Scottish Government

LEADING NATIONALLY: THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

In order to create a generation of young Scots who have the ambition to reach out, the courage to not fear failure and the ability to achieve their full potential, we believe that co-operation between central and local government, and the teaching and business communities is essential.

Each has their own role: we have described how local authorities, their schools and their teachers have led delivery, supported by Scotland's employers. Our role in the Scottish Executive has been to offer national leadership - from Minister's allocation of unprecedented funding for the strategy and their continued emphasis on its importance, to the role of the central Determined to Succeed team. The latter has focused at all times on adding value to what happens locally. To this end, we have pursued five overarching strategies drawn from the priority areas originally set by local authorities in their plans and we have adopted a role of bilateral but collective support - and challenge - through a team of staff dedicated to working hand in hand with local authorities. These five strategic areas are as follows.

Communications

Communicating what Determined to Succeed is - and what it is not - and encouraging involvement, has been fundamental to our effort. From the outset, we've placed a priority on talking and listening, and have communicated with key influencers to change young people's attitudes towards, and understanding of, enterprise. It's essential we maintain the dialogue with all our partners and stakeholders.

We have developed and produced a range of communication tools aimed at the business community, teachers and parents. This has included the Determined to Succeed website, the development of which was jointly funded by The Hunter Foundation; and a suite of information leaflets. These tools have been available to all local authorities to enhance local communications.

We have developed Sound TV programming, broadcast on Sky Television aimed at raising teacher awareness of Determined to Succeed and separately, programming focusing on employer engagement, aimed at both teachers and businesses.

We provided a termly Determined to Succeed newsletter and delivered it to all teachers in Scotland. Similarly, we produced a business specific newsletter and delivered it to 171,000 businesses in Scotland. In partnership with Newsquest, we have subsequently developed a magazine for business that incorporates case studies articulating a range of employer engagements with the enterprise in education agenda and won the Best New Magazine of the Year Award in the 2006 Scottish Magazine Awards.

We ran an advertising campaign targeting small to medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs) to stimulate employer participation by raising awareness of the opportunities presented by Determined to Succeed. It highlighted, through case studies of existing good practice, developed in partnership with the Sector Skills Councils, the benefits to be gained by both business and young people. The campaign was delivered via national and local newspaper advertising; the latter reaching an adult audience of 2.8 million; and radio programming, broadcast on 16 local radio stations with 62% coverage of all adults over 25. ¹⁷

In addition, we provided local authority Enterprise Development Officers ( EDOs) with two PR toolkits; one to take them step-by-step through their media activity for Enterprise Week (see next paragraph) and another in-depth guide to PR. We also delivered media training to 60 EDOs.

Enterprise Week

For the past three years, Enterprise Week has provided us with the ideal platform from which to showcase our achievements in enterprise education. Established in 2004 by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Enterprise Week is an annual UK-wide event aimed at showcasing the enterprising activities of young people, and inspiring others to turn their ideas into reality.

In 2005, over 100 events were run in Scotland during Enterprise Week. By 2006, this had increased nearly three-fold.

The Make your Mark Challenge has taken place during Enterprise Week for the past two years, and continues to be the nation's biggest annual enterprise event. In 2006, twenty schools were short listed from twenty-three to take part in the Scottish regional final. The challenge was to 'make life fun and earn a ton' and over one thousand pupils did so in their classrooms across Scotland.

Learning and development

Our strategy has ensured that each local authority now has in place staff with specific responsibility for delivering Determined to Succeed. We have provided, and will continue to provide, continuing professional development ( CPD) opportunities in enterprise education, supported by guidance material, accreditation and models of good practice.

To this end, we have developed a range of tools to support Determined to Succeed activity at national, local and school level. At a national level, we provide regular networking opportunities for local authorities through both regional and Scotland-wide events and these play an important role in the promotion and sharing of good practice. Local authorities and teachers have access to an online toolkit which provides a range of valuable management and leadership resources. The toolkit also identifies and promotes learning, from best practice, and gives valuable information on engaging with teachers, pupils, parents and employers. We also have a range of case studies, curricular guidance, lesson plans and worksheets available through both the Determined to Succeed and Learning and Teaching Scotland websites. And Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education has an area of its website dedicated to recording examples of good practice in enterprise in education.

