From the Periphery to the Mainstream: Mentoring in Schools on the Curriculum at Cass Business School - Rob Compton, Professor Paul Palmer, Dr ...
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From the Periphery to the Mainstream: Mentoring in Schools on the Curriculum at Cass Business School Rob Compton, Professor Paul Palmer, Dr Marton Racz
CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL
Contents
Executive summary 1
Our story 3
What we teach 12
Measuring our impact 14
What have we achieved so far 16
Conclusion and call to action 22
Appendices 24
References and further reading 29
AUTHORS
Professor Paul Palmer is Director of Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness Cass CCE) at Cass Business School. He has served as
an Associate Dean for nine years until the end of December 2018 leading the School’s initiative on ethical, sustainability and
engagement education. In recognition of his work, he became a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2015. In 2018,
he was elected to the UN PRME Advisory Committee. Paul is a Chartered Company Secretary and holds a doctorate in Internal
Auditing and Control. He has held many charity trustee posts including serving as President of the Royal Society for Public Health
and is currently Chair of the Grant Making Committee of the Hospital Saturday Fund. He has previously served on the Sustainability
Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and is currently on the Ethics Committee of the
Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.
Rob Compton is the UN PRME Programme Manager at Cass Business School and leads the School Mentoring Programme. Rob has
worked in training development in the corporate sector and spent 10 years as a campaigner and practitioner developing corporate
responsibility and community investment programmes at Business in the Community and as an independent consultant. He has
worked with over 50 businesses on their partnerships with schools and charities and has extensive experience of brokerage,
motivation and training of mentors working with vulnerable people. Rob has been teaching at Cass since 2012 as a Visiting
Lecturer on the MSc and BSc Management programmes as well as mentoring a range of professionals building careers in corporate
responsibility as well as charity professionals, students and even a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF. He has also been a school
governor for five years and is currently researching a PhD on innovative pedagogy in business schools.
Dr Marton Racz is a postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Ethics, Sustainability and Engagement unit at Cass Business School as
well as Head of the Centre for Academic Services and Senior Lecturer at the International Business School in Budapest, Hungary.
Marton is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and currently co-manager of the editorial collective of the journal ephemera:
theory and politics in organization. His doctoral thesis explored the meanings and practices of criticality in select UK business
schools. Building on this, his research currently focuses on the organization of higher education; on innovative ways of educating
management students for ethics, responsibility and reflexivity; and on the roles management academics’ organizational practices
play in achieving this goal.FROM THE PERIPHERY TO THE MAINSTREAM: MENTORING IN SCHOOLS ON THE CURRICULUM AT CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL 1
Cass Business School
T: 0020 7040 8600
www.cass.city.ac.uk
Executive Summary
In 2009, Cass Business School In the course of the programme, we
responded to the Global Financial have developed a variety of models
for innovation in higher educational
Crisis by evaluating what the role pedagogy and community investment that
of a Business School in educating we are committed to sharing with other
future business leaders should educational institutions and the business
be. A number of projects have community. It is important to note that the
been set up and shared in our bi- project was largely inspired by business
practitioners’ innovative approaches to
annual report to the UN Principles
community investment and how this is
for Responsible Management linked to the development of their people.
Education (UN PRME). One of these We continually ask the question of what
initiatives started out with a vision our role should be in producing the next
for engaging students in their local generation of business leaders with an
communities, encouraging social understanding of the social as well as
economic challenges we face.
mobility, building aspiration and
driving innovation in our teaching As such, the UN Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) are a critical inspiration and
methods. That was in 2015 and
reference point for this project and all that
this report tells the story of how we do at Cass Business School. Later in
we have made it happen, what we this report, we reflect in more detail on
have learned and how we plan to how we apply the SDGs and the importance
move the project forward.
of sharing our progress with partners in
the UN PRME Champions network. Since
This is the story of a modern philanthropic our inception in 2015, the SDGs have
partnership, a £1million jointly funded informed our approach even more directly
five-year investment in a collaborative and our aims are best summarised in SDG
programme where learning is shared commitment #4 Quality Education and
openly and delivery methods evolve to #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
reflect our findings and fresh insight. This as well as #11 Sustainable Cities and
is not a “one-off” attempt by a donor to Communities.
fix a problem but the project illustrates This report seeks to record and
the continued commitment of both the Sir disseminate what we have learned since
John Cass’s Foundation and Cass Business the programme’s inception in 2015. It is
School, initiated in 2002, to strategic also timely as the Charity Commission
working together and the reporting of in its report published in December
genuine impact over time rather than 2018 entitled “Public Benefit Reporting
immediate outcomes.2 CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL
By Charities” encourages charities to It is an unusual and inspiring feeling to
demonstrate their Public Benefit; this lead a project that is unique in the global
publication sets out the work undertaken academic community. We believe from our
with disadvantaged pupils from diverse literature reviews and engagement in UN
backgrounds in four state-maintained PRME that no higher education institution
secondary schools located in the London has formed an integrated connection
boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Hackney, between teaching and engagement with
Islington and Haringey. Sir John Cass’s local communities in this way. We are proud
Foundation is the Trustee of Sir John Cass’s to be both pioneers and, more recently, to
Foundation & Redcoat CE Secondary engage with other institutions looking to
School and was therefore delighted that it replicate elements of this programme.
was one of first schools to be involved in We look forward to growing our project
the programme. beyond 2020, continuing to embrace sharing
Our steering group, school partners and our learning with others and welcome critical
countless advisors have guided and feedback on how we can improve what we do
inspired the development of the project to deliver a greater impact in communities
throughout with support on complex where the need is greatest.
