This national Community of Practice has been launched to showcase and share practitioner-led research in the FE sector.
The aim of the initiative is to raise the profile of FE research, build new connections between practitioner-researchers and promote the sharing of effective practice across the sector.
The Community of Practice, with a particular focus on social mobility and educational access, includes a series of monthly online discussions featuring both practitioners and policymakers, and an online hub to facilitate ongoing discussion and knowledge sharing among participants. Funding to establish the network was provided by the Further Education Trust for Leadership (FETL), and it has been backed by the Association of Colleges and Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA).
The Community was launched in February 2021, and was featured in Tes, FE News and the SFCA's Blog 6. A full report on the project, written by Stephen Exley, has been published by FETL.
Register here to join the community for free, and to receive information about upcoming sessions.
If you have any questions about the conference or would like any further information, please contact julian.crockford@villierspark.org.uk
Dr David Powell, Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education at the University of Huddersfield
Claire Collins, MD, Claire Collins Consultancy
Vicky Butterby, Teacher/Researcher, Claire Collins Consultancy
Andy Convery, bio to follow
Wednesday 20 October 2021, 12noon - 1pm
Stephen Evans, CEO at Learning and Work Institute
Vicky Duckworth, Professor in Education at Edge Hill University
Sam Jones, Lecturer at Bedford College and Founder of #FEresearchmeet
Rae Tooth, CEO at Villiers Park
Wednesday 3 March 2021
Kevin Orr, Professor of Work and Learning at University of Huddersfield
Sarah-Jane Crowson, Scholarship and Enterprise Development Manager at Hereford College of Arts
Paul Smith, Head of Faculty for Maths, English, ESOL and Foundation Learning at City of Wolverhampton College
Thursday 29 April 2021
Kate Webb, FE Adviser to the FE Commissioner and former CEO at Windsor Forest Colleges Group
Eddie Playfair, Senior Policy Manager at the Association of Colleges
Joss Kang, Managing Director of Touch Consulting
Thursday 27 May 2021
Gillian Keegan, Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills
Jayne Holt, Assistant Principal at Walsall College
Gill Scott, Group Quality Manager at LTE Group
Tim O’Riordan, Researcher in Education at Plumpton College
Wednesday 23 June 2021