InTuition Spring 2025

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UPFRONT

ETF appoints new trustees; new Specialist Status in Education for Sustainable Development

The latest views from Dr Katerina Kolyva and Kathryn Pogson MSET

Initial teacher education and Professional Standards

12 ADVICE

Embedding adaptive teaching in your approach

THE KNOWLEDGE

26 LEARNING JOURNEY

At the heart of every practitioner is a yearning for self-development, whether through peer-to-peer collaboration or more formal professional development. It’s time to embrace the ‘gogys’, writes Adam Sturt FSET

30 FINDING THE ANSWER

Once sceptical about the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom, Juliana Valadares Saili MSET outlines her journey exploring the tech’s potential, and how it could help educators from across the FE and Skills sector

MEMBERS’ CORNER

34 YOUR VIEWS

How membership has supported your professional growth, opened doors and connected you professionally

38 MY LIFE IN TEACHING

Hollie Barnes-Lomax MSET

QTLS on how her ambitions took an unexpected turn

EDITOR: Nick Martindale

LEAD DESIGNER: David Twardawa

GROUP SUB-EDITOR: James Hundleby

PICTURE RESEARCHER: Akin Falope

PRODUCTION: Jane Easterman jane.easterman@redactive.co.uk +44 (0)20 7880 6248

FEATURES

Whether influencing at a local or national level, educators, leaders and organisations can use political skills to make a real difference 18 HELPING HANDS

New entrants to the FE and Skills sector need guidance and support to survive and thrive

22 JOINED-UP THINKING

A tertiary education strategy, integrating post-16, FE and HE institutions, will benefit learners, education providers, employers – and UK society as a whole

DR VIKKI SMITH FSET

Positive influence

Being able to in fl uence people is an essential life skill in the FE and Skills sector, from interacting with learners to seeking fundamental change in the education system

Aligning the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector with the UK’s industrial strategy is crucial for driving economic growth, enhancing productivity and ensuring education and training meet evolving workforce needs. The strategy prioritises ‘people’, aiming to create good jobs and increase earning power through a world-class technical and vocational education system sitting alongside higher education.

As the UK’s skills strategy develops, we also have the ‘Making Further Education Fit for the Future’ inquiry exploring how the sector can address future challenges. Meanwhile, Ofsted has opened a consultation to review and refine its inspection framework, ensuring it remains fit for purpose.

For the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), the cornerstone for all of these is a reliance on a skilled and adaptable FE and Skills workforce, delivering high-quality teaching that equips learners with the knowledge and expertise needed to succeed.

ENCOURAGING LEARNERS, MAKING THE CASE FOR CHANGE WITH MANAGERS OR SEEKING POLICY CHANGE ALL REQUIRE BEING ABLE TO INFLUENCE OTHERS

One invaluable skill for our workforce is being able to influence and communicate effectively. Encouraging learners, making the case for change with managers or seeking policy change all require being able to influence others and encourage them to see your point of view.

For FE and Skills leaders, use of this skill is overt when navigating local politics or influencing government around education policy. It can be learned and developed, and our cover feature this issue offers

tips on how you can improve your ability to alter the narrative and achieve change. Given the constant change experienced in, and by, the FE and Skills sector, these skills are also relevant to all practitioners. Such skills are not only used on a day-to-day basis with learners and colleagues, but are also vital in shaping the future of education at a local level. Our feature on tertiary education explores the potential for FE and Skills providers and higher education institutions to deepen their collaboration, providing benefits for learners, employers and local regions. Find out more on page 22.

In our Knowledge section, Adam Sturt sings the praises of the ‘gogys’ in helping practitioners continue their professional development. And Juliana Valadares Saili talks about her own experience using artificial intelligence in an ESOL environment. Finally, we look forward to seeing many of you at our conferences this month. The Further Forward for Leaders Spring Conference takes place in London on 13 March, followed by the Teaching and Learning Spring Conference in Birmingham on 19 March. Both promise to be invaluable opportunities for networking and sharing best practice and insights with sector colleagues. I hope to see you there.

DR VIKKI SMITH is executive director, education and standards, ETF

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ETF APPOINTS FOUR NEW TRUSTEES

ollowing a thorough and competitive recruitment process, the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) appointed four new trustees to its board in December 2024: (pictured left to right, above) Anthony Carey, Shazia Ejaz, Mark Malcomson CBE and Brenda McLeish OBE DL.

FThese four new trustees bring a variety of perspectives and experiences to ETF’s board, including representation from independent training providers and

adult community learning, and expertise in finance and membership and professional bodies.

Upon the new trustees’ appointment, Sir Frank McLoughlin CBE, chair of ETF, said: “I am delighted to welcome Anthony, Shazia, Mark and Brenda to ETF’s board. Bringing a rich variety of perspectives, expertise and experiences with them, they all share our commitment to the Further Education [FE] and Skills sector and its transformative impact on individuals, communities and wider society. I look forward to working closely with them all.”

Dr Katerina Kolyva, CEO of ETF, said: “As our sector rises to the challenges and opportunities presented by a new government and an evolving skills landscape, our board plays a vital

role in ensuring the effectiveness of ETF’s work to enable sustainable change and improvement across FE and Skills.

“I am proud to welcome four dynamic, talented and experienced individuals to our board at this pivotal time, and to bolster representation on our board from key parts of our sector, including independent training providers and adult community learning.”

Read more about the new trustees on ETF’s website: et-foundation.co.uk/news/ etf-appoints-four-new-trustees-to-its-board

IN CONVERSATION

A VALUES-LED APPROACH TO SAFEGUARDING

Palvinder Singh, principal at Kirklees College, and Dr Vikki Smith, executive director, education and standards, at the Education and Training Foundation, produced a two-part series for FE News examining the key challenges facing educators and leaders as they tackle extremism in a divided political landscape. The first article explored the challenges of leading in the context of rising misinformation and political division. The second piece explored the importance of working across institutional and sector boundaries to foster a holistic approach to safeguarding.

Access the articles at et-foundation.co.uk/ safeguarding-and-prevent/ safeguarding-in-anuncertain-world

NEW SPECIALIST STATUS IN EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) has collaborated with the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC) to develop a Specialist Status in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

This will formally recognise and enhance expertise in ESD across the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector. Professionals can now register their interest in pursuing this new specialist status, which will be made available this April.

The demand for a specialist status in ESD reflects the growing prioritisation of sustainability across education. Government initiatives, such as the Department for Education’s Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy, alongside growing demand from industry and learners, are placing greater responsibility on the FE and Skills sector to drive the UK’s sustainability agenda.

The new status will offer a structured process to validate the expertise of those embedding sustainability in their work, whether in teaching, operations, professional support or leadership roles in FE and Skills, as well as in higher education and other settings. More

RECOMMENDATIONS

ETF’S RESPONSE TO THE CURRICULUM REVIEW

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) responded to the Department for Education’s call for evidence as part of the current Curriculum and Assessment Review.

Launched in September 2024, this encouraged stakeholders to share their views on potential improvements to the curriculum, assessment system and qualifications pathways.

ETF consulted Further Education (FE) and Skills leaders as part of its CEO’s sector leaders steering group. Members were also consulted via the Practitioner Advisory Group. Feedback helped to shape 10 key recommendations about the current curriculum and assessment system:

1 Policy commitment and investment in the quality of teaching and learning, including clarity on the requirements of initial teacher education, a clear career progression framework supported by continuous professional development, and ongoing national recognition of ETF’s Professional Standards

2 Promotion and support of an outcomes-driven system focusing on impact and trust, rather than a process-driven system focusing on heavy regulation and continuous review

3 A system that recognises the importance of social value and the impact of FE and Skills on changing people’s lives through outcomes such as increased confidence, communication and social skills

4

Commitment to a broad curriculum that celebrates inclusion and diversity, and engages with the contributions of diverse groups including LGBTQ+ people, disabled people and people from the global majority

5 Development of a curriculum that contains more relevant and practical topics, such as financial literacy, emotional intelligence and critical thinking

6 Increased flexibility in modes of assessment, moving away from an exam-centric model with high-stakes endpoint assessments, and allowing for more practical assessments and/or multiple assessment points to benefit learner outcomes and wellbeing, including recognition of prior experiential learning

7 Support and incentivisation to strengthen relationships between employers/industry and the FE and Skills sector, helping to prepare learners for work while also supporting the currency of subject matter expertise of educators

8 Investment in skills and high-quality teaching in industries that are central to the government’s five missions to rebuild Britain, and to use this to address any related employment gaps

9

Recognition that T Levels will not be able to deliver all of the industrial strategy asks, resolve all local employment gaps, or automatically align with jobs that learners are motivated by

10

Commitment to, and investment in, increasing the research capacity around the FE and Skills sector, including facilitating better collaboration between FE and higher education to ensure we continue to have the evidence base to inform current and future curriculum reform.

Read the full response on ETF’s website: et-foundation.co.uk/news/etf-responds-todfes-curriculum-and-assessment-review-callfor-evidence

HONOURS

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ETF TRUSTEES RECOGNISED IN 2025 NEW YEAR HONOURS

Two Education and Training Foundation (ETF) trustees, Gerry McDonald and Lynette Leith, were awarded a CBE and OBE respectively in the 2025 New Year Honours list for their services to further education (FE). McDonald, group principal and CEO at New City College, has been an ETF trustee since 2021, serving as deputy chair of the board since 2022. He also serves as a board member of the Association of Colleges. He is a member of ETF’s professional membership body, the Society for Education and Training (SET), and completed the FE Strategic Leadership Programme for Principals and CEOs – delivered by ETF in partnership with Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and funded by the Department for Education – in 2018.

College, which now supports 20,000 learners at its campuses across the east London and Essex region. He has worked tirelessly for FE in Greater London and beyond, representing colleges and students’ interests.

McDonald’s leadership has driven the successful growth of New City

Leith, vice-principal for curriculum and skills at Hull College, has served as an ETF trustee since 2020, including sitting on the SET management board, which advised the ETF board on the strategic development of SET. She is a SET fellow and a Research Further scholar, undertaking PhD research into the role of core and character education in narrowing the non-technical skill gap and tackling socio-economic inequalities in education outcomes for FE students. In her vice-principal role, Leith has been instrumental in driving Hull College’s success, particularly in advancing inclusion and empowering marginalised and disadvantaged communities.

