Discussion document 1 for focus groups

We had two extremely useful and quite different focus group meetings today and have two more planned for tomorrow (Tuesday) in Birmingham.  I will try and capture some of the debate in later posts .....which, given the wide ranging discussions, will be quite a challenge!!  We did send a copy of a discussion document to attendees and a couple of people suggested that I make it more readily available across the sector as soon as we can.  We will do this later this week, with some other discussion papers, but in the interim I have posted it below.   As always we are very happy to hear any views you might have.

FE Guild – Discussion Document – Number 1 – FE Guild purpose & remit

This document is intended to stimulate discussion about the potential purpose and remit for the FE Guild. It provides some information, some ideas and sets out some of the key questions which are apparent at the outset of the project. The aim is that the discussion and debate will help refine the ideas and options and help develop the consultation paper. which needs to go out early in the New Year.

Preamble

1.            We are not starting with a blank sheet in terms of the ideas and options for the purpose and remit of the guild. There a number of reference points for our thinking within our sector:

•        The Lord Lingfield review

•        The history of organisations which have operated in this space over recent years, including LSIS, CEL, QIA and IfL, as well as the many Government-led organisational approaches such as the Standards Unit

•        The AoC/AELP contract bid to undertake the FE Guild development phase.

•        The BIS Grant letter to AoC which contained a list of areas to be considered.

2.            There are also some important reference points from other sectors where organisations exist with similar purposes and remits. The project team will be looking at a number of organisations that represent specialist professional areas to learn as much as we can from their experiences. There are a number of common themes which are emerging from the early work which the project team have carried out and these are covered in this paper.

What should be the purpose of the FE Guild?

3.            Based on the Lord Lingfield review, the BIS prospectus and the AoC/AELP submission etc, is there a consensus that the overall purpose of the FE Guild could be something along the lines of: 

To support and enhance the development, qualification and recognition of the professionalism of the sector workforce, and the leadership and governance of the providers

There is a question about whether it should also focus on the outcomes of a professional workforce in terms of the learner experience and in meeting labour market needs.

4.            Following on from this we could look at key elements, initially covered in the ‘triangle’ of remit produced to support the AoC/AELP bid, supported by many sector stakeholders, and further developed during discussions/meetings prior to the start of the contract, which covered:

Teaching and Learning

•       Defines Competencies (SSC)

•       Endorses qualifications (SSC)

•       Co-ordinates response to McLoughlin Review

•       Develops  Covenant (Lingfield)

•       Identifies CPD best practice

Leadership and Governance Development:

•       Sponsors and commissions Courses

•       Identifies Skills gaps

•       Commissions development programmes

Professional (non-teaching) development:

•       Facilitates professional development with industry for lecturers / teachers

•       Develops communities of practice and scholarly endeavours for VET sector

•       Commissions research to inform professional development and improved teaching

Key Questions 1: Does this cover the essential elements of a potential purpose and remit?  Is anything vital missing? Should anything be excluded?

Aspiration for the Guild – what might it look a few years downstream?

5.            We are keen to encourage people in the sector to think about the medium and longer terms aspirations for the guild; what do we want the guild to achieve over that time? This is a bit difficult as we haven’t yet decided on the purpose and remit of the Guild, so this is really more a stab in the dark, but maybe by just thinking of where we might want to get to will help formulate the purpose of the Guild.  Do the following generic high level aspirations sound right?

•        A body which is recognised internally and externally as the expert voice and advocate on workforce development and qualifications for the sector.

•        Can show real sector ownership and direction by achieving outputs and successes widely accepted and acclaimed by the sector and stakeholders as valuable and contributing to the reputation and professionalism of the sector and most importantly the learner experience.

•        Has a robust, clear, flexible and fit for purpose set of qualifications and standards for new entrants to the sector as well as continuous professional development.

•        Can show significant increased engagement across the sector in leadership, management and governance development programmes, which lead to measurable individual and organisation improvements.

•        Is recognised by Government and other key stakeholders as being effective, making a real difference and offering good value for money.

•        Has helped to enhance the reputation of the sector with public and private sector employers by enhancing the professional reputation and currency of the workforce.

•        When measured against current reviews, eg Lord Lingfield, McLoughlin, and future developments is able to show that their aspirations have been reflected in the position the new body has reached.

