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 What frames do you want to establish? What frames do you want to dispel or break?

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Marketing Plan Development and PowerPoint Presentation

Instructions:

This assignment will allow you to create a basic and inclusive marketing plan for either a public health organization or for a particular project or campaign within a public health organization.

There are two parts to this assignment:

  • Part One: A written marketing plan with a narrative explanation of the plan, a written description of the steps/resources, tools and actions of the plan. 
  • Part Two:A PowerPoint presentation of the plan, as if it was being presented to your peers. 

Part One:

First: Determine whether you will write the plan about a public health organization or about a public health program or campaign or project.  Then create and develop and submit the plan:

  1. Determine what you want to do, what is the issue(s) that you want to market/communicate. Consider the message and the frames you want to create.
  2. Develop a complete marketing plan following the concepts discussed in the course and outside sources. Select a marketing plan model or template and design the plan. Modify your plan in anyway that works to provide direction to implement.
  • This plan can be in sentence outline form, with descriptions for each section and objectives. Your plan does not have to be a fully written paper, it can be an outline plan. It must be comprehensive and cover the elements of a plan. There is no page requirement.
  • There is a lot of room for “hypotheticals” and “assumptions” and “fiction” as you may not have ALL of the data to complete a marketing plan. In those instances, list the plan component or concept or item and develop it as if it were real.
  • List all of the components of the plan and the clearly identify what it is you are trying to market/communicate.
  • Clearly define what action you want the audience to take based on your plan.
  • Provide a Summary/narrative of the plan, one page or less. This is written more like a brief paper. Provide a narrative paper that explains your project:
    • What are the strengths or unique aspects of your plan.
    • Explain if your plan would be viable, could you see this in action

Second: Develop a brief PowerPoint Presentation of the Plan (Optional) as if you were presenting the plan to the class. This is optional. Some students like to do this project in powerpoint as if they were presenting.

  • Use appropriate number of slides to explain the plan.
  • Develop the PowerPoint as if you were going to present to your public health peers. There is not presentation.

Suggestions and potential format for the Plan:

There are several templates and plan models discussed. When creating the plan, these areas must be addressed and included. (Note: much of this exercise will rely on “hypotheticals” and that is understood). This entire plan can be written in outline form except for, the exec summary, introduction, situational analysis, these sections will need to be written out in sentence/paragraph form.

Executive Summary: A brief version of the marketing plan. Should explain the audience targeted intent of the messaging, change that you want to occur, problem/issue and a clear but brief description of the marketing tools and implementation and expected results. This should be in paragraph form and should be a narrative of the plan. A summary.

For the executive summary paper: Graduate level writing is expected. The paper should follow standard writing models and have a clear beginning, middle and conclusion, with a clear thesis statement/position and clear development of subsequent paragraphs. APA Style is to be used and the paper should be 1 page in length, double spaced and 10 to 12 pt. font, with a Times font used and correctly used source material.

Introduction: Purpose of the marketing plan. Paragraph form.

Situation Analysis: Describe briefly the market situation. (Explain too that research on the situation will be done, you do not have to do the research for the assignment) This should be in paragraph form.

Describe the public health organization or the program that the plan is about. Paragraph form.

Client/Population or Group Analysis: Use secondary or primary data to describe the client or demographic or population the marketing plan targets and the “product” or “issue” the plan addresses. What basic needs/wants do it stands serve? What needs and wants could be served? What benefits does it provide?

Competitive analysis: (Do not include)

Trend analysis—if any: (A brief sentence or statement to describe the trends) . Environmental trends: Describe trends if there is an impact. What will be the effect?  Economic/Political environment: Social and cultural factors about this group or the target: What social or cultural factors or trends impact this industry? Explain any opinion leaders Demographics: What demographic trends will affect the acceptance or rejection of message? Who is the demographic that you are targeting.

Identify the key publics: Are there other publics that some stake in the plan?

FRAMES: What frames do you want to establish? What frames do you want to dispel or break? Think about this and be creative.

SWOT:  There is no expectation to complete a SWOT; however you can hypothetically create one to guide your plan. You can mention a SWOT and refer to one, but it is not required.

Marketing Plan Description:

This is the section where you describe the plan in outline form.

  1. Goals of the plan and audience:
  2. Describe the audience/target:
  3. Describe the issues and the solution your plan offers: Provide a clear and simple statement of your recommendation and or the key positioning statement that your marketing will address.
  4. Explain the Plan Goals or Objectives:

Marketing Mix and Integrated Plan:

Describe the marketing mix/recommendations based on the audience.

  1. Product Description:Describe recommendations with regard to the product. Describe the product and its features and attributes. What are you marekting and what are the benefits.
  2. Pricing or cost to audience: Remember this is not about money–it is about gain or loss. 
  3. Explain Channels of Distribution (Place): Recommend an appropriate distribution strategy. What will the channels look like(e.g., Web, mailings, schools, businesses, social media, viral media, Other). How will you use framing? What frames do you want to create?
  4. Integrated Marketing Communications:Recommend an integrated marketing communications program and include public relations or publicity and the primary promotions. Discuss PUSH or PULL Advertising, promotions, social media and traditional media, viral or other. Specify types of promotion.
  5. Describe Intended Outcomes: What you expect to occur, and you will measure the promotion’s effectiveness.

IMPORTANT!!!

Writing the Plan: It is acceptable to write the plan in sentence/short description outline form.  

PowerPoint: Keep the slides to a minimum. Try to not over-crowd the slides. 

 

What Does the Company’s Asset Turnover Ratio Mean?.

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In order to effectively analyse the data shown in the appendix, it is essential to identify and understand a few aspects. The characteristics of the industry, in this case the aerospace and defence sector, are important (Masson, 2018). Also, the different strategies that the firm implements to differentiate itself from its competitors (Masson, 2018). Firms in the same sector tend to have similar capital structures and fixed assets investments. So, their ratios should be very much the same (Kenton, 2019). If there are major discrepancies in the ratio results, it could mean that a company is either underperforming compared to its competition, or it is generating greater profit than them (Kenton, 2019).

Profitability analysis for Rolls Royce Group and BAE System plc :

In the year 2017, Rolls Royce group made a profit of 2.4% based on the ROCE ratio, which is a very low profit margin (Corporate Finance Institute, 2019). Especially for an expanding industry (Lineberger, 2019). The following year, the profit margin plummeted to -6.83%. On the other hand, BAE systems seems to be making considerably better. With 9.2%  return on capital employed in 2017, reaching 10.4% in 2018. This is a positive sign that the profit margin of the company is improving , with them making average profit (Corporate Finance Institute, 2019).

Moreover, their gross profit margin, has improved slightly. In 2018, it was estimated to be 8.71%. Nevertheless, it is still too low for it to be considered average. Furthermore, the Rolls Royce group gross profit margin decreased from 16.42% in 2017, to 7.62% a year later. Which was to be expected since the cost of sales increased by 2 millions. This could mean that the company is going through financial distress which can be attributed to many reasons. One of which is how efficient a company is with the use of its assets. For the Rolls Royce group their asset turnover ratio is less than 1 for both years. Meaning, that the company is not generating enough profit from its asset. It could be due to depreciation. However, a company of this size and in this particular industry with asset turnover less than 1 is a big concern (Merritt, 2019).  Whereas BAE system generated asset turnover above 1 for the last two years. For the year 2017 it was 1.12, and even though it decreased to 1.09, it is still a higher figure than Rolls Royce.

 

Bibliography:

 

Kenton, W. (2019). How Ratio Analysis Works. [online] Investopedia. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/ratioanalysis.asp [Accessed 5 Dec. 2019].

 

Lineberger, R. (2019). 2019 global aerospace and defense industry outlook. [online] Www2.deloitte.com. Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/manufacturing/us-mfg-2019-global-a-and-d-sector-outlook.pdf [Accessed 7 Dec. 2019].

 

Masson, D. (2018). 6 Steps to an Effective Financial Statement Analysis. [online] Afponline.org. Available at: https://www.afponline.org/ideas-inspiration/topics/articles/Details/6-steps-to-an-effective-financial-statement-analysis [Accessed 5 Dec. 2019].

 

Merritt, C. (2019). What Does the Company’s Asset Turnover Ratio Mean?. [online] Smallbusiness.chron.com. Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/companys-asset-turnover-ratio-mean-60811.html [Accessed 6 Dec. 2019].

 

Corporate Finance Institute. (2019). Profit Margin – Guide, Examples, How to Calculate Profit Margins. [online] Available at: https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/accounting/profit-margin/ [Accessed 4 Dec. 2019].

 

Analyse how the changing external environment may impact its ability to add value to insurers and clients.

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Specimen coursework assignment and answer
930 Advanced insurance broking
The specimen coursework assignment and answer provides a guide as to the style and format of coursework questions. These examples indicate the depth and breadth of answers sought by CII markers.
The answer given is not intended to be the definitive answer. Well-reasoned alternative answers can also gain marks.
Before commencing work on your coursework assignment, you need to familiarise yourself with the following documents:
• Coursework assessment guidelines and instructions
• How to approach coursework assignments
• Explaining your results notification
930 Specimen coursework assignment
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Contents
Coursework submission rules and important notes……………………………………………….3
Top tips for answering coursework questions……………………………………………………..3
930 specimen coursework assignment and answer………………………………………………4
Glossary of key words………………………………………………………………………………15
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Coursework submission rules and important notes
Before you start your assignment, it is essential that you familiarise yourself with the Coursework assessment guidelines and instructions available on RevisionMate.
This includes the following information:
• These questions must not be provided to, or discussed with, any other person regardless of whether they are another candidate or not. If you are found to have breached this rule, disciplinary action may be taken against you.
• Important rules relating to referencing all sources including the study text, regulations and citing statute and case law.
• Penalties for contravention of the rules relating to plagiarism and collaboration.
• Coursework marking criteria applied by markers to submitted answers.
• Deadlines for submission of coursework answers.
• There are 80 marks available per coursework assignment. You must obtain a minimum of 40 marks (50%) per coursework assignment to achieve a pass.
• Your answer must be submitted on the correct answer template in Arial font, size 11.
• Your answer must include a brief context, at the start of your answer, and should be referred to throughout your answer.
• Each assignment submission should be a maximum of 3,200 words.
• Do not include your name or CII PIN anywhere in your answer.
Top tips for answering coursework assignments
• Read the Specimen coursework assignment and answer for this unit, available on RevisionMate.
• Read the assignments carefully and ensure you answer all parts of the assignments.
• You are encouraged to choose a context that is based on a real organisation or a division of an organisation.
• For assignments relating to regulation and law, knowledge of the UK regulatory framework is appropriate. However, marks can be awarded for non-UK examples if they are more relevant to your context.
• There is no minimum word requirement, but an answer with fewer than 2,800 words may be insufficiently comprehensive.
930 Specimen coursework assignment
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Assignment
Provide a brief context for an insurance broking organisation, or a division of an insurance broking organisation, with which you are familiar.
For this insurance broking organisation or division of an insurance broking organisation:
• Explain three ways in which it adds value to insurers and three ways in which it adds value to clients.
• Analyse how the changing external environment may impact its ability to add value to insurers and clients.
• Make recommendations, based on your analysis, to ensure that it can continue to add value.
Note: You are recommended to discuss your own organisation, or one that is familiar to you. Your answer is confidential to the CII and will not be shared. For this specimen answer, which is widely publicised, a fictitious company has been chosen so as not to highlight any particular company.
To be completed before submission:
Word count:
3,202
Start typing your answer here:
Brief context
This answer is based on my employer, BAS Ltd. (BAS), a privately-owned UK regional insurance broker. BAS is engaged in marketing, selling and servicing life and non-life products for clients in the small and medium enterprises, (SME) and personal lines markets.
BAS was formed in 1985, initially trading from a single office. BAS has expanded both organically and by acquisition to its current size of four offices, each located in a city or major town, with 75 staff in total. The annual premium generated is £32.8million, producing brokerage and fee income totalling £5.2million.
Over the next five years, BAS has strategic objectives of opening further offices and making acquisitions, with the aim of increasing total income by 50%.
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An explanation of adding value
The key to success in any competitive market is adding value. Providing and maintaining added value is essential if a company is to develop a sustainable competitive advantage. Michael Porter has stated:
“Identifying value activities requires the isolation of activities that are technologically and strategically distinct”.
One common representation of these activities is Michael Porter’s concept of a ‘value chain’:
Source: Michael Porter, 1996.
Whilst Michael Porter’s value chain is aimed at the organisation in question (in this case BAS) it can, by extension, be used by BAS to understand the value chains of its clients and insurers. This approach allows BAS, aided by the information it has and can gather about these clients and insurers, to understand what the drivers of their value chains are and how BAS can best seek to support those drivers. Such understandings can then be used by BAS to identify and exploit its sustainable competitive advantages.
Three ways in which value is added to insurers
BAS adds value to the insurers in a number of ways. The following three significant ways have been identified from an interview with Susan White, BAS Managing Director, as being key to BAS’s relationships with those insurers.
• Creating access to clients.
• Providing information on our clients.
• Delivering an expert interface between our clients and the insurers.
Each of these added value points is explained below.
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Creating access to clients
Whilst BAS’s primary role, as stated by the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (2018), is to help consumers and businesses access suitable insurance, the corollary of this is that we provide insurers with access to business. Without insurance brokers, including BAS, insurers would have to invest in their own distribution network to reach these clients. Of course, were it more effective and profitable for insurers to go direct to clients (as does occur in some market segments) they would likely do so. The relevance of BAS is that it provides an ‘on the ground’ presence to access clients who are/become insurers’ policyholders.
Providing information on our clients
BAS maintains detailed records of new business and renewals. By segmenting customers by numerous categories including size, turnover, payroll, nature of business, standard industry code/s and insurance programmes, BAS has built-up an understanding of which insurers are the most competitive for different classes and sizes of business.
This information, allied to discussions with insurers to confirm our understanding of classes and business they are interested in, supported by practical knowledge of insurers’ quotation and renewal terms, enables us to ‘fast-track’ business towards those insurers most likely to provide the best terms.
Due to the quality and extent of the information held by us, BAS can ensure it present clients and prospective clients to insurers where the risk profile of a client is in line with the relevant insurers underwriting philosophies. Therefore, each insurer only receives from BAS risks that match the insurer’s risk appetite and where the insurer is likely to be competitive. This pre-marketing selection of insurers maximises the effective time, and therefore minimises costs, that an insurer dedicates to BAS introduced business.
The results of all quotation and renewal activity are included in BAS’s regular discussions with insurers’ account executives, to ensure BAS updates its understanding of insurers risk appetites, so as to influence which types of business each insurer is subsequently presented with.
Delivering an expert interface between our customers and the insurers
Insurance policies can be complex. We add value to insurers by acting as a knowledgeable interface between the insured and the insurer, fielding enquiries from clients and obtaining answers from insurers. We also ensure that the insurers’ needs and requirements are met as far as possible by the insureds.
Whilst BAS is the agent of its clients, we use our position to, in effect, act as the clients’ insurance department to provide a quality and capable communication route into insurers. By working with insurers, we seek to understand their expectations so that when any subject is raised with the insurer we provide a compete and clear explanation, on which the insurer can then make its decision.
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Three ways in which value is added to clients
BAS adds value to its clients in the following ways:
• Delivering bespoke services.
• Putting clients’ interests first.
• Investing in continuous professional development.
Each of these added value points is explained below.
Delivering bespoke services
Across all of our services to clients, we have service standards which are set with reference to our analysis of client needs. Performance against the achievement of these service standards is monitored, with any identified failings used to address improvements.
For every client we provide our terms of business at the outset of the relationship. The value of this is that clients’ expectations of us are understood and agreed. MPW Insurance Brokers (2018) Terms of Business Agreement is similar to BAS’s. It is intended to be clear, honest and readily understood by clients, so there is no doubt as to its purpose and effect.
We provide various added value services to commercial clients, for example:
• Clients are provided with a desk top risk analysis, based on the information we have gained from them at new business stage, which can be augmented by an on-site risk survey which is provided, at cost to us, by reputable risk surveyors. This provides value through risk identification and recommendations for risk improvements.
• A dedicated named service contact and, in the event of a claim, a named claims contact. These individuals are given widespread authority to manage the clients’ expectations and, in the case of commercial clients, keep the account handler aware of developments through our management information system. This provides value through personalised contact for clients.
Our services to personal clients include supplying emails to clients in flood zones informing them of the precautions to be taken when the Environmental Agency (2016) issues flood alert warnings and general newsletters to clients on a range of topical risk and insurance issues.
For all our clients we undertake regular coverage reviews, pricing checks and we resolve issues with insurers. We also provide product knowledge. Crucially we provide independent advice based on clients’ demands and needs and not on our own business interests or what the insurer dictates.
Putting clients’ interests first
All sales and service staff, as part of their induction training, are introduced to our values and culture which require them to place the clients’ interests at the forefront of their considerations and actions. Within the training we incorporate the Chartered Insurance Institute (2018) Code of Ethics and the Financial Conduct Authority (2017) (FCA) ‘fair treatment of customers’. The value of this training, which is embedded in our brokerage’s culture, is an enhanced ethical approach.
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Investing in continuing professional development
BAS wants each of its clients to regard it as the preferred partner of choice. BAS recognises that each client is unique and that ‘off the shelf’ solutions are not always appropriate. Therefore, by recruiting capable employees and then investing in their development, BAS creates a team where each member understands their role in providing excellent client service.
By being professional, we can eliminate wastage or duplication. By looking at the bottom line, as well as the top line, we can generate business efficiency for the insurers, our clients and BAS.
Changing external environment: impact on ability to add value to insurers and clients
The depth and range of challenges arising from changes in the external environment are evident from a number of sources.
The FCA Business Plan 2017/18 lists a number of cross-sector priorities, with these being reflected in the following list of general insurance and protection sector priorities:
• Products and services are suitable for customers’ needs
• Claims are dealt with in line with customers’ expectations
• Consumer focussed culture with competition on product features and services, not just price
• Consumers have confidence and trust, including how their data is used
• Suitable governance of outsourcing and distribution
• Fair treatment of customers
• Successful management of conflicts of interest
• Adequate levels of capital to ensure products and services delivered in line with customer expectations
• High standards of market integrity
FCA, 2017.
Against the above background, BAS needs to regularly review and understand insurers’ value propositions, i.e. the values that matter to them in terms of generating a sustainable competitive advantage, so that we can seek to assist their delivery.
All the insurers we deal with publish their strategic objectives which include their own value propositions. For example, Aviva, an insurer with whom we have a large agency, state the following in terms of adding value to its customers:
“…means valuing and rewarding customers for making the choice to have a deeper, more loyal relationship with us. For Aviva, this means increased customer retention and engagement, and lower-cost administration.”
Aviva, 2017.
It is evident that there are common themes across insurers. These themes are evidenced in The Future of General Insurance Report 2017, which, amongst many factors, identifies innovation, seamless experiences, smart communications, dynamic pricing and artificial intelligence amongst the disruptors now in play.
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BAS has to protect and enhance its own reputation. At the minimum it recognises that the legal and regulatory environment has changed and will continue to change. BAS already has to compile with numerous requirements including:
• Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012.
• Insurance Act 2015.
• FCA rules and guidance as set out in the FCA handbook.
Forthcoming major changes are the General Data Protection Regulation and the Insurance Distribution Directive. These will increase the demands placed upon BAS, where the penalties for breaches, whilst potentially costly, will likely be far more onerous in terms of harm to reputation. Reduction in reputation could threaten the existence of BAS, should sufficient number of clients feel it is no long longer a trustworthy partner.
It is worth noting that PWC (2018) have described insurance as an industry under stress, citing:
“…over-regulation, the speed of technological change, changing customer behaviour, and competition from new market entrants.”
The above strongly points towards a number of major challenges which summarise as:
• Increasing competition.
• Increasing regulation.
• Challenge of technology.
• Increasing client expectations.
Merely continuing as BAS has, with incremental changes in performance, appears increasingly woefully inadequate. Without radical changes BAS is at major risk of being swept aside as it would be seen as irrelevant and out of touch with the demands created by the external environment.
The four factors listed above are now considered in content of adding value to insurers and clients.
Increasing competition
Insurance brokers have seen their share of the personal lines market decline due to the rise of direct writers. Direct insurers, such as Direct Line, Hastings and Admiral, report very significant aggregate, and growing shares, of the personal lines market.
Hastings Group Holdings plc; Direct Line Group plc; Admiral Group plc; 2017.
Disruptors, whether existing insurers or new entrants, are seen as fundamentally changing the competitive mix, with The Future of General Insurance Report 2017 stating that, “…growing numbers of companies are vying to be the industry’s Uber.”
In order to survive BAS must achieve added value for their clients, insurers and itself. BAS, amongst its current and prospective clients, must stand out from the crowd if it is to justify being their preferred partner.
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To add future value BAS must become an integral part of its clients’ businesses, as valued business partners. According to Maynard (2017), understanding a client’s business is key to a good business relationship. An example is being involved, by a client, in considering the insurance and risk implications of business growth ideas from the planning stage onwards.
Increasing regulation
BAS must embrace regulation rather than see it as a hindrance. Compliance with regulation is a given and in most respects merely sets a minimum. For example, the FCA (2018) ‘fair treatment of customers’ sets a benchmark. To delight clients, so reaching the levels that many of them expect, requires a totally client-focused approach to service delivery. To achieve this level of service delivery requires deep understanding of clients so that investment in business efficiency and effectiveness is accordingly targeted.
Challenge of technology
The internet is used by increasing numbers of clients for the arrangement of their insurances, particularly for personal lines business. In addition, clients are taking advantage of the rapid growth in technological developments and social media for business and personal use.
Matouschek, et al (2017) found that for SMEs there is a demand for digital insurance services that is not being met by the industry. This creates an opportunity for BAS.
To add value in the future, we need to understand and embrace new technology. We need to ensure that we communicate with our clients in the way they like to be communicated with and use the internet and social media to our advantage, both for servicing our clients and reaching new ones.
However, BAS needs to avoid the trap of falling into a technology ‘black hole’. It is not a question of technology for technology’s sake. Rather it is about understanding what clients and insurers want and then implementing solutions which, wholly but not exclusively, may well have a technological component. For example, there is no suggestion that the human dimension will not remain an important ingredient in relationships. Rather that such human engagements will be inextricably integrated into other channels of engagement.
Increasing client expectations
Recently Mieszczak (2018) has identified that the strategic focus of financial services organisations will increasingly shift to client focus. This will include omnichannel customer service, increased digital functionality, enhanced self-service options and highly personalised experience.
A 2017 report from Insurance Nexus identified that 72% of European insurance consumers are already preferring online, through websites, as their preferred channel. Whilst the percentages were lower for Baby Boomers and Generation X, online was still their preferred channel. However, an appreciable percentage of consumers expressed preference for a multiple channel engagement. This means that transactions need to be seamless between channels. For example, a client who completes a new business enquiry online through a PC is then able to check its progress via a smartphone and discuss that progress by webchat with a BAS employee.
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As far as insurers allow, we conduct all business by electronic data transfer. We use internal software that automatically completes each insurer’s preferred case enquiry form. This adds value by minimising mistakes and reducing transaction costs.
The current BAS model of insurance broking is based around business acquisition and renewals (instigated by BAS), and mid-term adjustments and claims (instigated by clients making contact). This means that there may be months between contact, which is not indicative of a strong and deep relationship.
This is in sharp contrast to many service industries where regular contact is a component of the marketing activity. Information, analysis and recommendations are regularly provided by service organisations through email or social media platforms. For example, many service organisations use the opportunity of monthly direct debit payments to remind, by email or text, their clients of the due date. This contact is then the basis for building a relationship which is much wider than simply seeking cross-sell and/or upsell opportunities.
It can, for example, follow the RAC (2018) model which provides a rich and diverse engagement using an informative website and monthly emails that provide a wide range of motoring related information, going far wider than simply selling RAC services. The intention behind such an approach being to increase client loyalty.
Analysis summary
Drawing all the above together suggests that that the external environment is becoming far more demanding, far more hostile and increasingly intolerant of anything that falls short of the increasing expectations of clients. Expectations that are being driven by data, a digital agenda and client focus.
The following recommendations are therefore framed to position BAS to remain viable and relevant, if it is to continue to add value to insurers and clients, thereby justifying its continued existence.
Recommendations
Appreciate that the scale and nature of the changes can’t be addressed by existing internal resources. For example, creating omnichannel capabilities requires external resources. It may be possible to source these from potential knowledgeable partners. However, the clearest way forward would appear to be securing the resources of bigger insurance broking partners. A review by the board should decide how this is best achieved. Options include sale of BAS or taking membership of a network, of which Broker Network (2018) is an example.
Develop an omnichannel approach to customer engagement so clients choose how and when to engage with BAS.
Increase the extent to which client engagement, and transfer of data to/from insurers, is handled automatically in real-time.
BAS should widen and deepen its relationships with its customers. Competing on price has been a race to the bottom. The evidence is that clients will respond to simplicity and highly personalised service. This recommendation includes a number of complimentary sub-themes:
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(a) Develop a clear understanding of which client segments should be focussed on and, through engagement with them, insurers and other potential service providers, create a suite of options (in effect a menu) from which clients can choose.
(b) Deliver the menu in a constant style which is seamless across channels. Recognise that online, whether smartphone, tablet or other device, will be the preferred channel for most clients. However, ensure that clients can engage BAS through any channel.
(c) Ensure there is regular contact with clients, in the medium of their choosing, to keep them aware of the relationship and, through information, advertising, inducements and offers, seek to deepen and strengthen the relationship.
Create a customer management system which incorporates all relevant client information, whilst ensuring data is acquired, retained, used and removed in accordance with legislative and ethical expectations.
Ensure that all client-facing staff can deal empathically and speedily with client enquiries. This requires that all past and current client engagement is readily available to client-facing staff.
Seek to widen the opportunities to add value for clients, by developing a range of fee-based services, such as risk management services.
Additionally, whilst BAS already undertakes various basic administrative tasks for our clients in relation to risk and insurance. This has the scope to be widened and deepened so that BAS can add future value as a true strategic partner within our clients’ businesses.
Segment the business, to concentrate resources on areas where the greatest value can be added, so enhancing long-term profitability.
Invest in continuous professional development for all staff. Require all new employees to achieve relevant qualifications within a stipulated timescale and include this as a condition in their contracts of employment.
930 Specimen coursework assignment
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Reference list
Admiral Group plc, 2017. 2017 Interim Results [online] Available at: https://admiralgroup.co.uk/investor-relations/results-and-presentations [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
Aviva, True Customer Composite, [online] Available at: https://www.aviva.com/about-us/true-customer-composite/ [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
Broker Network, 2017. About Us [online] Available at: https://www.brokernetwork.co.uk/about/ [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
British Insurance Brokers’ Association, 2018. Accessing Insurance [online] Available at: https://www.biba.org.uk/current-issues/ensuring-access-to-insurance/ [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
Chartered Insurance Institute, 2018. Code of Ethics [online] Available at: http://www.cii.co.uk/about/professional-standards/code-of-ethics/ [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012. London: HMSO.
Direct Line Group plc, 2017. Trading update for the first nine months of 2017 [online] Available at: https://www.directlinegroup.com/investors/results-and-presentations/2017.aspx [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
Environment Agency, 2018. Flood warnings for England [online] Available at: https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
Financial Conduct Authority, 2017. FCA Handbook, [online] Available at: https://www.handbook.fca.org.uk/ [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
Hastings Group Holdings plc, 2017. Q3 Trading update [online] Available at: https://www.hastingsplc.com/investors/results-centre [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
Information Commissioner’s Office, 2017. Guide to the General Data Protection Regulation [online] Available at: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/ [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
Insurance Act 2015. London: HMSO.
Insurance Distribution Directive (2016/97/EU), 2017. London: HM Treasury
Insurance Innovations, 2017. The Future of General Insurance Report 2017, London: Marketforce Business Media.
Insurance Nexus, 2017. Insurance Customers Speak Out [online] Available at: https://www.insurancenexus.com/customer/insurance-customers-speak-out [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
Ledbetter, D. 2016. What Customer Engagement Actually Means And How It’s Done [online] Available at: https://www.braze.com/blog/what-is-customer-engagement/ [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
MPW Insurance Brokers, 2017. Terms of Business [online] Available at: http://www.mpwbrokers.com/about-us/terms-of-business [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
930 Specimen coursework assignment
January 2018
14
Matouschek, G., Gough, S., Astley, E., Newton, V. and Barth, J.: pwc UK, 2017. Global Business Small Business Insurance Survey [online] Available at: https://www.strategyand.pwc.com/reports/digital-sme-insurance-survey [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
Maynard, P., 2016. Advanced Diploma in Insurance: 930 Advanced insurance broking, The Chartered Insurance Institute, London.
Mieszczak, C. 2018. Top 6 Financial Service Customer Experience Trends to Watch in 2018 [online] Available at: http://www.evergage.com/blog/top-financial-services-customer-experience-trends-2018/ [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
Porter, M. E., 1985. Competitive Advantage. New York, Macmillan.
Porter, M. E., 1996. “What is strategy?”, Harvard Business Review, November–December, pp61-78.
pwc, 2018. Top insurance industry issues in 2018 [online] Available at: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/insurance/library/top-issues.html [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
RAC, 2018. Drive [online] Available at: https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/ [Accessed 29 Jan 2018].
White, S. 2017. Added Value. Interviewed by (candidate’s name) [face to face] Manchester 21 December 2017.
930 Specimen coursework assignment
January 2018
15
Glossary of key words
Analyse
Find the relevant facts and examine these in depth. Examine the relationship between various facts and make conclusions or recommendations.
Construct
To build or make something; construct a table.
Describe
Give an account in words (someone or something) including all relevant characteristics, qualities or events.
Devise
To plan or create a method, procedure or system.
Discuss
To consider something in detail; examining the different ideas and opinions about something, for example to weigh up alternative views.
Explain
To make something clear and easy to understand with reasoning and/or justification.
Identify
Recognise and name.
Justify
Support an argument or conclusion. Prove or show grounds for a decision.
Outline
Give a general description briefly showing the essential features.
Recommend with reasons
Provide reasons in favour.
State
Express main points in brief, clear form.

Discuss how this balance could be improved. Is it possible to improve this balance to 100%?

