Access keys Skip navigation
Our programmes - a summary
Supporting Essential Skills
Improving classroom practice
LSDA NI offers in-house support to all DEL funded Essential Skills providers, aimed at improving the quality of teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy. Our Development Officers are available to deliver programmes on planning learning, assessment, including using initial assessment to inform ILP's and assessment for learning, differentiation, developing suitable learning contexts, working with the Action Based Activities, managing classroom behaviour and using ILT. The Development Officers supporting literacy and numeracy are experienced teachers: they can provide one to one support where requested in addition to working with staff groups.
Management support
Our Essential Skills management support service for organisations that have recently been inspected has two strands. The Essential Skills team provides a support service for tutors and managers to help meet development needs. We also capture the good practice identified and disseminate it in-house and to the sector.
In addition to post inspection support, we offer all Essential Skills providers advice and guidance on developing self evaluation systems and procedures within a continuous improvement model. Our staff will work with you to review current procedures and make improvements.
Essential skills helpline
Whatever your query is, we are always at the end of a phone or an email. Our Essential Skills team is available during office hours to answer your questions on Essential Skills policy, literacy and numeracy pedagogy, Essential Skills qualifications, accessing resources or any other Essential Skills related query. You can also contact us through the ESNI website www.essentialskillsni.com and if you join the forum on the site you can ask your colleagues for their responses too.
Connect Communicate Create with Essential skills
In response to requests from Essential Skills practitioners, and in light of guidance from the Inspectorate, LSDA NI has created a new purpose-built resource centre (ESNI HUB) at our new Belfast headquarters. Development days held at the centre aim to facilitate discussion and co-operation between vocational tutors and Essential Skills tutors and foster a culture of creativity and innovation in Essential Skills teaching and learning. Participants are encouraged and supported in developing ideas for lesson content, resources and materials that can be shared with other tutors throughout Northern Ireland.
Supporting Governors and Policy
Supporting governance
Our programme of support for Governing Bodies is designed to assist governors in discharging their duties effectively and efficiently. A fixed training programme is agreed each year with DEL to meet immediate and ongoing training needs. Training is also provided on new legislation which governors need to be aware of. We offer additional support to secretaries and this year we are focusing on inducting new governors and managing self assessment. We are happy to take governance related queries and provide advice and guidance as appropriate to help the office bearers whenever we can. View Governor Training Materials.
Supporting excellence in local research
LSDA NI research service offers a search facility that can range from providing evidence for the introduction of new curriculum areas, best practice in employer engagement through to evaluation of new initiatives like the Vocational Enhancement Programme, and the impact of the increased demand for ESOL provision. A number of research reports are already available on the TLC web portal covering the areas of employer engagement; 14-19 curriculum; governance funding and accountability; leadership; e-learning and m-learning. LSDA NI also supports small scale action research projects.
Supporting excellence in policy initiatives
Over the next few years there will be significant change in the post 16 education and training sector with the college mergers, the impact of the Review of Public Administration, and the developments of the framework for achievement along with the implementation of the Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland. There will inevitably be a number of policy initiatives introduced by Government.
LSDA NI has a range of expertise and resources available to support organisations with the challenges of implementing policies at individual, department and organisation level.
Supporting ESOL
There has been a significant increase in the demand for English Language classes for newly-arrived migrant workers and their
families. LSDA NI is supporting tutors by organising Network meetings, where those involved can discuss issues and share experiences,
and by producing a newsletter to give news and information about the world of ESOL.
There is also a programme of training events to develop tutors' skills. This includes an introduction to the ESOL Core Curriculum,
Planning Learning and a new Bridging course to enhance subject-specific skills.
We are also able to offer in-house support to individual tutors or tutor groups. This support is negotiated with us and
dependent upon your particular tutor support needs. It is provided by one or more of our qualified and experienced ESOL associates.
Supporting Professional Development
Lecturers into Industry
The Lecturers into Industry Scheme is currently open to lecturers, department managers and technicians throughout all further education colleges, in nine vocational areas – Engineering, Hospitality & Tourism, Construction, Software Engineering, Health & Social Care, Business IT, Creative Technology, Motor Vehicle and Bio Science. View further information...
Subject Development Days
Subject development days promote excellence in teaching and learning through the dissemination of experience from Lecturers into Industry and the sharing of expertise and good practice from the Centres of Excellence, industry and other key stakeholders. These support networks involve all subject specific providers in recognising and sharing best practice and resources, with a view to improving teaching strategies, learner retention and achievement rates. They encourage the development of action plans towards collaborative working between colleges. View archived presentations...
