Curriculum Strategy 2021-2025
Delivering a New System of Learning ‘To provide students with an outstanding learning experience, education and skills development to support them into higher levels of study and employment’.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
Content 1. Foreword
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2. Introduction
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3. SRC Vision, Mission & Values
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4. Curricular Goals
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4.1 Developing Excellence
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4.2 Nurturing Excellence
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4.3 Delivering Excellence
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5. Guiding Principles & Strategic Drivers
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5.1 Curriculum Guiding Principles
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6.0 Key Enablers
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6.1 Education & Student Experience
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6.2 Stimulating Learning Environment
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6.3 Staff Potential & Performance
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6.4 Community & Business Partners
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Concluding Comments
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
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Foreword The Further Education sector is the main provider of professional and technical education and training in Northern Ireland and has a significant role to play in raising the skill levels in the region. Colleges are key players in the draft Industrial Strategy, ‘Economy 2030’ and the Programme for Government. Further Education is vital to Northern Ireland economic growth and productivity. Embedding a digital first culture and investing in digital skills will be critical in responding to the Skills Strategy and supporting the Northern Ireland course to post COVID-19 recovery. Southern Regional College (SRC) is well placed to provide learners, employers and the local community with a world-class facility to satisfy all their educational needs and to realise its aim in establishing a reputation for outstanding quality in teaching, training and business support, not just within Northern Ireland but nationally and internationally. The long-term vision of the College is based on the desire to provide relevant and meaningful vocational learning opportunities, delivered through quality and innovative teaching, which is informed by effective quality improvement planning. This vision complements the strategic aim for the sector as laid down in ‘Further Education Means Business’ and is further amplified through the College’s mission statement, aiming to transform lives through meaningful and enjoyable learning experiences. This strategy has been authored in the context of global pandemic (COVID-19) which has impacted on the delivery and the development of many curriculum initiatives. The Youth Training & Apprenticeship Strategy and the reform of vocational qualifications has not progressed at the pace first envisaged in the previous Curriculum Strategy. The new skills strategy also highlights the important role that Colleges will play in addressing skills shortages at mid-tier levels (Level 3-5) and supporting lifelong learning for those in employment, those seeking employment and those facing barriers to education and training. It is in the context of these key strategic developments that this Curriculum Strategy has been updated, and will continue to be reviewed annually to reflect the changing landscape during the ongoing challenges faced by the pandemic and post pandemic. FE Colleges will be instrumental in economic recovery and SRC will continue to play its role alongside the other regional colleges in supporting the transformational programme led by DfE.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
2. Introduction
This strategy sets out SRC’s key curricular priorities over the next four year period. These priorities are strongly influenced by a number of ‘external’ strategies developed by the Department for the Economy (DfE) and should be read in conjunction with these.
These include: •
Further Education Strategy;
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Youth Training – ‘Generating our Success’ ;
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Apprenticeships – ‘Securing our Success’ ;
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Higher Education – ‘Graduating to Success’ and ‘Access to Success’;
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Northern Ireland Skills Barometer -July 2019;
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UUEPC Belfast City Region Future Skills Needs;
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A Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland – Skills for a 10x Economy;
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10 X Economic Strategy.
The College aims to address three important areas through its curriculum offering and business support activities. 1. Economic development through the provision of courses designed to meet the needs of the local and regional economy. 2. Personal development through lifelong learning opportunities for further study and learning at all levels in preparation for working life. 3. Social inclusion – providing opportunities for all, including those who face barriers to education and training.
Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
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Excellent Learning Experience For All
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
This Strategy supports all of the strategic aims of the College but in particular: Provision of a relevant and meaningful curiculum portfolio
Excellent learning experience for all
To place the College
To provide an excellent
Flexible business solutions that improve competetitiveness and productivity
at the heart of lifelong
experience for all
To support local and
learning within the
current and prospective
regional economic
region in order to
learners supported
development through
strenghen economic and
through high quality
the provision of flexible
workforce development,
and effectve learning
business services and
to enhance social
support services.
training solutions
cohesion and to advance
aimed at improving the
individuals' skills and
competitiveness and
learning
productivity of new and existing businesses.
It is also significant to note that the Department of Education and the Department for the Economy have committed to reviewing the wider 14-19 provision through the 14-19 ‘Transition to Careers’ project. This programme of work now seems to have gathered some momentum but arguably not yet with the priority required in the previous curriculum. The outcomes of this programme of work are likely to impact on the future role of further education, our core activity, as well as the College’s School Partnership Provision. This Curriculum Strategy will therefore be further revised to reflect any key strategic developments that arise from the 14-19 programme. The strategy continues to reference the new Skills Strategy and Skills Barometer which highlights the importance of skills and talent development as part of a new economic strategy particularly at mid-tier levels. In addition, the transformational change required in increasing the skills levels of Northern Ireland’s workforce is articulated further through the new 10x Skills Strategy. The need for a higher level skilled workforce, promotion of lifelong learning and steps to address the projected skills gap in key priority sectors has informed College curriculum developments, including the need to expand our higher-level provision.
Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
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The new system of learning that was originally envisaged through the implementation of the youth training and apprenticeship strategies whilst not yet fully in place, will take a significant step forward during the lifetime of the strategy with the new Traineeships and Advanced Technical Awards being introduced in September 2021. The College remains committed to working with DfE to deliver the vision of a new system of learning based on distinctive progression routes from Level 2 through to Level 5 (Figure 3). These developments will potentially transform a significant element of our core provision including further education, training, and apprenticeships. As such, it will be necessary to review this strategy annually alongside the strategic Faculty Development Plans to ensure that they adequately reflect changing priorities and developments. The Advanced Technical Awards (Advanced Techs) are being introduced to enhance the existing level 3 offering within Colleges to ensure that they better reflect the knowledge and skills required for progression to employment or further study. •
The Advanced Techs will be introduced across a wide range of vocational sectors including those already delivered within Colleges and in new areas deemed relevant to the future needs of the NI economy.
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The Advanced Techs aim to provide work placement and PBL consistently within vocational qualifications.
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They will track and map transversal skills in an integrated way and use naturally occurring evidence to support performance levels. The emphasis on these elements is important to business and industry, who commonly comment that those leaving education are not work ready and frequently do not have the skills necessary to make the transition easily.
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The Advanced Techs will also focus on harnessing the use of blended learning to support delivery and assessment as well providing opportunities for participants to develop a range of digital skills relevant for the world of work. This will also be one of the significant strategies in developing digital literacy skills.
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The Advanced Techs will have a common agreed framework irrespective of vocational area, in terms of allocated hours and key components of the programme across all Colleges.
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The Advanced Techs will become the gold standard in level 3 vocational education and training for progression to employment and higher education.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
External Influencers
The alignment between the strategic external drivers, enablers and our core curriculum activities is summarised in Figure 1.
Skills Strategy
Youth Training ‘Generating our Success’
Further Education Strategy
Higher Education ‘Graduation to Success’ ‘Access to Success’
External Quality Assurance
‘Securing our Success’
Careers Strategy
Entitlement Framework
Core Curriculum
QAA
Awarding Bodies
Apprenticeships
WBL Including Traineeships TFS
Apprenticeships Including Higher Level Apprenticeships
School Partnership Programme
Further Education Including Advanced Technical Awards
Higher Education
Enablers
ETI
Education & Student Experience
Stimulating Learning Environment
Staff Potential & Performance
Community & Business Partners
Curriculum Overview, Student Services & Marketing, Skills Competitions, PBL/enterprise and employability inclusive curriculum and International
Estates, LRC, Digital & Virtual Campus
HRD & Q&P Functions
External & Business Engagement
It is evident that the FE sector together with other areas of the public sector will continue to face significant fiscal challenges over the lifetime of this strategy. Therefore, the College will need to make key strategic decisions on ‘what,’ ‘where’ and ‘how’ our curriculum is delivered with specific emphasis on creating flexible remote delivery models using technology. This will require a refocus of internal resources in order to shape the digital future of curriculum provision. The College will provide a curriculum that maximises the potential of every individual. SRC will do this by being agile and innovative in our delivery models and ensure knowledge and skills reflect current and future industry practice.
Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
Our Vision “To be the provider of first choice for professional and technical education and training in the region – prized by individuals and employers.”
Our Mission “To positively transform lives through meaningful and enjoyable learning experiences.”
Our Core Values 1. Putting the learner first 2. Working together to achieve more 3. Striving for excellence
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
4. Curricular Goals
The following section sets out our key curricular goals for the period 2021-25 together with specific actions and initiatives that will be progressed in support of these goals. These goals support the College’s overall strategic aim:
Provision of a relevant and meaningful curriculum portfolio to place the College at the heart of lifelong learning within the region in order to strengthen economic and workforce development, to enhance social cohesion and to advance individuals’ skills and learning.
Our key curricular goals have been presented within a strategic framework, where our core value of ‘striving for excellence’ will be realised. This framework used the following three strands:
1.
Developing Excellence
2.
Nurturing Excellence
3.
Delivering Excellence
The programme of work that follows is summarised on the following pages.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
Developing Excellence
Nurturing Excellence
Government strategic priorities
Outstanding in all curricular areas
College estate
Effective systems of self-evaluation
Employer engagement
Highly qualified and experienced staff
Effective pedagogic support
Learner resilience
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Delivering Excellence Flexibility of College delivery models Traineeship and Apprenticeship Appropriate curriculum offer Clear progression pathways Digital and virtual campus International engagement Work placement standards PBL, enterprise and innovation
Relevant & Meaningful Curriculum Portfolio
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
4.1 Developing Excellence 4.1.1 To recognise government strategic priorities in the design, development, and delivery of the curriculum.
4.1.2
4.1.3 To ensure that the new College estate will be utilised to support the implementation of more ambitious innovation in the delivery of curriculum.
4.1.4
To increase the level of employer engagement to inform and
To provide effective pedagogic support for all lecturing
influence the design and delivery of professional and technical
staff through an appropriately resourced, professional
qualifications at all levels and across all areas of the curriculum.
development programme. To be fully successful, staff need to embark on a degree of reframing of their teaching and support methods in order to learn new approaches.
4.2 Nurturing Excellence 4.2.1
42.3
To be recognised regionally, nationally, and internationally
To maintain and support a highly qualified and
as outstanding in all curricular areas
experienced staff.
4.2.2
4.2.4
All courses (both full-time and part-time) will be expected to
To develop learner independent study and research skills,
demonstrate the use of effective systems of self-evaluation
information literacy, motivation and resilience.
and quality improvement planning.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
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4.3 Delivering Excellence 4.3.1
4.3.6
To improve the flexibility of College delivery models through
To address digital inequalities and barriers for vulnerable
increased use of technology enhanced learning including the
learners when planning the delivery of learning.
implementation of a Virtual Campus.
