Out of School Hours Learning

3. Getting the ethos right

Image of a young boy with a seedling

Commentary

It is the ethos of Out of School Hours Learning (OSHL) that brings people in and encourages them to stay. It is the feeling of the place, measured by a sense of wellbeing and by the ease and informality of relationships. Ethos is rarely accidental. It is carefully stage-managed to reflect a set of values and beliefs about learning which is likely to reflect that of the school.

Ethos has two main elements - the physical and the human. The physical elements are the proportions and shapes of rooms, colour, lighting, carpets, curtains, furniture, seating and work surfaces. These apparently trivial things are of great psychological importance to people and care should be taken in choosing them, consulting users as well as ‘experts’.

Of greater importance is the human side of ethos. It is about how people are treated and how they talk to and interact with one another. The scope for personal freedom, the feeling of support and mutual respect are all important. Once again, feedback from users is vital in creating and sustaining the human side of ethos.

Questions to ask

  • What do we want a first-time user to feel when he or she comes through the door?
  • What range of opinion have we sought and who might we now ask about the centre's ethos?
  • How well are we catering for different social and learning needs? How accessible is provision for people with physical disabilities?
  • Have we visited other centres or organisations and considered principles of design and climate setting?
  • What is the relationship between the ethos of the centre and the way in which young people approach their learning?
  • What has been learned about ethos that can be expressed in principles and policies and which provides criteria for evaluation?

Evidence to show

Examples of documentary evidence

  • plans, drawings, sketches, models, videos, photographs, web pages, CD-ROMs, media publications
  • minutes, equal opportunities, policy documents, discussion papers on aspects of design
  • suggestion box comments, solicited or unsolicited testimonies, letters
  • evaluations by visitors - from authorities, community groups, EBPs, other centres, visiting experts or inspectors
  • surveys of young people, tutors, parents and others using criteria or ‘ethos indicators’
  • evidence of changes and developments made in response to consultation with users.

Testing the evidence

Examples of requests a visitor might make

  • Why are OSHL activities run where they are? What are the alternatives?
  • What would make me want to take part in OSHL here? Why would I encourage my child to come?
  • Which user groups do you think find this kind of ethos most appealing? Does design or layout exclude any groups or individuals?
  • Give me five indicators a visitor could use to measure the ethos of the centre.
  • Explain to me how your ethos exemplifies your values and beliefs about learning.
  • Show me some changes you have made in provision and ethos since you first began.

Emerging practice

In an emerging centre, some thought has been given to the kind of place that would attract people of different ages and would be user-friendly for tutors and learners. Even if physical provision is not yet ideal, there is a warmth, a welcome and a sense of informality in relationships which creates a user-friendly environment and attracts adults and young people. Although differentiated provision may not yet have been put into practice, consideration is being given to ways in which provision can be more differentiated to take account of different needs including access and provision for people with physical disabilities.

Key indicator

A user-friendly environment.

Established practice

Established centres have an immediate feeling People are able to speak about the ethos knowledgeably because it is not accidental but something that has been thoughtfully created and maintained. There is a language to discuss ethos, and criteria (or indicators) of ethos are used either informally or formally. The needs of different user groups are catered for in the design and use of space and in how and when the centre is used at different times of the day, week, or year for different purposes. Thought has been given to how people are treated, to how relationships are developed and to the scope for personal freedom.

Key indicator

Catering to a variety of needs and uses.

Advanced practice

Advanced centres have a well developed understanding of ethos in physical and human terms. Provision takes account of the perceptions of different age groups and their needs at different times. The centre is able to adjust accordingly and differentiated provision has developed, taking into account individual learning needs (eg rooms with music and silent rooms). Advanced practice is not afraid to experiment with new ideas. Users are encouraged to evaluate their own contexts and to be imaginative in putting forward new ideas for learning.

Key indicator

Responsiveness, flexibility and openness to new ideas.