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[BUS002] Operations Management Dr Eun-Seok Kim
1
Individual Report (80%)
In this report, you are required to answer ALL FIVE QUESTIONS. Your answers are to be presented in a single report format, and in answering these questions, please
• state and explain all assumptions, on which your answers are based;
• support any answers with the appropriate calculations to arrive at the answer.
While each individual answer might have a different word count from the others, the overall word count should not exceed 2,000 (+ or – 10%) words excluding calculations (numbers and equations, etc.). The report in PDF FORMAT ONLY should be submitted via QMplus by Friday, 13th December 2019 at 11.55 PM. Late submissions will be penalised according to School regulations. Under no circumstances can submissions via email be accepted. Under no circumstances should you attempt to hand in your work directly to the lecturer or to the class teacher.
In any case you are affected by EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES that might prevent you from submitting your work on time, you should contact the module organiser (Dr. Eun-Seok Kim, e.kim@qmul.ac.uk) AND student support officer (Ms Ripa Parvin, r.parvin@qmul.ac.uk) as soon as possible when the problem occurs and no later than the deadline for submitting the report. Extenuating circumstances will be evaluated in accordance with College regulations.
Q1. (20%) A production operation is making 150 units of a product by engaging five workers for 300 hours. However, 40 percent of the units appear to have various quality problems, and the company decides to sell them as seconds at a price of £50 each when a normal unit is sold for £150. To improve the situation, several initiatives are proposed, including a scheme where, for every improvement, 50 percent will be given to workers and the other 50 percent will be held by the company. This results in a significant drop in defects as now only 10 units are faulty out of an output of 130 units.
a) Compare the productivity after Bonus with the initial productivity. (10%)
b) Determine the appropriate bonus per hour for the workers under the bonus scheme if the cost per piece is £70 both before and after the scheme. (10%)
[BUS002] Operations Management Dr Eun-Seok Kim
2
Q2. (20%) As the Cottrell Bicycle Co. of St. Louis completes plans for its new assembly line, it identifies 25 different tasks in the production process. VP of Operations Jonathan Cottrell now faces the job of balancing the line. He lists precedences and provides time estimates for each step based on work-sampling techniques. His goal is to produce 1,000 bicycles per standard 40-hour workweek.
Task Time (sec) Immediate Predecessors Task Time (sec) Immediate Predecessors
K3
60
–
E3
109
F3
K4
24
K3
D6
53
F4
K9
27
K3
D7
72
F9, E2, E3
J1
66
K3
D8
78
E3, D6
J2
22
K3
D9
37
D6
J3
3
–
C1
78
F7
G4
79
K4, K9
B3
72
D7, D8, D9, C1
G5
29
K9, J1
B5
108
C1
F3
32
J2
B7
18
B3
F4
92
J2
A1
52
B5
F7
21
J3
A2
72
B5
F9
126
G4
A3
114
B7, A1, A2
E2
18
G5, F3
a) Balance this operation using shortest operation time rule and compute the efficiency of the line. (10%)
b) Discuss how this balance could be improved. Is it possible to improve this balance to 100%? (10%)
[BUS002] Operations Management Dr Eun-Seok Kim
3
Q3. (20%) Thomas Smith is the purchasing manager for the headquarters of a large insurance company chain with a central inventory operation. Thomas’s fastest-moving inventory item has a daily demand of 24 units. The cost of each unit is £100, and the inventory carrying cost is £10 per unit per year. The average ordering cost is £30 per order. It takes about 5 days for an order to arrive, and there are 250 working days per year.
a) To minimize the cost, how many units should be ordered each time an order is placed? What is the total annual inventory cost, including the cost of the units? (10%)
b) Even if there is substantial uncertainty in the parameters in the EOQ-model, it is still quite a useful model. Discuss why. (10%)
Q4. (20%) Emery Pharmaceutical uses an unstable chemical compound that must be kept in an environment where both temperature and humidity can be controlled. Emery uses 200 pounds per month of the chemical, estimates the holding cost to be £3.33 (because of spoilage), and estimates order costs to be £10 per order. The cost schedules of four suppliers are as follows: Vendor 1 Vendor 2 Quantity Price/LB (£) Quantity Price/LB (£)
1-49
35.00
1-74
34.75
50-74
34.75
75-149
34.00
75-149
33.55
150-299
32.80
150-299
32.35
300-499
31.60
300-499
31.15
500+
30.50
500+
30.75
Vendor 3 Vendor 4 Quantity Price/LB (£) Quantity Price/LB (£)
1-99
34.50
1-199
34.25
100-199
33.75
200-399
33.00
200-399
32.50
400+
31.00
400+
31.10
a) What quantity should be ordered, and which supplier should be used? (10%)
b) Discuss factor(s) should be considered besides total cost. (10%)
[BUS002] Operations Management Dr Eun-Seok Kim
4
Q5. (20%) A process considered to be in control measures an ingredient in ounces. A quality inspector took 10 samples, each with 5 observations as follows: Samples Observations 1 2 3 4 5 1
10
9
10
9
12 2
9
9
11
11
10 3
13
9
10
10
9 4
10
10
11
10
10 5
12
10
9
11
10 6
10
10
8
12
9 7
10
11
10
8
9 8
13
10
8
10
8 9
8
8
12
12
9 10
10
12
9
8
12
a) Using this information, obtain three-sigma (i.e., z=3) control limits for a mean control chart and control limits for a range chart, respectively. It is known from previous experience that the standard deviation of the process is 1.36. (10%)
b) Discuss whether the process is in control or not. (10%)

What are Ethics?Why are ethics important?

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Ethics & Employablity

 

Research report

Table of Contents

Introduction. 3

What is NACRO?. 3

Modernisation of the Probation service. 3

My placement. 3

The purpose of my role. 4

What are Ethics?. 4

Why are ethics important?. 4

What are Ethics in the criminal justice sector. 5

Ethics and my placement. 5

Conclusion. 6

Bibliography. 6

Appendix. 8

 

Introduction

Within this report I will be discussing my placement, the modernisation of the Probation service, the importance of ethics in the public sector and finally relate them to my 70 hours of placement. This report will also include two reflective diary entries and a log on my placement hours as evidence of my work for this report.

What is NACRO?

NACRO is a charity which was formed in 1966.the charity took over from the National Association of Discharged Prisoners’ Aid Societies in the same year (NACRO,2017). NACRO now stands for the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders. NACRO’s charitable aim is to create a society in which communities are crime free, where people feel safe and are supported to reach their aspirations. (NACRO,2017).

 

NACRO helps thousands of people each year in 4 main ways including education, health, housing and justice. These are all seen as factor that can contribute to re-offending so by helping these issues it could prevent re-offending.

Modernisation of the Probation service.

The aims of the National Probation service as stated by the Home Office (2015) the rehabilitation of offenders, the correct and fair punishment of offenders, reduce re-offending and protecting the public from crime.

In 1887 saw the Probation of First Offenders Act passed which introduced the concept of probation; however, it was not until 20 years later when the Probation of Offenders Act 1907 was created and that a recognizable form of probation was carried out. (Whitehead, 2010)

Whitehead (2010) explains that the Modernisation of The Criminal Justice Act 1991 saw a change from the usual meeting with probation officer to cognitive behavioural programmes. This was to be able to see why offenders break the law and why (Whitehead, 2010).

This saw the responsibility of the service change to the responsibility of the individual. This was to allow them to focus on their specific unacceptable behaviour and to therefore make offenders accept responsibility for their actions.

Another factor that modernised the probation service according to (Whitehead, 2010) was when a Probation Order became a direct sentence from the court. According to the Probation directory (Gov.uk, 2017) The purpose of the order is to ‘’rehabilitate the offender, protect the public and prevent the offender committing further offences’’.

The modernisation of the probation service has had to restructure itself many times over the years to keep up the needs of society with a change in why people commit crime and rather than just sentencing an offender the probation service tries to rehabilitate to stop offending. Now modernisation has led to using programmes such as Volunteering Essex which I have been able to help on during my placement to help archive the new aims of the service.

My placement

During my studies at Anglia Ruskin University we carried out 70 hours of work experience (see appendix 1). For my work experience I was fortunate enough to work with NACRO and the Probation Service as a volunteer in the scheme called Rehabilitation Essex.

Transforming Rehabilitation is the name given to the government’s programme for how offenders are managed in England and Wales from February 2015. (NACRO 2017). The programme has involved volunteers and some paid staff becoming mentors for people who have just left prison and need support.

During my time volunteering I help offenders to achieve these goals they discussed with the probation officer. These goals can include: helping with debit, housing, diet, housing, applying for job/ benefits, enrolling in education and finally helping with CV’s.

 

To be able to do this role did a day of training up in Colchester. I learnt about behaviours I should have, what to expect, I got given a work phone to communicate with my mentees. After training I shadowed my supervisor who is a probation officer to see what she does with her meetings to make sure I knew what to do. I found this very beneficial as it demonstrated how I should act in this type of situation.

 

The purpose of my role

The whole purpose of Rehabilitating Essex is to support offenders after leaving prison. Due to a high number of prisoners re-offend within a year (NACRO,2017). According to open Justice (2017) this figure was 59% of offenders reoffend. Research conducted my NACRO (2017) found that if all offenders where supported for an entire year then this rate will fall dramatically to under 25%. This is the reason NACRO and The Probation Service created rehabilitation Essex.

What are Ethics?

Ethics can be described by Wellington (2000) as a moral principle or a code of conduct which guides what people do.  The term ethics usually refers to the moral principles or code of conduct, which are held by a group or even a profession. Ethics create a way to justify moral decisions when we are unclear about what to do in situations which involve making moral issues.

Why are ethics important?

Ethics are a necessary in employment and within everyday life. Ethics and moral decision making are our way of deciding our approaches in life and possibly employment. Without ethics, there would be no way of deciding on what to do in a moral decision as you will have no ethics to guide you. Without ethics, we then may be unable to achieve our goals in life and employment. By exploring ethics, it assists us to understand our reasoning ability during though moral decisions (Felkenese 1987).

A person’s work ethic can tell you a lot about an employee. If the employee has an excellent work ethic, you can almost assume that they are going to be reliable, trustworthy, and efficient within the workplace.

Ethics within the workplace in society is governed through rules and even legal restrictions that tell you if something is considered, to be right or wrong. Employers may have rules or code of conducts   to uphold and maintain a ridged idea of ethical and moral values. An example of an employer that has ethical code of conduct is the Police force.

The Police use the code of Ethics to govern the Police’s ethical behaviour. The code of ethics where created by The College of Policing (2014) some of the codes include Policing behaviour, Policing principles, confidentiality and duties and responsibilities to name a few.

By the Police service and The College of Policing creating this code of conduct it created knowledge of what behaviours Police officers should have. before 2014 these behaviours where never written down for Police to look at nor learn about. Now they are the Police have something to abide by. The college of Policing also state that ‘’the codes help police professionals make the right decisions includes enhancing the knowledge and evidence base as well as developing a framework for continuous professional development’’.

What are Ethics in the criminal justice sector.

Ethics are very important for those who work within the criminal justice sector. People who work in this sector have great power and influence on society every single day. Therefore, it is imperative that these individuals work ethically.

Ethics are described as ‘crucial’ within the criminal Justice sector within the research conducted by Banks (2004). This is due to the Public sector contains a huge amount of power and social control to tackle crime and enforce the law.

It is important as people working in this sector that they are ethical for 2 main reasons. Firstly, by working unethically can cause miscarriage of justice. This can be extremely costly to the services perception and trust from the public. Unethical examples such as the cover up of the racism in the Stephen Lawrence murder caused a lack of trust in the Criminal justice system. An article by The BBC (Muir, 2014) said that Policing has been ‘damaged’ by the behaviour of its staff during the inquiry of Lawrence’s death. This is due to the Discriminative behaviour found in officers who were investigating the murder.

Secondly unethical acts within the criminal justice system weakens society. By acting unethical can cause harm to citizens causing a lack of trust and respect. For instance, if citizens in a community are mistreated by the Police then they can be unwilling to help report crimes therefore crime will be harder to manage and less criminals will be caught.

Ethics and my placement.

During this module, I have looked closely at Ethical behaviour. During our lectures, we looked closely at the British sociological association’s Ethical guidelines (2017) and we are also monitored by these and the Anglia Ruskin research ethics (2017). These guidelines state how we should act and behave, what happens if we don’t act ethically and why we should act Ethically.

As a student who has just had their first experience within the criminal justice sector, I never really understood the importance of ethical behaviour within the criminal justice.

Within my training for this role we discussed ethics and our behaviour. This was to ensure we understood boundaries, skills we need and the characteristics we should display. This goes hand in hand with guidelines from the British sociological association’s Ethical guidelines (2017) and the Anglia Ruskin research Ethics (2017) as it states we should understand the type of relationship between the participant and the researcher. This is to ensure ethical conduct to prevent harm.

I now understand that its it crucial for me to understand the importance of ethics and why we get so much training on the subject. Without this knowledge then I could harm the individuals I am trying to help. During my work experience I have worked with vulnerable people. If I did not work ethically or under Anglia Ruskin’s reserch ethics (2017) then I can cause harm in a few ways including. Causing stress, exposing their confidentiality/anonymity and it can also cause them to reoffend.

Additionally, I have written a reflective diary. Within week 11 I wrote a piece about ethics in my placement. (see appendix 2). Within this reflective diary I discussed ethical problems that can/have occurred within working in the criminal justice sector.

Conclusion

In conclusion, before placement I never imagined or thought that ethical behaviour would be important ant in my career within the justice sector. just by doing 70 hours of placement I can see that ethical behaviour is extremely important principle and without out ethics in the criminal justice sector can cause lack of trust, a toxic relationship between the public and the Public sector and even miscarriages of justice.

It is important that criminal justice workers understand ethics and are trained throughout their career. This is to ensure that the person is working ethically and understands what their power could do it not used ethically. Cases such as the Stephen Lawrence’s Case could have been prevented if these officer had training to see how their unethical behaviour would have effected a murder investigation and a whole communities trust in the Police Service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

  • Ragonese, E. (2015). The Routledge guide to working in criminal justice. 1st ed. New York: Routledge.
  • McNair, S . (2003) Employability in higher education. LTSN Generic centre/ university of Surrey. [Accessed 7 Nov. 2017].
  • justice.gov.uk. (2017). re-offending rate. [online] Available at: http://open.justice.gov.uk/reoffending/prisons/ [Accessed 13 Dec. 2017].
  • NACRO (2017). A social justice charity | Nacro. [online] Nacro. Available at: https://www.nacro.org.uk/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2017].
  • The College of Policing 2014. Code of Ethics | College of Policing. [online] Available at: http://www.college.police.uk/What-we-do/Ethics/Pages/Code-of-Ethics.aspx [Accessed 13/12/17]
  • co.uk. (2017). Guidelines of Ethical research. [online] Available at: https://www.britsoc.co.uk/publications/ethics/ [Accessed 11 Dec. 2017].
  • anglia.ac.uk. (2017). Research Ethics. [online] Available at: http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/rido/ethics/index.phtml [Accessed 11 Dec. 2017].
  • Felkenes, G. 1987. “Ethics in the Graduate Criminal Justice Curriculum.” Teaching Philosophy 10(1): 23–26.
  • Banks, C. (2004). Criminal Justice Ethics: Theory and Practice. 4th ed. London: Sage.
  • uk. (2017). National Probation Service – GOV.UK. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-probation-service [Accessed 27 Dec. 2017].
  • Whitehead, P. (2010). Exploring modern probation. Bristol: Policy Press.
  • Muir, H. (2014). Policing ‘damaged’ after Stephen Lawrence report. The BBC. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26474009 [Accessed 27 Dec. 2017].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix

 

Appendix 1: 70-hour log

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix 2: reflective diary entry 27th November 2017

Ethical issues in my placement

Doing work experience in the justice sector is rewarding and exciting however it can be very difficult at times when trying to be ethical. As we are doing work experience as part of our degree we must ensure that the people we are volunteering with know this to be Ethical and honest so we don’t cause harm or stress to any person we may come in contact with.

Ethics has become a big topic when doing our work experience module. Some of the ethical problems I have had to face while being on placement are making sure they have full confidentiality. This means I don’t know their full name or what crime they have done. They can tell me however if this was known to anyone is can cause harm or stress to my mentee if others know. Especially due to a lot of our meetings are in public.

Another ethical issue I have faced doing this work experience is making sure I don’t expose myself to much to the offender. This is a safety reason by using my own phone or meeting them in their house for example would make the whole meeting totally unethical. A way I can stop this happening is meeting in places which is appreciate and only contact the offender off my work phone to stay professional and to make sure no one else has access to my phone.

Finally, the last big ethical issue I have is because I write reports after every meeting I could potentially write something harmful or because they are on my personal computer these could be stolen or seen by someone else if not looked after correctly. These reports can contain personal information such as where they are living, if they have children, the offence committed. Which if seen by someone can prevent someone’s confidentiality and anonymity. A way I can prevent these being looked at is my securing my laptop, making sure I don’t leave paperwork, I don’t write to personal information on there just in case.

During this module, I have looked closely at Ethical behaviour. During our lectures, we looked closely at the British sociological association’s Ethical guidelines (2017) and we are also monitored by these and the Anglia Ruskin research ethics (2017). These guidelines state how we should act and behave, what happens if we don’t act ethically and why we should act Ethically.

Due to these guidelines, my ethical practice has been informed by these ethical principles by allowing me to see why we have these guidelines also it has enlightened me to behaviours I should have during my work and volunteering.

 

Bibliography

  • co.uk. (2017). Guidelines of Ethical research. [online] Available at: https://www.britsoc.co.uk/publications/ethics/ [Accessed 11 Dec. 2017].
  • anglia.ac.uk. (2017). Research Ethics. [online] Available at: http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/rido/ethics/index.phtml [Accessed 11 Dec. 2017].

 

 

 

 

Appendix 3: reflective dairy entry 13th November 2017

what have I learnt during my work experience in reference to Kolb’s (1984) learning cycle.

During my work experience I have learnt many things however one thing that have stood out is learning and developing my communication skills. Prior to this module I thought I was good at communicating. I have focused on this skill many times within my time in education. However, starting this module, it soon became clear I was not as good at communicating as I first thought.

During this module, we looked at a study conducted by Kolb (1984) called ’The Experiential Learning Cycle’. Kolb’s experiential learning style theory is typically represented by four stages. The four stages can be described to us by McLeod (2017) :

  1. ‘’Concrete Experience – (a new experience of situation is encountered, or a reinterpretation of existing experience).
  2. Reflective Observation (of the new experience. Of importance are any inconsistencies between experience and understanding).
  3. Abstract Conceptualisation (Reflection gives rise to a new idea, or a modification of an existing abstract concept).
  4. Active Experimentation (the learner applies them to the world around them to see what results).’’

As stated above my new learning experience was being able to practice my communication skills. This is the first part of Kolb’s cycle. The second stage of the learning cycle is reflecting after the event. Soon after starting my work experience I got a work phone to ensure offenders where only contacting me on this phone for my safety and to keep things professional. As someone who is always on the phone and communicating daily I thought I would be good at it. however, upon reflecting I saw I was missing calls on not replying to messages as quickly as I can. This looks unprofessional and must be frustrating for people who have left prison.

After reflecting I had to come up with a plan to be able to correct this. This is the theorising stage of Kolb’s cycle (1984). To combat my bad communication, I planned to message my mentee’s 24 hours before appointments to make sure they are still available and to remind them. Also, I told my offenders that my personal mentor phone will be on Monday-Thursday 2-6 for any phone calls. I also mentioned that out of this time they can contact the probation officer (my supervisor) who will get me to contact my mentee.

The final stage of the cycle is testing and making sure my plan is going to work ready for the next time I need to communicate with my mentees. I started using this plan and it does work. I have a balance between work experience, work and university along with some free time. I am communicating better and this has made it easier for my mentees to contact me. I haven’t yet failed to answer a phone call and by reminding my offenders the day before ensures that neither of us will be stood put if we forget or unable to attend.

Overall Kolb’s learning cycle has been practical and helpful when improving and learning from a new experience. He states that Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience” (Kolb, 1984, p. 38). By using this cycle, it made me identify my weaknesses and made me reflect so I can improve. Due to Kolb’s cycle, I will continue to use the way I communicate with my mentee’s.

 

Bibliography

  • Kolb, D. (1984). Experimental learning. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.
  • McLeod, S. (2017). Kolb’s Learning Styles and Experiential Learning Cycle | Simply Psychology. [online] Simplypsychology.org. Available at: https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html [Accessed 11 Dec. 2017].

 

 

 

How will the outcomes of BSF be measured to confirm they have successfully been delivered?