4.3.2
4.3.7 To maximise opportunities for international engagement
To ensure as many learners as possible are retained through
for both staff and students, to embed best practice.
the duration of their course e.g., Yr. 1 to Yr. 2 and that internal progression from one level to the next is maximised.
4.3.8 4.3.3 Work Placement Standards - The College recognises the To embed the new system of learning envisaged through the Traineeship and Apprenticeships strategies and to enhance learning opportunities made available through Project Based
need for our students to develop the skills, knowledge, competence and confidence required to progress towards and into sustainable work.
Learning (PBL) and use of competitions.
4.3.9 4.3.4
Enterprise and Innovation - It is important that the College develops and supports a creative and entrepreneurial mindset
To provide an appropriate curriculum offer at a regional level to support the needs of both learners and employers.
for Northern Ireland. The College will ensure resource is made available to develop enterprise for staff and students. Opportunities to develop enterprise skills will be included within CPD sessions and within curriculum activities for students.
4.3.5
4.3.10
To revise the curriculum offer to provide clear progression pathways for learners, thus enabling them to progress to the next
To embed international best practice deployed by WorldSkills
level of education or training (either with us or with a partner
competitions through participation in the Centre of
provider) or to have secured relevant sustainable employment.
Excellence initiative.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
5. Guiding Principles & Strategic Drivers The principles set out below reflect the dual role that the College is expected to play in supporting economic growth & social inclusion.
5.1 Curriculum Guiding Principles These principles will be applied during the annual
5. Demand - The annual curriculum offer must be
curriculum planning process, when reviewing the
supported by a demonstrable need from learners at
existing qualifications, approving new qualifications
a local level. All provision will have suitable delivery
and deciding on delivery location.
models to meet the needs of the client base including
The guiding principles are: 1. Economic Relevance - The College is committed to providing professional and technical provision at level 2 and above in areas that will support the rebalancing and rebuilding of the Northern Ireland economy. Local economic information combined with the DfE Skills Barometer will also be used to inform where curriculum is offered across campuses. 2. Supports Social Inclusion - The future curriculum provision will be broad in nature, aimed at meeting the needs of a wide variety of learners and will be open and available to all. 3. Community Outreach - The College’s community outreach provision will be targeted at those underrepresented groups including those living in areas of social deprivation and will be focused on helping participants to secure employment and to improve their life chances. 4. Quality - The curriculum offer will be dependent on ongoing quality performance. Courses where student retention and success do not meet the required standards will be removed from the College’s offering.
technology-based learner platforms. 6. Resourcing - The College must examine the implications of the introduction of any new curriculum. In this regard, proposals for introducing new curriculum will be assessed against several factors including economic relevance, staffing expertise and physical resource requirements. 7. Addresses Literacy and Numeracy Deficits - The College remains committed to raising the literacy and numeracy competency of the wider population including provision of English language skills for those where English is not their first language. 8. Supports Progression - Qualifications (both full-time and part-time) must offer clear progression pathways from level 2 through to level 6 supported through well structured learner planning. 9. Recognised Qualifications - Qualifications chosen must sit on the Recognised Register for Qualifications. The College is also committed to establishing the most relevant qualifications for each sector of the economy and the wider community. 10. Higher Education Partners - Maintain a suitably diverse range of HE partners to ensure maximum flexibility when developing level 4 – 6 provision.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
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6. Key Enablers
6.1 Education & Student Experience The College will provide a distinctive, accessible and
experiences, which prepare our learners for life and work.
innovative educational learner experience. The curriculum
The further education sector has a pivotal role in up-
will be co-created in partnership with students and
skilling and re-skilling the workforce to meet the skills
industry and co-delivered on campus, online and in the
needs of employers and hence contribute to growing the
workplace. This will be focused on real world, value added
economy.
6.1.1 Curriculum Overview A relevant and up to date curriculum that is informed by
3. Expand the portfolio of full-time and part-time higher
real world and professional practice will be underpinned
education courses from level 4-7 as per the Higher
by an outstanding learning and teaching experience for all
Education Roadmap.
participants.
4. Expand the offering through the new Apprenticeship
In order to meet the need for higher skills provision, the
system at level 3 and above, including Higher Level
College will develop clear progression pathways across all
Apprenticeships in locally relevant sectors.
areas in line with the progression pathways set out in Figure 3. 1. Encourage progression from level 2 and onwards from level 3 to appropriate HE/HLA provision. 2. Ensure that mainstream further education provision
5. Increase opportunities for lifelong learning and flexible delivery models through the College’s Virtual Campus. 6. One of the key guiding principles that will be used in determining our curriculum offer and supporting
at level 3 is suited to the needs of industry, maximises
qualifications is the need to ensure that we are able
the use of project-based learning, and fully embeds
to provide relevant and well-structured progression
transferrable skills necessary for progressing into the
pathways from level 2 – 6.
