The Alternative Curriculum - Glasgow City Council: Planning the project

This section includes information on the planning process, including roles and responsibilities, governance arrangements and outcomes of the project.

What staff were involved, what were the roles and responsibilities and how did you involve school staff/teachers?

A Community Learning and Development (CLD) youth worker, supported by two other team members, led and developed the project, including the planning and delivery of sessions to the young people.

Street-based youth workers helped to identify young people by engaging in conversations with them and gathering local intelligence.

The headteacher and teaching staff from the school initially adopted a correspondence role to confirm information about the young people. This changed over time and teaching staff eventually delivered parts of the curriculum to support the project.

School Staff were involved in data sharing and captured & monitored the attendance of the young people. This data was analysed for reporting on evidence patterns and progress in the young people’s attendance.

Police and community organisations monitor and share evidence of engagements with young people in the community. They provide updates and detailed local information.

What were the key parts of the project that you planned?

Members of the Community Learning and Development (CLD) youth work team planned the delivery of core elements within the project including:

Health Issues in the Community (HIC) course

Community Achievement Award (SCQF Level 4)

STEM-based learning

Bikeability programme

A flexible approach to delivery was agreed to be responsive to young people’s needs and feelings each day. A person-centred learning approach was also taken (reinforced by the Community Achievement Award’s flexible outcomes). Learning was provided on a range of topics, informed by the interests and needs of the young people, including fitness, building racial literacy, outdoor learning and navigation.

What were the shared expectations with school and what were your outcomes?

The expectation was to improve attendance through the delivery of an alternative curriculum for a targeted group of young people. Specific lengths were taken to offer a wide variety of qualifications that were SCQF level 4 or above. This ensured the level of challenge and qualifications offered matched those in formal education, as a minimum.

Outcomes achieved included:

improved attendance of young people

decrease in the poverty-related attainment gap for young people involved in the project

reduction in anti-social behaviour within the school and wider community

increased positive destinations for those at risk of not achieving them

How was the project managed?

Regular attendance data was sent to the school so they could update SEEMiS on who was attending. Consistency was agreed on the amount of time young people could attend the ‘Alternative Curriculum’ programme.

As the young people were non-attenders at school, it was agreed they attend the project two days per week for a total of six hours.

The management information system used in Glasgow Life generated reports to track the progress of young people’s engagement, attendance and to record activities undertaken. Methods to capture evidence and assess impact were agreed, including pictures, case studies and feedback to create a holistic overview of young people’s progress.