T Level Strategic Leadership Group to set best practice for delivery

With the introduction of the first three T Levels this academic year and a further seven available from September 2021, Association of Colleges (@AoC_info) has set up a strategic leadership group of 2020 providers who have successfully implemented T Levels within their organisations. 

As T Levels are opened up to more students and offered in greater numbers, the leadership group, made up of Wave 1 providers will reflect on the first year of delivery and share their expertise for new providers in the future waves. All the colleges and schools participating are represented by senior leaders and meet every six weeks, dedicating considerable time and dedication to foster a sense of community among the first ever providers of T Levels and provide crucial guidance for future colleges and schools. 

The T Level Strategic Leadership Group membership includes Wave 1 T Level leaders from: 

• Bishop Burton College (Danny Brett, Assistant Principal at Bishop Burton College)
• Bridgwater & Taunton College (Sam Reilly, Assistant Principal, Bridgwater & Taunton College (BTC))
• City College Norwich (Julia Bates, Vice Principal FE Curriculum and Quality)
• Cirencester College Matt Reynolds, Assistant Principal)
• Exeter College Sam Hillman, Assistant Principal) 
• HSDC (Ashley Grute, Vice Principal)
• La Retraite High School (Ruth Coyle, Deputy Headteacher), Leigh UTC (Stephen Leahey, Principal) 
• Nelson & Colne Group (Morag Davis, Vice Principal)
• Priestley College (Adam Bird, T Level Lead, Marketing, Admissions and IAG Manager
• Weston College (Dave Trounce, Vice Principal) 

Stephanie Crane, Delivery Lead T Level Programmes at Association of Colleges said:

“It’s been wonderful and inspiring to see this group of wave 1 strategic T Level leaders collaborate for the benefit of future T Levels providers and students. The group was formed as part of an Association of College’s support project to support future T Level providers with the successful implementation of their T Levels. Fostering the expertise and knowledge of the group has informed our support offer and added great value in ensuring the support we provide is tailored to best meet provider’s needs.”

Ruth Coyle, La Retraite Catholic School for Girls said:

“T Levels will open up a whole new world of opportunity for your students. I am delighted to have been involved in creating a T Level implementation tool for institutions, which will support them with the introduction of T Levels in schools and colleges.” 

Daniel Brett, Bishop Burton College said:

“A group such as this will be pivotal in ensuring that providers get the support and guidance, they actually need to make T-levels the success they deserve to be. The group will be able to draw on its extensive experience of developing and implementing T-Levels over the past 20+ months, highlighting what has worked well and also what hasn’t worked as well, to better inform the creation of purposeful tools and mechanisms for those providers adopting T-level provision in the months and years to come.  

“I also believe this group could provide a significant ‘voice’ that may well support continued policy development as we progress to full roll out of all T-Level routes, in collaboration with a range of stakeholders, through sharing our own regional and collective experiences of this journey. 

“Ultimately, I am proud to be able to support a national group such as this on behalf of all Colleges and our students, as I firmly believe in its potential create real impact.”