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The Value of Pastoral Care and Personal-Social Education

This paper aims to bring together evidence and arguments to show the impact and value of pastoral care and personal-social education in schools. When resources for education are scarce, the aspects of school which are not obviously direct teaching can sometimes come under threat. This is a wrongheaded approach if we are to maintain a central focus on learning and achievement, and are to develop the features of the effective school: Effective schools are demanding places, where teachers expect and ensure high standards of work and behaviour; at the same time they are responsive to pupils, for the teachers are approachable and, since they value pupils, seek to involve them in the life and work of the school (Hargreaves, 1990). Pastoral Care and PSE are at their most effective when they are demanding, responsive and involving. We recommend that headteachers and teachers should ensure that pastoral care in schools is characterised by a healthy balance between challenge and support for pupils (Department of Education and Science, 1989). In talking about the value and impact of pastoral care and PSE, the question of how to identify them and their effects arises. This paper will take pastoral care and PSE to include both the general and specific aspects:

Pastoral Care

Personal-Social Education

a specific aspect
tutor groups individual pupils guidance links to parents other professionals

a general aspect
school climate care of staff whole curriculum all contexts teaching & learning

a general aspect
personal-social in all classrooms whole curriculum ethos school environment

a specific aspect
specialist PSE: careers, health, tutorials other guidance

The effects of the specific are influenced by the general: the effects of the general are long term, linked to other factors, difficult to measure. It is certainly not possible to create simple outcome measures of personal and social development (Assessment of Performance Unit, 1981). This paper brings together evidence under headings which identify the value for major stake-holders. In the final analysis it is not advisable to force a strong separation between these: they are interconnected, and what benefits one has positive spin-off for others. In this collection, extra arguments, commentary and analysis have deliberately been withheld. The overall message is that there is available evidence to construct professional arguments for provision in this area. The evidence speaks for itself.

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The Value of Pastoral Care and PSE

The value for pupils

Pastoral Care and PSE bring attention to achievement and social development - the two are linked - promoting both is important. In years gone by, educationalists have debated whether either a task-oriented, nose-to-the-grindstone approach or an emotionally supportive approach designed to make children want to be at school and enjoy their learning was better. The choice is artificial and misleading. Both aspects are necessary for optimal learning (Rutter, 1991). Approachability of and access to teachers/ tutors is important for achievement. Pupil outcomes tended to be better in schools where ordinary teachers were available to see children about problems at any time (not just at fixed periods) and where pupils reported that, if they needed to, they would talk to a member of staff about a personal problem (Rutter, 1983) Learning is a personal-social process and is enhanced by personal-social attention. The successful learner is knowledgeable, self-determined, strategic, and empathetic (Jones and Fennimore, 1990) A focus on the personal-social aspects of learning, and on co-operative approaches to learning enhances achievement. The theoretical support for co-operative endeavours appears to be borne out by the research evidence (Bennett and Dunne, 1992). In our studies we have found considerable evidence that co-operative learning experiences promote higher achievement than do competitive and individualistic learning experiences (Slavin, 1990). Programmes which help students analyse real life situations, set goals and take responsibility for their actions result in increased motivation for learning and in improved academic achievement (deCharms, 1972). Many pupils have found the opportunity of talking with their teachers on a one-toone basis about achievements, experiences, needs and appropriate future targets a rewarding and helpful experience that has a positive effect on their motivation. (Broadfoot et al, 1988) evaluation of Records of Achievement in nine schemes and 22 case study schools. Studies of approaches to learning demonstrate that study skills which focus on surface matters such as reading, note-taking and time management are largely ineffective, whereas a focus on Purpose, Strategy and Review is more effective. Learners need occasions to reflect on their strategies to learning. (Selmes, 1987; Ramsden, 1988; Gibbs, 1992). Planning, decision-making and taking responsibility may be central to young peoples perspectives of life skills (Poole and Evans, 1988) a study of 15 facets of life-skills with 1084 15 to 18 year olds. Adolescents experience and express personal-social difficulties which limit their performance, and which form one strand of personal-social education. From this data, it is quite clear that these young people had considerable difficulties in relating to parents and teachers, in asserting themselves to achieve their goals, and in relating to the opposite sex and to people in authority. They had inaccurate and damaging ideas on the degree to which they could change themselves or their life situation (Hopson and Hough, 1976) 235 15/16 year olds. Adolescent concerns may be adequately described along the dimensions of: Myself, At Home, Assertiveness, Opposite Sex, Communication, Powerless-ness, School Work, Coping with Change, Choosing a Job, Job Finding, Job Information Seeking, Starting Work, Money Matters (Millar et al., 1993) 378 15/16 year olds, (Gallagher et al., 1992) 446 15 to 18 year olds. Pupil personal problems can be increased or decreased by school atmosphere. First it appeared that pupils in over-controlling schools expressed more problems with authority. In such cases it seemed that the school engendered

