MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF A PASTORAL INNOVATION

Measuring The Success Of A Pastoral Innovation

Abstract

Evidence from the UK suggests whole-school interventions designed to increase social inclusion/engagement can reduce substance use. Completeness of implementation varies but contextual determinants have not been fully explored. Informed by previous interventions, the paper aims to examine these topics in an English pilot of the Healthy School Ethos intervention. This intervention, like previous interventions, balanced standardization of inputs/process (external facilitator, manual, needs-survey and staff-training delivered over one year to enable schools to convene action-teams) with local flexibility regarding actions to improve social inclusion. Evaluation was via a pilot trial comprising: baseline/follow-up surveys with year-7 students in two intervention/comparison schools; semi-structured interviews with staff, students and facilitators; and observations. The intervention was delivered as intended with components implemented as in the USA/Australian studies. The external facilitator enabled schools to convene an action-team involving staff/students. Inputs were feasible and acceptable and enabled similar actions in both schools. Locally determined actions (e.g. peer-mediators) were generally more feasible/acceptable than pre-set actions (e.g. modified pastoral care). Implementation was facilitated where it built on aspects of schools' baseline ethos (e.g. a focus on engaging all students, formalized student participation in decisions) and where senior staff led actions. Student awareness of the intervention was high. Key factors affecting feasibility were: flexibility to allow local innovation, but structure to ensure consistency; intervention aims resonating with at least some aspects of school baseline ethos; and involvement of staff with the capacity to deliver. The intervention should be refined and its health/educational outcomes evaluated.

Table of Contents

Abstract2

Chapter One6

Introduction6

1. Introduction6

1.1Background to the study11

1.2Aims of the Study12

Research Questions13

1.3The Change Outcomes: Peer Mentoring and Academic Monitoring14

1.4Appropriateness of study and personal rationale16

1.5 Context for the study16

Chapter Two21

Literature Review21

2. Reworking the Pastoral Curriculum21

2.1 Developments in Pastoral Education23

2.2The role of the form tutor31

2.3.The form tutor and use of academic monitoring through target-setting35

Target-setting36

2.4 Research into Peer mentoring43

2.5 The Tutor-Tutee relationship53

2.6 School Development Planning and School Improvement58

2.7 Change in schools61

Benchmarking63

Factors to consider when benchmarking63

Application of Benchmarking64

2.8 Managing Change in Schools65

Level of involvement staff had with the change66

Levels of use69

Feeling staff have towards a change71

2.9 Chapter Summary75

Chapter Three77

Research Methodology77

3. Methods77

4. Results82

4.1 Schools' baseline context82

4.2 Intervention inputs84

4.3 Action-team membership and participation90

4.4 Pre-set actions92

4.5 Locally determined actions - Woodbridge97

4.6 Locally determined actions - Hillside100

4.7 Awareness of project103

Chapter Four105

Discussion105

5.1 Summary of findings105

5.2 Strengths and limitations108

5.3 Implications for policy and research109

5.4 Recommendations111

Chapter Five113

Conclusions113

6.1 Introduction113

Middle managers113

6.2 What has been learnt?115

The level of involvement staff have with a change115

The relationship between pastoral and academic spheres115

A clear and concise plan of the change115

6.3 Final Conclusion116

References118

Chapter One

Introduction

1. Introduction

Rates of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use (henceforth termed substance use, SU) among UK young people are among the highest in Europe (Hibbel et al., 2004; NatCen and NfER, 2007). While many young people experiment with substances, frequent/early SU strongly predicts harmful use in adulthood (Fergusson et al., 2003; Riggs et al., 2007; Viner and Taylor, 2007). School-based preventive education is now common (Ofsted, 2005) but reviews suggest effects are small and not sustained (Faggiano et ...