for such funding was reduced by three months. At an earlier point (in July 2008) a special initiative was announced for the summer period. The initiative involved Departmental officials contacting eligible young people to encourage them to take up BTEA opportunities by entering appropriate education or training courses in the autumn of that year. The financial allocations for this measure have been significantly increased in recent years. The estimated expenditure for the BTEA in 2010 is about EUR 110 million, which is an increase of about 45 % compared with Increased supply of traineeship places 2 Short description In the 1990s, the FÁS traineeship programmes were established. These are occupational-specific and industry-endorsed training programmes which combine centre-based training and on- the-job components with a specific employer. Courses vary in duration but are generally between 20 and 43 weeks. On completion, participants can earn NFQ awards mostly at levels 5 and 6, as well as industryrecognised certification providing access to specific occupations in designated sectors. The programmes are targeted at occupations which are not designated as apprenticeships, such as childcare practitioner, leisure facility instructor, software developer, forestry operative, medical secretary, etc. The 2010 DETE/Forfas Review found traineeships to be a good alternative to apprenticeships, as they provide on-the-job training for specialist skills, but over a 1 GHK (2011) 2 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 28

185 shorter period of time, and in a more cost- effective manner. Nearly training places were made available in 2008, at a total cost of more than EUR 38.2 million. Some 43 % of participants were aged under 25 and 65 % were women. Almost all had been unemployed for under a year. Target group Unemployed jobseekers Evaluation/success factors The post-programme experience of participants is favourable, which is likely to be a result of the direct involvement of employers. The 2007 FÁS Follow Up Survey indicated that over 70 % were in employment 18 months subsequent to completion, and 10 % in training An Cosan 1 Short description An Cosán is the largest independent community-based education centre in Ireland, and offers a range of community education programmes. This includes the Shanty Education Programme which offers adults the opportunity to take the first step back into education in a supportive environment. One of the centre's target groups is young women who are lone parents and early school leavers. The centre delivers a 'Young Women s Education Programme and a Young Women from Ethnic Minorities Education Programme. The programmes are designed to address the specific challenges experienced by these target groups, including living in temporary accommodation (hostels), feeling isolated, and being difficult to engage. The Shanty Educational Project was established in 1986 to provide second chance community-based education to women in the local area. In the 1980s Ireland experienced a recession, resulting in second-chance education being almost nonexistent. An Cosán developed a three strand educational curriculum to provide adults with opportunities to move from basic to intermediate education, and then onto training programmes for work and /or diploma courses in preparation for third level education. The courses include Personal Development and Communication Skills, and Basic Literacy and Numeracy. This is followed by courses in community development and access to further education. Some past students have gone on to third level colleges and universities, gaining certificates, diplomas and degrees. An Cosán supports participants to plot out a career path and to access the programmes they need to achieve this; the CEO explained: "As early school leavers there s a whole gap in your development people need to know and to look at why they re facing the challenges of doing basic literacy when they are 35, 45 the basic classes are where our social analysis must be deeply rooted and begin". 1 Downes, P. (2011) September 2013 I 29

186 An Cosán also offers a degree programme in Community Development Leadership for mature students. In June 2008, 450 students had attended classes at the Shanty. The centre conducts outreach work to recruit participants: visiting schools, talking to women s groups, attending local community events, and networking with local community organizations. Word of mouth has been the most successful recruitment mechanism to date. The centre receives mainstream funding from the Department of Education and Skills, through the Vocational Educational Committee (VEC). Various Irish Government Departments and bodies have also supported An Cosán, including a major capital grant to build its community based education centre in The centre also receives funding from the voluntary sector including philanthropic support, including the State funded Tallaght Drugs Task Force, and private sources funding from Vodafone Ireland Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropie. Weaknesses of the organisation are identified as being unable to offer sufficient places to meet demand and not having an Access Officer or an Outreach Officer. The lack of links to third level colleges in the local area is also identified as a weakness. Target group An Cosán caters for everyone living in the local, traditionally socio-economically disadvantaged, area. This includes young women who are lone parents and early school leavers. The target group live in severely disadvantaged areas of Dublin, and experience high levels of unemployment and poverty. The centre draws on a local population of roughly 22,000 people, living mainly in rented housing in large, local authority estates. The area has a high immigrant population. The unemployment rate of principle earners is around 67%, and 40% of family units are headed by lone parents. The level of educational attainment is generally low, with 27% of the 363 population having no formal education or only primary level education and over 34% of the population leaving school under the age of Lithuania Adult Schools/Adult Learning Centres 1 Short description Provide opportunity to re-enter education in order to continue terminated learning. The participants can gain basic, compulsory or upper secondary education qualifications through studying new courses that were not in the curricular at the time of studies, repeating courses, gathering additional credits and preparation for compulsory or secondary education exams. 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 30

187 Adults learn under specially designed adult learning programmes of primary, basic and secondary education. Adult education programmes are shorter in their content and teaching subjects are adjusted to adult educational needs. The most important aspect of adult learning is that participants can choose flexible ways of learning (modular learning, self- learning, part-time or distance learning), depending on their personal circumstances. Possibilities are provided to choose a convenient time for learning, the learning programme and / or to plan their own learning process. The following learning programmes are available: successive after finishing one grade a student is transferred to the upper grade; modular the knowledge of one or more required school subjects is obtained in one school year; adult schools offer the following types of learning; full time studies - comprehensive studies are in shifts: morning and evening classes; extra-mural studies learning is held within group and through individual consultations; compulsory credits are taken; individual studies - studies are organised for individuals who have accomplished secondary education and are willing to revise certain subjects of general education, as well as for those who have acquired the Learning Achievement Certificate. Target group Adults without upper secondary education qualifications are beneficiaries of the programmes. They do not specifically target young adults, however, young people over 18 years old are eligible to take part Youth Schools 1 Short description There are 24 youth schools in Lithuania offering alternative provision for young people who dropped out from school early or are at risk of ESL. Youth Schools support around 2,000 young people every year. have two broad aims: provide basic education and seek to maximise the number of pupils obtaining basic education; enrich the personal experience of pupils, prepare them for further learning, professional career, social and cultural life. The total number of pupils in Youth Schools varies between 50 and 130 but class sizes are between 8 and 12 pupils. Classes take place in the daytime, in the evening, or a combination of the two. Support provided at the Schools is diverse, ranging from information and advice to pedagogical, psychological, social and health support. It is 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 31

188 compulsory for Youth Schools to employ a social pedagogical worker, psychologist, a special pedagogical worker, a healthcare specialist and teacher assistants. Many Youth Schools also employ VET teachers, psychotherapists, special pedagogical workers, and physical education coaches. All learning is individualised and integrated with after-school, pre-vocational and work placement activities. Upon entering the Youth School an individual learning plan is developed through discussion with individual young people, their parents and the school. This three-part programme is reviewed and assessed on a periodic basis. Within this programme: The basic education curriculum can form up to 60 % of learning activities, with an enhanced portfolio of arts, physical education, technology and information technology. Up to 40% of learning consists of practical activity modules, integrated with IT, pre-vocational training and project work. Professional career and personal development modules are also available. Additional subject areas can be oriented towards art, sport or technology and connected to pupils interests. While the basic education curriculum is taught in classrooms, other forms of learning take place in a variety of locations classrooms, outdoors, other spaces in and outside the schools. Target group Young people between years old who did not adapt to mainstream schools or lack motivation to complete education. It also target young people with learning difficulties, those in need of support to socialise and integrate with peers and young people who prefer a practical approach to learning. Particular target groups include young people from compulsory schools, from the first stage of professional schools (IVET), young people without basic education and young people who are not in education, employment or training. Evaluation/success factors The combination of theoretical and practical learning is considered to be one of the success factors of the Youth Schools. The beneficiaries remain involved in education and are motivated to continue learning through practical activities and by being able to choose their own education pathway. This helps them to take ownership and to feel in control of their own learning. Furthermore, Youth Schools are granted some freedom within the school curricula, enabling the education and training they provide to be tailored to the needs of the individual young person. The relatively small size of Youth Schools and their classes is also considered to contribute to their success. Young people receive more individual attention and are able to interact more freely with teachers. September 2013 I 32