Leadership

Effective leadership, at all levels, has been acknowledged for some time as a key factor to successful delivery of enterprise in education. Continuing to invest in an enterprising teaching and learning infrastructure involves engaging with Headteachers, encouraging them to lead an enterprising ethos within their school community, and develop leadership capacity throughout their organisation. Naturally, the local authority has a central role in creating this leadership capacity.

Focusing on leadership and driving forward culture change in education, we have provided networking opportunities for Directors of Education, a specific development programme for education managers with management responsibility for enterprise in education, and for Headteachers. Following one such programme, a number of education managers of their own volition developed a key resource; 'Leadership for an Enterprising Classroom', to enhance capacity for leadership development at school and local authority levels. Funded through Determined to Succeed, the resource focuses on distributive leadership and aims further to develop and unlock latent leadership potential in teachers and pupils. After a successful pilot, it is now being rolled out across Scotland.

We have also provided a specific leadership development opportunity for local authority Enterprise Development Officers ( EDOs) designed to build self-awareness, confidence, motivate personal and leadership effectiveness, and build a stronger network and culture of peer support within and across local education authorities. Feedback from all delegates has been extremely positive and all felt that the development opportunity had helped them become more effective leaders.

In partnership with The Hunter Foundation, we piloted the first Columba 1400 Leadership Academy for training 90 Headteachers. This has subsequently developed in to a wider programme of building leadership capacity through CPD and coaching at school level.

We will continue to develop web-based resources and models of good practice. In particular we shall work on the concept of Enterprising Practitioners, creating challenging but supportive models of practice operated and owned by subject teachers. In addition, working closely with our colleagues in the Education Department, we will continue to support the leadership development of those involved in driving forward the enterprise in education agenda locally.

Partnership working

Establishing and developing networks that allow reciprocal learning is at the heart of what we do. We have worked locally, nationally and internationally to help establish partnerships that add value to delivery, and identify and learn from organisations worldwide that have delivered real change in their countries.

Working with key delivery partners from Careers Scotland, Learning and Teaching Scotland, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education and the Scottish Qualifications Authority, we have developed guidance, resources and support materials to aid understanding, curricular development, teaching and learning, self-evaluation and sharing of good practice.

Careers Scotland ( CS)

We have worked closely with CS nationally to ensure the continued support of their services locally. All 32 local authorities are working with CS and have partnership agreements in place. Many local authorities have set up Determined to Succeed strategy groups, on which CS is represented, to support them in their delivery of enterprise in education.

Collaborative work on Excellence in Education through Business Links ( EEBL) has led to a review of a programme well known by teachers throughout Scotland and offering all the opportunity to undertake a placement in business. New guidelines and promotional materials have been developed ensuring improved procedures and continued awareness of the benefits of the programme.

We are supporting work being undertaken by CS Highland and Islands Enterprise and Highland Council that aims further to develop collaboration and joint working on career education and guidance in Highland schools.

CS has provided a valuable role in supporting the enterprise in education agenda in a variety of ways. Ministers announced some changes to the focus of CS in December 2006 and it will be important to consider carefully how the refocusing of the organisation impacts on the enterprise in education agenda.

Learning and Teaching Scotland ( LTS)

LTS has reviewed its guidance and support materials on 'Education for Work' and circulated new literature to all local authorities. 'Excellence through Enterprise' offers guidance on the way forward for enterprise in education within the context of the values, purposes and principles of A Curriculum for Excellence; it highlights the qualities and abilities at work in effective enterprise in education programmes. 'Focusing on Enterprise in Education : A Paper for Professional Reflection' aims to assist schools and teachers in evaluating their current practice for enterprise in education and support them to build on their present achievements.