•        Dependant on the final remit, has shown improvements across the sector in areas such as equality and diversity, STEM provision etc.

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Key Questions 2:  Are these the right sort of aspirations? Do they describe the organisation we want to develop?  Are they realistic and measurable? Is anything critical missing? Should any come out as not really being aspirational? Do they help to define the way ahead?

What might an FE Guild mission or vision look like?

6.            From the work the project team has already carried out there is some sense of what a potential mission might look like for the guild. This does in some ways put the ’cart before the horse’, but in order to stimulate a response and with a bit of judicious plagiarism we have put together some possible mission statements. We will of course approach this through the consultation process to get more of a bottom up view.

·            We are the advocate and voice of the FE Sector profession, a champion of our professional interests, a respected partner to the broader FE Sector and a body that works in the learner interest.

·            We enhance the reputation and understanding of the FE profession and the professionalism of our members through the provision of world-class structures for the delivery of learning in the FE sector. We do this by providing advice on standards and qualifications, knowledge building and sharing, leadership development, research, excellent governance, conduct and ethics.

7.            As well as a mission, the guild might want to have a vision, so another stab at something for people to respond to and refine:

                                                                                                                      

To be at the heart of a FE sector profession that is widely respected for its professionalism and diversity, attracting the brightest people and where organisations, government, society and the learner understand the value of what we do. A profession that:

·            has a reputation for, and is built on, best practice, ethical standards, research, practitioner and academic leadership

·            makes an important contribution to society through our ability to build dialogue and trust, and is recognised for this contribution

·            is dynamic, collaborative and networked, reflecting the diversity of the sector and the pace of technological change.

Key Questions 3: Do these reflect your views on what the guild is about? Can you provide other words which might describe the organisation better? Is it helpful to include these sorts of options in the consultation process, or leave them out?

 

What might the FE Guild do?

8.            There is inevitably a long list of potential functions and activities which the guild might want to be engaged in. The following list is some of the more commonly stated potential functions:

·                 promote the values of effective delivery of learning

·                 learn from and supporting improvement in learning provision

·                 maintain ethics and values

Set and enhance first-class national standards of professionalism to ensure excellence in the FE sector by:

·                 developing a set of nationally agreed standards for FE staff to attain

·                 developing a set of guidelines for continuous professional development of FE staff

·                 providing frameworks for standards to be tested and achievement rewarded

Identify evidence of what works in FE learning provision and share best practice by:

·                 providing access to a body of knowledge that is informed by evidence-based research and best practice

·                 continuing to develop an understanding of the evolving learning delivery methodologies

Support the education and professional development of FE Staff by:

·                 developing and maintaining the national FE staff curriculum, assessment and accreditation frameworks

·                 providing guidance on appropriate continuous professional development

·                 delivering leadership, [Governance] and specialist training

·                 accrediting and quality-assuring FE staff training providers

·                 developing future leaders and expertise through effective talent management

Enable and motivate staff and employers to work together to achieve a shared purpose by:

·                 developing a covenant between employers and employees and a code of practise for practitioners

·                 working with partners to make the best use of specialist knowledge

·                 supporting desired behaviours and actions that embody the FE sector values

Influence and support development of Government policy and strategy around workforce development and learning delivery by:

·                 working with Government departments and agencies to provide expert advice on workforce development and learning delivery

·                 ensuring FE employers are engaged and consulted in workforce development evolving strategies

·                 evidence-based learning delivery

There are many questions about how the guild might carry out these functions which need to be addressed over the coming weeks and there are many options and many lessons to be learned from others about the pros and cons of different methodologies.

What might the FE Guild not do?

9.            At the same time that some possible functions/activities have started to emerge in discussions, there are a number which seem to commonly be mentioned as beyond or outside the remit of the guild: 

•        require FE staff to have a licence to practise

•        mandate qualifications or levels of continuous professional development

•        negotiate pay and conditions of employment for FE staff

•        maintain a record of disbarred staff

•        duplicate all the roles other bodies play, like OFSTED

•        investigate complaints or allegations of misconduct against FE staff - this will remain within the remit of the relevant employing organisation

•        create a raft of bureaucratic guidance for the FE sector

Key Questions 4: are these the right activities, functions for the guild? Is anything missing, and any which should not be included?