Enhancement of Learning Support

1. Enhancement of Learning Support Warrington Conference – 15th March 2011 “Going local – creating and managing local training networks”

2. Enhancement of Learning Support “We believe that locally led approaches will have greater impact and will help to expand and better deploy the expertise” SEN Green Paper, March 2011

3. Enhancement of Learning Support A suite of resources to develop learning support “In further education, we will consider how best to encourage… partnership working between independent specialist colleges, special schools and colleges” SEN Green Paper, March 2011

4. Enhancement of Learning Support • The 3 Counties Professional Development Partnership • Partnership between 14 colleges and 2 HE organisations in Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. • Vision - “Collaborative CPD where this adds value.” • Seconded manager and administrator • Reporting directly to the Principals’ group. • Advisory group to steer activities. One representative from each partner organisation • ‘Wider network’ “anyone and their grandmother”

5. Enhancement of Learning Support • Activities include: • Locally delivered externally provided INSET • Typical costs: £1,200 presenter; £10 per head hospitality • Typical charges: £110 ‘full-partners’ £160 wider network • Externally funded specific ‘project’ activity • Co-ordination of network groups • Collaborative planning where appropriate eg: • L5 Numeracy: taught by staff from one college, delivered at a venue provided by a private training provider; using library facilities provided by another college

6. Enhancement of Learning Support • Use of internal expertise particularly ISC to share knowledge/best practice • Peer Review and Development Activity • PDP as an ‘information hub’ • Particularly ITT, IFL (manager is IFL Connections volunteer) • Point of contact for information sharing eg policies, requests for information etc • Pathways agreement (Shropshire only) • Staff can attend partner colleges provision fee waivered providing that course forms part of their CPD plan. Some exceptions eg ITT, full-cost, some Community Education

7. Enhancement of Learning Support • Tips: • Keep it simple: Don’t get bogged down in rules, processes, bureaucracy • Let it ‘develop’ organically - be prepared to change activity and focus as appropriate over time eg in response to external funding • Once trust is established use it as a platform for other partner centred activity and collaboration but be prepared to hand this over • Accept that some will ‘put more in’ to the partnership than others. Generally find that these organisations also ‘get more out of it’.

8. Enhancement of Learning Support • The Experience of the Learning Development Alliance (LDA) in South Yorkshire • Getting Started • Identify your target audience • Ask questions and then ask them again • Get to know your ‘movers and shakers’ • Be organised • Just do it!

9. Enhancement of Learning Support • The Experience of the Learning Development Alliance (LDA) in South Yorkshire • Aims of the LDA • Offer a single point of contact for partner organisations • Provide information, advice and guidance • services to ensure that local providers are well informed about training events and net working opportunities • Deliver customised training programmes to meet the needs identified by the partner organisations

10. Enhancement of Learning Support • The Experience of the Learning Development Alliance (LDA) in South Yorkshire • Positives • Local sustainable network • Provide CPD projects that are relevant and add value • Training events that take place locally • Opportunity for ETSWs to network • Negatives • Be prepared for those who aren’t as interested • Time constraints • The providers in the group work in close geographical proximity to each other, competing for learners

11. through close collaboration they recognise and have a clear understanding of each other’s strengths, enabling each provider to create a specific niche within the market place Enhancement of Learning Support • The Experience of the Learning Development Alliance (LDA) in South Yorkshire Don’t hide behind the excuse of not having enough time... Local collaboration is the way forward, where sharing good practice, practical knowledge and local resources provide achievable answers to organisational CPD and training requirements . The great dividing line between success and failure can be expressed in five words: “I did not have time.”Franklin Field

12. Enhancement of Learning Support • ACTIVITY • In groups we would like you to consider how a local network approach might work in your area and consider how we might respond to the Green Paper with practical suggestions for supporting local networks

13. Kevin O’Brien kevin.obrien@kandaassociates.co.uk Katie McCombe k.mccombe@wnsc.ac.uk Sally Wilkinson swilkinson@ddt-deaf.org.uk