Funding to boost adult numeracy skills in West Yorkshire

Written by Jim Jack on May 15, 2023. Posted in News, Teaching and Learning

Two of our colleges have secured nearly £480,000 to boost adult numeracy skills in the region.

Leeds City College and Keighley College will receive just under £434,000 and £45,500 respectively via the Department for Education-led Multiply programme.

They will use the money to fund a multi-pronged push to raise standards among adults who don’t have a Level 2 qualification – roughly equivalent to a GCSE grade 4, or the old C grade – in maths.

The work will involve supporting learners through putting on new, flexible courses designed to fit around their lives, and training more staff to teach numeracy.

A practical focus

The focus will be on functional, rather than theoretical, maths to show how useful it can be in real-life situations ranging from budgeting for shopping to understanding borrowing, credit and interest.

Leeds City College’s Director of Adult Curriculum, Joanne Dye, said: “Everyone talks about how simple budgeting is, but many people find it hard even though it is an essential skill – and especially important now while we face a cost of living crisis.

“We are delighted to have secured funding to deliver this vital programme. We are committed to improving access to numeracy skills for adults in our region, and this programme is an important step in that direction.”

Addressing a costly skills gap

A 2022 report found that more than half – 52% – of adults in West Yorkshire were at ‘entry level and below’ in terms of numeracy. National Numeracy’s research, meanwhile, says low numeracy skills could be costing the UK up to £25 billion a year.

The Multiply programme – which is being funded over three years, with West Yorkshire Combined Authority distributing the finances – will seek to address the issue locally by reengaging adults with maths.

Leeds City College and Keighley College are already piloting a project that asks English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students to take on tasks like banking or supermarket shopping.

The programme will also open up new work and educational possibilities for participants, and take them a step closer to being able to benefit from further support such as the Lifelong Loan Entitlement.

Making maths accessible to all

Luminate Education Group Vice Principal Ann Marie Spry, said: “We need to support those who still need to get Levels 1 and 2 in maths, and have a fear of the subject, to thrive in their personal and professional lives.

“Offering bespoke support, this programme will also help English for Speakers of Other Languages students who struggle with language barriers.

“We hope that through delivering the programme we can help adults in all walks of life develop improved financial skills; from planning their meals, or creating shopping lists and budgets, to understanding taxes and pensions.

“This will enable them to create a system to feel more financially secure, now and in the future.”

Multiply’s aims are part of a wider push by the government to improve and extend maths skills across the country, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently announcing his ambition to get everyone studying maths until the age of 18.

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Leeds Conservatoire and British Youth Music Theatre Explore Inclusivity in New Musical Theatre

Written by Tidi Kwidini on March 27, 2023. Posted in News

Leeds Conservatoire has teamed up with the British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT) to produce a new theatre production.

The show, titled The Steadfast Tin Soldier, will feature a cast of disabled and non-disabled young people.

BYMT’s mission is to create opportunities for young people and early career creatives from all backgrounds to develop theatre skills and enhance wellbeing, through the collaborative and inclusive process of making original musical theatre.

In line with Leeds Conservatoire, BYMT’s values include being inclusive and making everything they do accessible, taking responsibility for developing and nurturing collaborative processes.

Matthew Bugg, Senior Lecturer in Musical Theatre at Leeds Conservatoire, said: “It is enormously beneficial for creative team members, students and diverse artists to work in a safe context of learning, where questions can be asked and new approaches explored and evolved.

“This process and its evaluation will help Leeds Conservatoire’s Musical Theatre Department develop models for best practice that can be shared across the wider institution and across the sector.”

Conservatoire students from year one and two BA (Hons) Musical Theatre, plus MA Musical Theatre Company and MA Musical Theatre Creatives participated in the week of development. This was an opportunity to develop The Steadfast Tin Soldier and how the material could be presented in an authentic, inclusive and relevant way, experienced by deaf artists and British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters were actively involved.

The creative team included Karen Mettam and Sarah Cox (BSL interpreters), Matthew Hinchcliffe (actor and BSL interpreter), Anthony Underwood (director and writer), Emily Gray (Chief Executive and Creative Director of BYMT) and Matthew Bugg.

