Sheffield Raising the Participation Age - Supporting Transitions Toolkit March 2012

1. Sheffield
Planning for the Future
Good Practice Guidance for Post 16 Progression
1.0 Background
This progression guidance is a resource for staff in schools, colleges and work-based learning providers to help support the successful
progression, transfer and transition of students to post 16 pathways. The aim of this resource is to support services at this time of change both
nationally and locally, in securing the best learning outcomes for all learners, through a successful progression into Education, Employment or
Training (EET).
DfE has identified key elements to support this process
• Raising of the Participation Age (RPA)
• September Guarantee at 16 and 17
• Post-16 Progression Measure
1.1 Raising the participation Age
Young people in Sheffield will have a choice of a varied mix and balance of progression pathways, including:
• Full-time education such as in school or in college
• Apprenticeships and Work-based learning
• Work experience and part time training
• Volunteering
• VSP
• Widening horizons programme
• Bridging skill sets
2.0 Target Outcomes:
• Improved participation in learning - young people participate in learning
• Improved retention in learning - young people stay in learning and successfully complete the courses they undertake

2. • Improved progression in learning - young people complete the courses they undertake and achieve higher levels of attainment on
completing post-16 learning
• Reduction in the proportion of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET)
• Reduction in the gap in terms of achievement and attainment between vulnerable and non-vulnerable learners
• Improved quality of learning offers made to young people
• Increased take up of learning offers by young people
• Improved assessment of young people's needs and better understanding of young people's barriers to participation in learning
• Improved understanding across the partnership, including young people and their parents/carers of the full range of support available to
support young peoples participation, retention and progression in learning.
• Improved checks and balances to ensure that all young people have access to and receive the support they need
3.0 Risk Of NEET Indicator (RONI)
Sheffield Lifelong Learning and Skills team, alongside Sheffield CYPF Performance and Analysis Service have developed a tool to assist
secondary schools to identify students who are at risk of becoming NEET once they leave compulsory education. The Sheffield RONI uses a
range of risk factors using SIMS data, Carefirst data and Multi Agency Support Team tracker. These were linked to the Indices of Multiple
Deprivation and other risk factors.
The RONI is an integral part of these guidelines. It is expected that school staff will use the tool to identify particular students in year 9 onwards,
and arrange appropriate support that will help engage student’s post 16. This support could be drawn from internal school staff, Community
Youth Team, MAST or from an external agency.
A RONI will be developed to identify students who may need additional support at Y12 and Y13.
4.0 Key elements of a successful transition pathway
4.1 It has been identified nationally through London Challenge schools that effective transition practice includes elements across 5 areas
(known as the 5 Bridges). These are:
Administrative: Effective and robust administrative arrangements to support transition, for example the transfer of pupil records including
performance data, administrative meetings between key school staff, common procedures etc

3. Social and personal: Improving learners and carer’s familiarity with the post 16 setting, ensuring that effective pastoral support is in place for
all learners – to ensure that all learners maintain their place in the post 16 setting
Curriculum: Providing a curriculum for all learners at appropriate levels; learning how to learn in the new setting; establishment of an
appropriate personalised pathway towards ‘career’ progression
Pedagogy: Improving the continuity of teaching and learning across phases, encouraging cross phase professional support and dialogue
Autonomy and managing learning: Ensuring that learners are seen as active participants, and central in the transition process and in
determining their own learning pathway.
It is anticipated that schools and all post-16 providers will work in partnership with Sheffield Community Youth Teams and Multi Agency Support
Teams. The underlying principle is that only through collaborative working between all stakeholders will successful transition for ALL learners
be achieved.
The framework attached considers the 5 elements of transition and the implications for
• Learners
• Parents/Carers
• Schools
• Post 16 Providers
4.2 Core principles for effective transition
• Young peoples wishes will be respected at all times
• Young persons voice and aspirations at heart of transition plans
• A named person is identified for transition in school and post- 16 settings
• Clear understanding of roles and responsibilities across Phases
• Partnership working is pivotal to ensuring that young people are provided with the support they need to successfully participate, remain
and progress in learning
• Effective, regular data sharing is essential for the early identification of young people who are at risk of not participating or progressing
in learning
• Processes will be consistent, robust, effective and learner centred
• Early identification of young people at risk of disengagement, prompt assessment of their needs and timely support
• Respect for the individual needs of young people by promoting individualised/tailored support programmes