programme management with school Professor Paul Palmer
partners, progressive thinking on teaching (Principal Investigator, Cass Business
and assessment methodology and on School)
developing an evaluation framework that
captures the true benefits of our work. This Richard Foley
group has increasingly included UN PRME (Chief Executive, Sir John Cass’s Foundation)
Champion partners from universities around
the world that we are exchanging knowledge
with as the programme develops.FROM THE PERIPHERY TO THE MAINSTREAM: MENTORING IN SCHOOLS ON THE CURRICULUM AT CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL 3 Our story WHY WE DEVELOPED THE PROGRAMME? essentially employers are looking for young The School Engagement Project was graduates with attributes such as resilience, established in August 2015 in partnership adaptability and the ability to communicate with Sir John Cass’s Foundation. It marked a effectively on a number of levels. The report fundamental commitment by Cass Business highlights areas where employers believe School to engaging with communities in business and management students are London, developing our students’ awareness deficient, creating an opportunity for us to of challenges in society and to providing an differentiate the Cass offer and move closer to education that is responsible, ethical and will the employers’ requirements. enhance their employment prospects. There is a further link to diversity and social Knowledge of the long tradition of mobility as we know that, in emerging philanthropic support from City of London London industries such as digital as well as institutions as donors and volunteers inspired more traditional City professions like law or our approach. Using our understanding of banking too few young people growing up in the historical context for example from the poverty get the opportunity to progress into University Settlements of the 19th century, skilled roles close to the communities where we wanted to develop a programme that they grow up. takes this learning and moves forward to The challenge for business schools in this connect with young Londoners today. To do context is raised most directly by Martin this, we are partners rather than donors and Parker in his book “Shut Down the Business our students are not volunteers helping the School: What’s Wrong with Management project; this is an important element in their Education” (2018). This is a critical account of study programme as managers of the future. how business schools conceal the historical As a school of the City University, an development of managerial capitalism and institution of the University of London, Cass promote its contemporary formation as Business School will always have its work one without alternatives. Parker calls for grounded in research and the strategy for exploring alternative forms of organising, teaching and learning at Cass is “a blend of taught at a currently utopian School for cutting-edge theory and practice” (www. Organising, which would transform what we cass.city.ac.uk/about/more). In addition to today call business education into a truly insight from the voluntary sector looking at public good that serves the aim of social moving forward from one-way philanthropy equality. We believe our project also holds to shared value (Porter & Kramer, 2011), we the ambition of making a small step in this also approached this from the perspective of direction and informing how Cass and other the business community. What are employers business schools operate including what looking for in their workforce in terms of we teach and how we teach it – our core skills and attitudes? Best summarised in the pedagogical purpose. Chartered Management Institute’s publication A range of reports looking at secondary “21st Century Leaders: Building Employability school education influenced us and we through Higher Education” (CMI, 2018), consulted teachers and school leaders to
4 CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL
ask what worked best in teaching STEM Following this research, we realised that:- ■■ Young volunteer mentors have limited
(Science, Technology, Engineering and ■■ One to one mentoring in schools was an time available to train as well as
Mathematics) in particular. Our thinking effective way of improving attainment participate in programmes.
was further informed by the Sutton Trust in schools. ■■ There is relatively little reporting of the
report “What Makes Great Teaching” long-term value of such activities.
(2014) which makes the point that one-to- ■■ University students are motivated and
one interventions are most effective, yet inspired by going into schools and ■■ Universities and business schools in
also the most expensive way to improve working with young people. particular are not always providing
pupils’ attainment. ■■ Mentoring programmes typically employers with the range of skills and
follow a fixed structure in terms of their attributes as well as the knowledge to
In the course of setting up the project, we succeed in business.
also looked at careers education in schools methodology and application and are
and considered the work of Professor not collaborative. These are big issues at the intersection
Tristram Hooley, at the University of Derby ■■ There is a growing skills shortage between education and business that
and the Careers and Enterprise Company, rooted in learning of STEM related no single programme can possibly
particularly in relation to social mobility. subjects. resolve, yet they do form the basis for
The question raised was is enough being the cumulative “business case” which
■■ Young people do not have enough underpins the project concept.
done to create and support aspiration in
guidance, at the right time, when
school and are young people able to make The next step was to find the gaps and
choosing career and higher education
informed choices about their progress into consider what Cass Business School and
pathways.
Higher Education and, ultimately, work? Sir John Cass’s Foundation could do to
We naturally took inspiration from existing deliver for the community.
mentoring programmes operating in
schools involving students, volunteers SUMMARY OF BENEFITS
and employee volunteers. The Institute for
Volunteering Research (IVR) and National Community Employability Educational Institutions
Council for Voluntary Organisations Social mobility – building Practising people skills for Enhancing the
(NCVO) provided evidence showing that aspiration and access to business. employability of
a large number of programmes exist opportunity. undergraduate students.
focusing on particular causes or school Improved attainment in Recognising the value of Connecting with local
subjects and targeting particular age STEM subjects. people skills for managers communities and
groups. The majority of these programmes and leaders. demonstrating social
are undoubtedly effective and are often purpose.
funded by the schools themselves;
evidence of their added value. Projects More informed choices in Learning in a new Building and securing
also run increasingly as social enterprises transition to adulthood. environment and partnerships with external
as well as charities (and universities) and understanding the stakeholders.
evidence reporting is improving to reflect challenge of growing up in
impact rather than levels of activity and London.
immediate outcomes.FROM THE PERIPHERY TO THE MAINSTREAM: MENTORING IN SCHOOLS ON THE CURRICULUM AT CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL 5
PROGRAMME DESIGN This combined with the Cass Business Paul Palmer meets quarterly to monitor
Through the Centre for Charity School’s drive to develop the right skills for the progress of the project and provide
Effectiveness (CCE) at Cass, there has business to inform the idea of a dedicated strategic guidance to the project team.
been a collaborative partnership with Sir module giving time to the development The Group includes experts from the
John Cass’s Foundation from before the of these skills with the practical option of world of business, education and the
programme’s inception. This enabled a students going into schools and applying academic community as well as the partner
dialogue from early drafts of the concept their learning while giving back to the organisations. Our representatives from
to the final proposal stage. We were local community. business and education have experience
all acutely aware of the importance of The other key element in the concept that of managing and overseeing project
genuine collaboration and noted early in we were clear about from our research and connecting business with education, while
discussions, and as an historical aside, experience was the approach to schools. our academics understand the university
that Sir John Cass (1661-1718) was one of This had to be school-led and with a perspective as well as informing our
the first proponents of “match funding”. flexible tool such as mentoring, we could research and evaluation.