Caroline Parker MBE led a participatory workshop that enabled students and staff to become more aware as to how to meet the access needs of Deaf and hearing impaired artists and audience members. This included learning how to begin the process of interpreting a song in sign language.

Sophie Braithwaite, a young Deaf performer and dance teacher from Deaf EXperience Limited (DEX) joined for the full development week. DEX is a youth organisation based in Halifax whose participants are all Deaf/hearing impaired.

On the final day, the wider DEX team was invited to attend the sharing of The Steadfast Tin Soldier and gave feedback on the development of the work.

Anthony Underwood, director and writer of The Steadfast Tin Soldier, shared how useful the week had been:

“I can’t express enough how amazing the students all were from start to finish. Their feedback and creativity were invaluable, and I am extremely proud of the conversations we had and the conclusion we came to for future development. It was beyond a helpful week.”

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Leeds Conservatoire receives over £1.6m from government sustainability scheme

Written by Tidi Kwidini on March 31, 2023. Posted in News

Leeds Conservatoire, a member of Luminate Education Group, has been awarded over £1.6m to make environmental improvements to its building. 

The money has been provided by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme; a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero initiative to help reduce carbon emissions across the country.

Leeds Conservatoire will be using the funds to replace old gas fire boilers, install double glazing and LED lighting, and replace its air heating and cooling systems.

Professor Joe Wilson, Principal at Leeds Conservatoire, said: “We take sustainability seriously and are pleased that these funds will help to reduce the conservatoire’s carbon footprint.

“We’re committed to becoming a net zero organisation by 2035, as outlined in Luminate Education Group’s newly launched Climate Emergency and Sustainable Development Pledge.”

Luminate Education Group’s institutions operate across multiple campuses plus smaller centres and community venues, with a substantial collective carbon footprint. 

The organisation’s Group Vice Principal for Development, David Warren, said: “This investment is important to us as we strive to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions across the group. We have already been making our campuses more energy efficient – through building improvements, waste reduction and energy generation, and are working on sustainable travel plans.

“We are also embedding sustainability into our curriculum, for example through offering carbon literacy training to all our students and staff, and increasing our green skills provision to support local employers as they embrace emerging technologies.

“We will be partnering closely with local organisations, businesses and community groups that value sustainability too, so we can coordinate our efforts and maximise the results.”

For more information about Leeds Conservatoire, visit www.leedsconservatoire.ac.uk 

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University Centre Leeds shortlisted in multiple categories for the Educate North Awards 2023

Written by Tidi Kwidini on March 16, 2023. Posted in News

We’re pleased to announce that, following a very tough process, we have been shortlisted in seven categories of the Educate North Awards 2023.

The awards celebrate best practice and excellence in the education sector in the North, highlighting the achievements and progress of universities and the higher education, further education and sixth form sectors.  

The finalists will find out how they have fared at an awards ceremony in Manchester on Thursday 27 April.

We were shortlisted in the following categories:  

• Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM Initiative Award) – University Centre Leeds, Chemistry Academy 
• Business Collaboration & Partnerships Award – HE/FE Sector – HE Engineering 
• External Relations Team of the Year – WP and Outreach Team 
• Community Engagement Award – HE/FE Sector – Creative Arts in the Community 
• Student Experience Award – HE/FE Sector – University Centre Leeds 
• The Sustainable Green Initiative – The Wellbeing Walkway 
• Business/Industry Collaboration – HE/FE Sector – HE Creative Arts  

All of the award submissions outlined the University Centre’s commitment  to support its staff and students. 

Our nomination for the Sustainable Green Initiative category, for example, featured the ‘wellbeing walkway’ that we created in collaboration with RE:, Leeds City College’s sustainable products workshop.

The Business Collaboration & Partnerships Award – HE/FE Sector nomination delighted Tamas Kovacs, Programme Manager for Engineering at University Centre Leeds. 

Tamas said: “The collaboration and partnership between the HE Engineering team and businesses/industry has enabled the development of a modern engineering workshop room that is equipped with industry-current automation and robotics instruments. 

“This enables employees, apprentices, and potential employees studying at University Centre Leeds to experience and become familiar with the facilities and equipment typical of the industry.”