4. • Fair and consistent access to the full range of youth support available for all young people
5.0 Good Practice for schools
• Ensure an up to date list of Y11 students is maintained including contact details
• Promote the full range of post 16 progression options to Y11 students, staff and parents/carers
• Establish identified staff to support the process and develop additional individualised support packages where required
• Work with partners to provide impartial IAG to all Y11 students and establish intended destinations
• Support post 16 applications, and monitor offers received by young people
• Early identification of young people at risk of not having an offer and provision of ongoing support
• Review of all learners intended destination and offers received (Late Jan, late April), take action where needed
• Ensure appropriate staff are available on GCSE results day to confirm offers and to offer additional support to those wishing to choose an
alternative route in light of their results
• Work with LA to confirm destinations of young people
• Evaluate the impact data of learner destinations and identify improvements to be made for future years
• Ensure staff are identified and supported to deliver post 16 progression pathways
6.0 Good practice for Post 16 providers
• Providers make offers based on applications and/or interviews
• Providers confirm offers by letter to the learner, (some also send letters to the parent/carer and the learner’s school)
• Offer letters are sent out promptly following interviews, including details of what to do if the grades are not met.
• The information sent with the offer letter contains course information and enrolment information
• Work with schools to ensure appropriate offers and support packages are in place
• Support is provided to learners who do not get the required grades
• Each provider should have clear protocols in place detailing the actions to be taken for learners who do not achieve the required grades
• Ensure staff are identified and supported to manage transition to post 16 pathways

5. 7.0 Post-16 transition for young people with a statement of Special Educational Needs
Annual Review
The annual review in year 9, year 10, year 11 is to review the young person’s statement and to review and update their Transition Plan.
Sheffield is currently updating SEN guidance in this area to support Integrated Assessments.
For young people with significant and complex needs requiring continued or additional input from Children’s Services, and Health Services,
joint planning will need to take place through an Integrated Assessment.
A 139a Assessment should be completed to identify progression needs and ensure YPLA post 16 funding.
8.0 Effective progression planning will include the following elements:
• Identified senior member of staff to lead process
• Learner led progression pathways
• Common policies and procedures in place across provision pathways
• High-quality and readily available course information
• Defined communication strategies supported by appropriate system, procedures and documentation
• Independent Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)
• Effective pre-course guidance available for learners, parents / carers
• Detailed and appropriate information shared between the school and the receiving institution before interview and before the course begins
• Involvement of learners, parents and carers in the induction programme
• Good links with parents / carers throughput the process
• Appropriate allocation of support to tutor(s) and personal tutor to support individual learner needs
• Support programme in place and commenced no later than week two weeks from the course beginning
8.1 Toolkit (attached)