1%

The ethnicity pay gap in the FE and Skills sector, FE Week finds. This compares to 7 per cent for schools and 5.2 per cent for universities

18%

The proportion of English adults with low literacy levels, a survey by the OECD shows. This compares to an average of 26 per cent

56,000

The number of apprenticeships filled by graduates in 2023-24, accounting for around one in six places, a Freedom of Information request reveals

60,000

The extra amount of college and sixth-form students expected by 2028, as a result of demographics, the Institute for Fiscal Studies reports

£667m

The amount raised from the immigration skills charge in 2023-24. The Association of Colleges wants it to be invested in ESOL provision

Tomorrow’s skills

The FE and Skills sector is in a unique position to embed green skills across a broad range of curricula. A new accreditation aims to recognise those at the forefront of driving innovation

The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in January brought together global leaders under the banner of ‘Collaboration for the Intelligent Age’. Amid considerable global uncertainty, the agenda focused on responding to geopolitical shocks, improving living standards through growth and ensuring a just energy transition. It was no surprise that two key themes underpinning many of these discussions were technology and sustainability.

The Further Education (FE) and Skills sector has a pivotal role to play in the opportunities and challenges associated with developing technologies and the drive towards sustainability. Our sector is essential to the development of a workforce that is adaptable, responsive to change and sustainable in its practices.

Our unique position in reaching learners of all ages and backgrounds enables us to embed green skills across a broad range of curricula while also driving reskilling and upskilling efforts as industries’ demands change rapidly.

PRACTITIONERS

AND LEADERS ARE CHALLENGED TO CONSIDER SUSTAINABILITY AS PART OF EVERYDAY PRACTICE

This unique position makes us central to the Labour government’s drive for growth and its ambition to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

Sustainability and developments in technology such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) are huge global themes but also increasingly part of our everyday activity. Practitioners and leaders are challenged to consider sustainability as part of everyday practice and to ensure the appropriate use of technologies such as AI in day-to-day teaching and learning. So how do we ensure our workforce is equipped to address these challenges and embrace the associated opportunities?

Collaboration, targeted professional development and the sharing of best practice and expertise are essential. To achieve positive change across the sector – from embedding green skills into curricula to equipping practitioners with the essential skills to adopt AI ethically – a system-thinking approach is required. Understanding how the FE and Skills sector works as a system and who influences change enables us to embed positive behaviours and good practice.

This is particularly important when it comes to sustainability, where so much fantastic work is already under way. In recognition of such work, the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) has collaborated with the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC) to develop the Specialist Status in Education for Sustainable Development. This is the UK FE and Skills sector’s first formal accreditation for advanced practice in education for sustainable development.

The status, available from April, will recognise individuals excelling in areas such as curriculum redesign, carbon reduction initiatives and other areas of innovation. Not only will this status recognise the achievements of practitioners, professional services staff and leaders already making a difference in this area, but we hope it will also encourage continued systemic change and progress towards sustainability across our sector and, by extension, our communities and broader society.

Meanwhile, as AI and other technologies increasingly become part of our day-to-day lives, many educators are modelling the ethical use of such tools in their practice. One example is Jen Deakin, course leader of graphic design and advanced practitioner at Runshaw College and 2024/25 Technical Teaching Fellow. Jen has focused her fellowship on researching AI and its applications, developing an AI teacher handbook that shares strategies tailored to the needs of practitioners. With the potential of AI to reduce administrative burdens and support personalised lesson plans and teaching tools, it is essential we equip educators with the skills needed both to make use of these tools themselves and to prepare learners for the AI-enabled workplace. ETF is curating forums for sector-wide reflection in this space so we can respond to the growing need for professional development.

Addressing these opportunities and challenges effectively will ultimately benefit our learners, and the economy and society to which they contribute. Provided with the right skills and support, practitioners and leaders can ensure learners are equipped to contribute to a world and workforce that is changing at pace, balancing the use of evolving technology with our need to ensure a sustainable future.

DR KATERINA KOLYVA is the chief executive of the Education and Training Foundation

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Checking in, not up

A new approach to quality assurance is creating a shared commitment to excellence among educators at Kirklees College, says Kathryn Pogson

Istood in front of the class, ready to teach a lesson I’d spent hours preparing. I made sure it was on the right lesson plan template, providing reams of paperwork to show every decision I had made and why. I was apprehensive of the observation clipboard – grades, checklists and the unspoken need to perform. For years, this scene played out across classrooms, with quality assurance often perceived as a judgement rather than an opportunity for growth.

At Kirklees College, we’re changing the narrative. ‘Checking in, not checking up’ is more than a mantra; it’s the foundation of an approach to quality assurance that prioritises collaboration, reflection and improvement. Our focus has shifted from proving performance to supporting development; we’re building a culture where educators feel empowered, not scrutinised.

For too long, quality assurance has been synonymous with compliance. Graded observations, once standard across the sector, have been criticised for their high-stakes nature and questionable reliability.

In 2015, Dr Matt O’Leary, professor of education at Birmingham City University, described the end of graded inspections as a positive step, although he cautioned that removing grades alone wouldn’t erase the negative associations many educators have with the process. He said that sustainable improvement requires shifting the focus from ‘sorting’ to ‘supporting’ teachers through reflective, developmental approaches.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many institutions paused traditional

LESSON VISITS ARE NO LONGER ABOUT PROVING COMPETENCE BUT EXPLORING POTENTIAL

practices, discovering that educators could thrive without the constant oversight of graded observations. This realisation led some colleges to abandon the old model entirely, adopting approaches that emphasised trust and autonomy.

Our ethos redefines quality assurance as a supportive, developmental process. At its heart is the belief that teaching excellence grows when educators have the space and trust to reflect on their practice. We replaced traditional graded observations with ungraded lesson visits. These are collaborative and formative in nature, built on the principles of ‘noticings’ and ‘wonderings’. Instead of evaluating, we explore together: What’s working well? What might be improved? How can we support the teacher’s goals?

One example of this approach was a lesson visit with a new teacher experimenting with group discussions. We noticed the energy and engagement in the room and wondered how slight adjustments to questioning techniques might deepen critical thinking.

By focusing on possibilities rather than deficits, the teacher left feeling inspired and eager to refine her approach.

This ethos is part of a broader vision to create a self-improving culture. By reducing the fear associated with observations, we’re helping teachers shift their focus from external validation to internal growth. Lesson visits are no longer about proving competence but exploring potential.

As the perception of the quality team evolves, we’re increasingly seen as allies in development rather than gatekeepers of compliance. Trust is growing and, with it, a willingness to take risks, innovate and push boundaries in teaching and learning.

The benefits of ‘checking in’ extend beyond the classroom. A supportive approach to quality assurance enriches the overall culture of the college. It aligns with broader goals like fostering equity, inclusion and collaboration, ensuring that every educator feels valued and supported in their journey.

Moreover, this ethos complements other professional development initiatives. When educators have the tools and freedom to reflect, they’re better equipped to contribute to a system that values continuous improvement. By embracing ‘checking in, not checking up’, we’re not just changing how we approach quality assurance but how educators feel about their work. This shift signals trust, respect and a shared commitment to excellence.

The challenge to other institutions is simple: consider what might be possible if we focus on support over scrutiny, on improvement over performance. Together, we can build a culture that values connection, reflection and growth, one lesson at a time.

Views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of SET

KATHRYN POGSON

MSET is teaching, learning and digital innovation manager at Kirklees College

Policy focus

Breaking down barriers to opportunity for all and kickstarting economic growth can only be achieved if the FE and Skills sector is able to recruit and retain teachers. Ensuring access to high-quality initial training is vital, says Ben Ramm

Apiece from the Department for Education (DfE) on initial teacher education (ITE) policy for the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector might not have been the first thing readers of inTuition were expecting to find here. Indeed, for a long time, government took something of a back seat in the world of FE ITE.

In recent years, the DfE has been working hard to reverse that situation, in recognition of the vital role ITE plays in securing a strong supply of high-quality new teachers, and at a time when the challenges of teacher recruitment and retention are all too present.

Nothing is more important than the quality of teachers and teaching in realising learners’ potential. The government’s core missions of breaking down barriers to opportunity for all and kickstarting economic growth can only be delivered if the FE and Skills sector is able to recruit, retain and develop excellent teachers who can help realise the potential of their learners – whether 16- to 19-yearolds coming out of school or adults retraining. That’s why the government’s commitment to recruiting 6,500 new teachers over the course of this parliament includes colleges as well as schools.

Ensuring there is access to high-quality initial training that prepares new teachers to be effective in the classroom, the workshop or the studio is a vital part of the government’s wider programme of work to encourage more people to ‘Share Your Skills’ and teach in FE.

In the autumn of 2023, the DfE consulted on a package of proposed reforms to FE ITE, focused on driving up

quality and securing the best possible value for money. First and foremost, we proposed to tighten funding rules to make sure that public money is available only to FE ITE qualifications based on the new occupational standard for learning and skills teachers and delivered by highquality providers. Those funding changes came into effect from September 2024.

Our consultation also set out a longerterm direction of travel, aimed at setting clearer expectations in terms of quality standards, content and curriculum of FE ITE programmes – and ensuring that providers are clear about the need to adhere to those standards. We’re now in the process of working up more detailed plans for implementing these reforms. We will work closely with a wide range of stakeholders from the sector over the coming months as we set out a timetable for delivery.

In the meantime, we’re continuing to support potential FE teachers through our FE ITE bursaries programme, which will be available again for the academic

year 2025/26, with bursaries worth up to £31,000 each, tax-free, in priority subjects.

Our Taking Teaching Further programme continues to support new FE teachers training in-service, with funding for an ITE qualification as well as wraparound support for trainees. And we’re working with the Gatsby Foundation as it develops and pilots a new training offer for industry associates who are looking to get into FE teaching.

Improving FE ITE has to be a shared endeavour; it can’t simply be conjured into being by command of government, but nor can the sector be expected to do all of the heavy lifting without appropriate support. The DfE wants to continue building a community of stakeholders interested in and committed to the quality of FE ITE, so that FE teaching can be an attractive offer for many more prospective teachers. In turn, those teachers can give young people and adult learners the highquality experience they deserve.

NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE QUALITY OF TEACHERS AND TEACHING IN REALISING LEARNERS’ POTENTIAL

If you want to be a part of that community, we would welcome you signing up to receive our new FE ITE policy newsletter (see below), and we look forward to being able to contribute to future editions of inTuition as a way of engaging with an important group of practitioners who recognise the value of high and rising standards in FE teaching.

BEN RAMM is head of FE ITE policy at the Department for Education

Raising the bar

Anyone working in the FE and Skills sector can make use of ETF’s Professional Standards to help guide them in their teaching practice and identify areas for development. Paul Smith explains

Professionals working in Further Education (FE) and Skills are familiar with the variety of teaching and learning environments that can exist within a single organisation. This diversity stems from different roles and responsibilities, learners, types of provision and subject specialisms.

The range broadens even further when considering the various types of FE and Skills providers, from general FE colleges and independent training providers to sixth-form colleges, specialist landbased colleges and more.

