InTuition Summer 2024

The journal for professional teachers, trainers and leaders in the Further Education and Skills sector

HUMAN TOUCH

UPFRONT

05 NEWS

ETF publishes latest Impact Report, WorldSkills UK EDI award winners announced; TLPD contract extended

08 OPINION

The latest views from Dr Katerina Kolyva, Leanne Maskell, Natacha Shakil and Martine Ellis FSET ATS

12 OPEN TO ALL

Practical tips to ensure digital accessibility in the classroom for all, from CPD trainer Carlyn Peever MSET

THE KNOWLEDGE

26 ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE Teachers and trainers must tread a fine line being true to themselves and working in a performative culture, writes Anthony Harvey FCCT FSET

30 BRIDGING THE GAP

Ellen Riddick asks if developing soft skills can forge stronger ties between employers and training providers in the landbased industry

33 TAKING CONTROL

Allowing learners to be responsible for their own skills development can empower them in education and beyond, writes Beth James

MEMBERS’ CORNER

36 THE FORUM

Next-level learning with QTLS and ATS applications

38 MY LIFE IN TEACHING

Jenn Lunn MSET ATS: neurodivergence and teaching in Japan and South Korea

EDITOR: Nick Martindale

LEAD DESIGNER: David Twardawa

InTuition

SUB-EDITORS: James Hundleby, Amy Beveridge

PICTURE RESEARCHER: Claire Echavarry

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

18

FEATURES

14 RISE TO THE CHALLENGE

How can those in the Further Education and Skills sector take collective action around professionalism and build dynamism and sustainability?

18 HUMAN TOUCH

Soft skills – such as communication, leadership and problem-solving – are much sought after by employers, but can be overlooked or neglected by professionals

22 THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP

The Royal Navy and Team Fisher are transforming naval training, moving from traditional top-down teaching to placing emphasis on the needs of individual learners

JANE GALBRAITH

Never stop learning

Teachers and trainers know the benefits education can bring.

But it’s important they apply this to themselves, both in their own personal traits and the ongoing quest for professionalism

As teachers and trainers, it’s highly likely you’ve undertaken both teacher training and ongoing professional development throughout your career. Such activities are a vital part of ensuring teachers have the skills required to educate learners, both in terms of subject-specialist knowledge and the quality of the teaching itself.

Yet the skills we rely on the most are often those that are more instinctive, depending in part on our own characters. That could be helping to defuse a situation, arguing a case for investment or boosting the confidence of learners or colleagues. We’ve called this the ‘human touch’, and our cover feature looks at how you can go about developing these skills in your day-today activities.

Our sector focus piece this issue takes an in-depth look at the collaboration between the Royal Navy and Team Fisher, a consortium made up of industry, technology and education providers. Known as Project Selborne, the 12-year, £1.2 billion contract is helping to transform the education and training that both new and experienced navy personnel receive. Make sure you don’t miss this on page 22.

I’d also like to draw your attention to our Opinion articles: Leanne Maskell makes a plea from personal experience about the perils of undiagnosed ADHD, while Natacha Shakil provides some tips on how teachers can help learners cope with anxiety.

THE SKILLS WE RELY ON THE MOST ARE OFTEN THOSE THAT ARE MORE INSTINCTIVE

The Further Education and Skills sector has enormous potential to transform the lives and prospects of learners, but it is not without its challenges. This was the background to a report undertaken by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) with the help of Professor Harvey Maylor from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

It aims to create a conversation about the collective action required to ensure perceptions about the sector can be changed, and the commitment to professionalism is maintained at all times. It also outlines a number of strands that are needed for high-quality teaching and learning to take place. You can find out more about these on page 14.

Elsewhere, our Knowledge articles this issue cover a wide range of topics. Anthony Harvey explores the concept of teaching as part of a performative culture, while Beth James outlines how enabling learners to take control of their own development can help empower their future selves.

Ellen Riddick asks whether a greater emphasis on softer skills could create stronger ties between training providers and employers in land-based sectors. Finally, I’d like to wish you all an enjoyable summer and hope you’re able to enjoy a bit of downtime to recharge your batteries.

JANE GALBRAITH is head of membership and accreditation at SET

SECTOR SUPPORT

ETF PUBLISHES LATEST IMPACT REPORT

he Education and Training Foundation (ETF) has released its latest Impact Report covering the financial years 2021-22 and 2022-23.

TThe report brings together evidence and analysis demonstrating how ETF supported the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector during the two-year period. This included workforce development programmes, practitioner research programmes, the setting of Professional Standards, and membership of the Society for Education and Training.

THE STRATEGY WAS DEVELOPED FOLLOWING

The report was published as ETF continues the roll-out of its new strategy, first outlined in December 2023.

The strategy was developed following an extensive listening exercise with the sector, and sets the future direction of

the charity through four strategic goals: professionalism to make FE and Skills a rewarding career destination; improving teaching and learning by setting clear competences and conduct for maintaining professional status; championing inclusion by tackling inequalities in the FE and Skills workforce; and enabling sector change for a thriving FE and Skills system.

WEBSITE set.et-foundation.co.uk

X (TWITTER) @SocietyET HAVE YOUR SAY #SETinTuition

ETF PRESENTS WORLDSKILLS UK EDI HEROES ROLE MODEL AWARD

WorldSkills UK announced the highly anticipated winners of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Heroes Awards 2024 at a celebratory event at the Houses of Parliament. The Role Model award, sponsored by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), was presented to Andrew Smith (pictured below) from the Open University for his exceptional work in driving EDI best practices and inspiring others. David Jones from Pembrokeshire College, who was recently named one of ETF’s Technical Teaching Fellows for 2024-25, took home the Skills Competition Diversity Champion award.

T LEVEL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT EXTENSION ANNOUNCED

he Education and Training Foundation (ETF) has announced the extension of the highly successful, Department for Education (DfE) funded T Level Professional Development (TLPD) offer for the academic years 2024-25 and 2025-26.

TFollowing a successful pilot in 2019, the DfE commissioned ETF to deliver continuing professional development via the TLPD offer to teachers, support staff, leaders and managers involved in the delivery of T Levels. The initial TLPD contract awarded to ETF ran from 2020 to 2024. Between May 2019 and January 2024, more than

NEW GOVERNANCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME GUIDE

A new guide to ETF’s Governance Development Programme is now available to help users navigate the

48,906 activities were delivered by ETF as part of the programme.

SUBSCRIBE TO ETF NEWSLETTERS

Receive regular updates from ETF on new and updated CPD courses and resources as well as selected topic areas. Sign up at et-foundation.co.uk/ newsletters

The success of the TLPD programme has been underpinned by continued engagement with, and active listening to, the sector to ensure the offer continues to meet providers’ needs.

In response to sector feedback, further support for embedding English, maths and digital skills into the delivery of T Levels was introduced in 2022 and the Assessment in

programme’s content and create their personalised learning experience.

The guide features detailed descriptions of the 30-plus elements of the programme and the different experience levels – core, proficient and highly effective – at which they are pitched. These allow governors and governance professionals to blend

T Levels course was added in 2023. Support targeted at schools is also available as more of these begin to offer T Level courses.

The contract extension period will refocus the support offered to further ensure it delivers sector needs, especially for smaller providers that are preparing to deliver T Levels for the first time.

To view the full TLPD offer, visit et-foundation.co.uk/professionaldevelopment/t-levels

different components and design a flexible but structured learning programme reflecting their individual interests and needs. The guide also explains how each element is delivered and assessed.

The Governance Development Programme is part of a wider range of ETF support for governance in the Further Education and

Skills sector, which includes CPD and competency frameworks. The programme transferred to its new home on ETF’s online learning platform at the end of 2023, providing a more seamless experience to users.

For more information on the programme, visit b.link/ETF-governancedevelopment-programme

ETF CONTINUES TO MEET MATRIX STANDARD

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) continues to be accredited to the matrix Standard following its first continuous improvement check since achieving accreditation in 2023. Last year’s accreditation recognised ETF’s highquality information and guidance services to the Further Education and Skills sector.

The matrix Standard is the international quality standard for organisations that deliver information, advice and/or guidance,

either as their sole purpose or as part of their service offering. The standard is owned by the Department for Education (DfE) and is managed by The Growth Company.

The initial matrix accreditation process focused on ETF’s regional engagement. The regional team supports providers to deliver T Levels through the DfE-funded T Level Professional Development programme. It provides further essential support services, connecting providers with ETF’s wider professional development support and training.

For more information, visit matrixstandard.com

ONLINE LEARNING

NEW ETF INNOVATION AND FINANCE LEADERSHIP COURSES

Two new courses for leaders in the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector are now available on the Education and Training Foundation’s (ETF’s) online learning system.

The first course, Leading Innovation, is designed to increase leaders’ awareness of how to be innovative when leading and managing curriculum and quality in FE and Skills provider settings.

The other course, Finance Leaders and Managers, is designed to develop the leadership capability of finance leaders and managers. It aims to help them work with their teams to deliver compelling strategies that drive organisational performance.

Both courses are free to access on demand via ETF’s online learning system, allowing managers and leaders to learn when and where they like and at their own pace. The courses feature videos, quizzes and interactive activities to reinforce learning.

For details of ETF’s full offer of development opportunities, resources and courses for leadership in FE and Skills, visit et-foundation.co.uk/professional-development/leadershipand-governance-programmes/leadership

54%

The proportion of apprentices who completed their qualifications in 2022-23, up from 51 per cent the year before but below the government target of 67 per cent

£1.4m

The total amount of money awarded to 32 colleges or universities by the Office for Students to help them develop their degree apprenticeships

£6,000

The amount eligible FE teachers in colleges will be entitled to this autumn, under a ‘levelling-up premium’ scheme designed to help staff retention

16,085

The number of learners who signed up to a T Level in September 2023. This is a 58 per cent increase on the previous year

£30,000

The maximum amount training providers can spend on the use of a subcontractor not on the apprenticeship provider and assessment register

SKILLS AND TALENT

Time for a rethink

In the face of a riskier environment, organisations are rethinking their people strategy, with an emphasis on reskilling and upskilling. The Further Education and Skills sector sits at the heart of that transformation, says Dr Katerina Kolyva

It is nearly half a year since we launched the Education and Training Foundation’s (ETF’s) new strategy in December 2023. Our work to support educators and leaders to transform the lives of learners has continued at pace, in close collaboration with the sector.

For me, this has included multiple visits to Further Education (FE) and Skills providers up and down the country. I have seen many fantastic examples of crosssector collaboration, state-of-the-art facilities, best professional practice and deep commitment to inclusivity and sustainability.

It has been truly inspiring to see the innovation being embraced, particularly in AI and digital. FE and Skills has a crucial role to play in building the talent pipeline and reskilling the workforce as skills demands evolve. Meanwhile, AI is already transforming professional practice, providing much-needed

efficiency gains for time-poor educators.

Mercer’s 2024 Global Talent Trends report outlines how organisations can expect to see their relationship with talent and skills evolve in the face of technological challenges and opportunities. Ensuring a human-centric approach to technology adoption is one of the key trends identified.

The report highlights productivity as a key focus this year, with executives recognising upskilling or reskilling employees as essential for realising their workforce’s productive potential, especially to harness the productivity gains associated with new technologies.

