FE teachers are being given the opportunity to develop innovative approaches for teaching the new functional skills qualifications to be shared across the sector.
The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) will fund and support 15 “collaborative partnerships” between post-16 providers to explore approaches to teaching functional skills. Grants worth £8,000 are available – made of up to £6,000 in cash and £2,000 in in-kind support.
The projects, which must be delivered in a partnership between a minimum of two providers, will aim to support the delivery of the new maths and English functional skills qualifications which will begin to be taught in September 2019.
'Sustainable and transferable'
The new programme, which will be run by Creative Education, will support the FE workforce with the introduction of the reformed maths and English functional skills in September 2019 by identifying the most effective delivery approaches.
The resulting teaching methods devised by the 15 projects – which begin in November and run until next May – will be shared across the sector in the form of how-to guides and videos.
A spokesperson for ETF and Creative Education said they are looking for project proposals that are “collaborative, evidence-based, sustainable and transferable”.
'High degree of flexibility'
Imke Djouadj, ETF’s head of maths and English, said: “By improving teacher confidence and capability in the delivery of functional skills, these effective approaches will help increase learners’ level of engagement, attendance and progress in maths and English functional skills.”
Each partnership will receive funding and other support, including an assigned project mentor, and will be able to attend a range of workshops throughout the duration of the programme. Individual projects will have a “high degree of flexibility to focus on issues and approaches that matter to the participants”.
Providers should register their interest on the Creative Education website by 30 September. A series of workshops is being held across the country to find out more about the programme.
These will take place in the following locations:
- Leeds – 26 September
- Birmingham – 27 September
- Manchester – 28 September
- London – 1 October
- Taunton – 2 October