world of work.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
Figure 3: Progression Pathways
Vocational FE Pathway part-time
Vocational FE Pathway full-time
Apprenticeship Pathway
LEVEL 1
SKILLS FOR YOUR LIFE
LEVEL 2
APPRENTICESHIPS
Skills For Work
at Level 2 Employed Route
FURTHER EDUCATION
NI TRAINEESHIPS
Level 1 Provision Prince’s Trust Team Fresh Start
Non Employed Route
Southern Regional College
College & University in Partnership
LEVEL 3
LEVEL 4-5
APPRENTICESHIPS
HIGHER LEVEL APPRENTICESHIPS
at Level 3 Professional & Technical on/off job training – competence-based, skills-based & knowledge-based
Professional & Technical on/off job training – competence-based, skills-based & knowledge-based
FURTHER EDUCATION
FOUNDATION DEGREE
E.g. BTEC Level 3 Diploma City & Guilds TechBac A Levels Adult Access
Higher Education Qualification Combining academic & work-based learning
LEVEL 6 & ABOVE
HIGHER LEVEL APPRENTICESHIPS at level 6 & above
Professional & Technical on/off job training – competence-based, skills-based & knowledge-based
HONOURS DEGREE Higher Education Qualification
BESPOKE PROJECTS Delivering qualifications from Entry Level to Level 2 designed to address barriers to employment and progress learners into employment or further education or training
FURTHER EDUCATION
FURTHER EDUCATION E.g. Adult Access
HIGHER EDUCATION Qualification Combining academic & work-based learning
HONOURS DEGREE
Higher Education Qualification
SUSTAINED EMPLOYMENT
College & Training Organisation in Partnership
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
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The progression pathways created
Advanced Technical Awards, has the
New curriculum developments and
under our new curriculum offer will
potential to transform the system of
resources will be in areas aligned to
allow learners to progress upwards
learning and to raise the skills levels
the key actions identified within the
or alternatively move across from
of those in work and those entering
new Skills Strategy.
one pathway to another depending
the world of work. The College will
on their personal circumstances
continue to assess the needs of local
and employment status. Figure 3
companies and to respond through the
illustrates the two main vocational
introduction of new Apprenticeships.
pathways provided, together
The College remains committed to widening participation of learners, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, those
The growing sectors of the Northern
from underrepresented groups in
Ireland economy will also require an
society and those not in employment,
increased number of skilled workers
education, or training (NEETs).
with qualifications in STEM subjects,
The College’s Inclusive Curriculum
and other priority areas that are
Strategy aims to provide a relevant
essential to the rebalancing and
and fit for purpose curriculum offer to
rebuilding of the economy. The DfE
meet the needs of these learners. The
Skills Barometer has identified the
key elements of the strategy include
The College will further expand Higher
need for higher skills in our workforce
our commitment to inclusivity for all.
Level Apprenticeship provision to
particularly at level 3-5. A substantial
accommodate more industry sectors
proportion of the College HLA
and enable progression in particular
developments will continue to focus
to level 6 in Science, Mechatronics,
on STEM. The College will also use the
Digital Construction and Computing.
STEM Assured Programme to assess
with horizontal and longitudinal movement between qualifications from level 2-6. The academic pathway of GCSE and A-Level is well recognised and understood, however this cannot currently be said of vocational qualifications.
Essential Skills will remain core to the College’s curriculum offer for the near future. A review of Essential Skills will also be carried out during
our strategic offering and capacity in all priority areas and to formulate a clear STEM development plan across individual faculties.
Under the new Apprenticeship Strategy, apprenticeships will cover a greater number of professional and technical areas defined by the needs of the economy. Employers, through the sectoral partnership forum, will play a lead role in defining need and the qualifications that will underpin any apprenticeship at level 2 and above.
the life of the strategy. The College
The College also recognises the need to
It is critical that the regional colleges
has embarked on a project to use
work in partnership with both Armagh
work together to ensure that we can
technology to improve accessibility
City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough
influence, inform, and advise on the
and efficiency in delivery of ES
Council and Newry, Mourne and Down
future qualifications that will underpin
numeracy and literacy. This will be of
Council to ensure that our curriculum
apprenticeships.
most benefit to community provision.
plans are aligned to the employability
ICT ES provision has been reduced and
and economic development priorities
will continue to do so as other more
within both council areas. It will
relevant digital skills development
therefore be necessary to keep existing
opportunities emerge.
provision under review and to be open
The development of Higher Level Apprenticeships, combined with the new Traineeship system and
to the need to restructure and realign the curriculum offer at a regional level to respond to the future skills needs and priorities.
Curriculum Hubs, established by DfE to lead on key curricular developments, have now been well established. As the identified hub for Science, SRC will continue to support key curriculum developments across all levels of Science provision.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
Over the lifetime of the strategy the College aims to: 1. Work in partnership with the other regional colleges through the sectoral partnership forum to support the development of apprenticeships in a range of professional and technical areas. 2. Use our Business Support and Innovation team to conduct wide ranging programmes of engagement with local business and industry, to inform and encourage participation in the new apprenticeship system. 3. Establish two higher education centres as part of the wider estates plans in Craigavon and Newry. 4. Work with the Open University and other HE partners to enable the introduction of Foundation Degree courses providing top up to level 6 (Degree) in the areas highlighted in table 1.
Table 1: Top Up to Level 6
Applied Industrial Science
Health Care Operative
Computing
Digital Construction
Mechatronic Engineering
Sports Management
Digital Marketing
Fintech
Product Design & Manufacturing
Data Analytics
Automotive Technical Management
Music
The above will also serve to underpin HLAs/Degree Apprenticeships and part-time degree provision as appropriate. 5. Work in close partnership with the Southern Area Trust to establish a portfolio of HE provision across a range of skills sectors required by the Trust e.g., Nursing, Business Administration and Hospitality. 6. Participate in the North East Alliance for Further and Higher Education and explore articulation pathways with Dundalk Institute for SRC students. The College is committed to using the Foundation Degree qualification as its primary intermediary higher level qualification. The College recognises that there are simply too many different Foundation Degrees used across the six regional colleges and as such is committed to working with our fellow Colleges in rationalising the number of degrees used. The College will also review any recommendations or policy changes emerging through the DfE ‘HE in FE Review’ exercise currently underway.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
6.1.2 Student Services & Marketing
The Student Services team have achieved the Matrix Quality Standard in January 2021. Student Services staff strive to provide quality, coordinated services that are student focused and integrated with those of the wider community. This is achieved through continued commitment to equality, diversity and sustainability, and by being responsive to change through investing in and utilising the skills and knowledge of our staff.