As we wrestle with low productivity, the Global Talent Trends report’s recommendation to “match people to work using skills, not jobs, as the currency” is a welcome one. It states that “building a skills-powered organisation” focusing on upskilling and reskilling the existing workforce will “pay dividends” in the current climate, where indemand skills are often unavailable or unaffordable. FE and Skills is at the heart of this reskilling and upskilling drive.

unintended use and cyber threats.

Another key trend identified in the Global Talent Trends report closely mirrors ETF’s strategic goal of championing inclusion in the FE and Skills sector: fostering trust and equity to enable the wellbeing and productivity of the workforce. The report notes that equity, diversity and inclusion work increasingly focuses on the importance of ‘belonging’. Unsurprisingly, when employees feel seen, heard and valued without needing to change who they are, they have better overall wellbeing and are given the space to feel energised and to thrive in their work.

The greater focus on this crucial part of employee wellbeing ties into the final key trend: boosting the ‘corporate immune system’. This prioritises workforce resilience and wellbeing in an evolving landscape of risk.

We can expect disruption from extreme weather events, misinformation spread by AI and growing cybersecurity threats. To be alert to these risks, the report advises that we are proactive (plan ahead), predictive (draw on analytics and modelling for risk management) and accountable (reinforce a risk-aware culture from the top-down). Fostering a risk mindset is key to protecting and retaining talent and skills.

The Global Talent Trends report brings home that it is both an exciting time, and one filled with uncertainty and unprecedented challenges. The FE and Skills sector sits at the forefront of these changes, with the capabilities to drive reskilling and upskilling of talent of all ages and backgrounds to meet the demands of today and of the future.

WE KNOW SKILLS SHORTAGES LEAD TO LOW PRODUCTIVITY, INVESTMENT AND CONFIDENCE

As we adopt new technologies, the report stresses the importance of a human-centric approach to ensure technology works for us and augments our capabilities. This links closely to another key trend in the report: cultivating a digital-first culture. As well as building digital skills, ‘becoming digital’ means addressing risks associated with technology, including potential bias,

At ETF, we are ready to support leaders and educators to rise to this challenge so that the sector can continue delivering the transformational learning opportunities that drive our society, communities and economy forwards.

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

Don’t give up on us!

Teachers are well placed to spot the signs of ADHD – even if it is so far undiagnosed –and make a real difference to the lives and outcomes of learners, says Leanne Maskell

When I received As in my GCSEs, the general narrative I heard was ‘We thought she was stupid.’ When I got straight As in my A Levels, a teacher asked the entire class if I’d cheated.

I’d never been able to concentrate in class, and hated school so much that I’d pretend to have a temperature by holding my head over a boiling kettle. I couldn’t understand why it was so hard to fit in. It took me until age 25 to learn why: I had ADHD.

When I was diagnosed, my initial reaction was that this wasn’t possible, because I had a law degree. At school, I wasn’t hyperactive and regularly fell asleep in class. Writing ADHD: an A to Z, I learned that this was linked to my interest-based nervous system, which can literally switch off from boredom.

Looking back, I was mentally hyperactive. I was a master of texting underneath desks, hiding books I wanted to read in textbooks, and hiding my headphones to listen to music under my hair. I believed what everybody told me: I was just lazy, and not trying hard enough.

I once impulsively threw a Tippex back at a boy who’d thrown it at me, accidentally hitting the teacher, who tried to get me suspended – on my first day. This led to my hysterical crying, and the discipline officer giving me the first detention he’d ‘ever felt guilty about’.

Now I understand this was rejection sensitive dysphoria. This meant I didn’t even try to engage with school, because I assumed I’d be doing it wrong. Coping with undiagnosed ADHD and a lack

TAKE A CURIOUS, COLLABORATIVE AND COMPASSIONATE APPROACH

of support resulted in severe mental health challenges, including selfharming and suicidal ideation. Ironically, these challenges are what led me to teach myself, because I knew that I’d literally learned nothing for the entire year, and felt terrified about my future. Without realising it, I accessed my ‘hyper-focus’ by learning the entire curriculum in a month, deleting distractions like social media.

I understood my strengths and weaknesses, avoiding courseworkbased subjects. I wrote out my notes repeatedly, making up songs to remember them. Now I understand these form part of my unique differences in problem-solving, as linked with ADHD – back then, they felt like my only option.

Things changed dramatically in my final two years of school: my new law teacher was supportive and friendly, encouraging me to sit at the front of class and teaching in a fast-paced, engaging way. She engaged with learners by asking lots of questions, breaking lessons down into chunks, and always reminding us of our strengths.

For the first time, I’d found a lesson I looked forward to in school. She provided psychological safety, helping me to build my confidence and selfesteem. I got 100 per cent in my exams for her modules because of this ADHDfriendly teaching style.

This is what led me to study law at university, but things immediately reverted back to how they were before. I struggled to keep up, couldn’t understand what I was being taught, and would leave the few lectures I attended feeling like I’d just stepped into a different dimension, with no memory of it whatsoever.

I managed to get a 2:1 law degree but graduated into a severe mental health crisis. This spiralled into lifethreatening chaos until I was finally diagnosed with ADHD aged 25. This could have so easily been avoided with earlier intervention.

The diagnosis took me from feeling completely overwhelmed to understanding how to work with my brain. I’m now a best-selling author of four books. I’ve trained organisations like Disney, Yahoo and Microsoft in ADHD, alongside running a company of my own, ADHD Works. I talk at schools and universities, hoping that by sharing my experiences learners will have a better time than I did.

Everyone’s ADHD will present differently but if you spot similar traits in your learners, understand that you can be the difference between success and failure, a dark and a bright future.

Take a curious, collaborative and compassionate approach, provide support instead of judgement, and watch these lives change both in and out of the classroom.

Please refuse to give up on your learner, whether they have ADHD or not. You have a huge influence on these young people’s lives, and they need you.

LEANNE MASKELL is an ADHD coach, director of ADHD Works and author of ADHD: an A-Z and ADHD Works at Work

Tackling trauma

Learners can’t learn while they are in a state of panic. Natacha Shakil outlines how anxiety and a negative attitude can be overcome

Learners present anxiety through various behaviours of avoidance. These could be a constant need for the toilet, an argumentative attitude or trying to start an irrelevant conversation to distract you. In some instances, learners are not emotionally developed enough to realise they are anxious, which can present as sickness, headaches or stomach aches. Anxiety is created through trauma. This could be a one-off negative experience or a series of events, such as being put under pressure, failure, being humiliated in front of peers or a derogatory comment. While learners are in an anxious state, no learning can take place and they are likely to develop further trauma.

The majority of learners resitting maths and/or English at college have not achieved a grade 4, which is likely to have impacted their goals and altered their course choices. Some learners will believe they are a failure and incapable of passing.

This is a heavy weight for a teenager to bear, and they require our support to reframe their mindset and overcome

BY SUPPORTING LEARNERS

WITH THEIR PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS OF SAFETY AND BELONGING, WE CAN ENABLE LEARNING

the anxieties this has caused. If we refer to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, by supporting learners with their psychological needs of safety and belonging, we can enable learning. No single strategy is the solution, as learners are individuals and arrive with a variety of experiences. They need an opportunity to offload their negative experiences to move forward. The following activity allows you to manage some of the events that can trigger anxiety, while also helping you to build a relationship with your learners.

Start with sticky notes in two colours: say yellow and green, yellow for negative and green for positive. Ask learners to write down anything negative about maths on the yellow sticky notes, one statement per note. They can write as many as they like. Discourage learners from sweeping statements such as: ‘I hate maths.’ This is too general; you want to know exactly what they don’t like.

Then ask them to write a minimum of one positive thing about maths on the green sticky notes. For this, you will need to offer considerable support and coaching. It could be a teacher from primary school or one sum or subject they understood. You can’t move on until you have one positive from everyone.

As you collect the responses, start to categorise them on the wall or board, keeping positive and negative separate for now. The statements usually represent teachers, topics, failure and possibly confusion.

Now you can demonstrate to learners that the positive sticky notes cancel out the negatives, for example, good teacher/ bad teacher, primary maths was good/ high school maths wasn’t and so on. You

must address any anomalies that don’t cancel out. Usually this is an opportunity for the teacher to prompt discussion of commitments: for example, I will do my best to teach you using different methods, and you need to show up willing to try your best, developing a shared investment. It is also important at this point to use positive language and introduce a positive mindset: for example, you haven’t passed maths yet.

The learners begin to establish they are not the only one to struggle, get stressed or feel pressured. It validates their experiences and emotions, allowing them to support each other and develop a shared community.

Alongside this, learners need to develop strategies to help them cope if they start to lose control and experience negative stress. Here are some suggestions: Teach learners how to break problems down, highlighting information, working out what they know, establishing what the question is asking and what they need to know

Have a gesture or sign for the learner to let you know discretely that they are struggling. This could be a coloured sticky note or a gesture

Breathing exercises or mindfulness, such as closing your eyes and picturing a happy place, doodling or body scanning

Taking time out – this may be in or outside the room

The ultimate goal is to develop resilient learners, who can confidently learn by making mistakes and live in the growth zone, but also have the strategies they need to maintain this state.

It is unlikely to happen in one lesson, but through repeated coaching of positive language and a growth mindset, they start to develop their personal beliefs in success. Learners are far more likely to make progress and eventually reach their targets, if they believe they can.

NATACHA SHAKIL is Multiply lead teacher at Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group and an ETF associate

AI AND TEACHER WELLBEING

Artificial assistance

AI

offers huge potential to reset the world of teaching, reducing workload and encouraging rest.

But it’s vital that it’s part of a well-thought-through

strategy.

Martine Ellis FSET ATS outlines a few ideas of how this could work in practice

Is artificial intelligence (AI) the tool to solve teacher workload and wellbeing problems once and for all?

I’m tentatively optimistic about the possibilities, but also nervous.

For teachers, AI – particularly generative AI (GenAI) – has the potential to streamline timeconsuming administrative tasks, tailor learning experiences to individual student needs, and create more time for professional development.

Delegating specific tasks to GenAI allows teachers more time to be creative and innovative, designing and delivering high-impact, personalised teaching sessions.

Giving teachers tools to help them spend their time more appropriately could create capacity for significant professional learning and development. We could see more teachers doing Advanced Teacher Status or conducting their own research.

When teachers focus on appropriately challenging work and undertake meaningful professional development, their sense of professional identity and agency increases and, as a result, so does the quality of teaching and learning. In the long term, this could significantly affect teacher recruitment and retention.

However, these benefits will be fleeting if we don’t start talking about rest. There is a concern that time saved by delegating work to GenAI could be allocated to new administrative tasks; let me be blunt – this cannot be allowed

WE COULD SEE MORE TEACHERS DOING ADVANCED TEACHER STATUS OR CONDUCTING THEIR OWN RESEARCH

to happen. Furthermore, the narrative around teacher wellbeing and AI rarely mentions rest; this needs to change.

AI conversations are teacher wellbeing conversations, and these must acknowledge the essential role of rest. By rest, I mean taking breaks, not taking work home, and working regular hours. Leaders and managers play a pivotal role here, through leading by example.

This is not just a conversation about AI and wellbeing; it’s about organisational culture. It is critical that organisations take a mindful approach to AI implementation, prioritising teacher wellbeing as much as pedagogical impact and efficiency.

