Barton Peveril Sixth Form College’s journey with artificial intelligence and development of AI agents
CHRIS LOVEDAY, VICE PRINCIPAL, BARTON PEVERIL SIXTH FORM COLLEGE, UK Introduction In January 2024, Barton Peveril Sixth Form College (BPSFC) began exploring the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). Initially, the focus was on leveraging AI to support business functions and improve operational efficiency, before being expanded to include student engagement and marking. This case study examines […]
Harnessing artificial intelligence to transform CPD and reduce educator workload in sixth-form colleges
DAVID J WALL, HEAD OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS/TLA DEVELOPER, ST JOHN RIGBY COLLEGE, UK In the fast-paced and demanding environment of an Ofsted-outstanding sixth-form college, educators face increasing pressure to balance high-quality teaching with administrative duties. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) presents a promising solution to alleviate these burdens, enabling educators to focus on […]
The ‘unreliable magic genie’: Helping students to develop criticality in the world of AI in post-16 education
TIM HALLAS, HILLS ROAD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE, UK; ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY, UK Introduction AI has become a significant topic of conversation in post-16 colleges, after ChatGPT reached public consciousness at the end of 2022. This was met with a variety of reactions from individuals and organisations, which included intrigue, fear and disinterest, depending on the perspective […]
Using AI tools for T Level lessons at Southport College
KAREN AHMED, LECTURER IN COMPUTING & IT, SOUTHPORT COLLEGE, UK Introduction Artificial intelligence (AI) has long been a transformative force in many industries. The launch of ChatGPT in November 2022 sparked a high level of interest in its use in education. This milestone triggered the debate on the benefits and risks of using AI in this […]
Navigating AI in further education maths: A professional development roadmap
JUDE MORTIMER, FE AND ADULT MATHS EDUCATION SUPPORT SPECIALIST, MATHEMATICS IN EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY (MEI), UK EMMA BELL, FE CPD PROGRAMME LEAD, MATHEMATICS IN EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY (MEI), UK The UK government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan highlights the role that artificial intelligence (AI) could play in enhancing services, citizen experiences and productivity (Clifford, 2025). Meanwhile, the National […]
Support students’ understanding of biology – 10 minute survey
Are you a post-16 biology teacher? Researchers at the University of Warwick and University of Leeds are exploring how variation and data analysis are addressed in post-16 biology qualifications (A-levels, IB, Scottish Highers, BTEC, etc.). The study focuses on how curriculum design and teaching approaches support students’ understanding of biology as a subject […]
Navigating professionalism in further education: Challenges and opportunities for educators
TOMMI CHARLISH, SPORTS DEPARTMENT, WEST SUFFOLK COLLEGE, UK Introduction The landscape of further education (FE) presents unique challenges for educators as they navigate the complexities of professionalism in their field. This article examines the multifaceted issues surrounding professionalism in FE settings, drawing on recent research and first-hand experiences. This piece aims not only to shed light […]
Formative assessment: Checking pupil understanding and providing effective feedback
The content within this compact guide has been adapted from content originally produced for our online courses and for MyCollege, including content by Tom Sherrington and Sara Stafford. What is a compact guide? Our compact guides are designed to provide an introduction to a specific topic or theme. The content within each guide includes an […]
Engaging with research: Searching for, reading and appraising research literature
The content within this compact guide has been adapted from content originally produced for MyCollege by Gary Jones and Deborah Netolicky. What is a compact guide? Our compact guides are designed to provide an introduction to a specific topic or theme. The content within each guide includes an overview of core concepts related to the […]
Closing the SEND gap through targeted interventions: Findings from the MetaSENse study
By Jo Van Herwegen, Professor of Developmental Psychology and Education, UCL’s Institute of Education Recent evidence shows that students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) have lower educational outcomes compared to their peers and that this gap continues to increase (Tuckett et al., 2021). Although previous reviews have addressed how these students can benefit […]
