February 2019 West Cumbria: Opportunities and Challenges 2019 A community needs report commissioned by Sellafield Ltd
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 2 Contents Introduction 3 Summary 4 A Place of Opportunity 6 West Cumbria in Profile 8 Growing Up in West Cumbria 10 Living & Working in West Cumbria 18 Ageing in West Cumbria 25 Housing & Homelessness 28 Fuel Poverty 30 Debt 32 Transport & Access to Services 34 Healthy Living 36 Safe Communities 42 Strong Communities 43 The Future 44 How Businesses Can Get Involved 45 About Cumbria Community Foundation 46
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 3 Introduction Commissioned by Sellafield Ltd and prepared by Cumbria Community Foundation, this report looks at the opportunities and challenges facing communities in West Cumbria. It provides a summary of the social needs and community issues, highlights some of the work already being done to address disadvantage and identifies opportunities for social impact investors to target their efforts and help our communities to thrive. It is an independent report produced by Cumbria Community Foundation and a companion document to Sellafield Ltd’s Social Impact Strategy (2018)1. Cumbria Community Foundation has significant knowledge of the needs of West Cumbria and a long history of providing support to address social issues in the area. We work with businesses, individuals and charitable trusts to make grants to hundreds of community groups, charities and individuals each year. In 2017, our sister report ‘Cumbria Revealed - A County of Contrasts’2 provided an analysis of the community needs across the county. It mirrored the fact that while Cumbria is outwardly apparently wealthy and healthy, some communities face real poverty and disadvantage. This report has been produced to inform people and organisations wishing to devise programmes of activity to address these needs. We can all contribute to strengthening our communities. The solutions to the issues lie within the people and organisations in our communities. 1 Sellafield Ltd Social Impact Strategy (2018) 2 Cumbria Community Foundation, Cumbria Revealed: A County of Contrasts (2017) We’ve looked at the evidence base for West Cumbria and the issues emerging from the statistics under key themes. Our evidence has been drawn from many sources, using the most up-to-date, readily available statistics. It should be noted that agencies employ various collection methodologies and datasets are available for different timeframes. Interested readers are referred to the original documents for further analysis or explanations. West Cumbria is a very special place with much to celebrate. It is home to the nation’s nuclear expertise and is the birthplace of the nuclear industry. The nuclear industry and our communities are closely connected. The Community Foundation, local councils and other funders warmly welcome the investment of ideas, time and money to help alleviate the issues which are a barrier to progress for the people of West Cumbria.
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 4 Summary 3 United Nations Development Programme: Sustainable Development Goals (2016) There is much to celebrate and enjoy in West Cumbria, from the highest mountain and deepest lake in England, to the abundance of fresh air, big skies and some of the best sunsets in the UK. Our people are among the friendliest and caring you will meet. It is a safe place to live with low levels of crime. It’s home to some brilliant minds in world leading nuclear experts, scientists, technologists and problem solvers. It has communities with a strong sense of identity and some exceptional community and charitable organisations working hard to maintain facilities, services and opportunities for everyone. We have inspirational role models in the fields of business, sport and the arts. The word that most people use to describe the area is ‘contrast’ because of the juxtaposition of disadvantage and world leading technologies and businesses. We have great sporting traditions: fell running, rugby league and Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling. The area is home to a rich culture of participation in sport. However, despite this, one in ten children start school overweight. We have some of the highest average wage levels in the county, matched to enviable levels of housing affordability. However, we still have areas of deprivation and 3,900 children live in poverty and nearly 14% of households live on less than £10,000 per year. We have some great schools achieving nationally recognised success academically and in sporting achievement, but sadly for some, despite best efforts, the provision of secondary education in some areas is failing our children, some of whom leave school with no qualifications. At a time when economic success is dependent on knowledge and innovation, one in four adults have no qualifications. Everyone with an involvment in West Cumbria has a stake in promoting positive change and in achieving the United Nations Development Programme Sustainable Development Goals3 including: No Poverty; Zero Hunger; Good Health and Wellbeing; Reduced Inequalities; Quality Education; Gender Equality; Affordable and Clean Energy; Decent Work and Economic Growth; Sustainable Communities. We have inspirational people and local projects that are addressing many of these issues. By working together and focusing our efforts we will help create thriving communities and a better future for West Cumbria.
