Bar Professional Training Course

Confirmed

Bar Professional Training Course Manchester Metropolitan University Report of Visit held on 15 March 2011

Name of Institution Date of Visit/Meeting ManchesterTitle of Course/award Metropolitan University Law School 15Previous March 2011course BarApproved Professional and actual Training numbers Course (2009-10) BarTerm Vocational dates Course 108Monitoring Full-time Panel (85 at Members time of visit) SeptemberRole and area 2010 of to primary July 2011 responsibility Mr48HEI Part-timeMichael Team attending Soole (31 at QC time the of event visit) Barrister,Role and Memberarea of primaryof Bar Professional responsibility Training Course Rationale for the visit Miceál Bardon HeadSub-Committee of Law School (Chair) JoanneProfessorContext: Lewthwaite ThePenny HEI/Provider Cooper CourseAssociate Director Dean City(full-time) Law School ClaireThisMs1. AdherenceAnna visit Knighton wasBanfield held to course as part aims,of the philosophyBSB’s annual and programme standardsAssociateDirector of visits of CoursetoProgrammes, BPTC Director Providers BPP (part-time) toLondon monitor and the Leeds quality MichaelManchester2.Drand VictoriaQuality standards Smith Stecmanagement Metropolitan of the course wassystems and granted to determine University whether status the inYearEducation 1992.course One The is LeaderManager, beingLaw School (part-time)delivered BSB ran in the accordance Bar Vocational with theCourse MargaretAdherencefromMsCourse Isobel 1997 Specification Daw Mostynto to 2010 course within Requirementsaims, a suitephilosophy of related and and Guidance law standards programmes (“the seemed BlueSeniorAdministration delivered Book”). sound, Lecturer bywith Assistant, (subjectthe specific University. leader BSB areas (Observer) ManchesterEvidence)/ for improvement identifiedMetropolitan3. Staffing in theand University recommendations staff development was approved contained in May in 2009 the reportto deliverProfessional below. the new ProgrammeBar Professional and PastoralTraining CareCourse Director which TheStudents panel are was clearly provided informed in advance about withattendance key documentation requirements including at the start the oflaw the school’s course. most Tutors recent keep Annual registers Wendy4.replaced Curriculum Nilson the BVC content from September and structure 2010. There are currentlySenior 108 Lecturer full-time (P/T) and (Criminal48 part-time Advocacy, approved Criminal places. Monitoringfor each group Report, and copiesindicate of both the lastpreparedness two years’ asExternal well as Examiner physical andattendance. BSB visit Unprepared reports, and students other relevant are 5.Approval Admissions was granted and student for the Mastersprofile Degree in Legal PracticeLitigation (LLM) and inAdvanced 2009-10. Criminal Students Practice) holding a information.markedIn excess as of absent. 90%During of Registers thestaff visit are the employedare panel monitored had by MMUan on opportunity a andtermly there basis to is tour minimal and the any premises use students of freelance and with to a meet 90-99%or associate with attendance management, lecturers. recordThe BarryBVC/BPTC6. Teaching vast Harwood-Gray are majority offered qualification and of theLearning staff opportunity are are eligible (knowledgeon permanent to to discuss apply and contracts. forthis; skills the those course areas) The withSenior Universitywhich a record Lecturer, commenced offersof under Director the 90%in opportunity September of attendance Part-time to 2010. studyyear are 2requiredTherefor a are to currently10teachingA great deal staff, BVC of andthought graduates with hasstudents. beenenrolled givenThe on panel tothe the programme also redevelopment observed and a it number ofis theanticipated new of classes. BPTC that course, aAll further of the particularly 12-15 above BPTC informed in order the to discussPostgraduateMonika 7. Standards Krawczykthe matter. Certificate and assessment in Academic strategy Practice, and which methods is designedSenior (including Lecturer to develop progression (subject skills leader: in data) teaching Criminal and Litigation learning. andA graduatespanel’sTheenable management studentsconclusions will commence to team see contained the indicated study links in onbetween thisthat this report. the programme variousdrop in subjectnumbers in the areas next in the academic in current a more academic year.coherent way.year wasFor instance,due to the instead scrupulousTheofnumber having panel of Criminal