1. Enhancement of Learning Support
East Midlands
Developing and using a whole organisational approach to bring about improvement and secure a more effective approach to CPD

2. Enhancement of Learning Support
Background to project
East Midlands Regional Event
Enhancement of Learning Support Project
Phase 1 : January – April 2010
Commissioned by LSIS to explore the training and development needs of LSAs and those who manage them
Talked to learners, LSAs, LSA managers and Tutors
Undertook a literature review
Desk based research
Survey
Aimed to
Scope existing opportunities and expertise
Consider how networks might be used
Find out what learners. LSAs and their managers want and think
Make recommendations based on findings
Sample - interviews with176 individuals from 86 organisations across the sector and an associated literature review, together with the views of 374 LSAs and 138 managers who responded to the online survey

3. Enhancement of Learning Support
Background to project
East Midlands Regional Event
Terminology and Role
Project focussed on “Learning Support” as opposed to “Learner Support”
Changed project terminology from Learning Support Practitioner (NOS) to Learning Support Assistant (LSA) but in practice many titles used
Hugely important role but......
Shockingly under researched
Views of LSAs and learners particularly lacking in the literature
This project focuses on “learning support “, that is: enabling the learner to engage with the learning programme and providing personalised, identified support that will allow learners to maximise their independence, to achieve and to progress
“learning support assistant” (LSA) to refer to those staff who have direct and regular contact with the learner (or group of learners) and whose role is to facilitate their access to identified support, within the learning process. These staff are not on a teaching or training contract; rather they work under the direction of the person(s) leading the learning.
Learning Support Practitioner is used within the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for learning support staff,. In practice, there are a myriad of terms used, and we found that LSP was not the mostly commonly used term with the most common title being “assistant” at 46% LSP” accounted for only 4% of those surveyed. In a work based learning context, the role of staff performing this function is quite different, as is the terminology used, which is typically “training adviser”.
This project is aimed at anyone who works to support leaners, in whatever context, irrespective of title.
This lack of research becomes even more shocking given that in practice it is the LSA workforce who delivers the most significant part of the learner facing contact time, particularly for learners with the most complex needs.

4. Enhancement of Learning Support
Background to project
East Midlands Regional Event
Key Findings
A hugely diverse workforce
Formal role most developed in FE sector
Key role in supporting and promoting independence, but..
Often a lack of clarity, at individual, organisational and system level about how to combine activity which is enabling with that which is necessary support. ??
Learning support teams are often a mixture of full-time staff, hourly paid staff and in some colleges, bank/agency staff. the research undertaken for this project suggests that a significant number (just over half) of LSAs are hourly paid, and many are paid on term time only contracts, with implications for, and indeed impact, on access to training. The research also indicated a huge variation in the level of qualifications, skills and experiences of LSAs both on entering the profession, and as a result of ongoing Continuous Professional Development (CPD) once employed
for many, the role of LSA is a lifestyle choice, with a number of respondents indicating they do not want to become teachers, but chose their role, in part because it fitted in around their life and family commitments. Respondents, were however equally clear that they view themselves as professional and effective practitioners and would like to be valued as such.
Role to promote independence – about getting the level of support right and avoiding over support

5. Enhancement of Learning Support
Background to project
East Midlands Regional Event
Key Findings
Learners have very clear views about what constitutes effective support, and how they want to be supported
They want a focus on enabling and more independence
The personal qualities of support staff are key – being listened to, included and treated with respect
Above all they want the right to be involved in defining their own support
The list of personal qualities, skills, knowledge and understanding required, as identified above is testimony to both the complexity, and the responsibility, associated with this role. Whilst this has clear implications for training, there is a sense that it is more than that. As one learner put it, “Most of all it’s about learning and earning trust –disclosing barriers that prevent learning and acting on these with learners to instil this trust while promoting independence.”

6. Enhancement of Learning Support
Background to project
East Midlands Regional Event
Key Findings:
A lot of induction and training is compliance related.
Often there is insufficient focus in training on the core competencies of the role in supporting learning.
A wide variation in what is offered.
Significant barriers to participation.
Unlike schools the sector has no recognised career structure within which LSAs work and progress.
overwhelming majority of the survey respondents (80%) reported a series of training activities that could be broadly categorised as “compliance” related, covering areas such as health and safety, safeguarding, equality and diversity. This finding was confirmed by LSA managers.
Huge variation – effective practice with some staff trained to very high standard- Foundation degree and high level of specialism, others little if any entitlement to training.
Contract, travel, status in organisation and capacity to release,
II the school sector – role of TA and HTA clearly defined, is a career structure and progression route and have been associated professional qualifications for some time.

7. Enhancement of Learning Support
Background to project
East Midlands Regional Event
There are lots of training resources available, but…..
No central point which stores and disseminates information effectively across the sector.
There is a need for more joint training and specific training for teachers in relation to working effectively with LSAs.
Training for Managers of LSAs is underdeveloped.
An organisational culture whose values and ethos promotes inclusion at all levels is vital for effective development
Teaching assistants have dedicated sites for information cf NAPTA and also a lot on the TDA.
That is one of the things we want to address – there will be a website on the Excellence gateway specifically for learning support staff.

8. Enhancement of Learning Support
Background to project
East Midlands Regional Event
Phase 2 –September March 2011
Programme of development activities based on the recommendations from the initial research.
Natspec and AoC joint delivery partners.
Nine regional partnerships, involving eighteen colleges.
Additional partnerships with JISC Techdis, NAPTA and Lifelong Learning UK to support the project.
Key aim –to draw on practitioner expertise and experience to develop resources and materials that will have practical relevance and add value.

9. Enhancement of Learning Support
Background to project
East Midlands Regional Event
Regional Activity
South West and North West – resources and approaches to enable learners to be involved in managing and directing their own support
London – A self assessment Tool.
Yorkshire and Humberside – Using technology to support greater independence for learners
South East – Developing an online tool to profile the CPD needs of Learning Support staff

10. Enhancement of Learning Support
Background to project
East Midlands Regional Event
Regional Activity
West Midlands – Resources to support alternative approaches to CPD
North East – The role of systems and structures in promoting or hindering learner independence
East Midlands – Organisational Improvement Tool
Dates for your diary! – National Conferences –
March 8th – South - Westminster Kingsway
March 15th – North - Warrington
Payment through your LSIS accounts

11. Enhancement of Learning Support
Background to project
East Midlands Regional Event
Other project related activity include
A web portal to host all information of relevance and interest to LSAs
A professional development network across the Doncaster and South Yorkshire region
A report on the effective management of learning support – West of England College
To find out more or contribute go to support.html
Each region has its own page, with lots of information and all the documents for today, plus a blog!!
This is where you need to sell the importance of them contributing g where they can and have expertise and interest, to other regional and project related activity.
Really want you to push this – they are doing this by virtue of their location, but could be lots of value they can add to other work, and the final results, developed by practitioners, for practitioner will add value to us all.

12. Enhancement of Learning Support
Background to project
East Midlands Regional Event
How does what Portland College and New College Nottingham have been doing fit?
Developing a whole organisation approach to Learning Support CPD
Based on a model developed by Coventry Adult Learning Services
Supporting the recognition that effective CPD includes LSAs, teachers and managers being developed together and not separately
This is for you to expand on your strand , and introduce what is coming next. Would lead very well into aims for the day – which may or not involve a change of presenter, depending on how gives this.