LTS has also developed new resources and work placement logs to support work experience and provide guidance to local authorities, schools and businesses ('Work Experience Guidance 2006'). Individual subject guides for enterprise in education are available for teachers; and entrepreneurial business case studies, aimed at S5 and S6 pupils, together with tips for teachers to encourage class discussion on entrepreneurship, have also been developed. All materials and resources are available on the LTS website. ¹⁸

Working collaboratively, Careers Scotland and Learning and Teaching Scotland have developed an approach to share best practice in enterprise in education and a range of case studies are shared and promoted on the LTS website.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education ( HMIE)

HMIE has produced new quality indicators for enterprise in education. The self-evaluation guide; 'How Good is our School at Enterprise in Education?' ¹⁹ aims to support curricular planning for quality improvement by classroom teachers, school managers and staff from a range of agencies involved in enterprise in education, reflecting the increasing emphasis on multi-agency approaches and integrated strategies to meet pupils' needs.

"It is highly likely that enterprise in education will turn out to be a central dimension for schools at the start of this millennium. The attributes of an effective experience of enterprise in education are altogether too persuasive - whether argued on grounds of economic investment or educational value - to be resisted. It is in everyone's interest to ensure that our young people enjoy the best possible introduction to, and experience of, such powerful ideas as enterprise and social entrepreneurship. These are ideas whose potential has yet to be fully realised by our schools, education authorities and other stakeholders.

This guide is an important contribution to that effort, of making the best possible experience available to all young people in Scotland. The process of self-evaluation, using quality indicators, has had a significantly positive impact on the quality of provision in many Scottish schools. It is highly appropriate that the best of practice in evaluation, available through HMIE and from other sources, is brought into play for enterprise in education." ²⁰

Graham Donaldson, Her Majesty's Senior Chief Inspector, 2004

The new guide builds on the advice and approaches in 'How good is our school at education industry links?' (Scottish CCC/ SOEID/ HMIE 1997); 'How good is our school?' (2002 version) and subsequent improvements in HMIE's understanding of effective self-evaluation. The guide also recognises and underlines the importance of enterprise in education as playing a key part in the education of all young people. It provides a route for schools to plan for improvement and report on standards and quality, in a key area of national policy.

HMIE has promoted the self-evaluation guide through regional good practice seminars across Scotland and the production and dissemination of a staff development resource in the form of a CD-Rom.

Schools' evaluations of the quality of their programmes in enterprise in education will be of interest to a wide range of audiences including parents and carers, as well as education authorities, school managers and teachers. Effective programmes in enterprise in education make a vital contribution to all five of the National Priorities, a further aspect of key interest in schools' inspections. Improvement plans and reports covering standards and quality for enterprise in education form important evidence for external evaluations, including inspections by HMIE, particularly in terms of pupils' achievements. HMIE has incorporated extracts from inspection reports that exemplify good practice in enterprise in education on the good practice area of its website. ²¹

As part of the wider inspection of the education functions of councils, HMIE inspectors reviewed aspects of enterprise in education. During school session 2006/07, HMIE is undertaking a thematic inspection of the impact of enterprise in education on learning, teaching and pupil outcomes, the findings of which will be available in late 2007. In partnership with City of Edinburgh Council and Determined to Succeed Division, work is continuing on developing an online resource to support 'How good is our school at enterprise in education?.

Scottish Qualifications Authority ( SQA)

We asked SQA to conduct research into the provision of vocational and enterprise activity in schools and to review and evaluate pilot qualifications for the Scottish Progression Awards ( SPAs) in Building Crafts and PC Passport.

Recommendations arising from SQA research informed its qualifications strategy for addressing enterprise and employability within the National Qualifications ( NQ) framework. The strategy is being developed in partnership with Learning and Teaching Scotland, Careers Scotland, the Skills for Business Network, the Executive, and other agencies.

