Adding value to the Business and Enterprise specialism
Find out how one Business and Enterprise College has enhanced its specialism further through one of its staff becoming an Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) for Enterprise.
Lynne Gibson is an AST for Enterprise at Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College in County Durham. We find out why Lynne and the College decided to go down the AST route and hear about the benefits it has on the College and outlying schools.
As a Specialist College Ferryhill has a responsibility to share knowledge and expertise with secondary schools across County Durham. Lynne would often take phone calls from teachers seeking advice and guidance on how to best to approach enterprise in their schools and was happy to help in any way she could. However, the phone calls became more frequent and began to encroach on Lynne’s time which prompted her to consider ways in which she might be able to dedicate more time to helping her colleagues.
Having explored the possibilities, Lynne and the schools Head Teacher Mr Bowden decided to proceed with an application for Lynne to become an AST for Enterprise. AST status recognises excellent classroom practice and provides teachers with the equivalent of one day a week supporting other teachers to develop their skills and experience through the sharing of best practice ideas and approaches.
The DCSF outlines that activities an AST can be expected to undertake during non-contact time are:
• Produce high quality teaching materials
• Disseminate materials relating to best practice and educational research
• Provide model lessons to a whole class, or target group of pupils with staff observing
• Support subject leaders with schemes of work, policies or management skills
• Observe lessons and advise teachers on classroom organisation, planning and teaching methods
• Help colleagues who are experiencing difficulties
• Support the induction of new staff
• Lead professional learning groups
• Support professional development
Lynne works closely with the Durham’s Education Business Partnership and believes that as she has experienced the challenges of embedding enterprise across the curriculum first hand that she is well equipped to support those in a similar situation.
Lynne’s AST role has benefited the College as it has raised its profile as an excellent Business and Enterprise College while allowing her to identify best practice in County Durham and bring back new ideas and initiatives back to the College to the benefit of the students.
To find out more about becoming an AST visit www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/ast
For further information about Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College visit www.fbec.co.uk/fbec