A DAY TO REMEMBER

The rearranged SET22 Conference, held in January, was the first in-person event since 2019. A stellar line-up of speakers and an impressive venue ensured a sell-out crowd of FE practitioners was not disappointed, as Nick Martindale reports

Acold day in Birmingham was the setting for the delayed SET22 Conference in January, having been rearranged from the initial date in November. But there was a warm welcome for delegates at the Vox Conference Centre, with the intimate surroundings creating a feeling of being in a hotel rather than a traditional conference venue.

That warmth was fully reflected by Sarah Simons, who proved to be just as engaging and enigmatic a host in person as she had been at the previous two online conferences. Now in its fifth year, this was the first in-person event since 2019, and it was clear to see just how welcome this was from people’s faces. “The gang is back together,” boomed Simons, as a quick poll revealed people had travelled from as far away as Newcastle and Weymouth.

Simons spoke passionately about the challenges facing the further education and training sector, and the pressure this puts on those working within it. “Most of us have experienced stress, anxiety and depression at some point,” she said. “Don’t put yourself down the list: you matter! It’s important that you empower yourself by learning that support is available.”

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If there was ever an example of someone who has been able to achieve things against the odds, it would be keynote speaker Bonita Norris (main picture). Norris climbed Mount Everest at the age of just 22 and went on to become the youngest woman to do both this and reach the North Pole. She talked about how her journey to challenge herself started at school, when her teacher inspired her to run the Reading Marathon. “Amazing educators inspire us to achieve more than we know we can,” she said.

She spoke about the challenge of raising £50,000 to climb Everest, and having to prove the people who told her to give up wrong. “I thought I would fail every step of the way, but I kept going,” she said. “It’s so important to have a goal.”

Breakout sessions

Powered by that inspirational message, delegates headed off to a number of breakout sessions, with regular refuelling sessions featuring coffee and cake. Amarjit Basi, who leads on the Black FE Leadership Group’s diagnostic, training and leadership development work, provided practical tips on leading anti-racist learning.

Hayley Igbokwe, governance manager for the Association of Colleges (AoC), and Lisa Farnhill, a clerk to the corporation at Southport College, outlined the process around further education (FE) governance, and what’s needed to make it work effectively. “The most effective way is for a governor to act as a critical friend,” said Igbokwe. “Governors need to be visible and approachable, not feared or absent.”

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) national head for educational governance Dr Paul Tully was joined by Jonathan Tummons, professor of ethnography and education at Durham University, and Deborah Scarborough, a board member at HOLEX, to talk about the cultural implications of using the ETF’s revised Professional Standards, in a standing-room-only event.

Alongside this, Richard Booth, ILT co-ordinator and project lead at Shrewsbury College, and Darryl Jones, previous regional head of learning, skills and employment at HM Prison and Probation Service and current Ofsted inspector, spoke about the use of augmented reality (AR) in offender learning, and the potential for its use to be extended throughout FE.

Musical interlude

After lunch, attendees were treated to an inspiring musical performance by students at the Orpheus Centre (pictured, top right), an independent specialist

In Numbers

college in Surrey that increases the confidence and skills of young disabled adults through the performing arts.

It was an inspirational prelude to another round of breakout sessions, which included the evergreen FE teacher and author Geoff Petty talking about teaching values, with a heavy emphasis on the need to embed sustainability in every aspect of FE teaching. “Your whole philosophy has to tip from being carbonoriented to renewables-oriented,” he said. “Your students will go out and live their lives how you have taught them.” Petty also outlined how techniques such as assertive questioning can help students reach the right decisions, and how they can overcome objections in the real world.

The ETF’s national head of technical education Cerian Ayres introduced an illuminating session, where delegates heard from technical teaching fellows Ben Houlihan FSET, Peter Jackson FSET, Alison Ackroyd FSET and Rosa Wells FSET on their research as part of the ETF and Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Technical Teaching Fellowships.

The day was brought to a close with a powerful keynote address by Judy Ling Wong, a poet, painter and environmentalist who chairs the Green Advisory Panel, working with the IFATE Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. She spoke powerfully about the role education plays in creating a sustainable future.

“We need you to be enthused about your potential to impact climate change,” she said, highlighting the need for 2m green jobs to be filled in the coming years. It was a fitting message on which to end an inspirational day.

96% would recommend the conference to others

92% said SET22 met their expectations

91% would like to attend future events from SET/the ETF

325 attendees (highest turnout at live event)