CONNECT Staff Magazine April 2024

Professional Development now under HR as Learning and Development

pg 06

What’s Race got to do with it?

pg 07

Fostering a culture of research excellence and innovation

pg 08

Connect

Valuing Teamwork | Inclusive | Student Centred | Improving Continuously | Open and Caring | Nurturing Educational Excellence

Staff and former student Yaryna Synelnykova were delighted to win two top prizes at the MK STEM Awards 2024, which demonstrated the Group’s commitment to high-quality training in the area (read more on page 04).

Mohammed Jaman Communications Assistant mjaman@bedford.ac.uk

Editor’s Note

In the latest CONNECT issue, we share news from across the Group, including updates from Learning and Development (formerly Professional Development), our commitment to becoming an anti-racist organisation, and the latest updates from the Research Steering Group. We also share how the Corporation arranged formal welcome events last term.

If you would like to add your staff news to the next issue of CONNECT, which will be circulated at the end of June, please send your articles and photos to communications@bedford.ac.uk no later than Friday 31 May 2024.

Dates For Your Diary

April

Thursday 18

Shuttleworth College Open Day, 5.00pm8.00pm

Tresham College (Corby) Open Day, 5.00pm7.00pm

Friday 19

National College for Motorsport Open Day, 12.00pm - 2.00pm and 2.30pm - 4.30pm

Tuesday 23

Bedford College Open Day, 5.00pm - 8.00pm

Thursday 25

Central Bedfordshire College Open Day, 4.00pm - 7.00pm

Tuesday 30

Tresham College (Kettering) Open Day, 5.00pm - 7.00pm

Monday 24

Tresham College (Wellingborough) Discovery Day

National College for Motorsport Discovery Day

Tuesday 25

Tresham College (Kettering) Discovery Day

The Bedford Sixth Form Advancer Day

The Corby Sixth Form Advancer Day

Wednesday 26

Tresham College (Corby) Discovery Day

The Corby Sixth Form Discovery Day

Thursday 27

The Bedford Sixth Form Discovery Day

Bedford College Advancer Day

Shuttleworth College Advancer Day

Central Bedfordshire College Advancer Day

Tresham College (Corby) Advancer Day

Friday 28

Staff Conference Day (At The University of Bedfordshire, Times TBC)

May

Tuesday 2

The Corby Sixth Form Open Day 5.00pm - 7.00pm

Tresham College (Wellingborough) Open Day, 5.00pm - 7.00pm

Monday 6

Early May Bank Holiday (College Closed)

Tuesday 21

Kingshill Farm Official Opening (Afternoon)

Monday 27

Spring Bank Holiday (College Closed)

June

Tuesday 11 and 13 Thursday

National College for Motorsport Advancer Day

Tuesday 18

Tresham College (Kettering) Advancer Day

Wednesday 19

Tresham College (Wellingborough) Advancer Day

Thursday 20

Bedford College Discovery Day

Shuttleworth College Discovery Day

July

Wednesday 3

Central Bedfordshire College Discovery Day

Saturday 20 - Sunday 21

Bedford River Festival 2024 (Times TBC)

For more diary dates, please click the link here.

Yiannis Koursis OBE CEO, The Bedford College Group

CEO’s Update

As I reflect on my first term as CEO, I’m filled with a sense of pride and excitement for the journey ahead. It has been a privilege to immerse myself in every opportunity, meeting with heads of departments, celebrating the remarkable achievements of our students and staff, and forging new partnerships that will shape the future of education and opportunity in our communities.

One of the recent highlights has been attending award ceremonies, where we celebrated our students, staff, and the Group as a whole. Winning the top award at the MK STEM Awards was a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone within the College. These moments of recognition inspire us to reach even greater heights and demonstrate the impact of our collective efforts.

Over the past three months, I have joined other educational leaders for a number of events held at 10 Downing Street and Parliament. In March, I participated in the APPG on Further Education & Lifelong Learning as part of a panel to discuss the apprenticeship levy. I was also invited to attend the Skills & Education group Parliamentary Dinner in anticipation of my appointment as Director later this month.

As we celebrated Colleges Week 2024, we welcomed Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Minister at the time, Robert Halfon MP, to our Kettering campus who met apprentices and students in Northamptonshire. We had a great discussion on the T Level programmes on offer and their positive experiences.

