FE English Swap Shop 

In 2021, two APs, Hollie Barnes and Chloe Hynes spotted a lack of subject-specific networking and PD for English FE teachers. They organised and ran their own event with three pathways: 16-19,  Adult English and ESOL, roping in FE English practitioners to run sessions and open up thinking spaces. 

My Journey as a Maths AP

[2 mins:32 secs]  Advanced Practitioner, Marsida Horeshka, reflects on her experiences over three years of participating in #APConnect and how she has supported, amongst other things, maths teaching for learners and developed resources for practitioners via www.marsmaths.com

English & Maths Booth 

Hollie Barnes, English specialist and Sammy White, Maths expert and IT guru run a podcast by FE teachers, for FE teachers. They discuss real, day-to-day experiences, trials and tribulations and what life is like teaching English and Maths in post 16 with guest-practitioners. 

Digi, Maths & Collaboration

Marsida Horishka reflects on her experiences of participating in #APConnect over two years. She delves into the impact participating has had on her professional and personal practice including an exploration of the massive difference her maths work-place project has had (and is still having) on adult learners. 

Tools for English

An account of the findings of Hollie Barnes’s Action Research studies where she specifically explores strategies and tools for motivating and engaging GCSE resit learners. 

Maths & English Champions  

Case study with South Devon College (with Bridgewater and Taunton College). This partnership explores how they use the role of the AP to address the challenge of increasing learner attendance, achievement and satisfaction when taking GCSE and Functional Skills Maths and English qualifications. 

Teaching GCSE English in the Pandemic 

[24:50] Sophie Smithdale discusses how her #APConnect project enabled her English team to examine how online delivery can be a powerful experience for GCSE resit learners, comparing her English team’s experiences of adapting online to that of the math’s team. She unearths deep insights drawn from her team’s evolving practice on the ground, informed by learner feedback.

Joint working: English & Vocational 

Pam Dale reflects on joint approaches between vocational and English teams to facilitate learner buy-in for English GCSE resit qualifications. Pam explores approaches to English skills development and the importance of communication and collaboration of teaching teams.

Apprentices and maths/English

[6:14] Ali Rudman describes how her Constellation B project increased attendance and achievement for apprentices through a 12-week programme for English and maths, using a consolidated and consistent approach to the delivery of the qualifications.

Video Reflections – English

[18:05] Matt Gordon shares his reflections on his personal journey on #APConnect and outlines collaborating with colleagues from other colleges in creating webinars for one another’s English groups to aid teaching online and to target harder to reach students.

Maths/English Ideas Room 

During year three of #APConnect, several APs (all specialists in maths or English) joined the team to run Ideas Rooms for practitioners keen on developing freshest thinking on how best to develop learners maths and English abilities. 

Reflections 

Beata Barker and team reflect on their three year journey on #APConnect. It started in 2018/19 with a collaborative project bid in teaching and learning, applying the Thinking Environment to improve their methods of communication. It progressed to an English and maths focus in 2019/20 and ended in a project on supporting virtual delivery in 2020/21.