Used well, AI can rebalance teachers’ duties and allow them to focus their working hours on what they do best while ensuring they are physically and mentally well enough to do it. Let’s not use AI as a sticking plaster.

Leaders and managers must involve teachers in decision-making on AI integration – empowerment and agency are essential. Things are moving fast; hierarchical bottlenecks and bureaucracy will not help.

Professional development is crucial for the effective integration of AI. However, mastering AI tools requires an upfront time investment. While the payoff in saved time will be significant, starting small is recommended.

Focusing on developing tech-savvy champions and early adopters is tempting, but they will likely navigate the new AI landscape comfortably. Instead, consider prioritising new teachers and those staff known to struggle with the more administrative aspects of the teaching role (for example, planning). For them, a basic understanding of GenAI could be transformative.

Your AI champions can be better deployed and empowered by leading communities of practice, where colleagues can share experiences, strategies and insights about using AI. These forums can be innovation incubators, leveraging AI to enhance learning outcomes and promote teacher wellbeing.

If you haven’t already, now is the time to experiment with GenAI. However, be mindful – it is easy to get overwhelmed. Don’t learn all the tools; learn one. Try partnering with a colleague a few steps ahead and sharing ideas.

Think of AI as your personal assistant. Delegate time-consuming administrative tasks that take you away from your most important work. Protect the time you save for rest.

Collectively, let’s focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning and the wellbeing of teachers, with rest understood to be an indispensable component of professional efficacy.

MARTINE ELLIS FSET ATS is a teacher, writer and lifelong learner @heymartineellis

Open to all

Teachers and educators spend much time developing presentations, documents or slide shows. It’s important these can be accessed by everyone. Carlyn Peever MSET provides practical tips on how to ensure no one is left behind

Have you ever been amazed at the convenience of using speech-to-text functions on your smartphone or laptop?

The sheer joy of watching your spoken words instantly transform into text on the screen is testament to the wonders of assistive technology.

Whether relying on closed captions to navigate a noisy environment or simply opting for subtitles in media consumption, these tools were initially designed to assist individuals with disabilities. Unpredictably, these features have seamlessly become mainstream.

The concept of accessibility is about fostering an inclusive experience for everyone. In the digital space, this translates to ensuring that content is usable by the broadest audience possible,

promoting equitable access for all. As educators, our proficiency in using technology has transformed how we teach and support our learners, with virtual learning environments (VLEs) serving as dynamic spaces for education.

However, effective digital accessibility is not just about uploading content on to a platform; it involves creating designs and content that are usable without modification while still accommodating those who require adaptations. The key lies in crafting designs that flexibly meet the diverse needs of all users, enabling a more inclusive educational experience.

The journey towards accessibility need not be overwhelming. Here, we present six actionable tips to kickstart your efforts and make a positive impact in creating inclusive educational resources.

KEEP DOCUMENT STRUCTURE SIMPLE

DO: Keep sentences short (25 words or fewer). Opt for a sans-serif font like Arial at a minimum size of 12 points for text documents and 20 points for presentations. Use sentence case, left-aligned text and heading styles or templates for formatting. Use tables exclusively for data.

AVOID: Employing all capital letters, underlining (except for links) and relying solely on colour to convey meaning.

WHY? Following this suggestion will stop people from feeling overwhelmed when looking at your slide or document. Some experts suggest using the 5/5/5 rule: no more than five words per line of text, five lines of text per slide, or five text-heavy slides in a row.

IMAGES

DO: Include alternative text (alt-text) to describe images or designate them as decorative.

AVOID: Using images in lieu of text for information and employing distorted images.

WHY? Alternative text helps screen-reading tools describe images. If images are purely decorative and do not add any additional information, then they should be marked as so.

HYPERLINKS

DO: Use descriptive words to make hyperlinks meaningful and incorporate ScreenTips for additional clarity.

AVOID: Using generic terms like ‘click here’ or displaying the Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

WHY? Hyperlink texts should be concise and specific. They should let the user know where the link will take them.

READING ORDER

UNIQUE PAGE/SLIDE TITLES

DO: Provide every slide with a unique, clear and descriptive title in sentence case for easy navigation.

AVOID: Duplicating titles, using lengthy titles and using all capital letters.

WHY? People who use screen readers, especially if they have low vision or are blind, rely on slide titles to navigate the slide deck.

DO: Use pre-existing PowerPoint templates or ensure the reading order in custom or blank slides is checked.

AVOID: Relying on a custom or modified slide as the reading order may differ from the visual layout, causing screen readers to read content out of sequence.

WHY? A screen reader reads the contents of a slide in the order they were added, which may be very different from the order in which things appear.

As educators, it is our responsibility to embrace digital accessibility principles, not just as a legal obligation but as a commitment to fostering an enriching educational experience for every learner.

COLOUR AND CONTRAST

DO: Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colours, selecting an off-white or pastel background. Opt for warm or cool colour groups and use a free colour contrast checker to assist you.

AVOID: Crossing warm/cool colour boundaries: for example, blue and red, or red and green.

WHY? Colour contrast is important as it affects people’s ability to receive the information. Crossing colour boundaries may result in people having trouble distinguishing interactions between colour wavelengths, resulting in eye strain, fatigue and discomfort.

CARLYN PEEVER

MSET is a CPD trainer at the Education and Training Foundation

Further reading

ETF website, Inclusive FE – Making Learning

Accessible:

b.link/making-learningaccessible

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 AA) – the globally adopted standards in website accessibility, which incorporate what is legally needed for accessibility: b.link/accessibility-guidelines

CHALLENGE RISE TO THE

A report by ETF and Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, aims to start a conversation around how the Further Education and Skills sector can meet the challenges of a changing landscape, encourage professionalism and change the perception of the sector. Elizabeth Holmes reports

Anyone working in the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector will know what a powerhouse it can be for transforming the lives of learners and contributing positively to the wider economy. Yet where there are successes, there are also challenges. Understanding these, and transforming them into opportunities within the sector, is essential.

To move towards achieving this transformation, the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), under the guidance of Dr Vikki Smith, executive director, education and standards, undertook a project in 2022/23, with the aid of Professor Harvey Maylor, associate professor and senior fellow in management practice at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

This project, originally the brainchild of David Russell, former chief executive of ETF, was conducted through a wide series of conversations right across the sector, involving providers, practitioners and stakeholders.

As a result, Smith and Maylor, with Dr Paul Tully, ETF’s associate director, research and policy, were able to encapsulate the challenges faced and changes required in the sector in their report, Further Education and Skills: Changing systems of change. By mapping the ecosystem of the sector, Smith and Maylor have offered an understanding of the elements that contribute to both building and eroding dynamism and sustainability.

It is not intended as a solution to all the challenges faced by the FE and Skills sector. Rather, it is a call to create a conversation about collective action around professionalism and changing the perception. This is the beginning, not the conclusion.

The report states: “The current scale and pace of changes in our country are immense, not least due to shifting technology, economic and political priorities and demographics. These influence national educational agendas and have brought to the fore the role of educational and skills development and its contribution to our national ability to respond positively to these challenges:

PROFESSIONALISM IN THE FE AND SKILLS SECTOR

Professional development in the sector centres on ETF’s Professional Standards for Teachers and Trainers and the Professional Standards for Leaders.

Both sets of standards are built around three core principles: professional values and attributes, professional knowledge and understanding, and professional skills. The 20 standards for teachers and trainers are listed below:

Professional values and attributes

1

Critically reflect on and evaluate your practices, values and beliefs to improve learner outcomes.

2 Promote and embed education for sustainable development across learning and working practices.

3 Inspire, motivate and raise aspirations of learners by communicating high expectations and a passion for learning.

4 Support and develop learners’ confidence, autonomy and thinking skills, taking account of their needs and starting points.

5 Value and champion diversity, equality of opportunity, inclusion and social equity.

6 Develop collaborative and respectful relationships with learners, colleagues and external stakeholders.

7 Engage with and promote a culture of continuous learning and quality improvement.

Professional knowledge and understanding

8 Develop and update knowledge of your subject specialism, taking account of new practices, research and/or industry requirements.

9 Critically review and apply your knowledge of educational research, pedagogy and assessment to develop evidence-informed practice.

10

Share and update knowledge of effective practice with colleagues, networks and/or research communities to support improvement.

11 Develop and apply your knowledge of special educational needs and disabilities to create inclusive learning experiences.

12Understand your teaching role and responsibilities and how these are influenced by legal, regulatory, institutional and ethical contexts.

Professional skills

13

Promote and support positive learner behaviour, attitudes and wellbeing.

14 Apply motivational, coaching and skill development strategies to help learners progress and achieve.

15 Plan and deliver learning programmes that are safe, inclusive, stretching and relevant to learners’ needs.

16 Select and use digital technologies safely and effectively to promote learning.

17 Develop learners’ mathematics, English, digital and wider employability skills.

18 Provide access to up-todate information, advice and guidance so that learners can take ownership of their learning and make informed progression choices.

19 Apply appropriate and fair methods of assessment and provide constructive and timely feedback to support learning and achievement.

20 Develop enrichment and progression opportunities for learners through collaboration with employers, higher education and/or community groups.

in short, the role of the FE and Skills sector is critical to the future of the UK.”

ETF’s work across the sector recognises that, to be sustainable, the FE and Skills sector needs to be capable of continuous improvement to meet the needs of students and the wider community, including the jobs market. Piecemeal change no longer suffices, if it ever did.

Smith explains that the report is a mapping of the FE and Skills system and what it means for workforce development. “In terms of systems thinking,” she says, “it maps the positives and the negatives. It explores where the blocks are and what needs to be done to remove them, and it identifies how things could work better. We have mapped how the system works and how we might build more ‘trust loops’. This will help us to streamline the system and to make the changes needed rather than needing third-party involvement.”

FE and Skills has, in recent years, experienced more change than any other sector in education. “FE and Skills is where all the economic stimulation is going to come from,” Smith explains. “It makes a social, economic and

FEEDBACK LOOPS

cultural contribution.” Workforce development is therefore essential. It recognises that professionals in FE and Skills often embody at least two professional identities.

Systemic failings

As a facilitator in the process, Maylor identified that the challenges facing the sector are systemic. “What I was hearing sounded like a systems problem,” he says. “If we understand better the problems the sector is facing, can we deal with them better?”

Maylor’s concern with process led to the research team thinking systemically about the issue of the sector’s challenges. “Hero work can be great at a local level,” Maylor explains, “but there are some challenges that no amount of hero work will solve. The system has to be a sustainable, selfimproving system. This must be achieved through collective action. This is about fixing the challenges of the system and not just focusing on local problems.”

Maylor and Smith started to analyse self-reinforcing loops in the FE and Skills sector system. “A trust loop is a good loop,” Maylor says. “Trust leads to

SYSTEMS THINKING

Professor Harvey Maylor, associate professor and senior fellow in management practice at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, outlines how systems thinking helped identify challenges facing the FE and Skills sector:

We used the lens of systems thinking to help us individually to attempt to understand the complex system that is FE and Skills, and to enable us to explain it to others. FE and Skills is multifaceted and the elements that comprise it are both interconnected and interdependent.