City and Guilds Senior Awards
College staff who have completed a Lecturers into Industry placement are able to continue their professional development by applying for a City & Guilds Senior Award. These awards have been developed for professionals who are looking for an internationally respected award that recognises their work-based achievements.
CPD Engage
CPD Engage is an online tool designed to enable the support of personal planning and professional development of teaching and managerial staff within colleges. The user can perform a self- assessment against an embedded competency framework and identify own strengths and development gaps. Users can produce meaningful CPD plans for the year, select training to meet individual development needs and create a coherent online portfolio.
CPD Engage encourages the user to continually reflect on their learning and practice development.
The tool provides clear and measurable benefits to the individual member of staff, to the college and to the sector.
Curriculum and Leadership
Supporting continuous improvement
Any organisation that has recently received an inspection or review can obtain support services from LSDA NI to help them improve their provision in light of the inspection findings. Typically LSDA NI staff or associates will spend a number of days with a provider offering bespoke professional support and training, meeting the development needs of the organisation. The support will often directly impact on the action identified by any improvement or action plan and help the organisation achieve improvement in a reduced time scale.
Listening Toolkit
The Listening Toolkit is a series of benchmark tools that are designed purely for the professional and technical skills sectors. They provide information about performance in staff satisfaction, learner satisfaction, employer satisfaction and community satisfaction. This information can inform strategic improvement and give detailed analysis against local and national performance.
Action Research Projects
Action Research projects provides an opportunity for organisations to research practice and innovation in education and training. The projects are designed to support the improvement of the education and training sector, but also act as a development opportunity for participants. Action Research Project information is available through the Quality Network Meetings for each sector.
Introduction to Management (Level 3 iLM)
LSDA NI provides a range of materials to support organisations delivering iLM Level 3 Introductory Certificate to staff. The materials are practical exercises that are written by practitioners for the education and training sector. LSDA NI also offers a certified Train the Trainers course for those organisations considering delivering the iLM Level 3 internally. This 3 day course will upskill any iLM tutor, so that they can use the full range of resources offered by LSDA NI and deliver an effective programme to education and training managers.
Action Learning Programme for Middle Managers
Delivered in partnership with the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL), this is an intensive programme for those involved in the leadership or management of education and training. It is designed to expose participants to some of the best leaders in the public sector in order to better develop their understanding of leadership and management. The course is project based, allowing participants to have a direct improvement impact on their own organisation's performance. The course requires 2 days commitment per month for 7 months.
Senior Leadership Development Programme
Delivered by CEL, this programme is designed to develop senior leadership in the further education sector. This is an intensive 9 month programme that requires participants to attend training and development in England. It brings together leaders from across the UK, providing an unparalleled development opportunity for those seeking the most senior positions within the sector. A number of FREE places are provided each year; however participants are entitled to enter the programme if they can secure funding from other sources.
Supporting continuing professional development
LSDA NI offers a range of bespoke training and development solutions for organisations on current topics in pedagogy, management and leadership. These courses cover topics such as; learning styles, differentiation, retention, lesson planning, improving achievement, writing self-evaluation, peer-observation training and curriculum development support. LSDA NI provides access to its register of associates and trainers at no extra cost, helping source professional help and advice.
Master Classes, Coaching and Mentoring and Expert Seminars
LSDA NI acts on feedback from its stakeholders to provide appropriate Master Classes and Expert Seminars to address a range of pertinent issues. These Master Classes and Expert Seminars can be at vocational department level, organisation level or sector wide. LSDA NI is also building up the use of leaders as coaches which is an effective way of addressing team building. LSDA NI provides support to encourage the use of mentoring which focuses on learning from practice on the job and from peer reflection.
Teaching and Learning Communities (TLC) Web Portal
All of the above programmes are supported by our web portal, which provides access to resources and practical advice for practitioners. TLC offers the opportunity for anyone to create a new group for discussion and sharing of practice. Access TLC for FREE at www.thetlc.org.uk .
14-19
LSDA NI currently provides support through research, network meetings, stakeholder workshops, and the management of the Vocational Enhancement Programme pilot which will provide an evidence base for the entitlement framework; policy seminars and benchmarking activities. With the emerging 14-19 agenda, the framework for achievement, foundation degrees and the role of e-learning is DEL 's priority for the sector to support economic development. It is clear that the FE sector requires support at different levels to ensure quality improvement in critical areas of decision-making relating to the curriculum offer and also the interface of the FE sector with the schools sector.
Unlocking Excellence Series
The surveys have been designed to support the analysis of organisational performance and help to identify improvement processes at a strategic level. The surveys are being carried out across the sector covering Further Education, Training Organisations and New Deal.
Back to top