Regardless of the learning environment or provider setting, taking the time to revisit and reflect on the Professional Standards for Teachers and Trainers in FE and Skills can help identify strengths within individuals, teams and organisations, as well as highlight areas for development.

The sector’s 20 Professional Standards were crafted by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), with input from FE and Skills colleagues. They are designed to support professionals in excelling in their teaching practice, maintaining up-to-date knowledge and creating an environment where all learners can progress and achieve.

In 2019, ETF introduced a Professional Standards self-assessment tool, designed to help practitioners pinpoint strengths and areas for growth in their ongoing professional development. In the 2023/24 academic year, over 6,800 FE and Skills teachers and trainers accessed the tool.

The Professional Standards are split into three domains: professional values and attributes, professional knowledge

93 PER CENT OF RESPONDENTS

REFLECTED ON THEIR SUCCESSFUL SKILLS IN SUPPORTING POSITIVE

LEARNER BEHAVIOUR

and understanding, and professional skills. When considering the first domain, practitioners using the self-assessment tool identified Professional Standard 5 (PS5: Value and champion diversity, equality and opportunity, inclusion and social equity) as their standout strength.

An overwhelming majority (92 per cent) of respondents confirmed they consistently achieve this in their practice. Examples of how PS5 was evidenced include ensuring teaching materials are delivered in formats appropriate for learners’ varied needs (including in braille, audio format or large print), and celebrating events such as Pride Month with research tasks for learners to develop their understanding of these events and their significance.

In terms of professional knowledge and understanding, the top strength identified by respondents was PS12: Understanding your teaching role and responsibilities.

Some 86 per cent of respondents expressed strong confidence in applying

their responsibilities within their teaching and learning environments. Examples of how PS12 was evidenced include completing all mandatory training and staying informed about relevant laws, regulations, institutional policies and ethical standards.

Finally, in the domain of professional skills, respondents ranked PS13 –promoting and supporting positive learner behaviour, attitudes and wellbeing – as their top strength. Here, 93 per cent of respondents confidently reflected on their successful skills in supporting positive learner behaviour and wellbeing. Examples of how PS13 was evidenced include training to be a mental health first aider to better support learners, and advocating for the development of positive behaviour and attitudes in the classroom.

PAUL SMITH MSET is head of quality and standards at ETF

Drawing on the Professional Standards to reflect on professional development and practices helps set meaningful goals. By identifying strengths and areas for further development, professionals can plan and tailor their CPD journey to further excel in their role and deliver the best experience for learners. The Professional Standards for Teachers and Trainers are available on ETF’s website at et-foundation.co.uk/professional-standards

Access the self-assessment tool to kickstart your reflection and take charge of your ongoing professional growth at portfolio.et-foundation. co.uk/selfassessment2022 or by scanning the QR code

Tailored learning

Adaptive teaching requires teachers to alter their approach in response to the needs of individual learners. Geoff Flower and Wayne Park outline how to embed the concept in your own approach

he Further Education (FE) and Skills sector serves diverse learners with varied needs, goals and prior attainments, highlighting the need for creating equitable learning opportunities.

TAdaptive teaching is a move to responsive, flexible and inclusive strategies, meeting learners where they are and guiding them forward. Unlike traditional differentiation, which creates distinct tasks for groups and can lead to lowering of expectations, adaptive teaching involves realtime adjustments to the teaching process. Influenced by inclusive pedagogy, it shifts from separate approaches for some learners to rich, universally accessible learning opportunities for all.

For adaptive teaching to take root, a shift in the teacher’s mindset is essential, with teachers and trainers being open to continually learn about and respond to the unique needs of each learner. The following are some adaptive teaching strategies you can deploy:

g earning

ASSESSMENT/DIAGNOSTICS

Assessment is the key to adaptive teaching and means you can plan effectively and respond to a learner’s immediate needs.

Finding out the needs of learners can help us find their strengths and any gaps in terms of content and skills. However, learners also bring with them a range of other needs, from social and emotional to specific learning needs. Getting to know the learners is important in adaptive teaching, as it helps us to understand the reasons behind the areas that need support but also their strengths as well as interests. This holistic view of our learners allows us to support them academically and pastorally. Having a range of assessment techniques will enable us to check understanding and learning ‘live’, and to respond in an appropriate way. It will also enable us to plan for future learning and shape the curriculum to meet the needs of our learners.

GEOFF FLOWER MSET and WAYNE PARK MSET are CPD trainers at the Education and TrainingFoundation

SCAFFOLDING

It may be appropriate to use scaffolding so that learners can complete tasks while still offering them challenges. This requires creating a learning environment where tools are temporarily used to support learners in feeling confident to engage and strive to reach their potential.

Prior to deploying scaffolding support, always respond to what the learner needs and thinks: think about what the barrier is to completing a task, and what temporary support can be put in place to overcome that barrier.

Scaffolding can come in many forms. Those that can be deployed live with little impact on workload include:

Word banks: These will have key terminology to use within their responses.

Verbal scaffolding: This can be the easiest form of scaffolding to support learners based on ‘live’ assessment data. Giving prompts and worked examples can help support learners with a task.

Task planners: For example, using numbered steps to guide learners carrying out a piece of geographical fieldwork, such as collecting data on the impacts of longshore drift. The detail in the steps can be tailored depending on the need of the learner.

Sentence starters: These can be used when doing exam practice, especially when you need learners to develop their ‘signposting’ as to where a sentence is going.

DUAL CODING

Dual coding is presenting information in a visual and written format that requires the brain to process then store the information in two different ways. As this is presented concurrently, it manages cognitive load and enables the learning to encode into the long-term memory. Keeping it simple is the order of the day. With PowerPoints in particular, only use images that enhance or contribute to the learning presented. Other formats include: Storyboards: These get learners to think about processes and linear learning. Ask learners to draw and annotate a storyboard from scratch or jumble up images and ask them to organise and annotate the story in the correct sequence.

Mind maps: These can be used to help learners organise or condense their learning, or to revise. Instructions can be given in terms of colour-coding strands, including images and other visuals.

PEER COLLABORATION

A collaborative learning approach needs effective planning and assessment to create structured tasks and group learners effectively. These groupings should be flexible and based on different needs, depending on the task. Consider being flexible with your group allocations, selecting your groups on formative assessment evidence and the need of learners.

When completing group work, it’s important to think about the time spent with learners completing the task coupled with support given. Short group tasks with little support can have improved results for learners, while increased support with longer tasks can also be effective. Ensure you strike a balance between scaffolding support and time spent on the task.

CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD)

To implement adaptive teaching effectively requires a programme of CPD that equips teachers with the skills, knowledge and confidence to adapt their practice according to the needs presented to them. It is important to understand why things work, not just build banks of resources to ‘try’. If we understand why something works and acquire this knowledge in different ways, we can use it and adapt to varying situations. Adaptive teaching is not about using a specific set of strategies. It is about having a mindset that values diversity and is committed to ensuring that all leaners can learn and succeed. It is adapting your teaching to the need in front of you. The strategies mentioned in this article can be helpful tools, but their effectiveness will depend on how they are implemented and how they fit within the classroom culture. Many strategies may work with some but not others, so teaching flexibly, being responsive and using evidence-based pedagogy is important.

Making a case for change or a different approach is critical for anyone working in the FE and Skills sector, whether that’s influencing at a political level or navigating difficult situations internally. Jo Faragher outlines how organisations and teachers can go about this

“There are three functions we’re not typically prepared for as Further Education [FE] and Skills leaders: politics, PR and people (or HR),” says Dr Sam Parrett, group principal and CEO of London South East Colleges (LSEC).

Parrett and her organisation have been on a journey over the past decade, where they recognise the importance of engaging with stakeholders at a national and local level. That could be through representation in government consultations on reform or everyday engagements with colleagues, parents and learners that shine a light on things that need to change.

“You realise you can shape and change things through collective voice or individual representation,” she says. “You learn quickly that building relationships and connections can help achieve those win-wins that politics is all about.”

policy change means staff feel they constantly have to react to new frameworks, rather than positively influence them.

Dr Katerina Kolyva, CEO of the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), believes political skills are more important than ever for the sector, with a new, mission-led government seemingly more open to feedback on how FE and Skills can be improved. Minister for skills Jacqui Smith, for example, spoke at the recent Association of Colleges conference about making FE a central player in how the government rebuilds the skills landscape. And, as anchor institutions in many communities, FE and Skills settings can often exert a collective impact that other local organisations can’t.

But ‘politics’ has historically been viewed as a dirty word in the FE and Skills sector, where regular

“We have heard about the government’s five missions, and FE and Skills can help deliver all of those,” explains Kolyva. “We support learners to become professionals working in a variety of places such as in pubs, prisons, hospitals, building sites, engineering and the environment –

this is the breadth we offer. But if we only look inside our own institutions, we miss out on what’s going on in the wider world. We can become more interdisciplinary-focused and have a role in issues such as the climate crisis, social justice and migration.”

Skills development

To do this, FE and Skills settings can engage with both the big ‘P’ politics on a policy level but also draw upon politics with a small ‘p’ within their own institutions. This is where colleagues develop self-awareness and collaboration skills that allow them to create new opportunities or make changes where things don’t work.

LSEC recently set up a policy and research function that will help it to engage with policy development and build a base of evidence that can influence change. Parrett explains: “It’s important that reform is consultative, that we have a voice. Setting up a function recognises

that influencing policy is essential if we are to represent not just our own students and communities, but our colleagues and other representative bodies across the sector.”

As is the case with ETF and other FE and Skills bodies, the organisation is actively feeding into consultations on SEND reform as well as Professor Becky Francis’ Curriculum and Assessment Review, which launched last summer. But these feedback loops also have a positive impact internally on staff engagement and pride, she adds.

“All of our staff know that we have their backs, that we’re fighting their corner with government,” says Parrett. “And we also recognise that staff, students and parents may have connections – whether with employers, local government or action groups –that could lead to opportunities. We all have the ability to influence.”

Power play

Greg Power, author of Inside the Political Mind and former special advisor to government ministers, believes FE and Skills professionals underestimate the power they can have in influencing policy at an early stage.

“The people who decide policy and legislation in the education sector are ultimately politicians,” he says. “The vast majority are well-meaning and dedicated people who want to make change happen, but are overwhelmed with what they need to deal with. They’re looking for allies so they can understand the challenges, so at every level there is a reason to engage.”

YOU LEARN QUICKLY THAT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS CAN HELP ACHIEVE THOSE WIN-WINS

good advocate on your behalf. The key rule of advocacy is looking at the world through the eyes of the person you’re engaging with.”

Internal relations

IF WE ONLY LOOK AT OUR OWN INSTITUTIONS, WE MISS OUT ON WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE WIDER WORLD

Influencing at the right stage, when policy is beginning to be developed, can be more effective than lobbying against decisions once they are set in stone, he adds. “Try and look at it from a minister’s perspective,” he suggests.

