Staff Learning & Development

Programme
April 2009 – December 2009
Introduction

We are delighted to welcome you to Alton College’s staff learning and

development programme for April 2009 – December 2009.

The courses in this programme are designed to support and develop you in
your role at the College. There are a variety of courses in this programme
which range from assertiveness training to salsa dancing!

The courses are grouped under the following themes:

College–wide
Teaching and Learning
Personal development
Leadership and management
Health and safety
Technical skills

One of the main themes emerging from this programme is the importance of
wellbeing and managing this within the College. We have included courses
which are aimed at enriching your experience at work and encouraging you to
learn more about health and wellbeing.
This programme can also be found on moodle under learning and
development. The online learning and development programme will be
continually updated throughout the year and will contain all new dates for
courses and any changes to courses so please make sure you visit the
programme online. All bookings should be made via moodle.

Nadine Lemond on behalf of Human Resources

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Contents:

Learning and development contacts Page 5

Booking process 5
Cancellations 5

College-wide courses 6
CW01 Key issues / changes facing the FE sector and what these mean for Alton College
CW02 Getting the most out of the LRC

Teaching and Learning 7

TL01 Sharing Ideas (Drop-in)
TL02 Supporting students experiencing mental health difficulties
TL03 Subject Reference Writing Course
TL04 ‘Motivational Interviewing’ follow up workshop
TL05 Furthering Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) application to the classroom and tutorials

Personal Development 9
PD01 Assertiveness Skills Workshop
PD02 Preparing for retirement
PD03 Improving wellbeing at work
PD04 Salsa classes (Beginners)
PD05 Tai Chi Classes

Leadership and Management 11

LM01 Managing the wellbeing of staff
LM02 Mediation skills for managers
LM03 Emotionally intelligent leadership for managers

Health and Safety 13

HS01 Mini bus training: MiDAS Certificate
HS02 Refresher mini bus training
HS04 Trips and visits training

Technical Skills 14
TS01 Getting the most out of pebble pad
TS02 The IT classroom

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TS03 NetSchool
TS04 Moodle
TS05 Photo editing
TS06 Video editing
TS07 IT drop-in (Monthly)
TS08 Visio Introduction
TS09 Word (Key skills)
TS10 Excel (Key skills)
TS11 Access (Key skills)
TS12 Outlook
TS13 KAZ touch-typing

Other learning and development activities Page 18

Coaching
Hants SFC Partnership Training programme
Work Shadowing

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Learning and Development Contacts

Nadine Lemond - Human Resources Assistant Ext 255

Please contact for information on courses and ideas for future courses.

Valerie Myerscough – PA to David Vasse (Currently on Maternity leave) Ext 300

Bookings and cancellations, please contact Nadine Lemond whilst Valerie is on maternity leave.

Vanessa Chapman - Head of Human Resources Ext 223

David Vasse - Vice Principal (Curriculum & Organisation Development) Ext 224

Booking Process

Staff are advised to book early. Most courses are on a first come, first served basis.

To book onto courses, please go to Moodle, ‘Learning and Development’ and then select ‘Staff
Learning and Development Programme 2009’. Please select your course from the menu on the
left hand side and click on the link ‘book now’ which will open up an outlook email.

Please ensure you quote the following in your email:

Course number
Course title
Date of course

You will receive a confirmation email within 2 weeks once your place has been booked.
A reminder email will be sent to you a week before the course.
You do not need to book onto ‘drop-in’ sessions, please just turn up to the session.

Cancellations

Once you are booked on a course, you are expected to attend. However, should you, for
unforeseen circumstances, not be able to attend your course, please ensure that you contact
Nadine Lemond (whilst Valerie Myerscough is on maternity leave) a week prior to the course date.

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College-wide Courses

CW01 Key issues / changes facing the FE sector and what these mean for Alton College

Government, Learning and Skills Council and Local Authority policies and legislation have a major
impact on colleges, especially in terms of curriculum provision, revenue / capital funding,
inspection and information requirements. All of these affect us, as staff and as students.
This session is aimed at all staff (managers, teachers and business support staff) who are
interested is gaining an understanding of some of the key current policies / legislation and the
expected changes in progress and on the horizon.
Participants will have the opportunity not only to ensure that they are up-to-date but also how these
matters might impact on their work.