Today we view systems thinking as “a set of synergistic

analytical skills used to improve the capability of identifying and understanding systems, predicting their behaviours, and devising modifications to them in order to produce desired effects. These skills [themselves] work together as a system” (Arnold and Wade, 2015). Two further ideas are central to our consideration. The first concerns the boundaries of any

less uncertainty. It is a self-reinforcing system. But there are negative loops around staff workload. For example, stress leads to time off, which leads to overwork of remaining staff, which leads to more stress. We don’t want selfsustaining negative loops. Rather, we need to break or balance these loops.”

For Maylor, moving towards solutions for the sector means thinking about the art of the possible, so that it might become a sustainably self-improving system. “The report isn’t there to solve problems,” Maylor explains. “Through the conversations we had, we identified the FE and Skills ecosystems that are required for positive system change” (see Figure 1).

The specific ecosystems required for positive system change are those interconnected elements within the sector that feed into its overall effectiveness. The report identifies these as: FE and Skills effectiveness improves; FE and Skills is perceived as successful; FE and Skills attracts people, funding, new initiatives and light-touch regulation; and FE and Skills is a better place to work and to learn (see Figure 1).

Classic positive loops include the trust loop: Provided that none of the elements of the loop are broken, then trust between two parties will increase.

They are open in behaviour towards each other

They have fewer fears about each others’ behaviour

There is trust between two parties

There are fewer unknowns about each other

While well-established work is going on to support three of these four areas, which needs to continue and develop, the problematic aspect is the way in which FE and Skills is seen, and this is the challenge that Maylor and Smith are inviting people to join with them to work on.

The report states that we need to get to the point where “success is evidenced by a highly positive reputation both locally and nationally, including but not limited to, high employment rates among graduating learners. This would encourage more learners to see FE and Skills as a viable development route and lead to an increased pool of skilled individuals in the workforce. This would potentially stimulate economic growth.”

Moving forward

Thriving economies must have a dynamic and sustainable FE and Skills sector. The sector needs to have better conversations about the critical aspects that would help movement towards a better future.

The work undertaken by Smith, Maylor and Tully has identified focal points for engendering positive systems-

level change. These focal points have high-quality teaching and learning at their centre, and cover six strands:

Strand 1: Good leadership – trust-based cultures and continuous improvement are highlighted.

Strand 2: Quality of initial teacher education (ITE) – rigorous teaching qualifications and a robust understanding of effective pedagogy are essential.

Strand 3: Access to CPD – personal mastery and accessible, relevant CPD.

Strand 4: Research-informed practice – embedding research to inform teaching and enhance pedagogy.

Strand 5: Professional standards – adopting professional standards to promote professionalism.

Strand 6: Career pathways and support – career development as central to workforce professionalism, developing and maintaining expertise.

“When we think systemically about the FE and Skills sector,” Smith explains, “we can map the opportunities we have for positive change that can further drive professionalism, improve teaching and learning, champion inclusion and enable sector change. These are the four strategic goals of ETF.”

include the scrutiny loop: This is a selfdefeating loop, instigated in many organisations. Unless something is changed in this loop, there is little chance the system can be improved.

system. The next, linked to this, concerns levels or ‘hierarchies’ that exist within systems. For instance, a marking and assessment system is one operational element within the larger system of a college, which is itself an element of a larger social, commercial and educational system.

Our level of analysis is a crucial consideration; too low and it risks missing important and highly influential elements at higher levels, or being swamped by elements. If chosen too high, then the abstraction loses meaning.

Systems can be, and often are, purposefully designed, and with this design comes tensions and alignments between different parts of the system.

Systemic loops

Drawing on the traditions of soft systems thinking, we searched for feedback loops. These are sets of actors and actions that were part of systems that would themselves be self-sustaining, at least in the short term.

These were termed ‘positive’ where they yielded benefit for the organisation or ‘negative’ where they were detrimental (see images, left).

These loops are interesting, because they are the basic building blocks of one of our most powerful tools – the systems map.

The real power is when the agents in the system combine to:

Create a positive loop that does not currently exist.

Break a negative loop that does.

Classic negative loops

Figure 1: The art of the possible: FE and Skills as a sustainably self-improving system

ELIZABETH HOLMES is a freelance journalist specialising in the education sector

Actors have no time to fix the problems with the system

Things are going wrong in a system

Actors in the system spend all their time dealing with the scrutiny

According to LinkedIn, 9 in 10 employers in the UK believe soft skills are more important than ever, with communication, leadership and problem-solving among the most sought after. Teaching staff in the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector know how crucial it is to imbue their learners with these skills, but are they as diligent in developing their own?

Too often, honing soft skills in a sector as busy and subject to change as FE and Skills can be overlooked or neglected. “It feels like everything is urgent because of short academic cycles, but FE is not A&E,” insists Joss Kang, director of FE Constellations, an online membership community for FE and Skills professionals, who has led a number of professional development workshops for the Education and Training Foundation (ETF). “It feels as though everything is

happening so rapidly, so we end up being quite reactive.”

However, finding the time to build soft skills creates a virtuous circle: teachers and leaders are better able to cope with whatever is thrown at them; they support colleagues through improved communication; and they become role models of the skills their learners need to acquire to succeed.

Here’s how you can develop your own soft skills and do the same for your colleagues and team.

Engage in peer-to-peer learning

“While soft skills are necessary for all industries, the fact that many who work in the education sector refer to them as ‘human skills’ only reiterates the valuable role they play,” says Paul Boucher, deputy head of teaching, learning and assessment at Luminate Education Group, which runs Leeds City

Soft skills are a vital but often overlooked attribute for anyone involved in teaching, helping teachers do their jobs better and benefiting learners too. Jo Faragher takes a look at just what’s required, and the areas you can look to develop

College and others in the region.

“It’s often these skills that allow a teacher to really reach a student, facilitating conversations that open the door for the ‘teaching’ to begin. Soft skills are a vital part of pedagogical practice and another reason why many teachers want to see them incorporated into CPD opportunities.”

One way in which Luminate has done this is to take a team of Advanced Practitioners who provide one-to-one and group coaching to other staff. It has also offered themed workshops where teachers can share experiences and best practice.

“When it comes to onboarding teachers who have recently left the industry, we have found that soft skills training can also facilitate the transition to the classroom,” adds Boucher. “It allows those who are new to FE to

HUMAN TOUCH

use communication and critical-thinking techniques to teach the future workforce and bring the curriculum to life.”

Take-away Use experienced colleagues’ skills to mentor and coach others who are newer to the classroom or newly qualified

Build resilience to change

‘Systems change’ is something that has been around in the business world for a while, explains Kang, and refers to the process whereby when someone makes a change in one area, it then has an impact on another. Long-term sustainable change, rather than constantly tweaking timetables or teaching materials, comes from an awareness of how one change can often seed another.

“Tinkering at the edges can lead to staff turnover or burnout, or teachers deciding to only do what they need to,” she says. “On the ground, we can build

IT’S OFTEN THESE SKILLS THAT ALLOW A TEACHER TO REALLY REACH A STUDENT, FACILITATING CONVERSATIONS THAT OPEN THE DOOR FOR THE ‘TEACHING’ TO BEGIN

the skills to deal with change through peer-to-peer learning, putting teaching practice at the heart.” Doing this requires soft skills such as facilitation, listening and coaching, so it’s constantly developing these behaviours.

Emma Hughes, a partner leading the education HR practice at law firm Browne Jacobson, thinks FE and Skills leaders need to elevate the role of soft skills in their recruitment and retention efforts. “Staff may have great technical skills in their subject matter, but are sometimes ill-equipped to lead teams and deal with challenging day-to-day people issues, creating tensions among wider staff,” she says. “This can contribute to recruitment and retention challenges.”

“Leaders can also break the cycle of losing skilled educators during the recruitment process by placing a greater emphasis on soft skills needed for line management roles

specifications, rather than just prioritising technical ability.”

Take-away In interviews, place as much emphasis on candidates’ soft skills as their technical and teaching background, and be clear about the support on off er

Encourage better conversations

A typical day in an FE or Skills setting can throw up a diverse range of difficult situations: disrupting an argument between learners who were over-enthusiastic during a debate; a conversation with a colleague about an awkward safeguarding issue; or a negotiation with the leadership team on next year’s budget.

Trying to be all things to all people can lead to reactive behaviour, says Alex Efthymiades, director at workplace mediation firm Consensio. “Something small such as sending an email in anger is often how relationships break down,” she advises.

Building self-awareness and becoming more intentional about the language we use can help FE and Skills professionals develop tools that take the heat out of such situations. “If you go into situations leaving your assumptions aside, asking open questions such as ‘Can you tell me what happened?’ or suggesting you return to the conversation when it has had time to de-escalate, it can make things calmer,” she adds.

The added bonus is that just as anger can be contagious, so can kindness

CAPITAL CITY COLLEGE GROUP

WE START WITH SMALL THINGS LIKE SETTING BOUNDARIES, WHICH HELPS THEM TO MANAGE THEIR WORKLOAD AND BE PRODUCTIVE

Capital City College Group, London’s largest FE college group, offers soft skills training and coaching to staff at all grades, both teaching and nonteaching. It recently rolled out a twoyear leadership and management programme in which all managers and aspiring managers can take part. In addition, all employees can take 10 days for professional development throughout the year. Five days are directed by the organisation, with sessions covering topics such as stress awareness, resilience, neurodiversity and managing conflict. The other five days are self-directed learning. There’s also an online learning and development hub where staff can access resources on soft skills training, including recordings of the professional development days.

Trovene Hartley, HR director for the group, says soft skills are crucial because they help staff work together better as a team; they build effective and cohesive relationships; and they help everyone to understand themselves and resolve conflicts when they arise. “It is important to build awareness in this area and to assist in developing these skills where we can, not only as a productivity measure but ensuring that our employees are developing personally as they develop professionally,” she says.

“Ensuring we are developing the whole individual, not just particular professional skills, further ensures that our employees are effective role models for the learners that we support.”

HOW WE DO IT

because they require us to climb the next mountain even when it feels like we aren’t fully prepared.” From an organisational perspective, leaders can recognise broader inflection points and build roadmaps for themselves and others.

Take-away Have open feedback sessions on where staff feel their inflection points might be, and how they can learn from them

Look to the future

Because FE and Skills professionals are often timepoor and do a lot of face-to-face teaching, developing soft skills will often need to be self-directed, says Tim Mart, co-founder of coaching platform Know You More, which works with several education providers.

and empathy: “When we have a good relationship with others, we’re more likely to be able to address any conflict with them.”

Take-away Encourage colleagues to reflect on their own biases when negotiating with other staff or learners, perhaps listing questions they could ask themselves before reaching a conclusion

Sow the seeds of leadership

Leadership training is no longer the preserve of those on a fast-track programme to a senior role, and leadership skills are something that can be dispersed throughout your staff body. Indeed, the leadership themes in ETF’s Professional Standards challenge traditional ideas of hierarchical or charismatic leadership, and promote a culture where leadership is facilitated by individual behaviours, underpinned by organisational values. “In this culture, leaders recognise they can only go so far to create the conditions for change, and that their knowledge can only go so far, so they invite

STAFF MAY HAVE GREAT TECHNICAL SKILLS IN THEIR SUBJECT MATTER, BUT ARE SOMETIMES ILL-EQUIPPED TO LEAD TEAMS

perspectives from others,” adds Kang.

