1. London Regional Event Wednesday 10 th November Enhancement of Learning Support

2. London Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project Aims of the day  critically review the Organisational Self Assessment Audit Tool for Learning Support  share experience of approaches to evaluating the management and delivery of learning support  highlight effective practice  contribute to the development of resources which support measuring impact  explore LSA career pathways

3. London Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project Programme  background to the Enhancement of Learning Support  dissemination and evaluation of the audit tool  career development workshop and on line resource ‘Shaping my Future’  sharing good practice workshops  Techdis,  Weston College and Carshalton College  LSA career progression pathways

4. London Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project What will delegates get out of the day?  contribute your experience and expertise to a pilot self assessment tool to ensure it has practical relevance and adds value  confirm the protocols for piloting the tool  network with other practitioners doing a similar job and develop communities of practice which will support you in your delivery  develop skills and understanding in relation to using self assessment to improve support for learning and measure its impact  contribute to the development of shared resources

5. London Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project Contacts Sally Faraday: sallyfaraday@hotmail.comsallyfaraday@hotmail.com Ros Facey: Ros.Facey@carshalton.ac.ukRos.Facey@carshalton.ac.uk Caroline Allen: Callen@orchardhill.ac.ukCallen@orchardhill.ac.uk Janet Sherborne: janet.sherborne@carshalton.ac.ukjanet.sherborne@carshalton.ac.uk Viv Berkeley: Viv.Berkeley@lsis.org.ukViv.Berkeley@lsis.org.uk Lisa Featherstone: lisa@techdis.ac.uklisa@techdis.ac.uk

6. London Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project 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

7. London Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project 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

8. London Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project 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.

9. London Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project 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

10. X Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project 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.

11. London regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project  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

12. London regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project Phase 2 –September 2010- 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.

13. London Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project 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 audit 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

14. London Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project 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

15. London regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project Other project related activity includes  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 http://www.natspec.org.uk/enhancement-of-learning- support.html http://www.natspec.org.uk/enhancement-of-learning- support.html

16. London Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project How does what we are doing fit?  We are devising an organisational Self Assessment Audit tool to audit current practice and identify what is in place.  The tool will help to identify what is missing and what could usefully be developed by organisations to improve management and delivery of learning support.

17. London Regional event Enhancement of Learning Support Background to project  We are aiming for twenty organisations to participate in piloting the tool and providing feedback to further refine and develop it  We are aiming to draw on practitioner expertise and experience to develop a resource that will have practical relevance  The tool will add value to existing self assessment processes by adding evaluative judgements relating to learning support which will lead to strategic impact