The Hunter Foundation

Sir Tom Hunter has long been a supporter of the Executive's efforts on enterprise in education. At the outset of Determined to Succeed, and in a unique public/private sector partnership, The Hunter Foundation and the Scottish Executive each pledged £2 million to develop a series of innovative enterprise in education pilot programmes to support the strategy. The funds were in addition to the Scottish Executive's initial core investment of £40 million; and they were deployed through a number of programmes:

Columba 1400 Headteacher Leadership Academy

The innovative Columba 1400 Headteacher leadership programme piloted a new form of leadership training with 90 Head and Deputy Head primary and secondary school teachers, in academic year 2003/04. The pilot one-year programme aimed to enthuse and support Headteachers in the development and leadership of their schools, against the background of Determined to Succeed. The programme offered pre- and post-course coaching and support. It was developed using some of the proven methods of intervention developed by Columba 1400 and included a residency at Columba's training centre in Skye.

Paisley University evaluated the programme ²² which has since become part of the Education Department's wider CPD strategy.

Xlerate with xl

A joint venture principally between the Prince's Trust Scotland and Young Enterprise Scotland, 'xlerate with xl' was developed in 2004 and was aimed at young people in secondary school who were not achieving their full potential - as a result of disaffection with school, or other reasons, such as a lack of confidence or self-esteem. A central aim of the programme was to increase the enterprising behaviours and knowledge of enterprise for those young people involved. It also aimed to increase pupils' self-confidence and self-awareness; communication and organisational skills; willingness to take responsibility; team working skills; and ability to cope with new situations and finding new ways of doing things.

Following a positive evaluation ²³, we committed a further £1 million over 2006/08 to enable continuation and further expansion of the programme. This further investment in xlerate with xl will also contribute to the Executive's More Choices, More Chances NEET strategy that aims to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training.

"Before attending the xlerate with xl programme I didn't really enjoy going to school or being in the class. I was very shy and only mixed with my own friends and didn't join in with any after-school activities. xl has helped me in loads of ways. I am much more confident, can communicate better with others and can work with other people as part of a team." ²⁴

Participant (16), Shawlands Academy

East Ayrshire Whole School Approach

The Whole School Approach ( WSA) pilot programme, which involved a consortium of enterprise, leadership and creativity training organisations, provided a substantial range of extra resources aimed at promoting and developing enterprise in education to schools in two learning partnerships ( LPs) ²⁵ in East Ayrshire. The overarching aim of the WSA programme was to increase the enterprising behaviours and attitudes, and creativity of the children in the LPs.

Evaluation of the programme ²⁶ identified that the WSA had helped create a focus and increased awareness of the Determined to Succeed strategy and enterprise in education in both secondary and primary schools, and helped raise the enterprise skills of some of the teachers. The leadership elements of the programme were found to be of significant benefit to many of the Headteachers, in particular due to the Columba 1400 Headteacher Leadership Academy programme.

Scottish Teachers for a New Era

Scottish Teachers for a New Era ( STNE) ²⁷ is delivering a new model for teacher education. Supported by, and delivered at, the University of Aberdeen, the initial teacher education programme has been re-structured to create a continuum of supported teacher development through the four-year degree programme and into the first two years of practice in schools. This six-year model framework, now in its second year, has been developed through an inclusive partnership between local authorities, students, teacher educators and other stakeholders.

STNE provides a unique opportunity for all those involved in the education and support of teachers to work together to exchange ideas about learning and teaching, to develop and share research and to investigate what teachers need to know, and be able to do, in order to renew the profession.

STNE is based on a similar initiative in the USA. The Carnegie Corporation of New York is supporting eleven Teachers for a New Era ( TNE) institutions across the USA²⁸ that are re-structuring their teacher education provision. Partnership with STNE provides an opportunity to share ideas and findings in an international context.

Initial observations, from the first stages of the new model, indicate that retention of students in the first two years has improved. In addition, the focus on learning in the first year, as opposed to teaching pedagogy as in traditional models, has developed a deeper understanding in current students which has manifested itself in work of a high calibre. Further evaluation and research is being undertaken.