“Once something is in the public domain it is hard to back down, but a constructive relationship with a local politician or MP means they can share your message with the ministers and the wider parliamentary party. If it’s an issue they agree with, they can be a very

It’s crucial not to ignore the power of influencing at organisational level, and that doesn’t necessarily require someone to be a leader. Jen Deakin, course leader of graphic design and advanced practitioner at Runshaw College in Leyland, discovered more about herself when she joined a session on political astuteness for Technical Teaching Fellows run by ETF.

“I’d not consciously thought about it until I attended this and had a bit of a lightbulb moment,” she says. “It’s about more than office politics – it’s about how organisations operate and your individual role within that. I’m definitely more

self-aware and reflective, thinking about my purpose in the college and how I put in place the things that I want to do.”

Deakin argues that, too often, people think political skills are down to luck when often it’s simply about building relationships. “It takes time – you can’t expect instant results,” she adds. “You have to put something in, and there might be negotiation and compromise before you come to an agreement.”

Within FE and Skills settings, building political skills could be as simple as networking more proactively with colleagues and external peers, or taking time to draw learnings from challenging situations.

Doing this can be positive for FE and Skills professionals’ careers, explains Kolyva, because it can lead to sustainable networks outside our own organisation, partnerships that achieve more together than working alone, and a resilience to dealing with change and conflict that is much needed in the current environment.

True influence, she argues, is not about manipulating people, but understanding others’ needs and aligning them with your objectives. “It can feel like day-today activities get in the way, that you’re supporting students, so why should you engage with this?” she says.

“But we are all citizens, and FE and Skills settings are anchor institutions for a reason. We can’t deliver our mission just through teaching and learning. We have to make a social impact on the lives of those we support.”

JO FARAGHER is a freelance journalist with a strong background in education

SKILLS

POLITICAL SKILLS AND HOW TO BUILD THEM

Building political astuteness is as crucial for a career in FE and Skills as it is in any sector, particularly in such a fast-moving policy landscape. Political skills range from the small ‘p’ of effectively handling organisational politics to the ‘big’ P of influencing wider education and skills policy.

A research paper by academics at the Open University in 2021 found that leaders who exercise political astuteness tend to be more effective at work, particularly in the public sector where politics can be “an integral part of their context”.

But it is not only leaders who can benefit from honing these skills, as they can help resolve conflicts more easily, build more productive collaboration, and ultimately help the organisation to achieve its goals more smoothly.

Some useful political skills include:

Understanding informal or unwritten rules, and being aware of who or what influences decision-making

Strategic thinking, such as anticipating challenges or aligning your actions with broader organisational or policy goals

Building strong relationships with a wide network of people

Balancing competing interests through negotiation, mediation and compromise.

On a practical level, there are ways FE and Skills professionals can develop a more politically astute mindset, such as:

Practising self-reflection and building selfawareness of how you influence others

Understanding your own biases and how these impact your and others’ decisions

Aligning your purposes with the broader goals of your organisation, community or sector, creating shared purpose

Practising listening and observation rather than reacting to conflict immediately, building self-reflection

Learning from crises: research shows that hardships can be valuable learning experiences, so reflect on how difficult situations have influenced your response.

HELPING HANDS

Starting a career in the FE and Skills sector presents a unique opportunity for personal and professional growth. But it’s essential new entrants receive the guidance and support needed to succeed, as Elizabeth Holmes reports

Becoming a new teacher in the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector can be an incredibly inspiring and fulfilling career choice. Yet, as with all new challenges, effective and timely support can make all the difference when it comes to job satisfaction, effectiveness and retention.

One of the key approaches to support new FE and Skills teachers is through addressing the notion of a teacher identity. Joe Rose, lecturer of teacher education and an independent researcher for the Research College Group, is researching the formation of a teaching identity during the initial teacher education (ITE) process.

“The notion of a teaching identity has been described in the literature as multifaceted, complex, dynamic or fluid, to name a few,” he says. “But where many have sought to define it, I wish to explore how it is created.”

Rose was motivated by looking back at his own teacher training and reminiscing about his experiences as a

student. “I was, as one teacher called me, ‘wasted potential’,” he says. “I didn’t like the conformity of education as a student. Then, as a trainee teacher, I probably continued that same sentiment, in a more dignified and respectful manner.

“But that has had a profound positive impact on my own teaching identity. For instance, if schooled in the UK, it is possible you’ve had over 13,000 hours with teachers before you knew you wished to become one yourself. My experience is likely unique and that uniqueness is an aspect of my interest in this area. As [psychoanalyst Deborah] Britzman wrote: ‘Learning to teach, like teaching itself, is always the process of becoming: a time of formation and transformation, of scrutiny into what one is doing, and who one can become.’”

Whether freshly qualified or changing career with a move into the FE and Skills

LEARNING TO TEACH WHILE TEACHING OTHERS TO LEARN IS AN INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING DYNAMIC TO COMPREHEND

sector, all new teachers need appropriate support in this process of becoming the best teacher they can. Joanne Sutton, CPD trainer at the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), acknowledges this, which is the rationale behind a new course ETF has launched.

“From experience, ETF realised that many industry professionals moving to teaching jobs within the FE and Skills sector would benefit from a short course that could boost their start and confidence as an educator by being supported into their roles early on in their new careers,” she says.

“As you’d expect, ETF has extensive experience in FE and Skills and teacher education. Existing formal courses may not be for those entering the sector and they are often only taken up by those entering colleges and not the wider areas of FE and Skills such as adult education or offender education.”

For Sutton, the ‘sink or swim’ attitude that can sometimes be seen outside education needed to be countered. “So we put together a programme called Welcome to FE and Skills, that stems from our experience of working in and with the whole sector,” she explains. “It plugs the gap for those who finish their role in industry on Friday and start teaching a class on Monday.

“Induction can vary across settings and providers, so this course can stand separately from, and in addition to, what happens in each organisation. The aim is that it is a useful introduction to the sector, bringing in ideas that colleagues

Welcome to FE and Skills is for all new educators, whether to the sector or to education. It is suitable for the wider sector, including adult education and independent training providers. The course consists of four modules over seven sessions:

MODULE 1

MY LEARNERS

Accepted wisdom around what is learning

Diversity in learners and getting to know them

Creating and using learner profiles

MODULE 2

MY SELF

How do we become the teacher we want to be?

Resilience and growth mindset (for teachers)

MODULE 3

MY LEARNING

ENVIRONMENT

Setting expectations

Developing positive learning environments

Managing my learning environment

MODULE 4

MY TEACHING

Facilitating effective teaching

Engagement through active learning

To find out more, visit et-foundation.co.uk/professionaldevelopment/welcome-to-fe-skills

will meet later in their FE and Skills work. We aim to help new entrants to the sector to find out all the things they don’t know that they don’t know.”

Room to grow

Rose feels that all new entrants to teaching in FE and Skills need support to thrive. “Speaking from experience as a trainee, mentor and now lecturer, you have tunnel vision during your ITE,” he says.

“You move through phases, assessments and lesson activities with little opportunity to look up and soak up the experience. I believe those coming into the profession need a nurturing environment where there are opportunities to experiment, make mistakes and learn. We all remember the bad lessons far more than the good ones.

“Learning to teach while teaching others to learn is an incredibly challenging dynamic to comprehend, let alone navigate,” he adds. “That notion of opportunity stretches to the spheres of the trainee’s classroom.

“Developing and acquiring pedagogical knowledge and a repertoire of TLA [teaching, learning and assessment] methods is not a quick process, nor a simple one to achieve. But I would propose the most important is developing a rapport with your learners. Understand them, their needs, wants and ambitions. It still amazes me what students can do when they trust you and your intentions.”

Rose, though, believes we are currently falling short in our support for new entrants as they carve out a teacher identity. “I believe we are ‘shopping for icing when we’ve not even baked the cake’,” he says. “We have a plethora of shiny new nuances which distract us from the core elements of teaching. Creating a strong foundation of pedagogical understanding, TLA approaches and creating that connection with learners should be paramount.”

Wider community

ETF CPD trainer Julia Musson has been working with Sutton on the design and delivery of Welcome to FE and Skills.

“When you start teaching in the FE and Skills

sector, you may not do a qualification immediately, but you do need the opportunity to consider the wide range of aspects in teaching that need thinking about,” she says. “It helps teachers to think about themselves in the system and to deal with issues in turn, rather than everything all at the same time.”

The course makes links to broad educational theories and complements

NEW TEACHERS

LEARNING TO THRIVE

JOE SAVILLE is a newly qualified lecturer in English at Kirklees College. Here, he explains what he needed to flourish as a new teacher in the FE and Skills sector:

WE AIM TO HELP NEW ENTRANTS TO THE SECTOR TO FIND OUT ALL THE THINGS THEY DON’T KNOW THAT THEY DON’T KNOW

“To thrive as a new FE teacher, I believe that I had to have the initial reassurance of my peers within the department, who have experienced the same as I did when they first started. Impostor syndrome was selfinflicted, and quickly erased as I was truly welcomed by my peers. This made me feel at ease, boosting my confidence, which was needed at the time.

“Having expert guidance from a subject specialist mentor not only to demonstrate good practice but to reassure me of my own practice throughout my initial year of teaching was something that helped me the most,” he adds.

“Self-doubt in my practice was a notable reoccurrence initially, so seeking feedback from experienced colleagues reassured me.”

One piece of advice he received was to ‘read the room’; which he says allowed him to relax and cater to his students more effectively.

“Developing and building professional relationships with my students and peers is something I embellish daily,” he says. “As I progress on my trajectory within FE, I hope to gain even more insight through feedback from both peers and students to bolster my own professional identity as a teacher.”

WE SHOULD BE LOOKING TO EMBRACE THE UNIQUENESS OF WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN EDUCATOR IN THIS SECTOR

topics covered in more depth in more formal teaching qualifications (see panel on page 19). “Welcome to FE and Skills is an introduction to the sector and to what it means to be a teaching professional. It can be done online, either by joining an open course or as an in-house course,” Mussen explains.

“Joanne and I, and the CPD team at ETF, envisage that each organisation or

provider may not have many new starters at any one time, and open courses offer the opportunity to join others nationwide, who are in a similar stage in their teaching careers. In addition to the taught elements of the course, there are a series of teach meets, which are also offered live online.”

It is hoped that Welcome to FE and Skills will help to ease recruitment and retention issues too, something that Rose says needs attention. “The current ‘crisis’ of the sector’s teacher retention and recruitment, and the panic to fill the ever-growing gaps, is a big concern,” he says. “But I believe we’ve taken a top-down approach to supporting new teachers. If we focus our efforts and energy into supporting, nurturing and embracing our newcomers, the culture of working in FE and Skills could speak for itself. Carving out a teaching identity is an incredibly challenging and vulnerable journey of the self while immersed in a turbulent environment.