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 5 WEST CUMBRIA IN PROFILE: OPPORTUNITIES Allerdale has nearly 6% more active people and over 20% less inactive adults than England as a whole 25% less hospital admissions due to falls in people aged 65 years and over Older people have a better quality of life than the national average Allerdale has 2% higher rate of employment than England’s average Eligible screening rates in West Cumbria for breast, cervical and bowel cancer are above the national average Allerdale has a higher rate of female employment than the average 5 secondary schools have above national average number of pupils achieving Grade 5 or above in GCSE English and Maths 87 primary and 9 secondary schools rated outstanding or good Manufacturing and construction contributes £1.6 billion to West Cumbria’s Gross Value Added Copeland has a higher proportion of microbusinesses than the national average There are more 16-17 year olds in training, education and employment than the national average
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 6 A Place of Opportunity n Globally recognised as a Centre of Nuclear Excellence, thanks to the area’s world class expertise and skills base in the nuclear sector, specialist manufacturing and innovation. n Sellafield Ltd’s decommissioning and waste management programmes provide significant investment into the supply chain and local economy, generating new business opportunities. n World leading research and development facilities, such as the National Nuclear Laboratory. n West Cumbria has a strong track record of successful and enterprising businesses, particularly in terms of innovation and new products. Examples include: M-Sport motorsport business at Dovenby, world leader polymer film production at Innovia in Wigton and Iggesund Paperboard in Workington. n Outstanding cultural heritage and landscape is celebrated internationally, with both the Lake District and Hadrian’s Wall recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Nearly 4.5 million people visit per year, generating over £200m direct expenditure in West Cumbria economy and supporting nearly 5,000 full-time equivalent jobs.4 n The UK’s most popular long-distance cycle route (C2C) starts in West Cumbria, as does one of the most popular walking routes (Wainwright’s Coast to Coast). n There are deep water port facilities at Workington and a major leisure marina at Whitehaven. n Improved connectivity through significant infrastructure investment in the A66, the Cumbrian Coastline rail service and transport hubs. n High quality training providers for vocational, technical, graduate and post-graduate education. Providers include: Gen2, Energy Coast University Technical College, Lakes College, National College for Nuclear, University of Cumbria, University of Central Lancashire and University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute’s Cumbrian Facility. n Of the 14 secondary schools in the area, West Lakes Academy, Keswick, Nelson Thomlinson, and Mayfield are rated outstanding by Ofsted, with a further four rated as good. n Of the 97 primary schools, the majority scored ‘good’ or above in their last Ofsted inspection, with 15 rated as ‘outstanding’.5 n Investment in schools in Copeland continues with the opening of the new shared Whitehaven Campus for Mayfield School and St Benedict’s Catholic High School in January 2019 and the re-opening of St Bees School in September 2018. n Strong local communities, supported by a diverse and thriving network of community groups and Third Sector Organisations. n Excellent community facilities, including village halls, community hubs, leisure centres and sports clubs. n Cumbria is one of the safest places to live, work and visit with relatively low levels of crime compared to other areas in England and Wales.6 n West Cumbria has been recognised as one of the top places in the country which offer a good quality of life and reasonable house prices.7 4 Cumbria Tourism, ‘Tourism in Cumbria 2017: Key Facts and Trends’ (2018) 5 Gov.UK School Comparison Site (Dec 2018) 6 Crime and Community Safety Strategic Assessment for Cumbria 2016-17 (2017) 7 The Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-worst-places-to-live-in-the-uk-a6770546.html (2015)
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 7 WEST CUMBRIA IN PROFILE: CHALLENGES 166,000 people live here Nearly 1 in 4 people in West Cumbria are over 65 years old 14.8% of households have an income of less than £10,000 a year In Allerdale 12.7% of people live in fuel poverty 1 in 5 people in West Cumbria have a life limiting illness 63.3% of adults in Allerdale and 65.8% in Copeland are overweight Life expectancy varies by 13 years for men and 9 years for women between the poorest and wealthiest wards in the area 3,900 children live in poverty In Copeland 1 in 6 children get free school meals 6 secondary schools have Progress 8 scores below or well below national average In Copeland 1 in 4 11 year olds are obese 51% of all 18 to 24 year olds in Cumbria currently claiming unemployment benefit live in West Cumbria 17% of children have special educational needs 1 in 4 adults have no qualifications
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 8 West Cumbria in Profile 8 Office of National Statistics, GVA (2016) 9 Cumbria Intelligence Observatory, Employment Briefing (2016) Geography West Cumbria, located on the north west coast of England, is a sub-regional area defined by the Duddon Estuary in the south and the Solway Firth in the north. To its west is the Irish Sea and the Lake District National Park lies to the east. West Cumbria comprises an area of more than 760 square miles, over half of which is within the boundary of the Lake District National Park, and over 70 miles of coastline. West Cumbria has a relatively low population of 166,000 for its area. Predominantly rural, the majority of the population resides in the towns of Whitehaven, Workington, Maryport, Cockermouth, Keswick, Millom, Egremont, Cleator Moor, Frizington, Aspatria, Wigton and Silloth. The quality of the natural environment is exceptionally high and celebrated internationally, with both the Lake District and Hadrian’s Wall recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, the designation of large parts of the Solway plain as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and numerous Sites of Special Scientific Interest. It has Scafell, the highest mountain in England, and Wastwater, the deepest lake. It’s an area rich with industrial heritage and the birthplace of one of England’s greatest poets, William Wordsworth. Administratively there are two local authority districts, Allerdale Borough and Copeland Borough, along with Cumbria County Council. Economy The traditional industries of mining, steel and manufacturing, which drove the growth of the main settlements in West Cumbria, declined during the 20th century. The nuclear sector became established in the 1950s and now West Cumbria hosts two thirds of the UK’s nuclear facilities, including Sellafield and the Low Level Waste Repository. The most significant employer is Sellafield Ltd which directly employs around 11,000 people and a further 13,000 are contracted through the supply chain. Sellafield’s Social Impact Strategy sets out its commitment to working with Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and maximising opportunities for local people and businesses to benefit from the taxpayer investment into Sellafield decommissioning. West Cumbria is globally recognised as the Centre for Nuclear Excellence (CoNE) thanks to its wealth of expertise in the nuclear sector. The