invitedstaff insistence are teaching and also of Civil inthe part-timestaff LitigationSchool to talk thatpractice taught through students onand the consecutive allmeet process are the involvedSentencing Englishof days, teaching in there languageChambers and adopted may Advanced requirementsbe in for asome Criminal OpinionCriminal way, beforeweek,Writing e.g.Litigation as followedentry anddoor in theto theby a Stafftenants. indicated Staff links that withthere the is alocal strong circuit personal include tutor marshalling systemPractice) and and also sitting a staff-student with judges. liaisonIt was notedgroup thatwith theretwo was Staffcourse.writingCivil week,and of A studentsSkeletonsignificant so that expressedcasesarguments, number can of bethe as applicants followed viewthese that were through required they areas did in tonot abouta takeway consider whichthethat IELTS was thatstudents not ittest was possible had appropriate delayedvoiced before. concerns. doing for The ReDOC, completeso untilStudents to late beredesign in have AugusttoofTimstudenta goodproducethe Grout course levelandrepresentatives an where of had Opinion experience required these for from applicants every ona greateach the class team dealclass were and inof group. unsuccessful, relationinvestmentbe prepared However, to arbitration and totheSenior discussiteffort placesdid andnotLecturerand it. were appearmediation, theThe panelnot (Criminalfirst that filled, session commended whichstudents withLitigation, shouldfocuses the were final the beEvidence, veryon factfull-timeadvantageous style awarethat and the of whatintaught relation had as happened ato skill the butnew toto ReDOC beissues assessed raisedelement as in ofathis knowledgethe forum, course. and subject. didAdvanced not The have BSB Criminala sensenotes Practice)thatthis commenttheir issues for were its review being of how theenrolmentstructureSchool course had and figureshas taken after gone werethe the in opportunity first itsaround firstsession year. 20 to down all develop Opinions on the the expectedare course handed into figure. insomething and Whilst given thefresh written BSB and appreciatesbut more ungraded effective the feedback. difficultiesrather than The that to suchsecondreshapeDianaaddressed a Massey situation class the with old involves duecoursemust care; cause students with furthermore minimalthe discussinglaw school,adjustments. some Opinions itstudents is to Thebe in evencommended managementgroupsSenior felt socautious Lecturer that that team there standardsabout (Civil recognised is araisingLitigation) mixture prevail concernsthat of over peerteaching numbers forreview fear staff andof in had beingsuch tutor instances.reviewdoneAngelalabelledThe panel exceptionally inHogg as this was trouble-makers. class. concerned well Model at atoanswers Thetime learn panel of from greatare therefore thegiven change. teaching out recommended at thestaff endSenior that of their each Lecturer that workload session.given (subject this hadTwo worrying leaderrecently opinions Draftingapparent been are givenexcessive: and fundamental Advancedwritten they feedbackproblemcould often with before teach feedback the from mock 9.a.m.mechanisms, examination, until 9 p.m. there but without is the a needfirst a coffee is for not studentsCivil) givenbreak, a and tomark. have rarely Staff a forumgot suggested chance to voice to that useviews if thestudents openly nominal andwere one criticalRecruitmentJunefreely,day research/practice Meadowcroft andof opinion a totransparent the writing, part-time day andthis each course couldthorough week. be was dueStaffprocess thought to were the for tofactconcerned managementhave that Seniorpreviously they that were Lecturer tono respond beenallowanceunsettled (Opinion adversely to by thesewas theWriting) madeaffected viewsfact thatfor (see by additionalit is thealso a factsubject Section timethat it 8 whereRaymondwasbelow).taken delivered to there produce Henley are on no podcasts,Fridays. right or The wrongor formove theanswers. totime evening it had deliverytaken to wasSenior rewrite hoped Lecturer the tocourse; improve (subject furthermore, retention leader Civil)although marking itrequirements was Philiprecognisedwere notRouse taken that into this account.might result This in was more all geographicalcompounded limitations bySenior the fact Lecturer on that the the recruitment (subject University leader of was part-time Conference) not replacing students. staff Initial ThereindicationsThewho Annualhad is