According to Sharath Jeevan, founder and executive chairman at Intrinsic Labs, leadership can absolutely be nurtured in this way, even in a busy FE setting. “As FE professionals face a multitude of challenges, they must be prepared to address their inflection moments,” he says.

“These tend to be turning points when something profound changes within ourselves or in the external environment around us. Inflection points are great opportunities to nurture potential

“They need to know what’s in it for them; the human stories as to how people have benefited from building their skills,” he says. “We can start with small things like setting boundaries, which helps them to manage their workload and be productive without burning out.”

Building soft skills capacity in the system – rather than focusing skills development on a certain group – is crucial if it is to be sustainable, adds Mart. “Ultimately, you don’t want to be reliant on an external provider as that runs the risk of being cut if your budget is reduced,” he points out.

“Training people in coaching skills such as curious inquiry, asking questions, communication skills and active listening means they can then have these conversations themselves both in their pedagogy and with colleagues.”

Take-away Bring people together from across subject areas and settings to share their challenges, allowing staff to learn how others adapt to situations

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

Collaboration between the Royal Navy and Team Fisher, a consortium made up of industry, technology, and education providers, is helping to transform the education and training both new and experienced navy personnel receive, with a strong emphasis on practical development. David Adams finds out more

THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP

In 2020, the Royal Navy signed a 12-year, £1.2 billion contract, known as Project Selborne, with an education and training consortium called Team Fisher. Its members include Capita, Raytheon, Fujitsu, Elbit Systems UK and the University of Lincoln. In total, Project Selborne covers the work of more than 1,000 educators delivering more than 650 different training courses at the navy’s facilities and bases around the UK.

The new contract, which came into effect in April 2021, forms the core

of the navy’s strategy to modernise training and education, moving away from more traditional, didactic teaching to embrace the use of active learning and a greater emphasis on the needs of individual learners.

The contract includes delivery of Phase 1 training for new recruits: a 10-week militarisation course delivered at HMS Raleigh – an onshore training facility near Plymouth – including some seamanship, navigational theory, weapons training and physical training. Initial Naval Training for Officers is

g heory, cers

Team Fisher trainers embrace active learning on more than 650 naval courses

conducted at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC), Dartmouth, and is a 30-week course that provides comprehensive induction into naval life as an officer.

Phase 2, or professional training, lasts six months on average, with some courses lasting much longer. It is focused on specialist individual learning, tailored to roles that will be performed at sea, such as weapons or communications engineering. Phase 2 individual training is delivered at a number of Royal Navy training establishments and operational bases across the UK.

Michelle Hall is a training delivery team manager at HMS Collingwood, the navy’s largest onshore training facility, near Portsmouth. At the start of her career she became the navy’s first female weapons engineer mechanic in 1990,

and served in the navy for 23 years. She started working as a trainer eight years ago. She says the navy’s training is very different from her own early days in the service, when, she says, it could be summed up as “memorise everything and there’s an exam at the end”.

Today, her team runs 15 to 22 classes a year, with each class containing about 16 students in mixed-gender groups, whose ages range from 16 to 39.

“Greater gender diversity in the navy is a real positive that I have noticed since I joined,” Hall says.

Team Fisher educators also deliver Phase 3 training courses, which support people to progress throughout their career. This training responds to the latest feedback from frontline environments, ensuring sailors arrive with the right skills for the latest operational situations.

£1.2bn

The overall value of the 12-year deal between the Royal Navy and Team Fisher

Today, most staff working for Team Fisher are educators, says Ben Houlihan, Capita and Team Fisher deputy director of learning design and development. “We want educators within the navy to see themselves as part of the wider training and skills landscape,” he says.

CASE STUDY

He also highlights some of the key partnerships that support Team Fisher’s work: with technology provider DoiT, to support learners with neurodiversity; with learning platform How2, giving educators access to learning structures; and with the Society for Education and Training (SET) – Team Fisher offers SET membership to its educators, enabling access to professional development tools and other resources. “This relationship with the navy is an exceptional example of collaboration,” says Houlihan. Team Fisher has certainly created a new way of delivering education on a large scale in a military environment. We spoke to several trainers and teachers working with the consortium about the challenges and rewards of working as educators serving a unique institution.

PETTY OFFICER (PO) BOND

Phase 1 divisional training instructor, based at HMS Raleigh, near Torpoint in Cornwall PO Bond has served in the navy for 22 years, working largely as an electronic warfare specialist. For the past three years, he has been a Phase 1 instructor at HMS Raleigh. The size of each cohort of new recruits ranges from 25 to 66, who are then overseen by PO Bond and another instructor. Often, the average age of recruits is under 19.

PO Bond welcomes each new group to Raleigh, collecting them from the station if they arrive by train. “They’re with me for the first few weeks and I’ll be a teacher and almost a parent,” he says. “You’re an enforcer, but also a coach, a mentor – a bit of everything. You’ve got to discipline them, but you want them to have the confidence to come to you and ask for help if they need it. In the first few weeks, you get a few who are homesick.”

‘YOU’RE AN ENFORCER, BUT ALSO A COACH, A MENTOR – A BIT OF EVERYTHING’

During the 10-week programme, PO Bond will either stay with recruits throughout days that might start before dawn and continue beyond 10pm, or help transport them to other locations to complete other elements of their training.

“It’s a rewarding job,” PO Bond says. “When they get to a passing-out parade at the end of each course, I feel a little bit jealous about them starting their careers. When their parents tell you how much of a different person is standing in front of them, you can see what a difference you have helped to make.”

DAVID ADAMS is a freelance journalist

CASE STUDY

CRAIG HAINEY

Training delivery instructor (first aid) at HMS Raleigh

Craig Hainey spent 22 years in the navy as a medic, rising to become a chief petty officer. He then worked as a welfare officer at a secondary school, before joining Team Fisher in November 2021. Today he delivers two courses: Foundation First Aid, Level 1, a one-and-a-half-day course delivered to recruits undertaking Phase 1 training; and a Level 2, four-and-a-half-day first aid course, taken by more experienced sea-going personnel.

The courses are now split roughly 50/50 between practical elements and theory, but the

‘BEING ABLE TO USE MY EXPERIENCE TO MOTIVATE AND INFLUENCE THE NEXT GENERATION IS GREAT’

balance is shifting towards a 70/30 practical/theory split. Some teaching is delivered in a mock-up of the interior of a ship, which can be filled with black smoke to recreate the conditions in a fire; other elements make use of a decommissioned Lynx aircraft.

“We’re now moving away from that to a more student-centric delivery, with small group work and a lot of practical work,” says Hainey. “There’s a bit more of ‘Let’s get changed into overalls and cover each other with fake blood!’ It’s an enjoyable place to work. As I’ve only been out of the service for three years, still being able to use my experience to motivate and influence the next generation is great.”

CASE STUDY

BUILDING CONFIDENCE: CHIEF

PETTY OFFICER (CPO) CAMERON

Trainer and lead defence trainer supervisor, Royal Navy Submarine School CPO Cameron teaches a range of learners at the Submarine School at HMS Raleigh, including Phase 2 trainees and Phase 3 learners completing more specialised training after three years of service onboard submarines. He also helps deliver training for personnel seeking to become a petty officer (PO), and some bespoke courses for submariners who have more than seven years’ experience. He says he enjoys the way the training has changed in recent years, with more interactive discussion with learners, who sometimes ask questions he cannot immediately answer. He and his colleagues also ask the different groups of learners to interact

as part of their respective courses.

“It’s about getting them used to what’s going to happen when they join a submarine,” CPO Cameron explains. “For example, how does someone on the PO course explain a practical topic to someone junior? How do you give guidance to command?”

‘IT’S ABOUT GETTING THEM USED TO WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THEY JOIN A SUBMARINE’

At the heart of the training is the aim of treating every learner as an individual, taking into account varying levels of education, experience and ability, or neurodiversity. For Phase 2 trainees, the underlying aim is to instil the confidence they will need when they join a submarine for the first time. “That’s the most valuable thing: to empower them to do the job,” says CPO Cameron. “It’s great when students say: ‘I’m confident going forward.’”

The contract includes Phase 1 training for new recruits, including weapons training

CASE STUDY

PAUL DOPSON

Training delivery team leader, at HMS Collingwood

Paul Dopson is a rare breed: a Royal Navy trainer who has never served in the navy. Before becoming a trainer at HMS Collingwood in 2015, he had spent eight years teaching maths and science at a secondary school. “I’m an educator who has learned how to use Royal Navy systems, rather than someone in the navy who has learned how to teach,” he says. He is now a team leader, helping deliver Phase 2 training for weapon engineering. His own teaching is primarily for the engineering technician career course, which is linked to a Level 2 apprenticeship. Dopson says he really enjoys his job. For one thing, learner behaviour is never a problem. He always gets a lot of satisfaction from helping a varied group of learners to understand sometimes complex concepts and techniques. “It’s that feeling of them realising that they know so much more than they did when they arrived,” he says.

‘IT’S THAT FEELING OF THEM REALISING THAT THEY KNOW SO MUCH MORE THAN THEY DID WHEN THEY ARRIVED’

c1,000

CASE STUDY

JOHN MOYLAN

Defence trainer working in the Weapons Engineering Training School at HMS Collingwood

John Moylan began his career with nine years in the navy, working in weapons engineering, maintaining communications and radar systems. He then spent the next three decades in telecommunications and broadcasting and then at National Air Traffic Services, where he became a technical trainer. In 2021, he took up his current position in Team Fisher, teaching courses and modules within Phase 2 and Phase 3 training.

engineering course works. A tutorial from an instructor might be supported by some video materials and instructions on researching the topic in a little more detail via reference books or online.

“Then we give them a quiz that records their activities and answers,” he explains. “Then part two could be a practical experiment, a training element with a real radar system. In the third part there would be some collaborative learning, and then a test.”

‘THERE COULD BE A PRACTICAL EXPERIMENT – A TRAINING ELEMENT WITH A REAL RADAR SYSTEM’

Moylan describes how a module on radar for a weapons

He says his favourite parts of the job are “lightbulb moments”, when a student finding a particular concept difficult suddenly understands it, and his work as a defence trainer supervisor, working with colleagues to keep improving their teaching.

The number of educators delivering training under the agreement

All the world’s a stage

Teachers in the Further Education and Skills sector must tread a fine line between being true to themselves and playing their part in a performative culture. Anthony Harvey FCCT FSET explores how they can navigate this tricky balancing act

Iwill always cast my mind back to a video circulating on social media. It featured CCTV footage of a teacher walking down the corridor on his way to the classroom. He stopped at the door and took a deep breath in, and moved his mouth up into a smile, much like an actor preparing to step onto the stage. This resonated with me. Are we all performers? What are the factors that cause us to wear these masks?

Here, we will picture the educational landscape as a grand theatre, with teachers assuming the role of skilled actors navigating the complex script of their profession. Erving

ANTHONY HARVEY FCCT

FSET is group assistant principal curriculum at Eastern Education Group

Goffman (1959) posits, within his dramaturgy theorem, that individuals engage in impression management, adapting different personas to navigate social situations.