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N ovember 2009 – FINAL
Lynda Cox
Project Director
Turner & Townsend
10 Bedford Street
London
WC2E 9HE
United Kingdom
t: +49 (0)20 7420 0900
e: lynda.cox@turntown.co.uk
w: turnerandtownsend.com
Transforming Learning in Brent
Brent Building Schools for the Future
Brent Council
PROJECT INITIATION
DOCUMENT (PID)
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Brent Council
Brent Building Schools for the Future
making the difference
DOCUMENT CONTROL 2
1 INTRODUCTION 4
2 PROJECT DEFINITION 6
3 PROJECT OBJECTIVES 10
4 PROJECT SCOPE 18
5 PROJECT DELIVERABLES 27
6 CONSTRAINTS 29
7 INTERFACES 32
8 ASSUMPTIONS 33
9 PROJECT MANAGEMENT, GOVERNANCE, PROJECT CONTROLS & BUDGET 34
10 PROJECT PLAN 50
11 COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 51
12 RISK MANAGEMENT 52
Appendix A 56
Terms of Reference for Project Board and Project Team 56
Project Governance 56
Project Board, Project Team, Work Stream Group Memberships 56
Project Directory 56
Appendix B 57
Project Director’s Job Description 57
Project Manager’s Job Description 57
Appendix C 58
Memorandum of Understanding 58
Appendix D 59
Draft Risk Register 59
Appendix E 60
Readiness to Deliver 60
Appendix F 61
Draft Master Programme 61
Appendix G 62
Draft Communication Plan 62
Appendix H 63
Map of Geographical Area Covered 63
Appendix I 64
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Brent Building Schools for the Future
making the difference
Full Project Scope 64
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expressly provided to and solely for the use of Brent Council and must not be quoted from, referred to,
used by or distributed to any other party without the prior consent of Turner & Townsend Project
Management who accept no liability of whatsoever nature for any use by any other party.
F:\LON\PM\PPP\PPP PROJECTS\PM16573 – BRENT BSF\4.3 PID\REV 1A DRAFT\PID – 090626 REV 1A DRAFT.DOC
Approvals
This Project Initiation Document has, following discussions, been accepted by the Project
Board. It is signed off hereunder by the Chairman of the Project Board on behalf of the Board
members.
Signature and Date Version
Gareth Daniel
(Chief Executive (Sponsor))
John Christie
(Director of Children &
Families)
Distribution
Name Position Date of Issue Version
Project Team 29/06/09 Draft 1A
Project Team 10/09/09 Draft 3
Project Board 10/09/09 Draft 3
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Project Board 08/10/09 Draft 5
Project Board 03/12/09 Final
Project Team 08/12/09 Final
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1 Introduction
The Project Initiation Document (PID) sets out the proposed work programme and project management
arrangements for the management and governance of the Transforming Learning in Brent, Building Schools for the
Future (BSF) programme for Brent Council. This PID aims to provide a clear understanding of the revised project
objectives, key deliverables, timescales, roles and responsibilities and management of risk.
The PID is a baseline document and amendments can only be made once approved by Project Board. This would
usually be as a consequence of an exception or through the change control process.
1.1 Background
BSF was launched by the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) (previously Department of
Education and Skills (DfES)) in February 2004 and is the largest single capital investment programme in 50 years.
BSF is a 15 year programme (over 15 Waves) which will ultimately see almost every secondary school in the
country either rebuilt or refurbished.
Brent Council submitted an Expression of Interest (EoI) to Partnerships for Schools (PfS) for entry into Wave 7 of
the National BSF programme. The EoI was subsequently approved. Brent Council has now proceeded to the
Readiness to Deliver (RtD) stage and originally submitted its RtD to PfS for approval on the 8th May 2009, which
was evaluated. PfS has stated that no project will formally start until it is content that Brent Council is ready to
deliver.
Further to the submission of the RtD Brent Council attended a Panel meeting stage with PfS. The Panel meeting
forms part of the BSF ‘Pre-Engagement’ stage. This stage is essentially a qualification stage through which Local
Authorities, who wish to enter the BSF programme, compete against each other to gain a funding allocation in a
particular programme Wave.
PfS has decided that at this point Brent Council will not be joining the current programme. However the Council
resubmitted its Readiness to Deliver on the 17th September 2009 to become part of the next intake and attended a
Panle meeting on the 4 November 2009. A decision on the Council’s acceptance onto the programme is expected
during November 2009. If successful Brent Council will commence on programme in either January or March
2010.
1.2 Local Context
Brent is an outer London Authority, with many inner London characteristics. It has a growing and diverse
population, and is one of only three Boroughs where black and minority ethnic groups (BME) make up the majority
of the population. The Borough is home to some of the country’s largest regeneration programmes, with
opportunities for wholesale transformation and growth in Wembley, South Kilburn, Stonebridge, Church End,
Alperton, Colindale and the North Circular Road. As a council we have a long track record of successful
regeneration programmes, and moving forward we see BSF as a critical component of driving and delivering
change in our priority areas across the Borough.
Fundamental to the success of these programmes will be our ability to break the deep rooted cycle of deprivation
evident in large parts of the Borough. According to the Government’s index of deprivation, Brent is within the
15% most deprived areas in the country. Parts of the south of the Borough – Stonebridge, Kilburn, Harlesden,
Church End – are amongst the most deprived neighbourhoods in London. Other areas – Wembley, Chalkhill and
Barham Park – are clearly falling down the deprivation rankings.
Notwithstanding this many of our education outcomes across the Borough are strong. For several years GCSE
results at KS4 in Brent have been above the London and national average. Numbers of young people who are not
in education, employment and training (NEET) are low. Retention and progression rates for post 16 education are
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good, and a significant number of Year 13 students move on to higher education. Our attendance figures are
above the national average and Ofsted rates 11 of our 14 secondary schools as good or outstanding.
Many of our school buildings are old, shabby and deteriorating. Some are not fit for purpose and fail to meet the
diverse needs of our learners. In their current condition very few are capable of positioning themselves as true
community hubs. Significant investment will be required if our schools are to drive both regeneration and place
shaping in our priority areas, and deliver additional capacity to meet the needs of the expected growth within the
Borough.
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2 Project Definition
2.1 High Level Strategic Objectives
Brent Council’s shared aim is to ensure that all children and young people lead happy, fulfilling and successful
lives. We want Brent’s children to realise their potential and succeed in life. Our challenge is to support the large
proportion of children who experience the greatest barriers to learning: those who live transient lives, those with
additional or acute needs, and those who live in our priority neighbourhoods or within families on low incomes.
Our performance to date indicates that good progress has been made against the goals we have set but there are
still areas where our performance needs to be strengthened. We also need to consider the scale of population
growth and the changing profile of children and young people in Brent. There is already clear evidence of
increasing deprivation and this likely to be exacerbated by the current economic downturn.
Brent Council views BSF as being integral to the delivery of the priorities contained within both our Corporate
Strategy and our Community Plan. A critical component of this is ensuring that we build tangible links between
our BSF programme and other regeneration priorities.
Our BSF programme will be directly linked with our other regeneration programmes. Our Local Development
Framework and our Regeneration Strategy set out a clear set of regeneration and growth priorities in Wembley,
South Kilburn, North Circular Road, Alperton, Church End and Colindale. Internally Brent Council has a Major
Project Group, with a specific remit for driving forward regeneration within these areas in a corporate and
collaborative fashion. The development of the BSF programme has been integral to the shaping of these wider
regeneration priorities, and likewise will be at the heart of their delivery.
All of the Borough’s secondary schools are already linked to primary schools, through extended school clusters and
all are part of Local Partnership Boards. We will build on this to ensure a direct link between BSF and our Primary
Capital Programme (PCP), and in some instances we will create all-through schools on a single site. We will also
integrate our existing Academy and the three new proposed academies into our BSF programme. By bringing our
school improvement programmes together, we will be able to better deliver co-located community facilities on
school sites and promote extended community access. This will ensure that our schools are able to become true
community hubs and act as real catalysts for growth and regeneration.
We are particularly keen to explore the location of community sports facilities on school sites, and have recently
achieved this in South Kilburn by working closely with Westminster’s BSF programme. Other appropriate facilities
for co-location may include Children’s Centres/Family Centres, health facilities and cultural facilities.
Brent’s Children’s Partnership has developed a Children and Young People’s Plan (CYYP) which sets out our
collective vision and aspirations for young people, and informs the way relevant services are commissioned. The
key strategic objectives are to:
§ Ensure excellent education and training is available to all our children and young people;
§ Ensure our children and young people remain safe and protected;
§ Ensure access to the very best opportunities in and out of school;
§ Support the development of strong families to improve outcomes for children.
Local services have a track record of developing and delivering excellent and innovative services which benefit
those in most need, including extended schools, and support when children move from primary to secondary
school. The achievement of Brent’s children and young people has improved dramatically in recent years.
Collectively, Brent’s young people are among the top performers in London and many of our education outcomes
across the Borough are strong. There are exceptions to the overall strong education performance, and there are
significant variations in standards both between schools and between different groups of students. For example,
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we have particular concerns about the performance of Somali students (in 2008 just 35% achieved A*-Cs
including English and Mathematics) and Black Caribbean students (in 2008 just 40% achieved A*-Cs including
English and Maths). There remains a disparity between the performances of students eligible for free school meals
(FSM) and the remaining students, although our Improving Outcomes programme has made significant strides
towards reducing that gap in recent years, focussing specifically on black and minority ethnic (BAME) students.
Our vision for lasting educational transformation through BSF reflects the priorities in the CYPP, as well as Brent
Council’s wider regeneration, growth, community safety, culture and sport priorities. We are determined to
narrow the gaps in standards so that all schools exceed national and floor targets by 2017. Equally it is critical
that we build on the progress we have already made towards closing the attainment gap between those minority
groups who consistently under-perform and the rest of the Borough’s students. Brent Council will work across
traditional agency boundaries to achieve the priorities we have set and we know that without this, we will not be
able to improve children and young people’s prospects across all the five Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes.
Our BSF strategy is a vital component in achieving this.
2.2 How will Brent Council address its Remit for Change?
The Remit for Change is where PfS sets out the strategic objectives and targets for the Council as informed by the
pre-engagement process and Readiness to Deliver. It sets out a delivery timeframe and the key dates and
milestones leading to submission and approval of the Outline Business Case (OBC).
[DN: Insert info on Remit for Change when received from PfS.]
2.3 The key elements of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) confirms the mutual obligations and respective roles and
responsibilities of PfS and Brent Council. It establishes a clear set of expectations between both parties in
delivering BSF both nationally and locally, and makes explicit to Brent Council what to expect when embarking on
the BSF programme.
The MoU builds on the RtD commitments and is intended to assist in aligning stakeholders at the beginning of the
project and to increase the likelihood of securing a successful project delivered on time. Although the MoU is not a
legally binding document, it is owned by each of the parties to it, and was signed by PfS on 29 April 2009 and
Brent Council on 7 May 2009.
A copy of the MoU is provided in Appendix C of this document.
The key elements/responsibilities of the MoU and the how Brent Council will address them, during the course of
the BSF programme, are outlined below.
Governance and Management
§ Appoint Project Sponsor – Project Sponsor appointed (Chief Executive)
§ Set up Project Board – Project Board set up and fully operational
§ Scheme support at senior level – Project Team and work stream groups set up and operating
§ PfS permitted to access meetings and information – Access to meetings and information granted
§ Internal membership – Please refer to Appendix A for memberships
§ Appoint Project Director – Acknowledged and in progress
§ Appointment of External Advisors – Acknowledged and in progress
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Information Sharing
§ Budget for resources and advisory support – Agreed
§ Allow PfS to attend all meetings – Access to meetings and information granted
Standard Structure
§ Commitment to use standard Local Education Partnership (LEP) structure – Agreed
§ Appoint LEP Director – Acknowledged to be agreed
§ Commitment to use LEP as integrator of ICT – Acknowledged to be agreed
§ Default funding solution for new build is through PFI – Acknowledged
Standard Documents
§ Commit to use standard suite of documentation – Acknowledged
§ PfS enforces use of standard documentation – Acknowledged
§ Funding is dependent on the above – Acknowledged
Resources Internal
§ Confirm commitment to fund and commit
§ Project Sponsor time – Agreed
§ Project Director Time – Agreed
§ Project Team – Agreed
§ Independent client design advisors – Agreed
§ Ensure adequate resources are in place for the BSF process – Acknowledged
Resources External
§ Commit to appoint, fund and manage external advisors – Agreed
§ Appoint external advisors as early as possible but prior to Remit Meeting – Agreed
Funding
§ Responsibility for maximising other funding sources – Agreed
§ Tailor estates solution for benchmark funding allocation – Acknowledged to be agreed
§ Determine procurement route for best value for money – Acknowledged to be agreed
§ Provide costed control options for each school site – Acknowledged to be agreed
§ Provide indicative construction programme minimising school disruption – Acknowledged to be agreed
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Communication
§ Inform PfS of any planned communications – Acknowledged, outlined in Communication Plan
§ Approval required for any BSF press releases – Acknowledged, outlined in Communication Plan
§ Include PfS Chief Executive Officer quote in every press release – Acknowledged, outlined in Communication
Plan
§ Alert PfS Communication Director to any local issues that may cause negative publicity – Acknowledged
§ Agree lines to take on any rapid rebuttal with PfS Communication Director – Acknowledged, lines yet to be
agreed
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3 Project Objectives
3.1 What is Brent Council seeking to achieve through its BSF Programme?
BSF will enable Brent Council to transform learning in Brent. At the heart of this will be the effective
personalisation of learning to ensure that each learner has the opportunity to achieve and succeed. Our ICT
service will fully support this aim. Brent Council is seeking to transform learning through its BSF programme as
below:
§ A clearly communicated and shared vision for personalisation inspired by the BSF process;
§ Strong leadership and governance within each school committed to the transformation agenda;
§ High quality staff in schools and across other services who share the drive for effective personalisation;
§ An effective 0-19 framework for assessment for learning and pupil progress tracking. This will incorporate
parent and student voice and ensure parents have easy access to information and targeted support;
§ A flexible, skills-based personal curriculum that supports creativity and culture, where Functional Skills and
Personalised Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) are embedded within delivery, that will allow young people to
access qualifications ‘when they are ready’ rather than at pre-determined ages;
§ A collaborative and connected approach to 14-19 delivery involving colleges and other providers using
innovative ICT solutions to transform learning;
§ A strong system to support vulnerable learners which focuses attention on hard to reach families and those
that may be unable to engage effectively on their own;
§ A transformational e-learning strategy that makes best use of media-rich digital technologies within learning
spaces that enable personalised use of ICT and curriculum innovation.
3.1.1 A clearly communicated and shared vision for personalisation
As part of the strategy to transform learning in Brent through BSF, the Education Improvement Partnership (EIP)
(Brent’s strategic partnership involving all secondary Heads and Children and Families Officers) will draw up a
‘Learning Contract’ which will have personalisation at its heart to ensure that all Brent learners have a broad
curriculum which meets their individual needs and talents.
ICT will support this by enabling learners to access resources across the Borough. Our open access policy will offer
learners the opportunity to design personalised learning pathways supported by our learning platform. Intelligent
data will be available to learners to build upon their pathways.
3.1.2 Strong leadership and governance within each school committed to the transformational
agenda
We will develop change plans for each of these areas that will identify how Brent Council intends to achieve
transformation. These plans will look beyond the short term and will support the LEP in identifying the continuing
change required post construction to effect educational transformation. These plans will support the development
of capacity building at both school and local authority level to ensure long-term sustainable change and will also
identify how we will guarantee the sustainable leadership necessary to lead and shape the transformed school
system in Brent that BSF will enable. System leadership in the future will evolve around the leadership of learning
communities rather than single institutions and leadership will become more participative and inclusive than at
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present. This will include the development of the strategic role of school governance to reflect this changing model
of schooling.
Our strategy will support us by:
§ Acknowledging that change is a journey and not a destination – our plans will change as we evaluate our
progress;
§ Building capacity in our schools and at a local authority level to support transformation;
§ Providing a clear change framework to support the work of all stakeholders;
§ Making clear what we need to do to transform;
§ Empowering those who are leading change to be innovative and radical;
§ Developing the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes that will support us in new ways of working;
§ Enabling the innovative use of new technologies;
§ Ensuring that schools and the local authority are expert clients in the transformation process;
§ Helping us to manage the emotional journey that transformation will require;
• Making links between the various performances regimes to ensure that we can make judgements about the
progress we are making against the milestones we have identified.
The change management process will be supported and enhanced through a Continuing Professional Development
(CPD) programme led by the EIP and through the workforce reform and modernisation agenda. This process will
engage non-school based staff from other service areas – libraries, culture and sports – in order to ensure an
effective multi-agency approach to our transformation agenda. ICT will underpin this approach and enable
innovation. ICT will give leaders the opportunity to refine and develop their institutional leadership by providing
timely and relevant information. It will support workforce reform. Our managed ICT service will in turn support
this, providing teachers and support staff with the time and space to be effective practitioners. Our two existing
City Learning Centres (CLCs) will have a key role as change leaders and champions of new technologies.
3.1.3 An effective 0-19 framework for assessment for learning and pupil progress tracking. This
will incorporate parent and student voice and ensure parents have easy access to
information and targeted support
Brent Council has a transformational vision for the curriculum at all key stages. In addition to meeting the five
Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes our vision has the ultimate aim of creating highly successful learners who are
confident individuals and responsible citizens. We have robust plans in place to ensure delivery of the secondary
strategy and BSF will enable us to deliver the National Curriculum Big Picture by organising learning to focus on
attitudes and attributes, functional skills, personal learning and thinking skills, and knowledge and understanding
to:
§ Ensure all young people are more fulfilled, better equipped for a knowledge based economy and employment,
and will engage in lifelong learning;
§ Accelerate learning and achievement at each key stage including KS3;
§ Strengthen the delivery of each school’s specialism;
§ Support the development of schools’ second or third specialism;
§ Provide Brent’s young people with the possibilities of taking part in the enormous range of opportunities
presented by the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and their legacy, which is particularly important given the
role of Wembley Stadium as a key Olympic venue.
The partnership-wide curriculum will broaden the opportunities available to all young people, meet their needs,
stretch their talents and thus contribute to national participation targets. To ensure that all young people choose
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the most effective curriculum pathway, high quality Information Advice and Guidance (IAG) is a partnership
priority. The partnership’s IAG provision has been assessed as good and its provision for targeted groups effective.
We believe that every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of
learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances. BSF investment will support our
drive to make more use of the environment to support learning. Learning outside the classroom – be it within
school grounds or in the wider locality – provides a stimulating and varied context for creativity, problem-solving,
decision-making and participation. Local buildings, streets and green spaces are very much a part of young
people’s lives and BSF will allow opportunities for young people to shape their future learning environments and
ensure that our new and remodelled schools are seen as part of a much wider learning environment that embraces
the local community.
3.1.4 A flexible, skills-based personal curriculum that supports creativity and culture, where
Functional Skills and Personalised Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) are embedded within
delivery, that will allow young people to access qualifications ‘when they are ready’ rather
than at pre-determined ages;
The opportunity through BSF to completely re-design how the curriculum is delivered and its content will provide
many opportunities for young people to develop as independent and life-long learners. The use of ICT and flexible
learning spaces will promote the tailoring of a curriculum to suit the stage of progress, talents and interests of all
learners. All-through campuses and co-location of special school provision will enable individual schools to draw on
the expertise of others. In Brent we intend to move from single institutions to collaborative, multiple campuses,
giving learners and communities access to a much wider range of expertise and specialised facilities.
This personalisation of learning will ensure that our young people learn in ways which engage and motivate them.
They will employ a range of learning styles, enabled by new and remodelled spaces, which will support their
development into confident, motivated, independent learners who can apply their learning across a range of
contexts.
3.1.5 A collaborative and connected approach to 14-19 delivery involving colleges and other
providers using innovative ICT solutions to transform learning;
Brent Council’s 14-19 strategy is driven by the 14-19 Partnership comprising all schools, work-based learning
providers, the College of North West London, Learning & Skills Centre, Connexions, Education Business Partnership
(EBP) and alternative education provision. The partnership’s proven track record, endorsed by the DCSF 14-19
Progress Check assessment in October 2008, showed that effectiveness and collaborative arrangements are strong
and will ensure effective delivery of the 14-19 entitlement.
The 14-19 Partnership’s vision and strategic plan put the development of skills and competencies at the heart of
the curriculum. There is a robust strategy for the delivery of all 17 diploma lines at each level by 2013, including
the Foundation Learning Tier and Apprenticeships. All our schools have specialist status and between them cover
most of the range of specialisms available. The diploma offer by all schools is strategically linked to their
specialism. By improving standards in all schools through the opportunities supported by BSF we will extend
choice further as all our secondary schools will offer more than one specialism. This will enable a strategic balance
of specialisms across the borough and further support and enhance the diploma offer at 14-19.
The diploma lines are being phased in over a five year period, starting with Creative and Media from 2009. The
partnership has agreed a lead provider and delivery partners for each diploma based on each school’s specialist
status and its identified expertise. All schools will be involved in the delivery of at least one diploma. The facility
to remodel provision and ICT infrastructures through BSF will enable increased efficiency for the delivery of
extended schools core offer for learners and underpin Brent Council’s robust strategy for the 14-19 and vocational
offer.
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Each secondary school provides post 16 education; four schools in the south of the borough are part of a 6th form
consortium and the two single sex faith schools also offer a joint provision at post 16. We have a Further
Education College which works very closely with all secondary schools, offering alternative pathways, and has sites
in both the north and the south of the borough.
3.1.6 A strong system to support vulnerable learners which focuses attention on hard to reach
families and those that may be unable to engage effectively on their own;
All our schools are linked to primary schools through extended school clusters and all are part of locality
partnership boards. These arrangements enable the strategic planning of extended facilities, support community
access to school facilities, drive local priority-setting and help meet community needs through multi-agency
working.
At the heart of the BSF strategy will be the co-location of multi-agency services in local neighbourhoods. We are
already well advanced in developing integrated teams co-located on school sites and successfully applied for
funding through the Cross-Government Co-Location fund for two school based capital projects. BSF investment will
further support our strategic plan to deliver five integrated teams in localities which will identify needs early and
offer appropriate support including speedy access to specialist services.
The development of an educational, social and community campus in Brent schools will transform facilities through
improved building design. This will ensure the ability to provide access to the widest range of opportunities for an
increasingly diverse community and its learning needs. The quality of place will enhance the success of our
integrated services agenda by making the local community want to make use of the facilities located within and
around our schools. We will do this by ensuring that our BSF school designs fully meet the needs of our young
people and the wider community, are visually attractive, safe, accessible, functional, and improve the character
and quality of the local area.
Through improved community access, innovative technology solutions and enhanced family learning opportunities
the BSF investment will empower parents to be part of a successful learning experience and support the
development of adult skills and thus improve employability. In turn, this will promote improved social mobility
using the enhanced facilities to address the causes of underachievement. ICT will give us the opportunity, built on
a structured change management programme, to bring agencies together by offering a common learning platform
and real time communication. This will enhance their engagement with each other and help promote inter agency
working.
The outstanding capacity of our schools to drive community cohesion will be further enhanced through community
consultation and the relocation of cultural facilities within schools. BSF development funding will enable innovative
building designs to capture Brent Council’s extensive diversity and enable extended school use of such facilities
during and beyond the traditional school day. A joined up approach with our library service will also offer new
ways of accessing learning and learning resources for our pupils and community. BSF will provide greater
opportunities for cultural learning and enable schools to deliver the core offer.
Through BSF we intend to remodel all schools to include a welcoming facility for parents which will be linked to
extended school developments. This will assist in home-school liaison and we hope will encourage the more ‘hard
to reach’ families to feel that schools have something broader to offer which is personalised to their lives.
Technology will support our aim to engage parents and carers.
Through BSF, with the current estate greatly enhanced, the additional, expanded and co-located provision will
offer parents a very much greater diversity and choice of school provision for their children.
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3.1.7 A transformational e-learning strategy that makes best use of media-rich digital
technologies within learning spaces that enable personalised use of ICT and curriculum
innovation.
ICT will, through the provision of a managed ICT service and a managed learning environment for schools by the
LEP, underpin the transformation that BSF will enable in Brent. The use of new technologies will:
§ Support our personalising of the learning experience which will result in improved learner engagement and
learning outcomes;
§ Create a flexible learning environment so that resources can be accessed whenever and wherever they are
needed, including from home;
§ Support all staff, through professional development, and provide tools for collaboration, management and
administration;
• Enable secure and reliable communications between the school and parents, other schools, the local authority
and children’s services.
Our open access policy of enabling our workforce and community to access learning and information at a time and
place that suits their needs will drive our ICT strategy. BSF will support us in making our schools places where our
communities can benefit from our investment in technology. Most schools already subscribe to the London
Managed Learning Environment (MLE) and Brent has lead the way in the creation of an ICT Strategic Leadership
programme that addresses the contribution that ICT can make to personalised learning, the new curricula,
assessment and communications with parents and the community and change management.
Brent Council has secured agreement to use an integrated ICT managed service in line with its ICT strategy and
BSF requirements. The development of a managed service will support innovation, enabling the development of econfidence
across our schools. The ICT service will support us in intelligent management and use of data, learning
platform development and innovative device strategies. We will work with our ICT partner to implement an
ongoing change management process to enable the workforce to benefit fully from the new opportunities
available.
As well as enhancing the curriculum, teaching and learning will support school leadership, management and
administration of our schools by enabling the secure transfer of data with other schools, local authorities, and
children’s services and be accessible to all who need to use it – including school governors. It will support
communication with parents about students’ attendance, behaviour and attainment and allow for efficient
administrative and financial systems including electronic filing and cashless financial transactions within the
school. It will also support school leaders in the analysis of data to provide information about course effectiveness,
staff and learner performance and enable the use of pupil performance data to inform decisions about staff
development and deployment.
We recognise that achieving our vision is dependent on all schools being hubs at the heart of their communities,
delivering excellent personalised education and effectively contributing to all aspects of well being at the front line
of a preventative system. We believe that services should be needs-led and personalised.
The impact of BSF will be that young people develop as independent and life-long learners who develop the skills,
capabilities and competencies needed for a 21st Century society and economy.
3.2 Why is it important to achieve these objectives?
Brent still has too many children who do not achieve their potential. Although Brent schools overall do well against
national benchmark indicators the current school ‘stock’ and delivery cannot improve further without the
transformational opportunity provided by significant investment from BSF.
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3.3 How will the outcomes of BSF be measured to confirm they have successfully been
delivered?
The CYPP identifies our key strategic objectives for transforming educational outcomes in Brent and these
outcomes reflect the wider ambitions of the CYPP. To support the delivery of our transformational agenda, we
have identified the following Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – aligned to those in the CYPP – for our BSF
programme. We believe that they are aspirational and reflect the added value that BSF investment will bring to
Brent. They have been derived from the principal objectives of our BSF programme and demonstrate how
outcomes will improve beyond the completion of our BSF programme and, as such, reflect transformational
change sustained over time.
The KPIs will be subject to our corporate monitoring procedures and will be subject to annual review and
modification where necessary. Each school will be expected to identify within its own SfC a set of KPIs that
demonstrate how Brent Council’s aspirations are to be achieved across each school site in Brent. Schools will be
expected to make the KPIs part of their ongoing school improvement planning processes and subject to annual
review by their Schools Improvement Plan (SIP).
Our BSF KPIs are:
• All secondary schools are rated as Outstanding for effectiveness;
• All secondary schools have an agreed learning contract;
• All young people and their families have access to high quality provision matched to their needs;
• KS4 data indicates that there are no significant differences in attainment between different ethnic groups or
between boys and girls;
• Permanent exclusions are significantly reduced;
• Each school’s attendance figures match or exceed national averages and no school is categorised for persistent
absence (PA);
• All young people leave full-time education by age 19 with sufficient skills and qualifications to enable them to
engage in employment or higher education;
• 95% of children participate in five hours of quality PE/sport per week;
• Reduction in the percentage of the adult population who do no physical activity per week;
• Surveys (e.g. Tell Us) indicate that young people feel safe at school and enjoy their learning;
• Surveys of families indicate that they feel supported by schools and extended services;
• All young people aged 14-19 have access to a broad range of high quality learning pathways;
• New build schools achieve a 60% reduction in carbon emissions;
• New build schools achieve a BREEAM rating of Excellent for sustainability.
3.4 Delivery of Strategy for Change (SfC)
The detail Brent Council provided in RtD submission describes the ‘what is to be done’ element of their strategic
planning. The SfC is the ‘how it will be done’ component; providing additional detail to the information already
provided in the RtD and setting out a clear, robust and resourced plan for delivering the key challenges and
objectives identified. It ensures that Brent Council’s educational priorities are at the forefront of their BSF planning
processes, enabling more forward-looking learning environments to be developed. School staff, governors and the
local community will need to be engaged with the local authority’s development of its strategic objectives and
plans for its SfC.
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The SfC ties together local education and estate strategies – thus encouraging Brent Council to focus
simultaneously on the two principal elements of the BSF programme.
The three key sections of the SfC are:
§ Transformational overview
§ Proposals to address Key Estate Proposals
§ Project planning;
§ Updated RtD school chart.
The SfC will capture:
§ How Ministerial expectations set out in the Remit for Change will be met;
§ The key objectives of local education and corporate strategies and how these will meet local needs;
§ How BSF investment in ICT and buildings will enable Brent Council to fulfil its role as strategic commissioner
and learners champion of school places to transform outcomes for children and young people;
§ What requirements these objectives place on the school and FE estate and how BSF and LSC investment will
meet those requirements; and
§ The change management strategy and plans to lead and support implementation and delivery.
Brent Council’s SfC will be prepared in accordance wit the BSF Strategy for Change guidance for Local Authorities
in BSF Wave 7-9 (May 2009). Drafting has commenced on Brent Council’s SfC with input from the Project Team
and work stream groups.
3.5 Delivery of the Outline Business Case (OBC)
The OBC is a detailed assessment of what is achievable and affordable in BSF. It provides sufficient detail to
secure formal approval to begin the procurement of a private sector partner.
The OBC aims to ensure that projects are sufficiently robust to move into procurement, and in particular, that they
are affordable, offer value for money, will be attractive to the market and have the necessary local authority
resources and experience in place.
The three key strands of the SfC – meeting the education challenges; the estate strategy; and the procurement
strategy are developed in more practical and financial detail in the OBC. For example, each school’s SfC is
developed to reflect its own needs and priorities, as well as the overall education priorities from Brent Council’s
wider SfC. Each school’s strategy is then used to inform the design for the school.
The OBC will include the confirmation that the SfC aims and plans remain current (or reasons are given for
alternatives developed since the SfC was approved) and in particular that they fit area wide objectives, meet the
Ministerial ‘Remit for Change’, help deliver key policy developments and will improve student outcomes.
Brent Council’s OBC will be prepared in accordance with the PfS OBC guidance.
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3.6 Delivery of Procurement
Brent Council recognises its liabilities to accord fully with European Union (EU), national and local government,
Treasury procurement, legislation and directives together with Town Planning, Building Control and other statutory
requirements.
3.7 Establishment of Local Education Partnership (LEP)
Brent Council has agreed that the BSF programme will be delivered through a LEP. The basis for the
establishment of the LEP has not been determined at present.
3.8 Delivery of Financial Close
To be agreed.
3.9 Internal Resources to support Strategic Partnering Framework (SPF)
The SPF arrangements will be managed by the Commercial, Facilities management (FM) and Legal work stream
group. Decisions in regard to the SPF will be managed by the Project Team and Project Board according to the
project management governance arrangements.
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4 Project Scope
4.1 Brent Council’s First Wave of Schools
For our first wave projects we will develop four schools as learning campuses to support our transformational
vision and to provide a coherent approach to raising attainment. They will model the possibilities opened up by
ICT, the co-location of integrated services and provision of world class, specialist facilities for Diplomas. The first
wave of schools will consist of:
• Alperton Community School – 100% new build on existing site
• Cardinal Hinsley Mathematics and Computing College – 100% new build on existing site
• Queen’s Park Community School – 0%-20% new build (extension) and refurbishment
• Copland Community School – 100% new build on existing site
Learning campuses will be delivered in a variety of ways at different schools. Alperton Community School’s allthrough
provision will have an integrated children’s centre and further its lead role in developing Functional Skills.
Cardinal Hinsley Mathematics and Computing College in the south of the borough, is supporting the delivery of IT
and Sport and Active Leisure Diplomas and will have an on-site targeted multi-agency team for young people with
additional needs and new arrivals. Queens Park Community School, a fully extended school with an integrated
children’s centre, sited at the heart of south Brent’s regeneration activities, is leading on the development of the
Business, Administration and Finance Diploma and will also provide additional school places and resourced SEN
provision. Copland School is a leading edge school for Inclusion and a Science Specialist College. Plans for
expansion are in place and emphasise the concept of a Science College where all students have the opportunity to
follow a course of 10 GCSE subjects in the Upper School. Through extra work Copland students may take
additional GCSE examinations – up to 14 subjects. Students are expected to continue their studies in the sixth
form by taking GCSE, ‘A’ levels, Vocational and Access courses. All four schools will have access to high quality
ICT, flexible learning and community spaces that enable all stakeholders, especially young people and families, to
engage in intergenerational and life-long learning. We will use the new facilities to train and develop a high
quality, flexible workforce. Our Top Priority projects are the right projects to make the biggest impact on our
transformational strategy within a funding allocation of approximately £80m.
Details of the full project scope are attached at Appendix I.
4.2 The Geographical Area covered
A map detailing the geographical area covered is attached Appendix H.
4.3 Linked Capital Projects
Our BSF programme will be directly linked with our other education and regeneration programmes. Demand for
additional capacity in both primary and secondary is being felt across the Borough but the position is acute in the
Wembley area. There is also a lack of secondary provision in the south of the Borough centred on the Stonebridge
area. There is considerable demand from parents in the south of the Borough for places in north Brent schools
which currently cannot be satisfied. In view of this Brent Council is developing an all-through Academy in
Wembley. The admissions criteria for the new Academy will give priority to secondary pupils both in the Wembley
area and in the Stonebridge area.
Our Local Development Framework and our Regeneration Strategy set out a clear set of regeneration and growth
priorities in Wembley, South Kilburn, North Circular Road, Alperton, Church End and Colindale. Internally Brent
Council has a Major Project Group, with a specific remit for driving forward regeneration within these areas in a
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corporate and collaborative fashion. The development of the BSF programme has been integral to the shaping of
these wider regeneration priorities, and likewise will be at the heart of their delivery.
The ongoing regeneration of Wembley is a clear example of Brent Council’s ability to deliver complex, multiagency
regeneration programmes in an effective and efficient way. Brent Council published a vision setting out its
long term aspirations for Wembley and has subsequently worked with a range of public, private and community
partners to deliver against these. Specifically, Brent Council played a key role in delivering a multi-million public
transport improvement programme – establishing with the London Development Agency a dedicated project
management team to oversee capacity and improvements to each of Wembley’s three tube and rail stations.
Brent Council is now working with landowners and developers to bring forward major mixed use developments,
and is taking a direct stake in the regeneration of the area by building a new Civic Centre at the heart of the new
Wembley. Critically Brent Council has also taken a lead on a range of revenue based employment projects to
ensure that local people are in prime position to reap the benefits of the physical transformation of the area.
Currently this only includes secondary school provision but it is anticipated that the remit of the LEP may be
extended to include:
§ Primary Capital Programme (PCP)
§ Regeneration
§ Libraries
§ Sport and physical activity
§ Culture
Brent Council’s Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) notice will be checked against the local scope to
ensure that it includes all the services the Council may wish to deliver via the LEP, as agreed with PfS.
4.4 School Organisation Issues
The diversity and mobility of Brent’s population is increasing and this is reflected in population growth. Recent
figures indicate that there are significant numbers of people moving into the Borough and creating new emerging
communities, as well as significant numbers of transient people within the Borough. The Office for National
Statistics (ONS) estimates that in 2006 our population was 271,400. However, independent research
commissioned by Brent Council estimates the figure to be nearer 289,000 in March 2007. This growth, which is
largely in the south of the Borough, predominantly comprises young adults, often with pre-school or young
children. The increase in young children was confirmed by the 2008 Childcare Sufficiency Assessment undertaken
by Brent Council.
4.4.1 New Schools and Expansion
The number of secondary pupils in the Borough has been increasing each year. Between 2003-04 and 2007-08,
there has been an increase of 783 Y7-11 pupils. In percentage terms, the secondary school population has
increased by 5.4% in a span of just four academic years. The forecast for Y7-11 by 2017-18 currently stands at
15,205 school places –a 5.7% increase on 2008. Demand for sixth form places has also been increasing, rising
from 3453 places in 2004 to 3761 places in 2008.
Brent Council has a steadily growing 11–16 school population, which is centred around not only the growth areas
within the Borough, through three of London’s key regeneration areas Wembley, South Kilburn and Chalkhill, but
also around the increase of overseas migrant workers and their families entering Brent. The rise of migrants into
the Borough is reflected in the increase in casual admissions; between January 2006 and December 2008 we
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required 1920 primary places and 2315 secondary places and annually we have to find, on average, 600 primary
places and 750 secondary places for casual admissions.
Brent is a net exporter of secondary pupils (in 2008, 3,662 pupils travelled out of the borough whilst 3,206
travelled in), but more Brent children are choosing to attend school in Brent. In 2008 77% of secondary aged
pupils resident in Brent attended maintained schools within the Council; this is an increase from 73% since 2006.
Cross border movement mainly occurs when the child lives close to the Brent borders, or parents have chosen a
specific school in another Borough e.g. a faith school.
As set out in the London Spatial Plan and Brent Council’s Local Development Framework Brent is expected to
experience significant housing growth over the next nine years and this will impact on school rolls. Detailed below
is a socio-model of the population increase due to housing growth and the subsequent number of FE required to
accommodate this growth:
This demand for additional capacity in both primary and secondary is being felt across the Borough but the
position is acute in the Wembley area. There is also a lack of secondary provision in the south of the Borough
centred on the Stonebridge area. There is considerable demand from parents in the south of the Borough for
places in north Brent schools which currently cannot be satisfied. In view of this Brent Council is developing an allthrough
Academy in Wembley. The admissions criteria for the new Academy will give priority to secondary pupils
both in the Wembley area and in the Stonebridge area.
Even with the development of the Academy the pressure on school places remains acute with currently (as at 8
January 2009) 124 children aged 4 – 16 without a school place. In addition Brent Council has established
temporary “projects” for secondary pupils who cannot find places and who need to acquire a working knowledge of
English. In February 2009 these projects (effectively overspill capacity) provided education for 130 pupils.
This overall increase in pupils has had a dramatic effect on the demand for school places. Two of the schools
identified for the top priority phase of our BSF programme are over capacity with sizeable waiting lists.
There is now only one secondary school with any surplus capacity: a Roman Catholic boys’ school and this school
has become increasingly popular with Polish, Brazilian and Portuguese families moving into the Borough. The BSF
programme is critical to assisting with our urgently required expansion plans.
The following current projects will provide an additional eight forms of entry (FE) through:
New
Housing
New
Population
New Children
& Young
People Aged
0-18
Nursery
Classes
Req
Primary
School
FEs
Secondary
School
FEs
Post-
16
FEs
Alperton 1,553 3,563 732 3.9 1.3 0.9 1.1
Burnt Oak/Colindale 2,544 5,836 1,199 6.4 2.2 1.4 1.8
Church End 853 1,957 402 2.1 0.7 0.5 0.6
South Kilburn 2,381 5,802 1,384 7.5 2.5 1.6 2.0
Wembley Phase 1 3,728 8,209 1,183 8.4 2.0 0.8 1.3
Wembley Phase 2 NE 1,200 2,839 628 3.3 1.1 0.8 0.9
Wembley Phase 2 NW 1,200 2,745 568 3.1 1.0 0.6 0.8
Rest of Wembley 5,152 11,820 2,428 13.0 4.4 2.8 3.6
Park Royal 1,099 2,521 518 2.8 0.9 0.6 0.8
Other 2,419 5,550 1,140 6.1 2.1 1.3 1.7
Total 22,129 50,840 10,180 56.6 18.4 11.3 14.4
Sub-Total Wembley 11,280 25,612 4,806 27.8 8.6 5.1 6.6
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§ Wembley Park Academy (+6FE) – new school;
§ Preston Manor High School (+1FE) – popular schools initiative
§ Claremont High School (+1FE) – popular schools initiative.
Brent Council’s BSF plans incorporate a number of strategically planned school expansions based on our robust
projections and comprise a new secondary school including primary and Post 16 education places in the growth
area of Alperton in the north of the borough.
A forecasting exercise has been undertaken which takes account of the slackening in demand for in-year
admissions in 2008. Nevertheless it shows that there is still a demand for an additional 10FE in secondary schools
by 2016 and 16FE by 2018 in addition to the 2FE that was added by expansion of two secondary schools in 2007
(Preston Manor High School and Claremont High School).
The forecast of numbers is based on projections provided by the GLA. The shortfalls identified are based on
maintaining a 5% surplus capacity (the Audit Commission has, in the past, recommended 10%). This is a tight
planning margin and is an approach taken to ensure Brent Council does not build too much surplus into the
system. The reason for adopting 5% is because of the uncertainties in the future relating to housing growth and
migration. The above figures are the minimum growth we believe we should aim to deliver.
Within this growth we recognise that our post 16 provision is increasing in popularity with a significant proportion
of our current schools’ sixth forms already at maximum capacity with further demand for them to grow. In view of
this we have been in discussions with the further and higher education providers within the borough to ensure that
Brent Council makes provision for its pupils with the implementation of both diplomas and a campaign to
encourage our young people to continue further and higher education. Our BSF and EIP governance model ensure
close working with representatives from the Further Education sector.
The numbers of children and young people in Brent with profound and multiple learning difficulties is rising. This is
also the case for autistic spectrum disorder. There has been a 20% increase in the numbers of new statements of
SEN comparing 2006/07 to 2007/08 and this trend is continuing. The increasing demand has been taken into
account in our BSF planning for the number of places required to meet specialist needs both within mainstream
and special schools. Queens Park is at the heart of our inclusion plans and through our first BSF project we will be
developing a 15 place SEN Resource Centre as an integral part of this mainstream school.
Our pupil number projections extending beyond the probable length of our BSF programme for: 11-16, post 16
and SEN can be seen in the supplementary information submitted with this document.
All our first wave schools are expansion schemes that have been batched early on to help us meet our statutory
duty. The expansion details are shown below:
§ Alperton School 100% new build +1FE
§ Cardinal Hinsley 100% new build +1FE
§ Queens Park School 0-20% Extension
+ refurbishment +2FE
§ Copland School 100% new build
4.4.2 Consultation
Brent Council understands that effective consultation, engagement and communication are vital success factors
within any transformational change programme.
On a Borough wide basis a number of consultations have already taken place including:
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• A Good School Place for Every Child in Brent – July 2008
• School Places Consultation – Have your Say – July 2008
Brent Council has already developed its Communication Plan for BSF to initially deliver the educational vision
‘Transforming Learning in Brent’. This has included each school in the Top Priority phase consulting with its
stakeholders on the proposals for BSF.
The statutory consultation process in regard to our Top Priority BSF schools is anticipated to commence once the
