Intuition- Spring 2022 by Redactive Media Group

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

Issue 47 Spring 2022

set.et-foundation.co.uk

CHANGING LANDSCAPE How apprenticeships are again evolving to meet the needs of learners and employers

The growing demand for land-based courses

Coping with stress and burnout

Key findings from the APConnect programme

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DEMONSTRATE YOUR MASTERY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

APPLICATION WINDOW OPENS 1 APRIL FOR OCTOBER 2022 START

Your route to becoming a Chartered Teacher Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) is the badge of advanced professionalism and mastery in further education and training. ATS allows you to focus on your personal and professional development, gain FRQͤGHQFH LQ \RXU WHDFKLQJ VNLOOV LPSURYH OHDUQHU RXWFRPHV DQG DGYDQFH your career.

Apply for ATS from 1 April 2022: set.etfoundation.co.uk/ats 6HH 6(7 ZHEVLWH IRU IXOO GHWDLOV RI $76 HOLJLELOLW\ FULWHULD ZKLFK LQFOXGHV KROGLQJ D PLQLPXP RI D /HYHO WHDFKLQJ TXDOLͤFDWLRQ The Society for Education and Training (SET) is part of the Education and Training Foundation (ETF).

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CONTENTS

SPRING 2022

UPFRONT

THE KNOWLEDGE

05 NEWS

26 VALUES, PRACTICES, AND IMPULSES

Government should prioritise further education in levelling up, ETF survey finds

08 OPINION Views from David Russell MSET, Kiran Kapur and Naomi Knott MSET

Key findings from the ETF’s APConnect programme to support innovation and improve the quality of teaching

30 A CATALYST FOR CHANGE All about the ETF’s new T Levels Professional Development programme

12 INTERVIEW Further education commissioner Shelagh Legrave on supporting the whole sector

32 EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY How to engage maths learners with independent study

14 ADVICE Responding to learners facing stress, anxiety and depression

MEMBERS’ CORNER

19 FEATURES 16 MOVE WITH THE TIMES

36 THE FORUM

SET head of membership Jane Galbraith provides essential dates for your diary

Apprenticeships are becoming more popular but are facing new challenges, and must continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of learners and employers

19 LAY OF THE LAND Demand for agricultural and horticultural courses at land-based colleges is flourishing as a result of concerns about climate change

38 MY LIFE IN TEACHING Jeminiyi Ogunkoya MSET QSLT on teaching adult࣢learners

22 COPING STRATEGIES The risk of burnout is a real one in society in general as well as the teaching profession. Find ways to manage job stress and support for those who need it

39 BOOK REVIEWS The latest educational titles reviewed

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

EDITOR: Nick Martindale

DIRECTOR: Martin Reid

LEAD DESIGNER: David Twardawa

HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS: Mike Morgan-Giles

SUBEDITORS: James Hundleby, Rob Loveday PICTURE RESEARCHER: Claire Echavarry PRODUCTION: Jane Easterman jane.easterman@redactive.co.uk +44 (0)20 7880 6248

COMMUNICATIONS EDITOR: Julia Faulks HEAD OF CURRICULUM DESIGN PROJECTS: Paul Kessell-Holland PRINTED BY Precision Colour Printing, Telford

157-197 Buckingham Palace Road London, SW1W 9SP membership.enquiries@ 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. 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

SPRING 2022 INTUITION 3

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WELCOME

FIRST WORDS

JIM CROMPTON

Move with the times Apprenticeships have a long record of evolving to meet the needs of learners and employers, and must do so again today s chair of the Society for Education and Training (SET) Management Board, I am delighted to pen this introduction to the latest issue of inTuition. I have now been working in education and training for some 20 years, from initial teacher training to management and leadership of training delivery. More recently, I have developed strategy and policy to shape professional development for the British Army and Armed Forces. Throughout that time, I have been amazed by the ways in which education and training provide opportunities for professional development, life skills and social mobility. This issue demonstrates some amazing practice from across the sector. It includes our membership review of last year – how the sector responded to the events of 2021 and how we continue to shape the further education and training sector from the lessons we learn. While the emergence of the Omicron variant provided further uncertainty for society as a whole towards the end of last year and into 2022, the further education and training sector has consistently adapted to ensure learners are supported. While I hope that we can look forward to fewer restrictions over the coming months, I have been extremely impressed by the resilience demonstrated across the sector. Adaptability is essential, particularly in the current climate, and apprenticeships have long been at the leading edge of that. In the wake of

the pandemic and changing employer needs, they continue to evolve to meet the needs of learners and employers. Our cover feature examines how apprenticeships are developing, as well as highlighting the challenges that must be overcome if the model is to remain effective. One issue almost everyone in the sector will have encountered is that of resilience, something that has really been challenged over the last two years. Our feature on page 22 explores how leaders and teachers can help manage stress, and how to ﬁnd support when it’s needed. Elsewhere in this issue, we take a look at one of the oldest elements of the further education and training sector, in the form of land-based colleges. Many of these were set up in the late 19th century as the country sought to feed a growing population, and today these are again ﬂourishing as the environment and sustainability become critical issues. You can read more about this on page 19. Finally, and very excitingly, the SET Conference will return as a face-to-face event at the Vox in Birmingham on Thursday 3 November, after two years as an online event. I can hardly wait to see you there, and out and about doing the most incredible job supporting learners during the course of this year.

LAND-BASED COLLEGES ARE AGAIN FLOURISHING AS THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY BECOME CRITICAL

JIM CROMPTON FSET, chair, SET Management Board

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LATEST UPDATES FROM SET AND THE ETF

NEWS

WEBSITE

set.et-foundation.co.uk

T WIT TER

@SocietyET

FACEBOOK

SocEducationTraining

#SETinTuition

LAUNCH OF ATS RE-ACCREDITATION

Nearly a third of people said workbased training should receive a boost

RESEARCH

the same number indicating that early years education was important. Further education was also a key priority among the public for enabling a high-skilled, high-pay economy. Overall, 50 per cent of respondents said further education should be prioritised, followed by work-based training and CPD (43 per cent), and science and technology investment (33 per cent), when asked to select their top three. “These survey ﬁndings show the value to the government in making further education and training the centrepiece of its ﬂagship levelling up policy,” said ETF Chief Executive David Russell MSET. “To have a top-class further education system we need top-class teachers and trainers. We now have a fantastic opportunity to put recruitment and retention of the sector’s staff at the heart of our national agenda.”

FURTHER EDUCATION ‘KEY TO LEVELLING UP’ urther education should be prioritised by the government to achieve ‘levelling up’, according to a YouGov survey of 1,712 UK adults, commissioned by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF). Overall, when asked to select their top three priorities, 40 per cent of UK adults said further education should be prioritised for levelling up. This was followed by investment in transport (33 per cent) and work-based training and continual professional development (32 per cent). In contrast, just 15 per cent said higher education was a top-three priority, with

SET has announced a reaccreditation process for Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) holders. The new standard will shine a light on the importance of maintaining a high level of professional practice in the further education and training sector, and champion those who achieve the status. Regardless of when SET members achieved ATS, they will be required to attend a re-accreditation event once every three years to maintain their status, with no re-accreditation fee. Andrew Dowell MSET QTLS, head of professional status and standards at the ETF, said: “It’s important that the recognised ATS Professional Standards are continuing to be met by our members, post-ATS award.” As the Chartered College of Teaching is also introducing a re-accreditation process for Chartered Teacher Status in 2022, ATS holders only need to re-accredit with SET to maintain both statuses. If members do not re-accredit within the required three years, their status will become dormant, and their ATS status will no longer appear on the professional register. Find out more by visiting our dedicated re-accreditation FAQ page

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NEWS

SECTOR UPDATE

ETF CONGRATULATES NEW YEAR HONOUREES D I G I TA L

NEW COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE FOR DIGITAL SKILLS he Education and Training Foundation (ETF) has released a new version of its online digital skills community of practice (CoP). The community aims to provide a hub for conversations about digital skills and the use of educational technology (EdTech) in the sector. The online CoP is part of the ETF’s Enhance Digital Teaching Platform, which recently received an EdTech 50 2021/22 award as one of the 50 people, organisations and products shaping the education and technology sector across the UK. On the platform, contributors can share videos, photos and ﬁles, and users can bookmark posts as well as like and share them.

The CoP also includes a resource bank with a ﬂexible search facility to allow ﬁltering by key words or phrases, theme, date or contributor. “The ETF’s CoP is designed to make it as easy as possible for people from across the further education and training sector to share ideas, advice and resources,” said Vikki Liogier MSET, the ETF’s national head of digital skills and EdTech. The new ETF CoP is open for anyone to view. To contribute to the conversation, simply register on the Enhance Digital Teaching Platform. The community can be accessed at enhance.etfoundation.co.uk/eds/ community-of-practice

The ETF has extended its warm congratulations to the 11 individuals from across the further education and training sector recognised in the 2022 New Year Honours. Six individuals received OBEs (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) and four were made MBEs (Member of the Order of the British Empire), while one was recognised with the British Empire Medal (BEM). “Our congratulations go to all of those from across the diverse range of organisations who have been honoured,” said ETF Chief Executive David Russell MSET. “Their commitment has made a difference to countless learners’ lives and it is right that we thank them all and celebrate the contributions they have made.” The following people from the further education and training sector were recognised in the 2022 New Year Honours List:

OBE

Elizabeth Barrett, principal, Academy Transformation Trust for Further Education. For services to education Sharon Blyfield, head, early careers and apprenticeships, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. For services to apprenticeships and skills Brenda Edmenson-McLeish, chief executive, The Learning Curve Group. For services to further education Stewart Edwards, lately chair, governing body, Morley College London. For services to adult and further education Timothy Jackson, lately principal, Sparsholt College and Andover College. For services to further education Erika Stoddart – chair, TEC Partnership. For services to education

MBE

TEACHER BANNED FOR LYING ABOUT QTLS STATUS A 39-year-old woman from Yorkshire has been banned from teaching after lying about her Qualified Teacher and Learning Skills (QTLS) status in a job application. Shivarna Mitra provided a forged QTLS certificate when applying for a role at an academy in Bradford, as well as lying about her career history

and failing to disclose a previous conviction for fraud. A report by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) stated that “the panel was satisfied that the conduct of Ms Mitra fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession”. “Shivarna Mitra is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England,” added TRA decision-maker Sarah Buxcey.

Ian Green, section manager, Nissan Training, Global Training Centre and Nissan Skills Foundation. For services to apprenticeships and STEM skills Margaret Harlock, chair of governors, St Brendan’s Sixth Form College, Bristol. For services to further education Sandra Prail, governor, Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College. For services to education Jennifer Taylor, leader, early professionals programmes, IBM UK, and chair, Digital and Technology Solutions Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship Trailblazer. For services to education

BEM

Emma Beauchamp, chair, North East Young Apprenticeship Ambassador Network. For services to apprenticeships and skills

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SECTOR UPDATE

NEWS

BOARD APPOINTMENTS

NEWSINNUMBERS

TWO NEW TRUSTEES JOIN THE ETF BOARD

he ETF has appointed two new trustees to its board. Following an open recruitment process, Sam Parrett and Gerry McDonald will serve for a period of three years, renewable for a further three years. Dr Sam Parrett CBE (above right) is an experienced Principal and Chief Executive of London & South East Education Group, leading a successful multi-campus further and higher education college and a multi-academy trust. Gerry McDonald MSET became Principal of Tower Hamlets College in April 2013 and group principal and Chief Executive of the combined New City College in April 2017. “We are very lucky to have Sam and Gerry join the ETF’s board,” said Peter Latchford, chair of the ETF.

