InTuition Winter 2023

The journal for professional teachers, trainers and leaders in the further education and skills sector

Issue 54 Winter 2023

set.et-foundation.co.uk

THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE Investing in regular training and CPD can benefit educators, leaders and learners

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18

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Introducing active learning into your own teaching

The skills and training required for future careers

What strategies are needed to teach post-16 learners?

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Tickets from

£149*

Book your place at SET24!

Tuesday 16 January 2024 at The Vox Conference Centre, Birmingham Join us at the leading conference for teachers, trainers and leaders in the Further Education and Skills sector, SET24. The annual conference provides a fantastic opportunity to hear from inspiring speakers, gain practical insight and connect and learn from your peers.

The conference will feature sessions on digital skills, motivation and behaviour and improving your practice, plus a keynote address from the inspirational Anthony Bennett.

And, back by popular demand, Sarah Simons MSET will be returning as our conference host.

Host: Sarah Simons MSET Keynote speaker: Anthony Bennett

Book your ticket today: set.etfoundation.co.uk/conference *SET member price. Discounts available for group bookings.

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CONTENTS

WINTER 2023

UPFRONT

THE KNOWLEDGE

05 NEWS

24 FRESH APPROACH

ETF appoints Sir Frank McLoughlin CBE as next chair; apprenticeship workforce development scores highly;࣢and governance development opportunities

Dr Annemarie O’Dwyer’s research assesses the challenges and potential for neurodivergent teachers

08 OPINION The latest views from Dr Katerina Kolyva, Martine Ellis FSET ATS, Monica Stevens FSET and Liz Bennett MSET

28 7 REASONS TO CONSIDER PRACTITIONER RESEARCH FOR YOUR CPD Marcin Lewandowski FSET reflects on the benefits of ‘insider’ practitioner research and why it should be considered for CPD

12 ADVICE How to introduce active learning strategies into your own teaching

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32 TRANSITION PERIOD Stefan Fusenich MSET QTLS discusses what kind of teaching methods work best for post-16 learners

MEMBERS’ CORNER 36 THE FORUM Looking back at 2023 and final countdown to conference

38 MY LIFE IN TEACHING Maureen O’Callaghan MSET: from playgroups to running her own education and training community interest company

InTuition is published on behalf of the Society for Education and Training Redactive Publishing Ltd +44 (0)20 7880 6200 redactive.co.uk

14 FEATURES 14 THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE A lack of a clear framework for CPD within the sector means there is not always a clear pathway for teachers and learners – so how can they continue to develop?

18 EVOLVING LANDSCAPE Learners must now be equipped with the skills and training for future roles that may not even exist yet

21 SAFETY NET Charities and third-sector organisations are under pressure to continue providing quality education to the most vulnerable, despite the many challenges

35 STAY UP TO SPEED Dr Simon Child on assessment-focused CPD

EDITOR: Nick Martindale

DIRECTOR: Victoria Flint

LEAD DESIGNER: David Twardawa

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER: John Hilsdon

SUB-EDITORS: James Hundleby, Amy Beveridge PICTURE RESEARCHER: Claire Echavarry PRODUCTION: Jane Easterman jane.easterman@redactive.co.uk +44 (0)20 7880 6248

PRINTED BY Precision Colour Printing, Telford 157-197 Buckingham Palace Road London, SW1W 9SP membership@etfoundation.co.uk set.et-foundation.co.uk

While every care has been taken in the compilation of this magazine, errors or omissions are not the responsibility of the publishers. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers or editorial staff, the Society for Education and Training or the Education and Training Foundation.

All rights reserved. Unless specifically stated, goods or services mentioned are not formally endorsed by the Society for Education and Training or the Education and Training Foundation, which do not guarantee or endorse or accept any liability for any goods and/ or services featured in this publication.

ISSN: 2050-8980

WINTER 2023 INTUITION 3

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WELCOME

FIRST WORDS

JANE GALBR AITH

Never stop learning Staying at the top of your professional capabilities is no easy matter. But CPD is a vital part of the learning curve for all those in the further education and skills sector n any walk of life, it’s important to constantly strive to learn and improve. It’s the reason why we value experience so much, and the fundamental principle of continuous professional development (CPD).

In the FE and skills sector, which is undergoing a period of rapid transformation and challenge, this has never been so important. It’s compounded, however, by the lack of a conventional career framework for those working in the space. There is a tendency for a lot of learning to be done ‘on the job’. Our cover feature on page 14 explores how those within the various elements of the sector can continue to evolve, and how this can help retain teachers who might otherwise leave.

One of the many challenges facing the sector is the need to adapt teaching to meet the future skills that will be required by employers and society as a whole. This means a focus on digital capabilities and those needed to help deliver on sustainability needs, but also a return to ‘softer’ and transversal skills that will prepare individuals to move across jobs, and even careers. You can read more about this on page 18.

Many of the early education initiatives, of course, stemmed from charitable organisations. Fortunately, we have moved on from having to rely on this, but the third sector retains an important role in the wider FE and skills landscape, including in the delivery of education to some of the most vulnerable in society. For an in-depth look at this part of the sector, see page 21.

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Our Knowledge section this issue brings you three very different articles. Dr Annemarie O’Dwyer explores some of the issues neurodivergent teachers face in the job, and how organisations can help to ensure they are able to thrive. Marcin Lewandowski FSET, meanwhile, explores the importance of practitioner research in CPD, while Stefan Fusenich MSET QTLS argues that post-16 learners require a different approach to adults and looks at how to get the most from them.

Elsewhere, you can find out more about creating an active learning strategy (page 12) and the role of assessment-focused CPD in vocational education (page 35).

While I have your attention, do remember to book your ticket for the SET Conference, taking place on 16 January at the Vox Conference Centre in Birmingham. Hosted by the energetic and engaging Sarah Simons MSET and featuring mental health expert Anthony Bennett as the keynote speaker, it promises to be a great occasion. Places are limited, so make sure you don’t miss out.

Finally, by the time this issue lands on your doormat the festive season will be fast approaching, and with it the prospect for many of a well deserved break. I hope you all get the chance to relax and come back refreshed for what next year has in store.

ONE OF THE MANY CHALLENGES FACING THE SECTOR IS THE NEED TO ADAPT TEACHING TO MEET FUTURE SKILLS

JANE GALBRAITH is head of membership and accreditation at SET

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NEWS LATEST UPDATES FROM SET AND ETF

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set.et-foundation.co.uk

X ( T WIT TER) @SocietyET

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APPRENTICESHIP WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SCORES HIGHLY

APPOINTMENT

ETF APPOINTS SIR FRANK MCLOUGHLIN CBE AS NEXT CHAIR ir Frank McLoughlin CBE has been appointed as the new chair of the Education and Training Foundation (ETF).

The board of trustees made the appointment following an open and competitive recruitment process, which received applications from across the further education and skills sector.

Sir Frank will succeed Professor Peter Latchford OBE when he steps down at the end of December.

Sir Frank is one of the leading voices in the sector. As well as being chair of the highly influential Commission for Adult

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Vocational Teaching and Learning, which continues to shape the future of technical education and training, he has advised on policy development at a local, regional and national level.

He has supported ETF previously as associate director of leadership, developing our prestigious leadership programmes in collaboration with Oxford Saïd.

His non-executive role as chair will see him take the reins of the board, providing oversight, challenge and counsel as ETF sets out a renewed commitment to being sector-first by driving professionalism and improving teaching.

A review of the Apprenticeship Workforce Development (AWD) programme has found high levels of satisfaction among participants.

Overall satisfaction – assessed using responses to the statement “I was satisfied with my learning experience overall” – was rated as very good, with 94 per cent of respondents agreeing.

The skills and knowledge of those delivering the training were particularly highly rated, with over 98 per cent of respondents expressing satisfaction, and noting the trainers’ experience of working in apprenticeships and ability to confidently answer questions.

Participants also valued the engaging nature of the offer, with the opportunities to work and learn in a collaborative manner with sector colleagues noted.

The AWD programme is funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and delivered by ETF in partnership with the Association of Colleges, Association of Employment and Learning Providers, Strategic Development Network and the University Vocational Awards Council, and supported by SQW as an independent evaluator.

For details, please visit bit.ly/ETF-AWD

WINTER 2023 INTUITION 5

NEWS

SECTOR UPDATE

PROGRAMME

SUPPORT FOR GOVERNANCE IN 2024 SCRIBE

SUB SLETTERS TF’s programme EW from E of inductions, TO TeFreNgular updaatetesd CPD d iv p training and Rece well and u n new sources, as ETF o . re conferences for s d a n re a es pic a cours cted to governance in the FE and as sele ign up at S k/ skills sector continues into n.co.u ndatio s u o f tr e tte 2024, with places at many newsle of the online and face-to-face sessions available to book.

For chairs of boards, strand two of the Chairs Development Programme begins with a session that will run alongside the SET conference The induction sessions for student in Birmingham on 16 January. The governors resume on 18 January, with programme responds to research further online sessions scheduled for conducted with FE and sixth form 7 February and 25 March, and face-tocollege chairs, which identified key face events taking place in London on elements they felt would enable them 31 January and the Midlands on 18 March. to deliver greater impact. It will address Student governor training sessions, themes including curriculum design and which build on the inductions by quality improvement, building cultural developing skills and knowledge, capital, and change and innovation. will be held online on 24 January, The programme of regional governor 20 February and 7 March. induction events resumes on 15 January Additionally, following feedback, the and continues through to 26 March.

Governance Development Programme Regional Governor Conferences take is now available online via the learning place on 30 January, 23 February and management system ETF launched 6 March. They will explore quality and earlier this year. The migration of the curriculum, funding and finance, and programme began in October with the shaping a green and digital future. transfer of the ‘Being an effective board

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member’ pathway, which includes the updated ‘Safeguarding for governors and trustees’ and ‘Prevent for further education (FE) and training’ courses.

Five further pathways – addressing topics including strategy, curriculum, quality and standards, and finance – are being transferred, with the move expected to be complete before the end of 2023. Users are required to register when they first use the learning management system, but it is free to access.

For details of ETF’s support for governance in FE, please visit the governance programmes page of the ETF website at bit.ly/ETFgovernance-programmes

SEND EVENTS IN EARLY 2024 The programme of events being hosted by the ETF’s Centres for Excellence in SEND in the first quarter of࣢2024 is open for booking.

It includes sessions looking at the role of support staff, which will include

the sharing of resources and findings from Ofsted, on 8 January; a session on effective inclusive practice to support learners with maths and English on 17 January; and a look at City College Norwich’s sustainability programme for learners with SEND on 22 January.

The programme of online events that complement the Universal SEND Services modules also continues in 2024.

An up-to-date listing is available on the ETF website: bit.ly/ETF-SEND-Communitiesof-Practice

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SECTOR UPDATE

E Q U A L I T Y, D I V E R S I T Y A N D I N C L U S I O N

ADOPT A MULTI-FACETED APPROACH FOR INCLUSIVITY o truly champion inclusivity, we must adopt a multi-faceted approach by providing ongoing training and opportunities for the training workforce at all levels, ETF has warned. This means developing inclusive curricula, and looking at how we ensure that the physical and digital spaces where learning occurs are accessible and representative.

ETF executive director of education and standards Dr Vikki Smith said it is important that the sector acknowledges it faces several challenges on the road to inclusivity. One of those challenges, Dr Smith explained, is to create a representative workforce and curriculum, tackling the low proportion of leaders in the sector from ethnic minority groups, and addressing diverse learning needs and evolving technologies.

Achieving those things, she said, will require us to understand what inclusive workforce development is, and to recognise and harness the diversity of our learning settings to create a stronger, more vibrant FE and skills ecosystem.

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For details of ETF’s support for inclusivity, including resources and training, visit the #InclusiveFE page on the ETF website: bit.ly/ETF-inclusive-FE

P H O T O G R A P H Y: G E T T Y

ETF RENEWS COMMITMENT TO CHAMPION THE SECTOR ETF has set out its plans to support everyone working in the sector by championing the vital role of࣢educators and leaders in transforming the lives of learners aged 14 and over.

With a renewed commitment to working in partnership for the benefit of the sector, the plans set out a bold new ambition for the charity to drive professionalism, provide educators and leaders with a pathway of professional development throughout their careers, champion inclusion and enable sector change for a thriving FE and skills system.

The plans are set out in a new strategy – ‘Together we transform’

– which was launched as ETF marked its 10-year anniversary.

The new strategy places sector voices at its heart and reflects the feedback and input from an extensive listening exercise involving sector organisations and teachers, trainers and leaders from across the FE and skills࣢sector.

‘Together we transform’ sets out how ETF will continue to deliver positive impact for the sector through four new strategic goals: drive professionalism improve teaching and learning champion inclusion enable sector change.