This ensured alignment to the objectives work with schools on their priorities rather The Steering Group provides an important
of both institutions and established a than presenting a fixed offer. critical perspective, a forum to discuss
working methodology as the idea was key strategic challenges related to the
tested. It also allowed the programme to GOVERNANCE AND OVERSIGHT project and maintains a Risk Register that
start quickly as a number of challenges The partnership approach was baked in tracks issues such as levels of school
such as sign off for the development of a to the programme from its inception and engagement and student sign ups to
new teaching module were provisionally is reflected in our governance structure. the module.
agreed. A steering group chaired by Professor
In our research, we were surprised to
discover no other programmes where STEERING GROUP MEMBERSHIP
university students receive formal
Professor Paul Palmer, Chair Cass Business School, Principal Investigator
accreditation for work in schools as part
of their degree. There were examples of Richard Foley Chief Executive, Sir John Cass’s Foundation
students receiving academic credits for Rob Compton Programme Manager
mentoring internally with young students
and some established literature on the Dr Peter Grant Cass Business School, Research Advisor
benefits of “near peer” mentoring in Revd. Trevor Critchlow Governor, Sir John Cass’s Foundation & Red Coat CE
universities. (2015-18) Secondary School
We did understand that volunteers working Alkis Tsikardonis Santander, Sustainability Specialist
in schools are not purely being altruistic Gabriella Wickes Slaughter & May, Community Manager
and motivated by various forms of reward
and recognition including City, University Dr Justin Davis-Smith Cass Business School, Social Pathway Leader
of London’s own Employability Award. Dr Martin Rich Cass Business School, Course Leader
Increasingly students realise the benefit of Ben Butler City, University of London, Student Development Manager
these experiences and would be interested
in tangible reward. Elizabeth Renshaw Cass Business School, School Engagement Manager
Claire Molloy Cass Business School, Programme Co-ordinator6 CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL
“ Programmes like this are important because they
equip students with the skills needed to prepare them
for the world of business”
Gabriella Wickes, Corporate Responsibility Adviser, Slaughter & May
THE PILOT PHASE – SEPTEMBER 2015 TO mentors would need to have a strong specification calls for mentoring and
MAY 2016 technical understanding of the current coaching concepts and practical models
Once the Programme Manager started UK curriculum. to be assessed in the wider context of
work in September 2015, the first months We also engaged at the most senior level management learning with reference
were spent recruiting school partners in the schools – Headteacher, Haydn Evans to capstone literature. There is also a
and developing curriculum content for CBE and Principal, Tim Clark respectively requirement for robust assessment of
the module. – and held practical discussions about students, which has typically involved
resourcing. Each school partner needs examinations and coursework essays. In
School partners needed to reflect our addition to this, we are obliged to train our
underlying principle of supporting young a lead contact member of staff with
dedicated time to support the programme mentors and to ensure that they and their
people growing up in disadvantaged mentees are safe at all times.
communities. We also considered the and although offered free to schools this
practicalities of travel and approached resource must be attributed to ensure it is Furthermore, this is an elective choice for
schools that were in a good position properly managed. Each school committed second year students, so it is necessary
to receive our student mentors. It was to the programme for the pilot phase to consider how to present and market
also sensible to start where we had initially and, with no cost commitment, this option in the broader context of their
connections, while making sure we did there was no need for a formal contract learning on the Management and Business
not complicate existing relationships held arrangement at this stage. Studies BSc programmes.
by City, University of London through From a curriculum and assessment In the first year of the programme, Spring
volunteer programmes. perspective, it is important for Term 2016, students were taught in a
Sir John Cass’s Foundation & Red Coat undergraduates to demonstrate a series of lectures which combined learning
CE Secondary School in Stepney and critical understanding of the concepts about mentoring and coaching with
the Skinners’ Academy in Woodbury of mentoring and coaching. The module training about how to mentor in schools.
Downs have high levels of disadvantaged
pupils, good transport connections to
Cass Business School and school leaders
who supported the idea. Working with
“ Skinners’ Academy, a large, multi-cultural 11-18
Sir John Cass’s Foundation & Red Coat comprehensive school in a disadvantaged community
CE Secondary School also provided the in Hackney, the second most deprived borough in the
opportunity to connect further with the capital, has worked closely with Cass Business School
Cass family of education institutions. on the mentoring programme for the past four years, with
The Skinners’ Academy is located on the
Woodbury Green estate, one of London’s extremely positive results. Pupils at the Academy have
largest social housing concentrations. benefited from small group tuition, which has increased
In each case, we asked the school where their confidence both socially and in maths lessons. In
they needed the most help on STEM- return, students from the Business School have been able
related subjects and mathematics was to benefit from working with groups of young people,
identified as a key area for additional
many of whom struggle socially and academically. From
one-to-one support in Year 8 at Skinners’
Academy and in Year 11 at Sir John Cass’s the Academy’s point of view, the programme has been
Foundation & Red Coat CE Secondary mutually very beneficial – long may it continue.”
