CELCIS Education Conference 2019: Glasgow Kelvin College shares its approach to supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged learners, with a focus on the Transitions to Learning and Work programme, which provides alternative pathways for young people who have been unable to sustain attendance at school.

1. Supporting post-school transitions through
non-linear learning journeys to positive
destinations and successful outcomes
CELCIS Education Conference
16th May 2019

2. Maggie Murphy
Senior Curriculum Manager
Faculty of Health, Care & Learner Development
mmurphy@glasgowkelvin.ac.uk
07824 866 176

3. Session Outcomes
GKC DEMOGRAPHIC
AND PROGRAMMES
STUDENT VOICE TRACKING INDIVIDUAL
LEARNER JOURNEYS
PARTNERSHIP WORKING
AND FLEXIBLE DELIVERY
MODELS
OUTCOMES FOR
CHILDREN ‘LOOKED
AFTER AT HOME’
GKC’S LEARNING
JOURNEY
LEARNING POINTS &
REPLICABLE ACTIONS
Q&A

4. College Ethos:
Transforming
lives through
education.
Mission Statement:
Glasgow Kelvin College will enhance our
learners’ aspirations, careers and lives
through accessible, inclusive, high quality
lifelong learning.
(Strategic Plan 2018-2021)

5. College catchment area: constituencies: 4,6 & 7
64% of the college’s enrolments (2016/17) come from students in the
most deprived 20% of the population, as against a regional average of 41%

6. Partner Schools:
Springburn
St Andrews
St Mungos
St Rochs
Whitehill
All Saints
Bannerman
Eastbank
Lochend
Smithycroft
• College is the most common positive destination
for senior phase leavers in the College catchment
area
• The College has developed closer ties with local
secondary schools. Programmes specifically
aimed at S2-4 pupils to support raising
attainment strategies impacts on the age range
of its student body (16% compared to GCC 2%
and CoG 2%).
• NOMIS data for North East Glasgow posits that
27% of the population in this area has no
qualifications, against a figure of 9.9% for
Scotland.

7. College Context
Statement:
2018-2020
24.6% of the North East Glasgow population are
income deprived, a figure which is 86% greater than
that for Scotland.
In 2016 in Glasgow North East, 36.8% of children were
living in poverty, against a Glasgow figure of 34% which
in itself is higher than any other Scottish city.
In 2014, 46.9% of children in North East Glasgow were
classed by Social Work criteria as ‘vulnerable’, against a
total Glasgow rate of 18.8% and this has implications
when allocating resources within the city region.
Of the then North East Social Work area’s Children &
Families Service Users, 31.8% are classified as ‘looked
after’, ahead of the city average of 28.8%.

8. The Student Voice
Welcome Leah & Caitlyn

9. Fiona Templeton
Community Learning & Development Manager
Faculty of Health, Care & Learner Development
ftempleton@glasgowkelvin.ac.uk
07775 586 225

10. Transitions to Learning & Work
programme:
Developed by legacy John
Wheatley College-
commencing in August 2008-
2011, offered as pilot
programme.
2012, programme secured Big
Lottery Funding for three
years delivery, including
staffing costs for managers,
lecturers and youth workers
Largest delivery partner for
EVIP virtual school (Enhanced
Vocational Inclusion
Programme)
2013, College regional
merger. Vocational subjects
offer expanded to include
wider variety from across
merged college curriculum

11. Programme Development
2015, programme secured
continued funding from Big
Lottery and also from the
Robertson Trust for three years
delivery, with a strong focus on
working towards mainstreaming
Commitment to increased
recruitment and delivery
Combined targets and reporting,
accountable to external steering
group
End of reporting period,
current challenges and
opportunities

12. Criteria for referral
Specifically designed to support young people from the
following criteria to successfully re-engage in Educational
opportunities:
• Young people aged between 15-18 years
• Young people who are care experienced (in the broadest
terms);
• Young people who are excluded, or at risk of exclusion,
from education; and
• Young people at risk of early entry into the criminal justice
system.
Commonly the programme enrols young people who have
never before been able to sustain an educational experience
and for whom there are few other realistic options to sustain
attendance at and progress from an educational experience.