Over the past month or so, together with the Executive Team, I’ve had the opportunity to host business planning meetings with nearly all of our

department heads. These have been invaluable in gaining insights into the diverse needs and aspirations of our various departments, and together, we have charted a course for continued growth and excellence.

I was delighted to be joined by so many of you online as I hosted my first all staff meeting last month and I will be confirming the dates for this term’s face to face staff meetings very soon. By visiting all campuses, I’ve gained insights into the unique strengths and challenges of each location. From Bedford to Corby to Dunstable, each campus is a vital hub of learning and opportunity for our students.

Engaging with community influencers and leaders has been instrumental in fostering partnerships that extend beyond our colleges. By working together, we have the chance to create pathways to success for young people and adults in our area, empowering them to achieve their full potential.

The key to this has been meeting with employers, continuing to align our curriculum with the needs of the region’s workforce, and ensuring that our students progress seamlessly into the jobs of tomorrow. I am excited about what lies ahead as we deepen our partnerships with employers and provide our students with real-world experiences that enrich their education.

As we look to the future, let us continue to build upon the foundation of excellence that defines The Bedford College Group. Together, we will empower individuals, transform communities, and shape a brighter tomorrow for all.

Rachel Nicol Group Director of Governance rnicol@bedford.ac.uk

Corporation News

At the beginning of the Spring Term, the Corporation took the opportunity to formally welcome Yiannis Koursis as the CEO of The Bedford College Group.

In February, the Governors and the Executive Team had a Strategic away day at Box End Park in Kempston. During the event, they heard from the Chair of the Association of Colleges about the challenges in the sector. They also worked with Yiannis and the wider Executive to agree the Group’s Vision and Strategic Plan.

The Group has recently welcomed new external members, along with governors, students and staff members, to the local Curriculum & Quality groups for Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire. This wider governance structure is being run as a trial for two years to increase oversight of the local skills agenda and quality. Many members have enjoyed visiting students and staff and have provided positive feedback. The Quality team deserves special thanks for organising these visits, and we are grateful to all who have accommodated them.

Several Governors joined the Group in celebrating their accomplishments. Alasdair Simmons, the Vice Chair who will take over from Allan Schofield as Chair in August, attended the Annual Apprenticeship Awards, the MK STEM Awards, and a CEO dinner with stakeholders.

For more information on Corporation matters, please get in touch with the Group Director of Governance, Rachel Nicol, at rnicol@bedford.ac.uk

Alasdair Simmons (Vice Chair) and Group representatives at the MK STEM Awards 2024

Natalie Morris Group Head of Learning and Development nmorris@bedford.ac.uk

Learning and Development News

We are thrilled to share some exciting news about a significant development within our team. Moving forward, Professional Development will be known as Learning and Development.

Key Changes

Professional Development is evolving into Learning and Development. The responsibility for Learning and Development will transition from the Quality team to the Human Resources team. Our email address has been changed to l&d@bedford.ac.uk

For now, our office is located at the Cauldwell Street campus, Tower Block, room 602. We love visitors, and you are always welcome to visit us.

Collaboration with HR

This transition opens up a wealth of opportunities for collaboration with the Human Resources team. We are enthusiastic about this change and are confident it will lead to an even better service.

Upcoming Projects

• Learner Management Systems (LMS) - we continue to develop this hub for all learning and development activities. Many thanks to the Digital Experience team, who continue to work hard behind the scenes. Also, thanks to the group of fantastic people who gave us your thoughts on this at the latest focus group.

• Skills Framework - we are developing a skills framework that is aligned with the job families. This framework has potential in many ways, but it will crucially support skills gap analyses and team succession planning. More information to follow!

• Staff Conference - the staff conference is fast approaching, and planning season is upon us. As always, we would love for people from across the

Group to get involved with the planning. Please email us for a link to our next online meeting. It’s a great opportunity to get involved in a cross-Group project.

• Farewell to our Quality Partners - we would like to take this opportunity to bid farewell to our esteemed partners in the Quality team. We will continue to work closely with you in the future, particularly on teaching, learning, and assessment projects.