Facilitator: Jane Machell

Date: 24/11/09
Time: 10am –12pm

CW02 Getting the most out of the LRC

The LRC is a place of rapid changes and developments. How up to date is your knowledge? Do
you know how to access the extensive range of electronic resources we hold, how to search for
resources in the library from home or how to amalgamate searches and create lists of resources?
This session will be of interest to new staff and will help others find out about new services and
resources provided by the LRC.

Facilitator: Barbara Frater

Dates: 29/06/09
Time: 12.40 – 1.30pm
Learning & Development Slot

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Teaching and Learning

TL01 Sharing Ideas (Drop-in)

This fortnightly session is an opportunity to come and share teaching and learning ideas with
colleagues. Each session will have a particular theme (‘Effective Small Group Teaching’,
‘Maximising Memory’ etc). There will be two Advanced Practitioners there each time (Olga
Culebras, Jerry Janes, David Kinder, Lauren Jones), to facilitate discussion. So, if you have a
good idea relating to the theme and/or would like to get some good ideas from a colleague, do
come along. The themes have been suggested by colleagues and by the Advanced Practitioner
team and will continue to make reference to the Learning Model.

Facilitators: Advanced Practitioners

Dates:
24/04/09 Revision Strategies
08/05/09 Involving students with disabilities in classes of predominately able-bodied students
22/05/09 Using Smartboard
05/06/09 Building study skills
19/06/09 TBC
03/07/09 TBC
Time: 12.40 – 1.30pm (L&D Slot)
Duration: 50 minutes NB: You do not need to book onto these sessions.

TL02 Supporting students experiencing mental health difficulties

This course will be delivered through a number of sessions throughout the summer term and into
the autumn term. It will address the mental health problems experienced by adolescents. You
may book onto all of the sessions or just a few sessions which are of particular interest to you.
Mental health difficulties are a major reason for ill-health in this country. Working with these
students can leave staff feeling deskilled, anxious about triggering a relapse, worried about the
impact on other students, pressurised to help.
Participants will be able to reflect on how they currently work with students with mental health
difficulties and how they might develop their practice to ensure they are appropriate and effective.

The sessions will be as follows:

TL021: Self harm 12/06/09

TL022: Depression 22/06/09
TL023: Suicidal feelings 26/06/09
TL024: Eating disorders 25/09/09

Facilitator: Jan Symes

Time: 12.40 – 1.30pm (L&D Slot)

TL03 Subject Reference Writing Course

The session will explain what we mean by a Subject Reference, discussing examples of good
practice, and go on to show how tutors use these in putting together a student’s university
reference. All Level 3 teaching staff new to Subject References should attend (plus anyone who
wants to come for a refresher).

Facilitator: Jon Myers

Date: 18/05/09
Time: 12.40 – 1.30 (L&D Slot)

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TL04 ‘Motivational Interviewing’ follow up workshop

This is a follow up session to the Tutor / SSM training held June 2008. Motivational interviewing is
a technique that identifies and works with students that are disaffected and consequently are
under-performing. The session will give you the opportunity to share theory and discuss
implementation in practice.

Facilitator: Esther Silver & Glenda Gardiner

Date: TBC
Time: TBC

TL05 Furthering Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) application to the classroom and
tutorials

This session is a continuation of the course ‘Applying NLP to the classroom and tutorials’. It is an
opportunity to develop the skills practically through experiential learning and continued exploration
of the concepts from NLP.
Previous attendance of an NLP introduction course is essential.

Course Content:

• Developing anchoring through visual, auditory and kinaesthetic means

• Eliciting and changing learning states
• Advancing language patterns
• Modelling
• Creating subject metaphor
• Memory tools and techniques

Facilitator: Paul Hull (Stonefish)

Date: 18/06/09
Time: 10 – 4.30

NB: If you signed up to this course last year, please confirm you still wish to attend this course. We may run another
introductory NLP course if there is sufficient demand. Please email expressions of interest to Nadine Lemond.

