Meeting of the SET Management Board (Virtual)
Date: Friday 21 May 2021
Time: 11.00am – 3pm
Venue: Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Members present: Wendy Coley, Jim Crompton (Chair), Philip Green, Lynette Leith, Anita McGowan, Martin Reid, David Russell, Sarah Simons, Palvinder Singh, Barbara Van der Eecken (Vice-Chair), Sarah Whiteside-Jones.
Apologies: None
In attendance: Andrew Dowell (Head of Professional Status and Standards), Sandeep Hampal (Membership Co-ordinator, Minute Taker) Alana Horden (Head of Membership), Ellie Locke (Membership Engagement Manager), Amanda Parkes (Membership Engagement Officer), Paul Tully (Strategic Research Consultant).
Minutes
1b. Apologies for absence.
No apologies were received.
1c. Declarations of conflicts of interest in the items on the agenda.
The Board were reminded to complete a declaration of interest form and to be sent to the SET Membership Co-ordinator prior to each Board meeting and to pay attention the wording in box number 1.
2. Actions from last SMB and feedback from last PAG meeting.
The Board reviewed the meeting actions from the January SET Management Board meeting with no further action required. The Practitioner Advisory Group meeting actions were pre-circulated to the Board. It had been recommended for the Membership Co-ordinator to number final meeting actions going forward.
3. Performance Updates.
The Board received the 2021/22 Business Plan prior to the meeting for review.
The Head of Membership presented an overall overview on 2020/21 performance. Although, there was a higher lapse in membership numbers and resignations than previous years, it was indicated this did not impact the number of people joining or re-joining.
The Board were informed there was positive student growth, and SET was able to reach more providers online between September to November 2020. It had been highlighted the corporate partner growth was less successful due to missing major signings, but SET was still able to obtain 800 new members throughout the year.
The Head of Membership presented figures for QTLS and ATS registrations and submissions. It was indicated the different methods of teaching during the pandemic would have impacted the QTLS submission numbers, but registration figures were still strong. The bursary helped with numbers for ATS registrations. The Board were informed the next ATS application window opened a couple of weeks back.
The Board acknowledged the positive membership renewal rate at 87% and total paid renewal rate at 90.4%. Furthermore, the Head of Membership explained that despite a 10% student renewal rate during this period, the long-term retention rate for students since 2019 was 41%. The SET team will utilise the new website and Personas going forward to get more insight towards the decline from students during the last membership renewal period.
The Board congratulated the SET Customer Service team for handling 6850 queries in March, predominantly related to QTS queries, for responding to 96% of emails within 24 hours and for answering 72% of calls within 20 seconds.
The Head of Membership updated the Board on the ETF Transform project which recently saw the implementation of the new CRM and website to allow for better reporting and alignment of data. The Board were also, notified SET will be reviewing current terms and conditions existing policies & procedures and implementing a new ‘Code of Ethics’ for members. The Board also, recognised the importance of bringing ethics to the forefront, which aligns with sections of a new matrix on the review of the standards the DfE are also working on.
4. Membership Matters Research Update
The Membership Engagement Manager provided a short summary reminder of the Personas and presented the Board with SET’s short-term recommendations from the research. In addition, the Head of Membership, also presented the Board with SET’s long-term recommendations.
The short-term plans proposal included: reviewing web and email content in line with personas, looking at current QTLS processes for review, mapping key journeys and increasing consultation with members.
The long-term plans proposal included: creating additional personas to be used across ETF, having a one ETF approach via the SHAPE groups, ongoing digital consolidation, and running a wider awareness campaign, which is being led by the Communications and Marketing teams. The Board made further recommendations and agreed to target more recognised corporate brands for SET to become a leading voice and to encourage SET’s current members to become an advocate for the membership.
5. Implementing The Skills for Jobs White Paper and its impact on ETF, followed by Q & A
The Board were presented with a private briefing and a subsequent discussion took place of the potential implications for the FE and training sector of the white paper.
6. QTLS/ Qualifications
The Board were introduced to the initial scoping work for an FE Career Framework, which would outline the steps needed to progress and improve professional status throughout one’s career. The Board participated in a workshop and provided feedback on what the post ITE qualification market could look like, where qualifications could make the most difference to the FE sector, and to review the benefits/ limitations of a move toward providing qualifications linked to professional status.
The Board agreed this approach would enhance the current offer to members and non-members across the sector and that a modular approach to professional status had significant potential (and would work well alongside a qualifications offer). The Board also, recognised that further work was required to better understand how qualifications could be offered by SET and the ETF.
Anita McGowan and Barbara Van der Eecken left the meeting.
7. Creating a Career Framework
Barbara Van der Eecken returned to the meeting.
The Head of Professional Status and Standards presented the Board with some initial proposals to demonstrate the potential journey of a practitioner, to explore the different ways of displaying a career path, examples of websites, courses and resources, and the option of training needs analyses. The Board participated in a workshop to feedback on opportunities, threats/ risks, strengths, and areas for development. The Board was encouraged to continue to provide feedback using the online link to look at the induction and onboarding process for an FE teacher.
Palvinder Singh left the meeting.
8. AOB
The Director of Professionalism and Customer Experience informed the Board SET have been shortlisted for an awards ceremony being run by The Association of Excellence Awards 2021.
The Membership Co-ordinator will explore setting up a Teams channel for the Board to interact and engage with regards to content and meeting papers.
The Membership Co-ordinator will share a Microsoft Forms link with the Board to vote on how to proceed with meetings going forward, either in online or in person or both.
The Board noted that the next SMB meeting date was Thursday 16 September 2021.
Minutes signed off by the Board: 16 September 2021