189 A further strength of the Youth Schools is felt to be the specialist support for young people with specific problems. This support enables them to deal with problems in their day-to-day life and tackle any obstacles that prevent them from learning Poland Second Chance Schools 1 Short description In 2009/2010 there were in total schools for adults in Poland 79 central administration entities, local self- government entities, 416 social organisations and associations, 4 religious organisations and other. They offer the possibility to study in the mornings, afternoons or weekends and there are some schools offering e-learning. Apart from this, they usually offer additional classes for under-achievers, extra courses to prepare for national exams, psychological and career counselling, and some schools organise other extra activities (e.g. workshops on aggression, etc.). In there were : 4 primary schools for adults with 81 students; 148 lower secondary schools with students; general secondary schools with students; and vocational schools (basic vocational schools, technical secondary schools and specialized secondary schools) with students. Target group The schools can be accessed by people over the age of 18 or by the people over 16 if they are at risk of dropping out from the regular education system. The learning in the second chance schools in Poland is free of charge (in private institutions it is possible to charge for some vocational courses) Voluntary Labour Corps (VLC) 2 Short description VLCs offer a wide range of services to young people and activities are delivered through a package called the Safe Way, which aims to prevent social exclusion. It provides centres that deliver social activities to promote the independence of young people. They also deliver vocational education and training to meet the needs of the labour market. Young people can receive vocational training for 62 different professions. Training consists of theoretical learning as well as practical work experience organised at an employer s premises. Training lasts for a minimum of 24 1 GHK (2011) 2 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 33

190 months. To complete the training young people must pass an exam organised by the employer or a craft organisation. Once they have successfully completed the exam, the young person becomes an apprentice and is recognised as a skilled worker. Another core aspect of VLCs is the delivery of basic labour market services. They provide employment agency services, organise training, provide job counselling and offer employment information. Employment agency services delivered by VLCs are provided through Youth Job Agencies. The agencies search for permanent and temporary jobs, hold a record of unemployed young people, create databases recording the skills required by the local labour market, give advice and direct young people to training or re-training. Occupational advisers in school career centres are also supported through VLCs, through the programme Voluntary Labour Corps for schools. This programme consists of: An internet portal ( featuring educational information for young people, the VLC and school occupational advisers. Supporting the organisation of educational fairs, workshops for young people and occupational advisers, technical support and events promoting resources for occupational counselling. Facilitating the organisation of district and national meetings of occupational counsellors and school career centres. From 2004, ESF funding has been used to facilitate the extension of VLC activity throughout Poland. This funding has allowed the provision of a broader range of training activities including entrepreneurship workshops, psychological and therapeutic training and language and ICT training. It has also allowed for more individually focused support, particularly with a view towards career planning. In 2007 Individual Career Project Portfolio for the Youth identified comprehensive standards of service provision within the field of professional career guidance. The 400 Voluntary Labour Corps support about 32,000 young people every year in Poland. A further 170,000 young people also benefit every year from VLC job agency services. The introduction of ESF support has enabled a much wider pool of young people to access support. Indeed, in 2008 over early school leavers aged benefited from professional training and language courses. This has provided them with some of the necessary skills to start looking for employment. Target group The Labour Corps target year olds from unemployed households or young people who are threatened by exclusion from the education system. Although VLCs target young people at risk of social exclusion, a diverse range of young people can also make use of their services. These include secondary school pupils and graduates, university students and young people who are unemployed or are likely to become unemployed. September 2013 I 34

191 10.7 Portugal CEF Education and Training Courses 1 Short description These courses are vocational education courses that target early school leavers and unqualified young people. The qualifications available through CEF courses include: A level 1 or 2 qualification equivalent to the 6th and 9th grade for young people who haven't completed the 9th grade or who are at risk of not completing it. A level 2 qualification for young people who have completed the 9th grade or who are attending upper secondary education, who may leave early and enter the job market without a qualification. A level 3 qualification equivalent to the 12th grade, for young people who want a professional qualification at this level to enter the job market and fulfil the necessary conditions stipulated by the law. The courses are taught by a network of state and private schools, professional schools and centres managed wholly or partially by IEFP, or other formally accredited bodies, in conjunction with the community, such as local and regional authorities and associations, companies and other stakeholders. The different training paths allow for a professional curriculum structure, appropriate for each level of qualifications. There are four training components: socio-cultural, scientific, technological and practical. The purpose of the socio-cultural and scientific training components is to develop competencies in languages, culture and communication, citizenship and society and the different applied sciences and is organised by subject or area. The technological training component is organised into training units or modules. The practical training component is an internship and aims to teach technical and organisational competencies that are relevant to professional qualifications, entry into the job market and lifelong learning. The length of the courses varies between and hours, depending on the organisation model and the development of the type of training adopted. Internships can last between one and six months. 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 35

192 Target group These courses aim to respond to the educational and training needs of young people of 15 or over, who are not immediately interested in further study but who wish to get a professional qualification more in line with their interests Recognition, Validation and Certification of Competences (RVCC) 1 Short description RVCC established in 2000 with support of ESF. It is delivered by a national network of New Opportunities centres, of which there are now over 450. There are two types of RVCC, the educational route and the professional route. The educational route offers eligible individuals the chance to access basic or lower secondary level qualifications. Staff at the New Opportunities centres support the individual to undergo the RVCC process, which involves three stages: recognition, validation and certification of competences. Although the individual must carry out their own evaluation and self-assessment of their competences in order to prepare their portfolio, the staff provide guidance and support throughout the process from the point of engagement to the point of certification, including a professional assessment of the portfolio, before it is finally assessed by the certification jury. The professional route enables individuals to access professional qualifications through the validation of competences obtained either through work experience or in other environments. It is based on the same three stages as the educational route and individuals again receive support to complete the process from the New Opportunities centre staff. Target group People over 18 years old. Evaluation/success factors RVCC is a major success. Almost people eligible for the scheme gained a recognised certificate between 2000 and A 2003 survey of individuals who had undergone the RVCC process between 2001 and 2002 revealed that the majority felt that it had helped to improve their self-esteem and self-knowledge. Two thirds were considering undertaking further study and 13 % had already returned to formal education. Furthermore, 15 % of the RVCC beneficiaries who were employed on fixedterm contracts had been awarded permanent contracts six months after receiving their certificate. 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 36

193 10.8 Romania Second Chance Programmes 1 Short description Introduced first in 1999 at lover secondary education level it was revised and extended to primary education level in The programme is managed by the Ministry of Education and Research with the involvement of County School Inspectorates and Teacher Training providers. It aims to prevent and fight marginalisation and social exclusion as it provides opportunities to complete compulsory education and undertake IVET courses. The graduates of this programme have the possibility to enter the labour market or to continue their education at post-compulsory level. This programme has some specific features that appeal to many school leavers: the study hours are shorter; the flexible timetable allows young people to enter the programme at a time suitable for them and progress at their own pace; a modular curriculum makes studying flexible; the programme offers opportunities to have prior learning assessed and accredited; all participants benefit from an individualised study programme; the programme is focused on student-centred methods which are adapted to adult learning. The number of participants grew from 517 in the school year to about in Target group The second chance programme offers support for young people who left compulsory education because of social or personal reasons. Evaluation/success factors The results show that the programme has increased enrolment in second chance programmes for primary and secondary education in all counties and has improved the chances for integration into the labour market for graduates of second chance programmes in secondary education. The success of the programme is also the provision of training for teachers, enabling them to improve their teaching methodology in all classes, not only in the second chance courses. 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 37

194 The success factors of the programme are its flexibility and the fact that it offers training for teachers as well as educational materials. The programme shows the need to adapt the educational schedule according to the individual s needs and the role of the school director in implementing inclusive education principles PHARE projects for Access to Education for Disfavoured Groups 1 Short description The Second Chance Programme started in 1999, and was then prolonged with the aid of the PHARE projects for Access to Education for Disfavoured Groups, developed by MECTS in Their purpose was to prevent and control social marginalisation and exclusion, to put in place a mechanism for the improvement of access to education and for a quality education available to disfavoured groups (particularly rroma children, and children from special schools distributed to mainstream schools). It consists of interventions that undertake everything from renovating schools, to teacher training, curriculum changes, facilitating Roma empowerment and providing meals in school to the poorest children. Evaluation/success factors 2 The following summarizes the primary strengths of the project: Cooperation and political will of the MoERY The building of the programme based on successful projects piloted in the country by NGOs and international organizations The comprehensive model of the project The school mediator programme The potential to expand the programme Teacher training has been noted as being very effective, as has the second chance component and summer kindergartens Successful in fostering a positive outlook on being Roma, with students electing to identify as such, and opting to take the additional curriculum on Roma language, culture and history offered as part of this PHARE programme 1 Chivu, L., Georgescu, L., (2012), Romania: ERM comparative analytical report on Recent Policy Developments related to those Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET). Available at: 2 UNICEF (2010), Towards Roma Inclusion: A Review of Roma Education Initiatives in Central and South- Eastern Europe. Available at: September 2013 I 38

