Guidelines for IOM Schools Key Stage 4 Record of Achievement
The IOM Secondary School Record of Achievement was reviewed and changes were piloted across schools/UCM during the academic year 18-19.
The Record of Achievement document has huge potential in terms of supporting school leavers as they transition from compulsory education to further and higher education and/or the world of work. This structure can be supportive of a young person’s recognition of progress in learning through both in school opportunities and through participation in activities outside school (ie life wide learning).
School leavers applying for further education courses and either part-time or full- time work need to be able to articulate age appropriate examples of transferable employability skills such as effective communication and team working as well as being able to give examples of contexts where they have developed these. These broader employability skills link clearly to the Learning Dispositions (6Rs) highlighted in the IOM Department of Education Sport and Culture curriculum statement Essentials for Learning.
The language used around transferrable employability skills is often confusing for young people, parents, teachers, employers and other key stakeholders as slightly different terms are used to frame broadly the same skill. No one way is better or worse than any other in describing these skills but during the transition period from Key Stage 4 to 5 and from KS5 and beyond this plethora of different language is confusing for everybody.
Methodology used to develop the revised structure for Record of Achievement As part of the development of this revised structure for the Year 11 Record of Achievement a review was undertaken of the range of employability skills language used in schools, other educational settings and the world of work. Commonality in the skills these different words framed was identified.
Following this a set of agreed prompts were developed to support pupil’s reflection on these skills in the many different contexts where they encounter them.
Common Language and prompts agreed for Employability Skills KS3-5 across DESC Establishments
- Skill: Problem Solving
- Prompt: Think about a time when you found an answer to a new problem or issue.
- Skill: Teamwork
- Prompt: Think about a time when you achieved something as part of a team and the role you played.
- Skill: Communication
- Prompt: Think about a time when you have talked to others and managed to explain an idea or point well.
- Skill: Resilience
- Prompt: Think about when you have overcome a challenge or set back and have achieved something positive
- Skill: Self awareness
- Prompt: Think about a time when you have made a mistake, thought about it and changed your approach going forward.
- Skill: Ability to learn
- Prompt: Think about when you have learnt something new and how you approached it.
Use of ROA Employability Language in schools and by other stakeholders There is no requirement for schools or other stakeholders to change the language they use within their own settings for these skills as they are often tied to their own wider administrative structures.
The employability skills highlighted within the Year 11 Record of Achievement should be seen as a way of translating this diverse terminology into one easy to understand format for young people leaving our schools at the end of Year 11 and entering further education within schools/UCM or the world of work.
Structure and order of ROA for Year 11 Within their school presentation folder at the end of Year 11 each student should have a: • Current high quality CV * • Tutor Statement for student • Personal Statement/evidence portfolio produced by the student that includes some specific examples of where they have demonstrated the development of employability skills in school and other contexts (ie Lifewide learning approach) * • Copies of Certificates (eg Duke of Edinburgh Award Certificates, Music grade Certificates, other relevant certificates from school or other organisations)