council is on programme and Brent Council has developed a programme for delivering these statutory
requirements as set out in the Communication Plan.
The Communication Plan also sets out the long term strategy for the development of communication across the
Borough from within Brent Council, and out to the schools and wider community to ensure that one consistent and
joined up message is delivered for this programme. The BSF team, council members and schools are already using
a secure portal known as ‘Huddle’ to communicate internally, which will be a valuable communication medium with
potential partner’s right through the procurement phase. Brent Council has already created its own BSF web page
on its website to inform staff, pupils, parents and general members of the public not only about the BSF
programme but how it may impact on their lives and how they can get involved in the process.
The complex nature of BSF means that there are many and varied stakeholder groups both internally and
externally. As part of our Communication Plan we have undertaken a stakeholder analysis and identified a
significant number of stakeholders. With this in mind we have then developed a stakeholder management plan and
have already engaged in consultation with key stakeholders within the council and with the schools and governors.
All the schools and school governors have been briefed on the process and a number of head teachers, teaching
staff and governors have joined the work stream groups, Project Team and hold key representation on the Project
Board. As part of our initial EOI, Brent Council undertook a lengthy consultation process. As we progress further
into the BSF programme we intend to carry out further detailed consultation to ensure that we fully understand
the hopes, wishes and aspirations of our community so that they can maximise educational, sport and cultural
benefits from our BSF programme.
Brent Council has already had excellent initial stakeholder support for its BSF proposals from all of its Head
teachers and Chairs of Governors. Brent’s Children’s Partnership has fully endorsed our BSF strategy and will
continue to be a key stakeholder as we progress through BSF. The Brent Youth Parliament recently received a
presentation from the Project Team on the BSF Programme and not only actively welcomed the proposals but wish
to engage further in the process. We have already met with the Sorrell Foundation and agreed to utilise their
support for ensuring real engagement and involvement from our children and young people in the design of their
schools from September 2009 (subject to the outcome of our Readiness to Deliver submission). Community
Partnerships and local MPs have shown cross party support to improving the life chances of the children and young
people in Brent. We have also had excellent engagement across Brent Council’s departments, with key members
from Sports and Leisure, Regeneration and Housing actively engaged in the work group.
Brent Council’s well established Culture, Sport and Learning Forum and the Brent Community Sports and Physical
Activity Network (Brent CSPAN) have received presentations regarding our BSF Strategy and the membership of
two specific BSF work stream groups, around Libraries and Culture and Sport and PE have been established
involving private and third sector representatives, where appropriate
Each of our Top Priority Project schools has undertaken substantial consultation with their pupils, staff, governors
and parents’ regarding the BSF plans for their schools. Each school has established its own BSF teams for pupils
and staff and we would like to accelerate this process as soon as possible through the Sorrell Foundation. Such is
the level of engagement and interest from all of our secondary schools that a number of our Follow-On Project
schools have also started to engage with their pupils, staff, governors and parents as well and are keen to adopt
much of the Sorrell Foundation’s proven approaches and methodology as early as possible.
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4.4.3 Change Management
Brent Council sees BSF as a corporate priority, not only as an opportunity to narrow the gap in educational
standards so that all schools in the Borough exceed floor and national targets by 2017, but to transform delivery
of learning in Brent, dramatically improve the life chances of its pupils and act as a catalyst for regeneration, and
ensure the levels of deprivation in the Borough do not diminish the life chances of our pupils and their families.
The Audit Commission Corporate Assessment reports that “Leadership within the Council is a particular strength”
with Council leaders and members displaying a clear understanding of the local issues and taking responsibility for
community leadership seriously. Brent Council has a very strong and established ethos of partnership working
across the Council commissioning joint arrangements for the delivery of integrated services in local
neighbourhoods. A working example of this is Brent’s Children’s Partnership Board which has a clear single vision
and aligns the CYPP to the ECM outcomes and Regeneration Plans through multi agency services.
Change management will enable us to achieve the innovative and ambitious plans we have for transformation and
will lead to improved teaching and learning and levels of achievement for all students. We recognise that to deliver
transformation in learning outcomes we need to transform the way our schools work and how learning is
delivered. Brent Council has a strong record of leading and delivering significant transformational programmes. At
the heart of the success has been the adoption of a comprehensive partnership approach to change management.
The key themes of our developing change management strategy are:
• Leading of learning
• Workforce reform and modernisation
• Building stronger families
• Community Leadership
• Increasing community access
• Students as agents of change
• ICT
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• Sustainability
We will develop change plans for each of these areas that will identify how Brent Council intends
to achieve transformation. These plans will look beyond the short term and will support the
Local Education Partnership (LEP) in identifying the continuing change required post
construction to effect educational transformation. These plans will support the development of
capacity building at both school and local authority level to ensure long-term sustainable change
and will also identify how we will guarantee the sustainable leadership necessary to lead and
shape the transformed school system in Brent that BSF will enable. System leadership in the
future will evolve around the leadership of learning communities rather than single institutions
and leadership will become more participative and inclusive than at present. This will include the
development of the strategic role of school governance to reflect this changing model of
schooling.
Our strategy will support us by:
• Acknowledging that change is a journey and not a destination – our plans will change as we
evaluate our progress;
• Building capacity in our schools and at a local authority level to support transformation;
• Providing a clear change framework to support the work of all stakeholders;
• Making clear what we need to do to transform;
• Empowering those who are leading change to be innovative and radical;
• Developing the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes that will support us in new ways of
working;
• Enabling the innovative use of new technologies;
• Ensuring that schools and the local authority are expert clients in the transformation
process;
Helping us to manage the emotional journey that transformation will require;
Making links between the various performance regimes to ensure that we can make judgements
about the progress we are making against the milestones we have identified.
The change management process will be supported and enhanced through a Continuing
Professional Development (CPD) programme led by the EIP and through the workforce reform
and modernisation agenda. This process will engage non-school based staff from other service
areas – libraries, leisure – in order to ensure an effective multi-agency approach to our
transformation agenda. ICT will underpin this approach and enable innovation. ICT will give
leaders the opportunity to refine and develop their institutional leadership by providing timely
and relevant information. It will support workforce reform. Our managed ICT service will in turn
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support this, providing teachers and support staff with the time and space to be effective
practitioners. Our two existing City Learning Centres (CLCs) will have a key role as change
leaders and champions of new technologies.
Alperton School has already established its own “Strategy for Change Group” with
representation from students, staff, parents and governors. This group will lead the consultation
with and involvement of all stake holders to ensure all are committed to the vision for the new
school. The students will be a crucial part of this group and the Sorrell Foundation will work
separately with them to ensure that the student voice is heard throughout. This group has been
meeting once per term to date and will continue to do so during the next academic year,
increasing to once per half term as the programme advances. Members of the group and other
stakeholders will be enlisted to visit other new schools with a particular pedagogical or social
focus in mind.
To support the change management plans an additional member of staff will be trained through
the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) programme and will be part of this committee
and support the work.
To ensure smooth transition and effective communication the school’s SIP will meet with both
the deputy and Head teacher at all visits during 2009-2010 and then with the Associate Head
teacher from September 2010. The Principal Adviser will join some of these meetings. Additional
visits by the school’s SIP will be made as necessary and costed into BSF support.
During May 2010 the appointment of an additional/Associate Deputy will be made in order for a
start in September 2010. The current Deputy will work as Associate Head teacher during the
summer term, prior to becoming acting Head teacher from September 2010 until the completion
of the new school. During autumn term 2009 the Governing Body will form a sub-committee to
oversee and monitor the building project.
The staff establishment will be reviewed with regard to a move from a split site to a single site
as currently some roles are duplicated which will not be necessary on a single site. Staff
training will take account of the transformation of learning which will be possible in the new
school so that staff are ready to use a variety of pedagogies using the new facilities in order to
personalise learning.
Change management at Queens Park School will include the re-structuring of the Senior
Leadership Team (SLT) responsibilities with a small team focussing upon the BSF programme.
Additional members of staff will be trained through the NCSL programme. The school will also
see benefits in looking at utilising community based input and local extended school stake
holder input when managing the changes. It is fully recognised that the BSF philosophy includes
transformation of our agenda, but we are already recognised as a “change” school for many
aspects of our practice.
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During the autumn term 2009 a sub committee will be formed to oversee and monitor the
expansion plans and building project. During spring term 2010 the Governing Body will agree
with the senior Deputy and Head teacher the ratio of time required to for deputy to act-up from
September 2010 and review roles of other SLT members as necessary to support this.
To ensure there is no deflection from quality of education, the school SIP will work with both the
Head teacher and Deputy for the duration of project, building in more visits as necessary and
costed into BSF support. The Principal Adviser may join the school SIP at some meetings.
Change management at Cardinal Hinsley will include the possible re-structuring of the SLT
responsibilities with a small team focussing upon the BSF programme. Input from the Diocese
will also be a key element of managing the change management process and additional
members of staff and governors will be trained through the NCSL programme. The school will
also see benefits in developing its collaborative arrangements with Cardinal Vaughan to provide
support and guidance in this critical area of change management.
Copland’s Interim Executive Board comprises experienced governors who are skilled in change
management. Members of the Board have experience of designing and implementing a new PFI
two thousand pupil PFI school and major private sector projects. The Acting Head teacher has a
track record of outstanding leadership and has planned and overseen a successful building
expansion project.
When appropriate, we will support each school in the preparation of an individual School
Strategy for Change (SSfC) through workshops, facilitated by external advisers, Brent Council
personnel and key educational system leaders.
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5 Project Deliverables
5.1 Master Programme for Development Phase
The key milestones and deliverables for the development phase are detailed on the Master
Programme, which is included as Appendix F of this PID.
This programme outlines the key milestones in order to achieve the programme within the
agreed timeframe. The deliverables for the procurement phase will be developed in the next few
months, and included in future revisions of this PID. The key milestone dates and deliverables
at this stage are as follows:
Stage &
Milestone
Deliverable Outcome
Outline Business
Case
(Aug 10 – Nov 10)
§ Prepare Outline Business Case
§ Confirm Scope & Abnormals
§ Finalise OBC
§ Exec Approval
§ Submit OBS for PfS Peer
Review
§ Submit OBC to DCSF / MRA
§ Formal Approval to issue OJEU
§ Local Partnerships Gateway
Review 1
§ Formal approval to commence
next stage
§ Procurement strategy
§ Affordability envelope
§ Risk mitigation
§ FF&E strategy
§ Output specification for
individual schools, departments
and common areas
§ Action / task plan
§ Bidding documentation
§ Outline planning permission
Prepare to Procure
(Nov 10 – Feb 11)
§ Prepare Procurement
Documents
§ Prepare Evaluation Plan
§ OJEU Notice to Board / PfS
Project Board Approves
Process and OJEU
§ PfS Approves OJEU &
Procurement Docs
§ Local Partnerships Gateway
Review 2
OJEU to Invitation
to Participate in
Dialogue (ITPD)
(Feb 11 – May 11)
§ Publish to OJEU/PQQ
§ Bidders Day
§ PQQs Returned and Evaluated
§ De-Brief
§ Long List Published
§ Issue ITPD
§ Evaluate ITPD
§ Interview Long List
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§ Select Short List
§ Short List Agreed by Project
Board
ITPD to Invitation
to Submit Final Bids
(ITSFB)
(May 11 – Feb 12)
§ Issue ITCD to Short List
§ Initial Bid Dialogue Period
§ Initial Bids Received
§ Evaluation Period
§ Finalise ITSFB
§ PfS Approved
§ Board Agrees Recommended
Short List
§ De-Brief
§ Issue ITSFB
Preferred Bidder to
Financial Close (FC)
(Feb 12 – May 12)
§ Receive and Evaluate Final Bids
§ Final Evaluation Report to
Board
§ Appoint Preferred Partner &
De-Brief
§ Local Partnerships Gateway
Review 3
§ Planning Approval
§ Submit FBC to DCSF/MRA
§ FBC Approved
§ Contract Close
§ Financial Close
5.2 Remit for Change
The deliverables and outcomes of the Remit of Change will be incorporated within
the project deliverables upon receipt of the Remit for Change from PfS.
5.3 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
The key elements of the MoU have been incorporated where applicable in the Master
Programme and its deliverables.
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6 Constraints
6.1 Constraints identified to date
To date the following constraints for the BSF programme have been identified:
Constraint Description
LSC initiatives for post-16 provision
that could impact on the plans for
BSF, but are not yet fully developed
There is a robust strategy for Post 16
provision. Brent was the only council to
receive an all green rating at the most
recent DCSF 14-19 progress check.
Opposition (and its source and
rationale) to some of the local
proposals, strategies or plans
A communication plan and supporting
stakeholder analysis have been developed
that have identified potential sources of
opposition and contingencies for managing
them.
Political constraints (and their focus
and cause) that need to be
overcome
Political constraints will be managed at a
Project Board level whose membership
includes the Lead Member for Children &
Families.
Existing partnering agreements that
the Council has for the delivery of
services or assets, such as strategic
and business transformation
partnerships, that might limit its
ability to deliver its entire BSF
programme via the LEP
Existing partnering arrangements will be
reviewed at the SfC stage of the
programme.
Existing contracts with service
providers, e.g. ICT, catering,
property and asset management,
facilities management
Brent Council has undertaken a high level
assessment in regard to existing PFI
contracts and has identified that at present
there are no potential interface issues.
However, a facilities management (FM)
service review and assessment has been
commissioned in order to explore where
further economies of scale and value for
money can be achieved across current PFI
projects and the BSF programme and to
manage any risks that might arise.
Intervention arrangements, where
some of the local authority’s
A facilities management (FM) and ICT
service review and assessment has been
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functions have been outsourced commissioned in order to explore where
further economies of scale and value for
money can be achieved across current PFI
projects and the BSF programme and to
manage any risks and intervention issues
that might arise.
Cross border issues with
neighbouring local authorities,
especially where they may also be in
a current BSF wave
Brent Council will work with neighbouring
local authorities to maximise the benefits
that BSF and the creation of a LEP will bring.
Other Council initiatives and project
that could impact on the plans for
BSF including PCP and Regeneration
We are exploring the location of community
sports and leisure facilities on school sites,
and have recently achieved this in South
Kilburn by working closely with
Westminster’s BSF programme. Other
appropriate facilities for co-location may
include Children’s Centres/Family Centres,
health facilities and cultural facilities.
Our BSF programme will be directly linked
with our other regeneration programmes.
Our Local Development Framework and our
Regeneration Strategy set out a clear set of
regeneration and growth priorities in
Wembley, South Kilburn, North Circular
Road, Alperton, Church End and Colindale.
Internally Brent Council has a Major Project
Group, with a specific remit for driving
forward regeneration within these areas in a
corporate and collaborative fashion. The
development of the BSF programme has
been integral to the shaping of these wider
regeneration priorities, and likewise will be
at the heart of their delivery.
Brent Council’s PCP is currently being
planned as is Phase Three of our Children’s
Centres; it is envisaged that there will be an
opportunity to develop these programmes
further through the LEP and across the BSF
capital investment plan. Other services to
be considered will include Further
Education/College, sport, culture, childcare,
health and social care, adult training, library,
police, local service team/area offices, youth
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and the third sector. There are economic and
social advantages available to Brent Council
by being able to align BSF funding with other
community funding streams.
6.2 Constraints highlighted in Strategy of Change (SfC)
This section will be updated upon completion and approval of the SfC in which the
limitations/constraints that may affect the BSF programme delivery are identified
and described in detail.
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7 Interfaces
To date the following interfaces within Brent Council’s BSF programme have been
identified:
Interface Description
Strategic partnerships Executive, Project Board, Project Team
Major regeneration and
development initiatives, strategies
and plans within the locality
Executive, Project Board, Project Team,
Estates & School Planning work stream group
Planning
Project Board, Project Team, Estates & School
organisation work stream
Other agencies and the voluntary
sector
Communication strategy
Public transport
Project Team & Estates & School Organisation
work stream group
PE and sports developments
Project Board, Project Team, Sport and
Culture work stream
Libraries and Culture
Project Board, Project Team, Libraries and
culture work stream group
Any NHS LIFT and other health
reconfiguration projects, and their
potential synergies with BSF
Local Strategic Partnership, Children’s
Partnership Board
PFI projects Project Board & Project Team
Cross-border issues with
neighbouring local authorities,
especially where they may also be
in a current BSF wave
Project Sponsor and Project Board
Opportunities with neighbouring
local authorities for joined-up
working, partnerships and/or joint
LEP developments
Project Sponsor and Project Board
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8 Assumptions
The Project Team will maintain a log of all of the assumptions made, at both local and national
level, which apply to this programme. These will include both qualitative and quantitative
assumptions. The delivery of the BSF programme is currently based on the following
assumptions:
§ Appointment of Project Director complete December 2009;
§ All work stream groups operational by the end of November 2009;
§ Brent Council being approved for BSF Wave 7b;
§ Feasibility Studies including option appraisal complete by end of March 2010;
§ Appointment of external advisers concluded by January 2010;
§ Assessment of existing partnering agreements undertaken by end of November 2009;
§ Agreement to diversity strategy by OSC by July 2009;
§ Delivery of a cohesive Transforming Learning strategy;
§ Commitment in principle to an ICT managed service;
§ Space standards will be to BB98 and all other relevant Building Bulletins;
§ The standard documents will be available in time for procurement;
§ The Project Board, Project Team and work stream groups will make full use of standardised
documentation, where appropriate for the delivery of value for money outcomes for the
Brent Council;
§ Appropriate resources will be made available to the programme to ensure its delivery to
time and to budget, including appointing appropriate advisers;
§ Formal approvals will be given on time;
§ The programme is likely to be delivered using a combination of funding – PFI and
conventional;
§ The project will be fully accountable to all stakeholders throughout its life;
§ Following the conclusion of the procurement phase, Brent Council will need to ensure
suitable arrangements are in place for managing the contracts thus created for their
duration (25-30 years for PFI contracts).
This list of assumptions will be updated periodically with each iteration of the PID, and will be
included in the SfC and OBC.
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9 Project Management, Governance, Project Controls &
Budget
9.1 Project Management
Brent Council has appointed Turner & Townsend to act as interim Project Director up to the
completion of the Readiness to Deliver submission including preparing the Council for the
Remit meeting and drafting the SfC.
The Prince 2 methodology has been adopted to achieve effective planning, control and reporting
throughout the development and delivery of the project. In addition, Brent Council has already
developed the following project planning tools to further enable it to manage its BSF
programme:
§ Microsoft project for project and programme planning;
§ Development of a Master Programme;
§ Action lists from Master Programme;
§ Robust change control procedure;
§ Risk management process and protocols;
§ Secure communication and information sharing platform (Huddle).
Brent Council has created a project Master Programme based around the current BSF timeline in
order to be fully prepared before entering the next stage of the BSF process. Similarly Brent
Council has firmly established its governance structure along with its team structure and work
stream groups. Brent Council is in the process of appointing the external advisors required to
develop the programme through the future pre-procurement and procurement phases.
Brent Council has identified the risks that may affect delivery of its BSF proposals, has
undertaken a risk assessment of the BSF programme and identified the major areas of risks.
Brent Council has highlighted the controls to minimise and/or mitigate the risks. Risk
management is viewed as an ongoing ‘proactive’ process through each stage of the feasibility,
procurement, development and ultimate delivery of the schools. A risk register for the
programme has been set up using a standard Corporate Risk Management approach outlining
the key risk headings, Education, Programme, Procurement, Financial, Communication,
Partnering, Design, ICT, Planning, etc. All risks suggested in the RtD guidance have been
included together with other identified risks and mitigation strategies that have been developed
by the individual work streams as well as the schools and Project Team. These have been
collated by the Project Manager and are managed through the risk register that has been
developed; highlighted risks are passed to the Project Board for approval and recommendation.
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9.2 Project Governance
9.2.1 Overall
Brent Council’s BSF Project Governance structure is composed of a series of individuals and/or
teams each of whom has a clearly defined specification of their role and responsibilities. The
three main governance levels are:
§ The Project Board
§ The Project Team
§ Work Stream Groups
Brent Council’s project governance structure is shown in the chart below.
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The Leader of the Council and the Lead Member for Children and Families have played key
leadership roles in the development of the proposed BSF programme, and will continue to do so.
Our BSF Project Team has received regular updates on the progress of BSF developments
including a number of Local Partnership’s workshops. The Children and Families Scrutiny
Committee receives regular updates and has received a full report on both the EOI and the RtD
stages of our BSF programme.
A number of head teachers/teaching staff, administration staff and governors have joined the
working groups with excellent representation from Head teachers on our Educational
Transformation working group, school business managers on our Estates, Planning and
Sustainability work stream group and school ICT Managers on our ICT Workgroup. They are also
represented on our Project Team and hold key representation on the Project Board.
9.2.2 The Project Board
The Project Board has delegated decision making responsibility from the Executive. The Project
Board will be accountable to the Executive and subject to regular review from Brent Council’s
Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC).
The Project Sponsor is the Chief Executive (Gareth Daniel) who has worked closely with the
Director of Children & Families (John Christie) and BSF Lead Member (Bob Wharton) and the
BSF Project Lead (Mustafa Salih) to ensure that the programme has had sufficient development
resources in place. The Project Sponsor will provide overall sponsorship and leadership of the
project.
The Chief Executive is the Chair of the BSF Project Board and will continue to play a key role in
ensuring cross-functional and department support as well as securing a properly resourced team
and finances to fund resource requirements. As Chief Executive, the Project Sponsor is in a
strong position to promote the project to elected members, as well as other stakeholders and
executive bodies. Furthermore he is able to obtain Corporate Management Team (CMT) approval
for key milestones in the process and play a leadership role within the LSP which oversees the
work of the Children’s Partnership Board.
The Project Board is intended to manage by exception to ensure minimum demands on
members’ time while enabling them to fulfil their responsibilities to the project, which is in
accordance to the PRINCE2 methodology.
For the Terms of Reference for the Project Board and its current members please refer to
Appendix A of this report.
9.2.3 The Project Team
The Project Team will ensure that all project activities are well coordinated and effectively
programmed in order to meet the project timetable. The Project Team is accountable to the
Project Board. Within its coordination role, the main responsibility of the Project Team is to
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integrate the input from various work stream groups into a comprehensive and complete whole
whilst also seeking to integrate the BSF programme into wider Council strategies. The Project
Team comprises of the Project Lead, the Project Director and work stream group managers.
It is understood that PfS expects that a full time Project Director is appointed at the earliest
possible opportunity. It is also recognised that Local Authorities are not always able to make
such appointments before they secure their entry to the BSF programme and once entry is
secured, it may take some time until the appropriate person is recruited. We have strong
interim arrangements in place and have now begun the appointment process of a permanent
Project Director. Turner & Townsend were appointed at this early stage to provide a full-time
and dedicated Interim Project Director as well as the broader technical advisory role they have
taken on. This relationship will continue until the post can be filled on a permanent basis. Lynda
Cox of Turner & Townsend is acting as the full-time dedicated Interim Project Director for the
project and is supported by other colleagues from Turner & Townsend providing capacity to
cover other key posts within the BSF Project Team. Brent Council is progressing the
appointment of a permanent Project Director and has engaged Tribal to manage a high profile
recruitment campaign to fill this post with other key posts within the dedicated BSF Team. It is
expected that a permanent Project Director will be in post by January 2010.
For the Terms of Reference for the Project Team, the structure and its current members please
refer to Appendix A of this report.
9.2.4 The Work Stream Groups
Specialist work streams groups are in the process of being created and it is anticipated that this
will be completed by the end of October 2009. They are based on the project’s ongoing needs.
Work stream groups will be tasked to address issues or prepare deliverables that fall within a
particular area of specialisation. They may operate in isolation or cooperatively with other
project teams or work stream groups. The responsibilities of work stream groups may vary
according to the particular project needs.
Work stream group leaders are key members of the Project Team that are appointed to
coordinate the delivery of particular work streams for which they are considered ‘Champions’.
They act as primary contacts for the evolving day to day operational issues that are associated
with their particular area of specialisation and they manage work stream group members. Work
stream group leaders are not essentially occupied in the BSF project on a full time basis
although some may be required to be dedicated on a full-time basis during project peak
workload periods. Peak periods are likely to occur at different project phases for each workstream.
The following work groups have been identified for the Brent BSF programme, with Education,
Estates, Communication and Technical ICT operational.
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Work stream
group
Scope of Work
Transforming
Learning
§ Pupil Place Planning and school organisation, including any
relocation/co-location of schools
§ Education/Children’s Services strategies
§ Change Management and KPIs
§ Links with Academies, Diocesan and other Trust/Foundation bodies,
and Further Education establishments
§ Ensuring diversity in the school estate
§ Managing external advisers, where appropriate
Estates & School
Organisation
(including Design and
Regeneration/
Corporate
developments,
Sustainability and
Planning)
§ Planning and surveying (including land surveys, asbestos, ground
conditions)
§ Asset Management Planning
§ Space planning and school design
§ Links with Academies and Further Education provision, including
the LSC
§ Options appraisal methodology
§ Managing external advisers, where appropriate
Design
§ Sustainability
§ Design integration and designing-in transformation
§ Managing the Design Quality Indicator process
§ Liaising with CABE
§ Managing external advisers
§ Extended Schools including out-of hours child care
§ Sport and PE, Arts, and Libraries, etc.
§ Integrated Children’s Services, including exploring potential
opportunities for links with Health projects/other
agencies/voluntary organisations, etc.
Regeneration/ Corporate developments
§ Links to corporate developments, housing and regeneration
schemes, etc.
§ Ensuring BSF complements delivery of wider Council objectives
ICT § ICT strategy, including the management of information
§ Infrastructure proposals – software and hardware
§ Development of ICT managed service and learning platform vision
§ Managing external advisers
Commercial and FM
(including Legal)
§ Property issues including establishing land title
§ FM strategy
§ Local Education Partnership contractual issues
§ General procurement issues, including providing cabinet reports
§ Insurance
§ TUPE issues
§ Recruitment and retention
§ Pensions
§ Appointment of external advisers
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Primary Capital
Programme (PCP)
§ Manage the interface between the PCP and BSF programmes
§ All-through school issues
Communication &
Consultation
§ Communication strategy
§ Manage the statutory consultation process
§ Manage the communication, consultation, engagement process
Sport and PE § Sport, culture and leisure strategy
§ Manage the interface between sport, culture and leisure initiatives
and developments and BSF
Libraries and
Culture
§ Contributes to the achievement of objectives and priorities within
the Brent Sport and Active Recreation Facilities strategy 2008-2021
§ Manage the interface between libraries and culture initiatives and
developments and the BSF programme
Extended &
Integrated Services
§ Extended Schools
SEN and Inclusion
§ Manage the SEN and inclusion agenda including integration
Financial § Cost modelling and revenue projections
§ Affordability analysis
§ Joined-up funding/links with other funding streams
§ Confirming value for money
§ Managing external advisers
Memberships of the operating work stream groups are provided at Appendix A.
9.2.5 Project Directory
A project directory has been compiled and is attached at Appendix A.
9.2.6 External Support
Brent Council is in the process of appointing external advisers through the PfS framework.
The Council’s priority lies with the appointment of Technical Advisors in order to commence the
feasibility studies for the Top Priority schools. The table below illustrates the range of external
advisors that are likely to be employed to provide advisory services to Brent Council in relation
to Education, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Legal Services, Technical
Advisers, Client Design Advisors (CDA) and Financial Advisers.
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9.3 Project Management Budget
Active management of costs will be performed throughout the project life cycle by the project’s
Cost Manager, working in conjunction with the Project Director and the external advisers.
Cost management will form an integral element of the Change Control procedure adopted on
this project. The Cost Manager will provide the earliest possible warning of likely cost
variations, to facilitate informed decision making.
Changes will be managed by the Project Director, in accordance with the Delegated Financial
Authority Procedure.
Brent Council has reviewed potential programme management costs and has calculated that the
cost profile for the programme is expected to be as follows:
Year Internal Project Team Costs
£000
External Advisers
£000
Total
£000
2009/10 330 150 480
2010/11 450 300 750
2011/12 550 400 950
2012/20 550 (pa) 400 (pa) 950 (pa)
External Advisors
Team
Legal
Advisor
ICT
Advisor
Financial
Advisor
Education
Advisors
Technical
Advisors
CDA CDA CDA
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9.3.1 Corporate arrangements for budget management and monitoring
Brent Council has significant resources deployed in the delivery of major projects, both within
individual services and across the council. Brent Council has developed the experience and
intelligence regarding major projects to understand that sufficient resourcing and capacity
building are critical for successful delivery. Brent Council had therefore already committed
significant resources for BSF programme management when setting the 2008/09 revenue
budget, which is well in advance of being confirmed onto the BSF programme. This level of
commitment has allowed Brent Council to develop advisory support, project management
structures and communication strategies well in advance of what is normally expected at the
RtD stage. The Chief Executive has confirmed availability of project support funding at a rate at
least equivalent to 3% of the estimated project capital development expenditure. This has been
built into Brent Council’s medium term financial strategy and will also support the significant
change management requirements and third sector and schools’ engagement in BSF.
The budget will be managed and monitored by the Project Director who will report on a monthly
basis to Project Team and Project Board. Exception reporting will be undertaken where
necessary and changes to budget will also be reported through the change control process.
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9.4 Project Controls
To enable effective planning and implementation procedures to be realised, the Project Manager
needs to establish the necessary control systems to manage effective delivery.
The PRINCE 2 project management methodology will be used on the project. The PRINCE 2
methodology has been adopted by the Brent Council to achieve effective planning, control and
reporting throughout the development and delivery of the BSF programme. PRINCE 2 stands for
Projects in Controlled Environments 2. It is a project management methodology developed and
promoted by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC).
The project controls element of a project is clearly demonstrated in the PRINCE 2 approach to
project management:
Typical project control functions include:
§ Facilitating or overseeing project planning/control sessions (enabling the project
management decisions).
§ Developing the project schedule/programme and work breakdown structures for time, cost
and quality purposes (enabling the data required for project management decisions).
§ Managing the critical path.
§ Educating the team on current and best practice project management processes and
enabling audit trails.
§ Estimating project costs and progress (proactive monitoring).
§ Tracking and analysing project costs and progress (reactive monitoring).
§ Managing the process of issues, risks and change control.
§ Documenting and delivering project status information.
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9.5 Project Board Control
The major controls for the Project Board will be:
§ Project Plan
§ The PID
§ Planned highlight reports from the Project Director to the Project Board
§ End stage agreement and ‘sign off’ assessments via Project Board meetings
§ Exception Reports as necessary
§ Exception assessments and approval of Exception Plan where necessary
§ Risk Management
§ Authorisation of Project Closure
Checkpoint Meetings/Reports
The Project Director will provide monthly reports and additional informal checkpoint reports as
required.
Highlight Reports
Highlight reports will be provided by the Project Director on a quarterly basis to the Project
Board.
Exception Reports
Exception reports will be generated if the Project Director forecasts that tolerances agreed for
any stage, or the project, will exceed those agreed with the Project Board.
End Stage Assessments
End Stage Assessments will be undertaken at the end of each stage, and will be supported by
key deliverables of each Stage.
Mid Stage Assessments
Mid Stage Assessments will be held in the event that an Exception Report needs to be presented
to the Project Board.
Project/Stage Closure
A final project report will be provided at the end of the project.
Change/Issue Management
All issues raised will be recorded by Project Support. The Project Director will ensure issues are
actioned appropriately during the project, and any remaining issues outstanding at Project
Closure are catered for in the Follow-On Action Recommendations Report.
Tolerances
The Project Director is required to raise an Exception Report for the attention of the Project
Board if it is anticipated that the project cannot be completed within three months of the
scheduled date, or if it is forecast that the project budget will be exceeded by 15%.
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9.5.1 Project Reporting/Progress Update
A structured reporting and review process will be used as the key formal communication and
progress update tool on the project.
The project progress reporting philosophy is to report by exception, where divergences exist
from pre-agreed plans, and to look forward to report how the divergences will be overcome.
Regular progress reports (of a standard format) will be sought from all advisors engaged on the
project and these will be used to provide the data required for the key project reports prepared
by the Project Director/Manager.
Reports issued during the project will be of a standard format, in order to promote a high
quality of work and ease of reference. The following reports will be issued monthly during the
course of the project (pre-contract):
§ Project Director’s Report – issued to Project Board
§ Project Manager’s Report – issued to Project Director
§ Advisers’ Report – issued to Project Manager
§ Work Stream Group Leaders’ report – issued to Project Director
The Project Board may require further reports, but in accordance with the BSF guidelines a full
formal report will be produced at the end of each of the following stages:
STAGE REPORT ON:
Pre-engagement stage Readiness to Deliver
Stage 1 Project Initiation Document
Stage 2 Strategy for Change Part 2
Stage 3 Outline Business Case
Stage 4 Final Business Case
Stage 5 Procurement Planning
Stage 6 Completion of PQQ
Stage 7 Completion of ITPD
Stage 8 Completion of ITCD
Stage 9 Appointment of Selected Bidder
Stage 10 Construction
Stage 11 Schools opening
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9.5.2 Exception Report/Project Tolerances
Exception reports will be generated if the Project Director forecasts that tolerances agreed for
any stage, or the project, will exceed those agreed with the Project Board.
Appropriate project tolerances will be agreed for each stage of the project prior to formal
approval of this PID.
9.5.3 Programme Management
Master Programme
The Master Programme in Appendix F has been compiled from a schedule of the main activity
milestones and constraints applicable to the project, and in accordance with the BSF/ PfS
guidelines and processes. The main elements of the Master Programme are to include OBC
preparation and delivery, the development of the PSC based on an exemplar site and the outline
planning permission process. The Project Team is required to adhere to this programme and
commit resources as necessary to achieve the required dates. A mandate from the Project
Board is required to change these dates. Any significant revisions to the Master Programme
need to be formally agreed with the Project Director.
Milestone Dates
All programmes shall reflect the key milestone dates, which affect the sequence and timing of
activities.
Progress Updates
The Master Programme will be updated to record progress as necessary by the Project Manager
to reflect the current status of the project.
Each progress update will have a dedicated number, issue date and time line to assess which
individual tasks are ahead or behind programme.
Action Lists
Action lists shall be generated from the Master Programme, Sub-Programmes and meetings.
Progress against actions shall be regularly monitored by the Project Director and steps taken to
record and/ or recover slippage.
Early Warning
Members of the project team must give early warning to the Project Director of any matter that
may, in their judgement, adversely affect the timing, quality or cost of the project.
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9.5.4 Change Management
All construction projects will be subject to changes and it is fundamental that control and
management is brought into the decision making process. Change control is not intended to
prevent change but to enable parties to be in a position to make informed decisions with a high
degree of predictability of outcome.
Change Control procedures for design changes will be enforced at the commencement of the
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) design stage D – Scheme design.
Any changes to the agreed Brent Council BSF requirements (such as project objectives,
constraints, etc) require formal Project Board approval regardless of the stage of the project.
Change requests will be generated using with Project Change Control (PCC) Form and will be
assessed for financial and programme implications and issued to the Project Board for
evaluation and signature.
Change Control Procedure
A change control procedure will be created and is to be followed in all circumstances. The main
stages of a formal change control procedure are:
Stage 1 – Definition of the change proposal by the originator.
Stage 2 – An appraisal by the advisor team.
Stage 3 – Recommendations by the relevant party and acceptance and implementation or
rejection.
The change, issue and also escalation process in accordance to the adopted PRINCE2
methodology is mapped below.
In addition, local authorities should ensure that an effective process is in place for reporting at
the end of each key stage in the BSF process, so that the Project Board can assess that the
project has delivered the key milestones for each stage to enable it to progress to the next.
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Change, Issue and Escalation management process:
Actions by Role
Project Team Project Manager Project Board
Project Issue,
Off-spec, RFC,
triggered risk
Updated Issue
Log
Within
Tolerance
Implement RFC
or Action
Updated Issue
Log (&RFC)
Exception Report
Continue
Exception Plan
Updated Issue
Log (&RFC)
Accept
Continue Current
Stage Plan
Manage Revised
Stage
Terminate
Project
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
Impact Analysis /
Detailed RFC
Feedback to
originator
Feedback to
originator
Completed
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9.5.5 Review/Approval
In addition, Brent Council will ensure that an effective process is in place for reporting at the
end of each key stage in the BSF process, so that the Project Board can assess that the project
has delivered the key milestones for each stage to enable it to progress to the next.
The Executive will remain the decision making body for principal decisions i.e. decisions which
will include:
§ Delegating appropriate Executive decision making powers to the Leader.
§ Approving the overall revenue funding to support the delivery of the projects.
§ Approving the PID.
§ Approving the Strategy for Change for submission to PfS.
§ Approving the Outline Business Case for submission to PfS.
§ Approving the publication of the OJEU notice.
§ Approving the Final Business Case for submission to PfS.
§ Approving contractual arrangements with the recommended partners
§ Including authorising all contractual documentation before it is submission to PfS for formal
approval.
§ Selecting the preferred bidder.
9.5.6 Appointment and Control of External Advisers
Brent Council will seek to appoint additional support through external advisers in areas where
external advice is required. The external advice will supplement existing knowledge within the
council and will also provide an expanded resource to enable the effective development and
implementation of this project. External advisers may be appointed to provide additional
support in the following areas:
§ ICT
§ Sport and PE
§ Education
§ Financial
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§ Legal
§ Technical
9.5.7 Changes to the PID
The PID is a baseline document and amendments can only be made once approved by Project
Board. This would usually be as a consequence of an exception or through the change control
process.
9.5.8 Gateway Reviews
There are six Local Partnerships Gateway Reviews available during the lifecycle of a project;
four before contract award, and two looking at service implementation, and confirmation of the
operational benefits. Brent Council will engage Local Partnerships at the appropriate time.
§ Gateway 0- Strategic Assessment
§ Gateway 1 – Business Justification
§ Gateway 2 – Procurement Strategy
§ Gateway 3 – Investment Decision
§ Gateway 4 – Readiness to Deliver
§ Gateway 5 – Benefits Evaluation
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10 Project Plan
Brent Council has commenced the development of the project plan for its Building Schools for
the Future (BSF) programme. This initial document will be further developed throughout the
next stage of the programme. The Project Plan identifies the key milestones and deliverables to
be achieved, and will form the basis of the regular report to the Project Board.
The Project Plan will be regularly reviewed to ensure all work stream plans remain aligned with
the ultimate delivery of the programme. The evaluation of progress on the Project Plan will be a
standing item on the agenda of the Project Team and the Project Board.
Project Phase Date
Strategy for Change – part 2 Complete May 2010
Outline Business Case Complete October 2010
Outline Business Case Approval Complete November 2010
OJEU and Prequalification Complete April 2011
Invitation To Competitive Dialogue Complete August 2011
Invitation To Select Final Bidder Complete January 2012
Selected Bidder to Financial Close Commence February 2012
Close of Project May 2012
Construction Phase Commence June 2012
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11 Communications Plan
11.1 General
The primary goal is to ensure that all individuals involved in the project understand the overall
vision and aims, how and when changes will be implemented, to enable participation as
required.
Under the banner, ‘Transforming Learning in Brent’, Brent Council will outline its vision for a
new era in education through the BSF programme.
The powerful message will be reinforced via a thorough, consistent and wide-ranging
communications package that will ensure every resident, school pupil and employee within
Brent and every neighbouring borough and associated body without, is completely informed and
engaged about every aspect of Brent Council’s radical plan to remodel the very fabric and
nature of the education it delivers.
This requires clear presentation and articulation of the vision and key messages, as well as
specific requirements (e.g. training and process changes) as these are developed.
Good communications are at the very heart of the success or failure of the BSF programme in
Brent, without it the council will lose the support and engagement of schools and residents and
will ultimately have failed the children and young people it serves. To this end, Brent Council is
committed to delivering clear, timely, high quality and imaginative information to everyone
affected by the programme at every major milestone in its delivery.
Communication will be reliable, consistent, timely, open, straightforward, jargon-fee and
customised wherever possible to the specific needs of target audiences.
The Communications Plan including the communication objectives for the Brent BSF programme
is attached in Appendix H of this report.
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12 Risk Management
12.1 Risk register and Issue log
We see risk management as an ongoing ‘proactive’ process through each stage of the feasibility,
procurement, development and ultimately delivery of the schools. A risk register for the
programme has been set up using a standard Corporate Risk Management approach outlining
the key risk headings, Education, Programme, Procurement, Financial, Communication,
Partnering, Design, ICT, Planning, etc.
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All risks suggested in the RtD guidance have been included together with other identified risks
and mitigation strategies have been developed by the individual work stream groups as well as
the schools and Project Team. These have been collated by the risk manager and are managed
through the risk register that has been developed; highlighted risks are passed to the Project
Board for approval and recommendation. Monthly risk updates will be provided to the Project
Board through the Project Director’s report.
Risks have been identified at a Risk Strategy Workshop prior to the Remit meeting and will be
reviewed at key stages throughout the programme.
Objectives and Process
The objectives of the risk management process are to:
• Recognise the potential impact of risk on the project objectives;
• Formulate an accepted procedure for the process;
• Identify potential risks and allocate a risk owner – (If high risk the owner will develop an
action plan as mitigation measure) and where applicable the financial impact will be
incorporated into the cost plan and cost reporting;
• Assess the impact of the identified risks;
• Prioritise and plan risk responses;
• Manage and control the risks.
The graphic below provides an overview of the applicable Risk Management Process.
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Outline Risk Management Process in accordance with PRINCE2:
Actions by Role
Project Team Risk Owner Project Manager
Identified
Risk
Initial Assessment Updated Risk Log
(appoint risk
owner)
Evaluate Risk
(Probability,
Impact, Timing)
Identify Mitigation
Strategies
Select
Mitigation
Strategy
Updated Risk Log
Plan & resource
Monitor & Report
Escalate if
outside tolerance
Triggered
Risk
Updated Risk Log
Invoke Issue /
Change process
Checkpoint
Report
Risk Gone Away
Risk happened
/ inevitable
Change of
impact or
likelihood
Updated Risk Log
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Once the risk register has been finalised the Project Team and Project Board will agree the best
way to continue the management of risk throughout the project, including:
• Verification of the risk register, highlighting any amendments required to risk ownership,
mitigation and timescales;
• Review of the risk register – frequency and participants;
• Overall ownership of the risk register (currently Turner & Townsend) and regular risk
updates to be provided by all risk owners to enable reporting and proactive management;
• Risk escalation process and reporting;
• What should happen to the risk register at the end of the project.
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Appendix A
Terms of Reference for Project Board and Project Team
Project Governance
Project Board, Project Team, Work Stream Group Memberships
Project Directory
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Appendix B
Project Director’s Job Description
Project Manager’s Job Description
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Appendix C
Memorandum of Understanding
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Appendix D
Draft Risk Register
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Appendix E
Readiness to Deliver
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Appendix F
Draft Master Programme
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Appendix G
Draft Communication Plan
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Appendix H
Map of Geographical Area Covered
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Appendix I
Full Project Scope
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Does the cadence provide a sense of arrival on the tonic chord (perfect) or a feeling that the music must continue (imperfect)?

