On 26th November 2024, Kerry Grey from Leicester City Council conducted a class observation of the tutors at Skills Bootcamp at the FTA Fashion Hub in Leicester.
Below are the key strengths identified during the observation:
Excellent employer engagement and development of a bespoke programme of learning. The two tutors operated very effectively together to stimulate discussion and ensure that all the topics were discussed in a very natural way. Learners are making excellent progress and are enthusiastic about the opportunities open to them as a result of participation in the Bootcamp.
Planning
Planning is very good. A good balance is achieved allowing the tutors to adapt the programme to learners’ prior experience and employer needs. Employer engagement is excellent. The Bootcamp has been carefully designed in collaboration with the employer who will provide employment opportunities for the learners at the end of the programme. This employer specialises in repair and re-purposing and therefore the course content was adapted. The session observed was co-taught with technical input from one tutor and the other focussing on the individuals’ progress and achievement of the learning outcomes. They worked well together and had a clear plan for the session.
The facility is well resourced and fosters a productive and professional workplace environment. A clear workbook for the programme ensures individual progress is monitored and appropriate evidence is collected to demonstrate achievement.
Workbooks are IQAed by a third, experienced member of the team. Employability skills (time management, meeting the clients needs and requests), Sustainability (careful measurement avoids mistakes and waste) and customer service skills (being respectful, asking for consent before measuring) were all embedded seamlessly.
One tutor had travelled from London on the train which was very tight for a 10am start to her session. Consider planning the timing of activities slightly to accommodate train times if it is a regular part of the programme.
Teaching
Teaching is very good. The learners have a range of expertise and experience of working in fashion and textiles. The tutors used questioning effectively to stretch the more experienced and support the least experienced. A combination of demonstration, discussion and pair work was used effectively to teach the taking of accurate measurements.
The two tutors supported each other well to naturally steer the conversation to cover the topics they wanted to cover and help elicit answers from less confident participants. The tutor adapted her language and questioning technique well when one learner with English as a second language struggled to understand the question.
Learners report they are making good progress in building their knowledge, skills and confidence.
Assessment
Assessment is thorough and well structured. IQA is in place. Learners are clear about the expectations and requirements of the course. Learners prepare a portfolio of evidence throughout the course, linked to the workbook where tutors and learners demonstrate and record the achievement of the learning outcomes. Tutors are highly experienced and trained to make accurate assessment of progress and are very conscious of the employers’ requirements.
Personal development behaviour and welfare
Learners feel very welcome and supported in the environment and are gaining confidence. The learners have a range of different backgrounds and support needs. These needs are accommodated well by the tutors. The learners behaved very well. They are attentive and focussed. Attendance is generally very good. Where there has been absence the learner has been support to make up on lost learning. Learners are developing technical language and numeracy skills.
Employability skills are well integrated. Tutors emphasise the importance of time management when undertaking tasks and of understanding the brief from clients/employers to ensure expectations are met. While there was useful discussion about the need to be sensitive and respectful when taking a clients measurements, an opportunity was missed to get the learners to role play and practice the language they would use when interacting with a client (as opposed to more informally with a fellow learner or a family member).
Most of the learners have English as a second language and one seemed quite anxious, so opportunities to practice work place behaviour of this kind can be exploited.
FEL Head of Education Lan Leeder said: “This is a great observation of the teachers. The teachers are very experienced and do care about the learners!”