nuclear industry supports high-tech industries, some of them locally grown, and offers significant opportunities for further innovation and advanced manufacturing growth. Leading research and development facilities are provided, for example, by the National Nuclear Laboratory and the University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute. Other significant private sector employers include the M-Sport motorsport business at Dovenby, world leader polymer film production at Innovia in Wigton, and successful manufacturers including Iggesund Paperboard, New Balance, James Walker, Amcor and Sealy Beds. West Cumbria Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2016 was £23,981 per head, higher than the NW region (£21,867) and manufacturing GVA has been performing well.8 In the rural areas, the economy is largely dependent upon tourism, with Keswick being one of the main ‘honeypot’ areas of the Lake District. While forestry, hill farming and dairy farming are not large scale employers, they are crucial to maintaining the landscape and culture that visitors come to enjoy and which binds the rural communities. In addition, a quarter of the adult workforce in Cumbria is employed in the public sector in health, education and public administration.9 The differences between rural West Cumbria and the post-industrial areas are possibly much more significant than the differences between the two boroughs. The dominance of the nuclear sector complicates the picture supporting, as it does, wellpaid and highly skilled jobs, in contrast to the lowerwaged sectors of tourism and agriculture. As a consequence, West Cumbria is an economically and socially diverse area where pockets of extreme deprivation exist next to affluent areas; and where low levels of aspiration and educational achievement are mismatched with persistent skill shortages. These factors are exacerbated throughout the area by isolation, poor transport connectivity and access to jobs and markets.
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 9 Allerdale in Profile10 Size: 479 square miles. Population: 97,213 (49.3 % Male; 50.7 % female; 24% aged over 65; 16.5% aged under 15). Population density: 200 people per square mile. Business Base: approx. 4,575 of which 90% are microbusinesses. 351 New Business Start-ups in 2016. Average Income: £427 per week. Median Income: £368 per week.11 Multiple Deprivation: 7 Super Output Areas in Allerdale are in decile 1 for multiple deprivation (i.e. amongst the 10% most deprived in England). These include parts of Moss Bay, Ewanrigg, Ellenborough and St. Michaels.12 Life Expectancy: In 2016, the life expectancy for women was 82.3 years and for men was 78.6 years compared with national life expectancies of 83.1 and 79.5, respectively. Health Inequalities: Life expectancy is 9.3 years lower for men and 7.4 years lower for women in the most deprived areas of Allerdale than in the least deprived. Living in Rural Area: 72% of Allerdale residents live in rural areas, compared to 54% for the county as a whole and 18% for England. Copeland in Profile10 Size: 282.5 square miles. Population: 68,689 (50.1 % male; 49.9 % female; 22.1% aged over 65; 17% aged under 16). Population Density: 250 people per square mile. Business Base: approx. 2,620 of which 92.7% are microbusinesses. 197 New business start-ups in 2016. Average Income: £744 per week. Median Income: £773 per week.11 Multiple Deprivation: 6 Super Output Areas in Copeland are in decile 1 for multiple deprivation, making them among the 10% most deprived areas in England.11 These include Sandwith and parts of Cleator Moor, Frizington, Harbour Ward and Mirehouse.12 Life Expectancy: Life expectancy for women is 81.8 years and for men is 78.1 compared with national life expectancies of 83.1 and 79.5, respectively. Health Inequalities: Life expectancy is 9.4 years lower for men and 7.4 lower for women in the most deprived areas of Copeland than in the least deprived. Living in Rural Area: 65% of Copeland residents live in rural areas, compared to 54% for county as a whole and 18% for England. 10 Sources for Allerdale and Copeland data: Cumbria Intelligence Observatory District Profiles; Public Health England and Cumbria County Council Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. 11 Annual Survey of Hours and Earning (ASHE), Office of National Statistics (2018) 12 Office for National Statistics, Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2015 dataset.
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 10 Growing up in West Cumbria Children and young people deserve the best possible start in life and to benefit from the opportunities that exist. This means they grow up in loving and supportive families, have positive educational and social experiences, live in connected and caring communities and achieve their potential. 13 HMRC/DWP personal tax credits: children in low-income families local measure 2015 snapshot (2018) 14 Cumbria Joint Strategic Needs Analysis (2015-17) 15 Cumbria HeadStart: http://www.cumbriaheadstart.org.uk Challenges: n 13 Super Output Areas are amongst the 10% most deprived in England. n 3,900 children are living in poverty. n More West Cumbrian children are in care than in any other part of the county. n Teenagers obtain fewer GCSEs than the national average. n 17% of children have special educational needs. n In Copeland 1 in 4 11 year olds are obese. n Health inequality gap between affluent and poor areas. Child Poverty For the majority of children and young people, West Cumbria is a great place to grow up. However, there are significant challenges for those living in more disadvantaged areas. Child poverty can have profound effects for life with research showing strong links between child poverty and poor educational achievement. This then has an impact on potential employment and earnings and contributes to skill shortages for business. Child poverty also leads to health issues and reduced life expectancy. According to the District Profiles for 2018 (2015 data), about 3,900 children live in poverty across the two areas.13 Cumbria County Council’s Children’s Services operate in Allerdale and Copeland as a single ‘locality’ (West Cumbria). Compared to county averages West Cumbria has higher rates of: • Children in need (376.4 vs. Cumbria’s 363.9 per 10,000 population); children in need cases due to abuse or neglect (72% vs 64%); • Children with a child protection plan (43.1 vs. 34.6 per 10,000); • Child protection cases recording emotional abuse (55% vs 46% for Cumbria); • Children looked after (86.2 vs.72.4 per 10,000 population).14 The highest percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals in the county is in Barrow-in-Furness with 19.3%, but Copeland is second highest at 15.4% and Allerdale third at 13.2%. Compare this with the lowest, South Lakeland, at 5.6%.15 O P P O R T U N I T I E S n One of the safest places to live, work and visit. n 87 primary schools and 9 secondary schools are rated outstanding or good. n 5 secondary schools in West Cumbria have above the national average number of pupils achieving Grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE. n More 16-17 year olds are in training, education and employment than the national average. n Community based organisations, providing youth development programmes, positive role models and mentoring projects. n Businesses encouraging young people to think ambitiously about their future, for example, React Engineering and the work of Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster’s Socio Economic Group. n Offers great access to the outdoors, industrial heritage and cultural experiences.
