Working in FE

Sections

  • Why continuous learning is more important than ever

    The Further Education (FE) sector is undergoing significant changes. A UK Government report published in 2022 highlights some of the challenges of the post-pandemic FE environment: changes in learners’ social skills, students struggling to concentrate and engage, and mental health issues being on...
  • Are adult learners on the rise?

    ​​​​​​​In our complex and fast-changing world, adult learners need to continuously develop their skills in order to handle future challenges. The more we invest in maintaining and developing our professional skills, the more productive we may become.
  • How to show appreciation for teachers

    Teachers work hard to provide the best support they can to students. Without the education skills, young people would not be able to step into exciting jobs or find rewarding careers.
  • How do I apply for teaching jobs?

    Deciding to be a Further Education (FE) teacher has proven to be a popular and highly rewarding career. However, applying for jobs in the sector proves difficult. In the first instance, you need to check if you are eligible for the position.
  • How Lifelong Learning Can Help Advance Your Career

    Change is all around us. Online platforms have radically changed the way we work throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Some jobs are disappearing due to technological advances whilst new jobs emerge rapidly.
  • Future Now: Upskilling Today for Tomorrow

    In these uncertain times one thing is certain; the way we work will change. The need for social distancing has already led to remote working wherever possible.
  • Teacher cover letter: How to make it count

    It’s tempting to think that the concept of a teacher shortage in the UK makes it easy to walk in to a teaching job, with little thought to your application.
  • Time to think ‘T’ levels

    Last year I wrote several articles about ‘T’ levels. In the last article I addressed the key issues facing FE colleges in preparation for their roll out in September 2020.
  • 2020, A New Year – Time to Reset

    New Year. New term. New resolutions. A new start. January offers a time to reset.
  • Fliplearning Versus Homework

    Setting home-study tasks brings frustration. Frustration for teachers when students say they have not done it; frustration for students who perhaps do not see the relevance of tasks set.
  • Help students to take a load off

    An article in TES reported on a survey carried out in 2018 which found that almost two-thirds of students in FE feel very or extremely stressed about exams
  • Take a load off teaching

    Findings from recent Ofsted research (2018) have found that teachers are highly stressed and anxious. Stress in teaching is not new, indeed research into teacher stress dates back to the 1970s. More recently, issues of teacher recruitment and retention are associated with stress.
  • Feedback to Feedforward

    The purpose of education is to help students achieve the best they can, and more! None of us know our own potential, so feedback can be vital.
  • Top tips for using technology

    As with any other resource, its use needs to be based on how it can enhance the learning of your students. Technology can be used to personalise learning as well as support collaborative learning.
  • Unlocking Students’ Creativity

    I believe it is vital that the adult recognises that each student has a creative mind. This should be celebrated, nurtured and stimulated. In order to do that, the adult needs to reignite their own creative mind.
  • ‘Sage on the stage’ or ‘Guide on the side’

    When you are applying for teaching posts, you should demonstrate not only that you are familiar with different theories of learning, but also that you understand the implications of them for teaching.
  • The necessity for practical work-based learning

    Gaining high quality on-the-job experience is vital for students as it enables them to enhance and progress their skills and conform to a constantly developing environment.
  • Kate Fox – training restaurant coordinator

    I am responsible for the day to day running of the training restaurant in a large FE college.
  • Safe spaces for new faces

    A classroom can be a scary place. Walking into a new classroom, with a new teacher and a new group of peers can be daunting for even a confident individual. Equally, I always get butterflies before meeting a new group of students.
  • Who’s afraid of the big bad TEF?

    Dr Chris Dows continue to champion CBHE and its unique aspects in his latest article reflecting on this year's TEF results.