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Personal Development

PD01 Assertiveness Skills Workshop

Assertiveness is a method of dealing with ‘difficult’ situations in a way that is not aggressive or
passive, resulting in a win-win situation for both parties. This practical workshop will enable you to
understand why people act as they do, whilst teaching you a variety of techniques for dealing with
inappropriate or difficult behaviour, whether that be a student, parent, uninvited visitors and even
colleagues.
We have designed two separate workshops for this course, one for teachers and another for
business support staff to ensure that the session is relevant to your role.

Facilitator: Jan Symes

Teachers workshop Date: 11/11/09
Business Support workshop Date: 25/11/09
Time: 2 – 4.30pm

PD02 Preparing for retirement

If you are either planning to retire shortly or are within a 2 years of retirement and want to ensure
the transition will be as smooth as possible, this course will be of great interest to you.

Course objectives:

• Help participants, in a relaxed and informal setting, to step back from their everyday lives and
consider the change that retirement will bring
• Help participants to look at their lifestyle and then evolve a plan for the future which will help
them manage the change in their lives
• Provide – in an adult and participative way – information and ideas covering: health,
relationships, pensions, financial planning, use of time and leisure
• Ensure that participants have time to exchange ideas and views in a relaxed environment

Facilitator: Richard Rogers and Associates

Date: 01/06/09 & 02/06/09 (2 day course)
Times: TBC

PD03 Improving wellbeing at work

We are currently in the process of writing a health and wellbeing strategy and are consulting with
staff and Governors. This course will follow the publication of this strategy. The aim of this course
is to provide individuals with the skills and knowledge to recognise the effects of stress in
themselves and to have a wide variety of practical techniques they can use to eliminate, reduce
and cope with stress.

Course objectives

By the end of the programme participants will be able to:

• Define stress and be aware of the difference between pressure and stress.
• Describe what causes stress and how this affects health and performance.
• Identify their personal signs and symptoms of stress.
• Use a range of practical techniques to prevent and manage stress.

This includes:

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• Ways to avoid stress.
• The importance of thinking and focusing positively.
• Methods of improving well-being.
• Ways to enhance stress-free performance at work.

This programme is highly participative and active. Delegates will receive a checklist containing
practical advice on dealing with stress.

Facillitator: Premier Life Skills

Date: 08/12/09
Times: We will be running two half day sessions, One in the morning and one in the afternoon,
please specify which course you wish to attend.

PD04 Salsa classes (Beginners)

Salsa dancing is a great way for you to keep in shape, learn to dance and have fun.
Salsa dancing is mostly a partner dance however these classes will focus on a group form of
dancing called the Rueda de Casino, which is spanish for Casino wheel. It is a particular type of
round dancing of Salsa. It was developed in Havana, Cuba in the late 1950s and early 1960s by
the famous group Guaracheros de Regla.
Pairs of dancers form a circle, with dance moves called out by one person, a caller (or 'Líder' or
'cantante' in Spanish). Many moves have hand signs to complement the calls. Many of the moves
involve the swapping of partners.

Facilitator: Armando Lao

Dates: Every Friday from 15 May to 10 July (not including 29th May)
Times: 5-6 pm

PD05 Tai Chi Classes

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese art which restores the inner balance of the body and regenerates
energy through rhythmical breathing and slow, gentle flowing movements. Regular performance
will strengthen and relax body and mind.

We are planning to run taster sessions during June to give staff a chance to try out Tai Chi. Dates
and times to be confirmed shortly.

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Leadership and Management

LM01 Managing the wellbeing of staff

We are currently in the process of writing a health and wellbeing strategy and are consulting with
staff and Governors. This course will follow the publication of this strategy. The aim of this one
day course is to ensure managers and leaders are able to understand and deal with situations in
the workplace arising from stress in line with Health & Safety Management Standards.

Course Objectives

By the end of the programme participants will be able to:

• Define stress and differentiate between pressure and stress.

