How the role of middle managers has changed in a post-pandemic world

By Katie Stafford, Research Further Scholar and deputy principal at New City Campus: Hackney Campus

The further education sector has long been a vital yet under-appreciated pillar of lifelong learning, economic and social inclusion. Curriculum middle managers have always been responsible for shaping and delivering curriculum strategies, managing teaching teams, ensuring high quality education and supporting students. However, since the pandemic there has been an increased demand upon curriculum managers to support a growing number of students with a range of additional personal challenges.

In response to this, the research I am currently undertaking intends to highlight the critical and hidden shift in their workload; the workload that is now deeply entwined with issues affecting young people and their care givers. The consequences of which relate to wider social and political factors following the Covid-19 pandemic. Worthy of further investigation is indicative data which suggests that curriculum managers spend a substantial amount of their time providing additional support to students with complex and multi-faceted issues related to mental health and welfare.

In March 2021, the government planned the return of schools and colleges following lockdown measures. It was hoped that the expected impacts of lockdowns and the critical health emergency of the pandemic would be short lived. However, four years on, there are a significant number of young people experiencing mental health issues and anxiety which impacts on students’ ability to fully engage in the classroom.

The impact of the pandemic disproportionality affected young adults, leading to increased stress and anxiety. As a result, 44% of young people aged 17-18 are reported to be suffering with "high psychological distress" (COSMO 2024). High referrals and under-resources within the mental health system mean that over 40,000 children and young people have been waiting for at least two years with Children's and Young Peoples Mental Health Services. Low income working households were disproportionately affected by the economic fall out of the pandemic and as a result, in 2022, one in three adults declared that they had mental health related concerns. The Children's Society has recently reported that there are a significant number of young people who are caring for a family member who has a physical, mental health or drugs or alcohol misuse. Despite recent lower levels of inflation, many families on low incomes have been disproportionately affected by sharp rises in the basic cost of living following the pandemic. Hence, young people can find themselves looking after siblings or elderly relatives whilst parents are at work. Mental health and caring responsibilities can often impact upon a young person’s attendance and their engagement at college.

Young Minds and the Association of Colleges have highlighted issues related to money, caring responsibilities and poor access to mental health services which are having a significant effect upon the well-being of young people. Against tough financial circumstances, colleges work intensely at a local level to invest and provide services to support the well-being of students to mitigate the pressures within external services and society. However, to be effective in supporting young people to ensure that they are safe and supported to achieve is incredibly complex. Significant is the need to develop responses which provide effective support, and which contribute towards young peoples’ personal development as they move towards employment and adulthood. For example, young people can be taught to take responsibility and develop self-agency through meetings held with the student, care giver and mental health professional to agree an action plan for a student to improve their attendance.

Often these meetings begin as an act of triage by the curriculum middle managers because of a review of data reports on student attendance or notes on poor engagement or behaviour from teachers logged on systems. Detailed follow up conversations with each student are needed to discuss the issues, triage the individual’s circumstances and then to engage the support of a range of colleagues, other professionals and family members to find the appropriate support needs for each young person. This is an incredibly valuable investment of time that has long term benefits to the student through qualification achievement and personal development outcomes.

As the FE sector continues to navigate the post pandemic landscape, the role of curriculum managers will continue to be critical. Curriculum managers are the linchpins connecting policy, pedagogy and pastoral care. The details of their daily work are not always fully known. This must therefore be identified and the impact of their actions fully understood. The challenge ahead is about ensuring that we are continuing to adapt and develop effective responses to changes within society and the wider environment. By critically analysing the intersections of social policy and FE systems through the impact on the curriculum manager role we can create an educational space which is responsive to the immediate and future needs of students.

References

Children's Commissioner (5/03/224). Press Notice: Over a quarter of a million children still waiting for mental health support, children’s commissioner warns. Available from: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/blog/over-a-quarter-of-a-million-children-still-waiting-for-mental-health-support/

Child Poverty Action Group. (8/2020). Poverty in the Pandemic: The impact of coronavirus on low-income families and children. Church of England. Available from: https://cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/Poverty%20in%20the%20pandemic-%20The%20impact%20of%20coronavirus%20on%20low-income%20families%20and%20children.pdf

House of Commons. (16/12/24). High Cost of Living: Impact on Households. Available from: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10100/#:~:text=Office%20for%20National%20Statistics%20(ONS,quickly%20between%202021%20and%202024.