SET WELCOMES NEW CORPORATE PARTNERS Hull College, Ginger Nut Training and Skills for Security have become the latest organisations to join SET as Corporate Partners. “Becoming a Corporate Partner is a demonstration of the college’s commitment to providing meaningful professional development for our teachers,” said Rachel Waudby-Richardson, director of teaching and learning at Hull College. “We are delighted to welcome our latest Corporate Partners,” said Martin Reid, SET’s director of professionalism and customer experience. “The scheme’s ongoing growth highlights the value in collaborating with SET.” Staff at the organisations will benefit from valuable professional development resources, including exclusive content, research, webinars, networking and events.

TLPD STEAMS AHEAD WITH CPD A significant milestone has been reached in the T Level Professional Development (TLPD) offering, with over 20,000 continuing professional development (CPD) activities taking place since the TLPD Pilot Phase began in 2019. The figures, which cover 1࣢April 2019 to 31 July 2021, show that almost 8,500 people have taken part. Feedback from participants and senior leaders has also been extremely positive, with an overwhelming majority saying the TLPD offer had a positive impact on them or their staff’s activity. “Reaching this significant milestone of 20,000 CPD activities shows the TLPD programme continues to steam ahead,” said Jenny Jarvis, the ETF’s deputy Chief Executive. “With more T Levels introduced earlier this year, the ETF is ramping up efforts to equip our teachers and leaders.”

The proposed pay rise for college staff recommended by the Association of Colleges. The proposal has been criticised by unions

8.4%

The increase in the national funding rate for students aged 16-17, taking the amount colleges receive per learner from £4,188 to £4,542 from August 2022

585

The number of former teachers who have returned to the classroom to help cope with Covid-19 shortages, according to the Department for Education

5,450

The number of new T Level students in 2021, according to the Department for Education. An extra 3,550 started the T Level transition programme

£60m

The amount available for providers in the third wave of skills bootcamps, designed to help adults boost their job prospects

SPRING 2022 INTUITION 7

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OPINION

DAVID RUSSELL

S TA F F R E T E N T I O N

in further education and training. Full information can be found on the dedicated campaign website at teach-infurther-education.campaign.gov.uk. The campaign showcases the beneﬁts of working in further education and training and highlights the different routes into the sector, including combining teaching with working in industry. Individuals with substantial industry experience in areas such as construction, engineering and ﬁnance are particularly being urged to consider teaching. The ETF is pleased to support this important campaign, which is a welcome recognition of the vital role that At the same time, the ETF’s Talent experienced industry professionals play to Teach programme, also referenced in training and inspiring learners. It will within the White Paper, aims to offer a be an excellent new front-end to attract taster of further education teaching to talent into the fantastic career which is university students and graduates. We further education teaching. have seen how Teach fur However, its success will rely First has attracted new on a comprehensive pathway of talent into schools support to ensure we hold on to who might not have su those otherwise considered th hose talented people we attract into the sector. The teaching as a career, and campaign also has to that is very much the be a clarion call for ambition of Talent to the importance of Teach for colleges. high-quality teaching. Furthermore, the ETF’ss h If we are to develop T Level Professional the Development offer was th highly-skilled workforce our country also recognised in the w needs, we must do White Paper as having an ne whatever we can to important role in ensuringg wh hold onto the great that teachers have the ho people we attract knowledge and skills they need. Part peo of the offer is the ETF’s ‘industry into the sector. To access the ETF’s insights’ activity, which connects T The DfE’s campaign FE Advice service, staff and local employers – aims to boost the number which offers information which have included Tesla, the of teachers in further and support for those Met Office and Waitrose. education and training interested in joining These programmes, alongside the sector as well as existing teachers a whole package of development looking to progress their careers, please opportunities offered through the ETF, visit feadvice.org.uk or call 0300 303 from high-quality training and mentoring 1877, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. to CPD, are helping to boost early-career retention. This is vital, as evidence shows that early-career retention is an issue for further education and training.

To have and to hold

The 2021 White Paper made clear just how important teachers are to the future of the UK. Attracting people into the sector and keeping them is essential, says David Russell MSET eﬂecting one year on, the most revolutionary part of the government’s 2021 skills White Paper was arguably its recognition of the importance of the teaching profession. This was further apparent from the range of policy initiatives and objectives around enabling excellence in teaching – which is the route to developing a highly-skilled workforce. The White Paper highlighted ‘Taking Teaching Further’, an initiative to attract high-quality teaching professionals from industry into further education and training, as one such example. This national initiative has grown rapidly in scale, increasing the number of places from 50 to 550 between 2018 and 2020. The initiative is funded by the Department for Education (DfE), and designed and delivered by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF).

WE HAVE SEEN HOW TEACH FIRST HAS ATTRACTED NEW TALENT INTO SCHOOLS AND THAT IS THE AMBITION OF TALENT TO TEACH FOR COLLEGES

New government recruitment campaign Another positive step forward has been the launch of the DfE’s campaign, which aims to boost the number of teachers

DAVID RUSSELL MSET is chief executive of the Education and Training Foundation

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KIRAN KAPUR

DYS LE XI A

Fresh perspective Rather than regarding dyslexia as a problem or condition to be treated, educational establishments should see it as an asset, says Kiran Kapur ttitudes to dyslexia have undoubtedly changed. We no longer regard people – and students in particular – as ‘slow learners’ who are not suited to a ‘normal’ curriculum. Instead, we make allowances such as extra time for examinations. Other efforts tend to help people with dyslexia adapt to their condition, using such aids as coloured paper or special rulers. However, we are increasingly realising such approaches are missing the point. They either try to level the playing ﬁeld with other learners or try to treat – or even cure – the condition, when being dyslexic should be seen as an asset. Evidence from brain scans shows dyslexic people use the right-hand side of their brains far more than other people, who primarily use the left. This allows much greater visualisation, problem-solving and lateral thinking skills, but lessens those for reading, writing and more sequential thinking. Julian Berridge, a dyslexic and a student until recently, made an unprompted passionate speech to me about dyslexia and how it is viewed. He wasn’t looking for a job, nor was I looking to recruit anyone, but what he said made sense. I reﬂected that it would be good to increase the support given to our adult dyslexic students. We recruited Julian as an intern to head up this effort. He spent several months researching difficulties faced by adult learners and existing support for people with dyslexia. Julian was disappointed by the help available

THE HOPE IS THAT THIS POSITIVE APPROACH WILL HELP TO SEE DYSLEXIA RECOGNISED MORE AS A DIFFERENT SET OF SKILLS from key organisations. Much of the information was aimed at young children; there was very little for adults, and he could ﬁnd nothing on teaching adults with dyslexia. There seemed to be scant official information that would substantially help dyslexic people on what to do.

Online help However, Julian did ﬁnd material on blogs, public websites, forums and web pages made by the dyslexic community and those close to people with dyslexia. The less official and more personal the sources were, the more informative they seemed to be. Julian found he could apply what he’d learned to himself and his experiences in education. He said he had found out more about himself than he ever thought possible. From that input, we worked to identify the problems dyslexic people are likely to encounter, and sought ways to overcome them. The result is

OPINION

a toolkit designed to provide practical support to help learners with dyslexia as well as their tutors and employers (in the case of marketing apprentices). The hope is that this positive approach will help to see dyslexia recognised more as a different set of skills rather than as a problem to be solved. I believe that the most productive route is to encourage students to find their own learning style. Tutors should also recognise this and adapt their approach and materials accordingly. The Dyslexic Student Toolkit gives suggestions and advice for students and the employed on overcoming typical problems, and helps them appreciate their assets. Sections include ‘Not knowing where to start’ and ‘Overcoming stumbling blocks’. The toolkit is designed as a dip-in guide for readers to find advice and suggestions for problems, such as having to write a long report or essay and feeling at a loss about what to do. The guide recommends that people with dyslexia experiment to find their own ways of learning, and suggests using tools such as mind maps and dictation software to harness their thoughts more effectively. The student toolkit has been well received, and beyond the UK has so far been adopted by a school in Lagos, Nigeria. Another toolkit for use by college tutors is under way, and a third designed for employers and line managers is being planned, with the aim of helping them to get the most out of dyslexic employees. Julian says: “I’m doing this not because dyslexic people necessarily need extra help to get by. I just hope to balance out how much of the world is designed around our weaknesses. We can finally have more time to show our gifts and strengths.”

KIRAN KAPUR is

CEO of Cambridge Marketing College

AUTUMN SPRING 2022 2021 INTUITION 9

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OPINION

NAOMI KNOTT

RESE ARCH NETWORKS

A labour of love Setting up a college research network can be quite a commitment but can be hugely rewarding with support from the wider further education research community, says Naomi Knott MSET he further education and training research movement has been growing considerably over the past few years, largely thanks to the work undertaken by Sam Jones from the Bedford College Group. Indeed, Sam’s work continues to forge the way ahead for many of us establishing our own research networks. Sam’s 2018 article Researching the Sector from Within, co-written with her colleague Catherine Lloyd in 2018, was foundational to my early thinking on this topic. As a teacher educator involved in supervising research, and having just completed my own master’s degree, I was keen to create a space where people could discuss or conduct research, with the eventual aim of that work having a positive impact on the teaching, learning and vocational areas in my institution. I attended my ﬁrst SET Conference in November 2020 and was keen to hear the session by Sam Jones and Jo Fletcher-Saxon from Ashton Sixth Form. Learning about the UK-wide further education and training research movement was the push I needed to seek permission to establish a research network at Sandwell College, my own workplace. Understandably, this was a very exciting time. But I wasn’t quite sure where to start, which is where #EduTwitter came into its own. I decided to use Twitter to ask for support and ideas as to what to do, tagging Sam, Jo and others and hoping for the best. Within hours I had

I WAS OVERWHELMED WITH THE SUPPORT OFFERED AND THE GENEROSITY OF PEOPLE GIVING UP THEIR TIME offers of meetings and advice – I was overwhelmed with the support offered, and the generosity of people in giving up their time. The research network has now been running for a year, and there is a small team of like-minded people helping to drive the research agenda this year. We are trialling a small-scale research scholarship programme in 2021-22 with a view to launching a full-scale programme in 2022-23. Attending the 2021 SET Conference gave an opportunity to reﬂect on the previous year, which had afforded me other opportunities such as becoming the Black Country convenor for the Learning and Skills Research Network, and hosting the region’s ﬁrst further education and training research meet in October 2021. I was also able to encourage people to start their own research networks and facilitated a training session for the researchers at Coleg Sir Gar in Wales.

Here’s my advice for establishing a research network: be brave! It takes a positive mindset and a brave step to start something new, especially if you are doing it alone. You may be able to gain support from your institution to start a network, or it may just be you and a couple of work colleagues chatting about your own research. However it looks, it takes one decisive moment to begin something new.

Connect with others I could never have started the network if I hadn’t connected with others outside of my organisation. Through Twitter and LinkedIn, I became aware of hashtags such as #FEresearch, #UKFEchat and #JoyFE. I also came across the JoyFE ideas rooms on Wednesday evenings and Friday mornings – they have been a great place to think through my research network ideas. The Research College Group founded in 2021 is another excellent place for support.

Invest time Whether getting your own network off the ground or initially engaging with further education and training research spaces on Twitter, you will need to invest your own time. Most of us that are involved in the research world do it voluntarily because we love it.

Be wise There are a lot of research meets, conferences and webinars, and you could spend a lot of time going to them all. I found that asking people via Twitter if I could have some time to talk to them was a great way to spend 30 minutes. The research community is friendly, and will be happy to give you support.

