Bristol Regional Consultative Group

Bristol Regional Consultative Group is a networking and discussion group for Regional Support Groups based in Bristol, North Somerset, BANES and South Gloucestershire.

Regional Consultative Group meetings

RCG 1: Wednesday, 11 October, 2006
Venue: University of Bristol, GSoE, 35, Berkeley Square, Clifton, Bristol

Items discussed:

• Update from RSG National Conference, London, September 2006 attended by Allison Bolster: numbers of RSGs, timing/number of RCG meetings
• Regional developments, Bristol, BANES, South Glos, North Somerset; input from primary LAs for each authority
• Discussion of regional needs, leading to
• Discussion and arrangement of RSG programme, Bristol and region, for 2006/7
• Discussion of viability of a second Primary FL Conference
• Preliminary arrangements made to arrange the conference (to take place on Fri 30th March 2007 at UWE, Bristol)
• Members of Conference Sub-committee agreed

RCG SUBCOMMITTEE 1 : Weds 22 November, 2006
Venue: University of Bristol, GSoE, 35, Berkeley Square, Clifton, Bristol
Time: 10am-12pm, followed by lunch

Items discussed: N.B. This was a meeting of the RCG SUB-committee whose brief was to organise the Second Primary FL Conference, Bristol and region, Friday 30th March 2007 at UWE, Bristol

• Confirmation of speakers/presentations for next RSG (Thursday 23rd Nov 2006 ‘Xmas Fun around the world’)
• Details of Conference Venue agreed
• Issues identified from experience of last year’s conference in order to ease arrangements this year
• Decision made to invite Secondary teachers to the conference, one of whose main themes was to be ‘Transition KS2-3’
• Sessions and speakers discussed, volunteers assigned to  a. present sessions, b. contact named outside speakers
• Discussion of conference fee (to be maintained as low as possible)
• Discussion of Exhibitors to be contacted
• Next meeting (Weds Dec 13th)

RCG SUBCOMMITTEE 2, 3 and 4: TBC

RCG 2 (Final meeting for 2006/7): Weds., 9 May, 2007
Main Items for Agenda:
1. Review of Primary/Secondary MFL Conference (30/03/07, see above)
2. review of regional developments/needs over the past year
Venue: University of Bristol, GSoE, 35, Berkeley Square, Clifton, Bristol
Time: 10am-12pm, followed by lunch

Items discussed:

• Review of Primary FL Conference, Friday 30th March 2007

What went well? Many benefits – conference was a resounding success with

•  120 plus delegates
• a number of secondary MFL teachers also attending,
• an excellent mix of workshops,
•  some led by national figures such as Joe Dale (Blogging/Podcasting), Joan Wilkie (Mixed Age), Carmel O’Hagan (Keynote), Cilt Cymru (Transition)
• some led by local talent (inc. Jo Cole with a group of pupils from Barrs Court School)

Targets? Admin to be from one main source rather than shared between 2 or 3 different institutions

• Possibility of third PFL conference, 2008 discussed and provisionally approved; possibility of joint organisation mooted (eg with local branch of ALL?)
• Update on PFL developments during 2007/planned for 2008 in Bristol, BANES, N Somerset, S Glos from PFL Advisory teachers in each authority; also update from Alison Taylor (UWE PGCE Primary FL course) on developments in her HEI
• Discussion of RSG programme, Bristol and region, for 2007/8, and of cross-LA collaboration

NACELL Regional Support Groups are funded by the DfES and co-ordinated by CILT, the National Centre for Languages in support of the National Languages Strategy.