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National Apprenticeship Week 2022
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 This week, 7th - 13th February, sees the 15th annual celebration of apprenticeships, an event which unites apprentices and businesses across the country to highlight the positive impact that apprenticeships can make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy.
The theme this year is 'build the future'; reflecting on how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career, and businesses to develop a talented workforce that is equipped with future-ready skills.
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As part of Westcountry Schools Trust, The Learning Institute currently offers a unique suite of apprenticeship programmes linked to work in schools and with children and young people, ranging from Level 3 through to Level 7. These programmes can all be funded through the Apprenticeship Levy, and include:
- Coaching Professional (Level 5)
- Early Years Educator (Level 3)
- Improvement Practitioner (Level 4)
- Senior Leader (Level 7)
- Teacher (Level 6)
- Teaching Assistant (Level 3)
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Research Interest Group (RIG) Updates
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Our Safeguarding RIG held their first meeting last Friday. Chaired by The Learning Institute’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, Zoe Nixon, the group met online for a rich, varied and passionate discussion that covered a wide range of issues related to safeguarding, starting with a focus on how to shift safeguarding from being seen as a matter of compliance to a culture across organisations.
The group also discussed exploring the training options available to staff working in different environments, and possible research projects investigating the fear and uncertainty around safeguarding, the effects on professionals working in safeguarding and how to prevent them from normalising the level of trauma they are seeing every day.
The next meeting will be taking place after half term. If you would like to find out more or join the Safeguarding RIG, please email r.d@learninginstitute.co.uk.
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We were delighted to meet some prospective foundation degree students at our online information sessions last month!
If you're looking for a new challenge, or want to develop a career working with children and young people, our information sessions are a great way to find out about the foundation degrees we offer in partnership with the University of Worcester.
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Drop in for a chat with a Learning Institute tutor and student ambassador, and ask any questions you may have about course content, career progression, and what it’s really like combining university level study with work and home life.
We have several more information sessions planned, both online and face-to-face:
- Monday 14th February (4.30pm-6pm): Online
- Tuesday 22nd February (10am-12pm): Online
- Wednesday 2nd March (4pm-6pm): Tewkesbury
- Thursday 10th March (4pm-6pm): Roskear
Keep an eye on our website for future information session dates.
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Huge congratulations to #TeamTLI student Katie, who has been shortlisted for a national award!
Katie and her sister Michelle have been shortlisted at the Bowls England national awards for Team of the Year for Lawn Bowls. The award recognises a team that has performed admirably on the green over the past 12 months, at national, county or club level.
 Katie has played Lawn Bowls with her sister and other family members since the age of 11, and due to being able to study for her degree locally, she has been able to continue playing the sport for St Austell Bowling Club and Bowls Cornwall. In the 2021 season, Katie and Michelle won the county ladies pairs together, meaning that they got to represent Cornwall in the National Championships at Leamington Spa.
We'd like to wish Katie and Michelle the very best of luck at the awards ceremony later this month!
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Erasmus+ Natural Schooling Updates
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 Members of #TeamTLI staff are looking forward to joining colleagues from our Erasmus project partner organisations in A Coruna in Spain next week for the next Natural Schooling transnational event.
The Erasmus+ Natural Schooling project aims to highlight the learning and wellbeing benefits provided by natural schooling, and produce a set of innovative training tools and resources designed to help integrate natural schooling into the curriculum.
Held over two days, the transnational will see us working alongside staff from Bromangymnasiet (Sweden), Centro Público Integrado O Cruce (Spain), Istituto Comprensivo di via Montebello (Italy) and Wave Multi Academy Trust (UK) on the intellectual outputs of the project.
We look forward to sharing some photos from the event with you next month!
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The latest in our series of articles introducing key members of #TeamTLI staff.
Trevor Davies - Lead Academic Professional
 Trevor has taught on the foundation and top-up degree courses for the last six years with The Learning Institute. In addition to this, he is a Personal Academic Tutor for both Northolt and Tewkesbury, and a Lead Assessor for End Point Assessment on Teacher Apprenticeships. He also chairs the Communications group and works with the recruitment team.
Following many years as a secondary modern foreign languages (MFL) teacher, Trevor has been a Senior Leader, Curriculum Leader for Modern Foreign Languages, PGCE mentor, and run a variety of CPD, through various roles, as a Local Authority (LA) primary languages adviser, education consultant in a research centre and manager of a semi commercial professional development centre.
At this centre, Trevor planned, marketed and delivered innovative, collaborative activities using the state of the art multimedia technology, relevant to the curriculum focus chosen by teachers, as well as a programme of CPD for primary and secondary schools on a range of topics, often in partnership with other organisations such as the British Council, Goethe Institute, Institute for Education, Schools partnerships, and the Local Authority.
As an LA advisor he provided CPD on all aspects of Languages provision through day courses, conference organisation, twilight training, staff meetings, individual teacher mentoring, resource development, ICT in languages, transition project, languages and literacy small scale research, and language upskilling.