NAOMI KNOTT MSET is

curriculum lead for teacher education and counselling at Sandwell College and founder of the Sandwell College Research Network

10 INTUITION SPRING 2022

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INTERVIEW

SHELAGH LEGRAVE

helagh Legrave has now been in her post as the further education (FE) commissioner for almost six months. Formerly Chief Executive and Principal of Chichester College Group – comprising ﬁve colleges – and with a background in accountancy, she was encouraged to apply by her predecessor, Sir Richard Atkins. “It was at a point in my career where I was going to possibly do another job or retire,” she says. “I wanted to make a difference nce across the sector and thought I had d a lot of experience, so I put my name forward.” The initial focus was as to identify her goals and aspirations. ns. “It was really about establishing what at I wanted to achieve eve because the White Paper has made ade it a very diff erent fferent role to thatt of my predecessor,” or,” she says. “It It very much focuses uses on supporting rting the sector as opposed to o just on colleges that at need intervention.” n.” The new Active Support upport initiative, which ch includes a new curriculum efficiency and ﬁnancial sustainability ainability pilot programme, aims to o do just this, she adds, with sharing bestt practice between colleges a central element. There have been early practical ical challenges to negotiate too. “It’s a very ry different role to the one I was used to, partly because some of it is homeworking and my team are remote,” she says. “But also trying to work out who to speak to in the Department for Education [DfE] – I haven’t worked closely with civil servants in the past, so that’s been a learning curve.”

INTERVIEW

Bigpicture

Supporting role Legrave’s core role is to support and strengthen the leadership and governance of colleges. “There’s a lot of work going on at the moment around what good governance looks like,” she says. “That’s being led through the Education and

Supporting the wh whole of the further education sector rather than just failing colleges is the focus for FE commissioner Shelagh Legrave. Leadership, comm professional development and governance are essential components for developing conditions in which the sector can flourish BY NICK MARTINDALE Training Foundation [ETF], the DfE and the FE commissioner’s office.” The three-yearly external board reviews mentioned in the White Paper will help with this, she says. One challenge for colleges, though, is working out just what good governance looks like. “There’s lots of advice in the

Association of Colleges’ governance code but not all colleges are following that, particularly around terms of office,” Legrave says. “That’s something that I’m very keen to work with the sector on, supporting governors who do an amazing job as volunteers.” Leadership is another focal point, both

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SHELAGH LEGRAVE

VITAL INFO FAVOURITE DRINK Wine

DOG OR CAT

Dog (new puppy!)

HOLIDAY France

FOOD Italian

TV SHOW Any sport

with accredited courses, so individuals don’t necessarily see it as a beneﬁt. It’s up to professional development managers in each college to encourage staff to continue on that journey.”

Banging the drum for Legrave and colleges in general. “A lot of the challenge is around recruiting and establishing a succession plan,” she says. “The ETF has done some really good work establishing a course on this which I’ve attended, as well as in various other aspects of leadership. Where there’s a gap at the moment is around practical training on how to challenge your ﬁnance director to ensure your accounts are right, how you ensure that your funding is correctly recording your students or how you work with your board. There needs to be more training in those aspects to support principals.” Wider professional development is another area Legrave believes is vital to a healthy FE sector. “This is something that I’ve worked on ever since I was at Chichester College, where I introduced an internal leadership and management development programme,” she says. “One of my disappointments as I talk to other colleges is that there is a lack of internal leadership training. “The problem is often cost and time but it’s also got to be in the individual’s interest to take the qualiﬁcation. One of the difficulties is that it doesn’t match up

Legrave is keen to highlight the vital role FE plays in building the skills employers need. “It’s important that I talk about all that is good about FE, how we work so closely with employers and how we’re constantly trying to establish new programmes,” she says. “Around 75 per cent of colleges are rated good or outstanding by Ofsted, but unfortunately ministers tend to see colleges where there have been challenges, some not of their own making. For example, as a result of Covid, adult skills funding has been very difficult to deliver, because there wasn’t conﬁdence in people wanting to come into colleges to study.” Having worked at Chichester for nearly two decades, Legrave was well aware of the challenges around funding. “My predecessor at Chichester said I would get seven years of challenging funding. Well, it’s been 11 years, and there’s only been one increase during

INTERVIEW

that time,” she says. “As college principals, we have all become experts in being as efficient as we can, saving money and sharing costs through mergers where that makes sense. But I’m delighted that there’s going to be investment this year as a result of the three-year funding settlement, and that it’s going to support more hours, particularly to help students who need to catch up.” Legrave’s also keen to stress to struggling colleges that her office is there to help. “We don’t want colleges to be afraid of coming forward, or to think that if they do they’re then going to be categorised somehow,” she says. “There are some very clear regulations around when a college goes into formal intervention but for the vast majority of cases, if they want to come for help, we’re very keen to talk to them. We’ve already done some work around management accounts and curriculum efficiencies, and I’ve also got a team of national leaders of further education who are serving principals, so we’ve got some resources there to support colleges.” In the longer-term, Legrave has a couple of measures by which she will judge herself. “One is to have a well-funded sector that’s recognised within the DfE and externally as vital to the economic prosperity of the country,” she says. “I’d also like to see fewer colleges in intervention, and colleges engaging with that active support so that we can get more systematic sharing of practice across the sector.” There are already reasons for optimism over the first of these, Legrave says. “In all the time I’ve been in further education, I have never until now heard the prime minister and the secretaries of state talk in such positive terms about the sector,” she adds. “There’s an absolute recognition that academic qualifications are important but so too are vocational qualifications, and that both routes work effectively.”

THE WHITE PAPER HAS MADE IT A VERY DIFFERENT ROLE TO THAT OF MY PREDECESSOR

NICK MARTINDALE is editor of inTuition

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ADVICE

LEARNER MENTAL HEALTH

Support role Teachers may find themselves facing learners suffering from stress, anxiety or depression. Knowing how to respond and where to direct them to is vital, says Kiechelle Degale here is no doubt the Covid-19 pandemic has taken its toll in many ways on mental health, not just for teaching staff but on our learners too. As teaching staff, it’s important to sharpen the tools in our toolbox so we can deliver the best service to our learners. One of the most common and ever-growing areas to support

would be our response to mental health in the classroom. However, it’s important to note that we are not being asked to respond as medical professionals but rather in a support role, in the way we recognise signs and symptoms and understand how to guide and signpost. The following tips will help you support learners with their mental health in the classroom.

UNDERTAKE TRAINING

Consider having some mental health training or becoming a mental health ﬁrst aider. You will be trained on how to recognise the warning signs and symptoms for mental health issues and also on how to recognise a crisis and what to do. Some of these developing conditions can be picked up in language and by practising active listening. For instance, some examples that may indicate a red ﬂag may be: Feeling very sad or withdrawn for more than two weeks Intense worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities Severe mood swings or drastic changes in behaviour or personality Talking about feeling helpless or hopeless and not wanting to be around any more Using alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism Ongoing breaking of commitment, not showing up or continuous lateness. This can initially appear as poor time management but can also be a sign of developing anxiety

If a learner is showing signs of a crisis, for instance actively self-harming or talking about suicide, it’s critical to get appropriate professional help. An ambulance may need to be called so they can have access to their local mental health team for an assessment.

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LEARNER MENTAL HEALTH

KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR HELP Ensure you know who to turn to or where to ﬁnd support: your line manager, HR, safeguarding lead, local mental health referral services or mental health team, other local specialist support or simply encouraging your learner to go to their GP to access appropriate professional help. Sometimes supporting learners who are experiencing mental health issues can take its toll, so it’s important you also make time for yourself. Your own self-care is paramount.

ISTOCK

ASK LEARNERS WHAT HELP THEY NEED

If learners have ongoing mental health issues or an existing diagnosis, they may already be aware of what has worked well in the past. If they already use some good and helpful coping strategies, it’s better to let them lead on what works best. If they feel overwhelmed, listening to them and helping them to think about a few things they can incorporate into their lives based on their own likes and dislikes can be a useful approach. Setting realistic and achievable goals can give them a boost and raise their conﬁdence in the classroom.

LET THEM KNOW YOU’RE THERE

Have a place learners can go to talk about mental health and a strong opendoor policy. I am a great believer in the statement ‘conversations can change/save lives’. Being present and actively listening to someone in

KIECHELLE DEGALE is lecturer and mental health first aid instructor at Waltham Forest Adult Learning Service

ADVICE

emotional pain can provide muchneeded support and help to take stress levels down. Let them know lots of people have also experienced these feelings, and that with the right support, recovery is possible and likely. Also explain that it’s okay if they don’t feel okay right now and you are there to listen.

CREATE A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT

Create a safe, positive learning environment encouraging inclusive language that actively reduces the stigma of mental health. The everyday language we use, sometimes without much thought, can have a huge impact on someone experiencing mental health issues. It can be a helpful distinction to separate the person from the illness. For instance, for someone showing signs of developing depression it may be more helpful to say ‘you are experiencing depression right now’ instead of saying ‘you are depressed’. A simple tweak in language can make the difference in how someone communicates the illness to themselves.

PROMOTE HELPFUL RESOURCES Gather resources, websites, helplines and apps (see Useful resources) and make sure they are easily accessible on various platforms such as posters in key areas, and the organisation’s intranet and website. You can also display resources in safe areas, such as the back of toilet doors, so they can be accessed discreetly.

Useful resources Mental Health First Aid England: mhfaengland.org Samaritans: samaritans.org/howwe-can-help/contact-samaritan Anxiety UK: anxietyuk.org.uk YoungMinds: youngminds.org.uk Grassroots Suicide Prevention: prevent-suicide.org.uk/trainingcourses Shout UK breathing exercise video: youtube.com/ watch?v=eZBa63NZbbE

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FEATURE

APPRENTICESHIPS

Apprenticeships are one of the oldest and most trusted elements of the further education and training landscape. But with new challenges on the horizon, it’s vital they continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of learners and employers. Elizabeth Holmes reports

MOVE WITH

THE TIMES

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APPRENTICESHIPS

pprenticeships have long been a great option at multiple levels for learners who wish to apply their developing knowledge and skills in the workplace while continuing with education. With apprenticeship options that run into the hundreds, they offer the opportunities and experience needed for upskilling the workforce at a time of considerable challenge. There is much that is positive about apprenticeships as they stand now. Peter Jackson FSET is learning and skills lead in automotive engineering at Lincoln College. “Apprenticeship routes are by far the best route for many technical learners because of the skills they learn and opportunities they have,” he says. “They offer learners a very wide experience that full-time programmes are not always able to offer. However, the apprenticeship standards are not always well thought out.” This is a view shared by Steve Ingle MSET QTLS, author of The Essential Guide to Teaching New Apprenticeships (published by Sage) and a freelance teacher educator and consultant. “The move from apprenticeship frameworks to standards, and the introduction of End Point Assessments, has provided many challenges, as well as lots of valuable learning opportunities, for apprenticeship providers, trainers, coaches and mentors,” he suggests. “There has been a need to reﬂect on the cognitive science and pedagogy behind effective teaching and training, so apprentices are supported to develop, retain and apply the key knowledge and skills needed in their role,” Ingle adds.

Tried and trusted Stephen Mariadas, Chief Executive of South West Institute of Technology, and a Technical Teaching Fellow, is positive about what apprenticeships are achieving in the current climate, and pragmatic about how they can be improved. As an assessor and someone who delivers on apprenticeships at Levels 3-6 at Exeter College, he sees what apprentices experience in a range of settings.