• Looking Ahead - this transformation represents our commitment to fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth within the organisation. By aligning Learning and Development with Human Resources, we can better support your professional journey and contribute to the overall success of our college and our students.

Trauma Informed Practice

We are becoming a trauma-informed organisation. All staff will be asked to attend training on this approach before the end of June. Training is in the process of being planned at each of the main campuses, with an additional ‘mop-up’ date to support all staff in being able to access it. This training will provide you with the tools to focus on working with students in a relatable and trauma-informed way. Please expect to see this appear on your LMS accounts and on CONNECT.

If you would like to know more about this approach before the training, you can follow this link: The Gift of Reconnection: Becoming Trauma Aware (Bronze level) (youtube.com)

This video is free to access and available on the ThriveLDN website, which also has further resources available: Home - Thrive LDN

Ashley Spiers Group Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion aspiers@bedford.ac.uk

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion News

What’s Race Got To Do With It?

Racism has changed beyond recognition in my lifetime. When I was growing up, it was much easier to spot. People would literally call me names and shout at me on the street. I know that’s not very nice, but at least I knew what was happening.

These days, racism is covert. It’s subtle, insidious, harder to spot and therefore harder to call out. Sure, we still get the odd person being loud with their racism, but we are much less likely to find that in this day and age. Some racism is accidental. But it is still racism.

It is, therefore, so important to call racism what it is when we see it. For example, Diane Abbott was the first black female MP in the UK, and regardless of what you think of her politics, we have to accept that a lot of what she has experienced over her 37-year political career would be classified as racism. Meaning that her race has played a significant part in how she has been treated; even recently, a Conservative donor was recorded saying:

“It’s like trying not to be racist, but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you’re just like, I hate, you just want to hate all black women because she’s there, and I don’t hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot”.

There was an apology for being rude but not for being racist. The government itself took a while to

recognise this as fundamentally racist language. Demonstrating that even very culturally diverse entities not willing to challenge discrimination are tokenistic.

Here at The Bedford College Group, we are on the path towards becoming an Anti-Racist organisation (which is very different from ‘just not being racist’). Students participate in a range of cultural events across the academic year, including our brilliant ‘Culture Days’. Our ‘Diversity in Leadership Programme’ is designed for staff from culturally minoritised groups to pursue progression into leadership roles at the organisation. Our students wrote ‘Black History’ workshops, which are delivered to teams across the Group, and we have our Race Equity Action Plan, Race Equity Staff Forum and our new Race Equity Coordinator, Lauren Thompson. These are all there to break down barriers related to race.

There is plenty to get involved in, and we are looking to hear from anyone who is passionate about race equity and social justice. To get involved, please get in touch with Lauren at lthompson@bedford.ac.uk

Dr Mahruf Shohel Group Head of Research Innovation and Scholarship Engagement mshohel@bedford.ac.uk

Research News

Commitment to fostering a culture of research excellence and innovation

The Research Steering Group (RSG) has been monitoring and facilitating various research and scholarship activities across The Bedford College Group. Numerous research dissemination activities were conducted last year and reported in the recently shared Research Impact Report 2022-2023. Here are the latest updates.

The Book Project to Showcase Research and Scholarship

We’re editing a book titled “Practitioner Research in College-Based Education”, which will include our research and scholarship outputs, as well as work by colleagues from other institutions. IGI Global will publish the book. We’ve received 61 abstracts and are revising 33 manuscripts, including several from the Group.

Ongoing BRIEF Projects

Currently, there are six BRIEF projects that cover various research areas. Here is a quick summary of the progress made in each project:

1. Google Classroom, Moodle and Microsoft Teams in Focus - Researchers Adam Godfrey, the Head of Digital Experience, and Nigel Gilbert, a Digital Experience Team Specialist, are conducting a comparative evaluation of the most popular virtual learning environments. They have already started collecting data and making progress on the initial analysis.

2. Using AI for Enhancing Teaching and Learning - Atheer Mahir, a computing lecturer, is leading a project to enhance teaching and learning using AI. The project

has made progress in developing literature reviews and research tools, which will pave the way for the next step of data collection. This project will contribute to the book project on the same topic.