13. Referrals
and
enrolment
Most referrals come through Social Work Area
teams and Guidance or Pastoral Care
Secondary school teachers (Joint Support
Team pathway) .
Referrals are accepted throughout academic
the year and new learners will be integrated
where and how it best fits learner(s) need.
Following referral, learners are initially invited
for an informal interview, along with a
supporting adult, in which their views about
their own goals and ambitions are recorded.

14. Programme design
• Relational CLD approach. Development of positive
trusted relationships with peers, youth workers and
other adults in authority;
• Small group class sizes throughout academic year.
• Group work activities are strong focus for many classes
with accredited outcomes.
• Adhering to the Code of Learner Behaviour;
• Ongoing guidance, setting personal and educational
learning targets using College based Individual Learning
Plans
• Introduction to subject lecturers, SQA qualifications
(SCQF levels 3, 4 & 5) and support for progression.

15. Curriculum offer
• Introductory college
certificates via VLE
(benchmarked at SCQF3)
• GKC Community
Achievement Awards
(SCQF4-7)
• Youth Achievement
Awards (SCQF4-7)
• Trinity College Arts
Awards (EQF1-4)
• SQA units from:
• Hairdressing & Beauty
• Construction Crafts
• Automotive Engineering
• Early Years Education &
Childcare
• Employability Award
• Working with Others
• Numeracy
• Literacy

16. 42% of
leaners are
care
experienced
Learners from North East
Glasgow most likely to sustain
the programme
54% North
East
26% North
West
5% South
2% other
Local
Authority

17. On referral to the
Transitions to
Learning & Work
programme:
10% have left school
11% Winter 2018 leavers
45% Summer 2019 leavers
32% Winter 2019 leavers
2% are 2020 school leavers

18. Progression trends based on age at enrolment:
21%
• May progress to 16+ destination part-way
through session
45%
• Likely to remain for a year before
progressing to 16+ destinations
34%
• Likely to return to Transitions for part or
full second year

19. Challenges and recurring themes
SUSTAINED ATTENDANCE AND
INCREASED AND IMPROVED
LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT
MANAGING LOW LEVEL
DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOUR
WITHIN CLASSROOM AND
WIDER COLLEGE
ENVIRONMENT.
RAISING AWARENESS OF
PROGRAMME WHILST
CHALLENGING MYTHS AND
STEREOTYPES
SECURING MEANINGFUL AND
SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES

20. Objectives of home supervision
to provide effective
measures for the
care, protection,
support, guidance,
treatment or
control of children
living at home with
their families; to enable children
and their families
to recognise and
tackle successfully
the difficulties and
problems which led
to the child being
referred to a
children's hearing;
to reduce offending
behaviour where
this is an issue;
to provide
protection for
children from
others or from
themselves, where
this is an issue;
to help ensure
school attendance
where this is an
issue;
to provide
programmes of
supervision which
will maintain the
confidence of
Children's Hearing
members and the
public in the
effectiveness of
home supervision
as an option;
to provide
programmes of
supervision which
aim to integrate the
child in the
community and
maintain the
confidence of the
community.

21. Challenges
with home
supervision
Continued exposure to problematic environment;
‘good enough’ care?
Children, young people and families resist
intervention
Stigma of labels, ‘on supervision’ ‘looked after’
Not a priority for resources; mismatch between
need and provision
Lack of research focused on home supervision
All family needs should be addressed
The ‘Overseen but Often Overlooked’ Study.
Vicki Welch (2016)

22. Learning Points
• Whole college approach:
• Support from Board of Management and Senior Management Team;
• Youth work and teaching staff partnership;
• Mandatory Safeguarding and Corporate Parenting CPD module for all staff;
• Support positive interaction with reception/café/cleaning staff.
• Wide and effective networks:
• Secondary schools and Skill Development Scotland;
• Social Work Services;
• Youth networks – linking young person with local agencies.
• Open and honest communication among care team:
• Full information on referral with Wellbeing Plan;
• Representation at Social Work meetings and Children’s Panel hearings;
• Family engagement.
• Positive choice to follow alternative pathway, not a ‘last resort’

23. Thank you for listening
Questions or comments?