/in /by

Creating (SL and HL)
Stylistic techniques: Bach Chorale
Chorales are hymns of the Lutheran (Protestant) church of Germany that evolved from
monophonic plainsong to become sophisticated metrical settings for four-part choir.
JS Bach is widely considered to be the preeminent composer of this genre. Several hundred
chorales feature in his cantatas and other large-scale religious works. Bach’s workings are
often highly expressive, using all of the musical elements at his disposal to enliven the text.
To fulfil one of the Creating options, a four-part harmonisation in the style of JS Bach of a
pre-existing chorale melody of 16 or more bars may be submitted along with another
stylistic exercise: Renaissance vocal counterpoint, figured bass in the baroque style, twopart
18th-century instrumental counterpoint, 18th-century string quartet, 19th-century song
accompaniment or 12-note/tone techniques. A reflective statement that describes the
intention, process and outcome in no more than 300 words is required for both exercises.
Aural familiarity with the genre is a prerequisite for success. The completed working should
provide evidence that demonstrates a secure understanding of musical features that are
characteristic of Bach’s style, including:
• vocal ranges and tessitura,
• spacing of the parts,
• part-writing and voice-leading,
• the treatment of dissonance,
• harmonic rhythm,
• standard cadential progressions,
• typical harmonic vocabulary,
• modulation, cadential and transient, and
• notation practice.
Successful harmonisations have a strong sense of musical flow. This is achieved by a melodic
bass line that provides a strong counterpoint to the melody and the elaboration of the
tenor, alto and bass parts with decorations (passing and auxiliary notes), dissonances (4-3
and 9-8), chromatic harmony and modulation.
Notation
Chorales are normally written in short score: soprano and alto on a treble stave, tenor and
bass on a bass stave. Irrespective of the pitch of the note, the stems for soprano and tenor
point up, while those for alto and bass point down. A pause (fermata) above the stave is
used to indicate the final chord of each phrase.
It is common practice to describe the chords beneath the bass stave using Roman numerals.
Note, however, that these are meaningless unless the key note is also given. Uppercase
should be used to indicate the key note of a major key and lowercase for a minor key.
Where there is a modulation (see Modulation), this should be shown as follows:
Vocal range and tessitura
The following ranges are based on Bach’s usage in his chorale harmonisations:
Spacing of the parts (soprano, alto, tenor and bass)
There should be no more than an octave between soprano and alto, and alto and tenor. As
Bach’s tenor parts are frequently on ledger lines above middle C, the distance between
soprano and tenor should be minimised whenever possible.
Doubling
When realising a triad for four voices, a note will have to be doubled.
• The root of a chord should be doubled in preference to the 5th.
• The 3rd should only be doubled if the voice-leading makes it preferable to do so. For
example, during an active bassline or at an imperfect cadence where Ib resolves to V
and the soprano part moves in contrary motion with the bass.
• The 5th is the only note that can be omitted.
• Tendency notes (dissonances and chromatic or leading notes) should never be
doubled.
• In chord Ic, the 5th (the bass note) should be doubled.
• Diminished triads (chord vii and ii in minor keys) should be used in first inversion
with the bass note (the 3rd of the chord) doubled.
The cadence
Each phrase concludes with a cadence (at the pause sign).
• Perfect cadences are the most common (c. 78%), usually with both V and I in root
position. viib – I is sometimes used, but never as the final cadence.
• Imperfect cadences (? – V) are frequently used (c. 20%).
• Plagal and interrupted cadences are rarely used.
Bach’s cadential progressions are often predictable and formulaic in nature. II(7b) – V(7) – I is
the most common. The cadential 6/4 (Ic – V(7) – I) is also frequently used (NB Ic should sound
on a strong beat).
The shape of the melody, as it relates to the degrees of the scale, is often a good indicator
of the cadence type. For example:
• 3-2-1 and 8-7-8 accommodates a cadential 6/4. alternatively, 3-2-1 is often
approached using Ib (Ib V I).
• 2-1, where the 2 is a minim, accommodates II7b V I.
Harmonic rhythm
Most chorales are in quadruple simple time; a few are in triple simple. For chorales in
quadruple time:
• Chords should change on every crotchet beat. Minims, other than those found at the
pause, should therefore be harmonised with two chords. V4-3 is permissible, if the
suspension and its resolution are spread over two beats.
• Quaver movement in the melody can either be treated as passing notes or a
doubling of the harmonic rhythm.
• For chorales with an anacrusis at the opening of a phrase, the weak/strong rule does
not apply. (see Other considerations)
Voice-leading
Each part has a particular function:
• The soprano carries the melody
• The bass defines the harmony and provides the main counterpoint to the melody
• The inner parts complete the harmony
The inner parts should usually move by the smallest possible interval from chord to chord,
but in defining the harmony, it is not uncommon for the bass to leap as necessary. It should
be noted, however, that many of Bach’s most successful basslines are scalic.
Chorales are to be sung, so awkward melodic intervals should be avoided.
There are conventions that are used to ensure the independence of each voice:
• Octaves and fifths between any two voices in consecutive chords must be avoided,
even if the parts move in contrary motion.
• The soprano must not leap in similar motion with the bass to form an interval of an
octave or a fifth.
The excellence of the part-writing may dictate otherwise, but in ordinary circumstances
unnecessary crossovers should be avoided: the parts should retain their normal order of
register from one chord to the next.
Overlaps, which occur when two neighbouring parts move so that the lower part in the
second chord is higher than the upper part in the first, or vice versa, should also be avoided,
though there are exceptions.
At the cadence, it is not uncommon for an inner voice with the leading note to resolve to a
note other than the tonic: the overriding requirement is to have the root, 3rd and 5th present
in the concluding chord of the cadence.
Root and first inversions are used to give the bass line melodic shape, with second
inversions reserved exclusively for the cadential and passing 6/4s. Scalic bass lines are
especially effective.
Treatment of dissonance
All dissonances must be prepared (sounded in the previous chord, in same part and either at
or one note above the dissonance that follows) and resolved downwards by step. There is
one significant exception: V7. This dissonance may be approached by step from below or by
a leap of a third.
Second inversions chords are unstable and, therefore, considered a dissonance. This type of
chord is only used in two places: at a cadence in the cadential 6/4 (Ic – V – I) and in the
passing 6/4 (e.g. IV – Ic – II7b). As with the 4-3 suspension, the fourth in a 6/4 chord must be
prepared.
Harmonic vocabulary
Chords I and Ib, V and Vb, are the most frequently used chords.
II7b should be used in preference to IV as the approach chord to the dominant, especially at
a perfect cadence. It is a much more colourful chord and is simple to convert to a secondary
dominant.
III is rarely used, but when it is, it usually follows VI.
vii and ii in minor keys are diminished triads that should never be used in root position.
Secondary dominants are common, especially at cadences where II7b is chromatically
altered to become V7 of V.
Modulation
Every chorale includes at least one modulation. Passing (transient) modulations mid-phrase
are common.
Modulations often involve the use of a pivot chord for the smooth transition from one key
to another. A pivot chord is a diatonic chord that is common to the prevailing and the key
that follows. Abrupt modulations, usually from the final chord of a cadence to the first chord
of the following phrase, do not require any special preparation.
Accidentals in the melody confirm that a modulation is required, as does a leading note that
does not rise. Nevertheless, the absence of accidentals does not mean that a modulation is
not possible or appropriate.
Other considerations
All notes should have a function:
• Harmony note
• (Accented) passing note
• (Upper or lower) auxiliary note
• Anticipation
• Échappée
If a note cannot be given one of these labels, there is an error that needs to be corrected.
It should be noted that:
• Anticipations and échappées should not be harmonised.
• Minor key chorales must end with a Tierce de Picardie.
Weak/strong rule
Chord I may be repeated from an anacrusis to the first strong beat of the phrase, when
implied by the melody. In this case, the bass note should leap upward by an octave. In all
other instances, a bass note should not be repeated from a weak beat to a strong beat
unless the bass note on the strong beat is a dissonance.
Method
Faced with a complete chorale to harmonise, the challenge can seem overwhelming.
Approaching the task step by step and cultivating the ability to respond intuitively to the
melody can be liberating; what some consider a highly technical endeavour becomes purely
musical. Aural familiarity with the genre is essential. Singing, playing and listening to
chorales is vitally important preparatory work that must not be overlooked. Of particular
value is singing or playing the soprano and bass parts without the inner voices, as this brings
a much greater awareness of the two-part counterpoint that exists between these voices.
Conventions or rules have been codified over many years to help scholars of four-part
counterpoint understand Bach’s approach. Look hard, however, and you will discover that
his workings are not faultless, if technical perfection is a criterion for success, but they offer
a profoundly musical response to the challenge. For examination purposes, however, it is
usually best to work within the conventions mentioned in this document. Guided by these
and aided by aural familiarity, it is possible to produce pastiche work of a very high quality.
Developing an efficient and effective methodology to the task is key.
It is important to remember that the bass line should provide a strong counterpoint to the
melody: the addition of inner parts to weak, two-part counterpoint will not correct or
obscure deficiencies in the bass line. The bass line defines the harmony and provides a
sense of direction and momentum to each cadence. Bach’s cadential solutions are formulaic
in nature and should be studied carefully and used in your own workings. This is not
plagiarism, but a requirement for success in this genre; harmonic and melodic invention
should be reserved for other parts of the phrase.
1. When presented with a melody to harmonise, play or sing each phrase before
considering its harmonic implications.
Identifying the tonality and key note confirms the key. Be guided by your musical
intuition.
• Is the phrase major or minor?
• Is it possible to sense the key note at any point during the phrase?
• Is it possible to sense the leading note rising to the tonic?
• Does the cadence provide a sense of arrival on the tonic chord (perfect) or a feeling
that the music must continue (imperfect)?
The melodic shape of soprano part as it relates to the degrees of the scale can help
confirm a possible cadence type, but if you are still unsure, look at the final note of
the phrase and consider if it is falls within the tonic or dominant chord of the
proposed key.
• Identify the key at the opening and the close of the phrase. Are these the same? If
not, is it possible to identify where the music modulated?
2. Note the key(s) on the score and if it is helpful to do so, prepare a grid showing the
notes of the diatonic chords available:
Key: F major
Fifth C D E F G A Bb
Third A Bb C D E F G
Root F G A Bb C D E
Chord I ii iii IV V vi viio
Key: D minor
Fifth A Bb C(#) D E F G
Third F G A Bb C# D E
Root D E F G A Bb C#
Chord I iio III(+) IV V VI viio
In this example, uppercase and lowercase Roman numerals are used to indicate the tonality
of the chord, major and minor respectively. A lowercase numeral followed o indicates a
diminished triad, an uppercase numeral followed by + indicates augmented.
3. For each phrase, first add a bass line to the cadence and its approach chord. Then
the opening of the phrase.
• Is the opening of the phrase and the cadence in the same key?
Informed by the results of step 1, complete the bass line between these two points.
Does the bass line provide a strong, musical counterpoint to the melody?
4. Check for consecutives and exposed intervals.
Do not add any inner parts until the chorale is complete with a strong bass line
throughout.
5. For each phrase, complete steps 1 to 4.
6. Complete the harmony by adding inner parts but resist the temptation to decorate
these with passing or auxiliary notes until the basic harmonic framework has been
established.
7. Now look for opportunities to enhance your work with:
• Passing notes, especially V7
• Dissonance, including 4-3 and 9-8
• Auxiliary notes, but use these sparingly
8. Check your work for the following issues:
o Consecutive 5th, octave or unison, in similar or contrary motion, between any two
voices
o Exposed 5th or octave between the soprano and bass parts
o Unprepared dissonance
o Unresolved dissonance
o Doubled tendency (dissonant or chromatic) note
o Doubled leading note
o Note does not proceed correctly (e.g. a passing note from the leading note or a
melodic interval that cannot easily be sung)
o More than an octave between the soprano and alto or alto and tenor
o Crossing parts
o Overlapping parts
o Chord repeated from weak to a strong beat (other than an anacrusis)
o Diminished chord in root position
o Omission of 3rd
o Wrong note or unsuitable chord
o False relation
o Poor notation
Useful resources
A Student’s Guide to Harmony and Counterpoint, Hugh Benham (ISBN 978-1-904226-31-4)
www.bach-chorales.com presents all of Bach’s chorale settings and a wealth of scholarly
articles and research about this genre
J.S. Bach: Chorales, Chamber Choir of Europe, Nicol Matt, Brilliant Classics (6 CDs)
Apps (for Apple devices)
Bach Chorales (free) includes 371 of Bach’s chorale settings, in four-part realisation or with
figured bass.
Sheet Music Scanner (£3.99) plays back sheet music, either by taking a photo of it or by
importing a pdf.
Theory Lessons (£2.99) presents a summary of musical terms.

Do you share aspects of your role with your husband? (Chores, childcare, education?)

/in /by

Assessment 1: Qualitative Depth Interview Report

A woman’s experience of her multiple roles as a housewife, mother, home educator and volunteer

 

Introduction

The interview was conducted to understand the experiences of a woman regarding specific roles she maintains. These roles are that of being a mother, housewife, home educator and volunteer. The aim of the interview was to uncover the woman’s responsibilities and the feeling she holds towards negotiating these responsibilities.

 

Feminist literature often focuses on housework in conjunction with motherhood. Oakley (1990) suggests that many women choose to be housewives because of the autonomy they gain but this role often comes to define their identities. Oakley also argues that the traditional feminine role is often socialised into girls through childhood. The problems often faced by housewives, such as the ‘low status’ and ‘social isolation’, is seen to be resolved through motherhood but in practise this may not be the case (Oakley, 1990: 100). Specifically in relation to marriage and housework, Oakley (1974) argues that the division of labour in the household is present in the majority of relationships with each partner having gender specific roles, ‘joint role marriages’ being in the minority (Oakley, 1974: 142). Many women find returning to work difficult because of the new responsibilities and emotional attachment, which causes them to take on part-time work or become housewives (Gerson, 1985). In relationships with young children women are more likely to reduce their work hours to accommodate this (Bianchi et al., 2012). But Hook (2004) suggests that women are more likely to volunteer and participate in unpaid labour compared to men but this is dependent on time limitations. Home-schooling is among the unpaid labour through which women strive to be the ideal mother through sacrifice of her time and emotions (Lois, 2010).

 

Method

The method used in this research was depth interviewing. The reason for this is because it enables the interviewee to express their views and discuss issues most important to them within the topic of the interview (Flick, 2009). Also, research literature regarding women’s role uses depth interviewing because it is an effective method of gaining insight into the lives of individual women. Using this method researchers are able to understand women’s experiences and their perspective of them. This method is not structured in a linear way and allows flexibility to deal with a range of problems that may arise at the same time (Gerson and Horowitz, 2002). An example in this interview is where the interviewee discussed issues not included in the interview guide. The flexibility ensured the interviewee was able to discuss these issues without feeling her views were being dismissed (Jones, 2004).

 

The interviewee for this particular research was selected through a non-probability convenience sampling method because of the convenience of interviewing this particular individual (Bryman, 2012). The reason for choosing to interview this individual was because of ease of access and she maintains all the roles the topic of the interview is focuses on. The interview took place at the interviewee’s home to ensure the she was comfortable in the environment and could discuss her views openly. However, the participant forgot about the interview and this was resolved through contacting the interviewee to postpone it. During the interview the only problem encountered was lack of experience of this method of research, which caused nervousness. This was expected and will potentially improve with practise (Flick, 2009). Moreover, the interviewee’s willingness to engage in the interview topic and responding in great detail helped counter this.

 

Throughout the research process utmost importance was given to ensuring ethical considerations were made. It was possible to record what was being discussed with the consent of the interviewee (BSA Ethical Guidelines, 2002). This was done using the recording facility on a laptop and also on a mobile phone as a contingency. Both recordings were deleted once the interview had been transcribed following the interviewee request to do so. The main ethical problem encountered during this research was confidentiality issues. The interviewee requested that names of individuals and organisations mentioned to be changed so they are unable to be identified. The names were replaced with pseudonyms to comply with BSA (2002) guidelines and the interviewee’s request. The practical concern during the interview was covering all the topics of discussion within the time limitations (Flick, 2002). In this case it was possible to cover most of the research aims outlined in the interview guide. The interview was transcribed and coding was used to analyse the data and to uncover ‘grounded theory’ (Bryman, 2012: 567-570).

 

Findings and analysis

The interviewee is a mother of eight children, all under the age of eighteen. Once having children she decided to leave employment to care for them. The respondent home educates her children, except the eldest daughter who is doing her A-levels at a state school. Throughout her life the interviewee has consistently volunteered. From the interview the core category is ‘how the mother is negotiating her diverse roles’.

 

Negotiating the mothers diversity of roles

The interviewee has some difficulty in managing all of her roles as often she feels overwhelmed and stressed by her responsibilities. In the household the interviewee’s husband does not take part in housework but ‘he would always help’. This is consistent with Oakley’s (1974) findings that the majority of men have a small involvement in housework. She reveals that it was difficult being a mother with so many children. The role of educator started with the interviewee’s first child because of the mother-child attachment that had developed leading to the mother being unwilling to break this bond (Lois, 2010). There is a balancing act of being a mother and educator as seen through the example of the mother being worried that Anna would lose her love of Arabic. The interviewee also volunteers in a number of ways but has now reduced it to manageable amount because ‘something’s got to give’ and this may negatively affect the family (Hook, 2004).

 

Parental influence on the mother and her influence as a parent

The mother says she was not influenced by parents but it is apparent from the interview that she is to some extent. This is suggested in the discussion about her upbringing and her supportiveness in allowing her children to manage their future choices.  Also, she expects her children to understand she has other roles such as her volunteering work. Her expectations for her daughters to marry and take on a mothering role like she has can be seen as a way in which girls are socialised into these roles (Oakley, 1974).

 

Emotions of the mother and her family

The interviewee has a positive view looking back at her experiences. Her employment gave her a sense of enjoyment but this is replaced with motherhood as she felt ‘my heart wasn’t in it anymore’. Gerson (1985) discusses this emotional attachment that mothers have with their children which leads them to give up their careers. This shows the strong maternal connection with her children. However, having so many children was ‘demanding’ and she felt she was ‘just coping’ rather than fully enjoying the experience (Oakley, 1990). But ‘as your children get older it gets easier’ as they became more independent. She is uncertain about the future but is positive about it as many home educators are which allows them to continue with their stressful roles (Lois, 2010).

 

The change in identity

The interviewee’s identity has changed over time. In her youth her identity was based on her upbringing. ‘We lived on the farm and that was our life’ and ‘it was kind of farm and church’. During her youth she enjoyed travelling and this came to define her once she left home as she explains ‘I just wanted to travel’. Her work was important to her and it is only when she becomes a mother and leaves employment that her identity became defined by her children. Oakley (1990) discusses how housewives regard their roles as an integral part of their identities and in this case the interviewee’s role as a mother has evolved to become her dominant identity. ‘I still always ask God that I wouldn’t forget them because I know they should come first’.

 

These findings give greater detail about why the interviewee has chosen to take on these roles and how past experiences have influenced her decisions. The main understanding from this is that managing multiple roles is difficult but it is also a rewarding experience. However, this may not be representative of all women’s experiences.

 

Methodological Issues

The advantages of using qualitative interviews is that it informs research through individual perspectives rather than generalising social experiences (Gerson, K. and Horowitz, R., 2002). However, the limitation is that the conducting and processing of the research is time consuming and may put limitations on sample sizes (Bryman, 2012). Moreover, it may be difficult to identify when enough data has been gathered and the research should cease (Gerson, K. and Horowitz, R., 2002). This can lead to the accumulation of more data than can be processed.

 

Using depth interview in this research was the appropriate method as the main purpose of the research was to ascertain a mother experiences of her roles, which other methods would not have uncovered. However, the extensive information gathered made the process of coding difficult. Initially there were thirteen axial codes and these were merged to five. This also raised the issue of what information went into each category and whether ‘emotions’ should be a separate category.

 

The research is valid because it explains the mothers experience while placing it in context. Also, the views presented align with existing research, such as in relation to the husband’s role in housework. To test the validity of the research the husband could be interviewed to confirm or refute the views of the wife. The reliability of the research is good however because the research is in relation to personal experiences the outcomes of other research may vary considerably but should have a similar outline.

 

Word Count: 1645 words (excluding title, bibliography and appendices).

Bibliography

Bianchi, S. et al. (2012) Housework: Who Did, Does or Will Do It, and How Much Does It Matter? USA: Oxford University Press.

British Sociological Association (2002) ‘Statement of Ethical Practice for The British Sociological Association’. Available at: http://www.britsoc.co.uk/about/equality/statement-of-ethical-practice.aspx. [31.10.13].

Bryman, A. (2012) Social Research Methods (4th edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Flick, U. (2009) An Introduction to Qualitative Research (4th edition). London: Sage.

Gerson, K. (1985) Hard Choices: How Women Decide about Work, Career, and Motherhood. Los Angeles: University of California Press.

Hook, J. (2004) ‘Reconsidering the division of household labor: incorporating volunteer work and informal support.’, Journal of Marriage and Family, 66 (1) 101-117.

Jones, S. (2004) ‘Depth interviewing’, in Seale, C. (ed.) Social Research Methods: A Reader. London: Routledge.

Lois, J. (2010) ‘The temporal emotion work of motherhood: homeschoolers’ strategies for managing time shortage’, Gender and Society, 24 (4) 421-446.

Gerson, K. and Horowitz, R. (2002) ‘Observation and interviewing: options and choices in qualitative research’, in May, T. (ed.) Qualitative Research in Action. London: Sage.

Oakley, A. (1990) Housewife: High Value – Low Cost. London: Penguin.

Oakley, A. (1974) The Sociology of Housework. New York: Pantheon Books.

 

 

Appendices

Appendix 1 – Interview Guide

Questions:

  1. Can you tell me about your background, the female roles in your family?
  2. Was/is there a history of women working in your family – mother/mother-in-law?
  3. Was there any parental expectations of whether you should work or not?
  4. Does that extend to once there are children too?
  5. Any careers before marriage/motherhood?
  6. Can you describe the division of housework when you married and if that was in addition to paid work? (Husbands role?)
  7. Expectations of motherhood/homemaking? Comparison to real experience?
  8. Other responsibilities outside home? Reasons for doing it? Feelings/experiences?
  9. How do you manage the multiple roles? (Feelings?)
  10. Do you share aspects of your role with your husband? (Chores, childcare, education?)
  11. Views on the general perception/stereotypes of housewives?
  12. Future plans once children go on to further education/employment/leave home? (More volunteering? Going in to labour market?)

 

 

 

Appendix 2 – Interview Transcript (with commentary & coding)

Depth Interview:

Interview regarding a woman’s experience of multiple roles: housewife, mother, home educator and volunteer

 

Names and any identifiable titles have been changed for confidentiality purposes.

 

TQ: Right so my name is Tajneen and the interview topic were going to be doing today is about woman’s experience of multiple roles. Your role as a housewife, mother, home educator and volunteer. It’s just going to be me prompting you, asking you some questions and you going into depth and just giving your opinions as honestly as you can.

Commentary: I give a brief explanation of the interview topic and direct the interview to the topic.

A: Ok.

TQ: I do need to tell you that if you like I can change your name once the recording has been transcribed for confidentiality issues. I need to ask if you are ok with me recording this?

A: Yeah, that’s fine.

TQ: The recording won’t be accessed by anyone else but me and once I’ve done them if you wish it can be deleted. We can stop the interview at any time if you’re uncomfortable. So do you have any other questions?

A: No that’s fine.

Commentary: I explain what will happen with the recording of the interview and discuss confidentiality issues. Then I gain permission to record and explain that the recording can be stopped at any time to ensure that the interview is conducted ethically.

TQ: Ok. So basically I want to ask you about your background. Roles in your family. So who did what? Your mother, your father, household roles that they had.

A: Yeah well I grew up on various farms in the south of England but mostly in Dorset. My father was a farmer all his life and so he was always around in our childhood. He was kind of in and out, on the farm but just you know always outside somewhere. My mum used to work. I can’t remember how old we were when she started work but we were at primary school and she used to work as a secretary in the bible college. So she was kind of often, I remember her picking us up from school but I know there were times when we were older when we would just come home and she wasn’t there. So she was kind of like working part time and wasn’t really involved on the farm but my dad was very much. We lived on the farm and that was our life.

Commentary: I ask a broad question to allow the interviewee to explain her background and her family life. I also enable the interview to follow a specific direction, focusing on her experience of growing up in this environment.

TQ: Did it affect you, having a mum that was working?

A: Not really. Because she was kind of a very efficient type, busy type person so she wasn’t a traditional farmer’s wife. She didn’t really, was involved as perhaps some farmer’s wives. She was more, she liked to be busy, and she had to be involved with people. She liked to be active in the community and my family also I should mention were practising Christians so life kind of revolved around Church activities I would say for us growing up. So it was kind of farm and church.

Commentary: The interviewee mentions that her mother worked and I probed further into this to understand what affect her mother’s role had on her childhood experience. She mentions that it did not particularly affect her and does not portray any sense of resentment for her mother’s involvement in the community. However, she does emphasise the role of religion in regulating her family’s routine. I probe further to understand how her childhood affected her perceptions.

TQ: So did that effect sort of what you expected out of life. Would you say how you are now was affected by sort of what your mother did, what your father did?