ETF is seeking input on how it can develop and embed the new strategy, including how to build on SET’s role as the professional body for the sector. Readers of InTuition are invited to share their views in our survey at set.et-foundation.co.uk/FutureSET

NEWS

NEWSINNUMBERS

5.4%

The proportion of࣢unfilled teaching roles in colleges and private providers, DfE data finds. This rises to 6.3 per cent in࣢public-funded providers

18.9%

The percentage of the FE and skills workforce from ethnic minority groups, DfE data shows. Representation falls in leadership roles

49%

The proportion of UK adults who have taken part in adult education in the last three years, a survey by the Learning and Work Institute finds

£724

The new funding rate from January for apprentices studying functional skills English and maths, bringing it into line with adult education

£50m

The amount recouped by the Education and Skills Funding Agency from fraud in the sector. Most comes from independent training providers

WINTER 2023 INTUITION 7

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OPINION

DR KATERINA KOLYVA

TOGE THER WE TR ANSFORM

Renewed commitment Following an extensive listening exercise, ETF’s new strategy ‘Together we transform’ aims to drive professionalism across the further education and skills sector, says Dr Katerina Kolyva he end of another year is fast approaching. And what a year it has been for the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) and Society for Training and Education (SET), and for the sector as a whole. Through the extensive listening exercise that ETF has been conducting over the past 18 months, we have heard from you directly about the challenges you are facing and the important role our sector can play in addressing them.

We have heard about how staff recruitment and retention issues, continued funding challenges, the cost-of-living crisis and deepening concerns around student and staff mental health are all having an impact across the sector.

We have also heard your ideas on the valuable contribution that the sector can make in helping to meet the skills gap in this country, and how it can support learners to develop the skills needed for the future as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to impact the job market.

It has also been interesting to learn your responses to the announcement of the proposed Advanced British Standard qualification.

With a general election looming and the skills agenda featuring prominently across all three party conferences this Autumn, there is an opportunity to refocus attention on the support needed to ensure a thriving sector.

At ETF we have renewed our commitment to supporting everyone working in the sector by championing the vital role of educators and leaders

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OUR NEW STRATEGY HAS BEEN INSPIRED

BY THE WIDE-RANGING INPUT WE HAVE GATHERED FROM ACROSS THE SECTOR in transforming the lives of learners aged 14 and over. Our new strategy, ‘Together we transform’, has been inspired by the wide-ranging input we have gathered from across the sector, and places your voices at its heart.

With a renewed emphasis of working in partnership for the benefit of the sector, the strategy offers a bold new ambition for the charity. It sets out our plans to drive professionalism by setting the professional standards for the quality of teaching and leadership across the sector, providing educators and leaders with a pathway of continuing professional development (CPD) throughout their careers, championing inclusion and enabling sector change for a thriving system.

To help us achieve our ambitious goals, I am delighted that Sir Frank McLoughlin CBE will be joining us as our new chair from January 2024. Sir Frank has advised on policy development at a local, regional and national level. He has a deep understanding of the sector, gathered

from his 14 years as CEO/principal of City and Islington College.

As ETF marks its 10-year anniversary of successfully delivering positive impact for the benefit of the sector, Sir Frank’s appointment comes at an exciting time.

His passion for a professional and inclusive sector, and the transformational opportunities it offers to all who work and learn within it, will be a great asset in steering ETF. I am eagerly looking forward to next year as a chance to drive forward our commitment to supporting everyone working in the sector. I have been delighted to meet so many passionate and committed educators and leaders working across our vibrant and diverse sector. The opportunity to meet so many more of you at our SET conference in January will be a wonderful way to kick-start the year.

As Daniel Jones ASET, lecturer at Walsall College and one of the contributors to ‘Together we transform’, so beautifully put it: “I want to be the best teacher I can be. The better I am, the more opportunities I create. The better I am, the more of my students succeed.” My commitment to you is to continue to do all I can to support you, so that in turn you can help our learners and society to thrive.

DR KATERINA KOLYVA

is the chief executive of the Education and Training Foundation

MARTINE ELLIS

SELF-CARE

Beat burnout It’s highly likely that anyone working in education will feel burned out at some point in their career.

It’s key to recognise the signs and put in place steps to help counter it, says Martine Ellis FSET ATS ave you ever felt overwhelming exhaustion, cynicism and a sense of ineffectiveness over an extended period? I have. There’s a good chance you have too.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: it’s probably not “the time of year”, and it’s certainly not “to be expected when you work in education”. More likely, it’s burnout. And it’s not OK. The World Health Organization describes burnout as “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”.

Burnout is particularly prevalent in high-stress, caring professions such as education. According to the 2022 Teacher Wellbeing Index, produced by Education Support, 78 per cent of staff experienced symptoms of poor mental health due to work; 28 per cent thought the symptoms could be signs of burnout.

What’s interesting about burnout is it is socially situated; remove the burnt-out person from the environment causing their chronic stress and they will recover. While this is good news – burnout has a cure – it would be better to prevent it from happening in the first place.

One positive action you can take today is to create a personal burnout prevention plan using the 4S framework.

This refers to signs, support, self-care and strategies.

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Signs Burnout doesn’t happen overnight – it is a gradual process, but there are warning signs. Common signs can be physical – for example, insomnia,

OPINION

And it isn’t easy. When you’re experiencing burnout, self-care is just another challenge to add to the list. We all know we should eat well, exercise and get enough sleep, but we can’t.

This is why having a personal burnout prevention plan is so important. If you know your preburnout warning signs, have identified your support network and already practise self-care, you are far less likely to get burnt out.

Your plan should identify practices that contribute to your self-care. What do you do to nurture your physical and mental health?

Strategies

BURNOUT DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT – BUT THERE ARE WARNING SIGNS chronic headaches or stomach issues. They can also be emotional or behavioural – for instance, feeling hopeless, irritable or frustrated.

Identifying and recognising your warning signs is the first step towards preventing burnout.

Support Research shows that support plays a crucial role in mitigating work-related stress. Your network might include friends and family and your GP. Given the occupational nature of burnout, you should also include your line manager or appropriate colleagues.

If you have noticed your pre-burnout warning signs, contact your network and tell them. It’s hard to admit you are struggling, but to prevent things from getting worse, you must.

Your burnout prevention plan should include a list of stress and energy management strategies (in other words, things you forget to do when stressed).

For example: saying ‘no’ more often prioritising your wellbeing respecting your boundaries managing your energy levels focusing on one thing at a time planning your week to suit your needs.

Write your strategies in your plan – they will be an important reminder when you need them most.

Concluding thoughts Your burnout prevention plan should be a physical or digital document you can reach for whenever needed. Review it regularly to ensure it’s meeting your needs. Tackling burnout is dynamic, so don’t hesitate to adjust your strategies or expand your support network.

Prioritising your wellbeing is not selfish or indulgent; it’s a critical step towards creating a healthier, more effective education sector.

Self-care It’s easy to turn your nose up at the concept of self-care – relaxation feels impossible when your brain is full of work stress. But self-care is more than relaxation. It is nurturing your physical and mental health.

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

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OPINION

MONICA STEVENS

P R O F E S S I O N A L S TA N D A R D S

Time to reflect Changes to ETF’s Professional Standards a year ago provided an opportunity for Monica Stevens FSET to assess her own teaching, and how she engages with GCSE maths resit learners in particular year after the new changes to Education and Training Foundation (ETF) Professional Standards were published, I decided to look back on how my practice has been influenced, for both 16-19 and adult provision.

The increased awareness around young people and adults’ mental health and its impact on performance after the recent pandemic crisis has raised expectations that learners’ needs are supported for a positive, growing mindset. Standard 13 to “promote and support positive learner behaviour, attitudes and wellbeing” has been relocated from “professional knowledge and understanding” to “professional skills” to show that teachers are expected to master a range of strategies to effectively teach learners.

Standard 14 reinforces this by clearly stating that education professionals must “apply motivational, coaching and skill development strategies to help learners progress and achieve”.

Thinking through my MA research, teaching GCSE maths resits for some years now and reflecting continuously on my lessons, I have realised that motivation, self-confidence, assurance, attitude for work, self-discipline, conduct, tolerance, emotional wellbeing and an understanding of next steps are essential for learners to progress in maths.

From a simple daily question such as, ‘how do I improve what I am doing?’, I found myself generating ideas about how I can move learners towards mastery and purpose. Applying those skills is a slow process that requires consistency,

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I FOUND MYSELF GENERATING IDEAS ABOUT HOW I CAN MOVE LEARNERS TOWARDS MASTERY AND PURPOSE but undoubtedly has its merits and rewards. This, after all, is one of the most common answers to the question, ‘why do I teach?’

Clearly, I would like all our learners to be intrinsically motivated, to do maths for the love of doing maths, but the reality is that very few are.

Do I then need to rely on creating external motivation? Would that help in improving confidence? There are vast amounts of research showing that developing intrinsic motivation is far superior to extrinsic motivation.

The most immediate external reward that I have available is praise, and I use it a lot as I hope that, in time, it will develop intrinsic motivation.

The praise therefore should be sincere and immediate, but always emphasise the process of trying and not the ability of a learner.

Would that be enough though? Yes, if it is not an occasional event but rather a continuous journey that requires ongoing commitment and support from me, the same teacher, each week.

Their ability to make choices about learning maths and be self-motivated is a slow process that can’t be rushed.

During the last five years of my research, almost all the learners that confidently affirmed they enjoy doing maths have passed their GCSE exam.

I found it helpful on my journey to attach a greater emphasis to the role of problem-solving. I used reallife problems with multiple visual representations of mathematical entities, thus helping learners to ‘make sense’ of maths rather than learning formal ideas.

With appropriate scaffoldings, they have benefited when I constantly embedded their main vocational course and outside jobs into the classroom.

Incorporating ongoing cumulative reviews into every lesson, consisting of mainly low-stake quizzes, ensured an effective review of learners’ progress.

I motivated the learners to constantly ask themselves questions to solve problems and make connections with their prior learning and feelings from previous lessons. Personal development supports mathematical assimilation.

I couldn’t have achieved good outcomes for my learners without working closely with the maths team, pastoral tutors and vocational lecturers.

As a big team, we continuously attempt to change the learners’ fixed mindset into a growing mindset. Almost everyone can have a numerate mind and achieve a grade 4 in their GCSE. Every day, being a teacher in further education reminds me of the role I play in enabling learners to achieve their goals and succeed in life. To be effective in this role, I need to build meaningful relationships with my learners. These include a commitment to lifelong learning, equality and diversity, excellent communication skills, adaptability and a strong sense of professionalism.

MONICA STEVENS FSET is a teacher of mathematics, and adults GCSE course lead, at Chichester College

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LIZ BENNETT

M E N TA L H E A LT H

Animal instincts The positive impacts of animals are well documented in primary school settings, but could this also be applicable to those in the further education sector? Liz Bennett MSET believes so e all know of someone, perhaps even ourselves, who has struggled or is currently struggling with their mental health. With mental health conditions on the rise, having a variety of things in place to improve wellbeing has never been so important.

Animals in the classroom is not a new concept, particularly with primary school-aged children. They have been shown to have positive impacts on learners of all ages, including reduced anxiety and increased resilience.

I first encountered the term ‘animal café’ at the college I work at. This is an event occurring every few months, just for an hour or two, where students (and staff, if they are available!) can relax in a quiet space with the company of animals and other like-minded individuals and chat about their day.

The most popular visitors to the animal café are rabbits, guinea pigs and dogs.

These animals are from the animal care unit (used for the animal care courses), and sometimes staff bring their pets as well.

Feedback from students regarding the animal café has been overwhelmingly positive, with some students saying they had been “looking forward to it all day” and others saying that they felt much calmer and less overwhelmed afterwards.

Some students said they felt it was easier to talk to others when there was something else to focus on and that this helped them make new friends more easily. This suggests that it may be particularly beneficial for neurodiverse

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THE MERE SIGHT OF A PET DURING TEACHING COULD PIQUE ENGAGEMENT AND NOTICEABLY REDUCE TENSION or anxious students. Research backs this up, stating that students find animals to be non-judgemental, and those with social difficulties feel able to form bonds more easily.

Another, perhaps more familiar, example of the positive effects of animals on students was during lockdown, when many students and teachers were joined by their pets for online lessons. I noticed, in my own lessons, that the presence of a pet sparked delight in students.

The mere sight of a pet during teaching could pique engagement and noticeably reduce the tension and stress of students in classes covering more demanding topics.

I have found in my own practice that students often learn best when they feel more relaxed. When students are trying to learn difficult concepts in a stressful environment, this can cause mental barriers that prevent effective learning. Researchers at

OPINION

the University of Leeds have observed similar positive reactions of students to animals; they found that when anxious students viewed videos and images of animals, their heart rates and blood pressures dropped to within normal ranges, thereby suggesting they felt less stressed afterwards.