“FE is porous in nature, but training to be a new teacher in the sector should remain a constant, rigorous and prestigious journey of acquiring knowledge, practical development and a process of self-discovery,” he adds.

“I’ve said to many teachers: ‘Some of the attributes that make you a great teacher are things I couldn’t possibly teach you but you’ve unlocked yourself.’ Allow teachers to be the teachers they want to be.”

Ongoing development

Sutton is keen for Welcome to FE and Skills to be seen as an enhancement of induction. “Organisations can really think about what support and mentoring they have in place,” she says. “We need to nurture new entrants to FE and Skills so that they are equipped with appropriate tools for the needs of learners today.

“It is about what you can try, what is practical and how you can reflect on what you have done in class. We start off with learners, their needs and their barriers to learning. We hope that

people will remain in the profession because of this course. Teaching is not what you do; it is who you are, and this needs to be supported.”

For Rose, the voices of those coming into the sector are crying out to be heard. Supporting new entrants to teaching through mentoring, peer-topeer support, CPD and high-quality induction among others is invaluable, but there is more to be done. “I think difficult conversations are needed which generate palpable change,” he says.

“FE and Skills has an unfortunate obsession with data, self-scrutiny, measures and standardisation. But when you have a sector where the school leaver and an adult returning to education after many years can do the same subject and be taught by the same lecturer, we should be looking to embrace the uniqueness of what it takes to be an educator in this sector.”

ELIZABETH HOLMES is a freelance journalist specialising in the education sector

JOINED-UP THINKING

The concept of integrated tertiary education, spanning further and higher education, makes perfect sense, but can it be delivered across England, with its complex web of regulatory and funding regimes? David Adams investigates

he underlying logic and potential value of a tertiary education system are both very clear. At the heart of such a system would be collaborations between further education (FE) colleges, other post-16 education providers and higher education (HE) institutions, within devolved areas of the country. The increased integration and coherence this could bring to what is currently a fragmented, unnecessarily complex system could benefit learners, institutions and other education providers, the UK’s employers, local communities and the national economy.

“There is growing interest in the notion of tertiary education, rather than having FE and HE separated out,” says Dr Vikki Smith, executive director for education and standards at the Education and Training Foundation (ETF). After all, as she points out, FE and HE “are not rivals”. There are some impressive, if isolated examples of local or regional tertiary systems operating in England, but there is no framework for such a system – yet.

Other countries that either already have a tertiary system of some kind, or are seeking to create one, include New Zealand, Australia and Ireland. Efforts to create a tertiary education system are also underway in Scotland and Wales. In Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council, which oversees funding of FE and HE, has worked with colleges, universities and other organisations to create a Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework (TQEF).

FE COLLEGES HAVE FAR GREATER REACH AND PENETRATION INTO NEIGHBOURHOODS AND COMMUNITIES THAN MOST UNIVERSITIES

In Wales, the devolved government has created the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research, known as Medr (‘skill’ in Welsh). The purpose of this government-backed but operationally arm’slength organisation is to create and manage a unified regulatory and funding system for the principality’s sixthform colleges, adult learning providers, apprenticeship programmes, FE colleges and HE institutions. However, Wales has a relatively small population and a far smaller number of FE and HE institutions than many English regions of comparable size. Creating a tertiary system in England, with its varied regional economies, mixed funding and regulatory systems, and multiple FE, HE and other post-16 education and skills providers, will be a much more daunting task.

The use of competition-based ‘markets’ for students and funding in both FE and HE is one reason for that. While effective in some respects, it has produced unintended consequences within both sectors, including contributing to financial issues within universities, and creating problems for adult education providers.

Chris Millward, professor of practice in education policy at the University of Birmingham (and a board member at Medr in Wales), fears that market forces have pushed out some additional flexibility in the system that used to cater to some learners who were less likely to attend university.

In more recent years, he suggests, governments have attempted to address these problems by creating new pathways to help more young people progress through technical and vocational qualifications and sometimes on to HE. “That’s not a bad thing, but it means you end up with a very fragmented landscape that is difficult for learners to navigate,” he says.

Complementary benefits James Robson, director of the Centre for Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance and associate professor of tertiary education systems at the University of Oxford, lists the three core principles he thinks should be embedded in a strategy for tertiary education: complementarity, collaboration and co-ordination between FE, HE and other education providers. “We need to start talking about a system, rather than a market,” he says. “It’s about using complementarity to create a better set of diverse learning pathways for individuals.”

Smith agrees that complementarity between these two parts of the system should create the most consequential benefit of regional tertiary education systems within a national framework: the creation of clearer, more accessible and flexible pathways through the system for learners, within a culture of lifelong learning.

“Having access to whatever programme you need at the point when you need it, rather than having to navigate different avenues, has got to benefit the learner,” she says. “The key benefit is the creation of better learner pathways.”

The Association of Colleges (AoC) has published a position paper, Opportunity England, suggesting a tertiary system based on joined-up regulation, funding and accountability regimes, and a national post-16 education and skills strategy. Local skills plans would be

CASE STUDY

A BETTER CO-ORDINATED SYSTEM COMES WITH BETTER SUPPORT STRUCTURES AND BETTER FUNDING

LSBU GROUP

London South Bank University (LSBU) has created a unique network of institutions to form a self-contained tertiary education system: the LSBU Group. Its other members are Lambeth College, a gateway institution that includes ESOL and adult education provision; the new London South Bank Technical College; and South Bank Academies, a school and a sixth-form college specialising in technical and professional education and training.

David Phoenix, outgoing vicechancellor of the university and CEO of the group, says it has taken “10 years of negotiation and debate” to create. He says the aim has been to focus on “the learner, not the institutions”.

“The idea was that each of these entities would specialise within their own field, but that the group would join everything up by working with employers to create educational pathways that would allow people to step on and off at almost any level they wanted,” he explains.

Admission and achievement statistics are very positive, as

are Ofsted judgements and the university’s national and international rankings (it is listed as third in the world for reducing inequalities for 2024 in the University Impact Rankings produced by Times Higher Education). The group is also now one of the largest apprenticeship providers in the country and was named the best university for apprenticeships in 2024 by The Apprenticeship Guide website.

Phoenix estimates that about 10 per cent of the UK’s universities are considering development of some sort of tertiary system, judging from the number that have contacted the LSBU Group seeking to learn from its experience. He says he can see the advantages of a nationwide framework within which regional tertiary education systems can operate.

“You need to facilitate via government but not seek to control it if you are to help people in a region discuss what makes the most sense for those institutions and learners,” he says. “You’ve got to create a system that focuses on the learners.”

linked to strategies run by regional authorities, while supporting national priorities such as the green transition, NHS renewal and industrial strategy.

“We’re advocating for a joined-up regulatory, funding and accountability system for post-16 education, and a strategy which allows for some devolved regional strategies,” says Eddie Playfair, senior policy manager at the AoC.

An active role for employers

Smith says a tertiary education system would also need to be linked to the availability of personalised careers advice for learners, with this support provided within schools, then throughout each learner’s journey through FE and/or HE into adulthood.

As called for in the FE + Skills Collective 2024 report, ETF advocates a reform of the National Careers Service to help integrate the different elements of a tertiary education system, and to improve collaboration between the education system and employers. These relationships would enable the education system and careers advice services to be more responsive to the needs of employers within specific parts of the country.

Robson highlights the importance of the role employers would play in such a system. “When we have a properly engaged body of employers contributing to education and training, they’re thinking about skilling for their sectors for the longer term, rather than making demands about short-term skills for very specific roles,” he explains. “The needs of employers are just as diverse as the needs of individuals; and hopefully a better co-ordinated tertiary system would be more able to respond to changes in the labour market.”

He believes such a system would also boost FE colleges’ finances. “A better co-ordinated system comes with better support structures and better funding,” he says. “If you’ve got better conditions for staff that’s going to improve the quality of teaching.”

Smith also believes effective tertiary education systems could benefit teaching staff, with the presence of more motivated learners helping boost job

satisfaction. “That’s really important when we have huge recruitment and retention challenges across the whole education sector,” she notes.

Barriers that would need to be overcome include the complexity of the current regulatory and funding regimes. “You’ve got to shift the regulatory environment so it’s conducive to collaboration, not competition alone,” says Millward.

In its position paper, the AoC advocated unified funding systems for adult education, higher technical qualifications (HTQs) and apprenticeships. It also suggested reforming the Apprenticeship Levy to boost participation among 16- to 19-yearolds. Since then, the AoC has welcomed the government proposal to turn the levy into a Skills and Growth Levy, with chief executive David Hughes highlighting the “option to support pre-apprenticeships for young people”.

There are also some cultural issues to overcome. The relative autonomy many universities enjoy – and high status enjoyed by some – is in stark contrast to the situation for many FE colleges. But Millward notes that while some of the most successful universities may seek to focus on international rather than regional priorities, those that are under particular financial strain at present may be more willing to consider the opportunities tertiary education and closer collaboration with colleges and employers might bring.

Collaboration in action

The work of FE, HE and other post-16 education providers that are already co-operating within local or regional tertiary systems could help to guide future developments. In September 2024, Durham University signed a memorandum of understanding, formalising the Durham Learning Alliance, a partnership with four local colleges: New College Durham, East Durham College, Derwentside College and Bishop Auckland College.

Dr Shaid Mahmood, pro vice-chancellor (equality, diversity and inclusion) at the university, says its aim in deepening collaboration with the colleges was linked to broader strategies, including

promoting inclusivity, civic responsibility, sustainability and social wellbeing.

“FE colleges have far greater reach and penetration into neighbourhoods and communities in core areas than most universities,” he says. “It was a great opportunity for the university and colleges to explore how we might work together for the benefit of our community.”

Initial collaborations were linked to the introduction of T Levels. Professor Jacquie Robson, associate pro vicechancellor (taught programmes) at Durham University, explains that she and colleagues in other departments were contacted by representatives from the colleges seeking work placements for T Level students following the launch of the qualifications in 2020.

“We have now centralised how we plan T Level work placements,” she says. “We meet representatives from the four colleges every six to eight weeks and have built strong relationships. We’ve been able to offer placements across subject areas including science, digital, engineering and early years, and we’ve seen T Level students progress onto fantastic pathways, with many going on to further study or higher apprenticeships at universities.”

Mahmood says HE and FE institutions seeking to build collaborations to enable creation of effective tertiary education systems must focus on building strong relationships, and overcoming “hidden hierarchies” between institutions, to harness the huge potential benefits a tertiary education system could offer.