School. We discussed supporting GCE Tim Clark, Principal, Skinners’ Academy
A level students in Year 12 and 13, but
decided against this on the basis thatFROM THE PERIPHERY TO THE MAINSTREAM: MENTORING IN SCHOOLS ON THE CURRICULUM AT CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL 7
All students working in schools on a one- Having established a choice for mentors
to-one basis with children (anybody under between mentoring in one of two schools Feedback Observation
18) or vulnerable adults need DBS clearance and supporting first year BSc Management (from the (including a
through the Vetting and Barring Service and students, the next challenge was to find mentee and viva reflective
it is also important to recognise that not all the right form of academic assessment. school partner) discussion)
students will be suitable or willing to mentor Colleagues at City, University of London
in schools. We therefore developed the shared guidance on assessment by
University Pathway, which allows students structured observation instead of an 10%
to opt to support a group of first year examination and we already call on Cass
students instead. A first year module running students to introduce reflective writing to
concurrently provided opportunity for this, their essays. We also wanted to bring in
as it was an experiential option that feedback from mentees and school partners Assessment 50%
students often struggled to understand. to the assessment process.
Student mentors were therefore able to 40%
structure
In the pilot year, there was relatively little
support first year counterparts through
time for communication to students to
a wide range of activities while gaining
promote the module and we actively sought
experience as mentors.
KEY FINDINGS FROM THE PILOT PHASE
Strengths Areas for Development
Essay
School partners recognised the value Not enough time spent on either the teaching or (combining a literature review
of the programme and committed to a practical mentoring to make a difference. and reflective writing about their
further year. experience as a mentor)
Enough students were interested in the Most students not really understanding what the
module and gave positive feedback on module involves and how it relates to their studies.
the value of their mentoring.
Reflective essays gave interesting Hard to engage and train student mentors in a
insights from student mentors showing relatively large group in a conventional teaching
deep understanding of the programme room.
and supporting the evaluation process.
Observation assessments worked well Some students struggled with the complexity of
and understood by business students. the assessment process.
School mentees gave very positive Manual DBS checking through the City system was
feedback and showed signs of time-consuming and slow. Some students did not
improving attainment in maths. get clearance in time to mentor in schools.
Safeguarding procedures worked well. Project management – needed to clarify
challenges and resources required to deliver the
project.
Positive feedback on the quality of the Timetabling challenges emerged between
teaching. mentors’ and mentees’ availabilities limiting
choice and the matching process.8 CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL
pioneers willing to take a risk with an now able to introduce alternative practical disadvantaged backgrounds. The school
untried concept so were delighted that 30 models for mentoring and coaching has a strong reputation for connecting
students signed up, with 20 choosing the together with emerging concepts such as with local businesses and wanted Cass
school option while 10 supported groups of wellbeing and mindfulness. We introduced mentors for Year 12 students on vocational
first year students. content from guest lecturers from study programmes – primarily Business
While feedback from students and schools business, schools and the charity sector and Hospitality. This connected with
was positive overall, we realised that including our partner school leaders. The local needs and gave our students the
mentoring partnerships needed more time assessment process was enhanced with chance to work with young people closer
to be effective and our student mentors clearer guidance and more support for to their age and to give them coaching
would have appreciated more contextual students on a new form of essay writing on their progression into university,
learning and practice before practicing combining literature review with apprenticeships or work.
their skills. personal reflection. At the same time, we met with a newly
From the schools perspective, we established school in Tottenham. Ada
PROJECT DELIVERY (2016-18) continued to work with our pilot schools – The National College for Digital Skills
The next phase of the project saw a switch but changed the mentee cohorts to pupils focuses on teaching young people through
to teaching the module across two terms, in Year 10 and 11 closer in age to their academic and vocational programmes in
the introduction of two additional school student mentors. We also introduced new the fast-growing digital sector. They have
partners and the development of a more school partners to increase capacity and an innovative approach to teaching and
sophisticated evaluation framework. add flexible mentoring options to reduce are already working with mentors from
the risk of timetable clashes. the business community. This presented
There was also a shift in the context of the an opportunity to giving coaching and
mentoring in consultation with our school The Central Foundation Boys’ School is
located close to the Cass Business School mentoring support to Year 12 and 13 pupils
partners and in response to emerging specifically working towards careers in
research as well as our own reflections on and has a high percentage of pupils from
programme delivery.
In 2016/17, students selected the elective
for teaching in the autumn term. This is the
only module at Cass Business School to
“ At Central Foundation Boys’ School, the mentoring
take place across two terms of an academic programme has supported our Year 12 vocational
year – the 15 academic credits remain the students over the last 3 years, giving valuable
same, yet students are not required to guidance on their studies and helping them to make
work as intensively during the spring term
when the observations take place and the the right decision about whether to go to university,
essay is due. take on an apprenticeship or get work experience. I’m
The curriculum developed significantly delighted to see that our students also have the chance
with more time to work with mentors to spend time on the university campus to give them a
and to explore mentoring and coaching feel for life as an undergraduate and better understand
concepts. This includes defining mentoring
and coaching in relation to people the study environment.”
skills for business, contextualising the Jamie Brownhill, Headteacher, Central Foundation Boys’ School
link to leadership and the evolution of
management theory. The lectures wereFROM THE PERIPHERY TO THE MAINSTREAM: MENTORING IN SCHOOLS ON THE CURRICULUM AT CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL 9
technology and combines support for their KEY FINDINGS:
studies with completion of university,
apprenticeship and job applications. Strengths Areas for Development
Both of these partnerships have helped Increased range of mentoring options on How to manage the student mentors
establish the distinction between both student and university pathways. down time between early December and
mentoring or coaching and tutoring to February.