THERE HAS BEEN A NEED TO REFLECT ON THE COGNITIVE SCIENCE AND PEDAGOGY BEHIND EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND TRAINING

FEATURE

“Our data and data science apprenticeships in the south-west are a good news story,” he says. “We have gone from six to over 150 apprentices, and now run a degree programme delivered by Exeter College and awarded by the University of Exeter. We have found that if you sit back and wait for the demand, you don’t always get off the ground. Sometimes you have to be proactive.” The successes in the south-west are also seen elsewhere, including the West Midlands. Rosa Wells FSET is also a Technical Teaching Fellow and executive director of employment and skills at the Institute of Technology, Solihull College & University Centre. Her role

COURSE ELEMENTS

SHAPING THE FUTURE CHRIS FAIRCLOUGH FSET, curriculum operations leader for the Higher Engineering, Science and Nuclear Department at Lakes College and the National College for Nuclear in Cumbria We deliver apprenticeships at Levels 3-6, covering areas including nuclear technician, nuclear engineer, civil engineering, electrical engineering, technician scientist, water treatment technician, and health, safety and environment technician. Our department is relatively new so we were in a fantastic position to design a suite of brand-new degree programmes. They were designed to be delivered seamlessly alongside the Level 5 and 6 apprenticeships and have also since been accredited by the Society of Operations Engineers, Institute of Measurement & Control and the Institution of Engineering and Technology. Specific modules directly linked to the competencies are written into these qualifications. Students can link learning and workplace activities to their own set of competencies, while completing the same assessment as the rest of the group. This naturally

contributes evidence towards the apprenticeship competencies. We use a coaching model with our apprenticeships. We have employed excellent coaches with no technical expertise in the areas the students are studying. The technical expertise comes from the curriculum team and the delivery of the qualifications. The coaches’ role is to really dig down into what apprentices are learning and ask them how they are applying that at work. These coaches are the key link between the apprentices, the academic team and the employers. We created our own student review form, which helps us to finely tune where each student is and where they need to be. It has also helped us track progress, which can be hard with a higher-level standard as the entry points for students can vary so much, as can their workplace experiences. We do a deep dive with each student for each competency, which helps them understand more about the wider picture of the whole workforce in that industry. This is about expanding knowledge and horizons; that’s why you do an apprenticeship.

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IL L U S T R AT ION: IK ON

FEATURE

APPRENTICESHIPS

enables her to help manufacturers in the region to identify skills gaps and to collaborate on solutions. “Finding the best pathway for students and employers is essential,” she says. “We link up further and higher education for employers, parents and students, and make the pathways and possibilities clear. We have an employer advisory board chaired by

the chief executive of Worcester Bosch, a boiler manufacturer. This two-way conversation helps us to join up our thinking on training and development. We want employers to talk to each other as well as to us.”

Remaining relevant However, apprenticeships need to constantly evolve. “For example, I think apprenticeships need to align better with other qualifications so that the knowledge modules that apprentices study align with those on other qualification pathways,” says Mariadas. “This would give us greater flexibility and make our offer more efficient.” Other emerging issues will need to be addressed. For Wells, one of these is declining interest from young people. “Young people do not seem as confident that an apprenticeship is for them,” she says. “Some see it as risky in the current climate. There are plenty of vacancies, but applications are much lower than they were. Some students are choosing full-time courses instead, which

TESTING

END POINT ASSESSMENT End Point Assessment (EPA) is the final stage of an apprenticeship that determines whether an apprentice has the knowledge, skills and behaviours required. The EPAs are designed by employers and conducted by independent bodies. All elements of an apprenticeship have to be completed before an apprentice is given their certificate. Paul Kessell-Holland, Apprenticeship Workforce Development lead at the ETF, feels that EPA is an essential part of modern apprenticeship design. “There needs to be a test or assessment,” he says, “but there is some legitimate nervousness

about EPA as it is now. What is it that makes you competent? What are the fundamental aspects of, for example, being a bricklayer? EPA is a tripwire for some people, but there are courses on EPA for assessors run by the ETF. “Really, the key question throughout an apprenticeship is: how will you be ready to do this in two years’ time? Everything leads to EPA. When done properly, the EPA allows you to do a lot of things outside the curriculum in the real world. EPA is the beating heart of apprenticeships. We have to remember that apprentices are learning how to be somebody, not just how to do something.”

they see as more secure at the moment.” Paul Kessell-Holland FSET leads the Education and Training Foundation’s (ETF’s) work in designing solutions for T Level Professional Development and Apprenticeship Workforce Development. He points out the levy was set up when there was an explicit target to create 3 million apprenticeships. “The levy is basically tax back if you offer an apprenticeship,” he says. “Does it provide the right funding structure for apprenticeships for the next 20 years?” Mariadas believes there is a need to move in a more employer-led direction. “Employer involvement is key in future developments,” he says. “For a level 3 apprentice the time commitment is 12-18 months. But at degree level it is three to four years. This is a big ask for students and employers. Becoming more modular would help to ease these time pressures, but the framework does not allow for that. Progression needs to be visible and clear to learners and employers.” The pandemic, though, has helped to inject some flexibility into offerings, believes Ingle. “The recent pivot to online and hybrid learning has accelerated more creative and flexible approaches to apprenticeship delivery,” he says. “While the current landscape is demanding, flexibility certainly helps. The use of virtual learning environments, ondemand learning, remote masterclasses and flipped learning approaches can really help improve accessibility.” As well as innovations in apprenticeships and their delivery, some areas have invested heavily in new technology. “We can offer the technology needed for apprenticeships that will help address climate change,” says Jackson. “Apprenticeships have to respond to the needs we face as a country, but they require investment to achieve that.” ELIZABETH HOLMES is a freelance journalist specialising in the education sector

ETF’s Apprenticeship Workforce Development supports staff delivering apprenticeships in further education and training with the skills, knowledge and confidence they need. More than 4,000 people have signed up to these free online courses. Visit et-foundation.co.uk/supporting/professionaldevelopment/technical-education/apprenticeships

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LAND-BASED COLLEGES

LAY OF THE

SECTOR FOCUS

For decades, land-based colleges have helped to develop the skills needed to ensure agriculture, horticulture and wider environmental schemes can flourish. Boosted by the pivotal issue of climate change, demand for such courses is increasing, as David Adams explains

LAND

ach of the land-based colleges dotted around the UK is unique and rooted in its local landscape, making a single deﬁnition difficult. But broadly speaking, they specialise in land-based subjects linked to agriculture, horticulture or the natural environment. Landex, the organisation that promotes land-based colleges, has 39 members. Many of these colleges were founded between about 1850 and 1950, at times when the government and/or various philanthropic organisations

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SECTOR FOCUS

LAND-BASED COLLEGES

P HO T O GR A P H Y: A S K H A M B R YA N C OL L E GE , MO ULT ON C OL L E GE

sought to improve agriculture for the sake of the nation’s health and economic productivity. Some are still independent, but many have merged with other institutions. Many have excellent reputations for high-quality teaching and research, pastoral care, and in many cases for training learners with special educational needs. Today, the development of their work and course content is being inﬂuenced by forces that are changing the land-based industries, such as the climate emergency, Brexit and the development of new technologies. This makes their work even more important, suggests Landex Chief Executive Alex Payne. “Land-based colleges are at the heart of the solution to deliver on the government’s priorities, including agritech, food security and environmental agendas, by training the skilled workforce required,” she says. “There is a skills shortage within the land-based sector, with a particular need for those trained at Level 4 and above.” The good news is that interest in these subjects is increasing, including among young people with a keen interest in environmental issues. “Numbers of people wanting to study agriculture at Level 3 are rising exponentially,” reports Tim Whitaker, Chief Executive and Principal of Askham Bryan College, which teaches about 5,000 learners – including one of the largest cohorts of Level 3 agriculture students in the country – at its main campus near York and sites in Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Saltaire and Wakeﬁeld. At Moulton College in Northamptonshire, applications are up by 30 per cent in two years.

Rising demand Demand from potential students is also helping the Berkshire College of Agriculture (BCA) to thrive. Founded in 1948, it has around 1,500 students and is still independent today, although not for much longer. Agriculture was not actually studied at BCA between the outbreak of

NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WANTING TO STUDY AGRICULTURE AT LEVEL 3 ARE RISING EXPONENTIALLY foot-and-mouth disease 20 years ago and 2015, when courses were relaunched in response to demand from local employers. In recent years, numbers of people wanting to study agriculture have been increasing, according to assistant principal Liz Hadden, and more now come from non-farming backgrounds. This is also the case at Capel Manor College in Enﬁeld, north London, which has 2,000 adult learners and 1,000 students under 19 years old living all over the capital. Chief Executive and Principal Malcolm Goodwin prefers the term “environmental education” to “landbased” subjects, as the latter might be off-putting to some prospective students living in urban areas. He points out that the college’s location is not as strange as it might seem to those who do not know London well: about half the city is green space, including millions of gardens and hundreds of parks and other green spaces. Most land-based colleges now have a strong environmental focus, driven in part by the colleges themselves and in part by learners wanting to make a positive difference to the world. Louise Fletcher, head of land-based studies at Moulton College, says a lot of work on the college’s 1,000-acre farm is now linked to carbon reduction and increasing biodiversity, through measures including planting on ﬁeld margins to attract insects, birds and

other wildlife, and changes in grazing, crop-spraying and fertiliser use. She says the focus on sustainability is also inﬂuencing the content of most landbased courses, including agriculture, horticulture, forestry and countryside management.

Technical support Course content is also influenced by the development of new technologies that may themselves help to improve environmental practices. They include technologies often grouped together as “precision agriculture”, which use automation, sensors, mapping, data analysis and artificial intelligence to try to improve efficiency and productivity. Examples might include systems that analyse soil to help optimise crop planting. The colleges are working closely with technology firms to keep abreast of new developments. Moulton College has also created a new certificate in agricultural technology in partnership with agricultural machinery specialist Farol, which learners can work towards alongside their other studies. Technology will also help farmers adapt to the post-Brexit subsidies

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LAND-BASED COLLEGES

SECTOR FOCUS

facilities”. Some earn additional income via farm shops or garden centres that sell the produce farmed or grown by learners, but this does not make a huge difference to the bottom line.

Consolidation challenges

regime that will be introduced by the UK government during the next few years, including the Environmental Land Management Scheme. This will have a strong environmental focus, with landowners encouraged to take action to help increase biodiversity and restore landscapes. Technology may help in multiple ways: for example, by providing devices capable of identifying different species of insects present before and after conservation work at speciﬁc locations. When the pandemic struck, like other educational establishments, land-based colleges had to overcome issues related to providing online teaching, and supporting learners and staff suffering physical and mental health problems. Many of the colleges also had hundreds of animals on site that still needed to be looked after and crops that needed to be sown and harvested, so some staff continued to live and work on site during lockdowns. As happened elsewhere, some beneﬁcial effects resulted from having to use digital technologies. But even with well-produced video content and the use of virtual reality, as used by some of the colleges, it is difficult to teach

agriculture, horticulture or animalbased courses without physical contact with plants and animals. At Moulton there was a strategy to keep providing as much face-to-face teaching for landbased subjects as possible. The college was even able to make a case for learners to come into the college to help with lambing during the ﬁrst lockdown. As lockdown restrictions eased, the colleges were faced with new problems, including the ﬁnancial implications of making buildings and facilities Covidsafe. This was an unwelcome problem for colleges hit hard by funding cuts during the past decade. As Whitaker points out, land-based colleges “are expensive to run, with large estates, large infrastructure and expensive

At BCA, the combination of funding challenges and a need to extend facilities to accommodate more learners – “at the moment, we are really bursting at the seams with students,” says Hadden – have led to a radical change. The college will merge with the Windsor Forest Colleges Group in July 2022, pending due diligence and a public consultation. The group already comprises two sixth form colleges, along with technical and vocational provision at Langley College. “We will be part of a wider organisation with a stronger funding basis,” Hadden says. “Our non-land-based subject students will be able to access the Langley campus, while we will be able to develop more land-based courses on the BCA site.” The BCA brand will be retained, but some in the sector are worried that as more land-based colleges develop closer ties with other colleges, something important may be lost – if not within the colleges themselves, then through decreased visibility of the subjects they teach. “Sometimes the significance of specialism can get lost when you talk to senior people in government,” says Goodwin. “There’s a tendency to have big blocky qualifications and simplified funding routes – which is fine, but not at the expense of specialisms. I’d love to see a bigger range of qualifications at a range of different levels.” Nonetheless, he remains “totally optimistic” about the future, as do his peers. “We’ve been through a really turbulent time, but we’re in a really strong position,” says Whitaker. “Sustainable agriculture and the environment are going to be absolutely key to the future of the UK over the next 200 years, so we have a vital role to play.” DAVID ADAMS is a freelance journalist