“We need to cut through those barriers and focus on our shared commitment to learning,” he says. “Ultimately, we have no chance of growing the economy in this country if we don’t improve productivity, and fundamental to productivity is skills. Durham University does a lot in the skill space, but it can do even more by working in partnership with these four FE colleges.”

“The idea of tertiary education is very attractive and there are examples of it happening,” says ETF’s Smith. “Whether it can work nationally, and how quickly, is the challenge.”

DAVID ADAMS is a freelance journalist

RESEARCH AND INSIGHT FROM THE FURTHER EDUCATION AND SKILLS SECTOR

Learning journey

At the heart of every practitioner is a yearning for self-development, whether that’s through peer-to-peer collaboration or more formal professional development. It’s time to embrace the ‘gogys’, says Adam Sturt

The words ‘staff development day’ can garner mixed emotions as a practitioner. At times, this can be mis-badged as compliance training, pitched erroneously or delivered poorly. Too often practitioners feel ‘done to’ or ‘delivered at’, or are left reflecting that spending a day on their marking pile would have been a more effective use of time.

However, at the heart of all practitioners is a learner who craves feedback, desires feedforward strategies and values the opportunity to excel within their pedagogical journey, further improving their craft of teaching and learning.

their starting point and aim to move them towards achieving a goal. They should surely take the same approach to their own development.

Practitioners plan activities to advance their learners from

Practitioners are ambassadors of knowledge transference, courageously and passionately working with learners to nurture and develop. The ‘gogys’ prompt us on the different strategies that can be deployed to fuel a rich fabric of learning or, in this case, development for practitioners:

Pedagogy: practitioner-led and controlled

Andragogy: guided, co-designed and targeted

Heutagogy: learner empowered and autonomous

Consider pedagogy as an umbrella that can also include andragogy and heutagogy, further leaning on empowerment, autonomous learning and co-design. While pedagogy is the overarching term frequently used, within practitioner development, it is too often the method deployed. Practitioner development can feel institutional and prescribed; those taking part are not seeking a cure but empowerment and collaboration.

Reflection is a common word within educational environments. But does this primary phase lead practitioners to a greater impact overall, or does the reflection simply mark a moment in time? Practitioners need to become self-empowered learners, using their reflection to enable self-discovery. Reflection is a continuous part of practice but the challenge is for an individual to improve post-reflection.

The affective domain (Krathwohl and Bloom, 1964) further considers attitudes, beliefs and values as a component of learning. The high-order skill within this domain is characterisation, further reflecting upon the way we internalise values in which they can guide behaviour. Therefore, the theory further considers practitioners’ empowerment to expose themselves to development and/or their motivation to develop.

Coaching as a tool for practitioner development further moves us from pedagogical towards andragogical, increasing curation and collaboration. This strategy promotes the practitioner as the individual,

Top tips to help your learner journey

1 Know your starting point and what your success criteria will look like – don’t be afraid to focus on a particular strategy or skill: for example, questioning or knowledge recall

2 Seek out opportunities to gain insight, feedback and feedforward opportunities – use these to fuel starting points, progress checks and evaluations of practice

3 Try to explore your development opportunities within a heutagogy lens: seek empowerment and autonomy

4 Consider the power of valuesand evidence-based criteria when developing the craft of practice

5 View yourself as a learner: understand your requirements, starting points, goals and learning needs

6 Remember that development will need to be multifaceted: building, motivating, developing and embedding, noting that you will move through these phases to mastery

7 Most importantly, remember to enjoy your development!

acknowledging values and behaviours. The reflection enables a dialogue to increase the practitioner’s awareness or focus, but the strategy would take the awareness into a target or goal, further increasing learner empowerment and autonomy (heutagogy).

Academic research

Continuous professional development (CPD) is crucial in education, with further education providers spending an average of £91,000 annually on workforce development in 2020/21, according to the Association of Colleges. However, the Lifelong Education Commission (LEC) (2023) notes a decline in CPD hours for post-16 practitioners, averaging 30 hours per year, which is five hours fewer

than school-based providers. Tully (2020) emphasises impactful professional development aligned with the ETF Professional Standards (2022), which prioritise critical reflection of practice. Effective development should enhance learner outcomes, bring about changes in practice and improve teaching (Bubb and Earley, 2007). The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) identifies four key themes for effective professional development: building knowledge, motivating teachers, developing teaching techniques and embedding practice (Collin and Smith, 2021). These themes support a balanced approach to practitioner development, emphasising classroom impact and empowering teachers to make higher-level decisions within a supportive environment (Wiltshier, 2007; Herzberg, 1993; Harris, 2013).

ADAM STURT FSET is director of quality and TLA

at Bridgwater & Taunton College, and a member of SET’s Practitioner Advisory Group

Reflective practice is essential for self-improvement and institutional development (Gibbs et al, 1988). Practitioners associate development to enable progression, adding significant value to their practice (CIPD, 2022; LEC, 2023). However, research confirms that often development becomes compliance-based rather than advancing individual growth (ETF, 2018). The ETF Professional Standards and the EEF (Collin and Smith, 2021) highlight the importance of reflection, embedding and building as key terms for development.

Individualised development increases impact by personalising the approach, requiring trust and, at times, radical thinking (Harris, 2013). Organisational development, while important, often misrepresents pedagogical development, deterring practitioners from engaging in development (LEC, 2023).

Providers value development but its impact varies significantly, with outstanding ones demonstrating the importance of engagement and the professionalism of development and culture. Post-pandemic, CPD has adapted to include digital delivery, emphasising the need for digital literacy and transformative learning (Bowskill and Norberg, 2021; Mezirow, 1997).

Coaching

Coaching can sometimes be undervalued by educators; however, the synonyms for the word ‘coaching’ are often training, education and teaching. It is also worth considering the difference between mentoring and coaching: coaching is often about empowering individuals to solve their challenges, while mentoring is about guiding and supporting through shared expertise.

Coaching provides a platform for reflection but will move this primary phase of reflection on to a secondary phase, linked to action and targets. Considering that practitioner development is improvement-driven, this secondary phase is key.

Coaching peers is developmental for all, leading to accelerated progress and development. This relationship can feel low- to high-risk, depending on the stakes, but the impact is transformative and supportive.

The focus for effective development rests within understanding the past, present and future, simply put within a few coaching questions: Why has your reflection led you towards this point, what evidence are you reflecting upon and why (past)?

What could you do to move this focus forward, what things need to happen and why, in that order (present)?

SEEING OTHER PEOPLE DELIVER BUILDS YOUR OWN EVIDENCE BASE, WITH THE POTENTIAL TO MAGPIE IDEAS OR RESOURCES

What does the success of this target or goal look like, and how will you know when it has been achieved (future)?

The ETF Professional Standards provide an exceptional base for self-assessment, supporting practitioners (and leaders) to use a criteria-driven assessment, fuelling rounded reflections. The coaching phase can be supported either peer to peer or though self-process and

consideration. Remember that sometimes a coach who does not share the same specialism will ask a more exploratory question, enabling greater personal insight and reflection.

Some examples of coaching questions that will aid reflection and development are (remembering the importance of the ‘how’ and ‘why’):

How do your sessions increase beyond expected cognition for all?

How do your sessions broaden knowledge beyond the immediate environment? How does communication progress to increase inclusiveness and raise future opportunities?

Does feedback/feedforward capture progress? How do you know?

How do learners capture this ‘in session’ progress? What happens next?

How does this link to previous reflections or future sessions? Where does the session go next within self-directed study?

The key is always moving the awareness from past to present but fundamentally to the future, using questions such as ‘What are your next steps?’ and ‘What does success look like?’ Sharing these actions or focuses with a peer supports and aids progress, and regular check-ins (even over a coffee) will keep the coaching conversation as a continuous and progressive dialogue. Progress is not always consistent within a positive trajectory and at times you may feel progress is static. In this case, just refocus and re-evaluate, and remember that development is a journey rather than a destination.

Development and discovery Collaboration

Practitioner-to-practitioner collaboration or peer reviewing is an excellent development strategy for all. At times, we get burdened by the theory or pedagogical strategies rather than absorbing the craft of practice. While every practitioner has a style or uniqueness to their craft, seeing other people deliver builds your own evidence base, with the potential to magpie ideas or resources.

Within your own provider, seek out opportunities or use your current networks to support. The preferred transaction is for both peers to review each other (equal balance) and then use this as an opportunity to discuss, consider and coach.

Advancement

Practitioners are kinetic and eager to discuss reflections or innovations, further transferring support and new knowledge. Networking, whether in-person or through various digital platforms, has become a highly accessible and motivational forum or community of practice. Themed special interest groups further support practitioner development and support, enriching evidence with experience. The Society for Education and Training has several special interest groups, and many more exist on digital platforms, offering an advancement tool and support network. However, should you engage within these forums, remember that it’s often a few individuals who promote, resource or curate these forums. So do engage and support, as if the masses don’t support, then the few might stop.

Development

Development can also focus around delivered or structured content, further enabling a new perspective or knowledge. Within this area are multiple options, ranging from Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status and Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) to the Apprenticeship Workforce Development programme or formal qualifications. These development options are funded on occasion and often linked to progress. But it’s important to consider their value and balance them with other forms of development.

Final thoughts

Practitioners should (hopefully) own, shape and explore their pedagogical development, with broader provider development adding value to their craft and ambitions. While there is a need and place for compliance, the balance requires a subtle

separation at the very least, further engaging practitioners with selfdiscovery and tools to aid practice. Practitioners need to listen to their inner learner who craves feedback, feedforward and insight. While development can be sourced within providers, there are great networks and forums that can add great value to practice. The development of the craft is not a destination but a journey, so aim to travel first class and enjoy the voyage.

References and further reading

Bowskill N and Norberg A. (2021) When pedagogical time stopped: a temporal view of the pandemic. TEPE 2021 Conference, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Bubb S and Earley P. (2007) Leading and Managing Continuing Professional Development, 2nd ed. London: Paul Chapman.

CIPD (2022) Skills development in the UK workplace: Factsheets. See: b.link/CIPD-skills-factsheet

Collin J and Smith E. (2021) Effective Professional Development. Education Endowment Foundation. See: b.link/EEF-effective-development

ETF. (2018) Training needs in the further education sector

Gibbs G. (1988) Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford.

Harris A. (2013) Distributed leadership: friend or foe? Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 41(5): 545-554.

Herzberg F. (1993) Motivation to Work Transaction Publishers.

Krathwohl DR, Bloom BS and Masia BB. (1964) Taxonomy of educational objectives, Hand book II: Affective domain New York: David McKay Company.

LEC. (2023) Developing industry-expert teaching for higher skills. See: b.link/LEC-higher- skills

Mezirow J. (1997) Transformation theory: theory to practice. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education 74: 5-12.

Tully P. (2020) Behind the curtain; an exploration of professionalism and capital in further education PhD, University of Brighton.