6. This identifies key roles and responsibilities in supporting the transition to post 16 provision for
• Students
• Parent/carers
• Schools
• Post 16 providers
9.0 Young people who are not engaged in education or at risk of disengagement
Young people who are disengaged or at risk of disengagement from education will be identified through the RONI, and should be supported by
school and partners to plan a progression pathway into post 16 provision. Students who are excluded and attending Spring Lane will be
supported through partnership with the school and Spring Lane College. This pathway may be supported by the Targeted Youth Support
Service or the Youth Justice Service within the Community Youth Teams. As with all transitions student voice will be at the heart of provision
planning. The full range of progression pathways should be explored to effectively meet the needs of the young person.
Students who are missing from education and known to the Children Missing from Education team (CME) will work with the community youth
teams and post 16 providers to develop individual pathways.
Students who continue to disengage will be supported by the Vulnerable Young Peoples team, who will be responsible for progression
planning, brokering and commissioning learning for identified young people, and will work closely with the Community Youth Teams and the
Multi Agency Support Teams.
10.0 NEETs Panel
A NEETs panel has been established to review NEETs within the city on a monthly basis and to work with the Community Youth Teams and
providers to reengage identified young people back in to a positive learning pathway.
11.0 Summary
Post 16 progression pathway planning should be in place for all students. This may have begun in Y9 or even earlier. Every student will be
involved in the planning and accessing of an individualised learning pathway that will meet their individual needs. The RONI will support the
process by identifying students who may need additional support to progress to post 16 provision. These students may need a personalised
progression plan and targeted support to progress effectively. This additional support may come from the school, parents/carers, post 16
providers, Community Youth Teams, MAST, VSP, Health, Social Care, other partners. The toolkit (attached) will support this process. The post
16 provision may be a single pathway or a mix and balance of options that is flexible to meet the individual’s requirements to help them achieve
their goal.

7. The outcome of effective post 16 progression planning will be more young people progressing in learning, and on to positive future
destinations.
Administration
Effective and robust administrative arrangements to support transition, for example the transfer of pupil records including performance data,
administrative meetings between key school staff, common procedures etc
Learner Parents/Carers School Post 16 provider
To be made aware of what To be made aware of what Progression Policy is in place and Progression Policy is in place and
Progression means to them i.e. Progression means to them i.e. has been agreed in partnership has been agreed in partnership
aware of who will provide aware of who will provide what with post-16 providers. It should with secondary schools. It should
what information and when. information and when. cover the: cover the:
• Process for collecting and • Process for collecting and
transferring of all information transferring of all information
• Outlines an expectation for • Expectation for active work
active work with post-16 with partner schools
providers • Role of staff, parents/carers
• Outlines the role of staff, and children in the
parents/carers and children in progression process.
the
Progression process. The Progression Policy is regularly
reviewed and amended
The Progression Policy is accordingly.
regularly reviewed and amended
accordingly. All staff, parents/carers and
learners are made aware of the
All staff, parents/carers and Progression Policy and their
learners are made aware of the role/responsibility within the
Progression Policy and their process.
role/responsibility within the

8. process.
Work with partners e.g.
Community Youth Teams and
MAST to ensure appropriate
support is in place
To attend all post-16 open Support young person in Provide guidance and advice to Ensure all stakeholders are made
evenings and complete the attending open evenings, taster learners about the full range of clearly aware of all open evenings
application forms as appropriate. sessions and in completing the future options and signpost to taster sessions on offer and the
application process. support available to them. deadline for the application
process to be completed.
Provide guidance, support training
in the completion of all forms for
students and of the September
Guarantee.
Ensure that all young people have
an offer of learning before they go
onto exam study leave and track
young people without an offer for
the September Guarantee.
Ensure completed student profiles
are passed onto post-16
progression coordinator (by July).
Provide reference for Post 16 Use reference to help form
provider interview process.
All post-16 providers

9. should inform school of
offer being made
Collect pupil data in RONI profile Use student profile RONI to
and ensure effective allocate additional resources as
communication of data onto appropriate; identify learners at
post-16 provider. risk of being early leavers.
Establish interventions and
support for students identified by
RONI (school support, MAST,
Community Youth Team, other
partners)
Schools to provide information to Register of vulnerable students
post-16 settings on those students drawn up and arrangements for
who are vulnerable. additional support explored and
planned, where appropriate.
Mentoring system established for
all students, with additional
support available for vulnerable
students.
Ensure effective and full use of
learner data received from
secondary school e.g. attendance,
attainment KS 2/3/4; SAT scores;
teacher reference; testimonies
from work experience employers
as appropriate; SEN details.

