Quality in Study Support (QiSS) - Case Study Series – Spring 2005

The Leeds United Learning Centre

Focus of case study: Getting a return on investment, 'the Stakeholder Community'
Numbers of students involved in study support: Over 500 per annum
Age range: Key states 2, 3, and 4
Status: Primary and High School Pupils
Location: Schools in the seven most disadvantaged electoral wards in the City of Leeds

Description of the centre

The Leeds United Learning Centre is based at the Elland Road Stadium, South Leeds, and takes up the entire space below the South Stand – some 700 sq metres. It includes six learning areas and a suite of offices. The Centre has state of the art ICT equipment including interactive whiteboards and is heavily branded to reflect the key partners. The Centre is staffed by a Manager, 2.2 teachers, administrators, mentoring, caretaking and transport staff.

Socio Economic Circumstances

For the purposes of study support the Centre works with 23 schools based mainly in the Beeston, Hunslet and Holbeck areas in the south of the City.

This area is the second most densely populated area of Europe is identified as an area of high deprivation-and ranks as Leeds' most deprived ward. There is a minority ethnic population of 15.5%, almost entirely from the Bangladeshi community, and most of this group attends one of the High Schools and three of the Primary Schools.

Study Support Programme

The Centre delivers 'Playing for Success', study support sessions, from 3.30 to 7.30pm each weekday, and from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Saturdays. Pupils from Key Stage 2 and 3 have access to these sessions. 'Playing for Success' is funded by Education Leeds, the DfES and Leeds United FC. The Centre hosts and runs holiday study support projects, which include Summer Schools to support attendance, minority ethnic groups, transition, and UFA activities, as well as revision projects with Social Services and Excellent Challenge.

The Centre has extended its provision and has developed a full daytime programme funded by the NRU and the Football Foundation which includes the PASS Project ('Pupils Accessing Support for Study' – daytime literacy, numeracy and ICT skill development based on the 'PfS' model), Learning Through Football, Super Learning Days, Anti-Racism Courses, the Attendance Project, OCN Mentor Training Courses at core level with four add on units, and adult ICT training for parents, mentors and the unemployed. These projects are delivered both on site and in schools by Centre staff. The Centre hosts a Prince's Trust Programme and is accessed on four mornings a week by the Pupil Referral Unit. All projects and courses are free to learners and schools. The Centre delivers projects for approximately 60 hours a week.

Study Support Mentoring

A key feature of the Centre's study support provision and its impact on the achievement, attainment and attitude of participating pupils, is the encouragement, help and assistance given to pupils by trained and supported 'study support mentors'. The Centre currently has a bank of 160 mentors and peer mentors, aged between 14 and 74 years.  These volunteers are recruited from a range of providers including businesses, universities and colleges, parent and community groups, and also KS4 pupils from Leeds High Schools. These KS4 pupils are targeted, by their schools, as part of the enhancement and enrichment curriculum, or as part of a planned programme of study support activity to raise confidence and esteem and develop key skills towards employability. Others are targeted as part of the work-based curriculum for those at risk of becoming, or who are, permanently excluded. Many of the pupils are 'returnees' who have taken advantage of the progression route offered to pupils who have had the benefit of taking part in a 'Playing for Success' study support course whilst they were in KS2 or KS3. The mentors are recruited, inducted, supported, trained and accredited by a skilled Mentoring Team comprising a Mentor Manager, Mentor Co-ordinator, Mentor Support Worker, and an administrator.

The volunteers are given access to a range of accreditation models to suit their needs, including Open College accreditation from Level 1 to full Voluntary Workers' Award; Millennium Volunteer accreditation and accreditation through the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme.  The 'value' of this mentoring is in excess of £60,000 per annum. The mentoring staff team has had to develop the department's collective capacity to be able to deliver OCN training, and assess and moderate pupils' learning in order to reach this point.

The 'Study Support Mentoring Department' has become a recruitment, training and accreditation 'hub', which serves other study support centres and providers – and the needs of schools – across the City.