Wiltshier J. (2007) Evidence-based education: benefits and challenges. Proceedings of the 6th Annual JALT PanSIG Conference. See: b.link/Wiltshier-evidence-based

Learning to love AI

Juliana Valadares Saili admits to being sceptical about the use of artificial intelligence in education. But having resolved to explore its potential, she’s now a firm advocate. She outlines her personal journey, and how it could help educators from across the FE and Skills sector

I’ve been an English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) teacher and teacher trainer for nearly 30 years and during that time I’ve witnessed many changes in how we teach.

We’ve seen the rise of smartboards, YouTube and online platforms like Microsoft Teams and Google Classroom. Each of these tools has made its mark, but nothing has felt quite as revolutionary to me as artificial intelligence (AI).

Now, I’ll be honest with you – I wasn’t always a fan of AI. In fact, I was downright sceptical. I worried that it might make our learners lazy or overly reliant on technology. And let’s face it, the media hasn’t exactly painted the rosiest picture of AI, often warning us of its potential to disrupt, or even destroy, our world. So I stuck to my tried-and-true methods, focusing on encouraging learner independence through various resources.

Despite my passion for teaching, writing has never been my forte. I’ve often thought about sharing my experiences in a teaching journal, but I was always too

scared to put pen to paper. Speaking in front of a class or in a conference? No problem. Writing an article? Terrifying. But something changed recently, and that change is named ChatGPT. You see, ChatGPT has taken the fear out of writing for me. It’s like having a personal editor who’s always ready to help, without judgement. The article you’re reading now is likely a muchimproved version of my initial draft, all thanks to ChatGPT. If I can conquer my fear of writing with a little help from AI, just imagine what it could do for our learners. Can you see the potential here?

As we kicked off the 2023/24 academic year, I noticed something intriguing – my learners were already using AI tools, particularly ChatGPT, for everything from communicating absences to completing homework. Suddenly,

I realised that I could no longer ignore AI. My classroom door, which I had stubbornly kept closed to AI, had to swing open. I needed to sit down with AI, offer it a metaphorical cup of tea and have a serious chat about how it could help my learners (and maybe even make my life easier).

And what a conversation that turned out to be. I discovered that my lifelong passion for learner independence could meet this powerful, revolutionary tool headon. Over the course of six months, my learners and I embarked on a journey together, exploring how ChatGPT could enhance their learning experience.

Now, I’d love to share with you what we learned along the way. But, remember, the process is just as important as the product. Don’t expect ready-made prompts to take away and use straight away. It’s about going through the process of prompting with your learners, teaching them to evaluate results and guiding them to use their ‘natural intelligence’ when interacting with AI.

While this article details my experiences with an ESOL class, the insights and strategies discussed are directly transferable to the teaching of other languages and could serve as valuable reflections for educators across various disciplines.

The integration of AI in the classroom, as explored here, offers a fresh perspective that can enhance teaching and learning, no matter the subject. I encourage teachers from all fields to consider how these innovative approaches could benefit their own practice.

So, let’s dive into some of the lessons I learned and activities that can help you get the most out of AI.

1

Free or paid account?

Here’s a question I get asked a lot: ‘Should I pay for a subscription?’ My advice?

ONE OF THE FIRST

LESSONS

IS THAT THE QUALITY OF YOUR PROMPT DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE QUALITY OF THE RESPONSE

Start with a free account. It has everything you and your learners need, and it also saves your chat history, which is a lifesaver when you want to revisit previous prompts. You can use either the web version or the app, but bear in mind that the app offers a few extra features, such as voice chat.

2

Start a new chat

When you open ChatGPT, it’s tempting to keep the same chat going but, trust me, it’s better to start fresh each time. It keeps things organised and ensures you don’t mix up different topics.

3

Garbage in, garbage out (GIGO)

One of the first lessons I teach my learners is that the quality of your prompt directly impacts the quality of the response you get. To illustrate this, I ask them to create a simple prompt, such as ‘Write a poem about me’. I encourage them to include specific details like their name, occupation and a few personality traits. We then review the output together. Does the poem truly represent them? If not, we refine the prompt until it does. This activity is always a big hit, as learners love seeing how their personalised poem evolves. Beyond this initial exercise, the poems can be used in a variety of other activities such as practising pronunciation, enhancing reading comprehension or even as conversation-starters to generate questions. The possibilities are endless, and this exercise

JULIANA VALADARES SAILI

MSET is ESOL lecturer at Slough and Langley College and a CertTESOL teacher trainer

effectively demonstrates the importance of being specific and detailed in their prompts.

4

Grammar and vocabulary explanation

After receiving feedback on their work, learners often need a little extra help with grammar or vocabulary. ChatGPT is perfect for this. If a learner struggles with articles, for example, they can ask ChatGPT to explain how to use them correctly. They can ask for fresh explanations and examples until they think they have understood the topic. It’s like having a tutor on hand whenever they need one. All text generated by ChatGPT can also be played aloud.

5

Grammar and vocabulary practice

After using ChatGPT to explain grammar or vocabulary, learners can take their learning a step further by requesting practice exercises. One of the great features of ChatGPT is its ability to scaffold exercises, starting with more controlled practice and gradually moving towards freer, more openended tasks. This allows learners to build their confidence as they progress through different levels of difficulty.

If they’re working on vocabulary, they can also ask ChatGPT to create dialogues using the new words. This contextual practice helps learners see how vocabulary is used in real-life conversations, making their learning more practical and engaging.

6

Learning from mistakes

Imagine this: You’ve just finished a free writing exercise in class, and now it’s time for proofreading. Instead of just asking ChatGPT to ‘correct my writing’, I encourage my learners to use the prompt ‘list my mistakes’.

It’s a game-changer. Learners can take a photo of their handwritten work, upload it to ChatGPT, and see where they went wrong. They then annotate their work in a different colour, addressing each mistake before asking ChatGPT for an improved version. It’s an empowering way to learn from errors.

7

Grading work

You might find this surprising, but ChatGPT can help with grading learners’ work. By inputting the exam board’s criteria into your prompt and even providing a marked example from the same board, ChatGPT can generate a fairly accurate assessment. This isn’t about replacing the teacher’s judgement but rather offering learners an additional tool to gauge their performance, especially when working independently.

I recommend marking a few pieces of work yourself and then asking ChatGPT to do the same. Comparing the results can give you insights into how closely ChatGPT aligns with your own marking and where it might be useful for giving learners immediate feedback.

8

Using voice chat

One of my favourite features in the ChatGPT app is the voice chat option. It takes me back to my own days as a student in Brazil, practising English in front of a mirror because I had no one else to speak with.

For some of my ESOL learners, this situation isn’t much different. The voice chat option offers them a valuable opportunity to

WITH THE RIGHT APPROACH, AI CAN BECOME A VALUABLE ALLY IN OUR MISSION TO HELP LEARNERS ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL

practise speaking English anytime, anywhere. It’s particularly beneficial for those who might not get much practice outside of class.

Learners can use it for general speaking practice by saying, ‘I’m a B1 ESOL student, and I’d like to practise my speaking with you’ or they can focus on more specific tasks like role-playing, presentations, discussions or interview practice. This tool can significantly boost learners’ confidence before they face exams or real-life challenges, such as a job interview. It acts not only as a conversation partner but also as a coach, providing ideas, feedback and corrections to help them improve.

9

Various other uses

ChatGPT can support learners in many ways:

Reading aloud: ChatGPT can read texts aloud to learners, whether they upload a photograph or a PDF of the text. This can be particularly useful for improving listening skills, or for learners who benefit from hearing the text while following along visually

Pronunciation practice: Learners can practise reading the same text aloud to ChatGPT, which can then provide feedback on pronunciation and fluency. This feature helps learners refine their speaking skills and gain confidence in their pronunciation

Dictation and writing practice: ChatGPT can dictate text to learners, who then write it down. Once completed, they can upload their written work for ChatGPT to mark, helping them identify errors and improve their writing accuracy

Speaking and writing task support: ChatGPT can generate sample answers for speaking or writing tasks, providing learners with models to study and learn from. This can be especially helpful when preparing for exams or practising specific task types

Interactive quizzes: Learners can use ChatGPT to create interactive quizzes based on the material they’re studying. This can help reinforce their learning and make revision more engaging

Conversation practice: In addition to structured tasks, learners can engage in free-flowing conversations with ChatGPT on a variety of topics, helping them build their conversational skills in a low-pressure environment

Role-playing scenarios: ChatGPT can simulate real-life scenarios, such as job interviews, doctor’s appointments or travel situations, allowing learners to practise relevant language and responses.

These features make ChatGPT a powerful tool for enhancing various aspects of language learning, helping learners to practise and improve their skills in a dynamic and interactive way.

10 Transparency

This is a big one. In my classroom, I’ve established a rule that both learners and I must be transparent about our use of ChatGPT. Learners add a note at the bottom of their work if they’ve used ChatGPT, and I do the same when I’ve used it to prepare a lesson or activity.

I believe it’s crucial to model how an educated and responsible adult uses ChatGPT, demonstrating that it’s a valuable tool, not something to be hidden or considered ‘naughty’. By being open about its use, learners gain important skills that will soon be expected in the job market. It’s all about promoting responsible and ethical usage.

LEARNERS ADD A NOTE AT THE BOTTOM OF THEIR WORK IF THEY’VE USED CHATGPT, AND I DO THE SAME

Final thoughts

Bringing AI into my ESOL classroom has been a journey of discovery. It’s opened new doors for enhancing learner independence and engagement in ways I hadn’t imagined. What I’ve learned is that AI, particularly ChatGPT, isn’t something to be feared – it’s a tool that can complement our traditional teaching methods. If you’re like I was, hesitant and unsure about AI, I encourage you to give it a try. The journey my learners and I have been on this past year has shown me the immense potential AI has to transform education. With the

right approach, AI can become a valuable ally in our mission to help learners achieve their full potential. I’d like to give a special shoutout to my ESOL Level 1 class of 2023/24 and to the leadership of Langley College for providing the space to experiment with this new technology. My learners’ curiosity and enthusiasm have been vital in shaping this journey. I’m grateful to them for embarking on this adventure with me – we’ve learned so much together.

Views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of SET

TIPS AND RESOURCES TO HELP YOU MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP

MEMBERS’ CORNER

YOUR VIEWS

We are proud to foster a vibrant community of over 22,000 members who are dedicated to advancing their careers, enhancing their skills and making a positive impact within the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector. In this special edition of Members’ Corner, we hear directly from some of our valued members about how their membership has supported their professional growth, opened doors, and connected them with like-minded professionals

PROSCOVIA KASOZI ASET, SENIOR INSTRUC TOR, HEALTHCARE PROGRAMME

Q What do you value most about your membership?