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 11 SAFETY NET UK Safety Net (UK) is providing true early intervention by sending specialist support workers and therapists to work with children and young people at Whitehaven Academy to overcome trauma caused by domestic or sexual abuse. The charity received £50,000 to deliver the in-school pilot project, providing targeted teacher training, pupil peer monitoring, 1:1 therapy and support, information and advice, plus signposting to appropriate agencies. The school was chosen for the pilot because of the high number of children who are involved with social services. In the first eight months of the project, it had seen 47 children struggling with a range of issues - from a difficult home life, feelings of low self-esteem, deliberately harming themselves, suffering from anxiety or being subjected to exploitation. Twice as many girls than boys have come forward for help. After a dozen 1:1 sessions, a 14 year old girl who presented with low mood and was self-harming has stopped deliberately hurting herself and discovered how to overcome her difficulties in expressing her feelings. She has started to look at places where she could volunteer as she now believes that this will help her confidence and self-esteem, improve her future prospects and give her a wider social circle as well as it being interesting and enjoyable to do. Since the pilot, additional funding has been secured to deliver the project in more secondary schools.
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 12 Health and Wellbeing of Children and Young People 16 Cumbria County Council: Anti-Poverty Strategy (2014-17) 17 Public Health England: Local Alcohol Profiles for England (2017) 18 Cumbria Intelligence Observatory: National Child Measurement Programme (2016-17) 19 Cumbria Joint Strategic Needs Analysis (2015-17) 20 All education data sourced from GOV.UK 2018 or Cumbria Joint Strategic Needs Analysis (2015-17) The health inequality gap is a national problem. On average, a boy born in one of the most affluent areas of England will outlive one born in one of the poorest parts by 8.4 years. The reasons for this difference in life expectancy are complicated, but one of the main factors is income. Nationally, the government says it is committed to tackling health inequality and that it is taking action to help people live longer and healthier lives. In West Cumbria a child growing up in Moss Bay (Allerdale) can expect to live nearly 20 years less than someone in Greystoke (Eden), a community which is just 30 miles away but where average incomes are much higher.16 Overweight or Obese: West Cumbria has some of the best sporting facilities and rugby league clubs and many youngsters have gone on to play nationally and internationally, but there are still worrying health issues within the areas. West Cumbria has some of the worst rates for childhood obesity. Approximately 1 in 10 of all reception aged children are obese. By Year 6 (10-11 year olds), proportions of overweight or obese children increase (18.5% in Allerdale and 25.1% in Copeland), a trend that does not bode well for an early reduction in obesity overall. Alcohol specific hospital admissions for u18s: West Cumbria has some of the worst rates of children being admitted to hospital for alcohol-related issues in England. With Allerdale at 34.9 per 100,000 people and Copeland at 63.2 per 100,000 people suffering from alcohol-related hospital admissions, both are considerably higher than the national rate of 34.2. Copeland’s rate is one of the highest in England.17 The situation has deteriorated in recent years for both these key indicators, which are now among the top priorities for action by Cumbria NHS and Cumbria County Council.18 Youth Mental Health: Poor emotional wellbeing and mental health conditions are significant contributors to low education attainment, loneliness, self-harm, homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction. In Cumbria 1 in 10 children are estimated to have an emotional wellbeing problem – that’s three pupils in the average school classroom. Child hospital admissions for mental health are significantly higher than the national average (110.6 vs 87.2 admissions per 100,000). Half of young adults with mental health issues have symptoms by the age of 15. For those aged 5-19 years, suicide is the second most common cause of death.19 In West Cumbria youth activities are provided by community based youth organisations e.g. Phoenix Youth Project, Whitehaven Harbour Youth Project and South Workington Youth Partnership, Cumbria Youth Alliance, other charities such as Scouts and Girl Guides, local churches and sporting opportunities through various sports clubs. Community based youth organisations have seen significant reductions in funding from local authorities, particularly Cumbria County Council (CCC), in the last three years with CCC focussing its limited youth funding on targeted work (not youth clubs). Other funders such as Northern Rock Foundation and Lloyds Foundation have either ceased to operate or stopped funding children and young people’s projects. These are substantive issues which threaten the amount, range and quality of youth provision in the area. Educational Attainment of Children20 Primary Schools There are 97 primary schools in West Cumbria. In terms of Ofsted assessments the great majority are assessed as good, with 15 schools assessed as outstanding. Only six primary schools were graded at levels 3 and 4 (requires improvement and inadequate). The Key Stage 2 results for primary schools in 2018 showed Cumbria as a whole performing below the national average with major variations between schools. For the measure ‘% of pupils meeting the national standard’, data was available for 74 primary schools, of these 34 schools (45.9%) had an at or above national average score. There appears to be no particular pattern in West Cumbria, which has schools among the best and worst performing at various key stages.