Since positive results were found simply from viewing images of animals, this gives a wide range of ways that we can incorporate the benefits into our teaching. For those studying subjects such as biology, geography or environmental science, a wildlife documentary may be appropriate to incorporate into a lesson or as a homework. A simple image, meme or gif could be used to spark interest or generate discussion at the start of the lesson.

Other ways of incorporating animals into learning could be arts and crafts; fun-fact trivia; discussion of the effects of relevant science, technology, engineering and maths content; and conversion of units using an animal example such as converting the weight of animal from kilograms into grams or tonnes into grams. It could even be as simple as hanging a bird feeder in the grounds or having students or staff help build an ‘insect hotel’ to encourage wildlife and look after habitats.

In conclusion, the presence of animals or pets can help learners feel more at ease and may provide an atmosphere more conducive to learning. This may be particularly true for neurodiverse learners, those with mental health difficulties and students who have suffered trauma.

Furthermore, the increased wellbeing from these experiences may have positive impacts on student retention and attendance and help ease the burden on mental health resources.

LIZ BENNETT MSET is a lecturer in chemistry at Halesowen College

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ADVICE

ACTIVE LEARNING

Attention grabbing Whatever part of the FE and skills sector you work in, an active learning strategy can help engage learners.

Julia Musson FSET QTLS outlines how you can introduce this into your teaching ctive learning is described simply by Freeman et al cited in Brame (2022) as “[engaging] learners in the process of learning through activities and/ or discussion in class, as opposed to passively listening to an expert”. It involves using approaches that create opportunities for learners to engage at a higher cognitive level, use different learning approaches and help secure new knowledge in the long-term memory by making connections with prior knowledge.

But, despite evidence that active learning supports better learning outcomes as well as increasing engagement and attendance, studies show that many teachers and trainers still return to the more traditional, passive methods of teaching (Deslauriers et al, 2019), often modelling the ways they themselves were taught.

However, active learning really doesn’t need to be complicated and can provide benefits for all learners, particularly those from

IL L U S T R AT ION S : I S T O C K

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underrepresented groups (Theobald et al, 2020). Their studies showed how the underrepresented student groups of low-income students and racial and ethnic minorities had lower examination scores on average than their peers, and that poor performance was a major reason for drop-out in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM)-related courses.

Active learning strategies were seen to narrow these achievement gaps, citing deliberate practice based on relevant active-learning tasks, scaffolded exercises, immediate feedback and repetition – as well as inclusive teaching approaches, which promoted “an increased sense of community and self-efficacy”. Other studies (Haak et al, 2011) also show that getting peers to interact can help them to structure their ideas and articulate their logic.

So where do you start with making learning more active?

The following tips will help you get going.

START SMALL Active learning activities need only last a few minutes and don’t have to use up great chunks of your planning time.

You might simply add a small discussion activity to apply a concept you are teaching or structure an opportunity for learners to think more deeply around a topic. This can provide a break from passive delivery, as well as develop thinking at a deeper level, helping to embed knowledge and ideas more into learners’ long-term memories.

ACTIVE LEARNING CAN PROVIDE BENEFITS FOR ALL LEARNERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS

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ACTIVE LEARNING

ADVICE

MAKE LEARNING CONNECTED Connections between the activity and learning outcomes should be made explicit to ensure all learners see the intended learning. Consider also how all learners can be required to take part or make contributions during an activity as it is important that everyone is engaged in the thinking and practice. If some learners, for example, are reluctant to speak out in class then try to think about different ways or roles that help them to contribute without more dominant learners always taking the lead. Ensure also that you give feedback from the activity to students.

MAKE USE OF FLIPPED LEARNING Time for active learning activities during class can be gained by covering the simpler content via flipped learning. This could involve asking learners to access some of the easier subject content before a class so that it can then be considered in more depth through an in-class collaborative learning activity. EdTech can be used to great effect here too, so maybe try out Formative, WordWall or Padlet.

EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT TO LEARNERS Don’t assume your learners know how to react to an active learning activity, especially early on. You may need to model approaches to a task or work through these with learners to help develop an understanding of the expectations of active learning. As they become more familiar with the requirements of active learning, they will be able to approach these more independently and your activities can become more involved and complex if you want.

LISTEN TO LEARNERS While learners are engaged in an activity, circulate and listen carefully to the points made and discussions had. These responses are invaluable feedback on the level and depth of understanding learners are developing and how they are engaging with the topic.

It will also give you opportunities to ask questions of those not participating or provide additional support, enabling them to positively re-engage with the activity in-hand.

JULIA MUSSON FSET QTLS is CPD trainer at Education and Training Foundation

References and further information Brame CJ. (2022) Active Learning. Available online at: cft.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/ sites/59/Active-Learning.pdf Deslauriers L, McCarty LS, Miller K, Callaghan K and Kestin G. (2019) Measuring actual learning versus feeling of learning in response to being actively engaged in the classroom. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116(39): 19251-19257.

Haak DC, HilleRisLambers J, Pitre E and Freeman S. (2011) Increased structure and active learning reduce the achievement gap in introductory biology. Science 332(6034): 1213-6.

PMID: 21636776.

Theobald EJ, Hill MJ, Tran E, Agrawal S, Arroyo EN, Behling S, Chambwe N, Cintrón DL, Cooper JD, Dunster G, Grummer JA, Hennessey K, Hsiao J, Iranon N, Jones L, Jordt H, Keller M, Lacey ME, Littlefield CE ... and Freeman S. (2020) Active learning narrows achievement gaps for underrepresented students in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117(12): 6476-6483.

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FEATURE

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

earning and growth for educators can greatly enhance career development and satisfaction, as well as having a real impact on learners. Whether developing new skills or consolidating expertise, career development can reinvigorate attitudes to work and life.

BPP is the UK’s leading professional apprenticeship training provider, with 13,500 apprentices across seven different schools within the organisation. Within the group is BPP University, which has degree-awarding powers and delivers degree apprenticeships. “At BPP, we want to ensure that professional development is at the forefront of people’s minds,” says Nikki Botterill, BPP’s director of

apprenticeship strategy and operations.

“Specific training is co-ordinated in each school, but we also encourage staff to attend business-wide internal sessions and external events for networking opportunities, which allows them to stay up to date in their areas of expertise.”

However, there is some inconsistency across the further education and skills sector when it comes to professional learning and career development.

Andrew Dowell MSET QTLS, head of professional status and standards at the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), points to a particular issue. “In the FE and skills sector there is no formal charted path for teachers to take, unlike in schools,” he points out. “You have to find your own path with often

limited guidance. The notion of a career framework would greatly help teachers and trainers.

“A career framework would be about a sequential learning offer that builds you up into being a fantastic teacher while also spotlighting progression opportunities.

These teachers would be encouraged to share their skills outside their settings to help others grow. One of the only ways to show or consolidate that progression is through undertaking a programme like Advanced Teacher Status (ATS), leading to Chartered Teacher status.

“I hear a lot from organisations that ask for this kind of clear progression route.

A lot of settings unfortunately spend much of their CPD budget on mandatory training, which can leave a lot to be

Investing in regular training and CPD can benefit leaders, teachers and learners. But the lack of a clear framework means this isn’t always easy. Elizabeth Holmes looks at what needs to change and why this is something the sector must embrace 14 INTUITION WINTER 2023

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CAREER DEVELOPMENT

desired. There is limited funding, which means a focus on training that has to be done rather than training that might contribute to career development.”

Learning from higher education Dr Paul Tully FSET, associate director membership and business growth at ETF, sees a difference between the FE and skills sector and higher education sector regarding career development.

“The notion of career progression in HE is simpler to understand, with continuing professional development (CPD) tied to the HEA Fellowship scheme,” he says. “It is not as straightforward in the FE and skills sector, where there is no standard career model or progression scheme.

While ETF runs the increasingly popular QTLS and ATS statuses for teachers, these are not yet embedded across the whole system, unlike HEA Fellowships in higher education institutions.

“Initial teacher training is not a mandatory requirement in the FE and skills sector, following the outcomes of the Lingfield Commission in 2012.

However, one of the arguments for bringing back mandatory teacher training is that it could give new teachers a robust and standardised approach to teaching practice that could better equip them for the complexities and challenges increasingly presented by a diverse student population.”

ATS is run by ETF for teachers who hold an active SET membership and have held a Level 5 teaching qualification for a minimum of five years in the sector (four if they have achieved QTLS status).

It leads to chartered status through the Chartered College of Teaching. Feedback on this programme is highly positive, but it is a minority in the FE and skills sector who enrol onto the ATS programme.

QTLS is a status earned through a portfolio of work submitted to a panel.

The desired route is an initial teacher training qualification, followed by QTLS and then ATS. For Dowell, the negative side is that not every FE and skills setting in the country is getting behind this drive for professionalism and sequential professional development. “As QTLS and ATS become recognised more widely

FEATURE

LEARNING

POSITIVE IMPACT Taking part in career development opportunities can help people across the sector in a multitude of ways. Here three people from different backgrounds reveal how it has helped to give their careers a boost: PALVINDER SINGH, ETF trustee and CEO and principal, Kirklees College in Huddersfield “I was a head of࣢department and progressed through the senior leadership team, working in several colleges. I realised I could apply to become principal, and that’s how I got to be in this role.

“I attended ETF’s Further Education Strategic Leadership Programme for principals and CEOs. One of the most important frameworks covered in that course was values, and how they are the glue that holds an organisation together.

“As well as shared values, adaptive leadership is a key feature of ETF’s leadership programme that stood out to me. This is about our need to address challenges that are complex and difficult to identify that haven’t been addressed because we spend so much time in the technical space.

It is about how we address systemic issues that require multi-layered, joint working, not just across an organisation but the whole system.”

JO GHUMAN, coach, financial services, BPP Education Group “I have completed my Level 5 Coaching Professional Apprenticeship qualification through BPP, which has allowed me to develop my thinking, self-awareness and self-confidence.

Using active listening and applying emotional intelligence to support others as well as myself has allowed me to become resilient and adaptable, which in turn has helped

not only individuals but organisations in challenging times.

“CPD has enabled me to recognise my potential, and also the potential in others. On a personal level it has changed my outlook on life in an even more positive way. It has given me the opportunity to get accredited by the European Mentoring and Coaching Council and to gain my coaching hours and experience. I not only continue to coach some of my colleagues, but also volunteer in career coaching for children in Years 9 and 10, which has been very rewarding. I have both a mentor and coaching supervision in place to support with my CPD.” SARAH THOMAS, compliance and risk programme manager, BPP Education Group “I had the opportunity to complete two ICA qualifications, one at certificate level and one at advanced level. This had a huge impact on the discussions I was having with apprentices as a coach, and now in the design work I do as a programme leader.

“I have also completed a CAVA qualification, allowing me to better understand the assessment processes and standards. More recently, I have undertaken a qualification focusing on quality assurance (IQA), which is a huge benefit to my current people leader role.

“I feel the CAVA and IQA qualifications supported me with stepping up into the programme leader role. Both gave me an insight into ‘why’ we do things, allowing me to influence others to maintain standards and compliance.”

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FEATURE

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

in the sector, they are beginning to feature as desirable or essential on job descriptions,” he says. “As teachers begin to get paid more for having these statuses, change will come.

“I look after professional standards at ETF and we have a hugely popular self-assessment tool,” he adds. “Over 8,000 teachers and trainers have reflected on the standards since May 2022.

This gives us a good insight into what professional development the sector is after and where teachers and trainers feel their gaps are. We can now begin to respond directly to this with targeted professional development opportunities.

Also, while there is a lot of great CPD already out there, we need an organisation like ETF to accredit FE CPD so that there is a gold standard that everyone recognises.”

Framework challenges The creation of a universally recognised career development framework does present certain challenges. For Tully, the diversity of the sector, which he describes as a “composite of mini-sectors”, is the most significant. The framework would need broad appeal, but he points out that other sectors with operational and structural complexities have managed to create career development frameworks that have been successfully implemented. “When you look across the sector, there are roles that are clearly recognisable by function: teacher, trainer, assessor, leader, learning/curriculum support assistant, technician.”

Tully feels that there is a view that CPD has been too directive in the sector – a mix of compliance training and being schooled in organisational processes. “This type of training is important but, at the same time, teachers need to own their development rather than have it imposed. The literature suggests this can be particularly felt among more experienced teachers who want more challenging forms of CPD. We also

A CAREER FRAMEWORK WOULD BE ABOUT A SEQUENTIAL LEARNING OFFER THAT BUILDS YOU UP INTO BEING A FANTASTIC TEACHER need to acknowledge that the experience of many new staff can be tough on their time and resilience, with many of them leaving the sector within just a few years.”