In the educational realm, teachers are akin to thespians on a stage, juggling multiple roles and personas to meet the demands of their profession. His dramaturgical perspective guides us through the subtle dance of impression management and identity construction.

Throughout this short article, I would like you to consider which masks you wear in your daily life, and as a professional.

Performing pedagogy

Performativity has become a central concept in contemporary educational discourse, particularly in relation to teacher identity creation. Performativity refers to the ways in which individuals are evaluated and judged based on their ability to perform certain tasks or meet certain standards, often in the context of institutions such as schools.

The concept of performativity is prevalent within Stephen Ball’s writing and remains influential within my views of teachers’ functioning. The model of performativity and how we portray ourselves to others within the profession has developed throughout my professional practices. I was aware of times when I performed for others, and how I fabricated my inner and outer self to satisfy the needs of not just the observer in a classroom, but also colleagues and peers.

I felt under pressure to conform to perceived expectations of what constitutes an outstanding lesson, and I had to perform accordingly. This is echoed by Ball, when he describes how a teacher is required to teach in one particular way for an Ofsted inspection, despite

believing in a different approach as the most effective (Jeffrey and Woods, 1998; cited in Ball, 2003). He emphasises this term as fabrication. How we perform or act in the classroom is only one section of our professional selves. It is important to question: How does the self evolve throughout our journey? Are there times when you have engaged in impression management?

In my own professional practices, the development of teacher identity forms a key interest in my professional practices, and the journey the trainee teacher takes in their development is always an interest. What factors interplay in the development

IN THE EDUCATIONAL REALM, TEACHERS ARE AKIN TO THESPIANS ON A STAGE, JUGGLING MULTIPLE ROLES AND PERSONAS

of self for these newly qualified teachers? How do they grow into the teacher they become? It is not just for newly qualified teachers that the formation of the teaching self is a key concept of interest. How did you mature into your current self? What factors contributed to your evolution?

Ball suggests that performative acts are creeping into the role of the teacher. This is not because they were seen to offer any pedagogical merit or value,

but because they were a way of being seen to be doing what others wanted to see, therefore not only changing what the teacher did, but also who they were. This shift in expectations and behaviour requires teachers to “set aside personal beliefs and commitments and live in an existence of calculation”.

Herein lies the modernday juxtaposition between maintaining ethical and personal integrity and conforming to accountability measures. Ball paints a picture here of conflicted teachers who need to set aside their ‘traditional’ values of a teacher to achieve in the performative culture.

Conflicting pressures

Teachers face pressure from increased structures within their profession. There is an apparent discord between the want of others and the wants of the practitioner themselves.

I have a strong belief that teachers act as agents in the realisation or reconstruction of their own professional identity, but the impact of structures within the establishment and the profession changes individuals’ aspirations for how they fit within the teaching role. The individual will therefore be influenced by the strategies participants adopt to deal with the contradictions and tensions they encounter within their everyday teaching practice.

The arguments that teachers are working within a performative culture, thus creating a set of dualisms and tensions, appear to ring true. These tensions can lead to teachers having some potential ‘splitting’ between teachers’ own judgements and good practice and the rigours of performance. This foretells inner conflicts, inauthenticity and resistance. It is also suggested that performativity produces cloudiness rather than transparency, as individuals and

TEACHERS ACT AS AGENTS IN THE REALISATION OR RECONSTRUCTION OF THEIR OWN PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY

organisations take ever-greater care in the construction and maintenance of fabrications. (Ball, 2003).

These fabrications are representations or versions of a teacher, which may be deemed superficial or make-believe. Owing to the complex and diverse nature of educational establishments, these fabrications are multifaceted and ever-changing.

But are these fabrications a bad thing? We need to uphold standards and maintain integrity as a profession. I am sure you can acknowledge times when you behave differently when with different groups. Many of the

structures are in place to serve a purpose. We need to strive for excellence and consistency across the profession, and we therefore need standards to adhere to and guide us.

An understanding of fabrications, and how teachers are deemed actors within their profession ties in with Erving Goffman’s dramaturgy theorem. Goffman argued that we display a series of masks to others; we are enacting roles, and staging how we appear. We build these masks based on our interaction with others within the community, and different members create different masks (Goffman, 1959). If this is true, do we have a true self or are we endlessly performing?

Personality traits

Goffman analyses the structures of social encounters, focusing on a dramatic perspective. For Goffman, our personality isn’t an internal phenomenon. Instead, it’s the sum of all the different ‘masks’ that we put on throughout our life:

a social dramaturgy. Goffman used the term ‘dramaturgy’ to describe the interplay between masks, and personal beliefs and values.

There are two important elements in social dramaturgy: the stage and the backstage. In particular, the stage consists of the moments in which we project an image of ourselves for others, due to the social structures in which we are ‘performing’ and to meet the expectations of the socially constructed role.

On the other hand, the backstage is our true self (Goffman, 1959). The role of dramaturgy could be seen as a crucial part of teacher development and the construction of teaching within a profession full of structures. The presentation of self has a clear link to professional identity as it is understood that this is formed due to the projection of oneself, and the sense of the teacher they wish to become (Canrinus, 2011).

Goffman identifies that different structures have different effects on behaviour and in turn create different masks for the environment. It would be poignant to consider what potential structures could create these masks and form how we behave and the creation of self within the working practices. Institutions have different expectations on ways of behaving, and norms are constructed about how we should respond to different social contexts (Dowding, 2008).

Structural constraints are understood as the various political, economic, social and cultural factors limiting individual decision-making ability. All these constraints could lead to the fabrication of self and a mask being worn.

We can all recognise when we wear a mask in everyday life. We perform this fabrication daily, how we change between family,

friendship groups, and professional life. Is this a negative that we are able to adapt and move with our environment?

The ability to ‘perform’ and fabricate behaviour does not always provide conflict for everybody. Many teachers possess the ability to navigate this environment seamlessly and thrive with their ability to fabricate their performance, creating an identity that is deliberate so as to flourish in the new regime.

Ball describes these battles as “values schizophrenia”, where the teachers are trying to reconcile their commitment to their students and their necessity to be seen to ‘perform’ well, generating what Ball coins as the ‘new hero’. This therefore provides a strong link with Goffman’s dramaturgy theorem.

Complex picture

In conclusion, the educational landscape, as depicted through the lens of Goffman’s dramaturgy theorem and Ball’s concept of performativity, unveils a complex interplay between personal identity, societal expectations and professional roles within the teaching profession.

Teachers, akin to skilled actors on a grand stage, find themselves navigating the intricate script of their profession while managing the ever-present pressure to conform to external standards and expectations.

The notion of wearing masks, both literal and metaphorical, resonates deeply within this discourse, reflecting the

THE ABILITY TO ‘PERFORM’ AND FABRICATE BEHAVIOUR DOES NOT ALWAYS PROVIDE CONFLICT FOR EVERYBODY

multifaceted nature of teacher identity construction. As teachers, we grapple with the demands of impression management and the conflicting pressures of authenticity versus performance. We must negotiate a delicate balance between maintaining personal integrity and adhering to institutional norms and professional norms to ensure good practice.

As we reflect on the performative nature of teaching, we are prompted to consider the authenticity of our own selves amid the roles we inhabit, ultimately questioning whether we are endlessly performing or revealing glimpses of our true selves on the stage of education.

References and further reading

Ball, S. J. (2003) The teacher’s soul and the terrors of performativity. Journal of Education Policy, 18(2), 215-228.

Canrinus, E. T. (2011) Teachers’ Sense of Their Professional Identity. University of Groningen, Netherlands.

Dowding, K. (2008) Agency and structure: Interpreting power relationships, Journal of Power, 1:1, 21-36.

Goffman, E. (1959) The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Bantam Doubleday Dell PublishingGroup.

Jeffrey, B. and Woods, P. (1998) Testing Teachers: the effect of school inspections on primary teachers. London: Falmer Press.

Karmel, P. (chair) (1973) Schools in Australia: Report of the Interim Committee for the Australian Schools Commission Canberra: Australian Government PublishingService.

Strathern, M. (2000) Audit Cultures: anthropological studies in accountability, ethics and the academy. London: Routledge.

Bridging the gap

More joined-up thinking and an emphasis on developing softer skills in learners could help create stronger ties between employers and training providers in the land-based industry, says Ellen Riddick

Choosing to study a course within the land-based sector often stems from a personal interest related to “being outdoors”. This, at times, can correlate to disinterested individuals who are reluctant to be in a classroom environment, depending on their previous educational experiences (Kilpatrick, 1998).

The links between education and employment have been long debated, with the Office for National Statistics analysing longterm trends in UK employment from 1861, and attributing many of these to changes in educational policy and educational opportunity (Chiripanhura and Woolf, 2019).

In 2014, a speech by Matt Hancock MP in the Houses of Parliament made the case for strengthening the links between education and employment. He

suggested that people were leaving educational settings without the key skills necessary to succeed in the workplace (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, 2014). This is a complex and longstanding issue, which will therefore be narrowed into research based on bridging the skills gap between vocational education and employment specifically. The aim of vocational courses is to provide learners with the specific skillset they may need to enter directly into the industry, and therefore these play a crucial role in supplying demand for practicalbased employers. Collegenp (2023) claims that vocational education is becoming increasingly important, since many related industries are experiencing a growing shortage of skilled workers. It often also provides a curriculum aligned with local organisations, meaning they are more likely to be employed post-education.

Much of the research agrees that individuals educated in vocational courses are more likely to find employment, but that this could lead to unemployment later on in life due to lack of flexibility in knowledge and skill (Forster et al, 2016).

One of the causes of this, according to Bolli et al (2018), is the lack of measurable guidance on education-employment linkage (EEL). It is therefore necessary for the vocational education system to consider the expectations of employers in industry generally. Employers, in turn, will depend on the education system for economic production – hence a lack of structure and communication between the two can lead to a mismatch in the development and demand of skills (Kelly, 2009).

Employer involvement

To assess a programme’s effectiveness in terms of links with employment, the first measurable approach focuses on the participation of employers in both the provision and delivery of the specialist vocational subject.

The European Training Foundation (2013) framework is based around six key principles, several of which apply directly to EEL. These include “participation”, which requires an appropriate range of stakeholders to collaborate and engage throughout the vocational learning cycle. The Professional Standards (Education and Training Foundation, 2022) also include developing “opportunities for learners through collaboration with employers, higher education and/or community groups”.

However, this could potentially be misinterpreted by different educational organisations – for example, the box is effectively ticked here by ensuring learners, according to the City & Guilds curriculum, build 150 hours

ABOUT THE RESEARCH

I have worked around the world in wildlife rehabilitation and conservation projects for a variety of species, and have always been drawn to teaching roles. This led me to my role as lecturer in land-based studies at Easton College, where this writing was developed.

Over my several years of teaching at Easton College, I noticed patterns in student behaviour post-college, which led to a proportion struggling to find paid positions within the land-based industry.

I knew there would be several reasons for this (such as increased competition and ability for organisations to prioritise voluntary roles, particularly with increased interest in nature-based/outdoor roles post-Covid). I got in touch with some of the larger local employers to question whether they felt there were any skills

gaps that we should be addressing to mitigate this.

I was surprised that many of the employers mentioned soft skills not being as prevalent, which could be a deciding factor between several students of equal experience and knowledge. I questioned my own incorporation of this into teaching, and whether it was something that could be more prevalent in the vocational curriculum.