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problems by being over-controlling in its climate. Secondly, where low level of concern for pupils were perceived, it seemed that pupils experienced more problems in peer group areas. In other words, schools with concerned atmospheres had pupils who were more likely to get on well with each other. (Porteous and Kelleher, 1987) 349 pupils in 15 secondary schools. Tutoring across ages of pupils has been shown to be more effective and more cost effective than reducing class size, increasing instructional time, or computer assisted instruction (Fitz-Gibbon, 1988). Helping students tutor each other has positive benefits for all. These programs have positive effects on the academic performance and attitudes of those who receive tutoring. Tutored students out-performed control students on examinations and they also developed positive attitudes toward the subject matter covered in the tutorial programs. The analysis also showed that tutoring programs have positive effects on the children who serve as tutors (Cohen et al., 1982) 65 evaluations of peer tutoring. Students who are deemed at-risk can continue to succeed in supportive schools The key finding from our research is that effective schools provide at-risk students with a community of support in which school membership and educational engagement are central (Wehlage et al., 1989). Nearly a quarter of the teenagers who could talk to a member of staff about personal relationships said they would turn to their form tutor. The importance of pastoral care was underlined by the fact that nearly a fifth of the teenagers who felt they could ask a member of staff about sex or contraception cited form tutor, head of year, head or deputy head of school, with the older teenagers more likely to cite the latter, mainly, it appeared, because they had more contact with them or because they taught the personal and social education programme (Allen, 1987) 115 14 and 16 year olds. The young people we talked to felt that their learning about preparation for parenthood in schools was patchy and inadequate. They identified that things like communication, relationship and personal development skills are sometimes included in tutorial time at school - but only if the teacher is interested (Braun and Schonveld, 1992) 83 young people.

The value for parents

Parents gave substantial support to these two statements Childrens personal and social development at school is at least as important as their academic development The most important thing about a school is whether the children are happy and enjoy their lessons (Elliott, 1981) fourth year parents choosing from over forty statements: cited in Johnson (1990). Parental choice of school is most strongly influenced by pragmatic and pastoral considerations, factors which direct little attention, if any, to the actual structure of what the child will receive by way of educational content or method the majority of parents who are exercising choice on behalf of their child are doing so from a humanistic rather than technological perspective, being less concerned with measurable criteria than with the creation of an atmosphere supportive to the childs well-being (Johnson, 1990) quoting (Petch, 1986) survey of 1,000 parents. 64% of parent-teacher associations do not consider that staff have adequate time to develop pastoral contact with pupils, and that this is one of the most important problems facing schools. 55% do not consider that staff have adequate time to talk to parents. (National Confederation of Parent-Teachers Associations, 1991) Survey of 2051 parent-teachers associations. 96% of parents think that schools should provide sex education to children and young people (Allen, 1987).

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The Value of Pastoral Care and PSE

