Failing to prepare, is to preparing to fail: GCSE VTCT Ten Recommendations

I wanted to put together a guidance list of the ten points that I have learnt along my journey teaching this GCSE qualification in order to help support, guide and assist anyone who is about to start teaching this qualification, considering teaching it, or is currently teaching it and needing some additional guidance from someone who has hands on experience.
These are my own personal points and by no means set in stone. So please use them as they were intended to be, as a help list.

1. PREPARE: Now I know this might sound a bit of an obvious point as teachers and educators we are always having to think two steps ahead. But by this I mean have your unit scenarios printed for each learner. Have spaces up on your displays so they can collect them if they have lost theirs (students do love to forget things). Have grade descriptors for the unit printed and if they have them glue them into their books so you can mark as you go along and the students know instantly what grade they are currently working towards. Its a great incentive for them to see how they are achieving. First lesson of delivering the unit hand out declaration forms and get the learners to sign and date and explain the importance of the form and why we have them. Once these have been signed you are ready to upload them and its one less job to do nearer deadline date. Follow your checklist on the back of the scenario so the students know by completing this they have achieved a minimum of a pass grade. I print a checklist off and have on my display board and refer back to it during class.
2. SET DEADLINES: Set your own deadlines for units to ensure you have enough time to mark work, chase students up who have been absent from lessons or who need to add more content and get work moderated. All in time to meet VTCT calender deadline dates and to ensure nothing gets missed when you upload.
3. DO THE WORK YOURSELF: I know its time consuming, but if you have done the work yourself, you will understand the content better and this will help your delivery and ensure your students get the content needed to meet the criteria and gain the grades they deserve. once you do the unit you can use your completed unit as an example for the students and a guide to show them what is expected from them as a finished coursework unit. Lead by example.
4. WRITING FRAMES OR TEMPLATES: I am a very O.C.D person and know that I need structure in my work and the students are the same. So look over your grade descriptors and break it down into a document that will help all your learners to know what they need to complete to meet each grade band. This will not only help them to achieve the grades but it will make your marking and moderation a lot easier and less time consuming.
5. KEY WORDS: Have key words such as outline, describe, justify on your displays so that they instantly know what is needed for each outcome. For example to outline something would usually mean bullet points or highlighted key points.
6. CRITERIA: Show students what a pass, merit and distinction looks like so they are clear what their target goal is and what they are required to do to meet this. This is clearly explained in the scenarios and brief guidance's.
7. RESOURCES; Some of the problems faced with being in a school environment is that websites are often blocked which proves difficult when research is needed. So why not research these sites and print off copies of the information and add these to your displays so they can still source the information. Have lots of images which makes a good point of group discussion. Contact the school library to have books available and access trade magazines or regular magazines that have products and images that will support the learners research.
8. WAGOLL: (What A Good One Looks Like) I have spoken about this a lot. But having a display with samples to show and images and key words for example will help support your learning and enable you to help those that may need extra support by making your displays more interactive and fun.
9. GUIDANCE SHEETS: If they need to produce a PowerPoint or a mood-board but need support on what to include. Why not have a key card or sheet that gives examples of layouts of moodboards and examples of slides. You can make sure these match what is required for each mark band and therefore give the learners the guidance to perhaps push themselves to achieve a higher level?
10. MARKING GRIDS AND PEER ASSESSMENT: As a practical task in my lesson I gave my learners a mock assessment that wasn't a pass and  one that was a pass grade, and asked them to peer assess the work to get them to understand how the grading works and also to understand that lots of images doesn't gain the grades its the content that is needed and the images can be added later.

I really hope these points will help to support your delivery of this qualification and perhaps look at it in a different way. If nothing else, its there just as an added support blanket to help you guide learners to achieve the goals they want to achieve, and most importantly, deserve to achieve.
Best of luck!

Until next time......
Love and sparkle

Caroline King

www.steppingstonestrainingacademy.co.uk