provide further insight building on our More time available to support mentor Issues with timetabling remain,
work with the founding school partners. learning and allow for greater support to particularly for the mentors’ timetable
Year 12 and 13 students are also more beneficiaries. finalised in early February.
flexible with free periods during school Teaching better reflects emerging Working with a cohort of 40+ students in
time for mentoring. This cohort are literature and trends in mentoring and one group is too large and not possible
embarking on a significant stage in their coaching. for effective group work even with 2
lives that increasingly involves taking facilitators.
on debts and will shape their long-term
futures. Most schools have limited Governance and team structure enhanced More resource needed to focus on the
resources for careers advice and hearing to provide support for the project. The student engagement and support during
from a student with recent experience of project is on budget. their mentoring.
their situation can be highly influential. Guest speakers and new content are well The assessment process needs to be
In 2016-18, we pitched the module to received and engaging for students who refined to give a more balanced and clear
first year students with the involvement now relate the module more clearly to their reflection of mentors’ skills.
of alumni mentors from the previous employment prospects.
years and through a short film about the Successful pilot of 1:1 option on the New challenge of managing university
programme. This has led to a consistent university pathway. team and individual pathways more
take up of 45-47 mentors, which equates to closely.
20-25% of students on eligible courses.
These relationships have further informed programme, we were closer to identifying ■■ A significant increase in the number
our partnerships across all four of the how our talented resource (high level of student mentors driven by the
schools we work with where we now have second year business undergraduates introduction of a new, larger BSc
a blended approach that supports learning from around the world) is most effectively degree programme at Cass launched in
on STEM subjects from Year 10 and 11, deployed in schools. September 2018.
alongside help with study and career ■■ Our role in the UN PRME Champion
pathways. Indicative findings suggest PROGRESS (2018-19)
Programme as a flagship project and
pupils in schools are more committed to In June 2018, we carried out a strategic the ongoing commitment to sharing
working through their maths challenges review of the team structure to reflect on knowledge and engaging with other
when they understand the context of this progress, plan for significant growth and universities.
learning in later life. move towards sustaining our partnership
beyond 2020. ■■ Securing the future funding of the
This evolutionary process has developed programme by capturing and reporting
through consultation with school partners, In addition to our learning from ongoing our long-term impact.
employers and careers specialists in City, evaluation and review of results, the team
University of London and our wider group considered:- A revised plan was agreed by Cass
of stakeholders. At this interim stage in the Business School and Sir John Cass’s10 CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL
Foundation in July 2018 to inform the for small teams of 4-5 mentees taking the Dropping out is a serious issue for all
current 2018/19 cohort and prepare the “Management Lab and Business Skills” UK universities and connects with wider
way for significant growth in activity in the module in their first year. In each case, issues including mental health challenges
next academic year and beyond. we have refined the matching process for students as well as being a key metric
We have adapted our teaching to a and reviewed the timetabling to ensure in the Teaching Excellence and Student
workshop format taught as “Mentoring university mentors can spend more time Outcomes Framework (TEF) which governs
and Coaching for Leadership” in two with their mentees. As with the schools UK universities. While exact figures are
streams with a cap of 30 students in each element, mentees should spend 8-10 hard to define, the impact of this on a
group. This change has already yielded sessions mentoring during the spring term. student from a disadvantaged background
impressive results in feedback from
students giving a score of 4.9 out of 5 for KEY FINDINGS:
the teaching experience up from 3.8 in Strengths Areas for Development
the pilot year. We have retained the core
The workshop teaching format has proved Better engagement of first year students
approach to the mentoring and coaching
popular with students and tutors. moving into the second year through more
models, but give more time to practical
effective marketing of the module.
exercises that are better suited to small
group learning. The aim is to increase the School partnerships are more pro-actively Further amendments to how timetabling
skill levels of our mentors while retaining managed using our knowledge of what has is managed across two terms to allow
the emphasis on theory and critical worked in previous years. students to work more comfortably across
reflection. In 2019, we will move to three two-terms.
streams to accommodate an increasing Matching of mentors to mentees is more More focus on capturing the long-term
number of mentors. Framing the module sophisticated with insight from both sides. impact of the programme.
in a leadership context aims to improve
The university individual pathway has Challenge of finding the individual
students’ recognition of value to
grown to involve more students and has mentees most in need of support.
business and increase the appeal of the
supported 1st years embarking on the new
elective option.
degree programme.
We have simplified the assessment
Tracking of student and mentee progress Ongoing difficulty of managing the gap
method to 50% reflective essay and 50%
is more sophisticated with the use of focus over Christmas for mentors and mentees.
observation. This helps give clarity to
groups involving mentors and mentees.
students and reduces the risk of overly
subjective and inconsistent feedback from Some school partnership mentoring now Day-to-day communications with students
our school partners. Additional formative hosted on the university campus giving are difficult as email is less frequently used
or practice assessment of each element mentees first-hand experience of life as an and there is limited access to mobile phone
has further enhanced students’ awareness undergraduate student. and app data.
of what is required from them. Observation assessment by video piloted Resource planning – growing the
Building on a small, yet successful pilot to record university pathway mentoring programme to scale while managing costs.
in 2017/18, the university pathway now and allow scaleable remote assessment.
has an increasing social purpose through Greater simplicity in the assessment Securing investment in the project beyond
individual mentoring support for first methodology supported by clearer the current term.
year students at risk of dropping out of explanations and formative assessment.