Vocational opportunities

We have continued our partnership working with The Hunter Foundation, beyond the initial funding, to develop two innovative vocational opportunities for young people.

Determined to Broadcast is an imaginative, high-tech facility offering young people the opportunity to create their own radio programmes and podcasts, with support from industry professionals. The customised double-decker bus, donated by Stagecoach, is equipped with a mobile radio studio and production suite and provides hands-on vocational experiences to pupils. The pilot project has also been developed by Radio Clyde and Cash for Kids and is supported by Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the Audiovisual Industries. By March 2007 the bus will have visited schools in all 32 local authorities.

Passion for Fashion, delivered by Glasgow Caledonian University, is an exciting new vocational programme in fashion and brand retail. Young people are introduced to the dynamic, engaging, contemporary and challenging British fashion retailing sector. Practical in nature, the course offers experiential learning opportunities which encourage innovative approaches and creative thinking. Enterprising in both context and delivery, Passion for Fashion develops students' employability skills and personal and social development. Students completing the course receive a Glasgow Caledonian University Award, linked to credits on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework ( SCQF) and a valuable addition to a student's qualifications portfolio. Alongside the Executive and The Hunter Foundation, Passion for Fashion has been developed in partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University and Glasgow City Council (Education).

The Smith Group

In response to the Review Group's Report, Ministers agreed the need for close oversight of the development and delivery of enterprise in education. Schools Enterprise Scotland ( SES) Ltd., originally established to oversee the implementation of the Schools Enterprise Programme, kindly agreed (additionally) to act as our advisers on the implementation of Determined to Succeed. Its role included advice on private sector engagement and on programmes to support Determined to Succeed delivery, advice on targets and measurements for Determined to Succeed implementation, and oversight of delivery.

On the winding up of SES Ltd., Ministers agreed to work with Sir Robert Smith to establish a successor business/education advisory group. The Smith Group was established in March 2005 originally with a focus on oversight of Determined to Succeed.

The Group comprises senior figures from business and educators at both school, and local authority level. In February 2006 the Group agreed to work with the Executive on development and delivery of More Choices, More Chances. In that context it also offers help, support and challenge to the education reform agenda.

The group currently comprises:

• Sir Robert Smith, Weir Group, Scottish and Southern Electricity (Chair)
• Willie Haughey, City Refrigeration
• Sir Tom Hunter, West Coast Capital/The Hunter Foundation
• Jim McColl, Clyde Blowers
• Chris van der Kuyl, Tayforth Consulting
• Rev Ewan Aitken, Leader, City of Edinburgh Council
• Ronnie O'Connor, Executive Director (Education, Training and Young People), Glasgow City Council
• John Mulgrew, Chair, Learning and Teaching Scotland
• Peter Galloway, CBE, Headteacher, Trinity Academy, Edinburgh
• Christine Wilson, Headteacher, Langside Primary, Glasgow

Other partners

Scottish Trade Union Congress ( STUC)

We are also working in partnership with the STUC to support the production of 'Fairness at Work' materials. Aimed at pupils in S2, S4, S5 and S6, the materials cover the rights and responsibilities in the workplace and the role of trade unions.

Co-operative Education Trust Scotland ( CETS)

Our partnership with the CETS is encouraging teachers to promote a co-operative approach to enterprise in education, through both the development and support of social enterprises in schools, and the development of teacher placements in social enterprises.

Skills for Business Network ( SfBN)

We have been working closely with the SfBN, the representative body for Sector Skills Councils, to explore the development of a framework for employer engagement to support Determined to Succeed. The exercise involved consultation with all 25 Sector Skills Councils in Scotland and a number of local authorities and schools, to gain information on the type of activities already taking place and what each party would like to see developed in the future.