As an Education Consultant for a research centre, Trevor developed innovative languages teaching programmes, and won a European Award for Languages. He ran workshops at regional, national and international conferences and marketed and delivered training to hundreds of teachers nationwide. Training ranged from leading intensive work with small groups, to leading a two year project, involving five European countries to research, develop and trial vocational language learning materials, with an EU funded budget of €350k.
These roles have given him a breadth of experience in teaching and learning, languages, international education, ICT and media, at all levels from Key Stage One through to adult CPD.
Trevor recently moved from outer London to the highest village on Exmoor, where he takes regular advantage of the spectacular walking countryside, and is now busily occupied on his fourth DIY house renovation.
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We are delighted to be working with colleagues at the University of Worcester on a range of new short education courses, as part of a national pilot.
The short courses will help learners upskill and gain the knowledge they need to support some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in society, while supporting the Government’s education catch up agendas post Covid-19.
Through consultations with employers, the University identified a particular need for courses focussed on supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The majority of courses will therefore specifically focus on this area. They include:
- Supporting Communication, Speech and Language in the Early Years
- Supporting Children and Young People's Development and Learning
- Inclusive Approaches to Supporting Learners with SEND
- The Psychology of Teaching and Learning
- Mental Health and Wellbeing of Children and Young People
To find out more, please email shortcourses@learninginstitute.co.uk.
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Undergraduate Student Conference
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With less than two weeks to go, our academic programmes team are busy finalising the details of the February undergraduate student conference. This will be the second conference of the academic year, and is taking place at the Mercure Exeter Rougemont Hotel.
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Our undergraduate students are used to learning together during their online degree-specific sessions, but the conference gives them the chance to meet face-to-face with their peers from across our teaching venues, and also offers valuable opportunities to socialise, network and share experiences with staff and students from other year groups.
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Children’s Mental Health Week
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Children’s Mental Health Week is an annual event that was launched by Place2Be back in 2015, with the aim of shining a spotlight on the importance of children and young people’s mental health.
The theme this year is Growing Together; encouraging children (and adults) to consider how they have grown emotionally, and finding ways to help others to grow. For a range of free resources, including online assemblies and an event listing, please visit the Children’s Mental Health Week website.
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The government have launched a new Stop Abuse Together website, to help you learn to spot the signs of abuse, and know when it’s right to reach out for more support.
It’s estimated that one in ten children in England and Wales will experience abuse before they turn sixteen. Most children won’t tell anyone at the time of their abuse. That’s why it’s important for everyone to know how to spot the potential signs of abuse and where to go for support if concerned.
If you feel something’s not right, you can call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. No matter what’s happened, there’s always someone who will listen to you and take what you say seriously.
All children have a right to be safe from abuse, and we all have a role to play in keeping them safe. Let’s stop abuse together.
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More dates have been released for Arena's Wild Tribe two day accredited course!
Designed to give you all the skills to help embed Wild Tribe at your school, the course is aimed at teachers and teaching assistants with a Level 3 qualification.
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Delegates will complete three units during the course, exploring topics such as how to set up an outdoor learning classroom at your school, linking outdoor learning across a range of curriculum subjects, knowledge and understanding of the environment, and practical skills including fire lighting, shelter building and cooking outdoors.
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The Wild Tribe Achievement Award Scheme
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This award has been developed in response to a request from a teacher who delivers Wild Tribe sessions at their school. It can be seen as a mini Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme for primary aged children. The award will be overseen by the school but elements of it can be done at home and in the community.
The aim of the award is to develop the child as a rounded individual; a child that has fun, grows in confidence, learns new life skills and gains an appreciation of nature. It is divided into 3 levels, Bronze, Silver and Gold and within each level there are four strands:
- Health and Wellbeing
- Volunteering and Leading
- Life Skills
- Respecting and Enjoying the Environment
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Learning Institute events
Monday 14th February (4.30pm-6pm): Foundation Degree info session (online)
Tuesday 22nd February (10am-12pm): Foundation Degree info session (online)
Wednesday 2nd March (4pm-6pm): Foundation Degree info session (Tewkesbury)
Thursday 3rd March (6pm-7pm): Get Into Teaching info session (online)
Thursday 10th March (4pm-6pm): Foundation Degree info session (Roskear)
Thursday 10th March (6pm-7pm): BA (Hons) Advancing Practice info session (online)
Other events
Monday 7th - Sunday 13th February: Children's Mental Health Week and National Apprenticeships Week
Tuesday 8th February: Safer Internet Day
Monday 14th February: International Epilepsy Day
Thursday 17th February: Random Acts of Kindness Day
Friday 18th February: Care Day
Monday 28th February - Sunday 6th March: Eating Disorders Awareness Week
Thursday 3rd March: University Mental Health Day
February is also LGBT History Month, National Heart Month
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