The impact of Out of Schools Hours Learning (OSHL)
We now know a great deal more about the ways in which young people learn, what inspires them to learn and the impact that out of school hours learning has on attitudes to learning, achievement, attainment and self-esteem. There is now a substantial body of research that demonstrates the very significant gains in learning that are made from young people’s participation in OSHL activities. The largest longitudinal study into the impact of participation on attainment, attitudes and attendance, ‘The Impact of Study Support’ found that:
'The overall effect of participation in study support is on average three and a half grades on Best 5 score or one A-C pass more than for students of equal ability who did not participate’.
(MacBeath, et al DfES RR 273, 2001)
Other studies have consistently pointed to the impact on attainment, wider achievement and motivation.
A major review of the evidence of the impact of study support on everyday school practice demonstrated that:
- Strategies for teaching and learning developed in study support settings frequently transfer directly to compulsory education settings.
- Study support settings provide a risk-free context for teachers to experiment with innovative techniques and to refine practice before adoption in the mainstream classroom.(‘Lessons from Study Support for Compulsory Learning’, Elliott et al, DfES RR529, 2004).
From evidence like this, OSHL has a valuable role to play in helping schools engage successfully with the values and purposes of Curriculum for Excellence.
Evidence also suggests that OSHL helps to re-engage disaffected pupils, improve attendance and can be targeted to close gaps in opportunity for vulnerable pupils or those in danger of not reaching their full potential.
In this context, OSHL can address some of the challenges identified by ‘More Choices, More Chances’, the national strategy to reduce the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training in Scotland.
OSHL can contribute to benefits for the following.
Children and young people:
- improving attainment and achievement across the ability ranges
- developing young people's broader skills
- helping young people to become more successful learners
- enhancing responsible attitudes to school and attendance at school
- re-engaging disaffected pupils
- increasing motivation and raising the confidence of individuals
- improving well-being, in particular levels of physical activity
- helping the least able young people to maintain commitment to learning
- enabling young people in rural areas to access a range of stimulating experiences.
Teachers:
- improving pupil/teacher relationships
- providing a more flexible framework for learning allowing teachers to experiment with new methods and techniques, which can be incorporated into school time teaching
- opportunities for more collaborative and innovative work between teachers and other staff working as teams
- improving teachers' motivation.
Schools:
- a reduction in exclusions, and increases completion of internal assessments and attendance at final examinations
- promoting inclusion, particularly for young people most at risk
- improving progression and transitions from primary to secondary for pupils
- a culture of study and learning beyond the school day
- improving staying on rates
- flexibility to address the local context and pupils' needs
- developing innovative teaching and learning practice, which can be incorporated into school time teaching.
Communities:
- opportunities to develop partnership approaches addressing a wide range of needs
- connecting schools and pupils with their communities
- offering parents opportunities to become actively engaged with their children's learning and the community.
Related links
The Impact of Study Support
The report by MacBeath et al into the impact of participation in out-of-school-hours learning, 2001.
Scottish Government: More Choices, More Chances
The NEET Strategy, More Choices, More Chances is an action plan to reduce the proportion of young people not in education employment or training in Scotland.