10. Contribute to 139a assessment for Contribute to 139a assessment 139a completed for all students Ensure any funding is allocated
post 16 provision if you have a for post 16 provision if your with a statement to ensure funding appropriately.
SEN statement student has a SEN statement allocation.
Gather robust intended destination September Guarantee collects
data for September Guarantee intended destinations data.
Regular meetings and good Regular meetings and good
working relationship between all working relationship between all
providers is in providers is in
place. place.
Social and Personal Transition Arrangements
Improving learners and carer’s familiarity with the post 16 setting, ensuring that effective pastoral support is in place for all learners - ensuring
that all learners maintain their place in post-16 setting
Learner Parent/Carer School Post 16 Provider
Learners are made aware of Parents/carers are made aware of Provide an effective tutorial Quality information is provided to
Additional Learning Support and pastoral and learning support on programme of support which parents/carers about the pastoral
pastoral support on offer at offer at the post-16 provider. ensures all learners and and learning support in the
post-16 provider. parents/carers are made aware of post-16 Provider.
pastoral and learning support on
offer within post-16 provision. Provide opportunity for
parents/carers to share any

11. concerns regarding progression.
Provide the opportunity for
students to share any concerns
regarding progression
Learners effectively Parents effectively ‘briefed’ Provision of information on ALL Full programme of taster days,
‘briefed’ about all progression about all progression options with post-16 providers and options. designed and delivered.
options with opportunities to opportunities to feedback
feedback with questions and with questions and concerns. Encourage use of on-line Additional taster days in place for
concerns. information sources, including more vulnerable learners to
Apply Sheffield. support transition process.
Facilitation of post-16 transition Facilitation of pre-16 progression
programme as appropriate, programmes in partnership with
(school staff, Community youth school as appropriate
team. MAST)
Attend the Year 12 Attend the welcome evening Facilitate communication of Y12 Year 12 welcome evening
welcome evening in offered by the post-16 provider welcome evenings to students. offered in October.
October. October in Year 12.
Encourage RONI cohort to
Discuss post 16 options with engage in welcome evenings
student
Review Moving on Plans
To be aware of what early Be alert and sensitive to anxieties Early intervention measures in
intervention strategies within the of young person as they progress place including rapid response
post-16 institution are available to at 16. for early indication of difficulties.
support them. Analysis of attendance data to
identify those at risk within two

12. weeks of admission
Have a ‘progression coordinator’ Arrangements in place to facilitate
available to liaise with post-16 liaison with progression
providers. coordinator at school if required
(e.g. to express concerns, request
info).
To have access to a peer mentor Support the allocation of a peer Have in place a peer mentor for
as appropriate through the mentor for all appropriate learners all appropriate learners through a
post-16 peer mentoring scheme. through the post-16 peer post-16 peer mentoring scheme.
mentoring scheme.
Curriculum
Providing a curriculum for all learners at appropriate levels; learning how to learn in the new setting; establishment of an appropriate
personalised pathway toward ‘career’ progression
Learner Parent/Carer School Post 16 Provider
Familiarise yourself with all Support the learner with time Prepare learners and their Ensure a wide range of courses,
aspects of the curriculum on offer. management, coursework parents/carers in KS4 for the new sufficient to meet the needs of all
deadlines and the new demands ways of learning in a post-16 learners are offered.
of post-16 learning. setting e.g. more independent
learning, need for developing time Support schools in preparing their
management skills. learners and parents/carers in
KS4 for the new ways of learning
Diversified and personalised in a post-16 setting e.g. more
curriculum for learners vulnerable independent learning, need
to underachievement for developing time management