university. This is in addition to supportFROM THE PERIPHERY TO THE MAINSTREAM: MENTORING IN SCHOOLS ON THE CURRICULUM AT CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL 11
is often greater and potentially life changing. PROJECTIONS FOR 2019-2021
We are working with the student counselling Moving beyond 2019, the programme is set
teams at City, University of London to improve to expand significantly with a much larger
support for this option on the programme. It is cohort on the new management degree. We
difficult to identify these students and clearly, are preparing for this during the current year
there is a greater emphasis on safeguarding, with our schools and teaching plans.
yet helping young adults to assimilate and get
All four of our school partners have the
the best out of their time at university is an
capacity to host more students and there are
additional unintended outcome that we are
additional university mentees on the group
committed to growing.
pathway in particular. We are also confident
This example highlights how additional that the higher profile of the module will help
benefits have accrued from the programme to encourage more students to sign up. In
that we did not foresee. Secured funding 2019/20, the module will be taught in three
over time and support from our internal and streams to accommodate the additional
external stakeholders has allowed us to capacity with at least one new tutor with
develop these elements in the programme extensive mentoring experience involved.
while remaining consistent with our core
Beyond next year, there will be additional
principles.
numbers of student mentors as the module
In March 2019, the programme is firmly becomes compulsory for some students and
established and delivered through six extends to other undergraduate programmes
pathways in four schools as well as both at Cass Business School. At this stage, it
group and individual university options is likely that we will introduce new school
(Appendix 2, Pathway Graphic). Our teaching partners and will need to increase the
methodology has been refined, is rated capacity of our team.
extremely highly by students and we are in
We are also focusing on sharing our
a position to significantly grow the volume
knowledge and giving practical advice
of activity to meet a much larger cohort of
to other institutions looking to replicate
students. Our challenge is now to report on
the programme. This toolkit development
this and share our knowledge with others.
is crucial to our overall purpose and the
principles underpinning the project.
We have made most progress in collaboration
with Nottingham Business School at
Nottingham Trent University by sharing
teaching resources for mentoring and
coaching as well as evaluation methods and
sharing insights in the academic community
through conference presentations and
journal articles.12 CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL
What we teach
This is what we teach. The guiding LIST OF WORKSHOP TITLES:
principle is that there is no one Week Title
way to mentor or coach and we
1 Introduction
are fundamentally learning and
2 Building Rapport and Business
practicing people skills for business.
Context
These skills are the basis for effective
3 Asking Open Questions and Active
mentoring and coaching and applied
Listening
through numerous frameworks and
4 Mentoring and Coaching in
methodologies. We explore this in the
Education
context of how management theory
5 Mentoring and Coaching for Leaders
has evolved and include emerging
theories relating to mindfulness, 6 Mentoring and Coaching in
Universities
wellbeing and the rapid growth of the
coaching industry. 7 The Theoretical Context
8 Inductions and Planning
We also talk in detail about definitions of
9 Mentoring and Coaching for
what a mentor or coach is and how that will
Wellbeing
differ from the role of a friend, a tutor or a
line manager. Our skills framework is listed 10 Practice Sessions
below and explored in the next section on 11 Reflection, Recap and Planning
pedagogy:
THE SKILLS WE TEACH
■■ Active listening
■■ Asking open questions
■■ Giving praise and recognition
■■ Building rapport and trust
■■ Planning effectively
■■ Challenging constructively
■■ Giving good feedback
■■ Empowering others
■■ Finding opportunities to developFROM THE PERIPHERY TO THE MAINSTREAM: MENTORING IN SCHOOLS ON THE CURRICULUM AT CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL 13
OUR PEDAGOGY: and can give students a “live sample” of what
The workshop format and innovative struc- they offer.
ture of the module across two terms with a Finally, we have to make sure students fully
practical element influences how as well as understand a different form of assessment,
what we teach. Each workshop includes some seemingly subjective. We do this through
form of group activity to develop and practise instruction and examples in the workshops,
skills with critical elements such as Building guest input from alumni students as well
Rapport and Active Listening repeated over as formative or practice assessment with
several lectures. Students will have encoun- feedback on both the essay and observation
tered these skills in their first year, but now elements.
have an opportunity to apply and embed them
in a small group setting. There is also discus- Most importantly, we have an absolute
sion and debate of important themes and use requirement to make sure that all mentors
of video footage as well as real time observa- and mentees are safe. Research into other
tion. Working with relatively small groups, our mentoring programmes, consultations with
lecturers are also facilitators giving feedback safeguarding and mental health experts and
throughout and encouraging individuals to our experience demonstrates that reading
work on specific areas for development. The out a list of rules from a handout or scaring
key is to contextualise skills rather than just students with worst-case scenarios is not
present lists (Pegg et al, 2012). effective. We brainstorm as a group and talk
through realistic scenarios with a focus on
It is important to teach students, often from the most likely challenges and what prac-
outside the UK, about the education system tical steps a mentor can take to resolve the
– schools and universities - in the context of situation. For example, we discuss what to do
mentoring and to set them up for the practi- when a mentee looks to befriend the mentor,
cal element of the programme in the spring shows signs of anxiety or is critical of their
term. Guests from the sector including school teachers. This content is introduced during
and university leaders bring this to life and the workshops, in school inductions and in
add authenticity. Professional mentors and instructions when mentoring gets underway.
coaches have also added their perspectives
PEDAGOGY TIMELINE
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
Practicing Skills
Theoretical Insight
Educational Context
Safeguarding
Assessment14 CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL
Measuring Our Impact
This is a long-term programme explicit through, and visually reflected in, also important in this context, provided
with ambitious aims to deliver the (re)construction of a theory of change they are representative and we also need
(see opposite, Anderson, 2005). A theory to show learning from when activities do
lasting benefits to disadvantaged of change outlines the overall aim and the not go well.