Through my research (which included discussions with employers, as well as current and former students on the land-based courses), it seemed the optimal way of doing this was to better integrate employer-engagement in a variety of ways, build rapport, increase confidence and expose learners to the reality of life post-college.

THE AIM OF VOCATIONAL COURSES IS TO PROVIDE LEARNERS WITH THE SPECIFIC SKILLSET THEY NEED TO ENTER THE

INDUSTRY

of work experience in the industry throughout the academic year.

ELLEN RIDDICK is former lecturer in land-based studies at Easton College

Bolli et al (2018) and Rageth and Renold (2017) mitigate this by suggesting that there should be an equal decisive power between both the vocational educators and the employers with regards to the skills taught throughout the programme. When this share in power and communication occurs, EEL is at its highest and most effective (see Figure 1), while still remaining generalised enough for movement within the workplace or higher education. Curricula should

therefore be regularly updated based on the needs of the labour market, which includes the content, examinations or assessments and qualification standards incorporating the expectations of employers in the industry (Rageth and Renold, 2017).

Life skills

Learners should have access to a holistic education that encompasses key life skills required for employment such as communication, leadership development, motivation, problemsolving and decision-making. According to a global report by Google, 53 per cent of UK teachers believe that soft skills (personal attributes) are more important to a student’s success than a qualification (Cullinane and Montacute, 2017), and 81 per cent of young people in the UK believe that schools or colleges should offer a wider variety of vocational qualifications (Google for Education, 2022). The vast majority (91 per cent) of CEOs

FIGURE 1

Education-employment

Education system actors have all the decision power

Actors from the education and employment systems share decision power

Decision power

Employment system actors have all the decision power

Graph highlighting the relationship between employer/education communication (Bolli et al, 2018)

globally believe that they need to develop their organisation’s soft skills, and therefore skills such as confidence, teamwork and empathy should be taught alongside the generic curriculum (Belgutay, 2018).

This seems to show that although the UK Skills for Jobs White Paper (2021), which aims to improve employer collaboration with vocational curricula, is positive, this needs to be closely monitored and regularly updated to be effective. It is also interesting to note that there has been very little research conducted on land and wildlife management-related courses generally, with most of the land-based vocational research based on agricultural courses.

A similar theme to what we are experiencing has been suggested, however, with research showing that only 12 per cent of the working agricultural population have previously been on a vocational programme (Butler and Le Grice, 2005). The literature overall appears to suggest that further employer involvement in the development of the curriculum, and the inclusion of soft skills, should be considered to bridge the

gap between the vocational subjects and long-term employment.

Closer relationships

Based on my experience (see About the research), at a land and wildlife course level more employer-engagement should be implemented throughout the courses to increase motivation and set realistic expectations of the industry post-college. Developing soft skills provides learners with a toolbox of skills that go beyond the curriculum and will prepare them for “the real world”, regardless of whether that is within the sector.

A case study within the Department for Education report (2017) highlighted the ability to strengthen relationships with employers through a range of engagement opportunities with the students, including mock interviews and delivering talks.

“Involving employers in these types of activities was considered a valuable way of supporting the development of students and to cultivate a stronger relationship with employers, so making them more likely to consider offering a placement,” it concluded.

References

Belgutay J. (2018) Vocational skills valued by students and employers. Tes Magazine

Bolli T et al. (2018) Beyond employer engagement. Journal of Vocational Education & Training 70(4): 1-40.

Butler A and Le Grice P. (2005) Provision, participation and penetration in Lobley M and Butler A (eds.) University of Exeter Centre for Rural Research Annual Report 2004. Exeter: University of Exeter.

Chiripanhura B and Woolf N. (2019) Long-term trends in UK employment: 1861 to 2018. Office for National Statistics. See: b.link/ONS-employment-trends (accessed 3 May 2024).

Collegenp. (2023) Vocational education and skills shortage: how to bridge the gap. See: b.link/Collegenpvocational (accessed 3 May 2024).

Cullinane C and Montacute R. (2017) Life lessons: improving essential life skills for young people. The Sutton Trust. See: b.link/SuttonTrust-LifeLessons (accessed 3 May 2024).

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. (2014) Strengthening links between education and employment. Institute for Public Policy Research European Jobs and Skills Summit, London. See: b.link/ Gov-strengtheninglinks (accessed 3 May 2024).

Department for Education. (2021) Skills for Jobs. See: b.link/DfE-skillsforjobs (accessed 3 May 2024).

Department for Education. (2017) Work experience and related activities in schools and colleges research report. See: b.link/DfE-workexperience (accessed 3 May 2024).

European Training Foundation. (2013) Good multilevel governance for vocational education and training. See: b.link/ETF-multilevelgovernance (accessed 3 May 2024).

ETF. (2022) Professional standards for teachers and trainers. See at: et-foundation.co.uk/professionalstandards/teachers (accessed 3 May 2024).

Forster A et al. (2016) Vocational education and employment over the life cycle. Sociological Science 3: 473-494.

Google for Education. (2022) Life skills and workforce preparation. See: b.link/Google-lifeskills (accessed 3 May 2024).

Kelly AV. (2009) The Curriculum: Theory and Practice. London: Sage.

Kilpatrick S. (1998) Education and Training: Impacts on Farm Management Practice. Launceston: CRLRA.

Rageth L and Renold U. (2017) The Linkage Between the Education and Employment Systems. Zurich: KOF Swiss Economic Institute.

Taking control

Allowing learners to take responsibility for their own development can help them develop skills that will empower them in education and beyond. Beth James outlines some tips on how to go about it

Acontinuous concern within education is the achievement of our learners, ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to progress into further studies or employment and become integrated into society.

Inspiring learners through sharing knowledge and skills is a shared process, no matter the level of education a learner finds themselves at. Therefore, when learners do not ‘achieve’, it is natural to question why this has

happened to ensure that they are given the chance and support to succeed.

Theorists have looked into reasons for lack of achievement and suggested links to class, gender and ethnicity. This deficit thinking, however, is outdated and fails to look at the complex wider picture that young people are experiencing. If learners are labelled by these constraints, it would reduce rather than enhance their opportunities.

A recent study by Gruijters et al (2023) has provided evidence that

places reduced emphasis on the significance socio-emotional skills have on achievement. It suggests that focusing on developing character skills in learners to improve achievement may not have as much impact as expected. While improving learners’ character is not unwarranted, the building of skills and confidence in learners is a vital part of teaching. This idea that learners are the barriers to their own success is detrimental to both learners and teachers. For learners, this has the possibility of further disengaging them with their educational experience and could cause downward spirals of their confidence. For teachers, this could risk a false belief that they cannot help or support learners until they have built a character ready to ‘achieve’ educationally. Therefore, it is vital that teachers can see the big picture of what may impact learners

BETH JAMES is lecturer in criminology and sociology at Telford College

and take some action to support them, as well as mitigate factors that not only help them build character but feel that they are active members of the educational community.

To do this, learners need to be encouraged and supported to take ownership of their learning. This will provide a platform of collaborative learning that establishes joint responsibilities of teachers and learners within their learning and development journey. As the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (2021) suggests, it is through learners actively taking a role in their learning that they will be empowered to develop a wide range of skills to use during education and in later life.

Facilitating learner ownership can be achieved through ensuring their needs are met by challenging and mitigating the big-picture problems, which would allow learners to focus on their own development.

The following ideas suggest some strategies to build on a cofacilitated learning environment:

1. Make no assumptions

Learners both face and have faced a variety of barriers to their learning so it is vital to never

assume the skills and knowledge they have. A major barrier which still has a noticeable impact on learners is Covid-19 (Education Endowment Foundation, 2022), with some encountering drastically different schooling due to both institutional and personal access to online technology. This experience is one factor that could have had a ripple effect in the skills and knowledge learners have. Therefore, avoid making assumptions and instead build in opportunities to practise and develop skills organically. Use Bloom’s taxonomy to create space within the class for learners of all levels of skills and experiences to promote what they already know: a constructivist knowledgebuilding model (Gershon, 2015). Challenge them by using activities which build from lowerto higher-level skills naturally, and learners will build the confidence and a more habitual approach to taking ownership of their learning.

2. Encourage scaffolded discovery learning

A misconception with facilitated learning is that teachers are ‘hands-off ’ in the classroom. However, this is not the case. It is about creating an environment where learners are supported to

A MISCONCEPTION WITH

FACILITATED

LEARNING IS THAT TEACHERS ARE ‘HANDS-OFF’ IN THE CLASSROOM

discover information to enhance their own skills and knowledge. To encourage ownership, people should be given opportunities to take responsibility for their learning. This is achievable through discovery activities, but they need to be supported by the teacher.

For example, when tasked with researching and note-taking, learners could be given a list of sources to start their research or even a checklist of terminology or criteria to be included in their notes. Learners would have direction as a starting point while having space to personalise their work. For teachers, they will have room to monitor and support learners as the need arises.

3. Promote learner choice

Learner ownership challenges people to go from doing and understanding in the classroom to being an active participant – a stakeholder – in their own learning experience and environment. Ownership includes sharing their skills and knowledge with others, as well as creating strategies, and using these both in and out of the classroom.

A shift from learner engagement to ownership could be achieved through inclusivity. This can be through setting tasks where the aims could be achieved through different approaches to suit their individual needs.

A simple example would be having learners compile notes to best suit them. This could include note-capture as a poster, a mind-map,

written structured notes, a digital resource, colour-coded flashcards and so on. Learners will own their created resource, which will boost their confidence alongside their knowledge.

The Education and Training Foundation’s inclusivity framework (2024) is available online with further examples on developing inclusive teaching to support all learners.

4. Use feedforward for reflection

Teachers giving feedforward – the process of discussing and creating targets on how to progress meaningfully instead of focusing on what they achieved in the past – empower learners to address these areas and reflect on how to strengthen them.

Having learners regularly reflect on their skills and progress, and setting their own targets, will promote self-aware individuals who can take ownership of their learning both in and outside the classroom. Learner ownership is, therefore, a stepping stone on a journey to achievement and, subsequently, into higher education, apprenticeships or employment.

5. Facilitate a community of practice

Learner ownership is more likely to be successful when learners feel part of a community of practice.

References

Bates, B.(2016) Learning Theories Simplified. London: SAGE. Education Endowment Foundation. (2022) The Impact of COVID-19 on Learning: A Review of the Evidence Education and Training Foundation. (2024) Making Learning Accessible

LEARNER OWNERSHIP IS A STEPPING STONE TO HIGHER EDUCATION, APPRENTICESHIPS OR EMPLOYMENT

Wenger-Trayner (2015) discussed how formal and informal communities of practice can be formed within education.

By encouraging learners to partake in these groups, they see the worth in their own skills and knowledge, and actively share this with their peers to promote a positive learning environment. It is then through sharing their learning with both the teacher and their peers that the learner has co-led the lesson, making their experience more concrete and substantial.

Learners are both acting as and learning from ‘most knowledgeable others’, which, as Vygotsky suggested, helps them develop understanding and skills (Bates, 2016). Making space for group discussions, collaborative activities or learner-led presentations will only empower learners collectively and let them achieve ownership.

