On Wednesday, the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) delivered its second in-person T Level ‘Learning From’ event of the year at Senate House, University of London. This followed the resounding success of the first event in Leeds on 28 April. Funded by the Department for Education (DfE), the London event brought together 225 practitioners involved in T Level planning and delivery.
To start the day, a welcome from the ETF’s CEO, Dr Katerina Kolyva, was followed by an engaging keynote address from Kate Hill, specialist advisor for Ofsted, who spoke about Ofsted’s T Level Survey Report. During the morning and afternoon, delegates engaged in a series of breakout sessions. After lunch, guest speaker Nina Jackson, Associate of Independent Thinking Ltd, delivered a motivational address exploring themes of mental health, resilience and wellbeing.
Delegates made the most of opportunities for networking, peer-to-peer learning and support throughout the day during breaks and refreshments. Breakout sessions enabled a more in-depth focus on topics including support for engaging with employers; preparing learners for their Employer Set Project; embedding English, maths and digital in T Levels; and supporting progression of learners after T Levels.
As with the Leeds event, London delegates shared their positive experiences with us during the event, highlighting the value of coming together to learn from one another:
“You’ve got this amazing place where fantastic thinking minds can bounce ideas off each other. […] There’s a buzz in the whole building, and delegates are buoyant and excited for the whole day, so I’m thrilled.” – Nina Jackson, Education Consultant and Speaker
“I think this is a great opportunity to network – we don’t really get many opportunities, we’re kind of all in these little bubbles at colleges – so it’s a really good time to meet other people who are doing the same things in the same position as you, and to branch out and get to know a bit more about other people.” – Hannah Shannan, Early Years Lecturer, Eastleigh College
“I would definitely encourage others to come to future events because it’s a real opportunity to collaborate with others and share your experiences and also get reinforcement that we are all in this together.” – Gillian McDermott, Business Lecturer, Broadstairs College (East Kent College Group)
Paul Bailey, the ETF’s Regional Head of Engagement for South (E&W), East, and London, who chaired the event, said: “It was fantastic to see so many T Level practitioners come together in the wonderful venue that was Senate House to share their experiences of planning and delivering T Levels, how they benefited from the T Level professional development programme, and to learn from one another. The atmosphere was one of enthusiasm, collaboration and learning. I hope delegates left feeling energised and equipped with further tools and learning to enhance their practice.”
Further courses and resources to complement sessions covered by the Learning From event are available as part of the T Level Professional Development (TLPD) offer, delivered by the ETF and funded by the DfE. Visit our TLPD webpage for more information.