schoolchildren, university students intermediate targets in generating long, There is also an important practical
and universities themselves. This medium and short-term social change. consideration as the evaluation has to
is a complex challenge when it To do so, it highlights the actions taken be realistic and manageable within our
comes to reporting, yet we are able that we presume to be eventually leading resources. The key to achieving this is
to the long-term goal (interventions). In
to call on decades of experience in building the measurement process into the
order to ensure the success of these steps design of the programme from including
this field from esteemed academic of intervention, we have examined the
researchers and the expert tracking questions in the teaching to
underlying assumptions and tweaked the assessment method. Our students’
practitioners in our Steering Group. the interventions accordingly. Finally, we reflective essays are a hugely important
have created measures for evaluating the resource – as illustrated in the quotes
Social value, whether that is a type of achievement at each step of the way. We
value (not public, not economic) or value and word cloud graphic (page 18). We
made use of a range of “hard” and “soft” have introduced focus groups which are
produced by an organization in a particular measures divided into three categories
social location (not government, not integrated into the mentoring programme
according to where the source data as a final session to improve the feedback
business), is often remarkably hard to come from: school pupils and teachers
measure as it can be very complex and from mentees.
(mentees), university students (mentors),
ambiguous (Barman, 2016). Our evaluation and project team and university.
framework reflects the difficulty business
schools currently face in having to This top-level model is illustrated in the
negotiate between having to act in a more attached diagram and starts with the
socially responsible manner (Ghoshal, headline goals of increasing social mobility
2005) and driving the financialization and producing better managers. While it
of the university (Beverungen, Dunne is important to aspire to these ambitions,
& Hoedemaekers, 2009). Since the we are aware that our programme cannot
introduction of New Public Management deliver this on its own and that many
(Thomas & Davies, 2005), the associated other factors will influence the long term
development of the audit society (Power, outcomes for young people and students
1997), and the rise of “caring capitalism” who take part in the programme.
(Barman, 2016), in which the care work As we designed this process and looked
required to deal with social inequities in detail at how we can capture true
is pushed onto non-governmental impact over time, it became clear that
organizations and private businesses, a blend of quantitative and qualitative
evaluation (and especially measurement) information would be required to evaluate
has become more important as a means of our concept. It is relatively simple to
demonstrating impact. count how many mentors and mentees
The evaluation framework we have created are involved over how many hours, yet we
incorporates the project team’s social, also want to recognise the quality of this
political and moral values, which in the intervention and try to understand what
evaluation literature are most often made difference this makes. Case studies areFROM THE PERIPHERY TO THE MAINSTREAM: MENTORING IN SCHOOLS ON THE CURRICULUM AT CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL 15
THE EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Long-range
Better rounded, more
results
Increased social mobility socially responsible
of pupils in the UK managers
E5, E6
G
F
Policy change – STEM
Increased employability
Intermediate results
recognized as a vehicle
for social mobility of pupils in the UK
7
Positive effects on
Adoption by other students’ employability
business schools and TEF
E13, E14 E4, E6, E14
5 6 A
Early results
Pupils get better Pupils admitted to Change in learning, STEM Students acquire
grades better universities skills and confidence soft skills
E7 E7 E2, E3, E6 E2, E3, E6
E D
First-year students’
easier assimilation,
higher retention
B C C
Students coach and
mentor pupils during Students coach and
school time mentor first-year students
E14 E14
4 4
3 2
Schools commit to the Students attend course,
programme acquire knowledge
E8 E1, E2
1
Students opt in to
Schools hear about the Mentoring and Coaching
programme module
E12
Interventions C Mentoring by near peers leads to better E6 Tracker interviews
1 Discuss expectations and finalize outcomes. E7 Academic progress
details D Pupils can learn STEM skills. E8 Number of schools, number of pupils
2 Students are evaluated E Structural constraints related to social supported and hours of support given
3 Schools select pupils background can be overcome. E9 Feedback from teachers and/or
4 Students and pupils are matched F STEM skills have increased value in a supervisors
5 Evaluate results knowledge economy. E10 Assessment reports from mentees
6 Write reports and academic G Soft skills are required for social E11 Initial and leaving psychometric
publications, present at conferences responsibility. tests and interviews measuring
7 Write policy proposals Evaluation communication skills, confidence and
Assumptions E1 Student’s module grade aspirations
A Volunteering is recognized by potential E2 Informal feedback during course E12 Participant numbers
employers as a differentiator. E3 Reflective essays E13 Links to and feedback from other HE
B Mentoring built into the curricular E4 Employment statistics of cohort institutions and knowledge sharing
activities of pupils leads to better E5 Number of students who are actively (e.g. PRME), academic papers
outcomes. involved in volunteering E14 Project manager reflections
(Based on Anderson, 2005)16 CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL
What have we
achieved so far?
Figure 1 shows in basic numbers the level ■■ 66 student mentors have supported 272
of activity on the programme to date and fellow students on the university pathway.
projections for the next three academic years. ■■ The breakdown between the school and
To date: university pathway is consistent with 56%
of students opting to volunteer in schools
■■ 88 student mentors have worked with 143
and 42% in universities. The remaining
pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds in
students follow a research pathway
4 schools.
(see below).