A: Umm. No. I would say character wise yes that’s affected me. But in terms of goals and whatever I don’t remember them giving us much input. I remember just kind of, I don’t even remember, now that my own children are doing GCSEs I’ve been thinking about this. I don’t even remember them encouraging us to you know to do anything. They didn’t give us any input. That probably sounds bad but it wasn’t that it was just that they, you know that was school and that was our life and then home life was kind of separate. So we would bring our school work home and I’m sure we would be encouraged to do homework but I don’t remember them ever pushing us towards something you know. It was like you choose what you want to so and we’ll support you and they were very supportive in whatever we chose. There was myself and two sisters, two older sisters. So for example, my older sister went into nursing, my middle sister went on to do A-levels and a university degree and I went on to college at sixteen. So we were all, all three of us did quite different roles because there was no pressure on us. Which was good really. I liked that, I didn’t mind it at all.

Commentary: I wanted to understand whether her experiences affected her expectations of life. The interviewee responded by explaining this effect was minimal and her parents did not have any rigid expectations of their children. This allowed the interviewee to have a lot of choice in her early life along with her siblings and this was realised from her recent experiences though her children’s academic studies. From the comments it is clear that the interviewee enjoyed the approach taken by her parents and herself and her siblings benefited as a result, which is shown in their life achievements.

TQ: You say pressure so was there, there was no pressure of school work and education but was there a pressure to, an expectation sort of, of working or not?

A: Yes I think we were all expected to leave home by eighteen I think. My mother in particular kind of felt it was strange if you know families were somebody was still at home and I think maybe that, that was kind of the area that we grew up in. You just you studied and then you went on and found work. And usually that was moving away from home that was quite acceptable. I mean my sister moved to Brighton. My other sister, my middle sister studied at Warwick University and then she moved and worked in Surrey and so it was quite expected that we would study and then move away and I studied and then I left home at eighteen. So we all left home by eighteen.

Commentary: I guide the interview on from what the interviewee has mentioned about the pressure in the home regarding education to enquire if this was also the same in the expectation of working once they had left education or at some point in the future. I was surprised with the interviewee’s response. Although I asked about work the interviewee also talked about parental expectations to leave the parental home and the views associated with not doing so. The interviewee also mentions that she followed her sibling’s experiences of leaving home. It is interesting to consider the extent of choice and expectation in this matter as it is not clear what the interviewee’s feelings were towards this issue.

TQ: So you left home at eighteen, you were working at that time?

A: Yes. I did nursery nursing which I’m not really sure what they call it now, probably BTEC something whatever childcare. So I finished by the time I was eighteen because I just wanted to travel so I wanted to go to Canada but my mum and dad felt it would be good to get a year’s experience. I must have listened to them so I did a year of temporary jobs and then I went to Ireland because I kind of thought that was a hop away. That actually that job didn’t work out but it was good because it was a bit of travel and then when I was nineteen I went to Canada. Worked there for three years. Do you want me to carry on?

Commentary: The interviewee presents her experience of entering the labour market and desire to travel abroad. There is a conflict between the interviewee wanting to go abroad with the parental expectation for her to get some experience before leaving. From the interviewees comments it can be inferred that she was influenced by her parents but doesn’t comment on how she felt about this. However, it could be suggested that in hindsight it was a positive experience as from this she takes small steps on her quest to work abroad. Travelling to somewhere close to Britain before travelling to Canada shows the interviewees want to travel but also shows her fear of moving such a distance.

TQ: Yeah, yeah. Go ahead.

Commentary: The interviewee is uncertain as to whether she should continue explaining her experiences or to stop. As the reason of this depth interview is to understand her perspective, I encourage her to continue.

A: Then Canada was kind of too good so then I decided that I wanted something a bit more realistic in life. Then I went to India for two years, then I came back which really unsettled me. Didn’t want to be in England. Did a lot of voluntary work around England and Scotland and then, what did I do after that? Then I found a job in the Philippines. So I went to the Philippines.

Commentary: From the interviewees description it can be ascertained that she was unclear as to what she wanted to do and had difficulty settling into a geographical place during this period of time. She enjoyed being abroad but did not feel the same when she returned to England. The interviewees quest for adventure and new experiences can be inferred from her travel history.

TQ: Wow.

A: Was there for a year, thought I was never coming back. And then came back and ended up in Tower Hamlets. Went back for a little time to the Philippines and then got married here and stayed here.

Commentary: The interviewee makes a sudden shift to explain how she came to be in her current position but gives no real reason as to why she chose to come here and what had changed from before when she felt unsettled in the country. The lack of explanation can be due to the short amount of time for the interview and the interviewee not wanting to divulge to much personal information, which is understandable in this situation.

TQ: Ok. So got married. What age were you?

A: At that time I was, by the time I was married I was in my thirties.

TQ: Ok so you were working in, until your thirties?

A: Yeah.

Commentary: The interviewee mentions her marriage and I use this as a prompt to discuss her life once she had married and the changes which occurred after this potentially life changing event. 

TQ: So once you got married did you carry on with your career?

A: I carried on working for the first year. First year until I got pregnant and then I, yeah I probably carried on working trying to think how old I was. I was thirty-five I think. Can’t remember. Anyway I was in my mid-thirties when I had my first baby and I was, I loved my work. I was doing community work. I was working with Bengali women and we ran an enterprise project. So they were learning English and they were learning skills and I was selling their work and so they were getting some money, they were getting some income from it. And the job just gave me a real buzz. Really loved it. So didn’t really want to give up work even though I was very happy to be pregnant. And I was planning with my boss that I would come back part time and so I did actually come back part time with the baby but my heart wasn’t in it anymore. Just didn’t seem to have the, things had moved on. You know when I had been away the work had moved on slightly and it just didn’t seem to matter as much. You know once you have a child that’s all that matters really. So yes I only worked for a few weeks and I told my boss sorry I can’t do it.

Commentary: The interviewee discusses her love of her occupation but describes how the transition to motherhood changed her enjoyment of work. Her role as a mother overrides her desire to work and she felt that being with her baby was of greater importance to her than her job. She also explains the change she felt when she went back to work after her maternity leave. It is interesting to note that she felt that the role had changed and it could be suggested from her comments that she no longer felt a connection of sense of belonging in the environment. Also, it is interesting that she chose to go back to work part-time but this could be considered normal occurrence rather than an exception.

TQ: But when you had your children is that when you sort of started your other roles? Sort of being a mother and home educator?

A: Yes. Being a mother for the first sort of three years and I had four children really within three years. I had twins, I had two girls close up and then I had the twins really close together. And then I was so happy being a mother that I really didn’t want to give my daughter over to anybody. I didn’t want to put her into school and she didn’t want to go to school either. She was quite, although she was only three because she was the eldest and she seemed a lot older than three and it sounds strange to say now but I remember she said ‘I don’t want to go to school’. And then we were thinking what we could do and a friend of mine was setting up a home education organisation and she asked me to be part of it and I said I don’t think I know much about it. And so at that point we were still thinking, we actually set up our own little school because we thought that would be easier but it was a lot of work. So we set up a small school where a few families dropped their children off but we were thinking that they would be involved as well but they weren’t. They just wanted to drop them off. So then when that kind of fizzled out after about nine months it was a blessing really because then we just said right that’s it we’ll just home educate, be much easier. And by then, so yeah I then basically started home educating and I’ve done that right up until my eldest daughter is now sixteen, nearly seventeen. She’s starting her A-levels and she has gone to a girl’s school to do her A-levels.

Commentary: The process that led to the interviewee choosing to home-school her children was not a clear and direct path.  It was a process of trial and error and trying things that she would not have previously considered. The interviewee sees the experience of the home-schooling project as a blessing rather than a failure and this allows her to move on quickly and find a solution. Also, the interviewee mentions that it was because of her eldest daughter not wanting to start school and the interviewees attachment that led them to home-schooling but it would be interesting to understand if this process was repeated with all the interviewees children or the first experience led to a domino effect with the siblings having minimal input on the process.

TQ: So would you say that during that time, home educating, being a mother, was there sort of division of the housework, sort of chores, home educating between you and your husband?

A: Probably when I was pregnant he might cook once or twice. So that’s as far as he’s housework sort of things go. He would always help but I think the more, you just have another child and you’re expected to do more and you do more. And you have another child and so it goes on. And so you end up stretching yourself. And I know, I remember times being so tired thinking I can’t give anymore but then there’s always something else that you can give. There’s always something more you can do. And obviously when they were all, I had eight children so when they were all very small it was very demanding. And now I look back and I think why didn’t I teach the Quran, why didn’t I do this or why didn’t I you know do it all with them. But now really when I think about it I was just coping, I was just coping with eight children under the age of nine. I had a lot of children really close together so when I look at other people and I think oh gosh they’re doing so well with their children, they’re teaching them this that and the other the fact is I was just managing with what I could do. And sometimes you know not even being able to get out with them. When we were, as I was saying earlier, we lived in a small flat so I had five children I think literally under the age of five and there was days when I would just look out the window and I just felt I’ve got to be patient because it’s not my time to go out of the flat. And we were very close as a little family, big family but we were very close and the children were quite bright really because I was just with them all the time. They didn’t go anywhere. Occasionally, you know if my husband was at home we would go somewhere. But it was difficult you know those times were very good but quite difficult in terms of you know. Then we moved to a big house and I was fortunate because we had the garden so our life was just the house and the garden really. Because I couldn’t, it was too much too really it sounds silly now they’re big but in those days I couldn’t I would be too scared to take them to the park. Even though we live near the park. Because they were so small if one of them ran off how am I going to run off and catch that one and keep an eye on the others. I didn’t have any help, I didn’t have family and I didn’t really have any friends at that time to support me because other people had their own children. And then we set up a home education organisation, that was from quite early on but it was only really as the children had grown older that I started to make local friends who home educated, good friends. And then as your children get older it gets easier so I think my multi-tasking really started when the youngest one was four. And that’s when we set up the cycling club because my husband was out of work. He was working six days a week before that and then he had a bad car accident, I mean got knocked off his bike badly and his health was so bad that he couldn’t stand any noise, and you know him now he’s completely different but he was having fits because he had head injury. He couldn’t move his back, he couldn’t bear any noise from the children and you can imagine eight children, he couldn’t bear any noise, it was very difficult. So we had our difficult years and then he got better and then he started, we realised he could actually set up doing something with cycling. So he set up a cycling club and that kind of moved on from there. But that was only when the youngest one was about four. So how many years, he’s about eight, so about four five years ago everything kind of really started to blossom and got too busy.

Commentary: I wanted to understand whether the division of labour in the household was consistent with the research I had done. This was the case however, though the issues of household chores was swiftly dealt with, other issues were raised by the interviewee. The interviewee discusses her experience of being a mother and a housewife and the feelings of stress and loneliness she felt when her children were young. She also notes that that this changed as her children grew older and she got involved with the cycling club. It is also interesting that the interviewee discussed her husband’s accident and it reveals the effect this event had on all of the family and changed their direction and opportunities in life, mostly for the positive.

TQ: So would you say that your expectations of motherhood and being a wife and homemaking, was that different to your real experiences? Did you expect it to go this way? Is it how you planned?

A: Not really. No. I mean I thinks it’s a bit, as your children grow and get bigger you think I can get a bit more involved in the community or I can do something more or whatever. Whereas, sometimes I kind of think it would be nice just too completely focus on the children because I don’t do that.  They know I’ve got other interests I’ve got other things going on. And sometimes I worry that that’s bad, that I’m not doing enough for them but then I think they’re with me all the time. They’re at home all the time so in some ways it’s good for them to see that their mum can be involved in other things and I think they do, they have learnt a lot from that, seeing me do other things as well. I still think, I still always ask God that I wouldn’t forget them because I know they should come first.

Commentary: The interviewee’s previous perception of her role were not experienced in reality. However, it is clear that her role as a mother is very important to her and she loves and cares for her children greatly.

TQ: So you help out at the cycling club. What else do you do?

A: Well I do the cycling club because my husband runs that. So I kind of do all the admin for that which at some points it was so much. But now I’ve kind of whittled it down to, it’s quite manageable now. Then I also, well I used to run a home education group on Thursday mornings. I’ve just given that up just a couple of months ago because my children are older now so it got to the point why am I going to run this centre on a Thursday morning and leaving seven of them at home and just taking the younger one. So you know I’m leaving seven of them at home on their own and I’m going down there to run it for these women. Like why am I doing that? So now that four of them are doing their GCSEs like seriously I though now something’s got to give because otherwise I’m not going to be able to keep going. So then I realised that I need to give that up so I passed that over. So I’m not really involved in running anything for home education anymore. I used to organise activities for the girls because we would get a grant and then we would set up activities. So I used to be kind of like the liaison, the coordinator for that but now the girls are, they’ve kind of done all of that now. They’ve done their Duke of Edinburgh, they’ve done their silver award or whatever and they’ve finished their activities. So we’ve kind of moved on from that. The boys, I’ve never done any fundraising for them. They would just, they’ve got their, they go through the cycling club. We’ve got the BMX club and they do sailing and things like that. So I’m just kind of taxi driving now, just coordinating activities. And then I’m involved with Organisation X which is an organisation to help Muslim women, Muslim revert women who have become Muslim and are going through difficulties. I got involved in that in a small way and I think probably I am getting more involved in that because when I started off I was key worker for East London.  And there were two key workers at that point and I would kind of like have three or four cases. So I would be supporting these women but using support workers. Now I seem to always have about eight or nine cases and I’m the only key worker. And I’m also supporting a couple of women as there wasn’t a suitable support worker. So yeah that takes up a lot of time. But I’m trying to, I’m trying to get that more structured and trying to you know when the kids are doing their activities I liked to have focused hours on that so I’m not just on the phone to these women all the time. I probably wouldn’t want you to mention the name of the organisation actually.

TQ: Ok. Yeah that’s fine.

Commentary: The interviewee is very involved in the community through various roles and views this as an important aspect of her life. She mentions the stress involved in managing all her roles but it is still a contrast to her previous experience when what she could do was limited because of her young children. Also, her reduction in some of the roles shows her commitment to her children’s education and this will be prioritised before any of her personal volunteering activities.

A: Just ‘an organisation’. Yeah. So yeah that is an involvement but that’s something that the kids see the value of because it’s Islamic and it’s something that as Muslims we should be supporting these women. And so and knowing my background, knowing I wasn’t a Muslim before and knowing that it’s quite difficult to be a Muslim woman with a non-Muslim family. They know that these women have problems so they are quite supportive of that. And they know that if Umi’s (mother) doing her Solace work that’s when she shouldn’t be disturbed. Like I’ll put a notice on the door saying I’m doing Solace call and they know not to come in or whatever.

TQ: And is that how you sort of manage all your roles and how would you go about sort of managing it?

A: How do I manage it? Umm.

TQ: How do you feel about managing everything?

A: Yeah. Sometimes I feel it’s all a bit out of control. Sometimes I, I’m not the most organised person. I have good role models. I have a couple of women I know who are very, well one in particular who’s, she runs the organisation and she’s very structured. She’s very organised and so every so often she’ll kind of give me some suggestions. I’ve kind of come to my own conclusions coz I’m not. You know people can try and make you organised and they can give you guidelines but if you’re not a highly organised person I don’t think you’re ever going to become a highly organised person. I’ve realised that.  And so you find your own ways of organising but you don’t, you don’t feel that you’re failing if you’re not living up to the other person’s ideal. So I’ve become more organised. I’ve got my timetable but I know it’s, it all goes a bit bleeuuu. And that’s fine coz that’s who I am and that’s, I you know I’m doing fairly well. And it’s better to just accept who you are rather than try and be something you’re not. You can always, there’s always room for improvement but you can’t be somebody else so you just do your best. Yeah I’ve become more structured I suppose in some ways but I don’t want to be structure I want to be you know. Like I don’t like the GCSE thing to be honest at the moment you know. The kids are having to do that and the days were so lovely and sunny and I was saying on no we’ve got to the school work and they were saying ‘ahh we could be…’ and I was thinking I really must make some time to pick up conkers. Now look I’ve lost it. Whereas before, before the GCSEs we would say ‘Ah it’s a nice sunny day, let’s forget work’ or we’d say ‘let’s try and do our work on the park’. But we’d take it, we’d never work.  We knew it would never work but we would go anyway. So yeah.

Commentary: She feel stressed but has accepted that she manages in her own way and dislikes external influence on her organisation of her life. This is clear from her views on education. Although education is important, the interviewee does not enjoy the constraints of attaining formal qualifications. This shows the difference between formal education which is focused on qualifications and home-schooling which focuses on learning through experiences.

TQ: So what are your future plans really? Your youngest is eight now?

A: The youngest is eight yes. Umm, I can see things changing in two years. Because in two years’ time Anna will have finished her A-levels, three of them will have finished their GCSEs, no four of them will have finished their GCSEs because Hana will finish next year, the twins the year after, but then Ali who’s thirteen he’s doing the same work as twins, academically he can do the same. So I want them all done in two years and I want it finished in two years. Then I’m just thinking that’s it now we’re just going to have a year to do whatever we want to. Like Anna wants to do her Arabic, Sara wants to do A-levels. She can but I kind of if the boys want to go to Algeria, stay on the farm for a while. Because that would mean Yusuf would still be there. But I just don’t know. So I’m not, I haven’t got any, after that I’m just thinking let’s get these GCSEs out of the way, they’re a pain. Let’s do them and then can we please be free again. Because I don’t like this structure really. And then you know at some stage the girls are going to get married. So let’s enjoy ourselves before all that happens as well. But Sara wants to do A-levels, she’s quite keen she wants to do medicine so she’s kind of got I want to this and I don’t want to go to Algeria. You know I’m not quite sure what will happen with that. You know maybe she should take a year off as well.

Commentary: The interviewee want her children to succeed in whatever they want to do. This characteristic can be seen as a product of her own upbringing.

TQ: So your girls you know hopefully they’ll get married one day. Do you have sort of expectations for them to carry out? Sort of maternal role that you’ve sort of had?

A: Yes. I think they will always want you know, they see their role first and foremost as mothers. But they’ve also got a lot to offer as well. And that’s what I would always encourage them that, and a friend was saying this to me as well yesterday, that you know you should encourage your children to have as many different skills in life as they can. Because then they can use all of them, coz even you know as Muslims we’ve not just got one function, we’re people with lots of talents and so we should be using those talents in all different directions. So yeah I would expect that, like even with Anna, for example, she was always very good at Arabic and Quran and now she’s kind of put that to one side. And part of me, I don’t know why it bothered me but part of me thought she was going to lose her Arabic, she’s going to lose her love of Arabic. You know she’s not going to go on study it anymore. Actually she hasn’t, she’s just put it aside for the moment because she’s focusing on Maths, her other love, and then Biology which is not really her love but she’s quite enjoying it. So she’s doing Maths and I’m thinking that’s good because Arabic she can pick up anytime, maybe she won’t have the opportunity to pick up on Maths you know in the future or something. So it’s better she’s got that, if she does her A-levels in Maths and Further Maths she can take it further if she wants because Arabic is always there alongside it. It doesn’t have to be, she’s going to find her own way. It’s her choice, it’s not my choice. It’s up to her what she wants to do. And Hana, she doesn’t want to do A-levels she’s going to find out what she wants to do and Sara seems to have got quite a clear gaol. So I think they’re all going to be very different and I think I’ll be supporting them in whatever work they want to do. I think just supporting them to believe that they can do whatever they want to do with their life. It doesn’t have to be what everyone says it’s got to be. It doesn’t have to be university, it doesn’t have to be you know anything really. I’m sure that they’ll just give themselves challenges to do things. That’s what I hope. And the boys, I don’t really. They’re less, they haven’t got as much clue as the girls. They kind of like haven’t got any clear paths yet. That will come later.

Commentary: The interviewee expects her daughters to marry and fulfil their maternal role but feels they should achieve in all aspects of their lives. Once again the importance of her education is highlighted but it is difficult to separate this to a specific role the interviewee has. By this I mean the interviewee does not view education from just a parental perspective but also from the role of an educator. Both seem to compliment and balance as she both encourages motivation and choice while instilling the importance of any and all forms of education.

TQ: So do you have any other sort of issues that you would like to raise?

A: About my roles?

TQ: About you roles. About anything in general.

Commentary: I asked this question to find out any other issues the interviewee feels is important to mention about her roles.

A: I think there’s always, you always think about the things that you would have liked to have done or liked to have been like for me I never thought I would be in London. Raising my kids in London, I thought I would live in the countryside like I had done. And I think you have to accept that they way that you grow up and what you’re given as a child and what makes you who you are is not necessarily what you your children are going to have. They’re going to have a certain part of that because that’s who you are and so you give them a lot of input as to that. But at the end of the day they’re experiences are different than yours and when they get married probably their experiences will be different, their children’s experiences will be different. And I always think I want to take the good from what I got from my mum and dad and give it to the kids and tell them don’t take the bad from me, because there is you know there is bad obviously. There are things that are lacking that we could have done more of but take the good of what we gave you and then what you didn’t get, what you thought I wish they’d given us this then ok then take that and put that into your children. So hopefully you know you kind of, you build up the family through the good experiences and what bad experiences you’ve had you say ok let’s see if I can do better than that or improve on that. Because I never had any bad experiences really in my childhood. My parents were really good and we were brought up as Christians on a farm. You know we had a lot of good things but there were things now looking back I can see things that were weaknesses and I’m sure my kids looking back they will see weaknesses in myself and Adam. So I suppose that’s what I’m saying, we haven’t had any bad experiences and that’s a real blessing so take the good and improve on the weak areas.

TQ: Quite a good experience actually.

A: Yeah. That’s really what I would advise. I think what I should do less of is be less busy and maybe not take on things but then I kind of want to do as much as I can do as well. And do what you can while you’ve got the energy to do it.

TQ: Thank you very much for that.

Commentary: The interviewee raises the issue of the children growing up and the experiences she wants them to take with them. She links this back to her own childhood and emphasises the importance of her children’s upbringing in the best possible way. The interview concludes with me thanking the interviewee and making a general comment on her experience which probably did not directly influence her comment.

 

Key for Theme Coding:
·         Diversity of roles

·         Parental influence

·         Emotions

·         Identity

 

After Interview:

  • I explained to the interviewee that I will transcribe the recordings and will give her a copy of the interview report once complete.
  • I also thanked her again for taking the time to be interviewed.
  • The interviewee was pleased with the way the interview was conducted and how her personal experiences could be of use to research.
  • The interviewee was very open about her experiences and this brought up topics that I had not considered in my interview guide or in my research of the topics.

Do the plants need to be identified within the novel?