Young Enterprise Scotland ( YES)

Mean Business Programme

For its part, Determined to Succeed aims to ensure that all Scotland's young people have the opportunity to experience enterprising and entrepreneurial activities. It is important that no young people, including those in custody, are excluded from this. Accordingly, we have funded a two year pilot of YES's Mean Business Programme in Young Offenders Institutions at HM Prisons Polmont and Corntonvale. The programme, run in partnership with the Scottish Prison Service ( SPS), aimed to encourage the young offenders participating, to maximise their potential and 'undergo a life change to assist in the prevention of re-offending'.

Mean Business centred on running a small business, including sourcing and costing materials, accounts and book keeping, selling at a profit; and aimed to develop self-confidence, self-belief and self-respect among students, while providing a mixture of practical business skills and business studies. HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Dr Andrew McLellan, who has previously identified the programme as best practice, included an article on the programme under 'Good News' within his Annual report. ²⁹ One participant has now started his own business with the support of the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust and a number have started college upon release.

The programme has been subject to independent evaluation ³⁰ which concluded; "that it is having a positive impact upon the development of detainees at SPS establishments and is contributing to the wider SPS rehabilitation framework. It is well evidenced that SPS Management and HMI of Prisons feel the YES intervention is contributing to the re-habilitation process and is enabling Young Offenders to improve self-esteem, confidence and to broaden their aspirations."

The success of the programme has enabled YES to secure additional independent funding to continue this important work, and also to roll it out in a number of residential/secure units across Scotland.

Summer Schools

Meanwhile in response to the announcement made in November 2005 by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to set up Pathfinder Enterprise Summer Schools across the United Kingdom, Young Enterprise Scotland, with support from the Executive and HM Treasury delivered three residential programmes; two at Castle Toward in Dunoon and the third at Fordell Firs in Fife. Aimed at giving 14-16 year olds the chance to learn about business and commerce directly from business volunteers, the Summer Schools focussed on individual development of attitudes and qualities for enterprise such as problem solving, decision-making and management skills.

Non residential programmes were delivered at Maryhill in Glasgow and two were delivered in partnership with Strathclyde University, at its Jordanhill Campus in Glasgow. A total of 187 young people from across Scotland completed the Summer Schools delivering some 7,252 hours of YES contact time. The Enterprise Summer Schools are being independently evaluated by Oxford University for the UK government to identify best practice, for a potential national rollout in 2007.

Encouraging Dynamic Global Entrepreneurs ( EDGE)

EDGE is an 8 week entrepreneurship programme which was piloted in Dunbartonshire in 2005. East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute Councils allocated some of their respective Determined to Succeed funding to contribute to the development of the EDGE programme in which pupils from schools within each of the local authority areas took part. The programme aims to promote and develop a positive interest in commerce and entrepreneurship amongst young people, enhancing Scottish business start ups and increasing the number of young entrepreneurs. The programme also aims to promote Scotland as a work destination for both indigenous young people and those from overseas.

The programme content has been specifically designed to expose young people to an intensive learning programme that would teach them about running a business and encourage them to become more entrepreneurial. It brings together students, currently in second or third year (all disciplines) from leading Scottish and international universities and 5th and 6th year local authority secondary school pupils, to form consultancy teams, to work with a range of businesses in Scotland.

Following successful evaluation of the pilot programme, ³¹Determined to Succeed Division allocated further funding to support delivery of the 2006 EDGE programme, which involved 96 students and 32 businesses. 32 of the participants were pupils from 14 local schools in the Glasgow and Dunbartonshire areas. EDGE has enabled the young people involved from schools, to work as equals, alongside University students, on business related projects. The programme also gives the young participants exposure to local businesses, real life business situations and business people, and the opportunity to work with foreign students. This experience will undoubtedly have broadened the horizons of the young people involved and therefore contributes well to the aims of Determined to Succeed.

Employer engagement

Central to the success of Determined to Succeed are partnerships between schools and employers. We are delighted - and grateful - that Scotland's business community has so far risen to this challenge. Employer bodies such as, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, the Institute of Directors, the Entrepreneurial Exchange, the Confederation of British Industry, the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Skills for Business Network and Business Enterprise Scotland, have offered their support to the strategy and the enterprise in education agenda.