195 The following summarizes the major weaknesses of the project: Though the school mediators have been highlighted as an indispensable part of improving education for Roma children, there continues to be a problem in supporting them in terms of the allocation of an official job within the schools, and furnishing appropriate compensation The MoERY still has not implemented a reliable and systematic method of data collection, monitoring and evaluation Local implementation suffers from problems, including the lack of ongoing training of County School Inspectorates Roma continue to be unwilling to identify as Roma, leading to problems in acquiring disaggregated data, thus hampering the accurate assessment of the effectiveness of the projects Though enrolment has improved, retention of those children has remained a problem Sweden Raised Educational aid for early school leavers 1 Short description Support is provided for young people who did not complete upper secondary education and are unemployed to receive support between to come back to education and gain upper secondary qualifications. The objective is to motivate early school leavers to retain and finalise their education. The measure is temporary, since the government fears that permanent changes will encourage students to drop out of current secondary education. A total of 3500 people will be affected be the changes. Target group Unemployed young people (aged 20-24) without a graduation from upper secondary education Municipal adult education (Komvux) Short description This form of education is primarily intended for adults who have not finish compulsory or upper secondary school, or who did not achieve the grades needed for higher education. It has existed since 1968, although the forms for it has changed and some municipalities no longer use the term 'Komvux'. Courses offered include both theoretical school subjects, such as languages and mathematics, and vocational 1 Persson, J., Björnberg (2012), Sweden: Comparative Analytical Report (ERM) on Young People not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET). Report prepared for Eurofund. Available at: September 2013 I 39

196 courses. Komvux is open to adults aged 20+ years. The implementation of municipal adult education is decentralised and thus may vary in different municipalities. We have been advised by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions to visit Gothenburg. The municipal adult education in Gothenburg focuses on individualised solutions for students. The aim is to produce the highest possible value for each individual by treating them on the basis of their needs, circumstances and future objectives. In order to support the individualisation, each participant is provided with an in-depth individual study plan. In addition, participants are offered validation of previously acquired skills and knowledge, together with complementary education, certification courses, continuous course starts and mixed pedagogical methods. In order to achieve this, Gothenburg City Council has signed an agreement with 11 delivery organisations with regards to the provision of upper secondary school education for adults Study motivation course Folk high schools (Folkhögskolesatsningen) Short description The target group for this initiative is young people aged years that are registered in the Job Guarantee for Young People (Ungdomsgarantin för ungdomar, UGA) and that do not have a compulsory and/ or upper secondary school qualification. The target group has since 2011 been extended to include all young people aged years that are registered with the Public Employment Service and that do not have a compulsory and/ or upper secondary school qualification. Young people are referred by the Public Employment Service, who also pay for the unemployment benefits during participation. It aimed to offer some 4,000 young people 60 days of education and training over three consecutive months in The temporary scheme has subsequently been extended to The course focuses on introductory and study motivational courses with the aim of making it easier for the participants to start or return to formal education (including municipal adult education or folk high school education). Notably, some 40% of participated started studying or went into employment after having completed the course in 2010, although only half the places were filled. In order to further motivate young people to gain a compulsory or upper secondary school qualification, young people aged were also temporarily entitled to student funding with a higher grant level (77%) in Navigator Centres 1 Short description To avoid social alienation of young people, locally situated Navigator Centres were formed The purpose of the centers was to create a common ground of cooperation for different actors helping youth toward employment and education. When in need, young people should not be directed to several different public 1 Persson, J., Björnberg (2012) September 2013 I 40

197 instances. The centres addressed all the needs of the young person, not just their skills needs. In , the Swedish National Board for Youth Affairs (Ungdomstyrelsen) granted a national network of local Navigator Centres. According to an evaluation carried out by Ungdomsstyrelsen, between 45 and 71% of all visitors at Navigator Centres managed to move on to employment or education within a year. In addition, those who did not succeed stated that their confidence and commitment to work had been strengthened UK (England) Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) 1 Short description Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) in the UK are a type of school; set up and run by Local Authorities (LAs) to provide education for children who cannot attend school. Local Authorities have a duty under section 19 of the Education Act 1996 to provide suitable education for children of compulsory school age who cannot attend school. Placing pupils in PRUs is one way in which LAs can ensure that they can comply with this duty. PRUs can provide full-time or part-time education. The minimum level of education to be provided varies depending on the age of the child and their reason for being in the PRU. Children with medical needs, for example, may not be able to manage a full-time curriculum; they should receive as much education as their condition allows but the minimum should be five hours a week. Young people who have been excluded should have full-time education which, for those in Key Stage 4, is 25 hours a week. Target group Young people of compulsory school age. PRUs are not just for children with behavioural issues but cater for a wide range of pupils those who cannot attend school because of medical problems, teenage mothers and pregnant schoolgirls, pupils who have been assessed as having a phobia of school, and pupils awaiting a school place. They also provide education for pupils who have been excluded and they can be used to provide short placements for those who are at risk of exclusion. Some PRUs cater for particular kinds of pupils (units for teenage mothers and pregnant schoolgirls, for example), while others will cater for pupils with a mix of reasons for attending. For most pupils, the main focus of PRUs should be on getting them back into a school. 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 41

198 Fairbridge Centres 1 Short description Fairbridge has centres that are based in 15 of the most disadvantaged areas of the UK. Last year Fairbridge worked with over 3,500 young people, most of whom were classed as having multiple needs, such as homelessness, substance misuse or a history of offending. Target group These centres work with young people aged who have had difficulties in the education system and are viewed to be lacking in motivation, self-confidence and skills needed to change their lives. Evaluation/success factors Over the last 12 months, 85 % of participants went on to achieve something tangible such as returning to the classroom, starting a college course, getting a qualification, finding a job or choosing to remain in the Fairbridge programme and continue their development Rathbone Youth Sector Organisation 2 Short description Rathbone is voluntary youth sector organisation providing opportunities for young people to re-engage with learning, to discover an ability to succeed and to progress to further education, training or employment. In 2008 / 2009 Rathbone worked with more than young people. As well as the delivery of work based training and courses, Rathbone provides youth engagement programmes. These offer practical support and activities like sport, music or art as a first step in working with hard-toreach young people. Target group Young people from difficult backgrounds Kids Company 3 Short description The work is based on principle that children behaviour is impacted by trauma, abuse and neglect and the importance of fostering trusting relationships between young people and adults in addressing practical and emotional needs to encourage children 1 GHK (2011) 2 GHK (2011) 3 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 42

199 to take responsibility for their emotions. It offers each child a holistic package of oneto-one therapy, group therapy, drop-in counselling, lunchtime and after-school clubs, mentoring and in-class support and art, dance and movement workshops. Services are tailored to the individual needs of the participants and aim to support their return to mainstream education. The charity supports some children per annum. Target group Vulnerable young people suffering from mental health and emotional difficulties World Worth Living In 1 Short description It is a holistic personal development programme run in schools. The programme focuses on the young people as individuals, how they perceive themselves and how they relate to each other. Skills and talents of individuals are identified and young people are able to recognise, perhaps for the first time, that they are good at something. The young people also learn skills in negotiation, anger management and interpersonal relationships. They develop projects that focus on something that will benefit and help others. This project helps them to identify their core skills and consider where and how they might develop them in the future. Confidence, courage, and communication skills are developed which help them to re-engage with education and society in general. Target group Young people who dropped out of school or who are likely to drop out. Evaluation/success factors Project managers state that the programme is effective and data reveals that, approximately 80 % of students stick with their programme. All of those who complete the programme continue onto either further studies or work NotSchool.net 2 Short description Project aims to encourage teenagers who have left school early to return to education. The initiative provides non-traditional education through a virtual online community for young people who have become alienated from the education system. The project was initiated by the Inclusion Trust, a not-for-profit education charity and has also involved some partner organisations, such as the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the World Wildlife Fund and the Science Museum. 1 GHK (2011) 2 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 43