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FEATURE

COMBATING STRESS

COPING

STRATEGIES The issue of burnout is a very real one in both society in general and the teaching profession. But there are ways to help manage the stresses of the job, and support for those who struggle. Penelope Rance investigates cross society, work-related stress is on the rise. According to the Health and Safety Executive, stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 17.9 million days lost in 2019-20, and the pandemic only served to increase levels. This can show as exhaustion, poor sleep and headaches; problems with professional performance or relationships; and mental detachment from work. The teaching profession is no exception. Education Support’s 2021 Teacher Wellbeing Index reveals 77 per cent of education staff experienced workinduced symptoms of poor mental health, while mental health pressures have caused 54 per cent to consider leaving the sector in the past two years. Among prison teachers, this number is as high as 70 per cent, according to Prisoner Learning Alliance research. Mental health charity Mind hears from many teachers experiencing work-related mental health problems. “Commonly cited reasons include low pay, excessive workload and long working hours,” says Emma Mamo, Mind’s head of workplace wellbeing. These stressors are well known across the further education and training community. “Most teachers

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

love teaching. What makes teaching stressful is ancillary things,” says Paul Kessell-Holland FSET, national head of curriculum design projects at The Education and Training Foundation. He points out that further education teaching has an increasing focus on behaviour and attendance management. In addition, the hours teachers across further education and training are expected to work have increased. “Contracts have risen by over 100 hours in the last decade, increasing teaching time by 15 per cent,” says Kessell-Holland. “And for every hour of teaching, hours of preparation go into making that lesson successful. You’ve also got to prove progression and evidence of grades achieved. There’s a data monster that teachers have to feed.”

MOST TEACHERS LOVE TEACHING. WHAT MAKES TEACHING STRESSFUL IS ANCILLARY THINGS

Added pressures The number of learners teachers have contact with compounds these issues. “Teachers might have upwards of 100 students,” says Michael Smith, vice principal at East Surrey College. “I know colleagues who are responsible for 200 learners across a week.” In prisons, lessons are up to four hours long, which can be an issue for learners with poor prior experience of education. “Teachers have to be

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COMBATING STRESS

incredibly resourceful to keep people’s attention for that length of time,” says Francesca Cooney, head of policy at the Prisoners’ Education Trust. The Prisoner’s Learning Alliance 2021 report Hidden Voices found that paperwork is also causing concern among prison teachers. “There is a lot of monitoring and recording that goes along with the education contracts, so teachers have this huge admin burden on top of their

FEATURE

classroom and lesson preparation time,” says Cooney. Changes to qualiﬁcations add to the to-do list. The introduction of T Levels has required new curriculum plans, networking with employers and collaboration with colleagues. “Teachers I’ve spoken to are worried because they know the amount of time that’s needed to do a good job,” says Smith. Educators are also expected to be recruiters, he adds. “You need to write marketing copy for courses you’re delivering, promote those courses, talk to students interested in joining the programme, and keep those who have enrolled engaged.” The pandemic has disproportionately affected education, with key workers risking their wellbeing to protect others and keep the country moving. “The disruption and uncertainty caused by temporary closures, moving to online learning and cancelled exams have taken their toll,” says Mamo. “It’s no surprise many teaching staff are struggling with their mental health.”

Taking action So how to dispel the pressure, and ensure teachers can thrive? Employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for any employee experiencing mental health problems that have a substantial, long-term effect on day-to-day activities. “Adjustments might include support from managers in prioritising and managing workload, and ﬂexibility including job-sharing,” Mamo says. Further education and training providers need to clarify why they are asking teachers to work a certain way, believes Smith: “It’s important they examine what teachers are asked to do and look critically at those processes, and try to streamline things.” Every process should be assessed based on what it does for the learners, and realistic targets set on what teachers need to deliver in a given timeframe, including adequate time for administrative work, class preparation, and training and development. STRESS-BUSTERS

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR REDUCING STRESS Check in with yourself Regularly assess how you’re feeling and what you can do to manage stress

Draw boundaries around work Take time for your home life, to rest and recharge and do non-work-related activities. Try to avoid working late into the evening

Get away Step outside, walk the halls, eat away from your desk – whatever it takes to spend time away from that environment

Prioritise physical activity Even a few minutes of exercise a day can help

Be yourself You’re more than your job. Do the things that make you happy outside teaching and connect with people outside work

Say no Don’t take on more than you can manage. Delegate where possible and be realistic about your limits

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COMBATTING STRESS

For example, suggests Kessell-Holland, reducing assessments to a core set that have to be passed would reduce marking and preparation. Destigmatising mental health issues will reassure teachers concerned about being perceived as incompetent if they admit to feeling stressed or struggling with their mental health. “Creating an open culture could involve taking part in Mind’s Workplace Wellbeing Index, providing mental health awareness training, having buddy systems, mental health champions and forums for discussing mental health,” says Mamo. In Hidden Voices, prison educators request regular support groups with qualiﬁed therapists, monthly counselling sessions, and the opportunity to informally discuss their wellbeing.

Self-help Where structured support from employers is lacking, teachers can try to help themselves and each other. Connecting with other teachers allows them to share effective practice, ask advice, or even just talk through issues with someone who gets it. The various communities of practice delivered through the ETF’s professional development programme can

help teachers to do this. The Centre for Excellence in SEND at Weston College also has a particular focus on mental health and wellbeing. “You need to talk to each other because teachers by default work on their own,” says Kessell-Holland. “As a teacher, you need to take responsibility for other teachers.” Joining an organisation such as SET will connect you with thousands of like-minded professionals, helping to reduce isolation. Setting achievable goals is fundamental to avoiding burnout. “We are contracted to do a certain number of hours per week, and as individuals have to be conscious of what we can do, drawing a line there and standing ﬁrm on that, as difficult as that might be,” says Smith. “A good question is: what impacts do these tasks have on learners? If we build a hierarchy using that maxim, we have a deﬁned list of priorities and the rationale behind it.” Small steps such as these can help ensure workloads remain manageable, and that teachers are able to focus on what really matters. PENELOPE RANCE is a freelance journalist

IN PR ACTICE

CO-TEACHING PATRICK SUADWA MSET is a course manager at the British Academy of Jewellery, teaching practice lead at Apprenticeship Connect, and lead consultant at CJP Education and Consulting. To protect teachers from burnout, Suadwa has introduced the concept of co-teaching in his department, whereby two teachers support each other in providing a course. “Co-teaching starts from the planning,” he says. “The schedule of work, supporting materials and lesson plans are jointly designed by the two individuals.” The teachers deliver a module each, offering in-class support during each other’s lessons. This is useful with blended learning, with some learners in class and others online. “Instead of one person handling one module for one day, it’s two teachers handling two modules

for two days,” he adds. “Same pay, same hours covered, but shared responsibility.” This system also provides a reliable back-up if a teacher is absent. “Coteaching means if one teacher is not there, the other can carry on. The absence of one person does not have a negative impact on learners.” It also helps with the marking load. “We pre-agree the marking scheme and resubmission process, so when the second teacher assesses the marking, there is little discrepancy,” adds Suadwa. The teachers set the marking timescale so deadlines are met. “Co-teaching helps us cover a lot of students using the same number of teaching staff,” he adds. “It has helped reduce the stress of teachers I manage, and mine as well.”

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AWARDS

HELP AND RESOURCES

SEEKING SUPPORT The Education and Training Foundation’s mental health resources can be found at et-foundation.co.uk/ supporting/further-education-andtraining-recovery/mental-healthand-emotional-wellbeing Education Support promotes the mental health and wellbeing of education staff through a confidential helpline (08000 562 561). The website includes a guide to dealing with burnout at educationsupport.org.uk Let’s Chat is a package of resources developed to help the further education and training community look after mental health and emotional wellbeing. Visit letschatwellbeing.co.uk A list of metal health and wellbeing resources for teaching staff can be found at gov.uk/guidance/mentalhealth-and-wellbeing-support-inschools-and-colleges The Every Mind Matters self-care tool to help you look after your mental health can be found at campaignresources. phe.gov.uk/schools/resources/ every-mind-matters-self-care-tool

QTLS

ROLL OF HONOUR The following SET members have achieved QTLS status. Congratulations to all! Abdul Khan MSET QTLS Ajeshnath Amma MSET QTLS Ailsa McDougall MSET QTLS Alastair Smith MSET QTLS Alan Gross MSET QTLS Alice Aulton MSET QTLS Alice Ludlow MSET QTLS Alicia Hogarth MSET QTLS Amiee Chadderton MSET QTLS Anna Irvine MSET QTLS Arllia Begum MSET QTLS Asya Ali-Mehmet MSET QTLS Athena Burns MSET QTLS Aurelia Ideh MSET QTLS Avi Abner MSET QTLS Banke Adefowora MSET QTLS Ben Cribbin MSET QTLS Ben Ferne MSET QTLS Ben Norfolk MSET QTLS Benjamin Bailey MSET QTLS Beulah Obianwu MSET QTLS Bojana Bojanic MSET QTLS Bonnie Aim MSET QTLS Bradley Evans MSET QTLS Cameron Farish MSET QTLS Cara Price MSET QTLS Catherine Wiggins MSET QTLS Ceren Toprak MSET QTLS Chantelle Selby QTLS Charlie Frampton MSET QTLS Charlie Turner MSET QTLS Charlotte McKay MSET QTLS Chinwe Judd MSET QTLS Christina McCaul MSET QTLS Christopher Alston MSET QTLS Claire Porter MSET QTLS Clare Thomas MSET QTLS Coral Chambers MSET QTLS Corrine Perry MSET QTLS Crystal Barrett MSET QTLS Daniel Archer MSET QTLS Daniel Rood MSET QTLS Daniel Smith MSET QTLS Darrell Buck MSET QTLS Deborah Abbs MSET QTLS Deborah Underhill MSET QTLS Deepa Chohan MSET QTLS Dimitri Gbo MSET QTLS Elisheva Royde MSET QTLS Elizabeth Brown MSET QTLS Elizabeth Curtis MSET QTLS

Elthena Taylor MSET QTLS Emily Mugridge MSET QTLS Emma Blake MSET QTLS Emma Cantrill MSET QTLS Emma Clay MSET QTLS Emma Sharp MSET QTLS Erin Andrews MSET QTLS Esther Lichtig MSET QTLS Faisal Rai MSET QTLS Fallon Clark MSET QTLS Fiona Cooper MSET QTLS Francesca Lui MSET QTLS Gemma Thompson ASET QTLS Georgina Thomas MSET QTLS Gitty Ziskind MSET QTLS Huda Ahmed MSET QTLS Ian Jamieson MSET QTLS Ina Kramenskaya MSET QTLS James Barnett MSET QTLS James Knapp MSET QTLS Jenny Ruse MSET QTLS Jessica Antwi MSET QTLS Jessica Moorhead MSET QTLS John Skipper MSET QTLS Joshua Hunt MSET QTLS Joshua Pollard MSET QTLS Josie Amery MSET QTLS Judy Parson MSET QTLS Julie Ann Cooper MSET QTLS Julie McBride MSET QTLS Katie Woolman MSET QTLS Kathryn Drury MSET QTLS Kevin Giles MSET QTLS Laura Drinkwater MSET QTLS Leanne Harper MSET QTLS Leanne Straw MSET QTLS Liam Rowles MSET QTLS Liba Miller MSET QTLS Lindsay Brash MSET QTLS Liz Lake MSET QTLS Louise Jensen MSET QTLS Luke Newton MSET QTLS Manuela Sewell MSET QTLS Marcia Fernandes MSET QTLS Marie Bell MSET QTLS Marie Stringer MSET QTLS Mark Fordham MSET QTLS Mehtaab Waseem MSET QTLS Melanie Tropman MSET QTLS Mercy Adegboyega MSET QTLS Michelle Black MSET QTLS