3. Inclusion of Inquiry-based PracticesResearcher Carmelo Mastrandrea, a Lecturer in Access to Higher Education, is researching how including inquiry-based practices can enhance engagement and foster critical consciousness in adult students. The researcher administered a questionnaire to his Access to Higher Education students to collect initial data for the project. This has provided the researcher with valuable insights in this area of study.

4. Lived Experiences of Novice Sailors - The project led by researcher Charles Whewell, Head of Higher Education and Partnerships, is progressing well. The project focuses on the experiences of novice sailors who have undergone training and preparation for the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. Charles aims to explore the process of enskilment and how it contributes to the participants’ sense of belonging to the Neo Tribe of Ocean Sailors. He has addressed ethical considerations and is refining the methodology to ensure a comprehensive study.

5. Exploring the challenges of professional people without a level 2 maths qualification - Researcher Kevin Norley, a Lecturer in Basic Skills, is conducting a project to study how professionals have achieved success in their careers without having a recognised or high-level qualification in mathematics. He has designed questionnaires for the research

participants to identify the challenges they faced in obtaining a mathematics qualification while being employed in their professions. Moreover, he is developing appropriate materials to support these professionals.

6. Exploratory Analysis of Digital Competency: Matthew Wood, a Lecturer in Media and Games, is researching digital competencies among practitioners in further education. The study will examine the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of “digital natives” and “digital adopters” regarding digital technologies. These competencies are essential for effective teaching, learning, and communication in the context of further education. The project has progressed by completing a literature review, submitting ethics approval applications, and developing research tools for data collection. The researcher is currently conducting fieldwork to gather data.

Students as the Co-creators Project

The project called ‘Students as Co-creators of Sustainability Curriculum’ wrapped up in August 2023, with its final report published in December 2023. It was showcased at two events last November. One presentation was at the Association of Colleges Annual Conference, and the other was at the British Educational Research Association (BERA) event about education and climate change. A paper about the project will be presented at an international conference in July 2024. A book chapter has been published, and another one is being worked on, focusing on developing a course about climate change, social justice, and sustainability for university students.

The project received funding to create study materials for this course, and it’s currently ongoing, involving students in creating these materials. The aim is to show how students and teachers can work together to make educational materials and to help improve how courses are designed in the future.

Other Projects

Dr Kay Fensom, a Maths Lecturer, is leading a research project to find out how anxious art-based students aged over 16 are about maths. This action research wants to see how teaching methods can help lower anxiety levels and build confidence and resilience. By doing this, they hope to make it easier for students to learn and to encourage a positive attitude towards maths.

The research involves giving the students challenging maths problems to work on together during lessons. These problems are designed to be just suitable for their level of learning. The first lot

of data is being collected now that ethical approval has been given. However, as with any research like this, Dr Fensom is encountering some issues along the way.

Join our Researcher Café on Tuesday at 11 am

The Researcher Café is an online hub where researchers can freely discuss their ideas, findings, and best practices. It offers a casual setting for colleagues to convene, exchange research insights, innovations, and evaluations, and foster partnerships for scholarly activities. Open to all interested individuals, the sessions aim to facilitate learning and networking opportunities. Serving as a community platform for personal and professional research growth, meetings typically occur every Tuesday at 11.00am, with occasional rescheduling based on circumstances.

Presentations at different conferences and forums

Farzana Khan, the Higher Education Manager, presented her project titled ‘Flipped Classroom Model in Higher Education: An Innovative Strategy to Encourage and Enhance Core Reading’ at the 2nd International Conference on Strategies for Empowering, held at Arab Open University in Oman on 21 February 2024.

Dr. Mahruf Shohel, Group Head of Research, Innovation, and Scholarship Engagement, presented “Research Ethics Procedures” at the AdvanceHE College-Based Higher Education Network on February 6, 2024. The presentation emphasized the Group’s dedication to maintaining ethical standards in research and scholarship activities, ensuring professional integrity and transparency.

These follow numerous presentations given in 2023, and they demonstrate the Group’s ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of research excellence and innovation, positioning it as a key contributor to research and scholarly discourse.

Skills Minister Visits

Tresham

On Thursday 29 February 2024, Robert Halfon, the former Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, made a significant visit to the Kettering Campus of Tresham College, emphasising the importance of skills and education in our society.

