BARNSLEY College has received a government grant to lead on a pilot programme to strengthen staff skills.

The £465,000 Department for Education grant, which will run in 2021/22, will focus on subject-specific development to improve teaching, learning and assessment.

There will also be tailored support for the sector’s new and inexperienced teachers to help career progression and aid retention.

Yiannis Koursis, principal and chief executive officer, said: “We are committed to delivering against the government’s agenda of further professionalising the sector.

“This pilot scheme will do exactly that and is an exciting project to be leading on.

“The program will make a real difference to the support that new teachers receive in the early parts of their teaching careers, leading to improvements in workforce development and the standard of teaching in the sector by increasing opportunities for FE and providers and staff to collaborate and share effective practice.

“Ultimately, this will raise the standards and quality of FE across the country, providing students with the best teaching available, leading to better job prospects, increased skills and improved abilities to learn.”