200 Young people are referred to NotSchool.net services by the relevant agency and both the young people and their families must agree before participation in the project. Following their acceptance onto the project, young people are invited to an induction session with their parents, where they are able to meet members of their local support team. After the induction, the young person s mentor devises an individual learning plan together with the young person. Each young person has the freedom to decide which areas of learning they will follow, how long they will spend on each area of learning and where they will learn. The project offers over 150 subjects (from comics, to music) and learning plans may contain any subject, based on the young person s interests. Plans are reviewed every six weeks and amended as necessary. Once the young person has successfully engaged with the project, mentors provide soft guidance to encourage young people to take-up some more conventional subjects such as English, Maths and Science, with a view to gaining GCSEs. Learners can study and access resources at any time and can submit their work through the online system at any point they wish. They are supported by a team of personal mentors, subject experts and virtual buddies who direct, assist, assess and encourage them. There is also a support hotline which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is manned by the project mentors who are qualified teachers. Using the right support and terminology is fundamental to Notschool.net and the project avoids the use of terms associated with school such as student. Instead young people are referred to as researchers. An accreditation system has been developed which rewards creativity, self direction and problem solving. Young people can earn informal awards to help raise their selfesteem and can also submit work for assessment against official awards which are NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) equivalent and part of the National Framework. Target group Young people who left school early. Evaluation/success factors The project has been very successful in supporting young people s transition from inactivity to further education and employment. In 2004/2005, 50 % of participants found places at college or in other further education, a quarter (26 %) found collegerelated employment such as modern apprenticeships and 18% entered full-time employment. In the same year, nearly all participants (96 %) obtained national, recognised qualifications. During this time only 1.7 % of beneficiaries dropped out, which has been described as extra-ordinary given the fact that the project works with young people who have failed to integrate into all other forms of education. Young people have also reported positive emotional and social outcomes as a result of the September 2013 I 44

201 project. This includes raised confidence and self-esteem, problem solving skills and a renewed interest in learning Entry to Learning (E2L) Pilots 1 Short description Entry to Learning (E2L) pilots ran between 2008 and 2011 in four local authority areas in England. The pilots were designed to provide young people who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) with opportunities to improve their skills and employability by strengthening the progression between voluntary and community sector re- engagement activity and formal learning. Each young person was assigned an adviser to support them throughout their time on the programme (an average of 15 weeks) and to facilitate access to bridging activities that would help them progress to further learning, which were accredited wherever possible. Young people participating in the E2L pilots were also given an allowance as an incentive to take part and retain them on the programme. Within Entry to Learning some local authorities contracted voluntary sector organisations (or a consortium of organisations) to employ advisers and either deliver the learning provision themselves or commission this from other established providers. As a result, there were various approaches to the delivery of the pilot, with some areas building on existing engagement work with young people, while others selected one voluntary sector organisation to act as a portal through which the local authority worked to identify and access other voluntary sector providers. Young people who took part in Entry to Learning participated in a range of bridging activities that can be broadly grouped into three types: mentoring and support from the adviser; personal development designed to increase confidence and motivation (e.g. group activities, first aid course, driving theory, activities to improve literacy and numeracy); work-related learning (e.g. CV writing, vocational taster courses and preparing for going on a course). Management information shows that over the period February March 2010, approximately young people took part in the Entry to Learning pilots. The costs are estimated at GBP per participant. Target group Young people not in education, employment or training. Evaluation/success factors 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 45

202 From the end of December 2009 management data showed that of a total of participants: 41 % were still participating in the programme; 61 % had left the pilot and progressed to a positive destination, half of them into education and two fifths to training. The remainder have entered employment with training; of those who progressed to a positive destination, 72 % were still recorded in a positive destination 13 weeks after they had left the programme Entry to Employment (E2E) 1 Short description The scheme provides young people with practical and vocational learning to give them the skills and confidence to enter a job or a Modern Apprenticeship. It has three core strands, aimed at developing learners : personal and social skills; vocational knowledge and skills; literacy, numeracy and language skills. Most of the E2E schemes are delivered through partnerships led by local councils, colleges or private organisations and involve range of other providers. The scheme exceeded expectations by recruiting over young people in the first year. Just over a third of these progressed to work-based learning, further education or employment. This figure is considered to be positive in view of the significant personal and social problems faced by this group of learners, such as homelessness, teenage pregnancy and substance abuse. Many also have low levels of literacy and numeracy and some speak English as a second language. E2E was expanded for 2009/10 and now includes a Community Service element with places for this period. It also provided the basis for one of the four national learning routes available to year olds, foundation learning, which build on the E2E model and incorporate all post-16 programmes at Entry Level and Level 1 from September This helps young people make manageable progression steps, with a flexible curriculum based on vocational/subject learning, personal and social development and the Functional Skills that make young people attractive to employers. 1 GHK (2011) September 2013 I 46

203 Target group Young people between years old who are not in education, employment or training and who are considered to be hard to reach because of their life experiences rather then poor educational achievements Tandrusti Project England 1 Short description The Tandrusti project (translated as health and well being in the main Asian languages), uses a community education approach to promote the benefits of physical activity and health amongst members of black and minority ethnic (BME) communities. The project provides free, local and structured bespoke exercise programmes in an adult education context, using community venues and mobile gym equipment (Tandrusti Research Report 2009, p.2). The project also offers culturally sensitive health information and advice to all project beneficiaries. The project has attracted local, regional, national and international interest and reported success in promoting healthy lifestyles. The project includes a community gym, falls prevention, physical activity and managing medical conditions, healthy eating and healthy lifestyles. The project is funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), the National Lottery, Primary Care Trust (PCT) and the People s Educational Association. The Tandrusti project demonstrates good practice in adapting its policies, procedures and activities to be sensitive, appropriate and effective for its target group, reducing cultural, religious and socio economic barriers that limit the participation of the target group in physical activity. The project has appointed and retained a skilled tutor group, who provide courses on physical activity and medical conditions affecting the target group. The project has a robust working relationship with the local PCT who recognize the contribution of the project in providing health improvement programmes for BME communities. The curriculum was developed with student needs in mind, and demonstrates innovation in bringing together education and health. The Adult Learning Inspectorate commented on the project's robust initial assessment, effective Health and Safety protocols and procedures and efficient recording of learning and health progression in their 2005 inspection report. Participants valued the emotional and social support gained from sharing experiences with others, and felt the project helped improve their mental health and well being. Weaknesses of the project include: insufficient progression routes for learners, unclear definitions of success and achievement on non accredited courses, insufficient use of assessment to plan learning, poor monitoring of learners progress on non-accredited courses, insufficient formal consultation with employers to 1 Downes, P. (2011) September 2013 I 47

204 identify their requirements, and too much reliance on the motivation and knowledge of individual tutors. Target group The target group is deprived BME groups and South Asian communities who are at greater risk from diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke. September 2013 I 48

205 September 2013 I 49 Country level statistics

206 Country level statistics Country Geographical AT FR HU country groupings Continental system Continental system Central and Eastern European system Adult population (25-64) with education attainment level below upper secondary education (ISCED3), 2009 Adult population (25-64) with education attainment level below lower secondary education (ISCED2), 2009 Adult (25-64) participation in education and training 4 weeks before the survey, 2009 ESL and adult learning indicators Adults (25-64) participation in formal and nonformal education and training 12 months prior the survey (%), 2007 Adult participation in formal education and training in the 12 months prior to the survey (AES) by age group, age (%), % 1.10% 13.8 F: 4.2 N: : : : % 11.70% 6 F: 1.7 N: : : : % 1.10% 2.7 F: 2.5 N: : : : 0 Adult participation in formal education in the 12 months prior to the survey (AES) with education level of ISCED 0-2, age (%), 2007 Contact hours of adults taking part in formal education % of the population aged with at most lower secondary education and not in further education or training : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 12.6 September 2013 I 50

207 Country Geographical country groupings Adult population (25-64) with education attainment level below upper secondary education (ISCED3), 2009 Adult population (25-64) with education attainment level below lower secondary education (ISCED2), 2009 Adult (25-64) participation in education and training 4 weeks before the survey, 2009 ESL and adult learning indicators Adults (25-64) participation in formal and nonformal education and training 12 months prior the survey (%), 2007 IE Anglo-Saxon 28.50% 12.50% 6.3 Data not available PL Central and Eastern European system Adult participation in formal education and training in the 12 months prior to the survey (AES) by age group, age (%), 2007 Data not available 12% 0.50% 4.7 F: 5.5 N: : : : 0.1 PT Mediteranian 70.10% 50.80% 6.5 F: 6.5 N: : : : 1.2 Adult participation in formal education in the 12 months prior to the survey (AES) with education level of ISCED 0-2, age (%), 2007 Data not available Contact hours of adults taking part in formal education % of the population aged with at most lower secondary education and not in further education or training 2010: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 39.1 September 2013 I 51