This section provides an award winning service to all learners through: •
Engaging, through a well developed admissions process, with all students from pre-enrolment through to registration as part of the GPEAS process;
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Providing one-to-one support in addition to the tutorial programme and giving advice on issues such as career progression, welfare, finances, and travel;
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Handling safeguarding issues that are reported and liaising with relevant authorities when students that may be at risk are identified;
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Providing careers education, information and guidance to positively support students to acquire the educational, social and employability skills necessary for lifelong success in a diverse and changing world of work;
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Offering dedicated support to students who have hearing, visual or physical impairments, and providing specialist advice for students with specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia and dyspraxia;
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Support for students in a post pandemic period with a specific focus on adjusting to a return to College life, wellbeing and addressing lost learning; and
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Giving advice on all aspects of employability and work-based learning to help equip the student with the skills and expertise they will need to stand out in the employment market.
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6.1.3 International
6.1.4 Skills Competitions
The External Funding and International Affairs
The College uses skills competitions to enhance
Team (EFIAT) aims to promote an outward and
the curriculum materials and improve the
forward looking College through the development
teaching and learning experience for students.
of international links providing opportunities to
We will use skills competitions to drive up the
support staff, students and knowledge exchange.
quality of teaching and better prepare young
The College recognises the importance of broadening the learner’s experience through work-based learning and international placement, as well as exposing them to different learning and cultural activities. Through international placements and exchanges with institutions in other countries, we enhance the learner experience and the professional development and industrial knowledge of our staff. The College will continue to explore the use of Erasmus+ through the support of the Irish Government and the UK Turing scheme.
people to meet employer needs. By encouraging students and staff to participate in skills competitions, the College will make tangible, positive differences to SRC learners in their technical education and transform their outcomes particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. It will promote and advance technical learning which as a result will provide employers with a more highly qualified, high performing workforce. Skills competitions will be used to support synoptic end point testing within Traineeships and will also be encouraged as a core component on all Advanced Technical Awards.
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6.1.5 PBL, Enterprise & Employability The opportunities afforded by curriculum development within the new Traineeships and Advanced Technical Awards presents the landscape for a further embedding
We will achieve this by: •
in industry, for example via industry placements, live
of Project Based Learning (PBL). This is a dynamic
briefs, and collaborative projects as part of Project
approach to learning and teaching in which students
Based Learning which will be fully embedded across all
explore real world, industry based problems and challenges. This methodology enables students to gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended
mainstream courses. •
to participate in a range of placements and learning
problem or challenge. It is through this type of active obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects they are
opportunities. •
so they can provide quality education and inspire young
to future employment. In a PBL project, students can
people to develop a passion for skills and build their
build on employability, enterprise and transversal skills management skills.
We will: •
and supports student success. •
Provide a range of complementary opportunities which leaners recognise as contributing to the development of their skills, attitudes, personal competencies and attributes through work placement and PBL.
•
Recognise the importance of broadening the industrial knowledge of staff and learners experience through work-based learning, international placement and allowing them to experience different learning and cultural activities.
•
Provide staff and students with the opportunity and support to participate in skills competitions at a regional, national, and international level.
•
knowledge and confidence. •
Provide a range of student support facilities and services to enable learners to achieve their very best and enjoy and develop from time spent at the College.
Providing opportunities for industry to be partners in the design and delivery of our courses.
•
Gaining accreditation in Autism, Driving Change for Young Carers and become a Trauma Informed College.
Deliver an economically relevant curriculum offering, that is informed by real-world engagement
Enabling staff and students to participate in skills competition that will support the development of staff
studying and to develop a wider range of skills relevant
such as communication, teamworking, digital and self-
Developing a network of international partnerships that provides staff and students with opportunities
period to investigate and respond to a business related and engaged learning, students will be inspired to
Providing students with relevant experience of working
Measures •
Student outcomes and progression.
•
Quality of teaching and learning.
•
Learner feedback.
•
Stakeholder engagement and feedback.
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Secure funding applications to facilitate international mobilities per annum.
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Students completing international placement opportunities annually.
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Staff completing international mobilities annually.
•
Support the Community Team in securing new sources of funding per annum.
•
Sign MOU with new international partners annually.
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Meet annual targets set by the sector International Working Group.
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Deliver intercampus skills competitions.
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Enter SRC students in NI skills competitions.
•
Support SRC students to participate in UK competitions.
