How can colleges and training providers be more forensic in Curriculum Intent and Curriculum Design?

Curriculum Intent

With Ofsted’s new Education Inspection Framework, curriculum intent is now more important than ever as it underpins Ofsted’s three I’s (Intent, Implementation and Impact).

So we asked experts across the sector how Data and Labour Market Information (LMI) can help colleges and providers be more forensic in their Curriculum Intent and Curriculum Design.

We chat with Ofsted’s Chris Jones, BCoT’s Anthony Bravo, Suzanne Duncan from East Durham College, John Gray from Emsi and even Gavin from FE News gets involved to chew over the subject of how data and LMI can help organisations with their Curriculum Intent

This analysis video we put together with Labour Market Information specialists Emsi, will be the start of a mini series where we have more in-depth video interviews around Ofsted’s Curriculum Intent with experts across the sector.

Chris Jones, HMI Specialist Advisor for Apprenticeships, Ofsted, said:

“What’s most interesting for me about it is that it gives providers an absolute opportunity to really nail down what it is that they are about as providers, to really give clarity about the purpose for the education and training that you provide.

“Labour market information is important because what it does is to tell you as a provider about the range of opportunities that are available for young people and adults within your locality and within the wider region.”

Anthony Bravo, Principal and CEO, Basingstoke College of Technology, said:

“For me, curriculum intent is about making sure our curriculum meets the needs of local and regional employers, and can ensure it makes real impact so that our students complete their courses with us, and have the skills and knowledge to actually fill the identified skills gaps within our area and can then support the local and regional economic development. LMI tells us where we need to be looking.”

Gavin O’Meara, CEO, FE News, said:

“I think that the changes which Ofsted have brought in are really, really interesting, particularly with where we go from frameworks to standards. We’ve got the 3Is which Ofsted are mentioning, which is intent, implementation and impact. I think what’s really interesting is the underpinning of all of that is going to be the intent as to where we can move to with learners and what is actually going to mean about their learner journey.”

Suzanne Duncan, Principal and Chief Executive Officer, East Durham College, said:

“We use Emsi labour market intelligence to help identify where there is demand for local skills. We’ve used that particularly to help shape our student demand for courses. Two areas in particular that we’ve looked at are construction and catering and hospitality, where labour market intelligence shows there are definitely jobs and future predictions show that there are definitely jobs in that area.”

John Gray, Director of Further Education, Emsi UK, said: 

“Curriculum intent and labour market information are critical. Without using labour market information to get a really good baseline and understanding of what’s happening in the local economy, it’s going to be really difficult to showcase to Ofsted that you’re actually meeting the intent of that curriculum.

“I say colleges need to get a really good benchmark, you need to understand where you are now and where you’re moving to. By doing that, you can you can show the distance travelled and you can actually use data to show that you’re meeting the skills needs of the economy.”