Mitchel Smith MSET QTLS Mohammed Lodhi MSET QTLS Molly Gillick MSET QTLS Natalie Leitch MSET QTLS Natalie Masson MSET QTLS Nicholas Goodman MSET QTLS Nicholas Smith MSET QTLS Nicola Brain MSET QTLS Nicola Oatridge MSET QTLS Nicola Szabo MSET QTLS Nikki Moore MSET QTLS Nirma Dharmawardene MSET QTLS Oksana Kornilova MSET QTLS Oliver Young MSET QTLS Oluwatoyin Oguntade MSET QTLS Oxana Golzar MSET QTLS Polly Martin MSET QTLS Poppy Stevens MSET QTLS Rachael Saul MSET QTLS Rachel Dym MSET QTLS Rachel James MSET QTLS Rachel Maughan MSET QTLS Rebecca Greenwood MSET QTLS Rebecca Munyao MSET QTLS Richard McGowan MSET QTLS Rizwana Kause MSET QTLS Rohlda Edwards MSET QTLS Rona-Dee Foley MSET QTLS Rosanna Matthews ASET QTLS Roxanne Stromberg MSET QTLS Ruaa Albayati MSET QTLS Ryan Reed MSET QTLS Saira Mutlib MSET QTLS Samuel Brown MSET QTLS Samuel Gee MSET QTLS Sharon Aldous MSET QTLS Sharon Harris MSET QTLS Shikisha Mabbott MSET QTLS Shu-Chen Warner MSET QTLS Smaira Kousar MSET QTLS Sobia Bi MSET QTLS Sophie Lill MSET QTLS Steve Carter MSET QTLS Suzanne Kavanagh-Mills MSET QTLS Symon Bye MSET QTLS Thomas Smith MSET QTLS Tracy Thorne MSET QTLS Xiaojuan Huang MSET QTLS Zeenat Bhayat MSET QTLS

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RESEARCH AND INSIGHT FROM THE FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR

Values, practices, and impulses The APConnect programme launched in 2018 to support innovation and improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in the further education and training sector. Researchers Dr Lou Mycroft MSET and Dr Christina Donovan review key learnings

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ADVANCED PRACTITIONERS

n 2018, the Education and Training Foundation’s (ETF’s) Developing Advanced Practitioners Programme (APConnect) was launched on the back of research commissioned by the ETF from the Institute for Employment Studies (Tyler et al, 2017). It repositioned advanced practice as a driver for quality improvement in teaching, learning and assessment (the language of the time) and attempted to shift approaches away from deficit models of practitioner support. A small further education and training consultancy company, touchconsulting Ltd (touch), won the tender to design and deliver what became known as APConnect on behalf of the ETF. Following three iterations of APConnect, and the profound dislocation of Covid-19 lockdown, the time felt right to check in with advanced practitioners (APs) about what had changed in the work since Tyler et al (2017). Touch embedded a dedicated evaluation strand to the work of the Year 3 programme to capture this. Both touch and the ETF wanted to understand the conditions that allowed those in AP-type roles to support innovation in education practice across all levels and contexts of further education, including opportunities to influence beyond the narrower confines of the AP role. The evaluation involved APs as equal partners. For three years, APs had told stories of needing to find ‘wriggle room’ in organisations to influence quality improvement culture change. The touch team approached further education trust researcher Dr Christina Donovan and further education professional development veteran Dr Colin Forrest FSET to gather a co-evaluation team. The ‘we’ of this co-written article

DR CHRISTINA DONOVAN is

a lecturer and further education researcher at Manchester Metropolitan University. She was also the evaluation lead for the #APConnect programme

DR LOU MYCROFT MSET is a nomadic researcher. She facilitates the Constellations (communities of practice) for #APConnect and was a member of the coevaluation team

represents the whole team (see acknowledgements, overpage). Nine participants chose to be involved, including seven APConnect participants (APs representing a broad range of community, adult and further education settings) as well as two APConnect facilitators. As a team of co-evaluators, we met regularly over the course of the programme to explore its impact on APs’ ability to support quality improvement within their settings.

Collaborative approach To stay true to our commitment for equitable involvement from all participants, we embedded principles of co-production into the methodology. As the APConnect programme is underpinned by a communities of practice approach (Wenger, 1998), our aim was to design a project that would mirror principles of collaborative practice, led by the notion that evaluations are most useful when those who are the end-users of the process are given the opportunity to be involved as equal partners (Facer and Pahl, 2017). We adopted a Swedish model of democratic knowledge exchange known as the research circle approach (Holmstrand et al., 2017) as a methodology for a collaborative process which could draw deeply on APs’ own experiences by valuing the knowledge and expertise that all members brought to the space. This methodology was built upon the assumption that the approach would allow a full and rounded picture of the AP experience, and

APS IDENTIFIED THAT EXPLICITLY BUILDING TRUST SUPPORTED THE OWNERSHIP OF CHANGE

THE KNOWLEDGE

produce findings that were of value to them. The aim was to co-produce a project that focused on the conditions needed for APs to support all staff to develop their practice within organisations. This involved an extensive review of what these conditions would look like for APs. The approach enabled us to consider potential and preferable future scenarios for advanced practice. In doing so, we were able to illuminate material that so often ends up on the cutting room floor in more traditional evaluation processes because it doesn’t fit with the predetermined focus of organisational KPIs. Working this way allowed us to expose not only the significance of practice values but, importantly, how these values manifest themselves in the work of APs both within and outside of their organisational settings. Collectively, we designed a research question to help us work towards clarity in our evaluation conversations: How does the APConnect community of practice support APs to navigate the challenges they encounter?

Conditions for change Using the research circle approach, we explored what conditions might look like for APs to support change in their contexts, as well as how the APConnect programme might scaffold this process. We discovered that practice values were important to APs – “lived, not laminated,” as one AP said. APs identiﬁed that explicitly building trust supported the ownership of change, and that this was only possible in positive cultures where APs are understood as whole change agents, with respect for their autonomy. APs also told us that they valued the APConnect project as a space for both knowledge-exchange and solidarity. The programme has

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FUTURE SKILLS

Figure 1: Advanced practitioner model

been organic and formatively evaluative from the start; using polls, conversations and surveys to capture opinion, while facilitators have never been afraid of switching things around midstream. We hoped that ﬁndings from the co-evaluation would provide a deeper, more secure evidence base from which we could innovate further. The practicalities of coproduction caused some problems. The ‘noise’ and busyness of further education and training life made it difficult for APs to justify time for an endeavour which did not directly inﬂuence the KPIs of their day job. Administration of the co-evaluation project was also heavier than anticipated, as the research circles method relied on us meeting together frequently. This equitable process exposed the time needed to be invested in this kind of work, but it unearthed often intangible aspects of the AP role, allowing us

Impulses

Practices

WE WERE ABLE TO ILLUMINATE THE MATERIAL THAT SO OFTEN ENDS UP ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR IN TRADITIONAL EVALUATION PROCESSES to reconceptualise what APs need to feel effective in their practice.

Key findings The process of engaging in democratic knowledge creation enabled us to focus on reﬂections and realisations that led to shard conclusions. These were distilled into the creation of a new ‘model’ of APs that the team co-designed, as illustrated in Figure 1 above. The model illustrates the three core features that underpinned

Values

our understanding of the advanced practitioner role: values (purple), practices (yellow) and impulses (red). The values of trust, solidarity, equality, openness and kindness emerged as leading practices of the ‘Constellations’ community of practice model used by the APConnect Programme (see right of Figure 1). Opportunities for engagement in collaborative knowledgeexchange with external crossorganisational networks supported APs to innovate in their work. This helped to give them the knowledge, autonomy and self-conﬁdence to take positive, evidence-informed risks that facilitate change at multiple levels of their organisation (see left of Figure 1). In some cases, this led to redevelopment of policies, or approaches to mentoring and coaching; in others to cross-institutional collaborations to inform professional development.

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FUTURE SKILLS

This way of working supported APs to develop in line with their vision of themselves as collaborative and cooperative change agents. In this way, they resisted dominant narratives positioning them as ‘expert’ teachers in a perfectionist culture, without considering the wider skills needed to be effective in the role. APs recognised that as well as being effective teachers and coaches, they also needed inﬂuencing skills; knowing what to communicate where and when was important to broker new, evidenceinformed ideas, leading to the potential for deeper, lasting change.

Conclusions It was the combination of values, practices and impulses illustrated above that allowed APs to create the conditions to thrive and also impetus to action based on their situatedness – simultaneously looking out and looking in to bring knowledge back to their organisations, and support others to beneﬁt from this learning. This suggests that where the AP is situated within their organisation requires careful consideration. We found the often rigid, ‘tree-like’ hierarchical structures that characterise further education and training organisations constrained many practices that were fundamental to the AP role. APs see the role as less concerned with status than embedded in

values-based practice, influencing change at all levels as a result of engagement in a wider community of critical thinkers. Collectively, we angled understanding of the AP role towards a more flexible definition that conceptualises APs as values-forward-thinkers, internal and external boundaryspanners, influencers, amplifiers and knowledge-exchange facilitators, always in pursuit of building trust and expertise within the organisation (touchconsulting, 2021). Further education and training providers can facilitate this by building flexibility into structures and systems, and maintaining collaborative time and space for APs to keep thinking fresh – ultimately contributing towards developing meaningful, values-led and trustfacing change.

THE KNOWLEDGE

References and further information Brown, B. 2018. Dare to Lead. London. Vermilion Press Facer, K. and Pahl, K. 2017. Valuing Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research: Beyond Impact. UK: Policy Press Holmstrand, L., Härnsten, G. and Löwstedt. 2017.The Research Circle Approach: A Democratic Form for Collaborative Research in Organizations. In: Handbook of Collaborative Management Research. SAGE touchconsulting. 2021. Re-thinking the role of the Advanced Practitioner: AP Connect: Year 3 Evaluation Strand Final Report (20202021). Burton-on-Trent: touchconsulting Ltd, on behalf of the Education and Training Foundation. Available at: touchconsulting.net/rethinkingthe-role-of-the-advancedpractitioner-research-reportnow-published/ Tyler, E., Marvell, R., Green, M., Martin, A., Williams, J. and Huxley, C. 2017. Understanding the role of Advanced Practitioners in Further Education. London: Education and Training Foundation. Available at: excellencegateway.org.uk/ content/etf2801 Wenger, E. 1998. Communities of Practice: Learning as a Social System. Available at: participativelearning. org/pluginfile.php/636/ mod_resource/content/3/ Learningasasocialsystem.pdf The APConnect programme is delivered by touchconsulting Ltd on behalf of the Education and Training Foundation. The authors were both commissioned to deliver the APConnect programme on behalf of both touchconsulting Ltd and the ETF. The authors would like to thank the following contributors for their words, ideas and support for the writing of this article: Dorothy Braidwood, Stacey Salt, Dr Lynne Taylerson and Sammy White.

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T LEVELS

A catalyst for change The new addition to the T Levels Professional Development programme aims to help providers cope with change and learn to flourish through new thinking and clarity of purpose. Paul࣢Kessell-Holland FSET explains how it will work

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T LEVELS

he Education and Training Foundation (ETF) has just launched its new T Levels Professional Development (TLPD) strategic leadership residential programme, delivered by King’s College London and ChangeSchool. The year-long programme will focus on change management for T Level providers, with the aim of nurturing and supporting them. Over the year, the ﬁrst cohort of providers will grow into a larger network of leaders and teachers who are united in a common approach to making positive changes within their organisations. Even before the pandemic, practitioners were facing plenty of change. The further education and training sector is in constant ﬂux, from changes to funding and shifting governmental priorities, to reforms and staffing challenges.

