In today's email: ¹ÏÉñÍø Wales consultation response - qualified for the future FE round up
1. ¹ÏÉñÍø Wales consultation response - qualified for the future
The summer 2020 assessment shone a light on the issues at the heart of our qualification system. In this response, ¹ÏÉñÍø argues that the current suite of proposed GCSE's do not adequately reflect the needs of the new curriculum, learners and Welsh economy. We identify a growing debate both inside and outside the sector, evidencing issues in relation to pedagogy, inequality and parity of esteem. Reiterating our belief that an equality led recovery cannot be built on a system of high-stake assessment which necessarily fails a third of learners, we conclude by recommending that the regulator pause Qualified for Life to enable a broader discussion. This issue will be on the agenda for discussion by your representatives at the next meeting of Wales Council in June. Read the full response here.
2. FE round up Joint agreement for the employment of part time hourly paid lecturers
We are in the process of renegotiating this agreement and are seeking the views of Part Time Hourly paid members on the proposed amendments. Please use the link to view the existing agreement along with the proposed amendments, which are highlighted in yellow, and let us know whether we have missed anything or if there is anything else you want us to consider. Please send any comments to Karen Williams by 14th May. Workload
Congratulations to all our members who took part in the EWC workforce survey. The JTUs, employer reps and Welsh Government are looking at the results of the survey and working out how to use those results to plan for changes to address concerns raised by respondents. Pay claim 21/22
FESC has adopted a pay motion which will be reflected in the JTU pay claim of at least 5% in pay for all FE staff in Wales. We now need to discuss our policy with other JTUs and draft a pay claim which we can sign off on. Wellbeing project in FE
The JTUs are working with Welsh government to address the impact of Covid-19 on staff in FE and we will be running some pilot projects in three colleges, it is hoped that if successful, the project will encourage growth and development of a culture of shared ownership in supporting the wellbeing of self and others, promoting secure and open dialogue, awareness of mental health conditions and the positive impacts of sustainable wellbeing. Professional learning
¹ÏÉñÍø are working with the two employers and the Welsh government to run professional learning pilots in two colleges, the aims of which are: to identify elements of good practice from teaching experiences in 2020/2021 and how these can support a mode of pedagogy best suited to the needs of learners in FE and the challenging world they are operating in to identify the effectiveness of professional learning undertaken by the pilot colleges in supporting improved retention. What works, what doesn't work? to raise awareness and consider how the professional standards can support a reflective culture in which staff are encouraged to think critically and creatively about the standards when designing delivery modes, curriculum content and teaching strategies, focusing efforts in the first term on retention. to develop guidance on effective approaches to improving retention from evidence-based practice. to draw out recommendations from the pilots to inform effective ways colleges can support the professional learning of their teachers as they navigate through a pivotal time in history.
In solidarity,
¹ÏÉñÍø Wales | 