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 13 EWANRIGG LOCAL TRUST: WE WILL PROJECT Record numbers of children are being referred to mental health services. However, in Cumbria many young people often wait up to nine months or longer to get this vital help. Teenagers in Maryport, worried about mental health issues within their community, are tackling this issue thanks to £10,000 from the #iwill Fund, awarded to Ewanrigg Local Trust’s ‘We Will’ project. The project is led by a group of young people aged 14-18, some with mental health issues themselves and some concerned about their friends. The youth-led project aims to train up to 250 people in Youth Mental Health First Aid. The group have also arranged workshops to bring people together including GPs, health commissioners, teachers and specialists to discuss issues and opportunities and make campaign plans. Youngsters have gained the skills and confidence to strike up conversations when concerned about their own or others’ mental health. It also made them better equipped to support other young people with the day to day worries associated with mental health, understand their own stress levels and communicate better with those around them. Kate Whitmarsh, Development Officer, said: “This grant has been instrumental in helping young people form their group; undertake extensive research; train their first cohort of Youth Mental Health First Aiders; develop campaign skills and prepare to launch their campaign. “They now want to train the next cohort of Youth Mental Health First Aiders in their schools, bring more schools into ‘We Will’ and deliver more training in the community.” LEARNING THROUGH LEGO The First LEGO League is a global robotics challenge aimed at 9-16 year olds, where pupils are tasked to solve real life problems with the help of a LEGO robot. The programme helps pupils understand the principles of computer science, as well as developing skills such as communication. Ennerdale Engineers, a team of 10 pupils from Ennerdale and Kinniside Primary School, were runners-up in the LEGO League regional finals for North and West. They then competed in the national finals where pupils fought off competition from secondary schools across the UK to win the second-place trophy in the Robot Performance Award. Headteacher David Moore, said: “Attending the finals was a stunning achievement for any team, but even more so for Ennerdale who had both the youngest team members and were from the smallest school in the UK final. “Engineering firms in West Cumbria are one of the largest employers of high-quality jobs. Success in this field can greatly increase a child’s future economic wellbeing.”
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 14 Secondary Schools The gap in achievement between pupils who are considered disadvantaged and those who are not, is often significant. The secondary school league tables published in January 2019 show that nationally 24.9% of the poorest pupils got good passes in English and maths GCSE, compared with 50.1% of the rest. Low aspirations among some young people continues to be an issue as they move towards adulthood. Where there is a culture clash between the community and school, attainment tails off, horizons narrow, confidence is damaged and initiative is lost. As the 2018 Secondary School comparison table shows, there is a mixed picture for West Cumbria when compared to the national average. For the ‘Progress 8’ measure seven of the 12 schools listed have an average or above average score. The best performing schools are Cockermouth School and Keswick School in Allerdale and West Lakes Academy in Copeland. However, some secondary schools are performing less well, with six schools having ‘Progress 8’ scores below or well below the national average. Of these, Whitehaven Academy (Copeland) was placed in special measures in November 2016 and the latest full Ofsted report rates it as ‘inadequate’ in every area except one which ‘requires improvement’. Workington Academy (formed by the merger of Southfield Technology College and Stainburn School and Science College in 2015), Energy Coast UTC, Millom School and Solway Community Technical College have all been rated as ‘requires improvement’. NORTH ALLERDALE DEVELOPMENT TRUST North Allerdale Development Trust’s Early Intervention Programme is a personal development programme for 12 to 16 year olds, who are at risk of exclusion or underachievement within formal education. It currently engages with five secondary schools in Allerdale and works in partnership with another charity, ‘Free 4 All’, which donates furniture for the project. The programme uses the concept of experiential learning through practical tasks and conversation. The programme gives young people the time to discuss and explore their own opinions, choices and behaviours. Nicola Bedlington, Project Leader, said: “Most of the kids who come here are at a fork in the road. The chair challenge, where we get them to restore and upcycle a broken chair, takes about three four-hour sessions. They can then keep the chair or sell it to help fund the project. The rest of the weeks are spent working as a team on a group piece.” 14 year old Sam* goes to Nelson Thomlinson school. He was in internal exclusion at school for every lesson, being taught alone away from his peers for persistent backchat and bad behaviour. He explains how the Upcycle Project had turned his life around. “My attitude to learning has improved and I have learnt other skills, like manufacturing and welding. Before, if I got told off, I’d backchat and end up in isolation. “Upcycle is different. The staff are great. They are really supportive, always here when you need them. If you do something wrong, you don’t just get a punishment. They take you to one side, calm you down, talk to you, ask you if deserve a punishment and what it might be. Eight weeks and one chair later, Sam is back full time with his classmates. “I want to be an engineer or a welder or a builder, I didn’t have a clue before. The things I’ve learnt wasn’t just fun, it’s given me life skills for future careers.” *not his real name The area overall has some issues with pupil engagement and additional learning needs, especially among the most disadvantaged pupils: • Fixed term exclusions: 5% of all secondary pupils in both districts have experienced a period of exclusion from school. The main reason given for exclusion is disruptive behaviour. • Persistent absenteeism: 7.8% of secondary pupils in Allerdale and 9.8% in Copeland are persistently absent from school. • Special Educational Needs (SEN): Over 17% of pupils in both areas have special educational needs – of which 24% are due to mental disorders.