How QTLS accreditation enhances evidence-informed practice in further education
STEPHANIE MARSHALL-WHITLEY, TRURO AND PENWITH COLLEGE, UK; MSC STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, UK Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status (QTLS) validates teachers’ expertise in further education (FE) settings across England, Wales and Northern Ireland and accreditation is available to those working in various institutions, including adult education centres and private training providers (ETF, 2020). As […]
Developing authentic confidence about further education teaching
KATE SIDA-NICHOLLS, GROUP DIRECTOR OF TEACHER DEVELOPMENT, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND RESEARCH, EASTERN EDUCATION GROUP, UK Teachers in further education (FE) have to embrace the role of being dual professionals because, in addition to mastering pedagogy, they also need to keep up their industry knowledge and expertise throughout their teaching careers. Teachers in FE enter teaching with […]
From the editor
Professor Bill Lucas, Director, Centre for Real-World Learning, University of Winchester, UK; Co-founder, Rethinking Assessment, UK Since 1918, success at school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has been largely judged by means of high-stakes, standardised examinations at the end of secondary education, with the School Certificate for 16-year-olds and the Higher School Certificate two […]
Who controls the learning? Examining the impact of an autodidactic framework in a Grade 12 girls’ atmospheric science class
ERIC A WALTERS, MARYMOUNT SCHOOL OF NEW YORK, USA Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic required teachers to experiment with new approaches to teaching and learning in fundamentally new settings. Teachers, in general discovered that we did not need to be in the same space at the same time as the students in order for learning to […]
Can retrieval practice improve student performance within an A-level psychology classroom?
LYDIA MARSH, CHRIST THE KING CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM CENTRE; MA STUDENT, LIVERPOOL HOPE UNIVERSITY, UK Introduction As with other A-level subjects, psychology students require learning strategies that help them to both remember and effectively apply large volumes of complex course content to unseen questions, as their learning is ultimately evaluated by their […]
Dialogic discourse for formative assessment and feedback in A-Level English
VICTORIA ADDIS, DERBY MOOR ACADEMY, UK Classroom talk encompasses a range of interactions that take place within a learning environment, from ‘procedural’ (Nystrand and Gamoran, 1991) and ‘monologic’ (Wells and Arauz, 2006; Gutiérrez, 2008) acts of recitation that centre around closed questioning and recall, to the deeper interactions that we understand as forming part of […]
Developing a joined-up, research-informed approach to post-16 GCSE English and maths resits
REBECCA MORRIS, TOM PERRY AND DEBBIE GRACE, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK, UK GCSE resits in England Colleagues across education will be aware of the importance of GCSE English and maths for students’ future educational and life opportunities, and also for schools in terms of performance measures such as Progress 8. For many students, however, the summer […]
Become a Chartered College of Teaching Research Champion
Become a Chartered College of Teaching Research Champion Overview Are you passionate about advancing education through evidence-informed practices? Elevate your impact by becoming a Chartered College of Teaching Research Champion. This crucial role positions you as a liaison between the Chartered College of Teaching and your school, fostering a culture of evidence-informed practice and […]
Teaching Philosophy Statements: What are they and how do I write one?
Lewis A Baker, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, UK Introduction The purpose of this article is to justify the engagement in developing a teaching philosophy statement and to scaffold the writing process. For those already familiar with such documents, this article will argue for the value of revisiting a teaching philosophy […]
Developing metacognition and higher-order thinking in A-level studies
DEBBIE BOGARD, CITY AND ISLINGTON SIXTH FORM COLLEGE, UK ALEX MELVILLE, LEYTON SIXTH FORM COLLEGE, UK NEELAM PATEL, ST MARY MAGDALENE ACADEMY, UK Why metacognition in A-level study? A-levels are simultaneously intellectually demanding, given the range of higher-order skills involved, and extremely challenging, given the vast amount of content that needs to be covered. Our […]