During Tully’s own research, he discovered a phenomenon that he labelled “job shock”, in which job satisfaction and feelings of professionalism dip around three to four years after starting a new post. This work is due for publication in 2024. “For new job-holders, it describes a vulnerability to the signs of burnout and fatigue brought about by the pressures of teaching in a new organisation,” he explains. “A similar effect, which I call ‘career shock’, is seen at around five to nine years in teachers, when experienced teachers ask themselves if this is the career they want. It is here where significant CPD interventions could make a difference.”

At BPP, these kinds of targeted interventions support tutors and coaches to stay at their peak. “If a tutor needs specific training, we will usually fund it,” says Botterill. “We put our learners first, ensuring they have the highest quality training. Our tutors and coaches need to be at the top of their game to achieve this.”

Moving on up Being open to professional learning opportunities can naturally lead to

progression. “We encourage employees to observe more experienced staff and be comfortable with being observed themselves,” adds Botterill. “Watching and talking to others about their work can be incredibly effective professional learning. Our robust quality control processes involve observations and one-to-one feedback afterwards. We also complete learning walks and encourage staff to really engage in that process. The more that staff get used to observing and being observed, the better.”

The way ahead for career development in the sector is, according to Tully, evolution rather than revolution.

“Improving teacher training and teacher resilience bodes well for supporting new career entrants so that they can better cope with the demands of teaching,” he says. “Re-positioning CPD as a strategic need rather than a professional luxury will also build new spaces for reflection, collaborative learning and individual commitment to training. Hopefully, this also means protecting CPD budgets so that professional growth as well as compliance is an organisational priority.”

Tully’s own work has suggested that consultation of staff ’s CPD needs by their line managers greatly enhances feelings of professional respect at work and is associated with a lower probability of staff attrition. “We know that good CPD produces positive effects for learners,” he says. “It also means connecting practitioners to have meaningful conversations about common problems. ETF will be doing more to develop sector approaches to CPD as we go into 2024.”

ELIZABETH HOLMES is a freelance journalist specialising in the education sector

To find out more about ETF’s Professional Standards, and to access its online selfassessment tool, visit bit.ly/SET-professionalstandards

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FEATURE

FUTURE SKILLS

EVOLVING LANDSCA ccording to business consultancy McKinsey & Company, almost a quarter of jobs will be disrupted in some way in the next five years, and one in 16 workers may have to switch occupations by 2030. For further education and skills providers trying to address the needs of employers and keep ahead of the labour market, change has absolutely become the new normal.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can increasingly fulfil many tasks that might have been taught at a college or training provider; there is a backdrop of economic uncertainty; and at the same time corporate investment in training has gone down, often leaving FE and skills providers to fill the gap. “The pandemic wasn’t the start of these challenges, the cracks were already there,” says Olly Newton, executive director of The Edge Foundation, an organisation promoting work-ready skills for young people. “But it did make existing problems and divides even worse, such as equality and access to technology.”

The Edge Foundation’s 2023 Skills Shortages Bulletin found that 34 per cent of Britons want to change careers, yet only 16 per cent know how their skills might be useful in another career. When it comes to planning curricula for the next five years and beyond, FE and skills settings must consider not only the skills needs of young people entering the workforce for the first time, but how they support local adults already in the workplace to acquire skills for the jobs of the future.

A

Emerging gulf Wojciech Ilowski, industry operations leader at insurance company Marsh, part of Marsh McLennan, and trustee of the board of the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), believes the gap

With business needs constantly changing and growing, we must help learners keep up with the skills and training needed to succeed in the workplace of the future, writes Jo Faragher

between what curricula provide and what employers need is widening. “We’re seeing a fragmentation of specialisms where more niche specialisms attract higher salaries, but also need the right soft skills and mindset,” he explains.

“These are the conversations we’re having now as a business.”

It’s no longer just about businesses trying to attract the right technical skills. Stakeholders are scrutinising what they do from a social value or equity perspective, so this is another area against which they will benchmark potential employees.

“The challenge is, who will catalyse interaction between further education and industry? It’s not always a process that happens organically,” he adds.

Marsh UK has developed a number of relationships with providers, including New City College (NCC) based in East London. NCC will form one of the three schools and colleges that Marsh will be working with as part of its formalised education strategy. This three-year contractual partnership will see them work together to develop local talent for a framework of roles, while offering skillsbased volunteering for Marsh colleagues.

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FUTURE SKILLS

FEATURE

LEARNING

WHAT ARE TRANSVERSAL SKILLS? Because the future of work is so unpredictable, it can be hard for providers to plan what skills learners will need, as in many cases such roles may not even exist yet.

That’s why there’s a growing push to support them to acquire ‘transversal skills’, or skills that they will be able to use in a wide variety of situations in life and work.

Transversal refers to the way such skills would cut across different tasks and job roles, so are useful if learners change jobs or employers.

These skills have historically been known as ‘soft’ or ‘transferrable’ because they are not specific to a particular sector or role. The OECD’s Future of Education and Skills 2030 report advocates that, in addition to these interpersonal skills, learners acquire three “transformative competencies” to meet the challenges of a changing world:

APE

Creating new value

1 2 3࣢

This could be creating jobs, developing knowledge or innovating to make others’ lives better.

Reconciling tensions and dilemmas

P H O T O G R A P Y: G E T T Y

Learners acquire deeper understanding of opposing positions.

Ilowski says formalising the relationship with support from the leadership of both organisations demonstrates a commitment to achieving mutual objectives when it comes to attracting young talent with relevant mindset and skills. “Yes, there is benevolence,” he says, “but that’s not scalable. We want to create a blueprint that can be applied to other organisations.”

Judith Quinn, vice-principal of Sunderland College, says that, while planning has become more challenging, being upfront about this with employers helps. “Our curriculum planning has always been future-focused, and we’ve

got to be sure we’re giving our students the right skills and characteristics to be successful,” she says.

The college is part of the wider Education Partnership North East group of colleges, so works within local skills improvement plans (LSIPs) and adapts its emphasis slightly depending on the particular needs of each geographical area. “We have to consider the social and demographic characteristics of our region too, so we make sure it’s a priority that we support people who are looking to reskill, and run adult skills bootcamps for this purpose,” she

Taking responsibility

Learners reflect on and evaluate their own actions; they gain a strong moral compass in terms of working with others.

By doing so, the OECD claims, learners “feel that they can help shape a world where wellbeing and sustainability – for themselves, for others and for the planet – is࣢achievable”.

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FEATURE

FUTURE SKILLS

adds. Fostering a cross-discipline, lively employer advisory board is crucial, she explains, as letting these relationships slip can become a potential point of failure.

Health and social care is one of Sunderland’s largest curriculum areas, with a specific employer advisory group and partnerships with local authorities, charities and the NHS. Cohorts in health and social care learn not just technical skills but crucial behavioural skills, explains Quinn. “We’re not just teaching bespoke technical skills, but how to demonstrate, for example, empathy or resilience while dealing with a patient. Learners narrate what they’re doing as they go so it’s very much built in, and we also embed project learning, which builds those higherorder skills such as leadership, critical thinking and teamwork,” she adds.

Transferable skills When looking towards the skills needs of the future, it is these ‘transversal’ or transferable skills (see What are transversal skills?) that should be an essential ingredient across all disciplines, alongside those allimportant digital skills that are part of every job now, not just those in technology-focused roles.

“Nobody has a crystal ball and labour market predictions can turn out to be wrong, but we can be proactive,” adds Newton. “Some things such as technology are a safe bet. It’s all about ‘high tech and high touch’ so, yes, we will need digital skills, but also those human skills such as empathy in areas such as health and social care.” It’s how settings weave these skills areas into the wider curriculum that will make all the difference.

“It’s a combination of having a flexible, relevant curriculum that can be adapted for new issues and content needs, and also having a steer on those transversal skills such as communication and creativity,” says Dr Paul Tully FSET, associate director membership and business growth at ETF. Embedding these skills requires re-thinking curriculum design so that content and skills can be interleaved throughout the learner’s study experience.

1 in 16

The proportion of workers that might need to change occupations by 20301

16% The amount of people who know how their skills might be useful in another career2 1

McKinsey & Company 2 The Edge Foundation

Importantly, it is the contextualisation of these skills within a familiar content setting or topic that does most to help learners acquire them. This reworking of the curriculum, he adds, can be complemented with standalone workshops and other skills-focused sessions that learners can dip into to reinforce their use.

ETF’s new leadership standards framework incorporates a need for

teaching staff and leaders to consider issues such as equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and sustainability in the classroom. There’s also an increasing emphasis on creating communities of practice so teachers can share how they’re building future skills development into what they do. “People in this sector enjoy sharing and dialogue; they are mutually supportive,” adds Tully. “This will add resilience to the sector, create empowering conversations and connect national policy with local issues.”

Sustainability focus Sustainability and climate change issues are not just discussions for facilities and estate managers – they also belong in the future skills conversation. Across campuses at the Bedford College Group, for example, there are a number of initiatives underway to become carbon-neutral, including changing cladding around buildings. But there are also efforts to embed sustainability considerations into the curriculum as part of the group’s strategic plan, says Em Lowe, deputy chief executive. “We’re working with employers on how we might deliver those skills – for example, how modern methods of construction can feed into sustainable housebuilding in the future,” she explains.

Sunderland College is also beginning to embed sustainability into the curriculum, says Quinn. “Teaching staff know that it’s not just about the academic stuff any more,” she adds, “and we know the success the students can have if they marry those technical skills with the transferable ones.”

Each student has a ‘future-ready activity’ built into their academic year, which could include a masterclass with an employer or a discussion session on the future of their industry sector.

It can feel as though the pace of change is faster than providers would like, concludes Quinn, but it’s a challenge she and her team are prepared to face head on. “It’s too important not to get right,” she says.

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

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SAFETY

NET Charities and thirdsector organisations have always played an important role in the delivery of education, often to those on the edges of society.

Today, they continue to do this, despite the considerable challenges of the past few years, as David Adams explains

he origins of the UK’s education system lie in charitable works, although thankfully things have moved on from solely relying on this. Still, perhaps it is appropriate that third-sector organisations, from small, communitybased projects to large national charities, play such a vital role in education today.

Some provide teaching and/or practical or financial support for learners who may not be easily served by mainstream

T

education providers, including some of the most vulnerable or disadvantaged people in society.

The operating environment has been challenging for many of these organisations in recent years. Some funding sources were weakened or removed by public spending cuts during austerity, then by Brexit, which removed access to EU funding. Devolution in some parts of England has created new funding sources, but may also have increased the complexity of securing and using those funds.

The pandemic led to some thirdsector organisations being forced to fold; during the past four years in particular political instability has been unhelpful, with many individuals having held ministerial posts relevant

to education, training and skills within a short period of time.

Stephen Jeffrey is CEO of the London Learning Consortium (LLC), a community interest company that delivers skills and education alongside other third-sector organisations in London and south-east England. This includes programmes for young people with disabilities and/or those who may have found it difficult to succeed at school or college for other reasons. He is scathing about the net effect of some education policies on this part of the sector.

“The one thing that has been constant is that there has been no constant,” he says. The imperfections of the current funding regime for apprenticeships have also contributed to a decline in the number of independent training providers, including some charities.

Jeffrey says LLC has been forced to stop sub-contracting some services, focusing instead on direct provision, because the financial risks of sub-contracting have become too severe.

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SECTOR FOCUS

THIRD SECTOR

P H O T O G R A P H Y: R E UK , P R I S O NE R S ’ E D U C AT I O N T R U S T

In action The larger charities that provide services to thousands of learners across the country include Young Enterprise, which helps about 500,000 young people in England and Wales each year to acquire and improve employability and financial skills, while partner organisations provide similar services in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Many of the young people participating in its programmes are in further education (FE), some of whom create and run small businesses as part of those programmes.

At the heart of its work is applied learning – “giving young people the opportunity to take some classroom learning and use it in a real and practical way,” as Young Enterprise chief operating officer Russell Winnard puts it – to complement the largely knowledgebased curriculum followed in schools and colleges. An additional benefit, he suggests, is that this can help tackle the problem of students feeling that the education they receive is not relevant to real life and practical needs.

Some smaller third-sector organisations have managed to grow during recent years. Refugee Education UK (REUK), called the Refugee Support Network until 2021, was founded as a local project by members of Community Church Harlesden in north-west London in 2009. It now has about 40 staff and supports hundreds of young refugees and asylum seekers, including unaccompanied children, across the country. It helps these young people to access and navigate opportunities in FE and higher education. It can also offer support with other problems, including poverty, homelessness and physical or mental health issues.