Figure 1: PAST AND PROJECTED NUMBERS
140 6
7
9
Number of mentors and mentees
120 5
100
Number of schools
4
80
9 3
60
9
40 2
20 1
0
4 0
2016 pilot 2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022
Mentors Mentees SchoolsFROM THE PERIPHERY TO THE MAINSTREAM: MENTORING IN SCHOOLS ON THE CURRICULUM AT CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL 17
OUR CURRENT GROUP of Business Management degrees; first 5.2 PROJECTED GROWTH
2018/19 marks a significant advance in the as mentees, then as mentors. Our current The key reason for much higher numbers
story of the programme as we have moved group of mentors is shown in the graphic in future years is a larger number of
from testing and developing ideas, towards below (Figure 2). We also capture the undergraduates taking this elective
growth. Partnerships have been developed gender and socio-economic backgrounds option. We know from previous cohorts
and secured with schools, our teaching of participants in the programme but are that 20-25% of students chose this
content and delivery has transformed, and not able to share the information in this elective option. The introduction of new
we are now working with a new group of report at this stage: Business Management degrees at Cass in
university students studying a new cluster September 2018 with a significantly higher
number of students on roll – 390 from 66
Figure 2: 2018/19 BREAKDOWN BY PATHWAY FOR SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY countries currently with the possibility
of further increases. We also anticipate a
Sir John Cass’s Foundation & slight increase in the take up rate as the
Uni – individual Red Coat CE Secondary School
module becomes better known and more
7 first year students take part as mentees.
9 Furthermore, the module is likely to be a
compulsory element for students who
take the Social Business degree currently
being planned with a view to launch from
2020 onwards.
9 Skinners’ Academy
We do not see the ratio of school
9 versus university mentoring changing
Uni – group significantly, as the programme develops.
The school pathway option is sold strongly
to the students during the workshops,
4 8 yet students who are unwilling to go
into schools are always able to mentor
Ada – National College Central Foundation Boys' School in the university. Furthermore, we
for Digital Skills have developed a third option – the
research pathway – for students where
© 2016 Roffey Park Institute an appropriate mentoring match is not
possible or breaks down due to unforeseen
circumstances. This involves students
taking on an activity relating to the
programme research such as organising
a focus group reviewing the progress of
mentoring partnerships.
In both schools and universities, we
are increasing the number of one to one
matches so the number of mentees has
actually reduced on the university pathway
in particular. However, the indications18 CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL
are that this form of mentoring is more
beneficial to both mentees and mentors so
we believe this will be a better approach in
the long term.
Both our schools and the University
currently have the capacity to
accommodate the additional volume of
mentors, although we do plan to engage
at least one additional school as both
contingency and in anticipation of
further growth.
QUALITATIVE FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS
Our students’ reflective essays
have provided a wealth of evidence
demonstrating the value of the
programme. They are very different to
conventional evaluation forms adopted
by most mentoring programmes as they
require students to think deeply about
the value of the experience. We also their learning and provide a greater level Many more quotes follow a similar pattern
encourage a critical approach to enhance of insight. as mentors are learning about themselves
in the process of supporting someone
else. It is often the first time that students
have engaged in formal self-reflection
EXCERPTS FROM MENTORS’ ESSAYS
and related to both their own study and
“ I built a multi-dimensional sense of self-awareness. I discovered my
their future prospects. This indicates a
underlying values and what really works for me when it comes to enabling
significant development in their learning
creativity. I think I learnt a lot about seeing the best in people and that gave
which may go on to influence their own
me a fresh perspective...”
pathway choices. We even have one
“ Having reflected on how I developed my methods, I started discovering the alumni from the programme who has set
concept of reflexivity. I realised that the real methodology came from my up his own start-up company to facilitate
own sense of empathy and how I see myself in her.” mentoring online “Mentorite” after
“ This personal development is one of the highlights of my experience, as I studying the module.
feel that in the workplace working with different personalities, it will really To illustrate this further, the word cloud
help me stay professional and become less emotionally reactive and make illustration above is made up from 10 of
rash decisions.” the essays written by our 2017/18 cohort
“ Despite developing skills such as listening and communication skills, the of students. This summarises the direction
greatest development I have felt was the emotional maturity and to go into of their thinking and an interesting use of
anything as a learner as opposed to a teacher.” emotive language such as “help, feel, give
and understand” that you do not often see
in a business student’s essay.FROM THE PERIPHERY TO THE MAINSTREAM: MENTORING IN SCHOOLS ON THE CURRICULUM AT CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL 19
As an elective module, we have to “pitch” to We are clearer about asking students why
our students and understand their motivation they chose the module, yet it is important
for choosing this option. In an ideal world, to be inclusive and recognise that most will
they would all be really passionate about not start out with a clear understanding of
mentoring and coaching and highly aware of why they are there. The curriculum has been
the value of developing their communication designed to reflect this and to explore how
skills. it is defined as well as placing Mentoring
The reality is that 19 year old students and Coaching in the context of management
moving from the first to second year of their literature.
degree think: The title of the module has evolved from
“Mentoring and Coaching” to “Mentoring
and Coaching for Leadership” to better frame
the module in the context of the management
“ this seems like study programme. We have also delivered the
something a bit different project in the wider context of the transition
from finance” at Cass from two parallel degree programmes
– Business Studies and Management – to an
“ this will be more fun and integrated cluster of Business Management
doesn’t have an exam” degrees. It sets out to provide students with
skills they will need in a rapidly changing
“ I’d like to become more and uncertain world and to build on research
confident and think this and scholarship that exists within Cass
will help me” Business School.
“ I want to work in HR and
thought this would help”
KEY LEARNING:
The underlying point here relates to the students’ relative lack of under-
standing of the value of the module. It needs to be “sold” in the first year
and during the early part of the lecture programme.
NEXT STEPS:
Communication about the module will be sold in more effectively to first
year students in their professional skills module. Greater awareness of the
programme and more time spent with mentors during their first year will
raise awareness of the option in their second year of study.
Beyond this, Mentoring and Coaching for Leadership will be a mandatory
specialist module for students taking the proposed new Social Business
pathway, while remaining an elective option for other undergraduate
students on Business Management programmes.You can also read
