Welcome to my latest newsletter which includes:


  • Welcome
  • Updates in our sector
  • Sustainability & climate change
  • Social media groups and website topics
  • Reviews and feedback
  • Future newsletters
  • ...and finally...

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You can sign up for future newsletters here.


Welcome


Welcome to my latest newsletter! I hope that you are all well and enjoying work. As usual, my newsletter is to keep you updated with what's going on in our sector, as well as with my products and services.  

All my previous newsletters can be accessed via this page.


Updates in our sector

Basic skills for adults. According to the Learning and Work Institute, an estimated 9 million working-age adults in England have low basic skills in literacy or numeracy, of which 5 million have low skills in both. You might like to read more and download their report: Getting the basics right. The case for action on adult basic skills. The report outlines eight key findings on what works for improving adult basic skills learning and provision. It also marks the launch of the new Skills for Life Alliance of researchers and sector experts who will use its collective voice to highlight the importance of basic skills, and explore ways to improve participation.

CASS.
Ofqual now requires all centre-marked assessments to be subject to a form of CASS - Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny. The aim is to improve the controls that awarding organisations (AOs) have in place when centres mark assessments. This might affect your direct claim status and quality assurance processes for some qualifications. If you haven't heard anything from your awarding organisation about how this might affect you, please get in touch with them. You can find out more from the Ofqual Handbook here

College Collaboration Fund (CCF). You can now access the list of those colleges accepted to the peer-support programme. It's to help FE colleges share good practice and develop quality improvement priorities. You can find out more here.

Free Skills Courses. The government list has been expanded for adults across the country to upskill or retrain for better paid jobs. 

Further education and skills inspection handbook.
This was updated in September 2021. You can download a copy, along with a summary of the changes.

Skills and Post 16 Education Bill.
This is still going through parliament. You can find out the latest here.

Skills for Life Network.
The fast moving news and information channel for teachers, managers and supporters of functional skills and GCSE maths & English, digital skills, ESOL, employability and SEND. You can access lots of useful updates, news and resources here. You can also subscribe to receive their regular newsletters.

Starting out in FE?
The ETF have launched a free course for anyone starting a career teaching in FE.

STEM. Thousands of working adults will be offered free courses to rapidly upskill in STEM sectors (science, technology, engineering, maths) including digital skills and construction skills.

I always post any relevant updates as they occur on my Twitter feed - you can follow me here.


Sustainability & climate change


These are hot topics at the moment and it might be worth checking if your organisation has any policies, or ideas of how to embed them into teaching and learning.

It's about the issues affecting the health of the planet, as well as how to use social structures and social responsibility to promote a good quality of life and economic prosperity for all.

The ETF have produced lots of information and resources which you might find useful.

The COP26 Universities Network have produced a working paper regarding climate change in education. This might give you some ideas regarding embedding the topic into teaching and learning.


Social media groups and website topics


I co-host a Facebook and a LinkedIn group if you would like to join.

It's a great way of discussing topics, asking questions, and keeping up to date with what's going on in the sector.

Please check out my website for:


information for new teachers
online courses & CPD
reading lists
resources
text book details
videos

You can also find out all about me, and how I became a teacher and an author!


Reviews and feedback


You can now leave a review on Google for any of my products and services. For example: my books; resources; online courses; consultancy; events; and/or general advice I've given you.

If you would rather provide feedback directly to me, you can use the form on my website

Thank you!


Future newsletters


This will be my last newsletter of 2021. Next year I will only send out a newsletter if there is something major happening in our sector.

All updates in the meantime will be sent out via Twitter.


And finally ... as always ...


Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your colleagues.

I apologise if you've received this message more than once. Just reply to let me know, or scroll down to unsubscribe.

Stay safe, stay happy, stay healthy, and stay positive!

Best wishes
Ann

social media: Ann Gravells

Thank you for reading this far. You can follow me on social media by clicking on any of the links below.
I tend to use Twitter the most.
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