Proactive support
Partnerships ’ determination to continue delivering outreach activities and support schools during the pandemic is admirable . Proactive support activities enabled schools / colleges to access the outreach activities they needed , and were seen as more effective when activities were well aligned with analysis and information gathered through strategic engagement .
Partnerships ’ approach to proactive support varied ; this was due to a lack of clarity about what they were expected to deliver and how this should differ from targeted outreach . In practice , the majority of activities on offer were tailored versions of those already offered through targeted outreach , which were designed to meet needs identified through strategic engagement and could also be delivered at pace by building on existing provision . A few partnerships delivered activities which were focused on the needs of underrepresented groups , such as care leavers and military service children .
There were mixed views on whether proactive support should offer , or in some cases continue to offer , activities related to raising attainment . Arguments in favour suggested that attainment programmes help with engaging schools / colleges , as attainment is their ‘ core business ’. Some also argued that learners need the right grades to progress to HE and so a combination of outreach activities and attainment programmes would be appropriate . Overall , some partnerships , especially larger ones , reported difficulties in engaging schools with their outreach offer , especially due to the saturation of interventions taking place in schools / colleges , and at times they worked with schools to create more ‘ bespoke ’ interventions .
The impact of COVID-19 on proactive support was considerable , and very disruptive for some partnerships . The strong relationships that staff located in schools / colleges had developed were instrumental in continuing to deliver proactive support activities , especially in targeted outreach schools which were also hub schools . Partnerships responded to COVID-19 by accelerating innovative solutions and virtual delivery . Partnerships suggested that online and blended delivery was something they wished to continue , since it enabled flexibility in delivery at no additional cost .
To support sustainability , partnerships suggested that proactive support should prioritise the most impactful activities for hub schools / colleges and focus on underrepresented groups at a regional level . This way efficiencies could be made without losing impact . Partnerships noted that COVID-19 seems to have resulted in the needs of schools / colleges in different regions becoming more similar . This could enable further collaboration and sharing of practice between regions , alignment of goals and greater efficiencies across partnerships .
Interviewees suggested that development and delivery of continuing professional development ( CPD ) programmes could help support the development of a cadre of careers advisors and teachers within schools / colleges with the knowledge and skills to undertake outreach work , which would reduce the burden on hub teams . It was noted that outreach delivery is not the same as careers advice or teaching and that such programmes would need to use the right pedagogy to have maximum impact .
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