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 15 School Type of School Progress 8 Score* Grade 5 or above in English & Maths GCSE** Attainment 8 Score* Ofsted rating (inspection date) England – state funded schools -0.02 43.0% 46.4 England - all schools 39.9% 44.3 Cumbria -0.11 43.3% 46.7 Allerdale Beacon Hill Community School Maintained Average -0.4 21% 36.8 Requires Improvement (2017) Cockermouth School Academy Above average 0.19 54% 52 Good (2018) Energy Coast UTC Academy -0.50 (-0.8 to -0.21) 24% 38.8 Requires Improvement (2017) Keswick School Academy Above average 0.25 56% 53.9 Outstanding (2014) Nelson Thomlinson School Maintained Average 0.1 56% 50.2 Outstanding (2013) Netherall School Maintained Well below average -0.68 30% 39.5 Good (2018) St Joseph’s Catholic High School Maintained Average -0.08 38% 45.4 Good (2016) Solway Community Technical College Maintained Well below average -0.56 34% 39.5 Requires Improvement (2016) Workington Academy Academy Below average -0.5 32% 41.1 Requires Improvement (2018) Copeland Mayfield School Community Special School Outstanding (2018) Millom School Maintained Average -0.03 31% 43.5 Requires Improvement (2016) St Bees Independent No 2018 data available St Benedict’s Catholic High School Maintained Below average -0.26 38% 44.6 Good (2014) Whitehaven Academy Academy Well below average -0.96 23% 37.4 Inadequate (2016) West Lakes Academy Academy Well above average 0.5 57% 53.8 Outstanding (2017) *Introduced in 2016 ‘Progress 8’ compares pupils’ key stage 4 results to those of other pupils nationally. It measures the progress of pupils across a selected set of 8 subjects from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school. ‘Attainment 8’ is a measure of a pupil’s average grade across a set suite of eight subjects. ** In 2017 the GCSE grade scale A* to G in England was replaced by a new grade scale numbered from 9 to 1. In the new grading system, grades 9-7 range from A* to A, grades 6-4 range from B to C and grades 3-1 range from D to G. The government’s definition of a ‘good pass’ is set at grade 5, equivalent to the top of an old grade C. Secondary School Performance at the end of Key Stage 4 (Jan 2019)
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 16 Encouraging links between education and business Research21 shows that young adults who remember four or more employer contacts are five times less likely to be NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) and that engaging children with employers/ employees and the world of work has a positive impact on their academic achievement22. Both the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)23 and the Career Development Institute say there’s an opportunity for businesses to work with schools to address the careers guidance deficit and to add value to education by helping students develop employability skills, increase confidence and motivation. 21 Education and Employers Taskforce: Dr Anthony Mann ‘It’s who you meet’ (2014) 22 Education & Employers Research, Primary Futures: connecting life and learning in UK primary education (2017) 23 CBI ‘Building on progress: boosting diversity in our workplace’ (2014) PHOENIX YOUTH PROJECT: ROLE MODEL SCHEME The Phoenix Youth Project runs community-based youth activities for young people who live in some of the most disadvantaged parts of Copeland. The project provides young people with a safe and friendly environment to socialise in and diverts them away from boredom and anti-social behaviour, which benefits the wider community. Young people also take part in work experience and spent a week with United Utilities (see above). The Phoenix Role Models are local professionals who work in or around the local area and volunteer with the scheme. The Role Models regularly attend the youth work sessions to share career stories and give advice to local young people. The scheme brings role models and young people together on a regular basis to raise aspirations and build social connections. “The Role Models help young people realise their potential, build up an understanding of the possible pathways into work and success, and believe their background is not a barrier.” Paul Rowe, Project Manager.
