Introducing the Midwifery T-Level at La Retraite Sixth Form

T Levels are a 2-year qualification students can do as an alternative to A levels, apprenticeships or other post-16 courses. They bring together classroom learning and extended industry placements together on a course designed alongside employers. Presently, there are approximately 6,000 students on T Level courses, a number expected to rise to 100,000 by 2024-5. This blog post by Ruth Coyle, Director of Learning at La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls School, discusses how the school is introducing the Midwifery T Level in September 2022. It continues Ruth’s series on T Levels.

We are delighted to be starting the T Level in Health Midwifery this September. We always knew this would be a popular course in our sixth form, as many Alumni have gone on to become Midwives. The course is already oversubscribed. We hope once these students successfully complete their studies, they will help address the national skills shortage we are facing in midwifery and nursing.

As we are based in South London we are ideally placed for several major hospitals; St Georges, Kings College Hospital and Guys and St Thomas. To help students develop their clinic skills we are working with the Dementia Centre. This is a brilliant opportunity for students and the sixth form, as it enables us to give back to the local community.

How are we introducing Midwifery as a T-Level?

The Department for Education has awarded us over £2 million to build a new T Level building which will house two specialist rooms for the midwifery course. The specialist rooms will have a simulated hospital ward, enabling students to learn the practical skills they need to have before they start their 45 day industry placement. We have also purchased a class set of VR headsets so students can visualise the birthing experience in virtual reality. Also, we have established a partnership with Roehampton University Nursing Department, meaning students will now have access to their facilities and expertise.

We are very grateful to Jadesola Oginni one of our alumni, who is a senior midwife specialising in diabetes. She is attending our induction day on the 5^th July and sharing her journey with our new cohort of students.

Students are being provided with midwifery uniforms and have a specialist team consisting of 3 staff members delivering the curriculum to them:

• Head of Biology – Mrs Khatun
• Head of Health – Mrs Bailey
• Health Teacher – Ms Iheanacho

To prepare for delivering the Midwifery T-Level, the teachers have been updating their skills through the Education & Training Foundation Industry Insights program.