The Entrepreneurial Exchange believes in a new vision for enterprise in education and fully supports the Determined to Succeed strategy. The Exchange wished to take an active part in encouraging the next generation of Scots and encouraged all members to form a link with the school(s) that they attended, where possible.

The Entrepreneurial Exchange 'School Link Programme' was launched in November 2004 and aimed to provide young people with the opportunity to develop the skills and attitudes needed to succeed - an integral part of Determined to Succeed.

To date some 30 members of the Entrepreneurial Exchange are partnered with Scottish schools.

Prior to Determined to Succeed, Scotland's business community had contributed a great deal to existing enterprise experiences in schools. However, the Review Group called for 'a major expansion in the involvement of businesses in our schools'. ³² Those in the vanguard of the business community needed to set an example that would inspire others to follow their lead, and many such organisations were already doing so. It was important for us to acknowledge this commitment and BT Scotland, BP, ScottishPower, Standard Life, Jobcentre Plus and Diageo have since been recognised as national partners of Determined to Succeed.

Virtual Work Experience ( VWE) ³³ is a world leading web based product which uses state of the art gaming and graphics technology to give young people the opportunity to experience different work environments from any PC with internet access. The main aim of the product is to increase the number of opportunities available for young people, particularly those in rural and island communities, to experience a wide range of work environments. Initially, VWE will enable young people to experience the three 3D 'worlds' of Hairdressing, NHS Care and Contact Centres with the potential for expansion into a wider range of worlds.

The VWE project originated within Careers Scotland, and was developed with the support of both BT Scotland and the Executive. Learning and Teaching Scotland plays a crucial role in providing all hosting and streaming for the project, enabling VWE to sit on the GLOW network, ³⁴ and will develop support materials for pupils. The project is also supported by the Skills for Business Network who have been instrumental in ensuring active engagement from key sector bodies.

Obviously VWE will not replace traditional work experience placements. But it will be used to complement existing provision by enabling young people the opportunity to experience a simulated work environment in business areas not normally accessible to them, either because of the remote location of the school or business or because of health and safety restrictions, age limitations, etc. In addition, VWE will provide young people with the opportunity to carry out tasks they may not normally have the opportunity to experience during a traditional placement, such as dealing with (simulated) company accounts. VWE therefore enables young people to experience new ways of learning and enhance existing work experience provision. As the product is web based, young people are able to access it either through designated time in the classroom, or at home, enabling their parents/carers to participate in the process.

To support the engagement of the business community at a local level, we produced a 'Model Partnership Agreement' to help local authorities formalise enterprise in education partnerships in their respective area, when this was appropriate. Designed to operate as a working document, the Model Partnership Agreement offers local authorities enough information to form the basis of final, bespoke agreements, regardless of their scale or complexity. In addition, a Partnership Database has been developed and is available to local authorities and schools to assist in the customer relationship management aspect of partner engagement.

Research, evaluation and monitoring

It is essential we keep track of progress and have the right information to help us make decisions on the future of Determined to Succeed. We need to know what's worked and what hasn't, and why; we need better to understand the needs of key stakeholders; and we need better to understand the landscape in which we operate.

We have therefore commissioned and published both qualitative and quantitative research on:

• the attitudes and perceptions of young people towards enterprise, aimed at benchmarking young people's attitudinal values, notions of success and career success; ³⁵
• the attitudes, perceptions and perceived barriers of small to medium- sized enterprises ( SMEs) to engaging in enterprise in education; ³⁶
• the impact of enterprise in education and the Determined to Succeed strategy on business; ³⁷ and
• in response to Recommendation 12 of the Review Group's Report; into young people's experiences of part time working. ³⁸ This work has provided a detailed insight - not previously available in the UK - into the nature and extent of pupils' part-time work and investigated the potential for linking this experience to their formal education

The findings and recommendations arising from this research, along with other available resources, e.g. the Scottish School Leavers Survey ³⁹ and the Employer Skills Survey ⁴⁰ will enable us to further inform policy development and consider the potential impact of enterprise in education on young people's choices.