The Centre is a member of the National Mentoring Network and a partner of the Open College.

Benefits to key partners from the Study Support Programme

Education Leeds

The Leeds United Learning Centre Manager has played a role in helping to shape and develop vision, strategy, policy and practice, within the City. He has a specific responsibility, City wide, for quality assurance in study support through the adoption, by Education Leeds, of the Study Support Code of Practice as the QA framework.

Training in study support for advisers, head teachers, study support co-ordinators, whole staff groups and school governors has been organised and delivered in schools and in the Centre. The Centre has supported two study support centres, one High School, four Primary Schools and a City Learning Centre in achieving QiSS recognition at Emerging level – and is currently supporting a further 13 schools, supplementary schools and centres in seeking recognition at Emerged and Established status.

Education Leeds has used the Centre as an exemplar and as a template for extending the model of the 'business-based' alternative learning environment as a complementary provider of study support. This has led to the establishment of study support provision in a range of unique setting within the City, such as the White Rose Shopping Centre and Leeds Bradford Airport. In partnership with Leeds Rhinos RLFC, Leeds Tykes RUFC, Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the DfES a Satellite Centre has been established at Hillcrest Primary School in the Chapeltown and Harehills area of Leeds which is serving schools in an area of the City with a high BME population. The Centre has made a significant contribution to Leeds City Council's 'Closing the Gap' strategy – which targets the regeneration of communities within Neighbourhood Renewal areas – and has become an integral part of Education Leeds' Education Development Plan.

Leeds United FC

The Club is able to testify to the amount of positive publicity and exposure it has received through the local, regional, national and international media – which, is it were 'bought', would cost, by its estimation, five times its revenue investment level. This has come at a time when 'good news' stories coming from Elland Road, have been few and far between. It has enabled the Club to point to the facts about its commitment to, and investment in, its own community, stretching back over many years – including its commitment to anti racism initiatives, a fact that has been commented on by national organisations including 'Kick it Out'.

The Learning Centre has played a major part in influencing key business partners to work with the Club. These have, in recent years, included NIKE, HSBC, IKEA and Leeds City Council. The fact that the Club can demonstrate that they truly are 'a club with a conscience' with an understanding of and commitment to their corporate social responsibility, has led to sponsorship support. The combined level of support provided over the years has been vast.

The Centre has contributed to the Club's positive image within the local community, and at a national level, and has given them the opportunity to work with key opinion formers.

Schools and Parents

Our partner schools testify to raised levels of achievement, motivation and confidence in pupils – a fact borne out by local and national evaluations, based on pre and post course assessment instruments developed by NFER. The impact on local schools has been considerable.  Some partner primary schools have confirmed improved Year 6 SATs results – with borderline level 3 to 4 pupils achieving level 4 or level 5 in most cases. High Schools confirm noticeable attitudinal changes in pupils.

As part of our strategy to improve home/school partnerships, we invite parents, pupils, teachers and head teachers to be guests at matches through a complementary ticketing scheme implemented by the Club as part of their in-kind contribution to the running of the Centre.  Strategic juxtaposition of parents and school staff creates a climate for 'off school site', non-threatening, social interaction, which contributes to improved and more positive relationships between parents and teachers. This has had a positive impact on home/school relationships and partnerships.

Our 'Presentation Evenings', which celebrate the achievements of every pupil who has completed their study support course, regularly draw an audience of over 600 people, made up of parents, extended family, teachers, mentors, Centre Staff, the local community, elected members, key personnel from Education Leeds, representatives from partner organisations and Leeds United players, management and directors. These events too, help build relationships in a positive setting, between parents and school staff and affirm the status of key partners with the South Leeds community. Celebration of achievement is a major strategy in engaging all our partners.

Each of our partner schools has a 'voice' on the Centre's 'Steering Group' through a nominated Link Teacher. This key member of the schools' staff has regular contact through the Centre Administrator who makes frequent visits to schools. Pupils make a half-day induction visit to the Centre, before their study support course begins, in order to familiarise themselves with staff – and to raise their expectation levels. Pupils also complete assessments in literacy, numeracy, ICT and attitude, using ActiveVote technology and questionnaires.