You can find out more about the different categories here.

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Leeds Conservatoire Receives Funding Boost from Office for Students

Written by Tidi Kwidini on March 27, 2023. Posted in News

Leeds Conservatoire has been awarded a funding boost from the Office for Students (OfS): £1million per annum for academic years 2022/23 to 2026/27 in recognition of its specialist performing arts provision.

This funding is designed to improve access and teaching resources for contemporary music, drama and dance courses, and will support:

• improved delivery of teaching and learning to students;
• development of partnerships with other higher education providers, nationally and internationally, or relevant industries to improve study and career opportunities for students;
• access to specialist performing arts education for students from underrepresented groups;
• provision of specialist equipment for students, such as musical instruments, costumes or computing equipment.

In the funding announcement, Susan Lapworth, Chief Executive of the OfS, said: “The performing arts make a significant economic and cultural contribution to society. They enrich lives and create tens of thousands of jobs across the UK. Students choosing performing arts courses develop diverse skills and have a wide range of career opportunities.

“The OfS’s investment will ensure that current and future generations of students – whatever their background ​– are able to succeed during their studies and into their careers. The small size and highly specialised approach of the institutions we are funding play an important role in their educational experience of students, and this funding will ensure they can continue to deliver a high quality experience.

“We continue to invest in alternative routes into higher education to widen the opportunities available to every student. Today’s investment in degree apprenticeships and Level 4 and 5 qualifications will ensure that more can be done to extend the range of training available. We encourage universities and colleges to continue to develop and evaluate these courses to ensure students are equipped with the skills they need for their first or next career.”

Professor Joe Wilson, Principal at Leeds Conservatoire, added: “We are delighted to have been awarded this funding and that the OfS has acknowledged the significant economic and cultural contribution to society the performing arts make. Our graduates are in demand and work in a wide range of roles but what makes them truly distinctive is the multidisciplinary training and entrepreneurial spirit that places them at the forefront of their fields.”

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Luminate Education Group is the first provider in the north to be awarded ‘good’ for its teacher training provision

Written by Tidi Kwidini on March 16, 2023. Posted in News

Our higher education and degree apprenticeship provision is celebrating after achieving a grade ‘Good’ following an inspection by Ofsted last month. The group is the first provider in the North East, Yorkshire and Humber to receive this grade under the new framework.

Member of the group, University Centre Leeds, is the training provider for the range of Initial Teacher Education (ITE)* courses that are on offer to trainees.  It was recognised for its passionate and expert leaders who oversee the quality of the ITE curriculum, ensuring that trainees meet the requirements and expectations of professional teachers.

The report also noted that trainees are well supported and developed as teachers across the group and understand how they can promote equality and inclusion through their work.

Dr Sarah Marquez, Dean of University Centre Leeds said: “We aim to provide a fully immersive teaching experience, by giving our trainee teachers access to employment and professional development opportunities in the education and training sector, which is an  essential part of the education ecosystem. 

“We are committed to raising the bar on the quality of education and training provided to trainee teachers and this grade is a testament to the hard work of our specialised teams and mentors who make their experiences and entry into this vocation worthwhile.”

The apprenticeship provision, meanwhile, was praised for creating an innovative, well-structured and carefully designed curriculum that enables apprentices to meet the professional requirements set out to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively.

Bill Jones, Deputy CEO at Luminate Education Group, said: “This is a milestone achievement for our HE and apprenticeship provision and shows the level of commitment and dedication by our expert team to provide a high-quality curriculum.

“Our ITE provision has grown significantly over the last few years and we now have over 90 students undertaking further education and skills training at Level 5 or above, showing the depth and breadth of our programmes.”

“Our governors also play an important role in the quality of education provided. Through our recently-formed board at University Centre Leeds, they are actively involved in the continuous development of this provision.

“We are also working collaboratively with key stakeholders and partners in the sector to tackle the current challenges to identify how we can attract more people to take on teaching as a profession.”

The group is among the first large educational establishments to have been inspected under Ofsted’s new framework, which puts a greater focus on the impact providers have on  a trainee’s development and training, as well as the overall impact of the ITE education offered. 
For more information about Luminate Education Group, visit Luminate Education Group

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