Staff development: the Abingdon & Witney Way

At Abingdon & Witney College, our vision states that:

“By nurturing and empowering individual students and staff to be the best they can be, we improve lives, communities and the economy through education. Together, we achieve the extraordinary.”

We believe our vision defines the unified goal of our organisation and every student and member of staff within it. We recognise that reaching your full potential requires high quality training and strong support systems, and in order to guarantee this for our students, we must also guarantee it for our staff. That’s why our vision statement translates into genuine care for our staff; their training, career progression, and personal development.

Principal, Jacqui Canton, explains:

“Supporting our staff to develop and grow their own skills is a key part of who we are as an organisation. We want all our staff team members to have the opportunity to develop a career and we deliver on a huge array of training programmes for staff.

Here’s a snapshot of the broad range of training opportunities available to you as a member of staff at Abingdon & Witney College.

Frequent staff development opportunities

Every Wednesday afternoon is dedicated to staff development. Internal and external training providers offer an optional array of opportunities that embrace learning something new. They range from yoga classes to electrical safety, allowing staff to focus on their goals whether they’re enhancing their CV or just want a new hobby. Staff Development Days, held twice a year, bring all staff together to learn more about a significant topic in a variety of ways. The topic of Staff Development Day in April 2024, was ‘Sustainability’. Staff had the opportunity to participate in a range of sessions including bike maintenance, bee friendly planting, developing future changemakers, and organising sustainable student trips; while engaging with local advocates including Wychwood Forest Trust, Low Carbon Hub, and One Planet Abingdon.

Leadership Development Academy

Deputy Principal, Jo Milsom shares her thoughts on the programme:

Over the past year, we have made it a top priority to cultivate strong leadership and management skills across all levels of the organisation, recognising that exceptional leadership is the key to driving innovation, building resilience, and adapting to the ever-evolving demands of education. By investing in leadership development now, we are laying the foundation for a thriving, sustainable college equipped to meet challenges and seize opportunities in the years ahead. This commitment was first announced last year with the relaunch of our Leadership Development Academy.

One of the cornerstone initiatives of this effort has been the Leading the Abingdon & Witney Way programme, which has engaged nearly 70 managers from across the college. Central to this programme has been the articulation of our leadership behaviours and expectations, accompanied by a bespoke training package developed with our partners at Rockborn. This comprehensive training includes modules on essential leadership competencies such as effective communication, fostering high-performing teams, and coaching skills. Additionally, participants have benefited from coaching sessions, discussion circles, and internal networking opportunities. These experiences have not only enhanced practical leadership skills but also fostered a shared organisational philosophy of leadership. By engaging collectively in this journey, we are developing an extraordinary leadership team, equipped to steer our college toward a thriving future.

Emma Schofield, Leadership Consultant and Coach from Rockborn, noted in the early stages of developing the programme:

“I remember starting this project and immediately feeling how deeply Abingdon & Witney’s mission ‘Be you, be extraordinary’ was woven into their DNA.”

Complementing these efforts is our collaboration with the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) through their acclaimed Leading from the Middle programme. This initiative focuses on empowering middle managers within the context of Further Education. Forty of our managers have participated, with one cohort already successfully completing the programme and another about to begin.

The Leading from the Middle programme offers a unique blend of general leadership training and sector-specific insights. Key areas of focus include strategy and purpose, inclusivity, and presentation skills, combined with mentoring and contributions from sector leaders who bring decades of experience.

Together, these initiatives demonstrate our commitment to leadership development. By equipping our managers with the tools, knowledge, and networks they need, we are ensuring that our college remains a beacon of excellence in Further Education. Through shared learning and collaboration, we are building a leadership team capable of driving innovation, fostering inclusivity, and securing a sustainable future for all.

Teacher training

Teaching Skills Academy – Valued Practitioner Programme

At Abingdon & Witney College, we pride ourselves on the quality of teaching we provide, ensuring all teaching staff are meeting the high standards we uphold; whether they’ve just joined us, or they’ve be with us for years. The Teaching Skills Academy is developed by college staff for college staff and is led by experienced teachers. Within the Teaching Skills Academy is a wealth of training and support designed to ensure our staff are happy, and our high standards are met.

The Valued Practitioner Programme is a key example of this. The VPP offers a warm welcome to teaching at the College, that is not solely about ticking boxes. From day one, staff are made aware of the triangle of support that wraps around them when they join the College, with all teaching staff also provided with a mentor and a coach. The programme offers an engaging training session followed by frequent coaching to provide the upmost personal and professional support before grading and passing the colleges quality checks.

Computing lecturer, Mark Excell, spoke on the professional development that the programme provides, saying:

“Simply put, it has shown me that there are Continued Professional Development opportunities which are available to help you improve as a teacher. By starting this journey, it has helped me to think about what my future could look like and this feeds into feeling like a valued member of staff.

Principal, Jacqui Canton:

“I’m particularly proud of the support we provide to brand new teachers starting a second career after excelling in their own industry, so if you’re currently working in industry and thinking it could be time to give something back by training the next generation of plumbers, hairdressers, social care workers, engineers etc please do get in touch as the support you will get from us is second to none!”

Work for us

Staff and student numbers continue to grow significantly each year, providing a testament to the quality of training we offer for staff and students alike. If you’d like to join our extraordinary cohort, visit our Work for us page and explore the opportunities available.