• State the short and long term effects of stress on the individual and the organization.
• Identify the early warning signs of stress to enable a proactive approach and create an
environment where prevention of stress is the keyword.
• Carry out informal meetings designed to support the risk assessment process.
• Devise strategies for dealing with stress in line with their legal duties and responsibilities as laid
out in the HSE Standards on work-related stress.

Areas covered include:

• Setting up a risk assessment
• Evaluating the results
• Production of agreed action plans for joint responsibility to manage stress.
• Identifying training needs
• Monitoring and reviewing

This programme is highly participative and involves the use of case studies designed and based
on each clients requirements.
This course is initially for CMT members; however we may deliver this course at another time for
all line managers.

Facilitator: Premier Life Skills

Date: 04/11/09
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm

LM02 Mediation skills for managers

This training session will give managers the skill and understanding to manage relationships better
and find lasting solutions. By giving delegates a range of strategies and the opportunity to practise,
delegates will leave this course feeling much more confident and better equipped to confront
difficult situations and achieve a better outcome. This practical course will give you the chance to
develop and try out new strategies and skills to help you manage relationships within your team.

Course Content:

• Understand how mediation skills can help you achieve a better outcome from your
conversation with people
• Have new techniques for helping people change
• Identify useful strategies for building solutions
• Practice these new skills and approaches

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Facilitator: ACAS
Date: TBC

LM03 Emotionally intelligent leadership for managers

There is much talk about the importance of strategic and operational leadership, leadership styles
and emotional intelligence. This course brings these vital elements together into a coherent ‘big
picture’ which can have a major impact on the effectiveness of leadership. The course is suitable
for all staff, teaching or non-teaching, who have a leadership/management responsibility.

Course Content:

• Strategic and operational leadership – linking this to accountability

• The use of appropriate leadership styles
• The role of emotional intelligence
• Your personal action plan

Facilitator: Creative Education

Date: 16/06/09
Time: 10am – 4.30pm

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Health and Safety

HS01 Mini bus training: MiDAS Certificate

All staff who wish to use the College’s minibus for trips and visits are required to complete MiDAS
(the Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme) training. This course involves classroom-based theory
training, an on-road driving assessment, additional training on passenger assistance and the use
of wheelchair accessible vehicles.

The objectives of MiDAS are that minibus drivers will:

• be assessed to ensure their driving skills are of an acceptable standard
• be given help where necessary to improve their minibus driving skills
• be aware of the legal, practical and safety issues surrounding minibus driving
• be trained in the safe use of accessible minibuses where necessary
• receive a certificate which is accepted by other MiDAS members

Facilitator: Community Transport for East Hampshire

Date: Theory training: 05/06/09 or 19/06/09 (please specify when booking)
On-road driving assessment: to be organized at a time that is convenient for you and the assessor
Time: TBC

HS02 Refresher mini bus training

Regular refresher training is a significant element of MiDAS and in order to retain your MiDAS
Certificate, mini bus drivers must attend refresher training every four years.
This half day training session will review MiDAS theory and identify updates to the MiDAS manual.

Facilitator: Community Transport for East Hampshire

Date: 05/06/09 or 19/06/09 (please specify when booking)
Time: TBC

HS04 Trips and visits training

This session will be run by the Outdoor Education Unit at Hampshire County Council and it is
intended for all staff: teachers as well as those who are involved in the administration of trips. The
session will cover residential, hazardous and non-hazardous trips and will give you advice and
guidance to ensure trips are run in accordance with current regulations.
This course can be tailored to delegates training needs so when you book onto this course, please
identify what you would like the trainer to focus on.

Facilitator: Steve Poynton (County Inspector, Outdoor Education)

Date: 02/06/09
Time: 9.30am – 1pm

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Technical Skills

TS01 Getting the most out of pebble pad

Since introducing pebble pad on the training day in February, we are running a further training
session for staff who would like to learn more about how to get the most out of the programme and
for those who would like a refresher.

