Environmental and Land-based Studies

Carol Webb, Practitioner, Solihull College
Geoff Croft, Horticulturalist and Walnut Nursery owner

Narrator: At Solihull College there is a long history of employer engagement. The success of this engagement has been largely due to a range of learner preparation activities. Here BTEC learners are about to meet Geoff Croft, Horticulturalist and Walnut Nursery owner, for a session on tree grafting.

The consortium will be drawing on existing good practice and adapting this type of session for its Diploma delivery.

Carol Webb: So this is just one of many visitors that we've got coming in to give you a broader range of what's available to you with regard to employment.

Narrator: Managing learner expectations is vital and Practitioner, Carol Webb, has ensured that the learners know how the session relates to their curriculum.

Carol Webb: This grafting section is going to link to two of your units for your BTEC Diploma, so it is going to link to your Amenity and Decorative Horticulture, and it's also going to link to your Commercial Crop Production.

Narrator: Carol has also taught the learners the theory behind grafting so the terminology does not confuse them.

Carol Webb: You know we've had the video on propagation and we've discussed at length lots of different propagation techniques. So today you're actually going to get an opportunity to do some grafting for yourselves. Just be careful with the knives, the secateurs and everything else that we'll be using. Now Geoff has been in the industry for many, many years. He's got lots and lots of experience and he specialises in root stocks and grafting at his nursery. So, use his knowledge, ask him as many questions as you can.

Geoff Croft: Right, morning all. Morning. What sort of propagation methods can you tell me about, can you give me one method of propagation?

Learner: Hardwood cuttings.

Geoff Croft: Hardwood cuttings, great yeah.

Narrator: Practitioners due to deliver the Diploma are aware that, to prepare the learners for effective applied learning, differentiation according to ability will be required.

Carol Webb: With younger learners you have to keep reinforcing the behaviour that's expected of them. So before each lesson I would say, "Right today you know you must respect, mobile phones off, you know no chewing gum..."

These are Level 2 learners and as they are half way through the course they are already familiar with what's expected of them with regard to behaviour.

Geoff Croft: Right, slide the whole unit along in your hand, that's it lovely, lovely that's it.

Narrator: It's also important to tailor preparation to the subject matter.

Carol Webb: Tomorrow afternoon we've got an arboriculturalist coming in to show them tree surgery. So there is very little I can do to prepare them for that other than take on the practical and actually talk to the specialist in the subject. For this, there's a lot of theory behind, they have to understand how a plant's system works in order to understand how grafting is a viable propagation method.

Learner: We've been doing a lot about plant biology and I think bringing a specialist in just really solidifies it in your brain. You've got the hands-on experience to refer back to in your memory when you're doing your revision for assignments and stuff like that.

Narrator: Tailored learner preparation also encompasses health and safety requirements which can differ enormously according to topic area

Carol Webb: From a health and safety point of view, the students are well aware of risk assessments and it is a major part of the course. For every section of the syllabus we cover health and safety and make sure that's a priority. They should have steel toecap boots; they should have gloves, protective gear.

For something as specialised as grafting it just wouldn't be appropriate. In fact it would be more dangerous to be wearing clumsy gloves when they are trying to make very definite and specific cuts. Sometimes you have to use the knife to cut towards you and you just have to make sure that the students are aware that you'd have to do that in a controlled manner. And then to consider the safety of themselves and others.

Geoff Croft: It's good for them to be prepared. They had quite a lot of understanding about the basics and the theory and some good questions came from the students today.

END