VIEWS & OPINION
UTCs take learning out of the classroom and into the
real world Comment by SIMON CONNELL, CEO of The Baker Dearing Trust
University Technology Colleges (UTCs) only came into being because employers found that schools were not meeting their needs. This new breed of colleges, linked to
universities and local industries, were introduced in 2010. The JCB Academy was the first UTC and there are now 48, covering areas of the economy where there are acute labour shortages. Initially focusing on engineering, they now cover construction, STEM, health and social care, environmental industries, digital and media, among others. Schools have changed little over the last ten years: they still have the
National Curriculum, GCSEs and A levels and a focus on one off, largely handwritten final examinations. If anything, the system has become more restrictive with the EBacc and Progress 8 which together have dealt such a blow to the arts, to Design and Technology and to the development of soft skills that employers prize so highly but which are largely ignored by the current school curriculum. These include problem solving, project work, collaboration, initiative, presentation skills, analytical thinking and creativity.
It is true that this year there has been change in all quarters, but as
schools closed and learning went online, schools continued to deliver a knowledge based curriculum, complete with worksheets, essays and revision. We also saw GCSEs and A levels in disarray. There is no flexibility in
the current system and, once it was not possible to get students into an exam hall at a set time with invigilators, the system crashed. Technical education with its practical work, coursework and phased assessments judged by teachers, fared better. Surely rethinking assessment and curricula is one positive that could emerge from the pandemic? UTCs are all about making a difference. They make a difference to the
local economy because the curriculum is developed in conjunction with employers who can see what skills will be needed both for new jobs and to take advantage of new technologies. UTCs are small enough and flexible enough to respond quickly to labour shortages and to train young people for the jobs of tomorrow. A much higher percentage of UTC students from disadvantaged
backgrounds go on to university and apprenticeships when compared with other secondary schools. The model of learning is different at UTCs. It is much more like work with a longer day, with practical work alongside classroom theory and regular links with employers. This takes different forms. They may teach elements of the course, come in to set and judge student projects, provide short block or day release on the job experience or provide the latest hi tech equipment for students to work on. While qualifications and knowledge are important and can lead to
more exciting opportunities, they are perhaps not quite as important as the government persists in thinking. UTCs provide access to professional experiences so that young people come to understand the industry they have chosen, to appreciate the variety of roles on offer and the skills they will need. make to reduce the risks and strengthen infrastructures.
Why your students aren’t showing how compassionate they really are, and how you can help unleash their potential to do good
Comment by NATASHA PARKER, Head of Compassion not Consumerism at Global Action Plan
Young people growing up today have a lot of concerns on their shoulders. They are understandably anxious about the climate and ecological emergency and angry about economic, gender and racial inequality. They are worried about rising rates of mental health issues and loneliness in their generation and now they also find themselves amid a global health pandemic. But when it comes to acting on the issues
they care about, many young people do not take as much action as they would like to. Our latest research in partnership with Persil explored how young
people’s perception of compassionate values impacts how they act on issues they care about. It found that most young people (60%) are feeling worried about the future, but many feel alone in their concern which stops them from taking action. However, our research showed that they are not alone - most young
people are compassionate and want to have a positive impact on other people and on nature. But when they hold this incorrect perception that their peers, adults, and leaders do not share their compassionate values they take less action themselves and have lower wellbeing. In a series of focus groups, we were told that they often hide what they care about for fear being judged, bullied, disliked and tarnished with the
February 2021
negative stereotype of being an overly serious activist who can’t chill out and have fun. They don’t want to take the risk of standing out so don’t show their true feelings to their friends.
So, what can you do about it? • Challenge the perception that others don’t care: help your students realise that others care about social and environmental issues too. Help them connect to global movements of young people taking action and let them see, feel and believe that they can take action. The Dirt is Good project aims to bring millions of young people together to act on the causes they care about. As well as seeing the impacts of their own actions, they will witness millions of other young people changing the world for the better too. This will help them realise that we are united in compassion, that most of us, want to get stuck in and tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
• Make it student led: hand over the control and make your students the centre of the project to stimulate real, tangible action from them on the issues they care about. This could include allowing your students to lead the virtual meetings or decide which issue you focus on. This will show them that you take them and the issues they care about seriously. Also, empowering your students in this way will not only support their development and confidence, but will improve their well-being too.
• Make compassion the norm: help embed a culture of compassion, care and cooperation at your school. Assume the best in your students and trust that they will be motivated by doing good. Celebrate kindness and compassion and make these acts visible to other students. But avoid bribing young people with prizes and incentives to get them to take action as this will only undermine their intrinsic motivation in the long run. Helping young people see that others share their compassion is a
simple, but powerful way to help them come together to take action and unleash their potential to do good.
https://www.globalactionplan.org.uk www.education-today.co.uk 21
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