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6.2 Stimulating Learning Environment
6.2.1 Online e-Campus We are currently in a fourth industrial revolution driven
each other and students about these differing methods of
by technology. The evidence from our current experience
delivery, in more consistent, more easily understood ways.
of rapidly changing technology indicates that we will continue to be in an ever-changing environment. Northern Ireland’s workforce needs new skills to enable them to thrive in this environment of constant change. New technology will continue to enable more remote working, leading to a global marketplace. Our ambition is that by 2023, 30% of our learning approach will be online. This means that learning will be conducted through digital approaches, using our VLE platform. This may be a whole qualification supported only by tutorial, a module as part of a qualification, several lessons within a module or assessment. The sector, level, qualification and student will determine what the most suitable approach is. This will mean lessons are online and structured into a learning path with learning objectives. Significant learning has been established when College curriculum delivery needed to respond to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure business continuity. It is proposed that during the first two years of this strategy that appropriate technology platforms are used to design and create a SRC e-Campus to support the drive for remote (blended) flexible course delivery models. Please also refer to: https://www.qaa.ac.uk/news-events/news/ qaa-publishes-building-a-taxonomy-for-digital-learning#. QAA does not intend this document to set out any regulatory requirement for digital approaches to learning and teaching. Instead, it is designed to support providers to develop their ways of talking about digital methods of delivery, articulating what students can expect and therefore better assure themselves that quality and standards are being maintained. It is intended to be a starting point for a wider conversation about how providers can talk to themselves,
Blended learning and hybrid learning are terms that are used interchangeably by providers when describing different models of delivery which use a mix of methods to engage students in learning. Blended is the more commonly used term of the two and is applied in several different ways to describe different models of delivery and/or student engagement. Hybrid is not as prevalent in the UK education sector. Providers use both to describe students' engagement with learning that takes place partly in a digital environment (either onsite or remotely) and partly in-person, onsite. In line with the DfE Skills Strategy and emphasis on flexible opportunities for lifelong learning, a significant element of the College’s part-time provision will move to modes of delivery which are either fully online i.e., no campus attendance or blended delivery, where there may be a need for small elements of face-to-face tuition on campus but supported largely online. A significant part of the higher education curriculum is already delivered through a blended model, and this will continue to expand using the virtual campus as a platform. Online assessments will be deeper and more complex, including project work. Staff and students will utilise online collaborative tools. Students will be able to progress at their own pace against defined learning objectives. Staff and student timetables will be adapted to ensure greater flexibility and efficiency of resources will be maximised. Student expectations of how they learn and engage at the College have changed over the past ten years, due to the widespread use of digital technologies and social media. The student of today has come to expect a greater use of technology, not only in terms of delivery, but also through our engagement from the point at which they make an initial
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
22 22
enquiry but also through their learner journey in terms of
online solution for Essential Skills to enable more learners
how we communicate and engage with them. This has been
to flexibly access these qualifications.
further reinforced by the need for technology to deliver curriculum during the Covid-19 pandemic. Changing modes of delivery to provide a digitally enabled curriculum offering supported by a digitally competent workforce.
Changing modes of delivery to provide a digitally enabled curriculum offering supported by a digitally competent workforce. As the curriculum continues to innovate to meet the changing needs of diverse learning groups, the College
As the curriculum continues to innovate to meet the
will review methodologies for curriculum delivery at all
changing needs of diverse learning groups, the College
levels. The growth of technology enhanced learning options
will review methodologies for curriculum delivery at all
and PBL will therefore be fully exploited to ensure that
levels. The growth of technology enhanced learning options
programmes remain relevant to learners.
and PBL will therefore be fully exploited to ensure that programmes remain relevant to learners. The College will work with partners to develop a complete
The College will work with partners to develop a complete online solution for Essential Skills to enable more learners to flexibly access these qualifications.
6.2.2 Estates Our aim is to provide a vibrant, attractive,
hopefully be ready by 2023.
sustainable, and accessible campus, supported
The curriculum developments set out in this strategy
by a contemporary virtual environment in which
have directly influenced the design of these campuses.
staff, students and partners can interact, and share
The College is also committed to exploring the future
information and knowledge.
consolidation of its campuses in Newry City and this area of work has been started and will be progressed over the next
The College continues to work to deliver a significant
three years.
capital investment of £100 million, which included the redevelopment of the Armagh and Banbridge campuses.
The College will also carry out a public consultation on the
The new Armagh Campus and Banbridge Campus opened
closure of our Kilkeel campus. This review will be progressed
their doors in September 2020. Planning permission has
during the 2021-22 academic year with existing provision
been granted for a new College Campus in Craigavon.
moving to other local venues.
This new flagship campus will consolidate the existing outdated facilities at the Portadown and Lurgan and will
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6.2.3 Learner Resource Centres (LRCs)
PT HE courses to blended delivery.
These are primarily student-centred areas providing a wide range of quality resources designed to enhance
•
educational resources such as books, journals, software
•
Provision of appropriate staff development in the use of digital presentation, assessment, asynchronous and
and audio/visual materials, a virtual library of high-
synchronous communication tools.
quality eBooks and journal article databases. In addition to the College’s resources, higher education
Fully integrating the use of a VLE as a student’s primary point of contact, for those courses deemed appropriate.
the student experience. The LRCs contain traditional
•
Providing appropriate inductions to students to ensure confidence in working digitally and remotely.
students will also have access to resources through their associated university. The Centres include high speed
•
Providing a wide range of digital learning opportunities.
internet access computers, printers, copiers and a range
•
Equipping our Learning Resource Centres with up to date digital referencing tools.
of audio/visual mobile devices. Staff aim to provide an innovative, responsive and
•
Embedding e-portfolios as the primary repository for student learning journals and assessment evidence.
proactive service, supporting the learning, teaching and research needs of students and staff.
Measures
We will:
•
•
Develop and support both staff and students to enhance their digital capability and use relevant technology to facilitate different modes of digitally enabled teaching, learning and delivery.
Learning and teaching activities are designed to be engaged with digitally.
•
Courses may offer support face-to-face but will be supplemented with digital support mechanisms.
•
Courses, particularly those directly supporting short duration provision to business and industry, will be
We will achieve this by:
predominantly remote/online only with minimal or no
•
face-to-face contact.