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 17 BECBC BUSINESS AND SCHOOLS PROJECT When students meet employers in school, their chances of becoming NEET are greatly reduced. They have a better understanding of the local labour market and are able to make more informed career decisions. The Business and Schools Collaboration programme is delivered by Inspira on behalf of the British Energy Coast Business Cluster (BECBC). The programme is crowdfunded through the BECBC and ensures that all secondary students in schools across West Cumbria have the opportunity to engage with a variety of local employers. The initiative is coming up to its first anniversary and so far almost 140 different companies have engaged with over 7,000 students across the year. In November 2018, BECBC was delighted to receive an award to recognise the contribution the programme makes: the NDA Supply Chain Award for Best Approach to Ethical Practice or Social Responsibility. BLUE LIGHTS CAREERS FAIR More than 250 students attended a careers fair at Lakes College, supported through the Live the Dream Fund. Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) teamed up with North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group, Cumbria Health on Call, GP practices, North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Cumbria Constabulary, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service and Cumbria County Council to host the school engagement event. There are over 1,000 roles throughout these organisations and the whole day showed how vast the options for young people in Cumbria are. Students got a hands-on experience of what the roles on offer across the organisations are like, testing out equipment themselves and speaking to the professionals. Jessica Morgan from Lakes College said: “It’s been great to see what careers there are in health and social care, and it’s helped to confirm that I definitely want to be in the NHS and I know I want to be a midwife.”
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 18 O P P O R T U N I T I E S n Internationally recognised area of nuclear expertise, offering opportunities for business growth, skills development and employment. n One of the safest places to live, work and visit. n Vibrant visitor economy offering yearround employment. n Strong track record of successful and enterprising businesses. n Thriving vocational, further and higher education sector with increased opportunities locally and for distance learning. Living and Working In West Cumbria Studies show that meaningful employment underpins so much of what is valuable in life, enabling people to rise out of poverty and overcome the disadvantages they face. Support is needed to close the gap in educational attainment between people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers; foster a greater interest in learning among young people and support the training and education of adults. 24 Cumbria Intelligence Observatory: Labour Market Briefing (Dec 2018) 25 NOMIS (official labour market statistics) Ward Profile:out-of-work benefit claimant dataset (Jan 2018) Challenges: n High youth unemployment in West Cumbria (16-24 years olds). n 1:4 West Cumbrians over 16 have no qualifications. n Below average numbers of working age West Cumbrians are educated to degree level or above. n There is a skills mismatch both with currently available vacancies and with the needs of projected growth sectors. n Stark contrast between wards with the highest and lowest median annual household incomes. Employment Unemployment in West Cumbria remains above national levels, particularly for young men. There are pockets of persistent long-term unemployment where skills developed for the industries of the past no longer match current job opportunities. Unemployment, under-employment and minimum wage employment can contribute to poor health, low levels of self-esteem and aspiration, especially among younger people. The Labour Market Briefing, November 2018 published by the Cumbria Intelligence Observatory24 shows that claimant rates for the age group 16-64 years in October 2018, were above the national average of 2.3% for both Allerdale (2.9%) and Copeland (3.2%). Rates for 18-24 year olds are nearly double the national average of 3.2% for both Allerdale (5.4%) and Copeland (5.7%). Ward data shows pockets of very high youth unemployment rates, with around a quarter of all claimants aged 18-24 years old evident in some wards e.g. 24% in Moss Bay in Allerdale and 23.1% in Hensingham, in Copeland.25 The twelve-month average data (ending September 2018) provided for school-leavers not in education, employment or training (so called NEETs) and those whose destination is unknown (NKs) are: • Allerdale – 4.1% • Copeland – 4.2% • Cumbria – 4.6% • National average – 10.2% The NEET figures are considerably lower than national figures, and may indicate good participation rates in education and training, including apprenticeships. However, actual youth unemployment (which may follow on from participation in education and training) remains persistent not only in West Cumbria but nationally.
H OM E T O WO R K Home to Work in Cleator Moor uses woodcraft and upcycling/craft programmes to engage people furthest from the labour market, in practical and sociable activity. The project supports people who have a chronic lack of confidence underpinned by many mental and physical health challenges. Some have issues with drugs and alcohol, some are single parents, carers or ex-offenders, and others have been unemployed for many years. John was claiming Carers Allowance and income support. His aim was to work in the construction industry and get a qualification in brick work. John attended the 8-week programme, gaining a CSCS card qualification, a number of Quality Guild H&S certificates and subsequently gained a L1 City & Guilds bricklaying award. He said: “I have enjoyed the programme because it gives me something to do, helping me to move on and I have enjoyed learning new skills. I made a planter, bird feeder, stool, a box and other things. I am a bit more confident, as I had got used to sitting in the house.”