The value for the school

Pastoral care is concerned with the health and functioning of the organisation as well as with individual pupils (Hamblin, 1981). One could argue that the pastoral organisation was an intuitive response to regarding the child as the customer, an internal agency to make sure that each child got the best mix available out of the product range on offer that part of the organisation (which connects products and customers) ought to be the driving force of the organisation, the one that sets the priorities and the tone and calls the tune. My conversations suggest that in most schools it is the production system, not the internal marketing system, which is dominant. Excellent companies maintain a regular survey and feedback programme from customer to organisation. In schools the feedback system runs the other way round - from organisation to customer (child or parent). Accountability in the education system often means the school explaining what it is doing to its customers, rather than asking its customers whether and when they are satisfied (Handy, 1984). Concepts of school and teacher effectiveness imply the sort of constructive and cooperative pupil-teacher relationships which are one of the characteristics of effective pastoral care (Galloway, 1985). a school which fails to care for its staff is not likely to be caring effectively for its students (Murgatroyd, 1986). Training research and research on teaching and learning have reached the stage where a system that increases student aptitude, achievement, and personal and social development can be designed with confidence. The individual, school, and systemic components need to be oriented towards changes in practice that offer promise for student growth in the personal, social and academic domains (Joyce and Showers, 1988). There is clear evidence that the introduction of records of achievement has led, in many instances, to improved teacher-pupil relations. Not only has it typically provided opportunities for pupils and teachers - especially pastoral tutors and form teachers - to get to know each other better following the introduction of personal reviews, it has also helped to encourage learning situations that are more personally valuing and more personally diagnostic for pupils. (Broadfoot et al, 1988) evaluation of RoAs in nine schemes and 22 case study schools. Schools in which form tutors carry out mainly administrative functions. such as taking registers and reading notices, tend to suffer from more disruptive behaviour than schools in which they are actively involved in disciplinary, counselling and guidance activities, monitoring academic progress and other pastoral work. (Department of Education and Science, 1989). The evidence suggests that schools with high exclusion rates may be less successful than schools with low exclusion rates in persuading the majority of pupils that teachers are interested in them (apart from a natural interest in the quality of their schoolwork) (Galloway et al., 1982) ten secondary schools. Six characteristics of pastoral care in four secondary schools each selected for its low level of disruptive behaviour (Galloway, 1983): - principal aim of pastoral care is to enhance educational progress - distinguishing pastoral and discipline problems seen as spurious - class teachers not encouraged to pass problems to senior staff - pastoral care based on tutors, from whom advice about pupils was sought - pastoral care for teachers was in evidence - climate promotes discussion of disruptive behaviour without recrimination One headteacher (Wooding, 1981) has described how a tutorial course focussing on study, problem-solving and personal development skills was associated with a substantial fall in the number of recorded incidents of misbehaviour, to 28% of the previous year figure.

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The value for the world of work

Sound careers guidance and advice in schools, further education and employment is central to providing each individual with a high quality personal guidance base throughout their career. Broader occupational competence should be concerned with adaptability, management of roles, responsibility for standards, creativity and flexibility to changing demand. Task competence is not enough to meet this need although some employers, concentrating on their short term needs, may believe it is. (CBI, 1989). There still remains the need for a timetabled slot of careers education in the curriculum. Despite improvements with the introduction of careers education as a cross-curricular theme, this is not enough (Nicholson, 1993). Following on the heels of basic skills and relevant knowledge, business expects from the education system motivated pupils and social/team skills (CBI, 1988). Students leaving school see employers as valuing most highly personal skills, and they value them themselves, but do not consider they are gaining them at school. They see employers as valuing teamwork skills, and do not rate highly their advancement at school (CBI, 1992). It is argued that Careers Guidance fosters efficiency and social equity. It supports individual decisions, reduces drop-out and mismatch, and contributes to improvements in the world of work (Killeen et al., 1992). There is compelling evidence from our research that many young people and their parents are at sea with respect to what needs to be done to ensure their futures. The essential antidote is to give career and personal counselling a much higher status, not only through the specialists involved in it, but also in the jobs of teaching and training themselves (Banks et al., 1992) 4,830 16 - 19 year olds in five areas of Britain. A major study of the guidance needs of young people revealed that they viewed the development of social skills for work as a major requirement for their future (Eaton and Daws, 1987) and that they are influenced most in guidance by persons with whom they have a well-established relationship. Those having regular careers lessons had a greater knowledge of the world of work than their peers who had no such lessons, were less reliant on their family for careers advice, and used a wider range of sources for career knowledge, and were more aware of the preparations necessary for job interviews (Chamberlain, 1982) 274 fifth form students from six schools. Schools providing formal careers education in the fourth or fifth years had pupils whose scores suggested a gain of six months vocational awareness (Cherry and Gear, 1987) 1366 pupils in 20 English secondary schools. Where there is a careers education programme in the school, fifth year pupils made much more progress in vocational awareness in interviews with careers officers (Bedford, 1982) 680 interviews in 200 schools.

The value for society at large

The benefits of learning are economic, personal and social. Those nations that invest in learning gain economic, social and personal benefits for their citizens: those that fail to do so suffer decline We recommend embedding careers education and guidance within the mainstream of the curriculum and education process, rather than positioning them as external and marginal adjuncts to formal learning (Ball, 1992). We have unearthed a number of results which seem to indicate that - drinking rates are lower in schools where alcohol education is delivered through PSE - drinking rates are higher if the programme is delivered through Science (Balding and Bish, 1992) 30 schools.