Providing an attractive, vibrant, and accessible learning environment equipped with industry
•
standard infrastructure which reflects the principle of ‘digital first.’ •
for face-to-face contact. •
capability. •
Establishing learning platforms to facilitate digital teaching and learning activities, reducing the need Adapting multiple PT FE, Business Support and FT/
Teaching staff developed to appropriate levels of digital Appropriate student induction to their programme of study.
•
Provision for supportive digital learning experiences for both staff and students.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
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6.3 Staff Potential & Performance
6.3.1 Human Resource Strategy
•
The College will continue to build on its strong
practices and advances in technology. SRC will develop
position in relation to the qualifications and skills
an appropriately resourced plan that will provide lecturers
that are present in the lecturer workforce, through initial teacher education and continual professional •
with suitable, structured industrial placements. •
The College will also participate in the WorldSkills Centre
development.
of Excellence initiative aimed at embedding best practice
The successful delivery of a range of new and emerging
coaching and mentoring within a number of areas aligned to
curriculum of Youth Training and Apprenticeships will require an innovate approach to ensure that the
sector Curriculum Hubs. •
Over the lifetime of the strategy, the College’s Employee
knowledge and skills of our lecturers are both relevant
Development Committee (EDC) will oversee a programme
and up to date. As a prerequisite to maintaining high
of work that aims to promote and nurture a culture of
quality provision, lecturer industrial and vocational
innovation in teaching and learning excellence driven by
expertise will be updated to ensure that the College
high expectations across all Faculties.
remains responsive to the ever-changing working
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Develop & support our staff to deliver relevant and engaging practice-oriented learning experiences
Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
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6.2.2 Quality & Pedagogy At the heart of the Southern Regional College’s core values is the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of College operations. Under the guidance of the EDC,
We will: •
engaging practice-oriented learning experiences, enabled
the Quality and Pedagogy Unit (QPU) continues to
by new and innovative learning technologies to respond
play a significant role in supporting a number of key
positively to all internal and external requirements.
initiatives in the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of the learner and the lecturer journey. The QPU is committed to providing CPD support to all lecturing staff; to enable them to deliver to the highest quality learning and teaching experience for all learners, actively employing innovative pedagogy, using up-todate Technology Enhanced Learning and student support systems. The burgeoning QPU team comprising a PBL
We will achieve this by: •
•
Developing and implementing an appropriately resourced plan for lecturers’ industrial placements.
•
Supporting all new lecturing staff through the completion of the Ulster University CIT/PGCE.
•
Supporting the development of a multidisciplinary approach to curriculum innovation in Project Based
and TEL Manager, PBL Officers and a team of Teaching and Learning Advisors aims to:
Develop and support our staff to deliver relevant and
Learning, programme design and delivery. •
Providing technical and pedagogical training and
Deliver a College wide approach to teaching and
support for technology enhanced learning solutions
learning outstanding practice where lecturing staff
including blended learning.
will feel empowered, across all delivery modalities,
•
Delivering a range of teaching and learning programmes
to seek the support and assistance of others, in
including:
pursuit of improving the learning experience for all
»
learners; •
programmes; »
Encourage and nurture a commitment across self-evaluation and improvement planning, Quality Code Frameworks. The student voice
•
respond with the highest ambition and standards to external stakeholder requirements such as ETI, awarding organisations, higher education institutions (HEI) & professional and regulatory statutory bodies (PRSB).
Verifier awards; and
»
QAA Higher Education Quality Code.
Promoting and disseminating best practice in the emphasis on PBL, innovation, enterprise, and creativity.
improvement process review; and Support all professional and technical areas to
»
pedagogy of teaching and learning with particular
remains integral to the self-evaluation and quality
•
Assessor training on observation skills aligned to ETI performance levels;
all areas of the College to effective continuous aligned to the ETI IQ:RS and QAA Higher Education
Teaching 4 Learning and other bespoke CPD support
Measures •
Successful outcomes from all CPD activity.
•
Outstanding programme of study KPI’s.
•
Learner feedback.
•
Embedded PBL culture.
•
Recognised digital staff and learner culture.
•
Positive external stakeholder feedback.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
6.4 Community & Business Partners
The College’s Community Engagement Strategy aims
We will:
to provide ‘second chance’ opportunities to those who
•
Work alongside statuary organisations, employers
might not otherwise participate in education and
and community groups/organisations to provide
training or who are trapped in the spiral of economic
meaningful and vocational learning opportunities to the
inactively and social exclusion. The Community
disadvantaged, those trapped in the spiral of economic
Team ensures that adults from disadvantaged
inactively and social exclusion that connect them with
communities have access to relevant and meaningful
realistic employment opportunities and life improving
vocational learning opportunities particularly those
skills.
who underachieved in education, are disengaged and economically inactive. SRC supports diversity and social inclusion by widening and encouraging
We will achieve this by: •
Providing tailored Essential Skills and FE courses that are delivered in ways that suit people and targeted
participation from the most deprived areas and
projects that are linked closely to employment
ensuring access for those with low or no skills or
opportunities, helping disadvantaged people overcome
other barriers to learning.
barriers to learning and work.y.
The College continues to be a leading player in the delivery of the regional Neighbourhood Renewal
Measures
Strategy and has been instrumental in the development
•
of targeted projects to tackle the challenge of lack of participation and achievement in education
Skills courses and FE programmes. •
and employment of those living within the five neighbourhood renewal areas in Armagh, Brownlow,
Recruit and support residents from disadvantaged areas onto industry focused qualifications and licenses.