AS A SECTOR, WE SHOULD BE AMONG THE MOST CHANGECAPABLE AND ADAPTABLE IN THE COUNTRY may need to be transformed. In addition, many providers are ‘dual running’ qualifications alongside T Levels at first, while also transforming their Level 1 and 2 provision to help build stronger entry routes into T Levels. Add this up, and even if only 30 per cent of your learners are doing a T Level, there is considerable work to be done and real change to enact. This workload can’t be avoided, and if it is ‘done to’ staff, all the evidence shows it is unlikely to succeed or the quality will be compromised. I recently presented the idea behind the programme to a group of principals and T Level providers at the annual conference of the Association of Colleges (AoC), which was a genuine privilege. During our session, Louise Doswell, Chief Executive and Principal of Preston College, shared her experience and the change journey her organisation has gone through to deliver the first wave of T Levels. It became more and more apparent to other senior leaders in the room just what the scale of change might need to be.

The T Level challenge As a sector, we should be among the most change-capable and adaptable in the country. However, as the ETF discovered in the early developmental phase of the TLPD programme, it became apparent from teachers and leaders that change is something tolerated rather than embraced. ‘Initiative fatigue’ is a powerful demotivator, and many sector changes over the past few years have either been ‘done to’ staff or were fairly simple to swerve. We realised that helping the sector to embrace and grow through change would require new thinking and clarity of purpose. T Levels are a genuine change. The considerable increase in teaching hours, content expectations and industry involvement all create new demands on resources. Staff are facing brand-new pedagogic challenges, employer partnerships need new thought, and resourcing and timetabling

Supporting providers PAUL KESSELLHOLLAND FSET is national head of curriculum design projects at the Education and Training Foundation

In response to this scale of change, the ETF set out to build a TLPD leadership residential programme that is structured to help providers work out what change needs to look like for them, and how to go about reaching their destinations. During the pilot programme,

THE KNOWLEDGE

T Level providers will meet with buddy providers, build an internal change team, and be mentored and supported throughout by the ETF, King’s College and ChangeSchool. Combined with wider continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities and networking across the TLPD landscape, a provider on this programme will have a golden opportunity to learn how best to shift the critical blocks they face, while retaining the excellence and expertise they already have. At the AoC conference, debate and questioning were inevitable, and we held some interesting discussions on the future of BTECs and the challenge of strategic curriculum planning. However, there was universal agreement that there is a need to support T Level provision in this way, and the proposed ‘top to bottom, side to side’ approach was considered a powerful development opportunity for staff and their organisations alike. For the attendees who saw T Levels at the heart of their future, the TLPD programme was seen as a golden opportunity to be supported while making changes to the whole organisation – well beyond the immediate needs of those teaching T Levels, or preparing to do so in future waves. The potential power of a programme like this lies much less in what participants are being taught than in their ability to take what they learn and collaborate to embed and share it for common beneﬁt. Even before delivery has started, it feels like this may be a programme that has far-reaching potential for the sector. Spaces are limited, and the programme runs with four cohorts, two starting imminently and two in early 2023. Providers, not individuals, need to sign up to take part. We look forward to sharing what has been achieved in the coming months and years.

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INDEPENDENT STUDY

Extra-curricular activity An action research project at Solihull College & University Centre aimed to engage maths learners from a variety of backgrounds with independent study ahead of upcoming lessons. Holly Bayliss MSET explains how they did it and the difference it has made uring the last academic year, our college took part in an action research project funded by the Outstanding Teaching and Learning Group on behalf of the Education and Training Foundation. The aim was to enable learners to engage successfully in online learning between maths lessons, and thus show them how independent study can positively affect their learning in

the classroom and their overall progression with maths. In further education, we emphasise the importance of attendance and progression on achievement. Unfortunately, it is not enough. Learners need to have a combination of good attendance and study skills to ensure success. We need to be aware that many learners aged 16 to 18 have never been taught how to study outside of the classroom and do not possess a toolbox of

HOLLY BAYLISS MSET is maths teaching and learning coach at Solihull College & University Centre

independent study strategies. The project aimed to equip them with straightforward resources and realistically timed tasks to encourage them to develop these skills and monitor the impact they have on their learning. The project focused on public services students from Level 1 to Level 3 who attended maths lessons together with their vocational BTEC group. To gather evidence, I focused on the Level 2 public services

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group. These learners had a range of GCSE maths grades from U upwards, allowing us to reflect on a broad spectrum of students with different abilities and educational backgrounds. Many of the 16 learners had come from a mainstream secondary background, but some came from alternative provision. We knew what we wanted to achieve but were unsure of the best approach, so we trialled and evaluated different resource types: In September 2020, students were set up on Mathswatch and encouraged to independently try a range of activities over two weeks, which included consolidation, preparation and/or watching method videos. It was clear after this that the uptake of preparation tasks was a route to investigate further, due to their structure and design. At this stage we found learners were more likely to actively engage in tasks that were short, easily accessible, and held purpose and value to them. The preparation tasks were launched and assigned to learners on Mathswatch on a weekly basis before their lesson took place. The tasks were designed to take no longer than 20 minutes. They incorporated previous skills that were to be used in the forthcoming lesson and allowed learners the chance to try skills that were about to be taught. Also, learners were able to watch videos that explained the methods alongside each question. Once a routine was established, we gathered the first feedback from students in November 2020 to find out how they felt about the preparation tasks, including their structure, the time they were set and the impact they felt they were having in the classroom. The tasks were altered in response to finding that some learners thought they were too simple. A system was implemented to remind learners

THE KNOWLEDGE

How one learner realised the benefits of independent study How do you think the preparation skills you have learnt in maths this year might help the way you work and study in the future?

It will allow me to prepare my ideas and gather my thoughts before any task or࣢study

The preparation tasks give me confidence to succeed, and in the future I know that preparation tasks will help me to prepare for lessons

Help me to feel more confident in࣢engaging lessons

It will allow me to make sure that I plan for everyday life

It makes it easier to remember

Sometimes extra work is a good idea

These preparation skills will help me with all sorts of methods that I learn

about their preparation 48 hours before the lesson.

Encouraging take-up It became apparent early on that if I asked learners at the start of each session which of them had completed their preparation tasks, it encouraged more people to do them. This strategy inspired those hanging back to start completing the tasks, which was a positive step to take. In class discussions, the conﬁdence of those completing

ASKING WHICH LEARNERS HAD COMPLETED THEIR PREPARATION TASKS ENCOURAGED MORE PEOPLE TO DO THEM the tasks was obvious and their self-esteem was taking a real boost. Comments included “I know this because I’ve just done this before the lesson” and “I never understood this topic before I watched the video clips in the preparation task”. This simple technique changed the group norm from not doing work outside the classroom to doing it and feeling proud about it. Learners were then aware of the ‘preparing’ group growing and the beneﬁts of carrying out the work. As more learners joined the ‘doing it’ norm, so the normative pressure to conform increased. Learners found new ways of studying independently. The fact that the Mathswatch tasks were easily accessible provided them with structure and support material alongside each question. This enabled them to see how they could study on their own and their traditional view that they had to sit down and learn at a desk was completely thrown out and new study approaches adopted. Learners realised they could study on the go with their mobile device – some of them completed their preparation tasks on the bus coming into college. All I now had to say when I arrived at a lesson was “Who’s ready for the lesson?” and

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INDEPENDENT STUDY

learners understood that this question related to their preparation and wanted to be one of the ones to raise their hands.

The approach Students are enrolled onto࣢Mathswatch

High impact Attendance remained at an alltime high, at an average of 89 per cent throughout the project. Learners made their feelings clear that in preparing for the lesson they were more likely to attend to demonstrate what they knew. The element of anxiety was removed for those completing the preparation tasks, as they were able to identify what was about to happen in the lesson and they felt they had more control over the delivery.

Preparation tasks Trial run of tasks set for students

Consolidation tasks

Watching video clips

Mathswatch statistics Monitored engagement and࣢utility Verbal feedback for࣢students

LEARNERS NEED TO HAVE A COMBINATION OF GOOD ATTENDANCE AND STUDY SKILLS TO ENSURE SUCCESS We shared these ﬁndings with the rest of the maths teachers in our department and the ‘preparation’ approach was adopted by the adult-learner teachers. Most adults have been out of education for many years, and they found that refreshing their knowledge before a lesson increased their success. The teachers saw a difference in their conﬁdence levels immediately. As motivation levels increased, learners started to query what more they could be doing in addition to lessons and preparation to support their progression. Changes to our delivery model were put in

Preparation tasks

Task modified/adapted/ developed

Routine established for students for completion of regular preparation࣢tasks

Students settled into weekly routine

Teams reminder

Routine of independent study, effects noticed

Key changes applied

Text message reminder

Tasks get locked

Increase in attendance at Hub support

Exam study classes started

Final grade assessed and feedback gathered from students and staff

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place to support the demand for additional maths learning. To mitigate the impact of Covid, the Department for Education offered the further education and training sector catch-up funding to provide learners with additional learning opportunities to bridge the gap. In response to our project and learners’ desire to take on more study outside of the classroom, ‘exam skills’ lessons were created. These online lessons meant learners could study additional content from home and ﬁt it in around their current timetable. New relationships were forged between teachers as the structure of these sessions was discussed and monitored to support both styles of lessons running simultaneously.

Paying off By December 2020, learners could see the impact the additional study was having, and many took up the additional online learning on offer each week, including the Maths Hub support sessions and exam skills sessions. This took their maths study time up to 4.5 hours per week, back in line with their secondary education. Overall feedback was positive. Many now understood the importance of carrying out work outside the lesson and how they could use this new set of independent study skills and implement it into other areas of their programme. At this point in the research, the learners’ overall attendance as a group had not dropped below 88 per cent and the retention rate was 100 per cent. At the start of the academic year, we noted the average grade for the class, which sat at 2.1 and, with our current targets set to raise standards for each learner by one grade per year, the target was to raise the average group grade up to 3.1. At the end of the academic year, when all grades had been

THE ELEMENT OF ANXIETY WAS REMOVED FOR THOSE COMPLETING THE PREPARATION TASKS submitted to the exam board, the group’s overall average grade was 3.2, exceeding the target. Within this group of 16, eight learners went up by one grade, ﬁve by two grades and one by a staggering three grades. This learner engaged in the full 4.5 hours of maths per week from January up to May 2021.

Project learnings Many other teachers were setting tasks that were a mixture of consolidation and preparation, but the engagement was minimal. We feel that this

THE KNOWLEDGE

was because they lacked some, or all, of the following key elements: Learners need to see the value in what they are completing. ‘Preparation’ is a word they engage with and understand, and maps across into all areas of their education and life Teachers were still using the phrase ‘homework’ and with its long history of being ignored this was not a suitable term to use with these learners The task needs to be routinely set every week in the same format and at the same time. A reminder is required 48 hours ahead of the lesson for maximum engagement The task must be no longer than 20 minutes The format of the task must follow a set pattern each week so learners can see the value Teachers must hold learners to account as they arrive and congratulate those completing the tasks The tasks must be locked as the lesson begins, to avoid use of them at the incorrect point. There is one key area where this independent study was clearly not working and that was with our Level 1 vocational group. A lot of these learners arrive in further education and training with low self-esteem, behaviour issues, undiagnosed learning conditions and a sense that the education system has let them down in the past. Asking them to engage in independent study was far too much for these learners, and they had many other barriers to education that we needed to address primarily. Planning for these learners with the view that one day they will be able to take onboard independent study requires further thought, investigation, and perseverance.

