Learner Needs

Assessment of Learning Needs

The Sheerwater and Maybury areas of the Borough currently benefit from Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) funding awarded in 1997. With an allocation of £3.4 million together with match funding of £5.4 million, to be used over a six-year period, the group has invested considerably in community-based access to learning.

In relation to the education index, which measures lack of qualifications among children and adults of different ages, five Woking wards fall within the worst 20 within Surrey, with Sheerwater being the worst. The other four wards are Central and Maybury, Kingfield and Westfield, Horsell East and Woodham and Byfleet. Pyford is the only Woking ward which falls within the best 20 wards within Surrey in relation to education.

Woking with 20.2 % has the highest percentage of people aged 16-60 with poor literacy skills. Woking with 19.0 % has the second highest percentage of people aged 16-60 with poor numeracy skills. A closer look at ward estimates of the top 45 wards in terms of the highest percentages reveals Central & Maybury and Sheerwater warranting increased targeted resource.

These pockets of deprivation combined with Surrey's relative affluence has a significant impact on those experiencing disadvantage with behaviour patterns being very similar to those of the worst areas of deprivation nationally. Woking is a relatively prosperous borough. However, because of this, the contrast formed by the few pockets of deprivation is more marked, and the sense of separateness more acute than in less affluent areas.

The statistics point to the need for multi agency responses targeted at the risk factors during early year's experiences, e.g. poor parental supervision, low income, low achievement, poor housing, problem behaviours, in the wards of Sheerwater and Central and Maybury. A number of multi agency projects have been successfully launched but there is an issue about what happens to the funding and the partnership when the present scheme expires in 2003.

Barriers to Learning

Research into barriers to undertaking post-compulsory education show consistent findings. Primary and secondary research conducted for the Woking Community Learning Partnership in May 2000 by MVA have identified the following key barriers: Lack of childcare facilities, lack of time, inappropriate timing of courses, difficulty accessing, cost of courses, cultural barriers, language, lack of information and lack of interest.

Interviewees reported a narrow perception of the utility of education in certain sectors of the resident population e.g. why study more when there is no reward offered in the workplace? Seeing others who have gained qualifications fail to benefit is a real disincentive to learn and this is intensified by the near full employment rate in the borough. A major barrier to participation cited by several providers interviewed is the suggestion that many learners do not consider that they have basic skills needs. Also many potential students are not attracted to the traditional provision offered.

The full report includes information about initiatives designed to overcome barriers to learning: the Woking Chinese Association, Youth "Shout Out", free childcare, engaging offenders, the Employment Upskilling & Training Fair, the translator at the Summer Literacy School, Saturday English & Maths, the Youth Web Bus, At Risk of Exclusion programmes, WebWise on the road, adult education enrolments at the Library and Car Boots at Woking College.

The full report also examines specific barriers to learning and moves to overcome them in more detail: steps to overcome accessibility difficulties, barriers for young people, barriers highlighted by voluntary groups, barriers for ex-offenders and the unemployed, barriers for providers in targeting non traditional learners, barriers for older learners, barriers for ethnic minorities, and lack of information as a barrier

Mapping Provision

The full report surveys the information available on participation rates in Woking's provision. It was not possible to achieve a complete set of credible baseline data but some interesting information was discovered about retention rates by ward and by college. The highest numbers of non-achievers live in Central & Maybury and Mount Heron East Wards (48% followed by Horsley East (44%). Ithe highest participation rate by ward is ST John's (12.5%) followed by Central & Maybury (9.9%). During the year 1999-2000 73% completed their courses in FE, 11% withdrew, 14% continued and 1.5% transferred elsewhere. Basic Education achievements for the Borough were low at 273 with a high non-achievement number of 185.

It was also possible to establish the total number of Woking residents in Adult Education (4127, 5%). The average age for students is 52.

Collating data in respect of community development projects has proved difficult because participation rates are collected manually and not recorded on providers' databases in all cases. The short-term nature of the initiatives means they do not fit in with the core business framework so easily. The tendency for manual record keeping &/or non networked computer input may mean that valuable evidences risk being 'lost in the system' somewhere especially with a change of personnel. As far as can be gauged from anecdotal information these projects are still very much in their infancy often mentioned as being "at the developmental stage".

All schools in the borough were requested to supply information on community learning provision at their school. The level of nil replies and/or nil provision would seem to suggest that there is no regular community learning programmes established in Woking schools (outside of Adult Education programme outreach).

There are 6 schools in the Borough that did not meet their targets in English and Maths. These schools could potentially be the focus (subject to discussion with relevant agencies) for further community development programmes. The county family literacy and numeracy strategy is currently in the process of rolling out a programme of learning provision for 16 schools across Surrey.

The researchers, approaching schools, colleges, adult education providers commented on not only the inability of current management information systems to report 'sharable ' information but also the apparent reticence to share information with peer organisations they see as competitors. In drafting this plan all providers were approached for student profile information but the raw returns of data confirm that the management information systems still meet the needs of the requirements of a funding body and are not analysed in a systematic and standard way to enable a suitable data comparison to be effected. Similarly, Adult Education returns are not robust and sophisticated in nature to be used for planning purposes at a local level. Significantly information about destinations and outcomes from all providers were lacking. In drafting this plan it was clear that considerable quantities of raw data existed particularly at borough and county level. To achieve success with future local planning of learning provision it will be necessary to agree a standard user-friendly report format and determine levels of access.

It is suggested that the partnership will need to consult all providers and agree the level of data required in order to set local targets which 'synergise' with their individual providers' strategic plans. Once this has been established, consideration will need to be given to the question of who will take responsibility for managing this statistical reporting.

The full report undertook a mapping exercise that included an outline of schools provision and activities linked community and business. There are 7 infant schools, one first school, 14 primary schools, 4 junior schools including 6 with nursery classes, Woking has four maintained secondary schools, all of which, with the exception of St John the Baptist (which offers places for 11-18 year olds), offer places between 11-16. Of the 11-16 schools, Winston Churchill is a foundation school; Bishop David Brown and Woking High School are community schools. Total standard number capacity of 3900 for the borough will rise to 4200 subject to the completion of proposed building works. The report details business in partnership schemes with schools and colleges, agencies in partnership with schools, 16 - 19 year old student provision, college provision both on site and in the community, provision organised by the Sheerwater Maybury Partnership, basic skills in the workplace, provision for the unemployed, Community Services provision, Youth service provision, Adult Education, Family Literacy & Numeracy Provision, learning taking place in Libraries, provision at the Maybec Adult Learning Centre, provision for disaffected youth, provision for parents and the role of voluntary organisations.

Recommendations

To be developed.

Learner Needs in Woking

Assessment of Learning Needs

Barriers to Learning

Mapping Provision

Recommendations