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Once upon a time, I was an adult returning to the world of education. I remember the feelings of unease and uncertainty as I navigated my way through that course and then the next and the next. I was a single mum of two fairly young children, working two part-time jobs with a dream of being a primary school teacher. In a twist of fate, I’ve ended up teaching people like me: adults.

After a successful year teaching GCSE English to adult learners, I am now leading our adult functional skills provision - something I am incredibly proud of, despite the additional workload it has given me. What I’m most proud of is that this year, as a college, we are trying something new for our learners (I do love a challenge!) and we have introduced a more flexible pathway for those undertaking their functional skills qualifications. We have mixed ability (entry to level 2) groups working on a rolling programme and the idea is for learners to get the qualification they need in a time frame that suits them and their abilities. I’d be lying if I said it had been easy so far and I’m learning more about effective differentiation now than I ever have before but it’s so worth it.

Watching learners blossom

I saw learners at enrolment taking those nervous and hesitant steps towards the future they had so far only dreamed of, and I saw them belittle their own skills and experiences out of embarrassment that they didn’t already hold a golden ticket maths and English “pass”. I saw people’s fear etched across their faces and it reminded me of myself once upon a time.

I see learners now with faces screwed up in concentration, not fear, and I see learners who, despite still putting themselves down, are opening doors and unknowingly inviting opportunities into their life just by doing a bit of funky skills maths and English every week. I see how fiercely they want it and how frustrating it can be to uncover their layers of understanding. I see their relationships blossom and what I love the most is when they turn up the following week with a friend or relative in tow proving the knock on effect of education not just for the individual but for others in the community too.

Driving social mobility

I talk to learners who tell me they feel more confident to help their children with their homework, or to apply for a new job or go on a date (truth!) because of their improved skills and confidence - and this proves the transformative affect adult education has.

FE does this for them.  We may be tied up in a million funding ribbons that I’ll probably never fully understand, but where we are bound in some ways we are free in others. We have the flexibility to offer a range of courses, developing a range of skills to a vast range of people. For adults this is the key that can unlock opportunities in life, further learning and work. If you ask me, FE is the most important educational sector for social mobility.

Teaching is a nightmare at times but my goodness we are privileged because let’s face it, in some small way we do change lives. We can change the life of the individual, their family, their community and we can change the lives of ourselves because I know I learn from them as much as they learn from me. FE does this for me.

Vicki Vincent is a lecturer and course leader for adult functional skills at Halesowen College in the West Midlands