Gershon, M. (2015) How to Use Bloom’s Taxonomy in the Classroom: The Complete Guide US: CreateSpace.

Gruijters, R.J., Raabe, I.J. and Hübner, N. (2023) Socio-emotional skills and the socioeconomic achievement gap. Sociology of Education

National Institute for Excellence in Teaching. (2021) Learning Acceleration Resources: Student Engagement Versus Student Ownership

Wenger-Trayner, E. and WengerTrayner, B. (2015) Introduction to Communities of Practice: A Brief Overview of the Concept and Its Uses

MEMBERS’ CORNER

THE FORUM

To

TfollowPleaseuseand ourhashtag #SETinTuition toseethelatest featuresfrom inTuition

the next level

here have been some internal team changes here at the Society for Education and Training (SET), so while Ellie Locke, membership acquisition and retention manager, is on maternity leave, we will be taking the opportunity to introduce you to the team members caretaking Members’ Corner.

So, hello! I am Teresa Thomas, the new membership operations manager and an integral part of the recently formed membership and accreditation team. My role is to manage SET’s professional status programmes, a busy and diverse role, which I have been involved with, in one way or another, since 2014 (and prior to that with the Institute for Learning!).

the requisite experience to read more about the programme on our website and to contact us if you require any further support and guidance.

Our Professional Formation programme, leading to Qualified Teaching Learning and Skills (QTLS) status, enables educators in the early stages of their career to show progression and commitment to excellence. The application window for the January 2025 cohort will open on 12 August 2024. Check the eligibility criteria on our website.

‘I WOULD ENCOURAGE MEMBERS WITH THE REQUISITE EXPERIENCE TO READ MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAMME ON OUR WEBSITE’

So, what’s going on? The window to apply for Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) opened on 1 April. Achieving ATS enables advanced practitioners to demonstrate to colleagues and employers mastery in teaching and learning, helping to advance careers by supporting moves into more senior roles. I would encourage SET members with

Over 26,000 professionals have achieved QTLS status since its introduction in 2008, and more than 260 advanced practitioners have been awarded ATS since it was launched in 2017. Both programmes are recognised as marks of professionalism and a commitment to ongoing development as an educator.

There’s more information on the SET website for anyone interested in taking their career to the next level.

TERESA

THOMAS is membership operations manager at SET

PROFESSIONAL STATUS

Recognition for members with QTLS

We recently held discussions with the Teaching Regulation Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Education (DfE), regarding Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status.

We are delighted to announce that all SET members awarded QTLS status, who continue to maintain the status through SET membership, will automatically be issued with a Teacher Reference Number. They will also appear on both SET’s professional status register and the DfE’s central record of qualified teachers.

This is a significant step forward in recognition of the professional status of our members working in the Further Education and Skills sector. Members who hold QTLS have been contacted about how their entry on to the central record of qualified teachers will be managed. Further information is available on the SET website.

The next QTLS application window opens on 12 August. If you’re considering undertaking QTLS as part of your professional development journey, please check the website for details of the most up-to-date eligibility criteria.

Learning from others at ATS event

Our third hybrid Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) reaccreditation event was held on 8 March and hosted by ETF/SET Corporate Partner Walsall College. Nearly 50 ATS holders came together, in person and online, for a day of professional development, with sessions on developing the organisation, yourself and colleagues. The first session ‘Inclusive practice for neurodiversity – helping

organisations to support staff to increase their confidence’ was delivered by Rachel Öner, a freelance education consultant.

This was followed by the Education and Training Foundation’s lead CPD trainer Kathryn Langford talking about professional identity, with Vicky Lang, business lecturer at Oaklands College, closing the event with her experience of retrieval practice in the classroom and how to implement this.

CALLING ALL STUDENT MEMBERS

If you’re coming to the end of your initial teacher education (ITE) programme in the summer, we hope you will continue with your SET membership. If you achieve a Level 5 teaching qualification, you will be eligible to upgrade to the Member grade, with the use of the postnominals MSET. You’ll also have continued access to the full range of benefits and services, including SET MentorMe.

As a newly qualified teacher, you may benefit from matching with a more experienced educator, so register as a mentee via the SET website.

YOUR DETAILS

ARE YOU UP TO DATE?

It’s so important that we hold the correct contact information for you. You can update your details and your contact and marketing preferences in real time via your MySET dashboard, so log in today and check your details. While you are there, you can review the areas of special interest that you’ve signed up for and update these too. We want to ensure that we are highlighting the things that are relevant to you so it’s important that your preferences are correct.

All presenters have themselves gone through the ATS journey and were keen to share their experiences. The event was well received by those who attended – 94% were satisfied overall. Members are required to reaccredit every three years to maintain both ATS status and chartered status CTeach.

The provisional date for the 2025 event is 7 March 2025. If it is time for you to reaccredit, we will be in touch in due course.

WEBINARS

At your fingertips

Have you checked out the resources we have on the SET website? There’s a whole back catalogue of webinars that you can access at a time that suits you. Of course, we want as many members to join the live broadcasts as possible so that you get a chance to engage and ask questions, but we also realise that time is a valuable asset, so all our CPD webinars are available on-demand.

3

Why we need to talk about behaviour with Pete Benyon

Take a look at what’s on offer in the Resource Hub. You’ll also find details of all forthcoming CPD webinars and Special Interest Group events on the events pages.

The top three streamed webinars are currently:

1 The power of showing how as a teaching method with Geoff Petty

sk ealise our CPD streamed of showing eaching Geoff Petty the 12 ples for with ford, p g

2 Exploring the 12 key principles for effective CPD Kathryn Langford, ETF’s lead CPD trainer

How did you first get into teaching? By accident! Low job opportunities in video game design and graphics, which I had studied at university, led me to study for a quick Teaching English as a Foreign Language qualification and teach English overseas for a gap year.

I fell in love with the job, and one year turned into four. On returning to the UK, I achieved my diploma in teaching in the lifelong learning sector qualification, alongside working in an apprenticeship team.

Why did you feel this was the career for you?

Two reasons: first, my experience at school was challenging, partly because I was an undiagnosed neurodivergent in horrendous burnout (hindsight is perfect!) and partly because I was a contrary teen. One teacher will always stand out as my ‘role model’: Mrs Strachan, my GCSE English teacher, broke down all of my educational barriers and showed me I was worth something.

Second, no day in teaching is the same, and every minute of my time is well spent. I’ve never been suited to a purely desk-based job, but the mix of administration and customer (student)-facing responsibilities is perfect for me.

Where has your career taken you so far?

My first years were spent teaching English in South Korea and Japan, which was such a lucky and wonderful experience to have. Since my return to the UK in 2008, I worked in the apprenticeship sector while teacher training, was a teacher of English, maths and ICT for over a decade, and am now head of English, maths and ESOL at an FE college. During that time I have completed my master’s in education, and am now working towards my Level 5 CMI diploma.

OVERSEAS INSPIRATION

A stint teaching English in South Korea and Japan helped Jenn Lunn MSET ATS realise this was the career they wanted to pursue

Can you run me through a typical day? Honestly, there are no typical days in my job, which is why it’s so fulfilling! Aside from teaching, I collaborate across college to develop our maths and English strategy, working with staff and external stakeholders to enhance our students’ experience and ensure they’re ready for their next steps.

I am also privileged to work with external agencies in honing our Citizens’ Curriculum, which is designed to reconnect adult learners with literacy, numeracy and further educational opportunities.

What’s the strangest request you’ve had from a learner?

I was invited to marry my student’s

son – without his knowledge or us having met. My invitation to the match-making dinner was politely declined!

How would you like your career to develop?

I’m at that stage in my career where I’m not sure – my five-year plan is under development! I love my current job, which is middle management and really keeps me busy so I’m never bored. My ambition is to continue developing myself as both teacher and manager until I know what my next steps will be.

What three characteristics do you feel make a good teacher?

Energy, adaptability, student-focused.

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

If you don’t look after yourself, you can’t look after anyone else. Self-care and staff wellbeing are essential.

What do you love most about teaching?

When students who struggle have their ‘a-ha!’ moment, especially in maths! When they overcome a barrier and realise that they actually quite enjoy maths. When they win –whatever that success looks like. When someone who sees themselves as a ‘zero’ realises they’re a ‘hero’.

The list goes on.

What do you get up to outside of work?

The three Cs: computer gaming, crafting and cycling. I also love a good long walk, especially in the glorious Channel Islands where I live, where the sea and sand recharges the soul.

JENN LONG is programme leader for English, maths and skills at The Guernsey Institute

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

BOOK REVIEWS

DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING TEACHING IN SENSITIVE SUBJECT AND TOPIC AREAS

EditedbyWilliamMcGovern, AidanGillespie,TobyBrandon andAlisonMcInnes EmeraldPublishing

Targeted specifically at teachers in further and higher education settings, this book is a collection of articles written by academics, university students and advocates with a particular interest in, or experience of, some of the big issues facing us as a society.

The articles are designed to help those tasked with teaching sensitive issues ensure they do not inadvertently fall into preconceived ideas or stereotypes, and in turn to help learners understand the issues in greater depth and without prejudice.

Drawing in many cases on lived experiences, the book tackles issues including racism, poverty, violence, homelessness and disability. Notable chapters include Rahida Mohammed’s personal reflection on holding multiple identities as female, Muslim and British, and Lydia Lochhead’s piece on supporting young people whose parents use substances.

Although it can feel a bit academic in places, this will be of direct interest to anyone tasked with teaching such subjects or learners.

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

GREATER EXPECTATIONS: ENABLING ACHIEVEMENTS FOR DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS

ByIanWarwickandAlexCrossman CorwinUK

Most secondary and higher education teachers are aware of the London Academy of Excellence and its unusual high performance and grade results for the demographic that it serves.

This book reveals not just the secrets of its success, but the full gamut of the philosophy and practices that have led to the extraordinary achievements of its students.

Written by its headteacher and the chair of its education committee, this book explains the challenges and obstacles faced by disadvantaged students, including important definitions and the needs that require addressing.

The authors are well respected experts in this field, and this book exudes a confidence that I found alluring, even when I found myself being challenged on some ideas that are standard among educators.

This book also challenges social norms and concepts such as social mobility. I was particularly pleased with the positive vibe and thread that runs throughout, and found that I could really understand how this ambitious school has been so successful and that there are learning points for other schools and colleges waiting to be adopted.

MENTORING AND COACHING IN EDUCATION: A GUIDE TO COACHING AND MENTORING TEACHERS AT EVERY STAGE OF THEIR CAREERS

ByLizanaOberholzerandDerekBoyle BloomsburyAcademic

This is a well-presented book with a wealth of information and practical advice aimed at those who mentor and guide educators in today’s institutions. It is written by two leaders in teacher education who have impressive résumés of experience in this field, which is reflected in the contents of this book.

While it reviews established concepts, it also reflects the most recent frameworks and policies for teaching in England. It covers mentoring of early careers teachers through to developing and supporting headteachers, while incorporating different challenges faced by women and different ethnic groups.

I was particularly drawn to the sections on expectations of team members and the practical and emotional issues of supporting those who are dealing with difficult situations. I was further impressed with the authors addressing how to support educators with everyday and common challenges. This book is well written and researched, and provides a very useful resource for anyone supporting an educator at any stage of their careers.

“I

Debra Barnett, MSET, QTLS