/in /by

Respecting Protocols for Representing Aboriginal Cultures
JARED THOMAS
David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research
University of South Australia
This essay undertakes a detailed discussion of how respecting protocols for representing Indigenous cultures supports the interests of Indigenous communities and producers of stories with Indigenous content. To highlight the importance of Indigenous protocols I review the prominence and reception of Aboriginal stories in Australian film and literature and discuss how protocol guidelines can prevent problematic representations. I demonstrate how protocols influenced writing Calypso Summer (2014), a novel exploring issues relating to my cultural group, the Nukunu, to illustrate the challenges encountered and benefits gained from employing Indigenous representation protocols.
The key ideas discussed in this paper are that observation of Indigenous protocols serves to maintain Aboriginal culture which underpins the protection of the environment and relations between individuals and communities. Representations of Aboriginal culture that are developed without observation of Indigenous protocols are more likely to misrepresent Aboriginal people and communities and undermine opportunities for the sharing of knowledge and strengthening of Aboriginal communities and their relationships with others. I show how Aboriginal people are taking the lead in representing our cultures, observing protocols in the development of artistic works and communicating protocols in order to protect the interests of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal producers of work that features Indigenous content and the communities such works relate to.
Aboriginal Cultures: Engagement and Representation
In recent decades works of poetry, autobiography and fiction by Aboriginal people have gained national and international recognition. The success of Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s poetry from the 1960s demonstrated early interest in Aboriginal writing that has since considerably grown. According to Wiradjuri author Anita Heiss, ‘[w]hen [Noonuccal’s] poetry collection We Are Going was first published in 1964 it began a new phase in communication and relations between black and white Australia. It met with great sympathy and understanding on the part of the white community, running through seven editions, which is remarkable for any book of poetry in Australia at any time before or since,’ (Heiss, ‘Black Poetics’ 180). Oodgeroo’s success led the way for generations of Aboriginal writers. Sally Morgan’s My Place (1987), for instance, was ‘one of the most successful Australian autobiographies ever published … an immediate bestseller, receiving numerous awards and extensive critical attention’ (Heiss and Minter, 115). These widespread successes point to Heiss and Peter Minter’s affirmation in the Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature that ‘the resurgence of Aboriginal writing in recent years has taken place during a widespread and vigorous renewal in Aboriginal culture. In the visual arts, performance, film, photography and music, Aboriginal practitioners and their critical communities produce highly significant works that speak to audiences around the world’ (7). More recently, this resurgence is evinced by the far-reaching success of works such as Doris Pilkington’s autobiography Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence (1996), and novels by authors such as Alexis Wright and Kim Scott, who
have both won Australia’s prestigious Miles Franklin Literary Award for Carpentaria (2007) and That Deadman Dance (2011) respectively.
Congruently, the increasing prominence of Aboriginal literature has also seen a greater emphasis on Aboriginal themes and content in celebrated works by non-Indigenous authors. Prizewinning books such as Kate Grenville’s The Secret River (2005), Andrew McGahan’s The White Earth (2004), Alex Miller’s Journey to the Stone Country (2002) and Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet (1993), among many others, demonstrate a renewed and sophisticated interest in the life and history of Aboriginal Australia. Grenville’s The Secret River reveals the emergence of a positive and constructive approach by a non-Indigenous author to Aboriginal content. In the Australia Council for the Arts Protocols for Producing Indigenous Australian Writing (2007), co-produced by Indigenous author and lawyer Terri Janke, Grenville highlights the benefits of respectful consultation:
I approached the Darug descendants diffidently because I knew that I was asking them to talk about traumatic events in their peoples’ past, but I was overwhelmed by the generosity of their response. They told me many things I hadn’t known, or hadn’t realised the significance of—an example would be the ‘yam daisies.’ I’d had no idea from my reading in non-Indigenous sources that they were a staple in the Darug diet, and how the Europeans dug them up as weeds and replaced them with corn. Knowing about them made sense of what happened on those river flats. (Janke 6)
As we shall see in further detail below, and notwithstanding Grenville’s claims, the complexities of consultation and representation can remain controversial, especially for non-Indigenous authors. Aboriginal author Bruce Pascoe questions the merits of Grenville’s (and Tim Winton’s) works, stating that, ‘it is as if our most famous novels are trying to smooth the pillow of the dying race’ because they ‘persuade us we have “dealt” with the past and overcome it.’ (17, 22) Pascoe’s criticism highlights the fact that deeper levels of consultation are required beyond an understanding of Aboriginal material culture toward an understanding of Aboriginal ideology. Nevertheless, it is true that, unlike years ago, many prominent Australian authors are now attempting to address Indigenous protocols when producing writing featuring Indigenous content.
Alongside literature, these developments can also be observed in Australian film. Critic Dan Edwards writes:
There is no doubt that the most challenging local cinema in recent years has either come from Indigenous Australian filmmakers or dealt with Indigenous stories. The painfully slow lancing of the wound created by Australia’s repressed history of race relations seems the only topic that can provoke even the mildest form of political engagement or formal experimentation in Australian filmmakers. (18)
Nationally and internationally celebrated films by Aboriginal people have included Wayne Blair’s The Sapphires (2012), Rachel Perkins’s Bran Nue Dae (2010), Ivan Sen’s Beneath Clouds (2002) and Toomelah (2011), and Warwick Thornton’s Samson and Delilah (2009). As has been the case in literature, there has also been remarkable growth in popular films by non-Indigenous film-makers that feature Aboriginal content. Phillip Noyce’s film adaptation of Doris Pilkington’s novel, Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002), Baz Luhrmann’s Australia (2008),
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and Ten Canoes (2006) by Rolf de Heer and the People of The Ramingining, have all enjoyed box-office success while making strong engagements with Aboriginal Australia.
However, as has been the case with Grenville’s The Secret River, engagement with Aboriginal content in film has not been without controversy. Paul Goldman’s Australian Rules (2002), produced by Mark Lazarus, has been criticised for its representation of events and locations that are significant to Aboriginal people. Australian Rules draws on the story of the 1977 shooting of two young Aboriginal men by a white publican in the South Australian town of Port Victoria, depicted in the controversial novel Deadly Unna? by non-Indigenous author Phillip Gwynne. The tangled relations between non-Indigenous authorship and the representation of Aboriginal content make the Australian Rules and Deadly Unna? duo a compelling case-study of the importance of observing cultural protocols, and how, in this example, respecting them may have resulted in a mutually beneficial, less painful and confronting experience for the Port Victoria Aboriginal community and the film’s producers.
Respecting Protocols: Australian Rules?
The film Australian Rules and novel Deadly Unna? are exemplary cases of the pitfalls faced by non-Indigenous creators when dealing with Indigenous material. Deadly Unna? is a story about a friendship between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal young men Blacky and Dumby Red. In Australian Rules the two young footballers, played by Nathan Phillips and Luke Carol, experience an inter-racial friendship amidst agonising racism in the fictionalised town of Prospect Bay. Some Prospect Bay scenes are filmed in Port Victoria, the town where author Phillip Gwynne lived between the age of six and fourteen, and where the two young Aboriginal men from the nearby Point Pearce Aboriginal community were killed. Deadly Unna? and Australian Rules depict the murder of Aboriginal character Dumby Red by Blacky’s father, which is filmed in the same pub where the 1977 shooting occurred. Criticism of Australian Rules centres on this depiction.
The issues with Australian Rules can perhaps be sourced in Gwynne’s original neglect in Deadly Unna? Psychoanalyst and writer Peter Ellingsen states that ‘by drawing on a real incident in which two Point Pearce youths were killed by a white publican in a 1977 pub shooting, [Gwynne] has crossed a line. [Gwynne] wrote his story, a story he insists he has the right to tell. But it was someone else’s story too, and that . . . prompted a backlash.’ (n. pag.) He explains that, ‘Penguin . . . which published Deadly Unna? in 1998, saw it as fiction, and did not check it for cultural sensitivity; neither, in any effective way, did those funding [Australian Rules],’ and that ‘David Wilson . . . an Aboriginal filmmaker . . . was asked to assess the script by one of the funding bodies, the Adelaide Festival. They, and the other main funding body, SBS Independent, bypassed his advice . . .’
Failure to ask permission to construct a narrative resembling the 1977 murders sparked the tension between filmmakers and the Point Pearce Aboriginal community. Ellingsen quotes Gordon Weetra, the father of one of the young men murdered in the tragedy, as saying that the filming of Australian Rules ‘is nothing but pain. How could they do it? They never asked my permission,’ and, ‘[we’ve] been trying to get that movie stopped . . . we done everything, but they wouldn’t listen.’ Similarly, Ida Wanganeen, a family friend of Weetra, criticised Australian Rules because it ‘has ignored the “traditional practice” of first seeking permission from the family.’ Ellingsen writes that, ‘both Goldman . . . and producer Mark Lazarus, reject the notion that filmmakers need to comply with Indigenous protocols and quotes them stating, ‘If you ask me, “should we have consulted earlier?” the answer is “yes” . . . If you say,
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“should the shooting have been left out?” The answer is “no”.’ In relation to failing to comply with Indigenous protocols, Gwynne admits that he was ‘naïve.’
In an interview with Ann Barker (n. pag.), David Wilson states, ‘the main concern [with Australian Rules] is the lack of consultation from the concept stage, when the book was written. That’s where consultation with the whole community should have occurred.’ Indeed, if Gwynne had consulted with the family of the young deceased men when developing Deadly, Unna? they might have supported the representation and provided advice. Ultimately, the controversy surrounding Deadly Unna? and the production of Australian Rules is doubly unfortunate because the stories explore the futility of racism.
Respecting Protocols: Representation and Self-determination
In her breakthrough work Decolonising Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples (1999), prominent Māori scholar Linda Tuhiwai Smith explained how issues of representation and misrepresentation are also matters for self-determination:
A critical aspect of our struggle for self-determination has involved questions relating to our history . . . and a critique of how we, as the Other, have been represented or excluded from various accounts. Every issue has been approached by indigenous peoples with a view to rewriting and rewrighting our position in history, Indigenous peoples want to tell our own stories, write our own versions, in our own ways, for our own purposes. (Smith 28)
The Deadly Unna? / Australian Rules dispute highlights the importance of respectfully observing Indigenous protocol at all stages of a story’s creative development. Failure to engage with Aboriginal subjects can contravene cultural mores, offend and negatively impact upon Aboriginal people and communities and in turn discredit non-Indigenous creators. It can also impinge on the capacity for Aboriginal people to maintain a self-determining engagement with, in Smith’s words, the ‘various accounts’ of history and story. For instance, unlike the outcome of Australian Rules, Rolf de Heer’s Ten Canoes reaped the benefits of engaging with and observing Indigenous protocol. As outlined in The Balanda and the Ten Canoes—the documentary about the making of Ten Canoes—De Heer embarked on a lengthy and elaborate encounter with the Ramingining people that enabled the emergence of a culturally complex and highly significant work of art.
De Heer’s success, echoing Smith’s emphasis on the centrality of protocol engagement and Aboriginal self-determination, is further echoed by Aboriginal editor Sandra Phillips. In Anita Heiss’s Dhuuluu-Yala [To Talk Straight]: Publishing Indigenous Literature (2003), Phillips observes:
For a non-Indigenous author to achieve a true feel to their representation on Indigenous subject matter and character they would need to be very enculturated within Indigenous culture. And if they are not, they are writing as outsiders to that culture and their representation would be vastly different to the representation defined, developed and refined by an Indigenous writer. (10)
Alexis Wright concurs, affirming that in ‘the bulk of academic writings and books about Aboriginal people . . . most of our people would not have a clue about what was written about them’ (13). Similarly, Aboriginal author and human rights ambassador Jackie Huggins writes JASAL: Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature 14.3
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in Sister Girl: The Writings of Aboriginal Activist and Historian Jackie Huggins (1998) that historians have a responsibility to include Aboriginal people and that ‘[e]xclusion is a sorry story.’ She warns, ‘I would not want to be included if people didn’t go about the process in a culturally appropriate way’ (125).
The centrality of protocol engagement, cultural respect and Aboriginal autonomy are conversely highlighted by examples of blatant identity fraud and fabrication. Heiss writes that ‘the 1990s saw increased discussion on the issue of non-Aboriginal writers writing about Aboriginal society and culture and highlighted the need to define authenticity in Aboriginal writing’ (2). Heiss cites the example of white male taxi driver Leon Carmen, who fabricated the autobiography My Own Sweet Time (1994) by invented Pitjantjatjara woman, Wanda Koolmatrie. In another infamous case, white American author Marlo Morgan fabricated Indigenous experience in Mutant Message Down Under (1995). Australian scholar Cath Ellis writes:
Marlo Morgan, a white, middle–aged allied health care professional from Lee’s Summit, Missouri . . . [began telling] audiences that during her time in Australia she had helped . . . indigent Aboriginal youths set up a fly-screen business. She then told of how she was . . . kidnapped by a ‘Tribe’ of Aboriginal Australians and forced to go ‘walkabout’ across the desert. She claimed that her kidnappers had used ti-tree oil to cure injuries that she sustained . . . during the walk and it was . . . the same oil contained in the products she had available for sale. (151)
In her Australian literature and Australian studies courses, Ellis encounters many North American students who have read Mutant Message Down Under as if it is a real account of Aboriginal culture. She is disturbed ‘precisely because the book, which is routinely taken by non-Australian readers to be an accurate, non-fictional account of Australian Indigenous culture, is in fact a complete fabrication’ (150).
Lore and Law
Indigenous identity fraud and fabrication is the apogee of disrespecting Aboriginal cultural autonomy and protocol. It affects the reception and understanding of Indigenous people and stories and has a profound impact upon the confidence of Aboriginal people and communities to share stories and cultural knowledge. Contributing to the dilemma faced by Indigenous communities represented in film and literature is a lack of formal laws that prescribe the protection of special Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights. At present, a key document assisting Indigenous people to assert their ownership and Indigenous cultural heritage rights is the 2007 Protocols for Producing Australian Indigenous Writing (henceforth ‘Protocols’) produced for the Australia Council for the Arts by Terri Janke, lawyer and author of the acclaimed novel, Butterfly Song (2005).
Janke makes it clear that there are currently few legal protections for Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights:
Australia’s current legal framework provides limited recognition and protection of these rights. Our Culture: Our Future recommended significant changes to legislation, policy and procedures. . . . In the absence of laws, much of the rights and recognition has been done at an industry and practitioner level, through the
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development of protocols and use of contracts to support the cultural rights of Indigenous people. (8)
In the absence of adequate legal recognition of Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights, Janke adds:
Across the world, Indigenous people continue to call for rights at a national and international level. Indigenous people are developing statements and declarations that assert their ownership and associated rights to Indigenous cultural heritage [in order to] set standards and develop an Indigenous discourse that will, over time, ensure that Indigenous people’s cultural heritage is respected and protected. (8)
Drawing on the spirit and substance of key international benchmarks, such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2006), Janke and the Australia Council for the Arts assert a set of nine ‘principles and protocols’ for respecting Indigenous material: respect; Indigenous control; communication, consultation and consent; interpretation, integrity and authenticity; secrecy and confidentiality; attribution and copyright; proper returns and royalties; continuing cultures; and recognition and protection.
These principles can be applied to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous creators. In ‘Politics of Writing’ (2002) Alexis Wright writes of her own respect for consultation: ‘In writing . . . Carpentaria, I have asked for help from my own people to protect their interests in my writing . . . They help me to see many things I would not even be able to dream about’ (14). Wright acknowledges that the act of engaging with the Aboriginal people represented by the work is liberating as it assists in seeing things one may not have considered. Engaging with Aboriginal people associated with a representation is an educational experience which contributes to the integrity of representation. For instance, when working as Second Assistant Director on Rachel Perkin’s One Night the Moon, filmed in Adnyamathanha country in the Northern Flinders Ranges, I personally experienced how cultural liaison could strengthen and deepen my relationships with Adnyamathanha people. Janke’s ‘principles and protocols’ also informed my approach to the writing of Calypso Summer. As a Nukunu man my writing engaged specifically with Nukunu cultural protocols, a set of practices and confidences that can also be understood via Janke’s principles, such as respect, control, communication, consultation and consent, and secrecy and confidentiality. I explore these in detail below.
Calypso Summer: Nukunu Respect, Control, Consent and Confidence
Calypso Summer features twenty-year-old fictional Nukunu character ‘Calypso’ who has adopted a Rastafarian guise. He gains work in Henley Beach Health Food and Products store and his boss pressures him to gather Aboriginal plants for production. With little Nukunu cultural knowledge, Calypso endeavours to find the appropriate native plants. Calypso’s adventure leads him to his family, the virtues of Nukunu knowledge, and consideration of his Rastafarian facade.
The writing of Calypso Summer was influenced by knowledge and practice of Nukunu protocols attained through being a Nukunu person, serving in various Nukunu People’s Council roles, and representing Nukunu life in public media such as theatre, film and fiction. It is enhanced by engagement with views about Aboriginal authorship and through working in positions such as Manager of Indigenous Arts and Culture, in Arts South Australia and as JASAL: Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature 14.3
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Portfolio Holder of the Australian Society of Authors, where Indigenous representation protocols are advocated. Respect for Aboriginal people, culture and spirit is integral to any representation of Aboriginal people and culture. As the first principal in Protocols, ‘respectful use of Indigenous cultural material, including stories, traditional knowledge and information about life experience, is a basic principle’(11).
Nukunu Respect
My respect for Nukunu people and culture was paramount when writing Calypso Summer. I was very mindful that inappropriate representation could result in lack of trust and ostracism from my family and my roles as a Nukunu person, including, in varying degrees, a variety of exclusions that would result in the reduction of responsibility and authority. I have already mistakenly shared aspects of Nukunu culture in the past, and my elders have reprimanded me and delayed further teaching of Nukunu knowledge until I made amends and restored trust. In the Nukunu culture the simplest way to demonstrate respect is to ask for permission when traveling onto tracts of land and when representing aspects of a person’s culture including stories, practices, experiences and issues. To understand how asking permission indicates respect, awareness of the function and importance of The Dreaming is important.
The Nukunu word for The Dreaming is wipma and I sometimes use the Adnyamathanha term yura muda when referring to The Dreaming and its concepts, as it is common for some Nukunu people to use the term through friendships and family connections with the Adnyamathanha. Adnyamathanha are north eastern neighbours of the Nukunu. I first acquired permission from Adnyamathanha people to use the term when developing the play Love, Land and Money produced by Junction Theatre for the 2002 Adelaide Fringe Festival.
Wipma is the stories of creation and the actions of animal ancestors during the formation of the earth. The stories provide examples of how to live responsibly, ensuring protection of people and the environment. Dangora is the word Nukunu use to describe totemic stories or those that belong to individuals descended from particular ancestors. Wipma reveal our connection to every natural physical and spiritual element within our cosmos. There are various access points to wipma. Some stories can be shared amongst the group, others can only be told amongst certain members of a group or gender. Some individuals are responsible for the sharing of particular stories. Stories can be told with gruesome elements or sexual detail or can be modified for specific audiences. Greater levels of knowledge are contained within more detailed versions of a particular story.
Restrictions inherent in Indigenous storytelling are sometimes deemed a form of censorship but should not be viewed negatively as they reinforce social cohesion and cultural and environmental sustainability. Although stories are regulated according to age, gender and position, by the same token they can be shared widely. Proof of this is the fact that despite the hundreds of Indigenous language groups, we all share The Dreaming as our common governance, economic and spiritual framework and stories deriving from one language group and location traverse expanses of land and language groups. In The Nukunu Dictionary Louise Hercus writes:
Nukunu land contained some of the most important sites in the county: by ‘important’ is meant not secret and unmentionable, but on the contrary talked about, celebrated in myth and song. Nukunu country contained the sites which
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marked the beginning of the longest known continuous song-line, the Urumbula which goes from Port Augusta to the Gulf of Carpentaria. (13)
The Urumbula continues to be important to many Aboriginal people and groups including those thousands of kilometres from Nukunu country. Despite colonisation, there still exists a rich knowledge of Dreaming stories and strict protocols are abided by. In many cases Aboriginal people and communities feel that they have the authority to dictate how stories are shared within and outside of their own group. As Janke explains, ‘[i]n Indigenous communities, the telling of stories is a right given to particular and qualified individuals. The re-telling of those stories by unqualified outsiders may be offensive to customary law beliefs’ (6).
In addition to my cultural responsibility, I believe that I am the first person to fictionalise Nukunu life, therefore increasing the importance for me to ask permission from relevant Nukunu people when contemplating writing about Nukunu experience. This was also the case when developing my play Flash Red Ford (1999). This play is about my great-grandfather Alexander Thomas, who bet on himself when competing in the Stawell Gift, winning money and then returning to Port Augusta to purchase some of his traditional land only to be denied his dream due to being Aboriginal. When contemplating writing Flash Red Ford I initiated a process of showing respect by asking permission to research and write the story, cognisant of vested Nukunu interests in the story. My Uncle Lindsay Thomas ingrained in me the concept of ‘always ask’ when regularly on country with me and other family members. It is protocol to request permission when we’re venturing onto particular tracts of land. This is so elders have the opportunity to share place-specific stories that can equip us to take care of ourselves and country. Uncle Lindsay also ensured we sought permission from pastoralists to venture onto pastoral land situated in our traditional lands.
Being respectful when writing a story featuring Nukunu content involves frequently checking with Nukunu people that appropriate representation of cultural practices, principles and viewpoints is occurring. For example, requesting permission from Aunty Patricia Russell, nee Thomas, Alexander’s last surviving child, was essential when writing Flash Red Ford as Alexander’s story belongs to his family members and the impact of its telling are most significant to them. Through requesting permission family members provided practical advice for representing Alexander and anticipating potential impacts of telling the story upon Nukunu and other Aboriginal people living in Port Augusta.
Similarly, before writing Calypso Summer I asked my elders’ permission, explained the novel’s storyline, being clear about sensitivities such as discussion of native plants and their medicinal uses. Discussions with Nukunu family members showed respect and opportunity for them to share advice and knowledge that would enrich the story. It is in this sense that, within the framework of the principle of respect, Janke emphasises the importance of accurate representation:
Representation of Indigenous cultures should reflect Indigenous cultural values and respect customary laws. It is respectful to write and speak about Indigenous cultures in a manner preferred by those cultures, avoiding inappropriate or out-dated terms and perspectives. It is important to consult with relevant groups about preferred language and terms. (12) JASAL: Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature 14.3
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Continual involvement of the Nukunu in aspects of the development of Calypso Summer hopefully contributes to a representation of Nukunu culture that is most importantly valued by Nukunu people.
Nukunu Control
The second key principle I wish to discuss is that of Indigenous control. In Protocols, Janke writes:
Indigenous people have the right to self-determination in . . . the expression of their cultural material . . . This right can be respected in the development and production of literary works. One significant way is to discuss how Indigenous control over a project will be exercised . . . [including] who can represent language groups and who can give clearances of traditionally and collectively owned material. (12)
The issue of Indigenous control in regard to Calypso Summer was partly negotiated by applying the first principle of ‘respect’ and ‘always ask.’ I made it clear that if elements of the story were deemed inappropriate they would be removed or alternatives negotiated. Striving for an accurate representation of the Nukunu is important because representations can impact negatively on the lives of the Nukunu and understandings of Nukunu culture and experience. Nukunu attribute reverence to information shared by relatives in historical records as this information conveys the culture, attitudes and desires of our predecessors, which assist conscientious actions. I do not want to negatively interfere with the knowledge transferred by my ancestors.
I am privileged to know who to ask for permission to use some traditional and collectively owned Nukunu material, as it is always under the control of specific individuals. This knowledge is derived from family interactions and serving on the Nukunu Peoples Council which includes fielding requests from people wanting to conduct activities on our country or relating to our culture. However, I continue to ask permission for new activities because Nukunu knowledge is sometimes provided on a ‘need to know’ or ‘once only’ basis. It is only through asking that I find family members who possess knowledge and the ability to give clearance for specific traditional and collectively owned material to be used in my work.
Nukunu Consent
The third key principle in Protocols is communication, consultation and consent, which entails ‘communicating and consulting with the relevant Indigenous people in authority, and seeking their consent for each project’ (13). This task can be a challenge for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Janke cites Aboriginal author Bruce Pascoe, who says: ‘Consent . . . is a priority. People . . . should discuss their artistic ideas with Indigenous friends and acquaintances as well as consulting protocols. If the non-Indigenous writer doesn’t know any Indigenous people to consult with then that is a great reason to abandon the project’ (11).
Pascoe’s view is shared by Jackie Huggins who writes in Sister Girl that ‘I’d prefer whitefellas, if they weren’t sure of speaking about Aboriginal people, not to’ (125). In Protocols, Huggins emphasises the importance of gaining consent by warning: JASAL: Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature 14.3
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Some of us will be more open and tolerant than others. There is a long history of violence, mistrust, guilt and fear that cannot be erased overnight. Know when you are becoming an intruder rather than an accomplice. Do some homework first. Read books, watch films, and do some Aboriginal studies courses. (14)
While I believe Huggins’s statement is intended for non-Indigenous people, her advice is highly relevant to me when writing about Indigenous cultures. As Sandra Phillips is quoted as suggesting in Dhuuluu-Yala, I always ‘strive to become very enculturated in the culture I wish to represent’ (10).
My efforts to encapsulate Nukunu life in fiction can impact on ordinary interactions with my family. Due to this I need to negotiate time with them to discuss issues relating to my work and remunerate them appropriately. It is important not to ask elders questions relating to things they feel they’ve already taught me as it can cause offence and undermine my suitability as a receiver of knowledge. In this regard my family are less forgiving of me than outsiders. One should also factor in adequate time and flexibility for consultation, taking into account that Aboriginal people have other priorities and can often lack resources to expedite requests. In the Nukunu context, sometimes only a small number of people would be comfortable responding to such requests. Considering this, I was appreciative of people’s time when I called upon them to give feedback on sections or entire drafts of Calypso Summer. Key family members read Calypso Summer before publication and all Nukunu people had the opportunity to read it before publication.
In the article On the Impossibility of Pleasing Everyone: The Legitimate Role of White Filmmakers Making Black Films (2002), Frances Peters-Little raises issues that concern those seeking feedback from Aboriginal people on the merits of their representation:
Expecting those interviewed, the talent, to take equal control during a film’s production can actually heighten their defensiveness and unease, particularly during the post-production stages. Bringing people into the editing suites or sending them videotapes of the process can actually induce anxieties that are needless as it’s not easy to know how to view material that is still in the process of being edited. Viewing a rough-cut is very different from viewing the final film. (7)
Peters-Little’s comments are just as relevant to novelists. I am conscious of this issue when my family members view pre- and post- edited versions of work. People can be perplexed about retaining or deleting elements, and the intricacies of publishing and editing must be explained. In the event of strong family aversion to aspects of Calypso Summer, elements that caused offence or unease are removed or discussions about alternative ways for dealing with the content occur. In future there may be views I wish to express about Nukunu life and experience that people disagree with. I will at least be able to make an informed decision as to whether to continue my representation based on asking permission and consultation.
Nukunu Confidence
This point brings me to the final principle of Janke’s work on writing: secrecy and confidentiality. When writing the novel there were serious cultural requirements and expectations regarding the confidentiality and dissemination of certain information. In Protocols, secret and sacred information or material is identified as that which, under JASAL: Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature 14.3
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customary law, is ‘made available only to the initiated; used for a particular purpose; used for a particular time; [and is] information or material that can only be seen and heard by particular language group members (such as men or women or people with certain knowledge).’ (21) Janke writes:
[S]ome Indigenous cultural material is not suitable for wide dissemination on the grounds of secrecy and confidentiality. It is the responsibility of . . . those working on writing projects, to discuss any restrictions on use with the relevant Indigenous groups . . . [and that the] reproduction of secret and sacred material may be a transgression of Indigenous law. (20, 21)
Two key points I strive to make through Calypso Summer are that Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people must undertake a process when acquiring and utilising Indigenous knowledge; and that frameworks exist to support Indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage protection. I also promote the idea that economies which use Indigenous plants possessing medicinal qualities can be positive for Aboriginal communities when based on traditional Aboriginal principals and practice. I communicate these points by showing how Calypso’s reengagement with his family and acquisition of knowledge reconciles a family rift and underpins his development. The discussion of traditional knowledge relating to plants can fall into the realm of secret and sacred material, but in the case of Calypso Summer, confidentiality regarding traditional uses of plants and the portrayal of family divisions is exercised.
I declared my interest in speaking about traditional uses of plants with family and emphasised their control. Even though my writing about this issue was approved, I later realised that writing about particular plants and their properties leaves the Nukunu open to appropriation of our intellectual and cultural property. Alexis Wright raises similar considerations:
I felt literature, the work of fiction was the best way of presenting truth—not the real truth, but more of a truth than non-fiction, which is not really the truth either. Non-fiction is often about the writer telling what is safe to tell. In being an Aboriginal person, we can feel constrained by cultural values on some issues . . . This is to do with safeguarding . . . interests of the individual, the family, community, or Aboriginal people as a whole . . . (‘Politics’ 13)
I also discussed my concerns about sharing actual Nukunu medicinal use of native plants with Professor Nicholas Jose, who asked the question: ‘Do the plants need to be identified within the novel?’ Desiring to accurately represent and share virtues of Nukunu knowledge I, at first, thought, ‘Yes.’ I then talked further with family about the issue and Uncle Doug Turner was particularly concerned about revealing actual plants used by the Nukunu for medicinal purposes. He did however encourage me to develop the story.
In my novel, Calypso embarks on a quest to discover plants used by his people for their medicinal qualities. Calypso’s family members are portrayed as hesitant about sharing information due to potential exploitation. When the plants possessing medicinal qualities are revealed to Calypso, the appearance and names of the plants are not revealed to the reader. The scenario helps to exemplify, and educate people about, real issues experienced by the Nukunu, while the secrecy surrounding knowledge of the plants serves to heighten suspense throughout the story. The issue of secrecy relating to Nukunu traditional knowledge that had caused anxiety developed into a strength, and not naming actual plants used medicinally by the Nukunu doesn’t detract from the message I wished to convey. In fact, I believe it enhances it. JASAL: Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature 14.3
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Respectfully
I am an emerging storyteller continually learning about writing and my culture. By highlighting issues relating to Aboriginal representation and sharing information about the way Indigenous writing and cultural protocols influenced my writing of Calypso Summer, I hope to have shared some insights into how protocols for representing Indigenous cultures can support both the interests of Indigenous communities and producers of stories with Indigenous content.
I have witnessed much positive collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous writers, communities and publishers. I envisage that through observing such protocols, producers of stories featuring Aboriginal content and themes can not only aim for commercial success but enable the development of knowledge and positive relationships that both Indigenous and non-Indigenous readers can appreciate.
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‘Australia the Film Tops Box Office List’. ninemsn. 26 Feb 2009. 22 Oct 2011 http://www.australiamovie.net/2009/02/second-highest-grossing-australian-film-of-all-time.
Australian Rules. Dir. Paul Goldman. Perf. Nathan Philips, Luke Carroll, Lisa Flanagan. SBS, 2002. Film.
Barker, Ann. ‘Australian Rules Gets Opposite Reaction’. 7.30 Report [online transcript] 13 March 2002. 15 Aug 2012 http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2002/s503846.htm.
Beneath Clouds. Dir. Ivan Sen. Perf. Danielle Hall, Damien Pitt. Australian Film Finance Corporation, 2002. Film.
Bran Nue Dae. Dir. Rachel Perkins. Perf. Geoffrey Rush, Magda Szubanski, Ernie Dingo, Deborah Mailman, ‘Missy’ Higgins, Jessica Mauboy, Dan Sultan. Robyn Kershaw Productions, 2010. Film.
Edwards, Dan. ‘New Blak Films: New Voices’. Real Time [online] 56 (2003): 18. 23 Oct 2011 http://www.realtimearts.net/article/56/7147.
Ellingsen, Peter. ‘Australian Rules’. Age [online] 12 Aug 2002. 14 Aug 2012 http://theage.com.au/articles/2002/08/12/1028158065808.html.
Ellis, Cath. ‘Helping Yourself: Marlo Morgan and the Fabrication of Indigenous Wisdom’. Australian Literary Studies 21.4 (2004): 149–64. 17 Sep 2009 http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=900201200363797;res=IELHSS> ISSN: 0004-9697.
Grenville, Kate. The Secret River. Melbourne: Text Publishing, 2005.
Gwynne, Phillip. Deadly, Unna? Ringwood, Vic.: Penguin, 1998.
Heiss, Anita. Dhuuluu-Yala [To Talk Straight]: Publishing Indigenous Literature. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 2003.
—. Paris Dreaming. Milsons Point, NSW: Bantam, 2011.
—. Not Meeting Mr Right. Milsons Point, NSW: Bantam, 2007.
—. ‘Black Poetics’. Ed. Peter Minter. Meanjin: Blak Times 65.1 (2006): 180–83.
Heiss, Anita and Peter Minter eds. Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature. NSW: Allen & Unwin, 2008.
Hercus, Luise. A Nukunu Dictionary. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 1992. JASAL: Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature 14.3
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Huggins, Jackie. ‘Respect v Political Correctness’. Australian Author 26.3 (1994): 12.
—. Sister Girl: The Writings of Aboriginal Activist and Historian Jackie Huggins. St Lucia: U of Queensland P, 1998.
Janke, Terri. Writing: Protocols for Producing Australian Indigenous Writing. Surry Hills NSW: Australia Council for the Arts, 2008.
—. (Terri Janke and Company). Issues Paper: Towards a Protocol for Filmmakers Working with Indigenous Content and Indigenous Communities. World Intellectual Property Organisation, 2004. 14 August 2012 http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/tk/en/folklore/creative_heritage/docs/aus_film.pdf.
Langton, Marcia. ‘Well I Heard it on the Radio and I Saw it on the Television . . .’: An Essay for the Australian Film Commission on the Politics and Aesthetics of Filmmaking by and about Aboriginal People and Things. Woolloomooloo NSW: Aboriginal Film Commission, 1993.
—. ‘Faraway Downs Fantasy Resonates Close to Home’. Age 23 Nov 2008. 14 Aug 2012 http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/11/23/1227375027931.html.
McGahan, Andrew. The White Earth. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin, 2004.
Morgan, Marlo. Mutant Messenger Down Under. London: Thorsons, 1995.
Nukunu: Heritage and Identity. Dir. Malcolm McKinnon. Nukunu People’s Council, 2002. Film.
Pascoe, Bruce. ‘Rearranging the Dead Cat’. Southerly 71.2 (2011): 14–23.
Peters-Little, Frances. ‘On the Impossibility of Pleasing Everyone: The Legitimate Role of White Filmmakers Making Black Films’. Art Monthly Australia 149 (2002): 5–10.
Pilkington, Doris. Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence. St Lucia: U of Queensland P, 1996.
Rabbit-Proof Fence. Dir. Phillip Noyce. Perf. Evelyn Sampi, Tianna Sansbury, Laura Monaghan, David Gulpilil, Ningali Lawford, Myarn Lawford, Deborah Mailman. Australian Film Commission, 2002. Film.
One Night the Moon. Dir. Rachel Perkins. Perf. Paul Kelly, Kaarin Fairfax, Memphis Kelly, Kelton Pell. Australian Broadcasting commission, 2001. Film.
Samson and Delilah. Dir. Warwick Thornton. Perf. Rowan McNamara, Marissa Gibson. CAAMA Productions, 2009. Film.
Scott, Kim. That Deadman Dance. Sydney: Picador, 2010.
Smith, Linda. Decolonising Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. N.Z.: University of Otago P, 1999.
Ten Canoes. Dir. Rolf de Heer and the People of the Ramingining. Perf. David Gulpilil, Jamie Gulpilil. Adelaide Film Festival, 2006. Film.
The Balanda and the Bark Canoes. Dir. Rolf de Heer, Tania Nehme, Molly Reynolds. Fandango Australia 2006. Documentary.
The Sapphires. Dir. Wayne Blair. Screenplay. Tony Briggs, Keith Thompson. Perf. Chris O’Dowd, Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mailman. Goalpost Pictures, 2012. Film.
‘The Sapphires Claims Biggest Box Office Opening Weekend of the Year for an Aussie Film.’ Mumbrella 13 Aug 2012. 3 Sept 2012. http://mumbrella.com.au/the-sapphires-claims-biggest-box-office-opening-weekend-of-the-year-for-an-aussie-film-109268
Thomas, Jared. Calypso Summer. Broome: Magabala Books, 2014.
Toomelah. Dir. Ivan Sen. Perf. Michael Conners, Daniel Connors, Dean Daley. Screen Australia and Bunya Productions in Association with Screen NSW and Visit Films, 2011. Film.
Winton, Tim. Cloudstreet. South Yarra, VIC: McPhee Gribble, 1993.
Wright, Alexis. ‘Politics of Writing’. Southerly 62.2 (2002): 10–20.
—. Carpentaria. Artarmon, NSW: Giramondo, 2006. JASAL: Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature 14.3
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Have criteria been identified to allow teachers to assess the development of pupils’ creativity from year to year?