•
Lurgan, Newry and Portadown and addressing the impact of rural isolation and deprivation
Enrol learners onto Literacy, Numeracy & ICT Essential
Apply for funding to deliver targeted interventions to assist the disadvantaged and marginalised.
•
Engage with new groups to develop an effective learning community.
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6.4.2 Schools Partnerships
The College is an active participant in the four Area
We will:
Learning Communities in the southern region and
•
Develop strategic partnerships with the stakeholders of
provides direct support to local schools in the planning
the four Area Learning Communities in our area through
and delivery of vocational education and training in
the delivery of the Entitlement Framework, providing a
line with the Entitlement Framework. The College is
relevant and meaningful curriculum portfolio, enabling
committed to working with schools to provide all young
a progression pathway from SPP to FE.
people with access to a broad and balanced curriculum at KS4 and post 16, including access to professional and technical qualifications. The Colleges ‘School
We will achieve this by: •
and Communications and partner schools to maximise
Partnership Programme’ is designed to place the
the vocational learning opportunities for school
College at the heart of 14-19 educational provision in
learners and the progression rate of OS students to FE.
the southern region and is flexible in providing learning opportunities for all partner schools. The College will enable schools to achieve their targets of having at least one-third of their course provision at key stage 4 and post-GCSE in vocational/applied subjects.
Liaising with the curriculum teams, Careers, Marketing
Measures •
Increase the number of SPP enrolments annually.
•
Increase the number of FE enrolments annually from SPP progression.
•
Achieve outstanding KPIs for SPP students.
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6.4.3 Business Engagement The College’s Business Support Strategy is focused on three key offers to industry: 1. Knowledge transfer and innovation. 2. Workforce development and upskilling. 3. Talent acquisition through the development of HLAs.
•
reskilling and innovation support to over 500 businesses annually to help our businesses to increase sales and improve productivity. •
developments. •
The College Development Plan has six strategic aims, with the second aim being to ‘support economic growth
We will achieve this by: •
transfer/innovation and skills training services. • •
engagement with businesses are maximised and lecturers have an appetite to deliver support to business clients. •
to increasing the skills level of the current and future workforce. •
relating to all types of current and previous engagement with individual business clients
College engagement to underpin, develop and strengthen
companies from across Northern Ireland, particularly in the southern region, and due to proximity to the border, also supports several business clients in the Republic of Ireland. The Business Support Centre has contributed to the strengthening of the College’s position as a primary provider of business support and knowledge transfer activity to local and regional business and industry.
We will:
Developing a ‘College wide’ Employer Engagement management system that provides real time information
One of BSI’s key objectives is to increase Employer-
future skills needs. The Business Support staff work with
Working in partnership with local economic development stakeholders to position SRC as the main contributor
Apprenticeships (HLAs).
innovative and flexible approaches to meeting current and
Implementing a new Commercialisation Strategy, embedding a culture of commercialisation amongst all staff so that all
supports an average of 550 businesses annually through businesses through Apprenticeships and Higher Level
Targeted marketing campaigns to attract businesses to College services.
•
new and existing businesses. The College currently direct business support services and a further 600
Making our services more flexible by moving to blended/ online delivery models through the new Virtual Campus.
solutions.’ This will be achieved through the provision of at improving the competitiveness and productivity of
Continuing to build on the work of the Business Support Centre by increasing the level of both knowledge
and innovation through flexible business support flexible business services and training solutions aimed
Maximise opportunities to engage with employers across all College activities.
in terms of the quality of knowledge transfer and technical support services delivered to local companies.
Actively engage with our employers to establish current and future skills needs to inform key curriculum
The work of the College’s Business Support and Innovation team (BSI) has had a positive impact
Deliver meaningful and industry relevant upskilling,
Measures •
Achievement of business engagement and income targets.
•
Increasing the number of new HLA and Apprenticeship programmes as informed by employers.
•
Increasing in business support enrolments at Level 3 and above.
•
Structured engagement with external partners leading to new business support opportunities.
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Curriculum Strategy 2021-25
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Concluding Comments Key Curriculum Developments
1
Expand the use of technology and e-learning to 30% across all programmes by 2023 to enable a more
2
Expand Higher Education provision, including the Apprenticeship option and strengthen articulation
flexible delivery mode for the learner and to transform teaching and assessment techniques.
routes to university.
Continue to review and expand provision within priority areas for Northern Ireland.
4
Expand STEM provision to meet our local needs and assist post pandemic economic recovery.
5
Fully implement Traineeships and Advanced Technical Awards to include the development of Essential
6
Expand the curriculum offered to those in employment who require up-skilling and for those
Skills, transversal skills, digital skills and Project Based Learning.
furthest from the employment market.
The successful implementation of this strategy will
and co-operation of all staff across the College. It is
further strengthen the College as the primary provider
therefore critical that the views of our staff are heard
of professional and technical skills. The areas of work
and responded to in a timely and supportive manner. The
to be taken forward will help raise our profile and
strategy will therefore be monitored and reviewed on
reputation with business and industry as a key player in
a quarterly basis by the Senior Management Team with
supporting economic growth and development.
updates provided through the curriculum management group. Regular reports and updates will also be provided
The strategy is both challenging and ambitious and its implementation will be dependent on the collaboration
to the Education Committee of the Governing Body.
info@src.ac.uk www.src.ac.uk 0300 123 1223 @SouthernRegionalCollege @srcchat @SouthernRegionalCollege @southernregionalcollege