Katie Barringer, the charity’s head of educational progression, says its growth has been due in part to a commitment to support young refugees and asylum seekers in an environment dominated by negative political rhetoric about them.

It’s also partly a consequence of both the withdrawal by the US and its allies from Afghanistan in 2021 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Those events were followed by sudden increases in refugees arriving in the UK from those countries – and unprecedented proactive approaches from funders keen to help.

REUK has created a dedicated team to work alongside FE institutions: an essential activity, as FE colleges are often the first point of contact that young refugees and asylum seekers have with the education system. “One issue we come across is incorrect information being given to students because of a lack of understanding of the immigration system or its interaction with the education system,” says Huw Hides, FE lead practitioner for REUK. “We regularly see people being enrolled onto courses that are not free for them, or colleges saying someone is not eligible for funding that they are eligible for. Our job is to work with colleges and other FE providers to explain their rights and entitlements so they can enrol into appropriate courses without our intervention.”

Hides says the thing he finds most remarkable about working with these young people is the “untapped potential” they could offer the UK, and their commitment to using education to access future opportunities in multiple employment sectors. “It will benefit not just them but wider society,” he says.

“When I think about people going into

Third-sector organisations provide learning opportunities for some of the most vulnerable in our society – including refugees, asylum seekers and prisoners – who may not otherwise be able to access education

nursing, I think of the benefits to the NHS and the patients they will be caring for. FE is the first step in that journey.”

Positive impact Elsewhere, the Prisoners’ Education Trust (PET) is one of many charities delivering education in prisons. PET has supported tens of thousands of learners in prisons across England and Wales for more than 30 years through the provision of distance learning courses.

“We know that participating in education helps to reduce reoffending,” says PET CEO Jon Collins. “Accessing education in prison can be transformational: increasing the chances of getting a job after their release, but also improving mental health and wellbeing.”

PET’s courses complement numeracy, literacy and vocational courses offered through general prison education and by other charities. In 2022, PET funded delivery of 127 different courses to over 1,500 learners in 118 prisons, with the most popular including risk assessment for health and safety, start-up business skills and bookkeeping. Prisoners can

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THIRD SECTOR

SECTOR FOCUS

PET continues to campaign for more access to digital technologies in prison, which it suggests would widen access to its services, benefiting individuals, the prison community and ultimately society by enhancing prisoners’ digital skills and creating a calmer prison environment and safer working conditions for prison staff.

“There is a really important role for the charity sector working in prisons,” says Collins. “It’s very much a partnership between us and other charities, like the Shannon Trust, that go into prisons and work with people who aren’t otherwise engaging in education.

“Learners say they feel it’s important that an organisation wants to invest in them. They want to do their best because they know we’ve invested charitable funds in them.”

Plugging the gaps

study for GCSEs, A Levels and Open University Access modules, alongside vocational courses and courses that may not be linked to employment opportunities, such as creative writing or art. The use of distance learning via post or, where possible, digital technology means prisoners study at their own pace, and can continue their courses if moved to another prison.

The pandemic had a severe impact on prison education, which was largely shut down for months, with many prisoners locked up for 23 hours each day. PET was still able to support learners to some extent via post, but also launched a free telephone advice service for prisoners, which has proved very popular and effective, receiving 1,367 calls from prisoners during 2022.

Collins says demand for PET’s courses has now surpassed prepandemic levels, although accessing education in general is still very difficult in some prisons, partly because of ongoing staff shortages.

OUR JOB IS TO WORK WITH COLLEGES AND OTHER FE PROVIDERS TO EXPLAIN THEIR RIGHTS AND ENTITLEMENTS SO THEY CAN ENROL INTO APPROPRIATE COURSES

Young Enterprise’s Winnard believes charities play a unique, crucial role in education in general, delivering services that are not funded directly from the statutory sector, and/or working in collaboration with colleges and other institutions to enhance the services they offer learners.

Hides also stresses the value of this type of collaboration, pointing to REUK’s mentoring scheme as an example: it offers one-to-one support outside the classroom, to help with school or college work and/or to act as a friendly, trusted source of support. “Ultimately, it’s not a college’s responsibility to provide that service, but I think it really complements what happens in the classroom,” he says.

In the end, says Collins, all this work adds up to charities enriching the range and reach of the education sector by helping to fulfil a fundamental social need for education and training that statutory providers may sometimes struggle to offer.

“People want to learn and it’s about giving them the opportunities to do so,” he concludes.

DAVID ADAMS is a freelance journalist

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RESEARCH AND INSIGHT FROM THE FURTHER EDUCATION AND SKILLS SECTOR

Fresh approach Neurodivergent teachers report self-doubt and a need to ‘normalise’ to fit in with traditionally accepted norms, according to research undertaken by Dr Annemarie O’Dwyer. The sector needs to do more to get the most out of such talented people his article presents two key findings from my doctoral research, about the ‘cult of the performative teacher’ and ‘post-panoptic performativity’ in the context of the further education and skills sector in England, and their implications for professionals in the sector (O’Dwyer, 2021).

The aim is to explore the potential contribution the findings make to the current literature on neurodiversity and, in particular, the implications for neurodivergent teachers.

Walker (2021) defines neurodiversity succinctly as “the variation among minds” – however, she uses the word “mind” in a holistic way encompassing “every aspect of perception, cognition, emotion, memory, psyche and consciousness”.

In addition, a further critical exploration will consider if the current FE and skills environment, with its preoccupation on performative outputs and accountability (O’Leary, 2013), is a conducive environment to embrace

T

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a neuro-inclusive approach in policy and practice to the benefit of its neurodivergent teaching workforce.

To set the scene, the two findings outlined emerged from my doctoral research, which explored how the education policy process, policy techniques and performativity contribute to the construction of teachers with specific learning differences (SpLDs) as subjects in the English FE and skills sector. SpLD is a catch-all term encompassing dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia. The term is situated within the pathology paradigm, which, alongside the neurodiversity approach(es), will be explained later in this article.

DR ANNEMARIE O’DWYER is director of Neurodivergent Insider

Cult of the performative teacher The first finding formed out of the sector’s preoccupation with measuring the worth of teachers by their ability to

meet pre-determined standards and measures. Responses from teachers and managers working in FE and skills to the question, ‘What makes an effective teaching professional?’ – and their thoughts on lesson observations as a performance measure – formed a sort of ‘cult’ figure.

Both teachers and managers mechanically listed activities, attributes and behaviours that were similar in form, with only slight variations in descriptors used. Often the word ‘good’

A GOOD STARTING POINT WOULD BE TO CREATE A POSITIVE WELLNESS SPACE FOR TEACHERS prefixed the description, a word synonymous with Ofsted grading criteria. Ball (2003) explained this phenomenon using the concept of performativity. Ball argues that “performativity is a technology, a culture and a mode of regulation”.

Put simply, performativity in the context of education describes how performance measures, such as Ofsted grading and valueadded scores, set the tone and culture of education, reducing the value of education to the aspects of teaching that can be calculated, measured and compared. Thus, according to Ball, “we make ourselves calculable rather than memorable”.

For the neurodivergent teachers (diagnosed with dyslexia) who took part in the research, their perception of a ‘good’ teacher was, like their neuronormative colleagues, shaped by how well a teacher could perform to pre-determined

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standards and measures. In addition, they also provided a rote checklist of the ‘good’ teacher, which included the same attributes and behaviours mentioned by the other participants.

However, for neurodivergent teachers there were greater ramifications, as they began to describe themselves as deficient in comparison to their neuronormative colleagues. One of them had this to say about why they should not be a humanities teacher: “One of the things I find the hardest is holding on to detail.

I have no ability to hold on to detail whatsoever. And, therefore, I shouldn’t be a [subject] teacher.”

The perception of not meeting the neuronormative standard expressed in the neurodivergent teacher’s response is reflected across all sectors of employment.

Birkbeck, University of London, published preliminary findings of a survey covering 1,117 people, which included 127 employers and 990 neurodivergent employees. The Neurodiversity at Work (2023) survey found that psychological wellbeing and safety was more important to neurodivergent staff than the provision of accommodations.

For neurodivergent teachers, having authentic conversations with college employers about their neurodivergence can be difficult and exhausting, and can place them in a vulnerable position where their psychological wellbeing is compromised (McDowall et al, 2023).

In the work by Hamilton and Petty (2023), which draws on the principles of compassionfocused psychological therapies, they call for a “universal design for learning” (UDL), which appreciates a neurodiverse body of learners, and is ‘fit for purpose’ and evident in curriculum design, interpersonal relations and the culture of the higher education institution.

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The focus of the work is on neurodivergent students; however, Hamilton and Petty recognise the need for neurodivergent staff to also benefit from a compassionfocused approach. In the spirit of UDL, they present good practice examples of accommodating neurodivergent staff. Suggestions include flexible working hours, allocating tasks and workstreams based on employee strengths, and promoting and welcoming neurodiversity in recruitment practices.

Good practice examples were provided by the neurodivergent teachers in the research; however, the examples were isolated and varied even within the same FE college. Of the two FE colleges that took part in the research, neither had a distinct policy on accommodating neurodivergent teachers. When support was mentioned, it was in relation to learner support services and learner support policy, although senior leaders interviewed were confident that, on request, reasonable adjustments would be made for neurodivergent staff.

The lack of a considered and appropriate approach in accommodating neurodivergent teachers is symptomatic of what neurodiversity academics and advocates refer to as the pathology paradigm, which shapes and influences disability policy and practice. Walker (2021) summarises the pathology paradigm by stating that it approaches disability from the bio-medical perspective: “If your neurological configuration and functioning (and, as a result, your ways of thinking and behaving) diverge substantially from the dominant standard of ‘normal’, then there is Something Wrong with You.” Without an inclusive policy in place to guide managers on how to better accommodate

ABOUT THE RESEARCH The sample of research participants included 15 adult professionals from within two FE colleges, and wider sector agencies, organisations and departments in England.

They were selected using both purposive (recruited based on characteristics – for example, they work in the FE and skills sector) and volunteer sampling techniques.

Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were selected as an appropriate method and were carried out between May and August 2018.

The research inquiry moves beyond subjective accounts of how teachers with SpLDs navigate through the expectations of what it is to be a teaching professional. Instead, it appreciates how a set of circumstances, created by sector policy reform and policy, contributes to the subjectification of teachers with SpLDs. Unfortunately no ‘good’ practice example emerged from the research. However, I am pleased to announce, in partnership with a certified ADHD life coach, and a neurodivergent teacher and advocate, the creation of a new online support group for neurodivergent teachers. This will meet monthly and provide a safe and creative space for neurodivergent teachers to share their experiences in a supportive and likeminded environment.

To find out more, or share examples of best practice, please email me at neurodivergentinsider@gmail.com

neurodivergent teachers, teachers are left to ‘fix’ themselves, while managing the burden of fulfilling the ‘cult of the performative teacher’ role.

Post-panoptic performativity The second finding of the research – ‘post-panoptic performativity’ – will also act as an exploratory tool in examining the prevailing accountability culture of the FE and skills sector in England and the implications for employer colleges to

be neurodiversity-affirming in the design and execution of neuroinclusive policy and practice.

Post-panoptic performativity is a phrase used by Perryman et al (2018) to explain how teachers and managers within the sector become agents of control over themselves. They argue that teachers are in a constant state of Ofsted-readiness. The threat of surveillance leads teachers to become preoccupied with meeting performance and accountability measures. As educationalists, we should be concerned with such a preoccupation, as it encourages a ‘one size fits all’ approach to education, which is tangential to neurodiversity-affirming approaches and practices.

To better understand how accountability became the dominant culture in the FE and skills sector in England, we need to go back to the incorporation of FE colleges, which took place in 1993 following the Further and Higher Education Act of 1992.

Incorporation brought with it a new style of management referred to as new public management, which concerned itself with applying commercial model techniques and principles to the sector (Lucas and Crowther, 2016).

Consequently, Hoyle and Wallace (2005) argue, a ‘new professionalism’ emerged, which concerned itself with performative outputs and market models.

A by-product of the accountability culture and ‘new professionalism’ is what Holloway and Brass (2018) refer to as a ‘marketised discourse’ among teachers. Teachers applied market logics in their accounts of performance determined by external measures. The language of commerce was used to describe the business of teaching, with one teacher stating: “All you

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have is what you produce, and you have to produce the best product that you can, which is who can perform on a test.”

Juxtaposed to the accountability discourse is the neurodiversity approach(es), also referred to as the neurodiversity paradigm (Walker, 2021). Walker, like other neurodiversity researchers and advocates, distinguishes between the concept of neurodiversity, and both the neurodiversity paradigm (principle/frame of reference) and the neurodiversity movement (social justice and civil rights movement for the inclusion of the neurodivergent).

