Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Information about the school/provider
The College Merthyr Tydfil is a general further education college offering a wide range of vocational and general education programmes. The college’s campus at Ynysfach in Merthyr Tydfil town centre opened in September 2013 following a tertiary reorganisation within the local authority. The college is a subsidiary of the University of South Wales, with a board of directors appointed by the university.
The college is based in Merthyr Tydfil, which is the smallest local authority in Wales with a total population of around 58,000, and sits within the Cardiff Capital Region. Merthyr Tydfil has some of the most deprived areas in Wales, with 28 of its 36 sub-areas recorded as being in the top 50% deprived areas in Wales according to the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation. The college’s mission is ‘Transforming Lives Through Working Together’.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
The college leadership introduced a teaching and learning team, consisting of two teaching and learning co-ordinators and six teaching and learning coaches, to support teachers in developing and embedding a range of key strategies focusing on learner engagement, variety, appropriate pace, stretch and challenge and effective questioning. The teaching and learning team are responsible for driving the college’s teaching and learning strategy which hinges on four key elements;
- Empowering Practitioners
- Impact on Learning
- Outstanding Teaching & Learning
- Sharing Good Practice
This strategy is underpinned by a comprehensive professional learning programme, ensuring staff have access to the latest teaching technologies, innovations, assessment tools and opportunities to participate in the college’s teaching and learning initiatives. Staff receive regular feedback on their teaching delivery and regular access to 1:1 coaching and coaching circles as a means of developing teachers into leaders of learning.
There has been a shift of focus with empowering professional learning that grows practitioners and equips them with the necessary tools to facilitate effective and engaging sessions. From this cultural change emerged the Professional Learning and Development Plan (PLDP).
Description of nature of strategy or activity
The college leadership engaged an external facilitator to work with the teaching and learning team as well as a wider working group, to explore professional learning frameworks and establish a consistent approach that would provide individualised areas of focus that are chosen and led by the teacher. The PLDP requires engagement with academic inquiry and action research which is observed, evaluated and shared.
The agreed process is as follows;
- Decide on what you want to do.
- Record and submit your intentions, for example, ‘to improve learner engagement through questioning’.
- Meet with your Head of Division to discuss your intentions.
- Begin the academic inquiry/action research process.
- Choose an Observer from the Official Observer List.
- Attend a pre-observation meeting with your chosen observer.
- Deliver observed session.
- Evaluate the process.
- Submit final PLDP to your Head of Division.
- Share your findings in an agreed format.
The process is a developmental one and separate from the college quality processes. The PLDP is supported by a range of complementary initiatives and engagement with external partners. The process is reviewed annually to ensure relevance and to respond to staff suggestions regarding potential improvements, particularly to the documentation.
What impact has this work had on provision and outcomes for learners and/or their families?
The impact of the teaching and learning strategy and the PLDP is tangible and can be evidenced through a variety of measures. In a recent staff survey, a majority of the staff have found the PLDP approach empowering and effective in supporting improvements in reflective practice. Most responded that the discussion with their line manager is helpful prior to completing their PLDP. Many staff believe that the PLDP is more effective in supporting their learning and development than the previous graded lesson observation system. The majority of staff also feel that the PLDP has improved learner engagement when compared to the previous system of graded observations. Supplementary professional learning initiatives to complement the PLDP have been received very well also with most teachers describing the programmes as excellent. Staff sickness amongst teachers is low and staff retention is high.
The impact on learners is potentially even more significant. Learner satisfaction has improved year on year and is 97% for the current year. Learners rating the quality of teaching and learning as good or excellent is at 93% for the current year. Overall outcomes have improved at all levels across vocational, access, skills and A-level programmes.
How have you shared your good practice within the school, sector or beyond?
Teachers share the process and outcomes of their PLDP formally as part of a teaching and learning conference at the end of the academic year. A few teachers present their findings in organised ‘Teach Meets’ organised by the South-East Wales Teaching & Learning Network. In 2024-2025, a small group of staff have worked with an external facilitator to develop a published book of strategies focusing on working with learners on lower-level programmes. For 2025-2026 some experienced teachers are being invited to submit an Innovation Proposal as an alternative to the PLDP where their ideas may extend beyond the classroom and have the potential to impact beyond themselves and their subject area.
The college has opened its doors to practitioners across many education sectors including special schools, primary, secondary and representatives from other FE colleges to engage with a range of professional learning activities and observations of practice in classrooms, workshops and studios.
It is important to note that although these formal opportunities to share good practice are available, it is perhaps the less formal practice sharing through professional dialogue and corridor conversations that has the most significant impact. This is an embedded cultural development that reflects the values and aspirations of The College Merthyr Tydfil.