208 Country Geographical country groupings Adult population (25-64) with education attainment level below upper secondary education (ISCED3), 2009 Adult population (25-64) with education attainment level below lower secondary education (ISCED2), 2009 Adult (25-64) participation in education and training 4 weeks before the survey, 2009 ESL and adult learning indicators Adults (25-64) participation in formal and nonformal education and training 12 months prior the survey (%), 2007 Adult participation in formal education and training in the 12 months prior to the survey (AES) by age group, age (%), 2007 SE Nordic country 19.30% 4.90% 22.2 F: 12.7 N: : : 11.4 UK (England) LT 55-64: 2.7 Anglo-Saxon 25.40% 0.30% 20.1 F: 15.1 N: : 23 Central and Eastern European system 35-54: : % 1.10% 4.5 F: 6.3 N: : : : 0.3 Adult participation in formal education in the 12 months prior to the survey (AES) with education level of ISCED 0-2, age (%), 2007 Contact hours of adults taking part in formal education % of the population aged with at most lower secondary education and not in further education or training : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 8.2 September 2013 I 52

209 Country Geographical RO country groupings Central and Eastern European system Adult population (25-64) with education attainment level below upper secondary education (ISCED3), 2009 Adult population (25-64) with education attainment level below lower secondary education (ISCED2), 2009 Adult (25-64) participation in education and training 4 weeks before the survey, 2009 ESL and adult learning indicators Adults (25-64) participation in formal and nonformal education and training 12 months prior the survey (%), 2007 Adult participation in formal education and training in the 12 months prior to the survey (AES) by age group, age (%), % 4.90% 1.5 F:3.3 N: : : : 0.1 Adult participation in formal education in the 12 months prior to the survey (AES) with education level of ISCED 0-2, age (%), 2007 Contact hours of adults taking part in formal education % of the population aged with at most lower secondary education and not in further education or training : : 16.6 * EU average is 2.4 *The survey shows that formal education tend to take longer then nonformal education or training. *EU average is : : : 17.9 EU average: 2010: : : : : 15.5 September 2013 I 53

210 September 2013 I 54 Primary research tools

211 Guidance note for fact finding visits Introduction The aim of the field work is to gather detailed information on the selected good practice second chance education provision and identify underlying principles, pedagogical approaches and/or structural factors that could be introduced in initial education and training. The field work therefore involves two distinctive parts including analysis of the second chance education and interviews with mainstream education providers. This note includes overview of the key themes covered by the study and the field work, composition of the field work, days allocation and other practical arrangements, outputs expected from the field work and topic guides for interviews. Key themes/areas analysed in the case study The learner, his/her educational needs and experience, the dialogue between the institution either that of second chance provision or the mainstream education is at the centre of the study and the field work. Therefore, the focus of the field work is on the extent to which the second chance education caters for the diverse needs of learners and the extent to which these approaches and principles could be transferred to wider education system in the country. During the inception phase we identified key themes and subthemes to be discussed during the field work. The overview of the themes is presented in the table below. The detailed questions for different target groups are included in the annex to this note. THEME SUB-THEME A. Governance Funding Power of the institution Community partnerships B. External cooperation Employer engagement Partnerships with mainstream schools C. Mental health and Student support and guidance wellbeing Pastoral care Motivation and engagement Personal relationships Student participation and engagement/student D. Institutional climate voice Collaboration between teachers and non-teaching staff Whole school approach September 2013 I 55

212 THEME E. Curricula SUB-THEME Staff diversity Suspension policies Literacy Academic support Personal development and life skills Achieving mainstream qualifications F. Pedagogy Curricula G Arts, sport Mode of delivery External relations H. Assessment Assessment of learning outcomes Learner satisfaction I. Teacher support and professional development Initial teacher training Continuous professional development J. Learning environments Structure of the day Physical environment K. Progression pathways Learner journeys: experiences, perceptions Composition of the field work The field work will include the combination of desk research and stakeholder interviews. The majority of the interviews will be conducted face-to-face during a two day site visit. However, some of the interviews could be undertaken by phone depending on availability of people for the interviews during the visit. Each good practice example will include 8 interviews in total. More specifically the field work will include the following: Focussed literature review, including information on the national / regional (municipal) context and available information on selected second chance provision; Interview with decision makers at national level (i.e. members of thematic working group) and local level; Interviews with second chance education providers including: Head of the organisation; Small group of teaching staff (1-3); Representative of support staff if relevant (it could include psychological advice, social worker etc.) and other stakeholders; and Small group of students including (3-5 students). September 2013 I 56

213 Interviews with representatives from initial education providers: Head of school/education provider; Representative of support staff and/or teachers if relevant (it could include psychological advice, social worker etc.). Interviews with other stakeholders when relevant. These could include: Social partners; Third sector partners; Employers; Experts. The country research will focus on one or two good practice examples and therefore the number of days allocated for each case study will differ depending on the number of good practice examples analysed. The topic guides for each target group have been developed and they are presented below. The topic guides include extensive list of questions. However, the questions will need to be adjusted to specific interview and what is already known through the desk research or other interviews. Time allocation We suggest the following allocation of the time for each good practice example selected: 1.5 days for background reading and arranging the visit; 2.5 days site visit; 3 days for analysis and reporting. The days allocated for each country will differ depending on the number of good practice examples selected for each country and will either be 7 or 14. Analysis and presentation of results We will use different approach for using and presenting the results from the case studies then compared with the pilot case study. Instead of having self standing case study note, we suggest to have the following: Presentation of interview write ups and findings of the desk research in the grid. It includes summary of the information from the interviews within a structured analytical grid, based around the themes presented above. September 2013 I 57

214 Short descriptive overview of second chance scheme. It will provide an overview and highlight key characteristics of the initiative/scheme analysed during the field work. The detailed overview of the outputs from the field work is presented below. Overview of schemes pre-selected for the case studies The table below provides an overview of pre-selected schemes. More information on each scheme is included in separate document. The table below includes more schemes then we aim to include among the case studies. Therefore, it will be important as part of the field work to finalise case studies included in the field work. It also provides us the reserve list in the case if it will be not possible to visit selected case studies. September 2013 I 58

215 Shortlisted schemes for the fieldwork, and their characteristics Criteria / dimensions AT1 AT2 AT3 FR1 FR2 HU1 HU2 IE1 IE2 LT1 LT2 PL1 PT1 PT2 RO1 SE1 UK1 UK2 UK3 Target groups Compulsory school-age learners >18 yrs Post-compulsory (young adults) yrs Vulnerable groups (Roma, LDD) Scheme objectives Mainstream route (re-engagement) Alternative learner pathways VET / crafts-based Structural characteristics Multi-agency / multi-site Community education centres Distance learning Mainstream school Dedicated education institution Pedagogic / curricula approaches Modularization / personalization Focus on literacy development Arts, culture, or sport-based Practical and life skills / work experience Therapeutic / mental health Strength of evidence Scheme evaluated Good success rates / outcomes Key AT1: Project Schlangenfuss AT2: Production Schools AT3: Pilot Project 'C'mon 14' FR1: Micro-lycees FR2: Second Chance Schools HU1: Belvarosi Tanoda Secondary School HU2: Dobbanto (Springboard) Project IE1: YouthReach IE2: An Cosan LT1: Youth Schools LT2: Pupil Activity Group PL1: Second Chance Schools PT1: CEF Education and Training Courses PT2: New Opportunities Centres RO1: Second Chance Programmes SE1: Folk High Schools UK1: Kids Company UK2: Fairbridge Centres UK3: NotSchool.net September 2013 I 59

216 Outputs Two key outputs are expected from the field work including grid with interview write ups and case study description: Grid with interview write ups and desk research findings Self standing summary of the second chance scheme description 1. Grid for interview write ups and desk research findings The template for interview write ups is presented below. It should also include the information from desk research based on the themes included in the list below. Date updated: Interviewer Interviewee Initials of interviewee Organisation Position within organisation Case study Date of interview The table above provides the information on the interviews undertaken during the field work. An example of how this should be completed is included in the table. Each person interviewed should be included in this table. I also would like to ask you if you could assign the code for your case study. It should include the country code and a number 1, 2 or 3. Please see suggested codes above. The interview notes should be included in the table below. The case study column is for the code of the case study for which the interviews or data is gathered. In the Text box enter the interview or desk research material. You can copy and paste from another document if you do that please use Paste Special and then Unformatted text. This avoids lots of other formatting coming into this document. If necessary you can include new codes in the list but then please include the explanation what the code represents. Use theme codes first when you are entering the text. The list of theme and subtheme codes is presented in the table below. The use of the main theme codes is of key importance. Use sub-theme codes when specific information on the sub-theme is available. September 2013 I 60