Principal of Northamptonshire Robin WebberJones welcomed him and gave him a tour of the Kettering campus, showcasing the various types of work and training programs offered. Their discussion focused on Apprenticeships and T Levels and how these opportunities are presented to students while they are still in school. Robin reported that the Minister heard from students with diverse backgrounds, including those in engineering apprenticeships, T Level programs, and career-changing Prince’s Trust programs.

The Minister later tweeted that he was thrilled to visit the Group. He mentioned that the T Level students, apprentices and learners from the Prince’s Trust were an inspiration. He also added that they were a testament to the Group’s dedication to preparing the future workforce.

Sustainable Futures

On Friday 16 February 2024, Amy Ball, the Teaching Community Manager at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF UK), delivered an excellent ‘Green Skills’ seminar at our Wellingborough campus. The presentation aimed to work towards the United Nations 17 ‘Sustainable Development Goals’. Amy provided an overview of the current global situation and its impact on nature, the environment and animals. She also touched on the Global Skills report that focused on the current ‘Green roles’ and the shift needed in the job market to combat the situation. The session explained how various industries will move from unsustainable to sustainable sectors and the growing demand for Green skills. The focus was not limited to renewable energy roles but included roles within all sectors at any level. This linked well with the current generation having a higher moral compass for global environmental impact.

The WWF is offering a free programme for secondary schools called the Sustainable Futures Programme. Our Group is considering embedding this programme in the curriculum to give our learners the necessary skills and knowledge to tackle ‘Eco Anxiety’ and take action towards sustainability. This programme will be linked with enhancement and career support for learners.

P eople N ews

Job Opportunties

Lecturer in Computing & Digital Technology

Corby, Kettering and Wellingbrough

Permanent - Full time

From £31,000 per annum 28/04/2024

Lecturer in Science

Kettering and Corby

Permanent - Full Time

From £31,000 per annum 28/04/2024

Associate - Invigilators

Northamptonshire

Seasonal - Hourly Paid

£10.42 per hour

30/04/2024

Governors, Committee Members and NonExecutive Directors

Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire

Voluntary

Voluntary Position 31/05/2024

Teaching Assistant

Bedford

Permanent - Term Time

£22,000 per annum (pro rata) 10/06/2024

Associate - Events Associate

Bedford

Sessional - Hourly Paid

£12.50 per hour 31/12/2024

Level 2 Swimming Teacher

Bedford

Sessional - Hourly Paid

£17.25 per hour 31/12/2024

» View and apply for our full-time and part-time vacancies via The Bedford College Group vacancy portal which can be found on CONNECT staff intranet.

Bedford River Festival 2024

The Bedford River Festival 2024 is just around the corner, and we need your help to make it a success. We are looking for enthusiastic and energetic volunteers to represent the Group at the festival on Saturday 20 July and Sunday 21 July. We would love to have you on board, even if it’s just for a few hours on either day. Not only will you be part of an exciting community event, but you’ll also be contributing to the Sue Ryder charity.

In addition to volunteering, we are also calling for participants for the boat race, which will be held on the 200m River Ouse racecourse. No experience is required, as the event organisers will provide a professional helm to steer the boat. The Group team must consist of a minimum of 11 and a maximum of 15 crew members in order to take part. If you want to volunteer or join the boat race team, please email communications@bedford.ac.uk. This is a fantastic opportunity to get involved in a fun Group project and support a worthy charity.

Staff Benefits

We provide a range of benefits for staff, as detailed below:

• Staff Social Group (SSG) - we have an active staff social group that offers excellent discounts on popular days out, theatre trips and more

• Free on-site parking is available on weekdays and weekends for most sites (subject to availability)

• Free attendance on selected College courses throughout the year

• Discounted beauty, health and gym facilities across the Group

• Discounted dining - our campus restaurant, The Manor House in Corby, offers discounted dining.

• UNiDAYS - eligible for a staff account which entitles the user to access the Apple Education store. Sign up for an account by using this link: https://www.myunidays.com/ GB/en-GB/support/verifying/teaching-staff

• TOTUM Professionals - paid membership gives you access to discounts from 400 brands online and in store. To join now, please click the link: https://app.totum.com/ register/join/professional