The challenge

School governors provide an invaluable support to schools. However, the governors themselves need to be supported if they are to perform effectively. Our client, a City Council, had set up The Governance Unit to provide advice and training. They wished to review how well the unit was performing. They also wanted to understand the views of governors on their role and if they’d been given enough support.

Objectives

The broad objectives of this particular city council market research project were to explore and understand:

• Why people became a governor and how much time and effort it involved?
• How did different types of governors perceive their role?
• Whether their role had changed recently and, if so, how?
• What support had they had been given on becoming a governor? Had they had any further training?
• What were their experiences and perceptions of the Governance Unit?
• What further support or training would they find useful in helping them fulfil their role?

Our approach

We carried out five focus groups of between six to eight governors. Each group reflected one type of governor: Head Teachers, Teachers, Parents, Members of the Local Education Authority or Chairpersons.

Each group contained a mix of governors from primary, secondary, state and voluntary aided schools.

Outcomes

The insights from the focus groups helped offer a greater depth of understanding into how different governors perceived their roles. They also provided valuable insights as to how the council could best help the governors. A consensus view emerged from each type of governor that additional support was needed in several specific areas.

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The challenge

A local authority in the North of England wanted to produce a best practice guide on making information accessible to the learning disabled.

Objectives

The objectives of this piece of local government market research were to explore and understand:

• The information needs of the learning disabled
• The advantages and disadvantages of different methods of communicating information
• The views of day centre managers as to how adequate the current facilities were at communicating information

Our approach

The project reviewed past work carried out in this field. We also conducted some original research amongst the learning disabled themselves and the staff at their day centre.

Reviewed past research

We looked at past reports and research so as to avoid any duplication in our work.

Talking to local organisations

We talked to local organisations such as Mencap to add to our understanding of this area.

Talking to the day-centre professionals

We undertook face-to-face depth interviews with day centre professionals. We designed these interviews to help us understand current practices and their perceived effectiveness. We also asked about satisfaction levels with current facilities, and possible new methods of communication.

Talking to those with learning disabilities

We carried out a series of 12 face-to-face depth interviews with people with learning disabilities. To put them at ease, their mentor also attended and the interview lasted a maximum of 30 minutes. What type of information was the respondent interested in? Were they currently able to find out everything they would like to know?

We then invited the interviewees to examine information put together using a number of different methods of communication. These included written and audio material, developed from ideas generated by our earlier interviews with professionals. This was extremely useful in understanding how the learning disabled responded to various methods of communication.

Outcomes

We combined our research with findings from previously published work. We then made our recommendations to the council about best practice. This local government market research was particularly rewarding for our staff to take part in.

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The challenge

Rotherham College wanted to develop its market position by targeted marketing campaigns and a potential rebrand. To inform this process, the college wanted to understand how stakeholders and the wider community viewed the college and its current offering. They also wanted to gain insight into their external reputation.

Objectives

The objectives of the research were:

• To understand levels of awareness and knowledge about the college among the local community.
• To gauge stakeholder and local community perceptions of the college, including comparisons with other local education establishments.
• To explore factors affecting the choice of education establishment, for both 16 to 18 and adult learning.
• To measure potential levels of interest in studying at Rotherham College, for either 16 to 18 or adult learning.
• To obtain profile information of those with different levels of awareness of, and interest in attending, the college.
• To investigate the views of local employers about working with the college.

Our approach

Phase 1: We conducted 506 face-to-face interviews among those living within ten miles of Rotherham. Interviewing took place on different days of the week and at different locations.

Phase 2: We ran four focus groups in Maltby and Rotherham. Two were with parents and their children aged 14 or 15. The remaining two were conducted with 16 to 18 year olds.

Phase 3: We carried out 50 telephone interviews among employers currently working with Rotherham College. An additional 20 were conducted with ‘prospective’ employers who were not currently working with Rotherham College.

Outcomes

Our face to face research showed there was room for improving the understanding amongst local people as to what courses the college offered. In addition, there were some brand recognition issues highlighted. For example, only 24% of those surveyed could identify the college logo.

Regular communication with employers could be improved. Work was also needed to encourage them to recommend the college. However, there were positive reactions from employers about offering work experience and other benefits to the College.

The focus group research brought forward some useful ideas to help make the college more appealing. These included:

• making the logo more meaningful
• increasing and improving advertising
• greater links with schools to make students more aware at an earlier age
• more promotional taster days and opening evenings
• offering help with transport costs or other incentives

Rotherham College took forward the research results to raise awareness and perceptions of the college.

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