Becoming a member has been valuable. Not only have I had a single point of access to resources that have enhanced my knowledge and skills, but the webinars have also been highly educational. I feel empowered and have made significant progress in my career. The opportunity to learn from and listen to like-minded professionals and hear their journey is truly reassuring. Membership has given me the chance to connect with professionals on LinkedIn and learn more about the FE and Skills sector.

QDo you feel being a member has helped your career?

Joining SET has provided opportunities for my CPD, and through the knowledge shared, I have been able to successfully complete my diploma in education and training. I have also been able to share my learning with other colleagues in the community.

Q What would you say to someone considering membership?

Please do not hesitate to join this organisation. Membership will enhance your teaching skills and knowledge, as well as help you tailor your unique approach to your delivery.

We’re the only body that awards Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status and Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) to practitioners within the FE and Skills sector.

Follow your passions and priorities in Special Interest Forums

Q

Why do you enjoy working in the FE and Skills sector?

The most rewarding aspect of my job is being part of many students’ journeys, inspiring them, changing their lives and having a significant impact on their futures.

CORRECTION

We would like to extend our apologies to Oluwakemi Bankole MSET for her omission from the Roll of Honour published in issue 58. Oluwakemi was part of the January 2023 QTLS cohort and was successfully awarded QTLS status in August 2024. Congratulations to Oluwakemi.

followPleaseuseand ourhashtag #SETinTuition toseethelatest featuresfrom inTuition

Access a library of over 10,000 FE and Skills resources through our Reading Room

Connect with peers through MentorMe, our peer-to-peer mentoring platform

Q

RACHAEL BETTY MSET, SENIOR ACADEMIC ADVISOR

Why did you choose to become a member?

I decided to become a member because SET provided a clear, structured opportunity for me to complete QTLS while working in the NHS in a bespoke accredited provision learning centre. SET was spoken of highly throughout my initial teacher training, and I was eager to complete QTLS with SET.

Q

What do you value most about your membership?

The support offered throughout QTLS was excellent, and the sessions were very interesting. The portfolio collation process was thorough, ensuring close collaboration with my supporter and creating a clear feedback structure that was beneficial to my learning.

Q Has membership helped you develop your skills?

Yes, through collation of my QTLS portfolio, and through regular updates, opportunities and correspondence.

Q How do you feel being a member has helped your career?

My progression from trainee academic advisor to senior academic advisor was directly tied to my successful completion of QTLS.

Q What would you say to someone considering membership?

SET is a welcoming community to be part of and ensures your skills and knowledge are kept up to date.

HELEN WOOD FSET QTLS ATS, HEAD OF STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

QWhat do you value most about your membership?

I like the diversity of member benefits and CPD. InTuition magazine is always an interesting read, and I pick up a few nuggets that relate to my setting in every issue. I have enjoyed the networking opportunities that come from being part of the Practitioner Advisory Group and would encourage other members to consider this route.

My own setting (third sector, workbased learning) is quite specialist, so this partnership with a broad range of professionals brings richness and innovation.

Q

Has membership helped you develop your skills?

There is no doubt that both the QTLS and ATS processes help with skill and knowledge development. I feel that the ATS process helped me to become a more reflective practitioner and more strategic in my thinking.

Q Do you feel being a member has helped your career?

I have had the opportunity to host some SET webinars on wellbeing, which has given me greater visibility and helped to build my professional network.

Q What would you say to someone considering membership?

Membership is all about making contact with other people who are well placed to stretch, challenge and provide a wider perspective. It also gives you access to a wealth of information and resources.

QMUHAMMAD TABASSUM FSET QTLS, ACADEMIC DEAN

What do you value most about your membership?

Membership of SET sets you apart from your peers, and I record my CPD on MySET. Membership continuously helps me attend valuable webinars delivered by different professionals. I also value the fact that membership enabled me to become a SET fellow and achieve QTLS. So SET membership has a holistic value for my professional standing today.

QHas membership helped you develop your skills?

Yes – by attending webinars, reading blogs and inTuition, I was always able to see beyond my own area of expertise to enhance my skills in teaching, learning and assessment at different levels.

Q Do you feel being a member has helped your career?

I started as an FE lecturer, became head of department, then programme director and now academic dean by maintaining my membership. I gained a lot of insight into contemporary developments in the education sector of the UK and beyond due to my membership of SET.

Q Why do you enjoy working in the FE and Skills sector?

The FE and Skills sector provides a stepping stone for all learners to progress to their initial career roles or advance their higher educational aspirations. Both of these developments in learners’ lives are a source of complete satisfaction and pride to the roles I play in the sector.

It’s inspiring to hear how our members are not only advancing their careers but also making a lasting impact on the sector. From professional growth to meaningful connections and ongoing learning, our community continues to demonstrate the power of collaboration and shared knowledge.

ADVANCE YOUR CAREER WITH SPECIALIST STATUS IN EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (SSESD)

Why SSESD?

• Professional recognition

Gain formal accreditation for your expertise in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) with SSESD – the fi rst specialist status for advanced practice in ESD for the UK’s FE and Skills sector. Developed by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) and the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), this recognition positions you as a leader in ESD practice. Who can apply?

– gain formal recognition through your professional status.

• Sustainability leadership

– drive net-zero initiatives and embed green skills.

• Flexible and accessible

– a 12-week online process designed for educators, leaders, and support staff.

FE and Skills professionals actively embedding sustainability in their practice. No formal ESD qualifications required – just a proven commitment to making an impact. Launches April 2025 – for more information please visit our website ETFOUNDATION.CO.UK/SSESD

How did you first get into teaching?

My teaching journey started in the world of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). While I was at university, my degree included modules that explored how second-language learning works. That sparked my interest, so I went on to do an MA that built on this, followed by a CELTA qualification.

I picked up some teaching hours at a language school in Cambridgeshire and, after a few years, I transitioned to further education (FE), teaching GCSE and Functional Skills. I’ve never looked back!

Why did you feel this was the career for you?

I’m basically living out my four-year-old self ’s dream: I’ve always wanted to be a teacher! I didn’t know what subject I’d end up loving until I got to A Levels and even then I didn’t picture myself in FE. Yet here I am, and every year I continue to learn more about the real work, joy and opportunities the sector brings to local communities: dream jobs, second chances and new beginnings.

Where has your career taken you so far?

After moving on from EFL, I’ve taught English at every level and across different provisions, including apprentices, adults and SEN students. I’ve taken on roles like advanced practitioner and teacher training lead, delivering courses such as Level 3

AET, Level 5 DET and PGCE.

I’ve also been lucky enough to speak at CPD events, collaborate with other FE colleges, and even curate the #EnglishFE hashtag, which helps English teachers connect and share ideas. On top of that, I’ve written articles for TES, JoyFE and the English Association and currently serve as deputy chair for the English Association’s secondary and further education committee.

What is your current position?

Teaching, learning and quality lead at Chesterfield College.

REALISING THE DREAM

Hollie Barnes-Lomax had ambitions of becoming a teacher from the age of four. But she had no idea it would be in EFL, or the FE sector

Can you run me through a typical day?

Like most education jobs, no two days are ever the same! My day usually starts with a cappuccino (non-negotiable!) and then goes from there. I could be teaching PGCE students, brainstorming ideas for new training sessions, mentoring new teachers or visiting classrooms to see how teachers are using resources in action.

What three characteristics do you feel make a good teacher?

Only three? Okay, I’d say: good communication skills ( both speaking and listening), creativity and empathy.

What are the biggest challenges you face?

Building the confidence of post-16 resit students is definitely a challenge. But it’s also one of the most rewarding

parts of the job. I really enjoy supporting them to grow and develop beyond the qualification in skills such as resilience and empathy.

How has QTLS status helped you?

QTLS really nurtured my love of research and helped me grow as a teacher, especially as I prepared for my role as an advanced practitioner.

How would you like your career to develop?

Ultimately, I’d love to move into a role where I can use my passion and experiences to influence and create meaningful change on a bigger scale.

What one piece of advice would you have for your former self?

‘Keep being you.’ We all have our own teaching styles, ideas and talents, and they’re what make us shine in the classroom. Don’t be afraid to let your individuality show!

What do you most love about teaching?

I feel so lucky to teach trainee teachers. Watching their confidence in the classroom grow and seeing those lightbulb moments as they develop their skills and reflect on their practice is the best part of the job.

What do you get up to outside work?

I love spending time with family and friends, and going on long walks with my dog, Lula, especially if there’s a coffee shop and a pastry involved.

HOLLIE BARNES-LOMAX MSETQTLS is teaching, learning and quality lead at Chesterfield College

If you would like to be featured in My Life in Teaching, email intuition@redactive.co.uk

BOOK REVIEWS

THE AWARD IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING: A PRACTICAL GUIDE

ByMichelleDawesandJaneOwen Eboru2024

This is a very appealing book based on first impressions. Although it is called a practical guide, it could also be described as a workbook or course companion.

It covers the content of the course well. It contains useful ideas and suggestions for each topic, reflection questions, activities and some case studies. The different sections have links between them where relevant so the reader can explore related topics. I particularly liked the ideas for teaching – these are tips used by seasoned teachers and well worth being included.

The references section at the end of the book was not exhaustive. I felt it could have been expanded as further reading is always welcomed in a book like this. But, as this is a Level 3 book, an excess of background reading may be omitted. It certainly won’t put me off praising this as a very useful guide for anyone considering taking this course.

If I had one further criticism, I felt that it was too focused on the academic classroom rather than being more inclusive of all the different educators who take this course. I would be concerned that this may be offputting but, as previously mentioned, I feel this is an excellent book.

Our reviewer is DR ANNE DAVIS MSET QTLS , who has worked as a sixth-form maths teacher and head of maths in south-east England. She is also a private tutor, teaching maths, chemistry and physics, specialising in the 16+ age group. She is a cycling and kayaking coach, with experience of coaching disabled athletes

FEEDBACK: STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT TEACHER WORKLOAD AND IMPROVE PUPIL PROGRESS

ByKateJones JohnCatt2024

Feedback, as we know, is a fundamental for education – both from the educator and the learner perspective – and could be described as the most important part in an educator’s role after supplying the content of the education itself.

I initially thought that this book was about feedback for teachers during the performance review process – not what we can do as teachers for our learners. I was very wrong.

We have all encountered times when feedback is ignored or has been counterproductive, and we also know that good feedback has the potential to have a positive effect on learners’ progression.

This book, while quite small, is packed with ideas and suggestions for effective feedback. It covers planning, feedback for individuals and whole classes, and SEN requirements. It contains a whole gamut of ideas –some based on traditional methods and others on research and experience.

The case studies included are useful, even those that are far removed from my subject. I would certainly recommend it for continuous professional development reading.