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The Value of Pastoral Care and PSE Preventive education on matters such as smoking is more effective when the personal-social dimension is addressed. The implications of the school effects appear to show that smoking rates were significantly lower where the school gave a relatively high profile to social/health education as a firm, separate and important curriculum area. The differences in smoking rate are such as to indicate that lessons embedded in social/health education curriculum seem more successful (Eiser et al., 1988). Drug prevention education in schools can be ineffective or counter-productive if only information-based, can have little impact if only a broad life-skills approach is used, but shows most promise if programmes help adolescents identify and resist specific pressures (Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, 1993; Dorn and Murji, 1992).

The agenda for development

The evidence demonstrates the value of effective pastoral care and PSE as one dimension of the effective school. A continuing focus on these areas is necessary. Development is the responsibility of the individual school, and requires a coordinated and collective approach to evaluation, review and planning. Professional evaluations such as HMI reports and surveys have continued to present evidence and analyses which highlight the characteristics of effective work in pastoral care and PSE (HMI, 1988; HMI, 1989; HMI, 1992). These provide useful frameworks for a school to review its practice. NAPCE An additional stimulus to maintain the focus will be the regular inspection of schools. This will be developed according to Ofsteds Framework and Handbook (Office for Standards in Education, 1993) which includes a main inspection focus on Pupils personal development and behaviour, together with an analysis of factors such as The quality and range of the curriculum Pupils welfare and guidance Links with parents, agencies and other institutions Schools will be expected to provide documentation on such areas, and inspection teams will seek evidence through indicators of performance in them. The management of the school will also be under scrutiny: pastoral care and PSE, however organised, will be expected to show evidence of systematic review, monitoring and evaluation of its performance in relation to pupils achievement.

Chris Watkins, October 1993

written in response to a resolution from the NAPCE Annual General Meeting.

References
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (1993), Drug Education in Schools: The Need for New Impetus, London: Home Office Allen I (1987), Education in Sex and Personal Relationships, London: Policy Studies Institute. Assessment of Performance Unit (1981), Personal and Social Development, London: DES Balding J and Bish D (1992), Alcohol Education in Schools, Schools Health Education Unit, University of Exeter Ball C (1992), Profitable Learning, London: Royal Society for the Arts Banks M et al. (Ed.) (1992), Careers and Identities, Milton Keynes, Open University Press. Bedford T (1982), Vocational Guidance Interviews: a survey by the Careers Service Inspectorate, London: Department of Employment Bennett N and Dunne E (1992), Managing Classroom Groups, Hemel Hempstead, Simon and Schuster.