13. skills.
Raise awareness of alternative
programmes on offer to learners, Learning style diagnostic
in order to move learners into assessment undertaken during
Education, Employment and the induction process into the
Training (EET). post-16 institutions and results
communicated to all stakeholders.
Results of initial diagnostic
assessment must inform the
planning and teaching delivery for
each learner. “Learning to Learn”
courses provided for all students
Provide post-16 settings with Development of consistent
more information on curriculum and standardised approaches to
provided within their institution. interviewing students for courses
and curriculum choices.
To attend any induction/new Made fully aware of and support Support learners in attending any Provide coherent induction
student days being offered by the learners in attending any induction/new student days e.g. packages for all learners at start
post-16 providers locally. induction new students day/days attend the indication day with of the course either in July or
being offered by the post-16 more vulnerable learners. September.
providers locally.
Monitor RONI cohort for Prior to completing Y11, all
attendance at induction days and learners to be given access to a
support where appropriate new students induction day/days.
RONI cohort to be monitored for
engagement at induction days.
Parents/carers to receive Provide support to vulnerable Provision of additional curriculum
information from the post-16 young people and work with LLLS support for students with learning

14. providers of the range of to identify gaps in provision to Difficulties and disabilities.
curriculum support options on help inform the commissioning of
offer. new provision on a local basis as Record and monitor the impact of
appropriate any additional support
programmes in place.
Ensure vulnerable learners
have access to any curriculum
plans, summer schemes or pre-
course work prior to the start of
delivery in September.
Joint working with appropriative Work with school staff to offer
staffing in the school to ensure personalised plans to respond to
that all learners make realistic the needs of students who are
and appropriate post-16 choices. struggling to ensure they remain
in EET e.g. courses as a means
of re-establishing and restoring
student confidence, leading to
more appropriate choice of
course.
Students aware of post-16 Parents aware of post-16 Quality information made
procedures on who to procedures on who to available to students and parents/
contact if there are concerns. contact if there are concerns. carers about the curriculum and
courses on offer. This information
Students to be given copies of As appropriate, parent/carers to will outline what
learner timetables/coursework be given copies of learner will be taught and when (e.g.
deadlines timetables/coursework deadlines learners timetable, course
work deadlines).
Some joint projects and Some joint projects and
cross phase activities or cross phase activities or
other joint provision available other joint provision available
dependent upon course and dependent upon course and

15. learner. learner.
Pedagogy
Improving the continuity of teaching and learning across phases, encouraging cross phase professional support and dialogue
Learner Parent/Carer School Post 16 Provider
Develop an understanding of Understanding of approaches to
approaches to teaching and teaching and learning in the
learning in the post-16 phase. secondary phase.
Facilitating exchange Facilitating exchange
opportunities for teachers in either opportunities for teachers in
setting. either setting.
Joint INSET and CPD Joint INSET and CPD
opportunities in both phases to opportunities in both phases to
enhance teaching and learning enhance teaching and learning
skills. skills.
To support post 16 provision to Awareness of need for a
understand the learning common approach to
environments in school learning environments for
some learners e.g. access
to IT for ASD learners.
To feedback to school and post To feedback to school and post Evaluate and adapt progression Evaluate and adapt progression
16 providers on experience 16 providers on experience procedures following the views of procedures following the views of
parents/carers and learners. parents/carers and learners.
Offer IAG. Offer IAG

16. Autonomy and Managing Learning
Ensuring that learners are seen as active participants in the transition process and in their own learning
Learner Parents/Carers School Post 16 Provider
Identify what area you wish to Support your student in Work with students from Y9
progress into considering which area they (minimum) to identify individual
would like to progress into aspirations and progression
pathways
Offer IAG
Prepare learners for a range of Prepare learners for moving into
interviews – both academic and Education, Employment and
vocational. Training
Offer additional support for RONI
cohort.
Learners understand their Learners understand their Use information from new
preferred style of learning and preferred style of learning and learners preferred style of
can talk confidently about this can talk confidently about this to learning to inform delivery and
to their post-16 tutors. their post-16 tutors. planning of courses/support.
Learners are actively encouraged Learners are actively encouraged
to become ‘professional learners’, to become ‘professional learners’,
reflecting on what and how they reflecting on what and how they
are learning. are learning.
Quality information is given to Quality information is given to Quality information is given to
parents/carers about how they parents/carers about how they parents/carers about how they
can contribute to and support can contribute to and support can contribute to and support

17. their children to become their children to become their children to become
professional learners. professional learners. professional learners.