National evaluation

The first element of our comprehensive national evaluation of Determined to Succeed was published in March 2006. ⁴¹ The evaluation, undertaken between September 2004 and August 2005, examined the views of key stakeholders on initial planning and early implementation of Determined to Succeed.

Findings confirmed:

• local authorities and schools had made considerable efforts to implement the Determined to Succeed strategy;
• almost all local authorities had committed to the strategy and set up multi-agency steering groups;
• they had recruited Enterprise Development Officers ( EDOs) to operationalise the strategy and had developed links with other organisations, in particular colleges;
• local authorities had also implemented communication strategies to inform schools and teachers of the aims and objectives of Determined to Succeed and had increased the opportunities for pupils to engage in enterprise activities;
• evidence from case study visits to schools showed that most senior managers were very aware of the strategy and were trying to disseminate information to other teachers in their schools; and
• most teachers had received training and development related to Determined to Succeed and felt more confident to develop their practice as a result

Although published separately in June 2006, Determined to Succeed and Young People at Risk of Becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) ⁴² formed part of this first phase of national evaluation. The small scale qualitative study aimed to:

• identify the range of activities taking place in local authorities, as a result of Determined to Succeed, which may impact on young people at risk of becoming NEET;
• examine the context within which such activities were taking place, including their links with other relevant policies or initiatives;
• examine the extent to which activities were developed by individual schools or within school clusters;
• explore activities delivered through the mainstream curriculum as well as those outside the core timescale through external partners

Findings showed that:

• Determined to Succeed had enabled some authorities to expand existing, or initiate new, activities and projects aimed at young people at risk of becoming disaffected, whilst others were planning to put more emphasis on such provision in the future;
• some authorities were still at an early implementation stage and had focused resources on building up Determined to Succeed strategic and operational structures;
• some areas were not specifically targeting disaffected young people through Determined to Succeed as it was felt such activities should be offered to all pupils; and
• most local authorities believed that Determined to Succeed complemented and supported existing strategies and initiatives aimed at the target group

Phase Two of the national evaluation ⁴³ aimed to measure the effectiveness of Determined to Succeed in bringing about attitudinal and cultural changes, and evaluate its success in delivering the national recommendations, to inform policy, delivery and future commitment to the strategy. A specific analytical tool (Index of Enterprising Behaviour) was developed to quantify the 'enterprising behaviour' trait within young people, which is central to Determined to Succeed and the analysis showed that the overall index was positive for the three groups surveyed - parents, pupils and teachers. Overall, the evaluation found that:

• school management and staff views of Determined to Succeed were overwhelmingly positive - it was referred to as 'placing the pupil at the heart of the curriculum and not the subject';
• Determined to Succeed was felt to promote teaching and learning, which focuses on building competencies and transferring key strengths; and
• pupils in primary school settings - especially those schools with a strong Determined to Succeed ethos - tended to be most enthusiastic about their learning in the themes (identified through the Index of Enterprising Behaviour). They were also more articulate and insightful in their recognition of how this type of learning can be transferred from one curricular area to another.

We will be considering the research recommendations and how we further develop and make use of the Index of Enterprising Behaviour analytical tool.

Monitoring progress

Working closely with the Executive's team, all 32 local authorities have delivered their first Action Plan.

HMIE's self evaluation guide for enterprise in education and the accompanying thematic inspection of the impact of enterprise in education on learning, teaching and pupil outcomes, will begin to produce findings in late 2007.

North Lanarkshire Council and Cardinal Newman High School in Bellshill worked with us to produce a self-evaluation toolkit for the classroom. 'A Tool for Teachers Developing an Enterprising Culture in the Classroom through Self-Evaluation', works both as a guide to measuring pupils' learning experience and as a support tool.