217 Template for write ups and desk research findings Case study Theme Code Subtheme Code Initials of interviewee Text Table above includes some examples from the pilot case study on how we expect for the table above to be filled in. If the information is relevant to more then one code please copy the same paragraph into new row and assign different code to it. The list of codes that we suggest is included in the table below. If you necessary you can use additional codes which are not included in the list below. In that case please include the new code in the table below. Codes List Theme Sub- Code theme Code BCK Background information on national/local context ESL Early school leaving BCK Background information on national/local context POL Policy priorities BCK Background information on national/local context PRO Programmes BCK Background information on national/local context DEC The role of national government and local authorities in developing education policies HIS History and rational for setting up the scheme TRG Target groups FEA Features of second chance provision GOV Governance GOV GOV Governance FUN Funding EXT External cooperation CPT Community partnerships EXT External cooperation MNS Mainstream schools EXT External cooperation TRS Transferability: opportunities and constrains MHW Mental health and SSG Student support and guidance September 2013 I 61

218 Theme Code MHW MHW wellbeing Subtheme Code Mental health and wellbeing MOT Motivation and engagement Mental health and wellbeing TRS Transferability: opportunities and constrains INC Institutional climate PRR Personal relationships INC Institutional climate SPE INC Institutional climate CTS Student participation and engagement/student voice Collaboration between teachers and non-teaching staff INC Institutional climate WSA Whole school approach INC Institutional climate SDV Staff diversity INC Institutional climate SSP Suspension policies INC Institutional climate TRS Transferability: opportunities and constrains CUR Curricula PDV Personal development and lifeskills CUR Curricula AMQ Achieving mainstream qualifications CUR Curricula LIT Literacy CUR Curricula ACS Academic support CUR Curricula TRS PED Pedagogy PED Pedagogy TRS Transferability: opportunities and constrains Transferability: opportunities and constrains ARS Arts, sport CRR Curricula ARS Arts, sport MOD Mode of delivery ARS Arts, sport EXR External relations ARS Arts, sport TRS ASS Assessment ALO Transferability: opportunities and constrains Assessment of learning outcomes ASS Assessment LSA ASS Assessment TRS TSD Teacher support and professional development INI Learner satisfaction Transferability: opportunities and constrains Initial teacher training TSD Teacher support and CON Continuous teacher training and September 2013 I 62

219 Theme Code professional development Subtheme Code professional support TSD Teacher support and professional development TRS Transferability: opportunities and constrains LRE Learning environments SRD Structure of the day LRE Learning environments PHE Physical environment LRE Learning environments TRS Transferability: opportunities and constrains PRP Progression pathways LRJ Learner journeys: experiences, perceptions EVL Evaluation data MON Monitoring data SUC Perceptions of success factors September 2013 I 63

220 2. Case study description The template for the case study description is presented below. The aim of the description is to provide readers the information on what the selected scheme is about, national and local context and the overview of key findings. Country Name of 2 nd chance provision Level of education Type of institution Location (city and borough) Background information: country context This section needs to include: Overview of the ESL indicators in the country, key trends during last years and the reasons for increasing/decreasing ESL levels; Key policy priorities related to ESL including prevention and provision of second chances; Overview of second chance education in the country; Key features of the mainstream education including the level of decision making i.e. centralised, decentralised; flexibility of schools to adapt teaching methods and curricula; role of third sector organisations; teacher training arrangements especially their preparation to work with young people at risk of dropping out. Background information: locality context This section needs to include: Rate of ESL and recent trends; Key policy priorities in the field of ESL and second chance education in the municipality/local authority; Key initiatives related to second chance education. History / background to developing the initiative This section needs to include: When the scheme/provision was set up; The rationale for setting up the scheme; What facilitated setting up the scheme; If the scheme is well established and has been running for significant of time, key changes in the priorities, the way it is delivered. Target groups This section needs to include: The overview of age of the participants in the scheme; September 2013 I 64

221 The reasons for taking part; Level of education attainment; Overview of students backgrounds; Male/female participants; Engagement with hard to reach groups; Potential target groups that are not enough reached by the initiative Key features of the provision and institutional setting This section needs to include: Institutional setting and level of education i.e. delivered within mainstream schools or by dedicated institution, vocational or initial provision; Key aims of the provision i.e. provision of mainstream qualifications, enter labour market; Funding arrangements; Local partnerships; Curricula and pedagogy; Student support and guidance. Key success factors This section needs to include: Quantitative indicators i.e. drop out rate, attainment of qualifications, pursuing education, entering labour market if information available; Success in motivating students to learn; Learner satisfaction; Other success factors related to the provision as perceived by stakeholders. Perspectives on transferability This section needs to include: Discussion on views from key stakeholders regarding transferability; Overview of the opportunities identified for transferability and key conditions for it; Key challenges identified by stakeholders regarding transferability September 2013 I 65

222 Topic guides for fact finding visits Topic guide for decision makers at national level and local level Questions Background Situation in the country/region Policy Please provide short overview of your experience in the field of early school leaving (ESL) and second chance education? What do you consider to have been the reasons for increasing / decreasing early school education (ESL) in the country / region? [prompt: significance of social, cultural, political and structural factors] What data is collected to identify these trends, and how reliable / complete are they? [probe: explore availability of any datasets] What is the profile of ESL young people in the country / region? [prompt: whether they have certain shared characteristics, e.g. boys / girls / sub-populations such as Roma, or are very diverse] What are the main reasons for ESL and what are the differences among/within region/s? What are key policy priorities related to provision of second chances to young people? What is its role when compared to prevention and intervention measures? How are policies in second chance education linked to initiatives and policies targeting initial education? Provision How are second chance opportunities provided in your country/region? [prompt: schemes leading to upper secondary, lower secondary and primary education attainment certificates; general and vocational education] What are the key institutions providing second chances for young people? [prompt: institutions providing initial education or dedicated organisations; differences at different education levels] What is the role of third sector organisation in providing second chance education? What is the role of national government and local authorities in development second chance provision? Are there evaluations available of the current provision? What approaches/provision proved to be successful and in what ways? How second chance opportunities are linked to initial education? [prompt: what is delivered in the same institutions and what is different; different performance indicators and drivers; differences in curricula; institutional setting; support provided] Structural issues To what extent is teacher training is different between those who are involved in initial education and training and second chance provision? What is the significance of partnership with social, health and other support structures in second chance education? To what extent this is the case for initial education and training? September 2013 I 66

223 Questions To what extent recognition of prior learning contribute to the progression in education? Funding Learner engagement What are funding arrangements are in place to support second chance education provision? [prompt: funding at national and local level; other financial sources available] What are the differences in funding arrangements for different types of schemes/provision? To what extent funding mechanisms are different when compared to initial education? What approaches were introduced in order to re-engage young people back in education and training? [prompt: alternative learning environment; pedagogical approaches; curricula development; counselling and advice] What are the gaps in the current provision regarding hard to reach groups? Topic guide for Head of second chance provision Questions Background Provision [note: some of this information might already be available from the desk review] Institutional climate Please provide short overview of how long you have been involved in provision of second chance education. Please provide short overview of your organisation activities. [prompt: level of education, general vs. vocational education, type of second chance education i.e. alternative learning environment and formulation of new pathways for the future. Please focus on the information which is not available from the desk research.] What was the rationale for establishing the provision? How is it linked to the provision of initial education in your region? Who are the learners benefiting from the provision? [prompt: age, socio-economic background, reasons for dropping out] What are the funding arrangements for your institution? [prompt: resources, specialist packages of support, facilities]? How do you go about recruiting and retaining staff? What is the staffing structure, and what kinds of professional expertise and experience are required To what extent does your staffing profile differ from the initial education sector (probe: mix of teaching / non-teaching staff, and specialist workers, staff diversity etc)? How can the main differences be explained? What forms of initial training, development and induction are undertaken by staff at your institution? Who oversees this? What types of continuous professional development are provided? How the development of personal relationships between students and teachers is supported by your institution? What works well and what are the challenges? How it is different from initial education? What could be introduced in initial education? September 2013 I 67