Facilitators: TBC
Date: TBC
Time: 12.40 – 1.30pm (L&D Slot)

TS02 The IT classroom

Make the most of the hardware and software available in the IT classrooms and use the available
resources, such as smart board, projector and gyro mouse to form a cohesive element of your
lesson delivery.

Facilitator: IT Services
Date: 11/05/09
Time: 12.40 – 1.30pm (L&D Slot)

TS03 NetSchool

Learn how to manage student computer use in the IT classrooms. Ensure your class makes
effective use of the technology, monitor their activity, and engage them in classroom
demonstrations.
Facilitator: IT Services
Date: 15/05/09
Time: 12.40 – 1.30 pm (L&D Slot)

TS04 Moodle

Enhance your Moodle courses by adding interactive activities and media rich materials. This
course will be delivered through a number of sessions throughout the year. You may book onto all
of the sessions or just a few sessions which are of particular interest to you.

The sessions are as follows:

TS051 Moodle for Business Support Staff
Date: 01/06/09
Time: 12.40 – 1.30pm

TS052 Moodle Basics, web links, files and folders, labels and forums
Date: 02/10/09
Time: 12.40 – 1.30pm

TS053 Moodle Quizzes, Hot Potatoes and setting up groups

Date: 09/10/09

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Time: 12.40 – 1.30pm

TS054 Moodle Assignments and setting up your own custom scales

Date: 16/10/09
Time: 12.40 – 1.30pm

TS055 Using Moodle Databases and Glossaries

Date: 23/10/09
Time: 12.40 – 1.30pm

Facilitator: IT Services

TS05 Photo editing

The session will cover scanning images, using digital photographs and images from the Internet to
enhance your resources. You will learn simple editing tools for cropping and resizing images
appropriately. Using Paint.net

Facilitator: IT Services
Date: 02/11/09
Time: 12.40 – 1.30 pm (L&D Slot)

TS06 Video editing

This session will cover editing and how to prepare a short video. Raw footage will be provided but
there may be the opportunity to bring along your own footage or to record a short piece with one of
the college video cameras at the start of the session.

Facilitator: IT Services
Date: 15/06/09
Time: 9.30 – 12.30am

TS07 IT drop-in (Monthly)

If you have an IT problem you need help with, or a new idea you would like to try come along to
one of these sessions, no need to book.

Facilitator: IT Services
Dates: Commencing on Friday 5th June

TS08 Visio Introduction

Find out how to produce clear and informative diagrams, maps, organisational charts and
flowcharts with Visio. This one day course is designed for people with little or no working
experience of Visio. Understanding and working knowledge of other Windows applications is
essential.

Course Content:

Working With Drawing

Working With Shapes
Working With Text
Modifying Objects

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Customising Visio

Facilitator: Deverill
Date: TBC
Time: TBC

TS09 Word (Key skills)

Develop your word processing skills. Learn the correct layout of a Word document. More
advanced lessons will teach you how to merge the document with either an Excel or Access
database. Formatting includes: Tables/columns (includes number and size of columns), tabs,
picture manipulation, margins, text, bullet points/numbering, tick boxes, etc.
Optional assessment by use of mock KS Level 3 ICT test papers.

Course consists of 6 weekly sessions.

Facilitator: Sheila Chinn (Key Skills)

Dates: Starting in Autumn term.
Time: 12.40 – 1.30 (L&D slot)

NB: As we will be moving to Microsoft 2007 shortly, this course will train you on the use of Office Word 2007.

TS10 Excel (Key skills)

Develop your spreadsheet skills. Manage numbers and text to a Level 3 standard. Learn to import
a Notepad file or Access database, format the spreadsheet and create graphs. Use Lookup tables,
If and AND/ORIf formula, and general mathematical functions such as +, -, / and * as well as
Average, Minimum and Maximum.

Course consists of 6 weekly sessions

Facilitator: Sheila Chinn (Key Skills)

Dates: Starting in Autumn term.
Time: 12.40 – 1.30 (L&D slot)

NB: As we will be moving to Microsoft 2007 shortly, this course will train you on the use of Office Excel 2007.