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Broadfoot P et al (1988), Records of Achievement: report of national evaluation pilot schemes to the DES by the PRAISE team, London, HMSO Braun D and Schonveld A (1992), Preparation for Parenthood: myth or reality?, Coventry: Community Education Development Centre CBI (1988), Building a stronger partnership between business and secondary education, London: Confederation of British Industry CBI (1989), Towards a Skills Revolution: report of the vocational education and training task force, Confederation of British Industry CBI (1992), Survey of Students' Attitudes: 17 and 18-year olds going to Higher Education, London: Confederation of British Industry Chamberlain P (1982), Careers lessons and career awareness of fifth form students, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 10(1): 74-82. Cherry N and Gear R (1987), Young people's perceptions of their vocational guidance needs: II, influences and interventions, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 15(2): 169 - 181. Cohen PA et al. (1982), Educational outcomes of tutoring: a meta-analysis of findings, American Educational Research Journal, 19(2): 237-48. deCharms R (1972), Personal causation training in the schools, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 2: 95-113. Department of Education and Science (1989), Discipline in Schools: report of the Committee of Enquiry chaired by Lord Elton, DES/HMSO Dorn N and Murji K (1992), Drug Prevention: a review of the English Language Literature, ISDD Research Monographs 5, London: Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence Eaton M and Daws PP (1987), A TRAWL Perspective on Guidance Provision, Belfast: NICED Eiser JR et al. (1988), Social education is good for health, Educational Research, 30(1): 20 - 25. Elliott J (1981), How do parents choose schools? in Elliott J (Ed.), School Accountability, London, Grant McIntyre. 40-57. Fitz-Gibbon C (1988), Peer tutoring as a teaching strategy, Educational Management and Administration, 16(3): 217-229. Gallagher M et al. (1992), The personal and social worries of adolescents in Northern Ireland: results of a survey, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 20(3): 274-90. Galloway D (1983), Disruptive pupils and effective pastoral care, School Organisation, 3(3): 245-54. Galloway D (1985), Pastoral care and school effectiveness in Reynolds D (Ed.), Studying School Effectiveness, Falmer Press. 75 - 86. Galloway D et al. (1982), Schools and Disruptive Pupils, Longman. Gibbs G (1992), Improving the Quality of Student Learning, Bristol, Technical and Educational Services. Hamblin DH (1981), Pastoral care and pupil performance in Hamblin DH (Ed.), Problems and Practice of Pastoral Care, Blackwell. Handy C (1984), Taken for Granted? understanding schools as organisations, York, Longmans for Schools Council. Hargreaves DH (1990), Making schools more effective: the challenge to policy, practice and research, Scottish Educational Review, 22(1): 5 - 14. HMI (1988), A survey of personal and social education courses in some secondary schools:Report 235/88, DES HMI (1989), Pastoral Care in Secondary Schools: an inspection of some aspects of pastoral care in 1987-8, DES HMI (1992), Survey of Guidance 13-19 in Schools and sixth form colleges, DES Hopson B and Hough P (1976), The need for personal and social education in secondary schools and further education, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 4(1): 17-27. Johnson D (1990), Parental Choice in Education, London, Unwin Hyman. Jones BF and Fennimore TF (1990), The New Definition of Learning, North Central Regional Educational Laboratory Joyce B and Showers B (1988), Student Achievement through Staff Development, Harlow, Longman. Killeen J et al. (1992), The Economic Value of Careers Guidance, London, Policy Studies Institute. Millar R et al. (1993), Surveying adolescent worries: development of the 'Things I Worry About' scale, Pastoral Care in Education, 11(1): 43-51.

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Murgatroyd S (1986), Management teams and the promotion of staff well-being, School Organisation, 6(1): 115 - 121. National Confederation of Parent-Teachers Associations (1991), The State of Schools in England and Wales, Gravesend: NCPTA Nicholson SB (1993), What are the needs? in Ball SC (Ed.), Guidance Matters, London, RSA. Office for Standards in Education (1993), Handbook for the Inspection of Schools, London: Ofsted/HMSO Petch AJ (1986), Parents' reasons for choosing secondary schools in Stillman A (Ed.), The Balancing Act of 1980: parents, politics and education, Slough, NFER. 28-35. Poole ME and Evans GT (1988), Life Skills: adolescents' perceptions of importance and competence, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 16(2): 129-144. Porteous MA and Kelleher E (1987), School climate differences and problem admission in secondary schools, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 15(1): 72-81. Ramsden P (Ed.) (1988), Improving Learning: new perspectives, Kogan Page. Rutter M (1983), School effects on pupil progress: research findings and policy implications, Child Development, 54: 1 - 29. Rutter M (1991), Pathways from childhood to adult life: the role of schooling, Pastoral Care in Education, 9(3): 3 - 10. Selmes I (1987), Improving Study Skills, Hodder & Stoughton. Slavin RE (1990), Cooperative Learning: theory, research, and practice, Prentice-Hall. Wehlage GG et al. (1989), Reducing the Risk: schools as communities of support, London, Falmer Press. Wooding J (1981), Thinking about a skills course?, School Organization, 1(4): 343-6.

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Recent publications include:

The journal Pastoral Care in Education, published quarterly. Reducing School Bullying - what works?, 1996 Governors and Pastoral Care, 1996 Quality Review in Pastoral Care, 1996 Managing Behaviour in Classrooms and Schools, 1996 Refugee Children in Schools, 1995 Children and Bereavement, Death and Loss: what can the school do?, 1993 Whole School Personal-Social Education: policy and practice, 1992 Developing Effective Links with Parents, 1992 From Head of Year to Year Curriculum Coordinator? a collection of resources for INSET, 1992 Tutor Review, 1991

Send for a publications list and order form. See also: Best R et al. (Ed.) (1994), Pastoral Care and PSE: entitlement and provision, Cassell
Studies in Pastoral Care and Personal and Social Education, Cassell/NAPCE