224 Questions How students' participation is encouraged? What works well and what are the challenges? How it is different from initial education? What could be introduced in initial education? How collaboration between teachers and non-teaching staff is encouraged? What works well and what are the challenges? How it is different from initial education? What could be introduced in initial education? To what extent whole school approach is addressed by your institution? What works well and what are the challenges? How it is different from initial education? What could be introduced in initial education? To what extent suspension policies are used in your institution? How it is different from initial education? What could be introduced in initial education? How students' day is structured? How it is different from initial education? What could be introduced in initial education? Learner engagement (mental health and wellbeing) Pedagogical approaches Curricula What approaches are introduced for re-engaging young people to education and training? [prompt: what motivates young people, how self-esteem and confidents for learning is built] What approaches proved to be successful and why? What quantitative information is collected to measure the success? [prompt: retention rates] How is this different to steps that are taken to motivate learners in initial education? How might these differences be explained? To what extent could success in re-engaging young people in education be incorporated in initial education? [prompt: pedagogical approaches, structural factors, counselling and support] What pedagogical approaches are introduced in your institution? [prompt: outreach, class based learning, constructivist teaching methods, social pedagogical approaches involving teaching, practical instruction, work experience, etc] What pedagogical approaches proved to be successful and why? How is this different to the pedagogical approaches that are typically adopted within in initial education? How might these differences be explained? To what extent could these approaches be introduced in initial education? What types of curriculum frameworks are used within your institution? How and by whom were they developed, and for what purpose? How is learning organised for the learners? [prompt: modularisation, individual learning plans, bite sized learning, work based learning] To what extent are formal and non-formal learning used for implementation of curricula? To what extent are extra curricular / informal activities used in your institution? To what extent arts and sports incorporated in curricula? What approaches to curricula development and delivery proved to September 2013 I 68

225 Questions be successful and why? To what extent could these be introduced in initial education? External cooperation, professional support Assessment, attainment and progression What partnerships at local level are established in order to support the needs of individual learners? [prompt: general and vocational education, employers, social services] To what extent do learners receive professional support from the organisations outside the education field (e.g. social care, counselling, employment preparation)? How it this activity linked to existing infrastructure in general and vocational education in the region/country? To what extent does this differ from learner support arrangements for initial education? To what extent could the existing infrastructure benefit initial education establishments in their efforts to prevent ESL? To what extent teacher training provision is different from initial education and training? What teacher training provision could be incorporated in wider teacher training provision? How is learner progress measured and fed back? What types of assessment mechanisms are used, and how are these validated? To what extend do these assessment frameworks differ from those that are used within initial education, and why? Is learning accredited, and if so how is this done (e.g. working towards formal qualifications or portfolio-based assessment)? How do you ensure that learners achievements are recognised by other institutions (e.g. mainstream schools, VET institutions or employers)? What have been the progression and attainment rates for learners within your institution in recent years (e.g. vocational route / employment, re-engagement in education, or not in education and training)? How can these be explained? To what extent is information regarding quantitative indicators available? We are in particular interested in the following: retention rates attainment of certificates share of students progressing in education further or entering employment To what extent are learners satisfied with learning experience? How do you know this (probe: sources of evidence)? How is the quality of provision ensured and monitored? September 2013 I 69

226 Topic guide for teaching staff in second chance education Questions Background Learner engagement (mental health and wellbeing) Please provide short overview of how long you have been involved in provision of second chance education, and your prior teaching experience. What made you choose to teach in this type of setting? What are the advantages and drawbacks, compared with initial education? Can you describe the initial training and the continuous professional development that is provided, within your role? What accreditation is used? How is this different to the teacher training and development that are offered within in initial education? How might these differences be explained? Can you describe the profile of learners whom you encounter within second chance education? Prompt: age / gender balance levels of prior education stages at which they typically left school What motivates young people to re-engage in education? What are key challenges? [prompt: use flashcards summarising learner characteristics in order to facilitate the discussions. It will allow better understanding learners' motivation to return to education] What approaches are introduced for re-engaging young people to education and training? [prompt: what motivates young people, how self-esteem and confidents for learning is built] What approaches proved to be successful and why? What quantitative information is collected to measure the success? [prompt: retention rates] How is this different to steps that are taken to motivate learners in initial education? How might these differences be explained? To what extent could success in re-engaging young people in education be incorporated in initial education? [prompt: pedagogical approaches, structural factors, counselling and support] What is the role of wider support structures in motivating young people to learn? What is the role of the learning environment in motivating young people to learn? What are other factors influencing young people's motivation to learn? Institutional climate How the development of personal relationships between students and teachers is developed? What works well and what are the challenges? How it is different from initial education? What could be introduced in initial education? How students' participation is encouraged? What works well and what are the challenges? How it is different from initial education? What could be introduced in initial education? How collaboration between teachers and non-teaching staff is encouraged? What works well and what are the challenges? How September 2013 I 70

227 Questions it is different from initial education? What could be introduced in initial education? To what extent whole school approach is addressed? What works well and what are the challenges? How it is different from initial education? What could be introduced in initial education? To what extent suspension policies are used? How it is different from initial education? What could be introduced in initial education? How students' day is structured? How it is different from initial education? What could be introduced in initial education? Pedagogical approaches Curricula Assessment, attainment and progression Can you describe the range of initiatives / activities that you currently deliver to learners within the area of "second chance" education? What group sizes do you work with, and how is the composition of the groups chosen (e.g. whether based on age, ability, needs, etc.)? What pedagogical / teaching approaches do you use to engage with students? [prompt: outreach, class based learning, constructivist teaching methods, social pedagogical approaches involving teaching, practical instruction, work experience, etc] To what extent are these approaches different from those used within initial education? How might these differences be explained? What approaches proved to be successful and why? What are key challenges when working with this target group? How have these been addressed? What types of curriculum frameworks are used within your institution? How and by whom were they developed, and for what purpose? How is learning provision planned / timetabled [prompt: modularisation, individual learning plans, bite sized learning, work based learning] To what extent are formal and non-formal learning used for implementation of curricula (including learning outside of the classroom)? To what extent arts and sports incorporated in curricula? What approaches to curricula development and delivery proved to be successful and why? What are the key challenges of this approach towards planning and delivery of curricula? To what extent this institution/provision is successful in achieving its objectives? [prompt: retention, progression, attainment] What kinds of accreditation are learners able to achieve? How does this compare with the accreditation routes that are available within initial education (e.g. how similar / different is the structure and why)? What are the success rates? What kinds of progression routes are available to learners? How much demand is there for these different routes? Can you give an example or anecdote - of where the provision provided has made a real difference? [Prompt: what was the September 2013 I 71

228 Questions learner's situation? How were these needs met through the second chance provision? What was the outcome]? What are the limitations of the current provision? To what extent these could be improved? Transferability What opportunities and limitations exist for introducing methodological approaches within initial education? [prompt: different education levels, general vs. vocational education] If these approaches would be introduced in initial education, what would need to be changed within mainstream education provision? [prompt: teacher training and support, institutional setting, local policy framework, other] To what extent lessons from curricula development and modes of delivery could be introduced in initial education? What would need to be changed if similar approaches would be introduced in initial education? What other lessons from second chance education could be transferred to initial education? What are the limitations of good practice transfer? [Prompt: teacher support and training arrangements, institutional changes, funding] Teacher support and professional development To what extent teacher training provision is different from initial education and training? What teacher training provision could be incorporated in wider teacher training provision? Topic guide for support staff and other stakeholders in second chance education Questions Background Strategic involvement [external partners only, e.g. social care, employers, etc] Support provided Please provide short overview of how long you have been involved in provision of second chance education and what support you provide to students. What is your professional background and qualifications? What other experience do you have, prior to your role at this institution? Can you describe the agreement / contracting arrangements that you have in place, to support second chance institutions? How is this support planned / timetabled? Can you provide a bit more information on the types of support you are providing? [prompt: on / off-site support, work placements, counselling, mentoring, etc] To what extent student support is provided by staff members and/or other community organisations? September 2013 I 72

229 Questions What group sizes do you work with, and how is more individualised learner support ensured within this context? What has proven to be the most successful in provision of support to learners and why? What are the key challenges and limitations of the provision of support to learners? To what extent is similar support provided to students in mainstream education? What are the key differences of work with students in initial education and those who take part in second chance education? What approaches/practices could be introduced in initial education and training? [prompt: level of education, general vs. vocational] What would be limitations of the transfer of good practice in your region/nationally? What would need to change for the transfer to be effective? Learner engagement Measuring success What motivates young people to re-engage in education? What are the key challenges? What approaches are introduced for re-engaging young people to education and training? [prompt: what motivates young people, how self-esteem and confidents for learning is built] What approaches proved to be successful and why? What quantitative information is collected to measure the success? [prompt: retention rates] How is this different to steps that are taken to motivate learners in initial education? How might these differences be explained? To what extent could success in re-engaging young people in education be incorporated in initial education? [prompt: pedagogical approaches, structural factors, counselling and support] What is the role of wider support structures in motivating young people to learn? What is the role of the learning environment in motivating young people to learn, compared with initial education settings? What are other factors influencing young people's motivation to learn? How do you measure the success / impact of the support that you provide to the second chance learners? Can you give an example or anecdote - of where the support provided has made a real difference? [Prompt: what was the learner's situation? How were these needs met through the second chance provision? What was the outcome]? What are the limitations of the current provision? To what extent these could be improved? September 2013 I 73