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES)

The DfES has used the Leeds United Centre as an exemplar – by recommending to many interested clubs, LEAs and committed partners bidding for a 'PfS' Centre, that they should see our model. We have written and contributed to DfES publications on study support based around cross-code rugby, good practice in mentoring, good practice in ICT – and have used staff in delivering seminars and training at national training events.

Partnership through the DfES with the British Council has seen the development and establishment of a study support website, 'Learning With Lucas', currently being used by pupils from Leeds and South Africa. Centre staff have supported pupils in South Africa through visits to establish contacts with supportive partner organisations – and through the training of teachers and pupils in ICT skills and applications to enable them to access and maximise the impact of the site.

The Centre has represented the DfES at key conferences in London, Strasbourg, Thailand, Belgium and Russia in order to disseminate information and training to overseas partners on the benefits of study support in sporting environments.  The Centre has had an ambassadorial role therefore in promoting Leeds as a City and Education Leeds as a leading organisation in developing innovative approaches to study support. A close partnership with Nijmegan FC in Holland, involving reciprocal visits and planning meetings, has led to the development of the first overseas version of a 'Playing for Success' study support centre.

Business partners

The Centre has been able to develop key partnerships, through the Club, with a number of businesses and organisations which seek an opportunity to be involved with and put something in to the community as part of their corporate social responsibility. These partnerships have to be maintained once established and staff from the Centre spend time in providing feedback to link staff within the organisation on the impact and benefit of their involvement. A good example of this symbiotic relationship is with Club Community Stand sponsors Primetime Recruitment, one of the UKs leading recruitment agencies with specialist divisions dealing with Sales, Technical and Engineering, Industrial, Office Personnel, Education, Social Car, Accountancy and Media in locations nationwide.

Primetime staff deliver confidence building and employability skills training as part of our study support provision to KS4 OCN Level 1 peer mentors. They are, as part of the programme, giving young people valuable experience in mock job interviews and offering constructive feedback. Primetime present certificates and awards to study support pupils at our termly Presentation Evening. They also provide 'drop-in' advice on jobs and careers.

In return the company is able to work with hard to reach young people, to link with other businesses and partners involved in the Centre and their profile is raised through the media coverage of presentation events. Primetime are able, importantly, to generate a genuine 'feel-good' factor as a company and amongst their staff who are directly involved, in knowing they are making a significant and positive contribution to the raising of aspirations and regeneration in a disadvantaged community.

Next steps/Future developments

The Centre's plans in terms of extending and developing the partnership approach include:

• Sharing our broad experience in working with the Code to include training and support for schools in working with the new Study Support Code of Practice;
• Using designated space, time slots and staff to offer training and support for schools in portfolio buildings as part of the QiSS programme;
• Making the Centre's facilities and key staff available to provide a training base for other 'Playing for Success' Centres and other study support providers, in the management of volunteers and the development of study support mentoring programmes;
• The development of progression routes for study support mentors drawn from a range of partner organisations – with incremental training, accreditation and levels of responsibility – including the opportunity to support the training of newer and less experienced study support mentors;
• The extension of the 'Learning With Lucas' study support website in partnership with the British Council to include other schools in the UK and South Africa;
• The development of 'virtual tour' technology on the Centre's website to enable off-site users, including partner schools and study support centres, to access study support learning opportunities based around shape, space, measure and number – and opportunities for writing.

Case Study Reference:  Spring 2005

For more information on this case study contact:

Steve Smith Manager Leeds United Learning Centre Elland Road Leeds LS11 0ES Tel: 0113 367 6303 steve.smith@leedsunited.com

Quality in Study Support CELSI Salomons Southborough Tunbridge Wells Kent TN3 0TG Tel: 01892 507657 www.qiss.org.uk