According to Dwyer (2022), there is no single unified approach to neurodiversity. Dwyer explains that like scientific paradigms, there are “discrepancies” and no “clear rules”. Like scientific paradigms, neurodiversity approaches are in the main “part action-oriented and prescriptive” and provide a frame of reference in how to “proceed in relation to human neurocognitive diversity”.

Where there appears to be a form of consensus in approach is in the belief that the individual requirements and preferences of the neurodivergent should be considered and, more importantly, that no intervention should aim to ‘normalise’ neurodivergent people in attempts to make them more neuronormative.

weakness. I am saying there is something about me that is not perfect.” O’Connor’s (2023) paper states that one way to reduce stigma and masking for the neurodivergent college community is to “hire and support neurodivergent educators”.

Neurodiversity approach principles should be employed by colleges and other FE and skills settings. A good starting point would be to create a positive wellness space for teachers. This will not only allow them to declare their neurodivergence in a safe and supportive environment, but also to know that their employer has a neuro-inclusive policy and protocols to recognise neurodivergent teachers.

This is designed to accommodate their unique neurodivergent

Embracing neurodiversity However, the reality for neurodivergent teachers is one in which they are left to ‘normalise’.

This is done through masking and adopting resilience ‘strategies’ to assist in managing the performative demands of teaching.

Furthermore, they feared that in disclosing their neurodivergence questions would be raised about their competency. One neurodivergent teacher stated: “When I tell a class I am dyslexic I am partly revealing a

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strengths without the subtext of trying to ‘normalise’ them.

However, the strong hold of performative and accountability culture, which continues to drive behaviour in the English FE and skills sector, appears to be at odds with the practice and acceptance of neurodiversity. It is within the gift of all employers to fully embed neuroinclusive policy and practice to the benefit of their neurodivergent teaching workforce.

When they do so, they will not only be advocating for neurodivergent teachers but demonstrating themselves as allies for neurodivergent learners and the neurodiversity movement as a whole.

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

Dwyer P. (2022) The neurodiversity approach(es): what are they and what do they mean for researchers? Human Development 66(2): 73-92.

Hamilton LG and Petty S. (2023) Compassionate pedagogy for neurodiversity in higher education: a conceptual analysis. Frontiers in Psychology 14: 1-9.

Holloway J and Brass J. (2018) Making accountable teachers: the terrors and pleasures of performativity.

Journal of Education Policy 33(3): 361-382.

Hoyle E and Wallace M. (2005) Educational Leadership: ambiguity, professionals and managerialism. 1st Edition.

London: Sage Publications.

Lucas N and Crowther N. (2016) The logic of incorporation of further education colleges in England 1993-2015: towards an understanding of marketisation, change and instability. Journal of Education Policy 31(5): 583-597.

McDowall A, Doyle N and Kiseleva M. (2023) Neurodiversity at Work: demand, supply and a gap analysis. Birkbeck, University of London. See: eprints.bbk.ac.uk/ id/eprint/50834

of࣢the contribution of policy techniques, policy process and performativity [Doctoral thesis, University of Roehampton].

University of Roehampton. See: bit.ly/Roehampton-thesis O’Leary M. (2013) Surveillance, performativity and normalised practice: the use and impact of graded lesson observations࣢in࣢Further Education colleges. Journal of࣢Further and Higher Education 37(5): 694-714.

O’Connor C. (2023) Departments: alternative format: will neurodivergent teachers and students ever unmask? Language Arts 100(5): 383-387.

Perryman J, Maguire M, Braun A and Ball S. (2018) Surveillance, govermentality and moving the goalposts: the influence of Ofsted on the work of schools in post-panoptic era.

British Journal of Educational Studies 66(2): 145-163.

O’Dwyer A. (2021) The construction of teachers with specific learning differences (SpLDs) as subjects in the English further education sector: an exploration

Walker N. (2021) Neuroqueer Heresies: notes on the neurodiversity paradigm, autistic empowerment, and postnormal possibilities. Fort Worth: Autonomous Press, LLC.

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CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ontinuous professional development (CPD) is at the heart of the majority of professions.

To be effective, professionals have to keep up to date with the latest developments in their respective fields and areas of expertise, develop new skills or close gaps in their existing knowledge. In fact, it has been noted that “adaptive and proactive learners are highly prized assets for organisations and investing in learning creates long-term dividends for our career development” (Tupper and Ellis, 2021).

The ability to maintain our professional development is becoming even more important in the context of rapid technological and societal changes. We engage in professional development, more or less willingly, for a number of reasons. Some of us do it because we recognise that CPD makes us more adaptable, expands our career options or fills gaps in our knowledge; others do it to comply with professional requirements or government directives. Our willingness to actively engage in formal CPD programmes also depends on factors such as our age and career stage (Njenga, 2023).

CPD comes in many guises, from formal training such as workshops and courses to less formal approaches such as coaching, peer observations or professional discussions. One approach that has been (re)gaining popularity is practitioner research. This is ‘insider’ research that involves the practitioner engaging in a systematic and intentional study of one’s own professional practice (Fichtman Dana, 2016).

Practitioner research traces its roots to the work of John Dewey (Fichtman Dana, 2016). It has been described as a ‘movement’, which has democratised research and emancipated teachers by putting them in the position of “expert knowers about their own

C

7 reasons to consider practitioner research for your CPD CPD is an essential part of the landscape for further education and skills practitioners.

Dr Marcin Lewandowski FSET outlines why he believes practitioner research should be at the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to picking a method 28 INTUITION WINTER 2023

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students and classrooms” and therefore best placed to study and improve curriculum. In doing so, it has challenged the prevailing “authority of professional experts who produced and accumulated knowledge in ‘scientific’ research settings for use by others in practical settings” (CochranSmith and Lytle, 1999).

The aim of practitioner research is to understand and unpack the underlying complexities inherent in the act of teaching to effect a positive change in the practice of those undertaking this research to the benefit of their students (Fichtman Dana, 2016).

It is clear that the philosophy of practitioner research taps into something much deeper than just CPD. Those who undertake it often do it out of the desire for meaning in the pursuit of excellence.

Put like this, the comparison to craftsmanship seems inescapable.

Sennett, in his seminal book The Craftsman, argued that “every good craftsman conducts a dialogue between concrete practices and thinking; this dialogue evolves into sustaining habits, and these habits establish a rhythm between problem-solving and problemfinding” (Sennet, 2009).

Elements of this dialogue are present in practitioner research, albeit in a more formalised way.

Practitioner research is not the only tradition that follows this reflective and experiential cycle.

Approaches such as action research and self-study are both examples of practicebased inquiry that have often been used synonymously or interchangeably with it. However, unlike the latter, practitioner research is ‘critical inquiry made public’. This requires scientific rigour and attention to research methodology (Campbell, 2013).

This focus on rigour and quality has been at the heart of the prestigious Education

PRACTITIONER RESEARCH OFFERS PRACTITIONERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN A REFLECTIVE PROCESS and Training Foundation (ETF) Practitioner Research Programme (PRP), delivered in partnership with SUNCETT at the University of Sunderland. The programme has engaged practitioners in practice-based inquiry, either at a one-year MA level during which practitioners could engage in a small-scale exploratory study, or two (or more) years of much more in-depth inquiry at an MPhil level.

The support and guidance they have received not only allowed them to refine their research ideas, but also ultimately gave them tools to hone their teaching craft.

The discussion above already hints at some of the reasons why colleges and organisations should have practitioner research on their CPD menu. Improvement of teaching and opportunities to share findings with colleagues alone are good reasons to try it.

But these are not the only ones.

Here are seven more to consider:

1 DR MARCIN LEWANDOWSKI FSET is a manager, teacher and researcher

It is often a bottom-up process driven by the teachers

Practitioners are intimately familiar with their practice. They are well placed to know what works and what doesn’t. This means that they are more likely to identify issues or opportunities that others may miss.

This also means that any inquiry they undertake will not only be highly relevant to their practice, as it is grounded in it, but also offer solutions to problems shared by

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other practitioners in the sector.

Two personal examples of this are studies I carried out on the efficacy of Google tools for online collaboration and language practice (Lewandowski, 2015; Lewandowski 2017). Needless to say, the knowledge and skills I developed in the process became invaluable in the first months of the pandemic.

2

It offers a meaningful extension to workshops

3

Staff buy-in and greater job satisfaction

Running workshops as staff development may be a costeffective way of ‘delivering’ formal training. Yet, due to their duration, workshops are often designed as events where the intention is awareness-raising, and as such offer little more than just a superficial look at key issues.

Practitioner research, on the other hand, offers practitioners an opportunity to immerse themselves in a reflective process requiring the development of critical and analytical dispositions and qualities of mind (an ability for independent thought and reflection, a habit of truthfulness, a sense of justice, a care for clarity and expressiveness and thought and speech) (Dunne, 1993), which produce a deeper level of learning. With that said, workshops can be great ‘initiators’ of small (or large) scale action research projects with teachers testing certain aspects covered in the workshop.

“I am now regularly engaging in the reading of a broad range of research papers. I now analyse educational practices in a far deeper sense than I did before.”

PRP researcher

Engagement in action research is often voluntary, curiositydriven and inherently rewarding.

Action research can help to meet essential psychological needs, which, according to motivation

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psychologists, are required for growth and wellbeing (Deci and Ryan, 2000).

Namely, it affords teachers a degree of autonomy over the choice of topic, research design and methods, and promotes a sense of competence through the pursuit of mastery and relatedness to a wider research community. This, in turn, fosters intrinsic motivation, and with it continued engagement in the activity (and beyond). It’s likely to appeal to teachers at all stages of their careers who, regardless of their experience, will find the process both stimulating and sufficiently challenging.

“My ability to study educational practice in context and my confidence and ability to put concepts from educational research to the test in the real world have both risen ... I’ve become more confident talking to senior colleagues in my organisation due to my engagement with research literature, which is developing my critical thinking skills. I’m also paying much closer attention to what’s going on in the larger research community now.”

PRP researcher

4

Quality improvement

The impact of action research goes beyond the practitioner’s immediate practice and often leads to tangible changes in organisations’ quality improvement cycles. My research on online tools resulted in a hybrid provision long before we had a term for it. These changes are also emphatically stated in the feedback we’ve collected. Our feedback shows that practitioner research has led to changes in three distinct areas:

Organisations’ CPD offer “Being part of the Advanced Practitioner team has placed me in an ideal position to be able to influence staff CPD to include

updates, findings and discussions around the sort of practitioner research I have encountered through the PRP programme.

“I meet weekly with our director of teaching and learning (an alumnus of the PRP programme himself ) and we discuss the various benefits of practitioner research and how we can embed key themes from educational research in our staff CPD offer. This has led to us hosting CPD sessions on our own individual research projects, and has also opened up avenues for other staff to start small-scale research projects of their own, creating a more engaged atmosphere across campus where staff are keen to share their ideas with us.”

PRP researcher

School curriculum “The PRP is having an impact on my organisation as I have met with the mental health lead to discuss the existing support and guidance available for staff and students, as well as my research for proposed developments. This meeting was incredibly positive and the mental health team are keen to embed mental health education within existing curriculums. My research will directly inform this proposed development.”

PRP researcher Observation strategy “I met with our director of teaching and learning and asked if I could give a short presentation on using digital tools [and share]

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my emerging research findings and some relevant research references.

[As a result] we’re thinking about changing our observation strategy to one that is more collaborative and practitioner-led, where responsibility for change involves mutual engagement in improvement activity and shared accountability.”

PRP researcher

5

Better results for learners

Ultimately, at the heart of action research is the desire to help learners progress in their learning. Feedback sampled for this article shows that the ways in which teachers approach this goal vary. Some focus on fostering autonomy; others on understanding and addressing learners’ mental health needs; others, still, on helping learners hone their digital skills to engender more personal independence.

This diversity of approaches is what makes action research such a powerful engine of educational change and improvement. After all, no two classes are the same.

All have their idiosyncrasies and unique sets of challenges, which makes teachers particularly well placed to address them. In doing so, they not only support their learners but also generate an invaluable body of knowledge from which practitioners working at all levels in the sector can all learn.

6

It’s contagious

Teachers involved in research like to talk about it. This creates opportunities both for formal and informal learning. The feedback collected as part of the PRP shows that practitioners involved in research share their progress with their colleagues, involve them in professional discussions and volunteer to deliver staff training.

Their enthusiasm often rubs off on their colleagues. Many of

the PRP practitioners have been referred to the programme by the programme alumni.

“Engaging in the actual research itself has enabled me to gain a sharper sense of understanding of changes in the organisation, and the sector as a whole, and I use this critical eye to shape my own viewpoint. This is a viewpoint that I share with colleagues with evergrowing confidence.”