230 Topic guide for learners Questions Reasons from leaving school early Motivation for joining second chance provision Experiences of the learning provision From your experience in the past, what were the key reasons for leaving initial education? How important was the support that you received at school from teachers and other members of staff? How important were the ways of teaching and learning for your decision to leave school? What was your learning journey after leaving the school? Did you take part in other learning and training activities (e.g. formal learning, work experience), or enter employment? Or were you doing something else? Can you remember how you felt at the time? Was this a positive choice that you made, or was it down to circumstances? What influenced your decision to give your education a second chance? [probe motivations: whether it was down to timing, opportunism, or whether they actively sought-out an opportunity, use flashcards summarising key statements about learner characteristics in order to facilitate the discussions. It will allow better understanding learners' motivation to return to education] How did you first become aware of the provision, and what steps were taken to raise your awareness and encourage you to reengage? What attracted you to this particular institution / course? How similar or different was it to the education provided at school? How important for you is learning environment, different ways of learning, class size, timetable, counselling, support etc? What are you planning to do after completing school/receiving certificate? [prompt: plans for pursuing education further, plans regarding employment] Can you describe a bit more about the types of learning activities that you do here? Prompt: Classroom-based Distance learning Work experience / placements Volunteering Other How do these activities compare with your experiences of school? [prompt: what is better / worse, more / less effective, etc] How about the teaching that is provided how would you describe the teaching styles that are used? Again, how is this different to your earlier education experiences? What other types of support have you received, alongside the learning provision? [prompt: mentoring, counselling, peer support, childcare, money advice, confidence-building, etc] Again, how is this different to your earlier education experiences? [prompt: quality of learning support and emotional / practical support] Are you following a particular qualification path? September 2013 I 74

231 Questions How important is this accreditation to you? [prompt: extent to which this is needed for a particular learning pathway] What has been the main impact of the learning provision, for you personally? [prompt: relative significance of the social, educational, personal benefits of the provision] What do you think has helped you to stick with the education you are receiving here? Have there been times when you were tempted to drop out again? Why was this, and what was important in persuading you to stay (e.g. support received)? What are your aspirations for after you have completed this course / provision? [prompt: desire to progress to further learning, employment, etc] How far have these aspirations changed, since you re-enrolled for the provision? [prompt: any changes in attitudes and behaviours as a result of re-engagement in education] What do you think will be the main challenges for you, after you leave here? What would need to change in order to stay at school If you would be in the same situation again (about to drop out) what would need to change in order for you to stay at school? How important would be the Setting / institution (i.e. mainstream school) Learning environment Class sizes Course content / material Ways of learning? Teaching styles Other support Would you say that there are things about the learning you are doing at the moment, which could benefit other school pupils? Which things might be appropriate / not appropriate for school pupils, and why? Would these things be best introduced to mainstream schools, or do you think there are advantages for having separate learning centres? Feedback on the questions [relevant for pilot case study only] What do you think about the questions which I asked you? What other questions are important to ask other students? What questions are not needed? September 2013 I 75

232 Topic guide for head of school representing initial education Questions Background to the school / initial education institution Tackling ESL existing approaches Learning from second chance education the potential for transferability Please can you provide some background to your institution, and the range of educational provision that it offers? [probe: when the school was founded; it s status; sources of funding, size, intake, and learner / local community profile] Can you give a brief overview of the curriculum frameworks that are offered at your school, and the progression pathways that are available for learners? Do you have any links with second chance or alternative education settings at present? Can you briefly describe the type of links that are in place? [Probe: whether there is any direct cross-referral or learners; joint planning, training or development, etc.] What challenges have you faced with Early School Leaving, at your institution? [prompt: scale of the ESL and socio-demographic characteristics of students who drop out] What measures have you implemented over the years to tackle ESL, and how successful have they been? How aware are you of wider good practice? To what extent are you aware of what happens to these learners after they have disengaged from school? What routes do they take? We have undertaken research with second chance providers, with a view to examining whether some of the approaches that work at this stage, might be introduced earlier to help prevent Early School Leaving. To give you an overview, the schemes that we looked at include the following [Prompt: show brief summary of the case study schemes, using a flash card] Have you come across any of these types of provision before? What are your general impressions of how effective they are? Next I would like you to consider some of the dimensions of second chance provision that were found to be effective or representing good practice, so that we can consider their transferability in greater detail. [Prompt: use flash cards to be specific about the potential good practice criteria]: 1. Governance and Partnership 2. Institutional climate 3. Curricula 4. Pedagogical approaches 5. Learner support 6. Assessment 7. Progression 8. Teacher support and professional development For each of the above dimensions: How similar or different do these good practice criteria sound, when compared with what you are already providing at your September 2013 I 76

233 Questions school? - [If they are doing this already] How successful are these approaches in an initial education setting? Do they help prevent ESL (and if so, how do they know this)? - [If they are not doing this already] Why are these approaches not used already? Is this due to a lack of awareness, expertise, funding, etc., or for specific practical reasons (e.g. considered unworkable or unsuitable for school age learners)? To what extent do you think that there might be scope for transferring these good practices from second chance to initial education? If agree: - How might this transfer be facilitated / achieved? - In what situations would it be appropriate (or notappropriate)? [Probe: institutional and learner profile, funding regime, etc.] - What conditions would be needed, to make this transfer happen? [Probe: political will / legislation, culture change, funding, local leadership, time and expertise, flexibility over curriculum-setting at a national policy level, etc.] - What role might the European Commission play? If disagree: - What are the barriers for transferring good practice from second chance education in initial education provision? - How might they be overcome? - What role might the European Commission play? Thank and close September 2013 I 77

234 Topic guide for support staff working and/or teacher in initial education Questions Background Support provided Institutional climate Learner engagement Teacher support and professional development Please provide short overview of your work? To what extent you work with students who are at risk of dropping out from school? Please provide more information on how you engage with learners and what type of support you are providing? What proved to be successful in provision of support to learners and why? What are the key challenges and limitations of the provision of support to learners? What approaches/practices that proved to be successful in second chance education could be introduced in initial education? [prompt: level of education, general vs. vocational] What would be limitations of the transfer of good practice in your region/nationally? What would need to change for the transfer to be effective? To what extent it is possible to develop personal relationships between students and teachers in your school? What works well and what are the challenges? To what extent there is room for further improvements? How students' participation is encouraged? What works well and what are the challenges? To what extent there is room for further improvements? How collaboration between teachers and non-teaching staff is encouraged? What works well and what are the challenges? To what extent there is room for further improvements? To what extent whole school approach is addressed? What works well and what are the challenges? To what extent there is room for further improvements? To what extent suspension policies are used? How students' day is structured? To what extent there is some flexibility to adjust it to students needs? What is the role of the learning environment in motivating young people to learn? What are the factors influencing young people's motivation to learn? What would be key limitations of good practice transfer? What would need to be change to enable it? To what extent you received training and support for working with learners at risk of dropping out from school? What could be changed to improve current initial teacher training and/or professional development support? September 2013 I 78

235 Briefing note for Focus Group with Learners: Learning from Second Chance Education Study Note for Interviewer: This briefing note provides additional information for the focus group with learners and complements the information included in the initial guidance note. This note provides suggestions for the structure of the focus group and provides visual prompts which could be used in order to facilitate discussions. Focus group with young people taking part in second chance education provision is part of the field work for this study. Between 3 to 5 young people should be invited to take part during the preparation phase. It should be discussed with second chance education providers before the visit. Each group of students will be different and there are different ways to approach it. We used similar approach to focus groups with young people and it was useful but please feel free to use it or not depending what you think is most appropriate for students. If you decide to use this approach and the visuals included, they should be adapted more specifically to the age of students, scheme and the setting. Also the scheme is available only in English. If you would like to use some of the visuals then please translate the information in your language (I attach original figures in power point so that you could change the text directly) and send it to us. We could print it and send it back to you by post. Background information on the focus group Young people's views are of significant importance for the study. The key aims of the focus group with students include understanding the motivation join and continue their education in the second chance scheme and their views on what should be changed at school in order for it to meet the needs of young people. Key expected outcomes include: Understanding of what motivates young people to join the scheme Understanding of what is students feedback on existing scheme (what motivates them to stay on, how it is different from their former school, what makes difference to them) Understanding of what young people would suggest changing at school in order to prevent ESL The focus group should not last longer then 1 hour, with additional time for preparation and de-brief. September 2013 I 79