When Ofsted visit, they are looking for a productive, effective and efficient college. Though the focus is of course on teaching and learning, one of the areas where a considerable resource is allocated and consumed without always producing an appropriate benefit, is meetings.

Epping Forest College is located in West Essex, but only 20 minutes from the centre of London. 90% of our local business are tiny – less than 10 employees.

In a College that has a lot going for it, and some might say recently has had a lot done to it, simplicity and effectiveness are key.  Part of my role here at Epping Forest College is to bring my 30 years’ experience to the College, and offer some of the tools and models I’ve developed over the years to help address various challenges.

I’m currently working in Epping Forest College, and I've spent over 35 years teaching, training and coaching others.  It's been, and continues to be a privilege, and every so often I'm hit by an insight so fresh in the moment, yet so obvious in hindsight. And one of these occurred this week.

As it’s the festive season, I thought I’d take the opportunity to highlight some of the little things that make a big difference at our college; things that cost little, other than personal commitment and effort – and a little imagination – but reap positive rewards in terms of staff motivation and morale, profile in the community, staff-learner connection, and a genuine contribution to cultural change.

Having spent 11 years as a FE lecturer, and a further 20 running my own L&D business, I was recently appointed on a 1-year contract to set up and manage a Business Development Unit (BDU) within a FE College.

Are we still too embedded to the academic model of Further Education? Is the core provision st­­ill too focused on curricula, levels, and qualifications? Is FE as it stands, sleepwalking itself out of existence?