What value do we attach to the voices within the FE sector? Personally, I believe the answer is “not much”. We don’t value our own opinions, thoughts, practices, pedagogies, theorising and experiences – and while that seems incredibly sad to me, I think it is the direction of travel. We just don’t.

A big part of the problem is that we are just not used to being asked what our opinions are. Policy makers, sector bodies and think tanks rarely ask staff in the sector. They may ask very senior leaders, but not those at the chalk face. The Sainsbury Review had a panel whose membership included a representative of a large international business, one college principal and two university leaders.

FE research: 3 questions teachers should always ask

Background: Sainsbury review: what changes are on the way for post-16 education?

Opinion: We all need to be concerned when the voice of FE gets quieter

Who represents teachers?

The Augar Review panel, similarly, was made up of an equities broker from the city, a master of an Oxford College, the chair of a technology group, a university vice-chancellor, a college principal and a university-based economist. In all of these reviews, colleges have been underrepresented and only one senior leader has participated. 

But do and can principals really represent teaching staff? I have recently seen college leadership described as “pedagogically disinterested” – and I am minded to agree with that statement on whole (although I can think of some notable exceptions). 

I am not saying this because I want to bash our leaders, but because I see them often bound up with funding and reporting systems that shut down pedagogical discussions and innovation rather than opening them up. So, when one principal reviews the future of vocational qualifications taught by staff members they are likely to encounter termly at best, you have to wonder how they can represent these teachers. So, why are these voices shut out?

We also tend not to value our own voices at sector events. I recently attended an online conference where a keynote speaker, discussing pedagogy, had neither taught nor researched pedagogy, anywhere. Just think about that: a keynote on teaching practice from someone who has never taught. This would be the equivalent to college leaders attending a conference on leadership, keynoted by someone who has not led a college or any other organisation. Would this be seen as acceptable? I doubt it. So, why do teaching staff accept keynotes from those speaking for, but not from, the sector? Do we doubt ourselves that much? 

If we look at value a different way, what are we willing to pay for? I am thinking here about large national conferences paying for keynotes from outside the sector, but asking teachers and practitioners from within the sector to present for free. Are thoughts from within the sector of less value than those from outside? It’s a pertinent question – and one where the answer appears to be "yes".

At the online conference I mentioned, I swerved the pedagogical keynote, but I did attend some great presentations from FE teachers who really did know, and practice, their stuff. I also emailed the organisers to politely raise my concerns.

And this is what I would suggest we would all benefit from. Maybe next time you plan to attend an event, check out who the keynote speakers are and have a good look at what they do or have done. Is there a colleague, or ex-sector worker who knows and has taught in the sector who could be substituted in? If so, maybe consider voting with your feet and sending a clear message to the organisers. And If you are yourself invited to speak, don’t give away your time for free while others are paid hundreds or thousands for the day. Make sure you achieve parity. If we don’t take a stand and show our sector and its voices should be taken seriously, then who will?

And to colleges, sector bodies and publications, this is my challenge: before you give space to voices from the outside, really look across the sector and those involved with it to ensure our own home-grown talent could not do just as good a job at speaking. If you pay, treat FE voices the same as those from the outside. Because we are increasingly valuing our own voices – and we will be holding you to account on letting them be heard.

Sam Jones is a lecturer at Bedford College, founder of FE Research Meet and was FE Teacher of the Year at the Tes FE Awards 2019