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 20 Research carried out by various organisations, including The Economist, Ernst and Young, Youth Employment UK and Peace Child International, all point to a skills mismatch between education and employment confounded by school curricula which neglect vocational, entrepreneurial and employability training; poor connections between the private sector and schools; and a lack of support to help young people harness life-skills effectively. The Economist points out that the lowest youth unemployment rate in Europe is in Germany where there is a greater emphasis on these aspects of education and training. Overall baseline forecasts show employment growth slowing across Cumbria. Job creation, between 2016 and 2030, is likely to ease to 0.2% a year, slower than 26 Oxford Economics: The economic impact of Sellafield Ltd (June 2017) both the regional (0.3%) and national average (0.4 %). This rate of growth is also less than half the pace experienced in the decade to 2016. Copeland is forecast to have the most challenging employment outlook of the Cumbrian local economies. This is due to its reliance on manufacturing which accounted for 31.7% of all jobs in 2016. Overall, a loss of 1,900 jobs in Copeland from 2016 to 2030 is forecast.26 Educational attainment – Allerdale Source: ONS, Census 2011 National average (% no quali cations) WARD
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 21 Skills Shortages 27 Oxford Economics: The economic impact of Sellafield Ltd (June 2017) 28 Office for National Statistics: Census (2011) 29 NOMIS (official labour market statistics): Labour Market Profiles (2017) It’s expected that there will be a challenge in the West Cumbria jobs market with fewer available jobs and the need for a more highly skilled workforce. It is becoming increasingly difficult for those with limited skill levels to enter the labour market. As local economies continue the shift towards innovative and knowledge-based sectors, it is important that the workforce continues to maintain and upgrade their skill levels.27 Worryingly, one in four West Cumbrians over the age of 16 have no qualifications at all. In Copeland specifically, the Census data shows that 33% of 1664 years olds had no qualifications at all, over three times above the UK average of 9%. There are also areas where this percentage is even higher, such as 42.6% in Moss Bay (Allerdale) and 37.6% in Sandwith (Copeland).28 At the other end of the scale, there are below average numbers of those of working age that are educated to degree level or above. The share of 16-64 year olds educated to degree level or above equalled 22.5% in Copeland, significantly lower than the North West (34.5%) and UK (38.6%) averages. The average in Allerdale of 33.6% is more in line with the North West average.29 With the expectation that employment will contract in Cumbria29, this would result in additional competition in the local market, making it increasingly harder for the less skilled to find employment. On the other hand, the Cumbrian visitor economy continues to perform well and may benefit from a weaker pound encouraging more ‘staycations’ and Educational attainment – Copeland Source: ONS, Census 2011 22.5 24.2 27 11.8 15 15.8 16.1 17.9 18.6 19.3 19.9 20.9 21.8 25.9 27.7 27.9 28 28.4 29.1 29.5 30.6 31.4 31.4 32.2 33.6 33.7 37.6 38.5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 England Cumbria Copeland St Bees Hillcrest Seascale Ennerdale Bransty Gosforth Arlecdon Moresby Beckermet Millom Without Bootle Holborn Hill Egremont North Haverigg Egremont South Hensingham Cleator Moor North Frizington Distington Harbour Cleator Moor South Newtown Kells Sandwith Mirehouse % of working age people Educational attainment - Copeland Source: ONS, Census 2011 National average (% no quali cations) WARD
W E S T C U M B R I A – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 22 more visits from overseas. Currently the sector makes extensive use of non-UK national labour. The UK’s withdrawal from the EU may create vacancies and skills shortages. Improved transport links may be required to open up such jobs to people from West Cumbria. A good current example is the bus link from Workington to Center Parcs, Penrith. Looking at the recent past, rather than future projections, we can see that the biggest percentage of job postings by sector were in the health and social work sector (30%), followed by wholesale and retail (13%), manufacturing (10%) and education (9.5%). The biggest percentage of job postings by occupation were in health professionals (13.8%), administration (7.8%) and elementary administration and services (7.2%). By far the largest proportion of vacancies by organisation was within the NHS. Over 27% of the vacancies advertised required qualifications at first degree, graduate certificate level or equivalent and just over 37% required GCSEs, Standard Grades and Level 2 NVQs. An insignificant percentage required only NVQ Level 1.30 The vacancy data is not broken down by district. However, there were fewer advertised vacancies for Allerdale and Copeland than for Carlisle and South Lakeland (637 and 586, respectively, compared with 1,929 and 1,092). The Skills Investment Plan31 points to a need to encourage and improve attainment in literacy and numeracy and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects, as these are likely to become increasingly essential for many kinds of jobs. In terms of specific skills, IT, project management, and communication skills were most often cited as those where there was a gap between the skills people have and the skills employers need. Projecting skills shortages is difficult given lack of certainty in the economy and the many external factors that both constrain and create opportunities. What does appear to be clear is that the future labour market will be more readily accessed by people who have a good level of transferrable skills including literacy, numeracy, IT, and communication, plus an ability to retrain as demands and needs change. Sound qualifications in STEM subjects to NVQ Level 4 and above are likely to be in demand, including good quality teachers and instructors across all STEM subjects. 30 Cumbria Intelligence Observatory: Labour Market Briefing (Dec 2018) 31 Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership: Skills Investment Plan (2016-2020) MACE WEST CUMBRIA WORKS COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT West Cumbria Works, initiated by Sellafield Ltd, helps the unemployed and ‘underemployed’ in Allerdale and Copeland acquire the skills, behaviours and experience required to work for the company and those in its supply chain. It works as a job brokerage service, matching job seekers to suitable current vacancies. If there are any barriers which would prevent those people from successfully applying for their matched job, help is given to overcome those barriers. Working with the Nuclear Community Network between January and March in 2018, a community project was delivered that achieved real social impact. Nuclear Community Network is a group of companies in the nuclear supply chain, working together to achieve social impact. A disused unit in the Phoenix Enterprise Centre in Cleator Moor was renovated to be put back into use for the benefit of the local community. Six unemployed local people who worked on the project had all secured jobs or apprenticeships within a few weeks of the project finishing. “Thanks to the Nuclear Community Network’s generous support - materials, advice and above all professional staff time freely given - real social impact was achieved. That is, sustainable job outcomes and a lasting resource for Cleator Moor. Partnership works.” Andy Semple, Senior Sustainability Manager at MACE
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