PRP researcher

7

It’s addictive

Active participation in research can be identityforming. Teachers involved in research start to seek out groups of like-minded people.

They join or establish networks and communities such as Learning and Skills Research Network, NATECLA, JoyFE and Collaborative Action Research Network. They attend conferences, start podcasts (the excellent FE Research Podcast was founded by two PRP researchers), publish research papers and contribute articles.

They undergo an ‘orientation shift’ from teachers who do research to teacher researchers, where the research and all its associated activities become consistent with their identities. They effectively become researchers.

And finally…

It is worth noting that, despite the benefits, practitioner research is not a quick or easy way of getting CPD done. It requires commitment from the practitioners and their departments, schools and faculties. Collegial support or a mentorship from more experienced colleagues help to ensure that colleagues undertaking research for the first time have a positive, successful and useful experience of engaging in research that focuses on addressing real and enduring

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problems in educational practice (Mertler, 2021).

Evidence from the PRP demonstrates how those who choose to take this path increase research capacity in the sector and raise the quality and impact of the outcomes of their research. In the process, they gain rewarding and enriching experiences of becoming and being researchers, whose work contributes to real and sustained improvements in the educational experiences and achievements of their students.

References Campbell KH. (2013) A call to action: why we need more practitioner research. A response to ‘A teacher educator uses action research to develop culturally conscious curriculum planners’. Democracy and Education 21(2): Article 7.

Cochran-Smith M and Lytle S. (1999) The teacher research movement: a decade later. Educational Researcher 28(7): 15-25.

Deci EL and Ryan RM. (2000) The ‘what’ and ‘why’ of goal pursuits: human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry 11(4): 227-268.

Dunne J. (1993) Back to the Rough Ground: Practical Judgment and the Lure of Technique. Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press.

Fichtman Dana N. (2016) The relevancy and importance of practitioner research in contemporary times. Journal of Practitioner Research 1(1): Article 1.

Mertler CA. (2021) Action research as teacher inquiry: a viable strategy for resolving problems of practice. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation 26: Article 19.

Lewandowski M. (2015). Creating virtual classrooms (using Google Hangouts) for improving language competency. Language Issues: The ESOL Journal 26(1): 37-42.

Lewandowski M. (2017) Virtually written: exploring the efficacy of Google tools for facilitating collaboration and improving language competency in adult ESOL learners.

Language Issues: The ESOL Journal 28(1): 11-22.

Njenga M. (2023) Teacher participation in continuing professional development: a theoretical framework.

Journal of Adult and Continuing Education 29(1): 69-85.

Sennett R. (2009) The Craftsman. London: Penguin Books.

Tupper H and Ellis S. (2021) Make learning a part of࣢your daily routine. Harvard Business Review. See: hbr. org/2021/11/make-learning-a-part-of-your-daily-routine

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POST-16 EDUCATION

Transition period Post-16 learners require a different approach to those aged younger or older. Here, Stefan Fusenich MSET QTLS outlines the latest thinking on how best to ensure this group are engaged and able to develop the necessary independent thinking skills for their future study or work s the renowned educationalist Dylan William (2019) highlights, teaching is an unusual job. It shares with other professions the requirement that individuals make decisions with imperfect knowledge but, unlike other professions, there is no shared knowledge base; no set of facts that all involved in doing the job would agree on. Willian suggests improvements made by teachers are often more due to experience than any research-based findings.

Research by Ofsted, published in 2019, suggests strategies of

A

spaced or distributed learning; interleaving; retrieval practice; elaboration; and dual coding support learning, but teachers may find the use of these strategies alone with post-16 learners is not enough. It has become clear to me throughout my career that as students move towards adulthood, the way they learn changes, reflecting a shift towards greater self-direction and autonomy.

Research by Crisp et al (2023) on effective post-16 GCSE re-sit practice suggests the principle that learners are key actors in their own learning processes

STEFAN FUSENICH MSET QTLS is

programme leader, further education and initial teacher education, at Bishop Grosseteste University

is sound, particularly where motivating and engaging those learners is identified as a major barrier to progress.

So what do post-16 learners really want? Johnston et al (2022) highlight that adolescents want ‘play’ and ‘playful’ learning that is creative, exploratory, handson, fun and different from the usual. They found that students highlight that learning improves when their teachers communicate high expectations by giving them playful learning opportunities, which they contrasted with more traditional didactic teaching approaches.

This latest research suggests to me that, if we apply some of the principles of adult learning theory in post-16 settings, as teachers, we may be able to more effectively meet the needs of our learners and prevent disaffection.

What we all must realise is that the adult’s way of learning is very different from the child’s and that post-16 education must, therefore, be based on quite different premises. Post-16 students learn what they want to learn and what is meaningful for them. They

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or monitored closely enough, so some lose their way. Teachers do not ensure that learners have the skills they need to learn well from the work they are engaged in.

are not very inclined to learn something they are not interested in, or in which they cannot see the meaning or importance. The fundamental requirement is that the adult must take, and be allowed to take, responsibility for their own learning (Illeris, 2002).

At post-16, it is important for us to remember that we need to teach students the skills to succeed, ensuring our teaching methods develop more independent learners. We must support them in developing essential employability skills and to develop their understanding of ‘how you work’, ‘how you think’ and ‘how you work with others’.

Mixing it up If we look at post-16 as the stepping stone between school and university, as practitioners, we must look at our teaching practices. This means ensuring that we are using much more than the traditional pedagogical models to meet the needs of our learners and to help them develop the skills needed to be successful in their studies or employment.

As students reach this transition period between childhood and adulthood, we should consider that our sessions need to use a mix of pedagogy and self directed learning (andragogy) to support and engage our learners, and prepare them for their next steps.

Research by Ofsted on teaching, learning and assessment in further education and skills (2014) shows how and why the promotion of well-thought-out and structured andragogical principles in the FE classroom is an important part of effective teaching. The research highlights some of the issues around post-16 delivery, which include: teachers’ low expectations of learners, their overuse of support to compensate for undemanding

THE KNOWLEDGE

IF WE APPLY SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES OF ADULT LEARNING THEORY IN POST-16 SETTINGS, WE MAY BE ABLE TO MORE EFFECTIVELY MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR LEARNERS teaching and learning, and their lack of promotion of learners’ autonomy an insufficiently close match between teachers’ choice of learning activities and meeting learners’ needs too much focus on completing learning activities without paying enough attention to ensuring that the main learning points are thoroughly understood time wasted on unstructured independent work, which involves learners’ use of unreliable or irrelevant information sources. This can have negative consequences for learners’ knowledge development, engagement and interest unproductive use of learning time because learners’ activities are not structured sufficiently

If we look at Ofsted’s research on effective teaching in post-16 (2014), we can see the importance of using andragogical approaches to both motivate and engage students and to increase progress, retention and achievement.

If we look at this statement from another angle, it could be said that some post-16 learners need and want applicable knowledge. Thus, they are resistant to the tactics of traditional pedagogy such as drills, quizzes, examinations, fact-laden lectures and rote memorisation (Bouchrika, 2023).

Andragogical approaches Many of us can see within our classes that as students reach the age of 16 we are often faced with an attitude of ‘What’s in this for me?’ Where this is the case, this could be seen as an indication that a more andragogical approach to delivery is needed within our teaching to meet these learners’ needs and keep them engaged and on-task.

For some subjects, it is reasonable for us to use some more traditional teacher input methods (pedagogy), particularly where students are new to the subject and have limited previous experience or knowledge, such as sociology or psychology. Yet in subjects such as PE or with learners in second-year classes, we may be able to take a more andragogical approach due to the fact learners will have studied these subjects at GCSE or had a year of learning to draw upon.

So, what does effective application of andragogy look like in post16 education? Andragogy does not purely mean sending the learners off to do a research task or develop a presentation.

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THE KNOWLEDGE

POST-16 EDUCATION

References Alibali M (2006). Does visual scaffolding facilitate students’ mathematics learning? Evidence from early algebra. Institute of Education Sciences. See: ies.ed.gov/funding/grantsearch/details.asp?ID=54 Bouchrika I. (2023) The andragogy approach: Knowles’ adult learning theory principles. Research. com. See: research.com/education/the-andragogyapproach Crisp et al. (2023) Post-16 GCSE resit practice review. The Centre for Education and Youth. See: cfey.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Post-16Practice-Review-final.pdf Frey N and Fisher D. (2010) Guiding Instruction: how to develop confident and successful learners.

Alexandria, Virginia: ADCD. Illeris K. (2002) The Three Dimensions of Learning: contemporary learning theory in the tension field between the cognitive, the emotional and the social.

Leicester: NIACE.

Instead, it means the application of cognitive science requiring children, as well as adults, to take greater ownership of their learning.

Developing a student-focused learning experience takes planning, and one of the key issues often seen in FE is that andragogical principles are not planned well enough, resulting in student disengagement or no learning taking place.

As previously mentioned, within Ofsted’s research on effective teaching in post-16 (2014), the use of self-directed learning not done effectively can have a negative effect on students’ learning.

Scaffolding It is important to remember that at the age of 16, learners may not be able yet to fully undertake self-directed learning. One important strategy for motivating and engaging students here, and facilitating deeper, more self-regulated learning, is scaffolding (Frey and Fisher, 2010).

Using this approach will ensure that learners develop their understanding, build skills and gain confidence.

Support can be gradually reduced until they are ready to work independently.

Therefore, it is important that any activities are structured sufficiently, providing learners with temporary or partial support to help them complete the tasks. For a research activity, this might, for example, be providing them with a list of websites they should use to gather information from.

Alibali (2006) suggests that, as students progress through a task, faculty can use a variety of scaffolds to accommodate different levels of knowledge. More complex content might require a number of scaffolds given at different times to help them master the content.

When you incorporate scaffolding in the classroom, you become more of a mentor and facilitator of knowledge rather than the dominant content expert. This teaching style provides the incentive for students to take a more active role in their own learning (Northern Illinois University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, 2012).

Johnston O, Wildy H and Shand J. (2022) Teenagers learn through play too: communicating high expectations through a playful learning approach. The Australian Educational Researcher 50: 921-940.

Northern Illinois University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. (2012) Instructional scaffolding to improve learning. See: niu.edu/citl/ resources/guides/instructional-guide/instructionalscaffolding-to-improve-learning.shtml Ofsted. (2019) Educational effectiveness research and further education and skills.

See: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ media/5f85bb248fa8f5171552b359/Educational_ effectiveness_research_and_FES.pdf Ofsted. (2014) Teaching, learning and assessment in further education and skills – what works and why.

See: gov.uk/government/publications/teachinglearning-and-assessment-in-further-education-andskills-what-works-and-why William D. (2019) Dylan William: teaching not a research-based profession. Tes Magazine. See: tes. com/magazine/archive/dylan-wiliam-teaching-notresearch-based-profession

Further reading Coffield F, Moseley D, Hall E and Ecclestone K. (2004) Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning: a systematic and critical review. London: Learning and Skills Research Centre.

Zukas M and Malcolm J. (2002) Pedagogies for lifelong learning: building bridges or building walls?

In R Harrison, F Reeve, A Hanson and J Clarke (Eds.), Supporting lifelong learning. London: Routledge.

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ASSESSMENT-FOCUSED CPD

INSIGHT

Stay up to speed Vocational education and assessment never stand still. Here, Dr Simon Child explains how assessment-focused CPD can equip teachers with adaptable skills fit for the future magine that you have been given the task of working with a new classroom of students that in one year will be taking a suite of technical qualifications. During the year, you will draw inferences about their progress based on evidence that you have collected. The systematic design, collation and interpretation of this evidence is at the heart of good teaching and forms the basis of strong assessment.

We are in a period of change in terms of qualifications and assessment across the vocational sector. T Levels reform and the withdrawal of funding for some qualifications for 16-19-year-olds have left teachers seeking professional support and guidance, both in terms of navigating policy change and also implementing the impacts of such changes on practice in colleges.

While there is an emerging clamour for teachers to have a more fundamental role in creating assessment for their students, making the most of the opportunity is dependent on teachers holding the knowledge, skills, understanding and leadership required to validly judge performance for࣢different purposes.

The importance of embedding assessment professional development into day-to-day teacher practice is reflected in Education and Training Foundation (ETF) Professional Standards. Among these are two statements that directly refer to assessment practice.

Assessment, at its best, can support inclusion and equality, serve the needs of teachers and learners to reflect on their work, and reduce workload and costs. So

I

what can be done in the short- to mediumterm to improve assessment practices? I suggest three approaches.

1

Reframe assessment as an embedded and natural part of the learning experience

In a famous Twitter post from 2013, Dylan Wiliam argued that it was a mistake to use ‘assessment’ in the terms ‘formative assessment’ and ‘assessment for learning’. As an alternative, he suggested that ‘responsive teaching’ was more useful because it increases the emphasis on the interaction between teacher and student during and after the assessment ‘event’.

