Evaluation Title

Summer Arts College: Outcomes Report 2007-11

Type of evaluation

Data type Qualitative and Quantitative

Evaluation Focus Engagement, Literacy and numeracy, Progression Routes, Reducing offending

Key indicators Attendance, Completion rates, Engagement, Literacy skills, Offending rates, Programme integrity, Progression Routes, Reducing offending

Project outputs Arts Award, Structured workshop programme

Methodologies Asset analysis, Attendance registers, Data analysis, Interviews, Outcomes analysis, Pre and post programme measures, Profiling, Programme analysis

Research limitations Longer term impact

Summary of evaluation

This outcomes report and accompanying digest is part of a series of publications summarising the outcomes of the four years of Summer Arts Colleges run between 2007-11. The evaluation has shown that the programme consistently meets its objectives of reducing offending, increasing educational engagement, improving basic skills,achieving a qualification and raising progression through an arts-based programme directed at young people at risk of (re)offending.

There is a useful  analysis of the participtaion and attendance rates as well as the education and offending outcomes. There is also an analysis of the numbers and backgrounds of the young people involved in the Summer Colleges including age and ethnicity, current orders and ASSET scores, ETE status and prior educational qualifications.

Project description

The Summer Arts College has run each year since 2007. In the subsequent four years, a total 1,142 young people participated from 67 YOTs in England and Wales (some YOTs ran colleges in more than one year). higher at the end of the programme. 

The 25-hour week has an arts-based curriculum in which literacy and numeracy skills are embedded. Unitas has developed a range of Arts Resources, specifically designed to support the curriculum.

All young people work towards the nationally recognised Arts Award. The Summer Arts Colleges are also intended to provide young people with information about career opportunities in the creative sector. Each YOT is responsible for procuring arts organisations and practitioners to deliver the Summer Arts College. Unitas assists in brokering relationships between YOTs and arts organisations through the Artists’ Directory held on the Unitas website.

Key Quote

Between 2007 and 2010, a total of 1,142 young people participated in the Summer Arts Colleges across 67 YOTs in England and Wales (some YOTs ran colleges in more than one year). Of the 1,142 young people who started, 872 (76%) completed the programme.


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