Does it work?

Yes. Evidence from four national evaluations shows that PfS has contributed to significant improvements in pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills, and has also greatly improved their self- confidence and motivation. Playing for Success has transformed the study support agenda and local authorities successfully use PfS as a step towards developing and complementing other educational activities. In many authorities, PfS has been extremely effective in raising standards, through personalising pupils’ learning experience. “Gains of the order found in Playing for Success are normally associated over a much longer period, for example in excess of one year. In this case, the gains are secured within a period of only 10 weeks." OFSTED Inspector

Impact

“The Playing for Success initiative is targeted at underachieving young people. It aims to contribute to raising educational standards, especially in numeracy and literacy, bringing the attainment levels of lower achieving pupils closer to the average expected for their age. Previous national evaluation studies have measured pupils’ performance at the start and end of their attendance at PfS Centres (Sharp et al., 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003). The results have shown clear evidence of significant improvements, especially in numeracy and information and communications technology (ICT)”. (Playing for Success – An Evaluation of its Long-Term Impact, DCSF, 2007)

In 2006/07 the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) undertook, on behalf of the DCSF, a study to explore evidence of longer-term gains amongst pupils who had attended PfS and any evidence of differential effects across centres. The study also aimed to gather information on the strategies adopted by PfS centres on the learning gains achieved by pupils attending PfS, the intention being to draw together the implications of the findings for PfS centres and partner schools. Throughout the study, the quality of the partnership working with schools was clearly identified as the key component, including the partnership with the host club, local authority (LA) colleagues, Critical Friends and the DCSF team. Case studies highlighted examples of good practice including PfS staff shadowing school colleagues and vice versa, accreditation schemes for mentors and voluntary staff and graduate schemes for pupils who had been through the programme. Additional best practice points included:

• emphasising the importance of selecting those pupils most likely to benefit – centres taking care of practical details to ensure that teachers, pupils and parents were well prepared for PfS and that there was a close liaison with schools and link teachers; 
• providing a positive ethos – a welcoming centre where pupils were encouraged and valued as individuals;
• emphasising personalised learning by devising individual programmes where curriculum content reflected real-life contexts. Providing good feedback to pupils, their parents and schools, and reviewing and tailoring the programme to suit the needs of schools and pupils;
• recognising achievements – celebrating success by providing portfolios of work for display at
school and encouraging pupils to continue to succeed after PfS.

The evaluation findings provide an opportunity for PfS centres to reflect further on practice and identify next steps. PfS partner schools are increasingly modelling PfS methodologies and adopting similar approaches, capitalising on PfS. They are also building on the need to recognise and celebrate the achievements made by the young people. This is an opportunity to really impact on schools and school improvement and is a future challenge for PfS. Longer-term evaluations within their local contexts will allow for known factors and variables.

Centres are now working with LA colleagues to set up data tracking systems and closer collaboration between the PfS centre, the LA and schools is beginning to capture the data in the wider context of the pupils’ journeys. This can include prior attainment, social and cultural factors and other interventions including study support or multiagency support. Attitudinal data measures such as Pupil Attitiude to Self and School can also enrich and inform the statistical data, and closer partnership working will ensure ongoing and increasing evidence of longer-term impact.

As a primary teacher puts it in the report: “Their attitude to work has changed and their ICT work improves. You don’t see a massive improvement, it’s about a keenness in attitude and a desire to finish things off which will slowly infiltrate into their work. It’s not a magic wand but it’s part and parcel of what we are doing.” (Playing for Success – An Evaluation of its Long-Term Impact, DCSF, 2007)

In terms of action for LAs and PfS centres, Alison Lockwood, DCSF, PfS Team Leader offers the following summation: “This report and its results give food for thought, posing issues around the nature of pupils learning and how they can be encouraged to sustain progress made during their PfS time once back at school. LAs and centre staff will, with schools, wish to reflect on the implications for local PfS practice and are asked to consider and review: • what scope there may be to adopt some of the strategies for continued liaison with pupils and schools identified in the case studies; • current pupil selection criteria – the positive findings in respect of low attainers are consistent with all other evaluations and are of particular interest; and • their own strategies for evaluating longer-term progress, using local comparative data, to inform the future development of their PfS centre”.

Copies of the publication, Playing for Success – An Evaluation of its Long-Term Impact, are available from DCSF publications on               0845 60 22 60        or email: dcsf@prolog.uk.com