/in /by

Expecting the unexpected
Expecting the unexpected
Developing creativity in primary and secondary schools
HMI 1612
E-publication
August 2003
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Expecting the unexpected
© Crown copyright 2003
Document reference number: HMI 1612
Web site: www.ofsted.gov.uk
This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational
purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the
source and date of publication are stated.
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Expecting the unexpected
Contents page
Introduction 4
Main findings 5
Commentary 5
Standards of achievement 6
Quality of teaching 8
Curriculum organisation 11
Accommodation and resources 13
Creative partnerships 14
Promoting creativity 15
Barriers to promoting creativity 17
Conclusion 19
Annex A: inspection methodology 20
Annex B: schools visited 21
Annex C: creativity checklist 23
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Introduction
1. In 1999 the report All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education was
published by the National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural
Education (NACCCE). This committee was set up in 1998 by the Secretary of
State for Education and Skills and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and
Sport to make recommendations on the creative and cultural development of
young people. Two further developments were associated with this initiative: a
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) three-year curriculum project
designed to advise schools on how to promote pupils’ creativity; and a project
funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport but managed by the Arts
Council England entitled Creative Partnerships. This latter project aimed to
enable children in selected areas to gain creative skills through partnerships
between schools and cultural organisations.
2. These major initiatives are part of the government’s ongoing commitment to
developing the creative abilities of young people. Most recently, they are referred
to in Excellence and Enjoyment: a strategy for primary schools , Department for
Education and Skills (DfES), 2003.
3. It was in this context that over five terms, beginning in September 2001, a group
of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) from Ofsted undertook a small-scale survey to
identify good practice in the promotion of creativity in schools. The inspection
methodology and the nature of the schools visited are set out in annex A.
Definition
4. The inspection took as its definition of creativity that used in the NACCCE report:
Imaginative activity fashioned so as to produce outcomes that are both
original and of value.
Creative processes have four characteristics. First, they always involve thinking or
behaving imaginatively . Second, this imaginative activity is purposeful : that
is, it is directed to achieve an objective. Third, these processes must generate
something original . Fourth, the outcome must be of value in relation to the
objective.
5. In contacting and visiting schools, this definition was used by all inspectors,
therefore providing a common starting point for any ensuing discussions and
judgements.
6. Emphasis throughout the survey was placed on teaching for creativity, in other
words, provision that enabled pupils to be creative, rather than on creative
teaching in itself .
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Main findings
❑ The vast majority of creative work in the 42 schools visited was at least good, with
around 20% exceptionally good. This generally high quality is likely to be
sustained because teachers are committed to the promotion of creativity, have the
active support of senior management in this promotion, possess good subject
knowledge, and a sufficiently broad range of pedagogical skills to foster creativity
in all pupils, whatever their ability.
❑ Where creative work was no more than satisfactory (less than one in ten of the
examples), teaching constrained rather than liberated pupils’ imagination and
pupils had either insufficient subject knowledge or skill to fashion their ideas
successfully.
❑ Schools which promote creativity effectively are outward-looking, welcoming the
perspectives that external agencies and individuals bring to them, including local
education authority (LEA) programmes focusing specifically on creative
development and national initiatives like Creative Partnerships.
Commentary
7. With creativity given so high a priority at the present time it is not surprising to
find schools wanting to talk about it – what it is, why it is important to promote it,
and how best to do this. However, as this report indicates, the creativity observed
in children is not associated with a radical new pedagogy – though some
teachers feel it might be, if only they can find what it is – but a willingness to
observe, listen and work closely with children to help them develop their ideas in
a purposeful way. While the stimulus and structures which enable creativity to
happen differ somewhat from subject to subject, this focused engagement with
the individual pupil – even within a group situation – is common to all the creative
work which HMI observed, and is of course common to all good teaching. Such
one-to-one dialogue is not always easy to develop. It requires, for instance, the
particular skills of listening, interpreting and evaluating, a high level of subject
knowledge, and time. It also needs a particular environment: one in which
creativity is recognised and celebrated.
8. For this reason, school leadership that is committed to promoting creativity is
vital. Not only does this, in a sense, permit teachers and pupils to work creatively
but also helps to ensure good practice is recognised, resourced and
disseminated widely. The creativity which all the schools visited demonstrated, to
a lesser or greater extent, also benefits from outside help – the expertise of
museums, galleries, artists, science centres and so on. Where this is most
effective is where schools are clear about what expertise is needed, how it will be
best deployed and, importantly, how its effects can be sustained.
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Standards of achievement
9. Throughout the inspection, examples of creative work were observed in a number
of different settings, for example, in formal lessons, rehearsals for a school play
or concert, or in discussions with individual children that focused on something
they had created. Each creative opportunity was associated with different kinds of
outcome: some most obviously related to pupils’ social development and others
to their personal and cultural, and even their spiritual development. In the
following examples of good practice, while not every aspect of the NACCCE
definition was apparent at the time of the inspection, there was sufficient
evidence to suggest that the four aspects, imagination, purposefulness, originality
and value, would in time be met. Some of the examples also highlight other
aspects of creativity referred to in the NACCCE report. These include a
confidence in one’s own abilities, a willingness to take risks and to be
enterprising, and persistence in seeing something through to completion.
10.In Example 1, children’s creativity is being encouraged at an early age,
In this nursery class, the activity started with pupils exploring the different properties
of clay and the way the texture changed with the addition of more water. While
doing this, one child noticed that the water was in danger of flowing off the
table. A child who had hitherto been quite reticent about getting involved in the
activity now became far more interested. The teacher asked the child what he
would do to stop the water flowing away. This led to a discussion and
experimentation with a range of solutions to the problem, which absorbed the
children’s interest for over half an hour.
11.In Example 2, older primary children are faced with an expressive problem, the
resolution of which requires the accommodation of at least three different
demands: stylistic, spatial and skill-related.
As part of a history topic on the Tudors a small group of Key Stage 2 pupils in this
two-teacher school were developing a carefully researched dance sequence, to
form part of a ‘Tudor Evening’ for parents. The period style dance had been
choreographed by the teacher and the pupils over two or three weeks. Up to
this point the rehearsals had been held in one end of the school hall, but now
that the stage had been erected they discovered they had less than half the
space they had anticipated. This presented the teacher and the pupils with a
dilemma: how to retain the essence of the dance but in a much smaller space
than that used previously, where travelling movements were going to prove
difficult. The problem was solved largely by one of the girls during a break in
rehearsals. Working alone, she sketched out in movement an alternative
sequence for herself, on a much smaller scale, which captured the meaning
and dynamics of the original, yet had an elegance all of its own. Demonstrating
this to members of the group, she tentatively suggested ways in which their
own contributions could be remodelled accordingly.
12.In Example 3, a Year 4 pupil describes his ideas for a component of a sensory
garden which the school, with help from the community, wants to build. The
head-teacher knows that the child is interested in inventing things and gives him
a practical challenge. As with many other children interviewed about their creative
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work, this pupil has considerable self confidence even though, at this stage, his
ideas are only half-formed.
The pupil showed me the drawings he had done for what he called his ‘brain
machine’: essentially a machine for testing general knowledge. The head had
asked him to think about how he might be able to use two large plastic pipes
which someone had donated to the school (they look like gas pipes). In one
sketch, he had drawn apertures on the pipes for either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers.
Down the side of the drawing were possible questions, which he had
researched in the library. He said that he or a helper would ask the questions
and then players would put a token in either the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ slot. If they got the
answer right, a white ball would roll down the tube. “It’s a matter of connecting
up the answers with the machinery in the back of the tubes. I’ve seen
something like it on TV so I know it can be done.”
13.In Example 4, a pupil has developed a piece of work which while located in a
particular art tradition, is also uniquely personal. Although he has called on
professional expertise to record the piece, the ideas are his alone. This
recognition that one may not have all the expertise to realise a project, but
sufficient enough to know what one does not know, was also observed in very
young children: as in a nursery school where pupils worked with a professional
welder to make their own version of the Angel of the North. In this particular
example of creative work, the Year 13 pupil is on an A-level art and design
course.
This performance art project was video-recorded professionally and won a prize at
the Kilburn Film Festival. It shows a meal being prepared, packed in a hamper,
and then served as a formal dinner to guests on a Jubilee Line train travelling
from Stanmore to Central London. A student sets out the table with a cloth,
cutlery, candelabra, and so on. At a particular stop, his friends (in dinner jackets
and long frocks) board the train and sit around the table. Wine is poured and
they eat the meal, offering helpings to bemused passengers. When the meal is
over, the ‘guests’ alight at their station. The host then packs everything away in
his hamper and then leaves the train.
14.The outcomes of such work are described in different ways by schools but,
frequently, teachers refer to creative work leading to improvements in
self-confidence. This can be expressed in different and sometimes quite
subject-specific ways: more willingness to ‘ take risks in art’ , use a modern foreign
language more frequently, increased receptiveness to peer review, or more
‘flexibility’ .
15.In the best practice, creativity is being developed in all pupils, whatever their
ability. Within this context, gifted and talented children are given opportunities to
realise their creative potential. In an after-school performing arts club, for
instance, a mixed group of Year 9 to 11 pupils in one school had produced a play
for an audience of adults and children.
It was based on the stimulus of the ‘unwanted present’ and involved a group of
‘boxed presents’ talking to each other, the child for whom the presents had
been bought, and the child’s parents. The pupils had helped to shape the
narrative, the characterisation and verbal humour, which was sharp and witty.
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They were particularly skilled at presenting character cameos based on and
disciplined by observations of well-known toys or film characters. Out of this
devising process (improvised drama and musical composition) seeds of
excellence had been recognised and fostered by the teacher to produce a
group of performers who had developed considerable self-confidence, both as
makers and performers of plays; an elite had emerged, but not out of elitism.
Quality of teaching
16.The overwhelming majority of lessons observed were good or better, with more
than one in four outstanding. While many, if not all, of the features leading to the
successful development of creativity are apparent in all good teaching, the
following were judged to be particularly important.
An understanding of creativity
17.Teachers who inspire creativity have a clear understanding of what it means to
be creative. Although they are not always able to put this understanding into
words, they can often, if appropriate, model the creative process for pupils, with
all the attendant risk-taking this can involve. An English teacher in a poetry
lesson, for example, shared a word association method when trying to shape an
image which described the wet, grey landscape outside the classroom window,
admitting, finally, that the metaphors he had selected were ‘not quite right’.
Elsewhere, an art teacher described to a General Certificate of Secondary
Education (GCSE) class the problems she was trying to solve in the design of the
title page for the school magazine, which had to appeal both to parents and
pupils. The pupils were able to relate this dilemma to a design project they
themselves were working on. By working with pupils in such ways, teachers help
to validate and elucidate often complex processes where solutions are not always
easy to find.
18.On the other hand, a display of personal artistry can inhibit pupils’ creativity. In a
Year 7 drama lesson, for instance, the device of ‘teacher in role’ was played so
expertly and with such conviction that pupils appeared cowed by the teacher’s
performance. In a small primary school, a visiting visual artist dominated the
activity so much that it was difficult to appreciate how the pupils would be able to
contribute anything significant to a sculpture project.
19.Many teachers ask their pupils to ‘be creative’, ‘off the wall’ or ‘wacky’ , permitting
them to think outside of accepted patterns or ‘out of the box’, to take risks and not
to rely on the production of predictable outcomes. Exemplifying this approach
was the primary teacher who told her class: ‘the unexpected is expected in my
lessons’.
20.Where the unexpected is expected is in certain kinds of children’s play. This is
most apparent in primary schools where the conditions required for imaginative
play to flourish are often carefully arranged.
Following the work with the artist, teachers have developed their own scenarios for
developing infants’ imaginative play. For example, what had been confined to a
home corner has now become an area where staff and children build new,
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Expecting the unexpected
imaginary environments, for example, a jungle or a woodland camp site. The
area has a wide range of materials and textures and sound sources. As a
regular part of their week, pupils spend time acting out stories and plays.
Sometimes, through careful interventions, teachers and classroom assistants
help them to develop abstract thinking through these fictions.
21.Drawing, in a variety of media, is associated with play and playfulness in much
early years teaching. Children often tell stories through their drawings, talking
about what is happening as they draw. In secondary schools the potential of
drawing for releasing and articulating ideas, while an integral part of art and
design and design and technology (D&T), was also evident in other subjects such
as religious education and geography. In one geography lesson, for example,
Year 8 pupils produced annotated drawings of the potential effects of particular
planning decisions on a local landscape.
22.Effective teachers are interested in how children learn. Some of those involved in
the survey took an interest in recent developments in learning theory such as
those associated with Howard Gardner, and techniques such as mind-mapping,
used successfully in one D&T department to organise thoughts and create lines
of enquiry. In a few cases this knowledge was being developed through
mentoring teacher trainees or study for a higher degree. There is, however, no
evidence from the survey of any one teaching strategy arising from a particular
interest in learning theory having a significant effect on teachers’ promotion of
creativity. The most successful teachers are pragmatic and open to new
possibilities, wherever or however they occur.
Providing the opportunity
23.In successful teaching for creativity, teachers know not only what it is they are
promoting but also how to create opportunities for this to happen. Usually this
means providing pupils with challenges where there is no clear-cut solution and
in which pupils can exert individual or group ownership. In one dance class, for
example:
Year 6 pupils exceeded their own expectations through work on Capoeira (a
Brazilian/Cuban marshal art developed by slaves) which led them to
choreographing a dance and then performing it to their peers and for the
camera. Their evident surprise at what they could do, as well as their confident
experimentation were tangible outcomes of this highly creative work.
24.In addition, effective teachers are alert to happy accidents, using these to benefit
pupils’ learning, as in one nursery class where, on a windy day, pupils were given
a sari and toys which stuck to the high nursery fence: a phenomenon which the
teacher later used again to explore with pupils how materials react to natural
forces.
25.Often strange or unfamiliar juxtapositions generate ideas. In a D&T lesson, where
pupils had been encouraged to ‘ go out on a limb’, some ideas for the design of a
new concept telephone developed out of the premise that the eye rather than the
ear would be the main receptor.
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The students played with the ideas of suction pads holding the phone-piece over the
eye, using eye movement to dial up, and arm tattoos to act as key pads.
Subject knowledge
26.Teachers who inspire creativity have good subject knowledge or sufficient
knowledge to know when to call on external expertise. Furthermore, they
recognise that pupils also need secure knowledge for developing their own ideas
successfully. In a geography lesson, for instance, where pupils had to design
winter outfits for residents of Sapporo, Northern Japan and Naha, Southern
Japan, pupils had to have a good grasp of the climatic differences between these
different parts of the country and express this understanding in their designs. In
another subject, physical education (PE), the teacher spoke of undertaking,
A ‘reality check’ to see that pupils have a movement vocabulary from which they can
select, adapt and refine. If you give pupils basic skills, for example, rolling –
how to generate momentum, keep control through shape and tension – they
can use these expressively.
27.In many of the art and design and drama lessons observed, high levels of
creative work were associated with pupils’ ability to observe, analyse and use –
often with authority – different codes of representation. Where this was not the
case – where self-expression was given too high a premium – the work was often
shallow and undemanding.
28.Besides a secure knowledge and understanding of their own specialist areas,
effective teachers show curiosity and willingness to look outside of these subjects
to see connections and associations with other parts of the curriculum, and they
encourage their pupils to do the same. For instance, in one secondary school,
experiments with using a pin-hole camera in science had been extended into
making and using similar optical devices in D&T and art and design, with
resulting images recorded digitally and then manipulated on a computer to
enhance their expressive effect.
29.The purposefulness of successful creative work is often associated with real life
situations, problems and challenges. Establishing such situations convincingly is
dependent on the teacher’s subject knowledge, as in a drama based on the slave
trade, which was grounded in a detailed understanding of its historical context,
derived from scrutiny of both secondary and primary source materials made
available in a local maritime museum.
Relationships
30.Teachers who are able to promote creativity are often good team players, willing
to listen to and learn from colleagues, though not always uncritically. Inspectors
often referred to the buzz to be found in creative schools and departments and
the way creative teachers seemed to inspire each other.
In this strong sharing culture, teachers were receptive to – and valued – the
contributions of colleagues. There was a willingness to take risks and explore
alternatives.
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31.A few headteachers noted that older, more experienced teachers were much
better at adapting to the demands of teaching for creativity. In the words of one ,
‘they are less mindful of orthodoxies’.
32.Many teachers who stimulate creativity establish a relaxed relationship with their
pupils, but one in which high demands are placed upon them. One modern
foreign languages (MFL) teacher talked of ‘breaking the barrier between them
and us…but also establishing clear ground rules…and not letting inaccurate
language go uncorrected’. These teachers use questioning effectively to draw out
ideas and to consolidate learning. In a successful Year 4 primary mathematics
lesson, for example, the teacher kept pupils on their toes with challenges such
as: ‘ The answer is 25, so what is the question?’
33.Effective teachers know their pupils well and find ways of stimulating the
creativity of each. In one secondary drama lesson, for instance, where props and
costumes were used as a stimulus for learning, the teacher observed that it was
the costume that suggested the character and even the plot for some pupils. On
the other hand, for other pupils, these resources were a distraction, leading them
away from better ideas; an observation the teacher was able to exploit in later
work. In a special school, where the major focus of the teaching was on engaging
and motivating pupils, teachers used practical stimuli in highly inventive ways. In
geography, for instance, when studying rivers, the pupils with moderate learning
difficulties built a plaster model of a river system with their teachers to help them
to understand and memorise geographical features and terminology.
Assessment
34.In schools which promote creativity effectively, successes and failures are both
perceived to offer learning opportunities. The ability to give and take criticism is
often seen by teachers as an essential part of creative activity. In a Year 12
print-making class the teacher said: ‘just try it – don’t be afraid of getting your
hands dirty. Later on, we’ll look at the prints which were more successful and try
and understand why’. In one MFL department, pupils’ language skills were
assessed via videoed puppet shows, songs and poetry renditions: the pupils
demonstrating their skills in creatively demanding ways.
Curriculum organisation
35.Creative work is often linked explicitly to the National Curriculum programmes of
study. In one primary school for instance, the Year 6 teacher planned for creative
outcomes – physical and attitudinal – in her drama work, but linked these to
National Curriculum objectives, especially in literacy, mathematics and the
humanities. In another school the head of modern foreign language’s coverage of
the National Curriculum programme of study was much wider than is usually the
case, especially of those elements which foster creativity and the use of the
imagination. In PE, although creative opportunities tended to be found in the
dance and gymnastics parts of the PE curriculum – and often accorded less
curricular time than other aspects – there was some evidence of pupils in Key
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Stages 3 and 4 applying their creativity in devising strategies and tactics in game
situations.
36.Creative work also often needs unbroken time to develop. Primary schools which
maintained sufficient flexibility in their timetables for lessons to be blocked or
extended to accommodate planned events or just to provide more time for
creative activities, found it easier to enable this kind of development. This
flexibility also allowed some schools to bring children of different ages together
for particular projects. In one area, primary and secondary schools joined
together in creative activities as part of a project to improve transition
arrangements. Elsewhere, in a primary school where the arts were given high
priority, they were normally taught on a weekly basis but there were occasions
when an afternoon, two days or a whole week were devoted to arts-related
projects. This enabled pupils to work at length and in some depth and to
complete pieces of creative work successfully, including a battery operated
fairground ride, and a lengthy project involving Year 6 pupils working with media
students from the local further education college.
37.In another primary school, a Year 2 project on the emotions involving personal,
social and health education (PSHE), music, art and drama, used flexibly a
combination of all the time allocated to each individual subject over a week (210
minutes). Subject emphases varied from week to week depending on the way the
project developed.
38.Of the schools visited some of the most flexible were nursery schools, in some
cases schools which had been associated with the Reggio Emilia philosophy.1
For example:
One child had visited Blackpool and become fascinated by the Blackpool Tower.
When she came back to school, she talked a great deal about it and made
several drawings of it. She then began to use building blocks to make models
of it but was not satisfied with the results. One of her teachers was a on a visit
to Blackpool and, knowing of the child’s interest, took a picture of part of the
tower. When the child saw the photograph, she realised that the tower was not
made of blocks but of girders and therefore decided that she would need to
take a very different approach to the problem. By this stage, the whole school
had become interested in the child’s endeavours. As a consequence of this, the
staff decided to involve all the children in finding a solution to the problem. It
was suggested by some of the children that beanpoles might be better than
blocks. Therefore, the school invested in these and made space available in the
school’s workshop, so that the project could be pursued over a prolonged
period of time and to ensure that there was sufficient height to accommodate
the construction. The meticulous recording of the development of the project
showed clearly how the school had adapted to the unexpected and given time
and space for it to become a prolonged, detailed and challenging project.
39.In many of the schools, cross-curricular opportunities were often a structured
feature of the school year or were fostered as a routine part of the school’s
1 A philosophy developed in Northern Italy relating to early years education, which gives 3 to 5 year olds
considerable autonomy, with adults providing the resources, skills and understanding for children to realise their
creative intentions.
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activities. In one secondary school, for example, collaborative work between D&T
and science led to the design of pond-dipping equipment; and in another school,
an art and design department used multi-media technology to create projected
scenery for an English department’s production of Twelfth Night . Elsewhere, a
Year 4 art project covered learning objectives in science, English, history as well
as art and design:
Having learned about the form, pattern and symbolism of Tudor portraits, pupils
visited the National Portrait Gallery with the teacher and resident etcher. Pupils
recognised many of the paintings and were amazed at their small size. They
sketched the figures and examples of the background patterns. Back at school,
given a small sheet of copper they developed their designs to that size. They
covered every stage of the process guided by the artist. The highlight was a
visit to the artist’s studio to use her printing press where they experienced the
thrill of seeing their designs unfold. The project lasted a whole week.
40.In secondary schools, productive and sustained links between subjects were not
necessarily brought about through structural arrangements such as faculties –
creative arts faculties, for example. Subject departments, indeed, often flourished
in their difference rather than in an imposed and artificial commonality.
Accommodation and resources
41.Most of the creative work took place in good quality accommodation, where for
instance, in the arts, pupils had the physical space to develop their ideas and
where ongoing work could be left untouched. However, this was not always the
case. Some creative work took place in poor accommodation, though –
importantly – pupils had easy access to it, with drama and art and design studios,
for instance, left open during lunch-hours and break-times.
42.Specific resources can raise the creative potential of a lesson, inspiring ideas and
trains of thought. In PE, in one primary school, for instance, the use of mats in
different colours and mathematical shapes prompted pupils to think about shapes
in movement. Elsewhere, Years 4 and 5 pupils, working with an externally funded
professional photographer who specialised in digital photography, made powerful
autobiographical statements using disposable cameras bought especially for the
project.
43.Visual and other resources can, however, render little, if used unimaginatively. In
one D&T department:
Although the designing takes place in an environment which appears to be
supportive of design, with much made of famous design icons, the shallow use
made of these ideas means that the work is often no better than the derivative
work found when these pupils use The Simpsons or Mickey Mouse motifs.
Creative partnerships
44.Many of the schools in the survey have benefited from involvement in external
initiatives such as Creative Partnerships and various LEA schemes aimed at
promoting creativity. While many of the former have had little effect on the
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schools visited (during the time of the inspection many were still being
established and in some cases had yet to appoint key personnel) the scheme
had at the very least generated a positive interest. In some cases, it brought
headteachers, LEA personnel and representatives from arts organisations
together in what some schools perceived to be potentially productive forums.
However, where key players were not in concert philosophically, the forming of a
successful partnership was proving difficult.
45.The LEAs visited have been promoting creativity through the arts for some time.
One, involving 37 schools, is built on an LEA tradition of centrally-funded arts
projects. It provides each of the participating schools with access to funding,
support from a project manager, and opportunities for teachers to be involved in
action research to demonstrate measurable gains from their respective projects –
which all involve artists working with schools. While the initiative in the beginning
had an arts focus, it has actively encouraged different areas of the curriculum to
interact. The scrutiny of work in a range of the schools involved suggests that the
scheme stimulates teachers to think afresh about how they teach and how pupils
learn. Crucial in this respect has been the role of artists, whose working methods
have helped teachers to review familiar pedagogical practices and to try new
approaches.
46.Another LEA project involves schools in an annual arts education festival. This
highly successful initiative provides opportunities for the different visual and
performing arts to work together in exploring selected festival themes, such as
the slave trade. The project includes schools in an in-service training programme
running over almost the full school year, culminating in two weeks of public
performances and exhibitions and underpinned by extensive research. In addition
to the LEA advisers who manage the project, the LEA funds the employment of
practising artists, designers, musicians and consultants to support the festival
each year. The input of these specialists is a key factor in the success of the
project. Over the years, the festival has also built up a body of expertise in
schools, which is drawn on for general in-service work and to disseminate good
practice.
47.Resources for teachers and pupils to promote creativity are provided in another
LEA through what it calls a creative hub. Two rooms in a teachers’ centre have
been converted to include ICT facilities, and spaces for drama and music, within
which LEA specialist advisers work effectively with pupils on various projects
which they then complete in school.
48.Such projects are having a positive effect on pupils’ creative work in different
ways. Nevertheless, uncertainty about future education funding is now causing
some schools to doubt whether these positive effects can be sustained from their
own or their LEA’s budgets. A more general issue related to external funding is
the amount of time spent by schools in bidding for what is often a relatively small
amount of money, which disinclines some headteachers to participate further.
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Promoting creativity
Leadership
49.In most schools visited, the headteacher placed the development of creativity
high on the school’s list of priorities, often seeing its promotion as a means of
meeting other priorities. For instance, two creative projects in two different
schools included in their respective aims: the improvement of boys’ writing; and
the raising of standards in spoken and written language in order to improve Key
Stage 2 attainment (the latter also being an LEA Education Development Plan
priority). In none of the schools was the promotion of creativity seen as inimical to
the raising of standards – quite the contrary. However, in some secondary
schools, particular departments demonstrated this dual commitment to high
standards and creativity more vigorously than others. In one highly creative art
department, for instance, one sixth former said ‘ this is the only department that
tells me that it expects me to get an A grade. ’
50.Creativity was rarely perceived by headteachers as being the preserve of certain
subjects, but something that could be developed in all areas of the curriculum.
The arts were, nevertheless, seen as key creative subjects. For instance one
secondary headteacher who vigorously asserted that creativity was ‘ vital to the
health of my school’ also observed that ‘ we tend to associate it with the arts,
though we haven’t discussed this in any philosophical way’.
51.While in some cases a commitment to creativity was enshrined in a policy
statement and a documented strategy, more often than not it was the personal
advocacy and energy of the headteacher which drove the school in this direction.
In one school in particular:
Clearly, she (the headteacher) is the driving force. She says ‘yes’ to any invitation to
take part in community events, however ‘disruptive’, and while not all her staff
have the adaptability she requires, she has won them over philosophically.
Influential teachers
52.Other than the headteacher, many schools in the survey had two or three
teachers whose strong interest in creativity within a subject – including non-arts
subjects – was helping the rest of the staff to develop the disposition and
pedagogy to promote creativity themselves. Some of these teachers have
advanced skills status. One secondary Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) with
responsibility for PE described her approach in the following way:
I try to be an inspiration to others, both pupils and teachers. There’s no point in doing
the same things the same way day in and day out. You become too predictable.
You need routines, but I try to adapt and be flexible with my content and to look
for different ways of doing things with different classes. You need to have a
fresh eye and I think there is always another way, perhaps another approach. I
try to surprise my classes. It’s an attitude of mind!
53.Some teachers have developed in-service training programmes for colleagues,
which in one infant school includes training for learning support assistants in the
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Reggio Emilia philosophy. In one primary school, the arts co-ordinator had
provided workshops for local industrialists on the promotion of creativity and was
consequently able to draw on this experience in the training of her colleagues.
Arising out of a training course she had attended, one head of a secondary
religious education (RE) department had written a policy statement on spiritual
development in which she offered thoughtful definitions of both creativity and
spirituality, and their interrelationship.
54.Many heads of department praised senior managers for actively encouraging
them to develop creativity within the subject, drawing on external expertise as
they saw fit. As one subject leader said, ‘ the senior management allows space
for the art department to develop’ . Another said, ‘ I feel I can take risks if these
help to move us forward’. In a few schools, this commitment extended to the
allocation of additional funds to departments to develop particular projects which
might be of benefit to the whole school.
Willingness to use and learn from external expertise and
perspectives
55.All the schools visited valued external expertise and perspectives because these
could complement or extend existing subject knowledge. This use of external
resources also provided the real world experiences and contexts upon which
much of the more creative work depended. In one school, in D&T, for example, a
young professional designer worked with pupils as part of the Designers in
School initiative. In another school, Year 9 pupils eavesdropped on the Royal
Court Theatre’s worldwide playwriting project in which playwrights wrote a play
collectively on the Internet. In a secondary school involved in developing links
with its feeder schools, the expertise of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s
education department was drawn on in a cross-phase project leading to the
production of a Shakespeare play. Also, as part of the same enterprise, primary
teachers benefited from the specialist drama teaching provided by the secondary
school.
56.Museums and galleries often provided valuable expertise. In one secondary
school, science, English and D&T specialists worked closely with a museum
education officer on a project on the physics of light, inspired by the study of
Turner’s landscape paintings. This, in turn, stimulated some highly evocative
computer-manipulated imagery. In a primary school, a local museum in a small
town posed a real design challenge, involving pupils in the redesign of the
museum refreshments area.
57.Schools which promote creativity are generally outward looking in other ways.
For example, many have close links with other countries, through involvement in
national competitions and arts events, for instance. While these provide an
important experience of cultural diversity, they also give pupils another
perspective on themselves, described by one Year 12 boy (after a visit to Croatia
with the school theatre group) as ‘seeing yourself and your own school and
country in a different (and not always favourable) light’. Throughout the survey,
this ability – and willingness – to see the familiar in a different way is a
characteristic of creative pupils and teachers, and creative institutions.
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A stimulating physical environment
58.Most schools placed great store on displaying pupils’ work effectively, using
these displays to both stimulate and celebrate the creativity.
The quality of the school strikes you as you enter the spacious lobby which is
tastefully arranged and enhanced by framed samples of pupils’ work.
Throughout the school, in classrooms and circulation areas, there is a sense of
order and signs of pupils’ successes being celebrated. Art work ranges from
small etchings of stringed instruments to large models of fishing boats and batik
banners hanging from high ceilings in the learning resources area.
59.There was, however, a small minority of schools producing highly creative work in
particular subjects, whose achievements had not yet been seen outside of
departmental walls.
Paradoxically, there was little to suggest, from first impressions, that the school
placed much value on creativity. There was little or no display of pupils’ work
and very little celebration of recent or current achievements in areas around the
school.
60.Sometimes, displays were used successfully to articulate often ‘untidy’ creative
processes: the first tentative drawings and the final, realised product in D&T;
facsimiles of famous writers’ notebooks, expressing the turmoil of initial ideas; or
early drawings for projects in art and design. In one secondary art department,
vocational projects had been recorded on computer using a digital camera: not
just the finished results, but also the creative ways these had been developed.
61.Many schools, especially primary schools, used all the available space to engage
the imagination and curiosity of children, including outdoor spaces. In one
nursery school, for instance, the outside area included sculpture made by the
children, large objects they had found, a vegetable garden, a climbing area and
several dens and exploration areas. Pupils had access to this area throughout
the year and outdoor wear was readily available for the children whenever they
wished to take advantage of the garden. In another primary school, the
re-landscaping of the grounds had become a project involving the design skills of
pupils and many of their parents.
Barriers to promoting creativity
62.While a small minority of schools have clear policy statements on promoting
creativity and have developed a shared understanding of the concept, there are
many schools where there is some uncertainty or vagueness about what is being
sought and enabled in pupils. For some teachers, creativity is a synonym for the
arts, or implies the use of the arts to teach another non-arts subject. In this
context, the use of the term ‘creative arts’ is possibly unhelpful. Teachers in some
schools also perceive creativity primarily as them and their pupils doing
something ‘different’, as in one geography department where pupils ate popcorn
with chopsticks as part of a project on Japan. While such unusual approaches
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often have value in the learning process, they are not in themselves creative
activities.
Other barriers include:
❑ An inability to recognise, what one head called ‘the creative moment’ and thus the
help a pupil needs to move forward. In one school for example, the groping for
visual ideas represented in a student’s sketchbook was perceived as ‘ aimless
doodling’ by a non-specialist supply teacher with the consequence that the pupil
reverted to a stereotyped response to the challenge he had set himself.
❑ Not letting go. For some teachers, there is unwillingness, perhaps based on shaky
subject knowledge, to let pupils find their own solution to problems. In
mathematics, for example, pupils in some schools are taught standard
computational methods first rather than finding ways of adding and subtracting for
themselves.
❑ Spurious links between subjects. While some of the most creative work observed
in this survey was interdisciplinary (see above), some of the least creative work
was also found in such contexts. For example, in one lesson, music-making was
used to illustrate scientific concepts, resulting in music as crude sound effects and
underdeveloped conceptual understanding; or, in another lesson, painting and
drawing were used in RE to ‘investigate’ religious concepts, resulting in visual
clichés. In both cases, the teachers’ sincere attempts to invigorate pupils’ learning
and provide creative opportunities were undermined by a lack of subject
knowledge, especially of the arts.
❑ ICT used inappropriately. In the visual arts, in primary schools more than
secondary schools, teachers and pupils were sometimes too easily impressed by
the effects produced by certain kinds of software. In such situations, teachers
often did not have the knowledge and skill to help pupils to use these effects
creatively; occasionally leaving pupils entirely to their own devices.
❑ The island of excellence. In some secondary subject departments there was
high-quality creative work and concomitant high standards, which went
unrecognised in the rest of the school. This situation betrayed a lack of
understanding by senior managers of what makes these departments successful
and the mechanisms needed for sharing and extending good practice.
❑ Overly constraining curricular organisation. Most schools, particularly primary
schools, showed considerable flexibility in their timetabling arrangements, with
project time blocked at different points in the year, for example. However, in a
minority of cases, a predictable, rigid timetable reduced the capacity of teachers
to forge the productive curricular links often associated with high-quality creative
work.
❑ Limited extra-curricular opportunities. Most schools visited provide a rich
extra-curricular programme, enabling pupils to become involved in a wide range
of potentially creative opportunities such as school plays and music-making
events. However, a few schools serving broad catchment areas which are
dependent on inflexible transport arrangements were unable to do this routinely.
❑ Other imperatives. A few schools found it difficult to balance the demands for high
test and examination results or the demands of public accountability for improving
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performance in national tests in the core subjects, with a creativity agenda.
However, while these aspirations were not irreconcilable, they did create
unproductive tensions.
Conclusion
63.Although there can be barriers to the promotion of creativity, these can be
overcome. First, however, teachers and school leaders have to recognise that
the development of creativity in pupils is an essential part of their job, and then an
appropriate climate has to be established. The danger lies in such an aspiration
being seen as modish, or just one other thing to add to schools’ lists of priorities.
Creativity is not a new concept in education, and many schools, as this survey
shows, have found ways of promoting it, simply and effectively.
Annex A: inspection methodology
In most cases the focus of the visit was pupils’ work. This was either work that had
been completed or work which was in the process of being completed and was, in
the view of the school, illustrative of the creative processes described in the
NACCCE report. This work helped to anchor the one-day inspections, which
comprised discussions with pupils and teachers, scrutiny of planning documents and
observations of teaching and learning. All the subjects of the National Curriculum
received attention, though most visits had only one or two subject focuses. As part
of the visits to some participating schools, inspectors observed LEA-run in-service
training sessions.
Informing the work of the inspection team was a desk study of recent Ofsted
publications to find out what the organisation already knew about the factors
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associated with creativity; and a scrutiny of published QCA materials arising from the
agency’s own extensive work in this area.
Annex B: schools visited
The 42 schools visited were chosen because they had already been identified
through section 10 inspections as likely to exemplify good practice in the promotion
of creativity, or were schools working closely with LEA creativity projects. They
represented a range of socio-economic contexts and included nursery, infant,
primary, secondary and special schools.
Nursery Schools
Wingate Nursery School Durham
Infant Schools
Trimdon Grange Infant and Nursery School Durham
Turnfurlong Infant School Buckinghamshire
Willerby Carr Lane Infant School East Riding
Wingate Infant School Durham
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Primary Schools
All Saints CofE Primary School and Nursery Warwickshire
Ashmead Combined School Buckinghamshire
Birchfield Primary School Manchester
Bomere Heath CofE Primary School Shropshire
Brecknock Primary School Camden
Millfields First School Worcestershire
Burton Agnes CofE Primary School East Riding
Clifton-upon-Dunsmore CofE Primary School Warwickshire
Cottingham Croxby Primary School East Riding
Easington Collier Primary School Durham
Gallions Primary School Newham
Hornsea Community Primary School East Riding
Manor Primary School Newham
Medlock Primary School Manchester
Middleton-inTeasdale Nursery and Primary School Durham
Oswald Road Primary School Manchester
St John’s CofE Primary School Dorset
St Marie’s RC Primary Rugby
Wearhead Primary School Durham
Secondary Schools
Acland Burghley School Camden
Abraham Moss High School Manchester
Astor College for the Arts Kent
Bullers Wood School Bromley
Ernulf Community Schgool Cambridgeshire
Fairfield High School Halton
Hampstead School Camden
Harris CofE School Warwickshire
Headlands School East Riding
Intake High School Leeds
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls Kent
North Leamington Community School and Arts College Warwickshire
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Pudsey Grangefield School Leeds
Ravens Wood School Bromley
Ripley St Thomas CofE High School Lancashire
The Greneway Middle School Hertfordshire
Werneth School Stockport
Community Special Schools
King’s Mill School East Riding
Stretton Brook School Staffordshire
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Annex C: creativity checklist
In reviewing its progress in this area, the following questions might prove helpful to
schools:
● Does the school have a commitment to promoting creativity: how is
this expressed?
● Has creativity been discussed as a concept?
● Have the views of different subject areas been considered?
● To what extent do subject leaders across the curriculum promote
creativity?
● Have examples of particularly creative practice been explored?
● How is good practice in creativity to be identified and disseminated?
● What kinds of continuing professional development might be useful?
● What curriculum opportunities are there for subjects to combine
meaningfully?
● Is the timetable sufficiently flexible to allow for creative projects to
flourish?
● How does the school environment reflect and stimulate the creative
work of the school?
● Do pupils have access to suitable accommodation including ICT
facilities?
● Have criteria been identified to allow teachers to assess the
development of pupils’ creativity from year to year?
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