His main point here is that ‘assessment’ has a branding problem – it is seen as somewhat detached from the learning experience. As mentioned in the scenario at the beginning of this article, assessment is teaching. Understanding what, how and when to assess provides teachers with a powerful toolkit that can be applied every day.

Research on how assessment literacy is developed in teachers suggests that attitudes and beliefs about assessment develop from an early age and can persist from someone’s own schooling to their teaching practices. These beliefs shape what individual teachers think is possible, and contribute to an overall assessment ‘culture’ within schools and colleges.

neurodivergent groups. In recent years, great strides have been made in applying Universal Design for Learning and other accessibility principles to assessment, with the explicit aim of providing the maximum opportunity for learners to show what they can do.

Assessment approaches can be developed that offer a great degree of precision, which can strengthen the overall validity of the assessment experience.

Build assessment-related capability in the sector by supporting the development of assessment experts

3

2

If technological advancements have laid the foundations for innovation in assessment and teaching, then we need to equip teachers within the sector to identify and take advantage of the opportunities available to them. We have noticed that there is an emerging ambition for practitioners to focus on assessment in their professional development – for example, as Joanne Byrne did in her Practitioner Research Programme [‘Testing the theories’, inTuition, Summer 2023].

The fingerprints of assessment are all over good teaching practice. For the sector to recognise and embrace this is only step one of the journey.

Assessment is a fundamental component of responsive teaching, and investing in high-quality professional development can equip teachers with the tools they need for the future.

We know that assessment can improve educational attainment and equity for

DR SIMON CHILD is head of assessment training at Cambridge Assessment Network

Make the case for how innovation in assessment can enable better educational outcomes and equity

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

MEMBERS’ CORNER

Plea follo se use a n w ou r has d htag to se et featu he latest res inTu from ition

#SETi nTuiti on THE FORUM

Each year our conference gives educators the opportunity to see the freshest ideas coming from our industry

A time to reflect… his time of year is naturally a chance to look back at the activities of the past 12 months. We’re really pleased that our new member benefits – SET MentorMe, SET Rewards and SET Reading Room – have been very well received, and we hope you’ve also managed to get involved with our enhanced CPD event and webinar offering. As always, details of all benefits and upcoming events can be found on the SET website.

You may have also seen we’ve introduced a new quality assurance process. A small percentage of our new members are now being called for audit within six weeks of joining to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria and have been admitted into the correct grade of membership. We wanted to thank all new members who have engaged with the process so far; this is vital to maintaining both the high standards of SET membership and the robustness of the membership eligibility criteria.

Back in October, we celebrated National Customer Service Week by highlighting the work of our helpline colleagues. Our helpline is staffed by a

T

team of dedicated and knowledgeable customer service advisers who are on hand to take your enquiries and offer advice and guidance. You can call the helpline on 0800 093 9111 or contact us by email at membership@etfoundation. co.uk or via WhatsApp on 07594 518 184.

As well as looking back, it’s also a time to look forward. We are currently considering the introduction of regionally-based events and support.

The concept is at a very early stage and will be tested with our Practitioner Advisory Group and through various engagement initiatives. If you have any views that you would like to share, please do get in touch via membership@etfoundation.co.uk And finally, the office will be closing on Friday 22 December and re-opening on Tuesday 2 January 2024. Whatever this time of year means to you, we hope you manage to get some quality time for yourself. We’ll see you again in the new year.

‘OUR HELPLINE IS STAFFED BY A TEAM OF KNOWLEDGEABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE ADVISERS’

ELLIE LOCKE is membership engagement manager at SET

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ONLINE RESOURCES

MEMBERS’ CORNER

SET CONFERENCE

FINAL COUNTDOWN In just a few short weeks we’ll be in the midst of our annual conference, SET24. We’ve been busy making the final few tweaks to the day to ensure you get the very most from attending, and we’re excited to see many of you at the Vox in Birmingham next month.

The day will be guided by host extraordinaire Sarah

Simons MSET and we’ll be hearing from speakers from right across the further education and skills sector, such as Helen Wood FSET ATS (the Lodden School), Stacy Vipas FSET ATS (Askham Bryan College), Gavin Lumsden MSET QTLS (Essential Teaching) and Deborah Millar (Hull College). There are also ETF’s Technical Teaching Fellows, learners from Derwen College and our keynote – Anthony Bennett, Miracle Man.

We’ll also be joined by a host of exhibitors on the day including Teachermatic, The Safeguarding Group and Cambridge Assessment Network. There will be lots of opportunities to speak to our exhibitors and catch up with friends old and new from across SET membership.

If you haven’t yet got your ticket, there’s still time – visit the SET website for more information and to book your place. We look forward to seeing you soon.

PROFESSIONAL DE VELOPMENT

CPD – should you care?

Of course you should! Quite simply, at SET, we believe that CPD is essential for professional and personal growth.

We don’t say that a specific number of CPD hours is needed to maintain your SET membership but we do strongly encourage our members to stay up to date with their professional knowledge through a range of varied CPD activities, all of which can be recorded in your online CPD log.

We believe that CPD is an investment in yourself, linking formal and informal learning directly to your professional practice and career development aspirations. CPD is a very personal journey, which helps you to identify areas and opportunities for your own professional development and where you want to be in the future.

A good place to start would be to undertake a self-assessment

against ETF’s Professional Standards, using our online assessment tool. The results will help you to identify where your CPD focus needs to be.

Once you understand where you want to be, the next step is to plan how to get there. Good practice is to have a 12-month CPD plan in place with anticipated objectives and outcomes that can be tracked.

At the end of each CPD activity, it is important to reflect on what you have achieved, the difference it has made and how you will use what you have learnt to improve your practice.

In our online Resource Hub, we have a range of on-demand CPD resources for our members. There are various types of resources too, such as pre-recorded webinars, and we have a library of over 200 podcasts, articles and research findings. So take a look and start planning!

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 16 JANUARY 2024 9:30am-4:15pm SET24, at the Vox in Birmingham

19 JANUARY 2024 12-1pm Martine Ellis wellbeing webinar series: Managing Your Workload with The PAR Method

21 FEBRUARY 2024 4-5pm Webinar with Cambridge Assessment Network

8 MARCH 2024 ATS reaccreditation day

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MEMBERS’ CORNER

MY LIFE IN TEACHING

How did you first get into teaching?

School and I didn’t really get along but, years later, I attended a local further education (FE) college to learn about running playgroups. I met the most inspiring teacher who ignited my desire to learn and teach. I was lucky enough to work alongside her, teaching other playgroup assistants.

Why did you feel this was the career for you?

Prior to getting into teaching, I worked in community playgroups, in youth clubs and with young people in care, and saw the challenges young people faced first-hand.

I also worked as a fundraiser for Save the Children. One day I heard the director general talking about the role of education in addressing the world’s challenges. It made absolute sense to me, and my teaching journey began.

Where has your career taken you so far?

I’ve worked for Save the Children and The British Red Cross, pioneering and delivering training to those working with children and young people. I’ve also set up a business providing workforce wellbeing training, as well as a social enterprise providing mindfulness-based interventions for disadvantaged groups.

What is your current position?

I currently have two roles. I am a part-time student, studying for a PhD spanning three different disciplines (business, education and psychology). As part of my research, I’m looking at the development of prosocial values and behaviours in business owners.

My second role is as founder of Beyond Money, an education and training community interest company set up with the aim of helping business owners combine making a profit with acting in ways that help others, society and the planet.

encouraged to identify an everyday activity they did on a regular basis, adopt a mindfulness approach to it, and reflect on their experience. One of the learners asked if his activity could be smoking a cigarette. He found he did not like the taste, smell or sensation of the smoke in his nostrils and throat. By the end of the month, he was no longer a smoker.

COMMUNITY FOCUS A desire to make the world a better place helped propel Maureen O’Callaghan MSET into the teaching࣢world

Can you run me through a typical day?

I’m an early riser and at my desk at 7am, dealing with emails. Then I prepare for any meetings. The rest of my morning is spent networking, doing desk research, supporting those involved in my research, writing up my thesis, recording podcasts and videos, and managing the freelance contractors who work for me. Unless I have a meeting to attend, I will try to finish by lunchtime.

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

As part of a communitybased mindfulness-informed programme, learners were

What qualifications have helped you along the way?

There have been two qualifications that have helped me as a teacher.

Getting a certificate in education (post-16) provided me with the skills, knowledge and experience needed to adopt a more robust approach to the planning, delivery, assessment and evaluation of courses. Obtaining an MSc in mindfulness-based approaches that included a teacher-training pathway helped me to cultivate awareness, pay attention to what was happening in the classroom and maintain an attitude that was kind, curious and non-judgemental.

It taught me the difference between ‘performing’ and truly teaching.

What do you most love about࣢teaching?

It is wonderful to have the opportunity to change the lives of individuals and have a positive impact on the community, society and the planet. It’s a privilege to be able to give people the understanding and skills to make a difference.

What do you get up to outside of work?

I love spending time with my partner, children and grandchildren, and I enjoy pottering around in my garden.

I enjoy walking, going to the cinema and reading. I also attend tai chi classes twice a week.

MAUREEN O’CALLAGHAN MSET is the founder of Beyond Money CIC

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

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BOOK REVIEWS

BOOK REVIEWS SUCCEEDING AS A MATHS TEACHER

By Caroline Kennedy, Amie Meek, Emma Weston and Jemma Sherwood Bloomsbury Education 2023 Although targeted at secondary school teachers, there is a lot to gain from this book for teachers covering GCSE and even AS Level in further education (FE). It is very much a maths book – there is no real sensible gain for teachers of other subjects here, unless you are a science teacher needing to cover some maths. Covering the concepts behind successful maths teaching, it includes a wide range of topics from the basics of arithmetic to handling quadratic equations and polynomials.

It is a very practical book and comes across as a collection of ideas and methods for teaching the subject gathered from lots of resources, and the very experienced teacher will have met the majority, if not all, of these before. This, though, is appealing as it puts all these ideas in one place. Even experienced teachers will gain from having a copy for reference, while those starting out on their career paths will find it invaluable.

I was particularly drawn to the further reading lists at the end of each chapter. Again, there are a lot of names that the experienced teacher will recognise, but there are also a lot of resources that may be new and worth reading.

InTuition readers receive a 20% discount on this book with the code SUCCEEDINGMATHS20 at Bloomsbury.com

MEMBERS’ CORNER

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

POWERFUL QUESTIONING: STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING LEARNING AND RETENTION IN THE CLASSROOM

THE LIVES AND WORK OF 12 FURTHER EDUCATION BASED TEACHER EDUCATORS IN ENGLAND

By Michael Chiles Crown House Publishing 2023

Eds: Roy Fisher and David Powell University of Huddersfield Press 2023

As educators, we all ask questions – loads of them, every day, every year. This author challenges the effectiveness of those, and looks at how we can develop greater learning and teaching from improving the questions we ask, and subsequently encourage our learners to ask. This book delves into the process of questioning, analysing the impact of different styles and the science behind it all. It certainly gave me a better insight into something I do every day in my work.

There is a lot of reflection material addressing the psychology and pedagogy of learning. Using other methods, such as white boards, to extract answers from learners to demonstrate and assist learning is covered particularly well. As someone who usually brushes past activities in books like this, I was surprised to find myself engaging with them.

I was also pleased with the author’s approach to addressing learning and engagement from the learners’ perspective – consideration is given to all aspects of the learning environment.

Overall, a very well written book, presented in a manner that is very readable, as expected from this publisher.

This is a nice little book that will sit well on a staff room coffee table in any FE establishment. Inspired by a short series of booklets published in the Netherlands containing the biographies of trainee teachers, it follows the same style but relocates to England and the biographies of FE teacher educators.

I was particularly interested in the initial section covering the different paths followed into the profession, and the different outlooks and opinions of FE teachers. I liked that the authors recognise and explain that the FE profession is very broad, diverse and also misunderstood outside of the colleges and classrooms in which we work.

The biographies are, as expected, very diverse and from a wide range of backgrounds and specialisms. I felt inspired by these stories and wondered if some of them would be encouraging for students who are entering FE themselves – recognition that non-standard paths to gaining an education are varied and equally valid. I find myself unsure as to whom this book is really suited, but it makes a nice encouraging read and I think anyone involved in the FE profession will enjoy it and benefit from it.

InTuition readers receive a 20% discount on this book with the code intuition20 at crownhouse.co.uk

Purchase the book or download a free copy at unipress.hud.ac.uk/plugins/ books/32

WINTER 2023 INTUITION 39

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