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

MEMBERS’ CORNER

GET SOCIAL

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

Planning ahead t’s been great to get to know more of you since I introduced myself in the winter issue, and thank you to those of you who have given me such a warm welcome. There’s lots to look forward to over the coming months, including a range of new and exclusive member-only live webinars. Although we’ve only just thawed out from the bitter winter months and it’s hard to think past the spring and summer, I am really looking forward to this year’s SET Conference. The event is being held back in our fantastic venue in Birmingham, the Vox, on Thursday 3 November. We hope you will enjoy being back together face-to-face, enjoying delicious food, fantastic networking, and a range of sessions that will leave you feeling inspired and armed with lots of great tools and resources to take back to the workplace. Tickets will be available from late March, so please visit the SET website for more details. For anyone unable to attend, we aim to offer a selection of exclusive post-conference highlights for you to access via the website. Meanwhile, our lunchtime online Special Interest Group (SIG) events are becoming ever-more popular,

with a SEND event held in February and an EdTech SIG booked for the end of March. If you feel our content isn't tailored to you, please do let us know. We are always open to ideas and contributions; whether you want to tell us your story or are workingg on educational research, we have a range of digital and social platforms ms where we can communicate and share your expertise. We were thrilled to welcome our 39th Corporate Partner recently, with Kirklees Council in West Yorkshire coming onboard. We look forward to introducing you to more of our Corporate Partners over the coming months, giving them the opportunity to share practice and ideas for career progression and professional development. Finally, the new membership year comes to an end on 31 March, so if you’ve not yet renewed your membership, now’s the time to do so. Remember: if you pay by Direct Debit, your membership will automatically renew on 1 April. We look forward to supporting you all throughout the coming year. JANE GALBRAITH is head of membership at SET

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ONLINE RESOURCES

WEBINAR

Ask Geoff Petty Late last year we caught up with teacher and author Geoff Petty for another engaging live webinar on classroom management, discipline and behaviour.

Do you have any strategies that can work effectively with online delivery, particularly around adult apprenticeship, knowledge and delivery? It would be worth your while to negotiate the rules early on, or give them a list. You could say: “This is what I expect, and (this is really important, as you need to justify the rules) the reason is because I want everyone to learn well.

If we stick with these rules, everybody will learn well. If we don’t, then you’ll be stopping other people learning, and you won't be learning yourself, so I want you to agree to them.” Negotiate the rules upfront and have them in the Chat function so that you can refer to them if you need to. All teachers must adapt rules to their own situation. Everybody’s got to ﬁnd ways of using strategies that work for them and their class, and that’s the hard bit. It essentially involves experimentation, and usually you have to try them out to see whether they're going to work. Some of them take quite

a bit of practice, but I’m sure you’ll ﬁnd a way of adapting rules to learning online.

class, it will be incredibly difficult to make it go well and avoid disruption.

Do you have any guidance for very long lessons? Learning all day is a challenge for anybody. It’s a bit of a sin to expect students to be having such a long time with the same teacher. I think the trick here is to have a varied set of activities. Do a talking activity and then something completely different, perhaps a piece of artwork. Make sure they are not doing anything for longer than 20 minutes. This way you can gauge their attention span and keep changing things as far as possible. However brilliant your management and discipline strategies, if you’re teaching for a very long time and there isn’t a lot of variety in the

SET'S ONLINE LIBR ARY

Your top searches 1. English language teaching 2. Differentiation 3. Best practice in the classroom 4. British sign language 5. Inclusive learning

Our top picks based on the above search terms: Success with Multicultural Newcomers & English Learners: Proven Practices for School Leadership Teams, Margarita Espino Calderón, Shawn Slakk (2019) This explains how teachers can meet the needs of newcomers and other English learners. The authors show how to address academic and social needs to help newcomers integrate and excel.

The Ultimate Guide to Differentiation: Achieving Excellence for All, Sue Cowley (2018) Offering over 90 practical and time-saving strategies for effective differentiation in classrooms, Sue demonstrates how teachers already do this in subtle and creative ways.

Why Kids Love (and Hate) School: Reflections on Practice, Steven Jones, Eric Sheffield (2019) An eBook investigating practices that help students love school. It explores how schools can build effective cultures, how students struggle in learning, practices of other countries and more.

MEMBERS’ CORNER

Do you have any tips for students who seem to prefer paying attention to their phones? I would say if you can’t use the phone in the prescribed manner, then don’t bring it into the classroom. It’s a difficult one, and quite a few schools and colleges have a ban on phones. Students are allowed to bring them to college, of course, but not allowed to use them in any way in the classroom. You’d have to try a lot of different strategies, and you might need to talk to the head of the department about what the college attitude is to this, and whether you are allowed to set a different rule in your own classroom.

Concise Lexicon for Sign Linguistics, Jan Nijen Twilhaar, Beppie van den Bogaerde (2016) This eBook is a welcome addition for sign language teachers, interpreters, linguists, learners and deaf people. It includes many terms used especially for sign languages and examples from several different sign languages. The definitions here would be extremely helpful for linguists aiming to make sign language reference grammars.

Inclusive Pedagogy Across the Curriculum, Chris Forlin, Joanne Deppeler, Tim Loreman, Lani Florian, Ron Smith (2015) The focus in this book is on an inclusive pedagogical approach for enhancing teaching and learning in key areas of curriculum including literacy, mathematics, science, social studies and the arts. It shows how teachers can provide quality learning experiences for everyone in inclusive classrooms.

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MEMBERS’ CORNER

MY LIFE IN TEACHING

How did you first get into teaching? After graduating with a biomedicine and health sciences degree, I did an internship in teaching where I taught a group of 16+ on the topic of ‘Neurons: the information messengers in the brain’. I then worked as a domiciliary care manager providing frontline health and social care services for vulnerable children, young adults and the elderly. Part of my role then included teaching new staff how to support vulnerable adults and children in line with their support plans. Why did you feel this was the career for you? Embedding knowledge within the health and social care sector has always been my passion. The only way I could do this after being frontline within the sector was to be a teacher, which I did through achieving my teaching qualification. Where has your career taken you so far? It has taken me to becoming chief executive officer at AASOG Education and Training, which is a private further education training provider delivering health and social care, childcare and employability qualifications. I teach, assess and internally and externally quality-assure within the health and social care sector, covering management, team-leading, and adult and childcare. Can you run me through a typical day? I log in, carry out my strategic roles as the chief executive, and on days when scheduled to teach I review resources before the teaching starts. After I complete a session, I reflect on how it went, update the records, and call the team for a brief meeting for reports or actions. I then record the session and shut down for the day. What’s the strangest request you’ve had from a learner? One lady asked if she could use washing-up liquid to clean her chicken during a food safety training session!

performing above benchmark when it comes to my teaching. They also open doors to areas that may have been overlooked: for example, 360-degree feedback from teaching colleagues helps you to receive feedback from those you work with. Creating an action plan after reflecting on areas of development is one of the benefits of completing the qualifications, which in turn helps to review and benchmark your practice.

CARING PROFESSION After working on the frontline in caring, Jeminiyi Ogunkoya MSET QTLS used her passion for health and social care in teaching adult learners What are your biggest challenges? Having to remotely support learners who need additional help with their IT skills. This is a big challenge because it slows down the class in a world of virtual learning. Adapting to the situation quickly is important so everyone can achieve what they set out to in the session. Another challenge is the IT system not functioning as it should, which can be very frustrating. How have the Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS)/Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) helped you? Both programmes have helped me to critically reﬂect on my areas of development and promoted my strengths in

How would you like your career to develop? To lead more in the areas of curriculum planning, although that will move me away from frontline teaching, which is something I am passionate about. What three characteristics do you feel make a good teacher? Being a good listener. Effective communication. And having an outstanding ability to adapt resources and situations to meet the unplanned needs of your learners on the spot. What one piece of advice would you have for your former self? Passion is not all you need to be a teacher. There are also the professional skills and knowledge needed for effective knowledge embedding. What do you most love about teaching? Getting to hear new things from learners regarding their journey into health and social care, which is really fascinating. The use of various transferable skills within care and their passion to develop within the sector is a driving force for me. What do you get up to outside work? Outside of work it’s family time. I love cooking, so my kitchen is the place to be. There is always something for everyone waiting. I cook mostly African jollof rice and chicken. JEMINIYI OGUNKOYA is CEO of AASOG Education and Training If you would like to be featured in My Life in Teaching, email intuition@redactive.co.uk

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BOOK REVIEWS

BOOK REVIEWS SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES IN SCHOOLS: A CRITICAL INTRODUCTION By Janice Wearmouth 2nd edition Bloomsbury Academic, 2021

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

THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO COOPERATIVE LEARNING: MAKE YOUR LEARNERS YOUR MAIN TEACHING RESOURCE By Jakob Werdelin and Drew Holland Crown House Publishing, 2021

ADVANCING LEARNING WITHIN AND BEYOND THE CLASSROOM: RESETTING PEDAGOGY FOR THE ONLINE ERA By Bradley Lightbody Routledge, 2022

Updated to include recent changes to legislation and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, this book is aimed at those starting out on teaching careers as well as established educators. The aim is to help teachers develop understanding and awareness of SEND and its impact within the UK education system. This book covers details of the types of needs and disabilities, including historical notes relevant to today’s educators. Also included are examples of the barriers encountered and methods to address difficulties, including case studies. There are also chapters focusing on specific difficulties in reading, writing and numeracy. In addition, emotional and social support is discussed, along with interventions. A companion website includes links to articles and reports relevant to the reflective activities included in the book. These activities are mainly based around reflective questions. Although this book is largely focused on school education, there is much useful material for educators across the UK educational system and different establishments.

The current educational climate due to Covid-19 – combined with the longer-term but older issues facing the teaching profession – requires the educators of today to work in ever-smarter ways and ﬁnd innovative resources on a more regular basis. This book promotes cooperative learning and the arguments in its favour as well as providing principles, practices and examples successfully used by the authors themselves. Aimed at teachers and leaders across all stages of education, the authors argue strongly that there will always be learners and that educators should develop strategies for making them responsible for their own learning, leaving the educators free to concentrate on teaching itself. Some chapters are marked as must-reads but the rest of the book can be dipped into in any order of preference. There are some great ideas here, and the occasional cartoons speak volumes in themselves. Overall, this will be a good addition to the staffroom coffee table in any educational establishment.

With today’s younger generation being comfortable online, combined with educational closures during the pandemic, it is clear that teachers need to take advantage of online resources, platforms and tools. This book is rich in suggestions and ideas to meet that need. It promises an exploration of ﬁve core elements of good practice to develop great teaching and learning within and beyond the classroom. These concepts will not be new to anyone who has attended CPD teaching courses and the concept of resetting pedagogy from an effective teaching focus to an effective learning one is well known. Predicting a future of education conducted in a fusion of classroom and online learning will come again as no surprise to today’s educators but the supporting evidence for these changes and development come from research and models of educational processes, which make for interesting reading. The author offers good practical suggestions and ideas including lesson structures and using and devising resources. This book is, in itself, a valuable resource and it will take quite some time to extract everything of use.

InTuition readers receive a 20% discount on this book with the code SENDINSCHOOLS22 at bloomsbury.com (valid until 31 May)

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

InTuition readers receive a 20% discount on this book with the code APR20 at routledge.com (valid until 1 May)

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If undelivered please return to: The Society for Education and Training 157-197 Buckingham Palace Road London SW1W 9SP

RENEW YOUR SET MEMBERSHIP Stay connected with your career companion Membership renewal payments due by 31 March If yo ou have not renewed your membership* for 2022 20 22 2/23, please go to the SET website to renew for c fo continued career support, access to exclusive r so re s urces u and the opportunity to stay connected with wi th our network of professionals and experts. th

Renew today at set.etfoundation.co.uk *If you pay your membership fee by Direct Debit there is no need for you to take action to renew. If you pay by card or invoice, you will need to go to ‘MySET’ to actively renew your membership.

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