TS11 Access (Key skills)

Introductory Level

Record details and financial information in a fast and professional way. Access database is
powerful and this course is an introduction to its capabilities (Level 3). Using a single table, you
will import a large database stored on Notepad or Excel and format it for the most efficient and
effective usage. Format tables including setting Validation Rules, Default Values and Lookup
tables. Create Queries and learn to sort and manipulate information. Create, format and print
professional Reports, which are much easier on the eye than traditional Excel printouts.

Course consists of 6 weekly sessions.

Facilitator: Sheila Chinn (Key Skills)

Dates: Starting in Autumn term.
Time: 12.40 – 1.30 (L&D slot)

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NB: As we will be moving to Microsoft 2007 shortly, this course will train you on the use of Office Access 2007.

TS12 Outlook

Extend your skills in information management using Outlook. Organise your incoming email and
use the Junk Email filter to manage spam. Use the Calendar to help you schedule your day.
Understand and use the Outlook Task list and Contacts folder.

Facilitator: IT Services
Date: 09/11/09
Time: 12.40 – 1.30 (L&D slot)

TS13 KAZ touch-typing

KAZ is short for 'Keyboarding A-Z' and teaches most people how to touch type the a-z keys in just
90 minutes! OK, you won't be touch typing at speed BUT you will soon pick up speed with practice
within a few days. You will be able to effectively 'think' your words straight onto the screen at speed
without making and correcting lots of typing errors.

If you think you already type pretty quickly with 2 fingers, remember that once you take a step back
to learn properly, you will quickly overtake your old speed and make far fewer typing mistakes.
Once you have mastered the a-z keys use the skill immediately as you work.
Don't be tempted to revert back to 2 finger typing as you must expect to initially be slower touch
typing. Take one step back to take 2 forward.

REMEMBER – You are learning a life skill, no matter what job you take in the future you can
almost be sure a keyboard will be involved.
If you want to learn to touch-type, but don’t seem to have found the time to go online and use KAZ
come to one of these dedicated sessions in an IT classroom. Work at your own pace. Headphones
will be provided.

Facilitator: IT Services – please contact IT helpdesk directly if you are interested in this training.
E-course

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Other Learning and Development Activities

Coaching

The College offers coaching for all members of staff to assist with their professional development.
The intent behind coaching is to support workplace skills development in all staff and the sessions
are focused upon the recipient’s development needs.

Coaching can support:

• Role development
• Workplace skills development
• Interpersonal skills development
• Other workplace areas

The coaches will help members of staff to find and explore practical ways ahead in 2 to 6 sessions
(varying from 30 minutes to 1 hour for each session).

For further details please contact one of the following team members:
Vanessa Chapman, David Vasse or Sue Stratford

Hants SFC Partnership Training Programme

Leadership Programme for Future Managers

This programme is part of the CEL accredited ladder of leadership and meets the leadership
development needs of new and aspiring managers.
Participants are likely to have responsibility for managing or co-ordinating the work of others but
may have had little or no formal leadership management development.

Programme content:

Module one: Self management and leadership

Module two: Leading others
Module three: Leading within my organisation and the sector

Leadership Programme for Senior Managers

This programme is aimed at Heads of Faculty, Student Services Managers and Business Support
staff with a lead role in planning and service development.

The programme content will include modules which:

• Provide an understanding of the role of leaders in sixth form colleges

• Create individual and collective awareness of the skills and behaviour needed to lead

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 organisations effectively
• Provide delegates with an understanding of their own leadership styles and motivation together
with strategies for improving their impact
• Provide delegates with an understanding of their operating environment, including strategy and
vision
• Provide delegates with awareness of sound financial management skills
• Assist leaders in the transition from team management to organisation leadership

Please contact Nadine Lemond or David Vasse if you would like more information.

Work Shadowing

The Hants SFC College’s partnership and Alton College have established a work shadowing
scheme for staff to learn in some depth how colleagues in other colleges operate. Work
shadowing is ideal for staff who are preparing for promotion and / or career development or who
want to learn about different approaches.

Please contact Nadine Lemond or David Vasse if you would like more information.

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