aleft, class are Monitoring although that every there othersome report is a week gaps strongsuggests onhad cohort writing been that in apluggedskeleton therobust current system byarguments, experienced year, of withquality taught a associatenumber management in conjunction of lecturers. part-time is in with place. Thestudents civil complexities All advocacy. pointsalready raised Itof is emphasizedworkingbyusing External multiple in the Examiners from timetableslegal the profession outset are also addressed that added in 45%some to ofalthough capacity.the the strain marks for ofThe completenessare the change for situation; the skeleton.in delivery the usereport The hasof shouldonesmall led timetable to group containa different sessions might copies demographic enable atof whichthe full of studentsresponsesmanagement receiveon to the examinersto part-timesee feedback, workloads (and course and all morewhere responseshowever clearly. the itfeedback shouldis Overall, too early be is therefore, copiedrecorded, to compare to staffthe are theBSB supplementedfelt performance that as a their matter goodwill by acrossof large course). had part-timegroup been sessions somewhat and full- whichtimetaken cohorts. fordeal granted with the and theory that theyof skeletons. could not Podcasts continue areindefinitely also used. with this state of affairs, which was also damaging to their continuing connections with practice. It was clear from the meeting with students that this Thecould profile also haveof home an adverse students effect on completing on the level the of course support had available been the to subjectthem (see of a8 5-yearbelow). longitudinal The panel survey.therefore 51%strongly of respondents recommends were that practising in reviewing at the individual Bar and staffa total members’ of 91% were overall working work allocations,in the legal profession.marking load This and surveyadditional had areas been of useful work asbe it taken was moreinto account appropriate to prevent for bar over-reliance course students on the than goodwill general of university staff. surveys (which tend to have a census point 6 months after graduation) because it showed that students were not going directly into pupillage after finishing the course but were taking longer to get to appropriate destinations. The survey will be continued on an annual basis.

Manchester Metropolitan University, 15 March 2011 1 Confirmed 8. Student support and quality of student experience 9. Learning resources (Library and IT) 10. Equality and diversity The benefits of being a department within a faculty within a university are that students have access to the counsellingAdditional commentsand learner support facilities of a large institution. A new building is being constructed that is The panel had the opportunity to view classroom and IT resources. At MMU, groups of up to 12 students are geographicallyGood practice, adjacent distinguishing but separate features from the rest of the faculty and with will contain catering and recreational Noset issuesup as Chambers, of equality ofand which diversity there were are 8.raised Each during Chambers the visit has (the its ownstudents classroom that the with panel Chambers met had library not needed and IT facilities with a 24 hour reception and a range of teaching rooms in a joint facility with the Business School that anyTheresourcesConclusions: adjustmentsBSB notes and recommendationthis that that helps in had removing to not foster been the ona made) grouplegal accreditation/approval/continuing researchidentityand the forpanel module each. observed whenStudents the nothing arenew provided BPTC approvalthat it wasfelt with needed designed, Archbold further the and implication the White will include a student hub and thus address the present lack of a social area. Discussions are currently investigation.canTheBook.Recommendations bepanel There inferred wished is The notthat supporttoa the commendseparate use mechanisms of Lawhard the School following:copy of paper thelibrary wider resources but University the Chambers is less are important: available set-up renders theto all danger students. that isless that necessary. students will Access not looktounderway Lawtel, at full Westlawwithreports, the architects butand only a number at to relevant ensure of other sections.that databases the sense The BSB isof also identity will available note of the onlinepotentialLaw School (including implications can frombe recreated theof this PCs in in inits thethe review new premises.RecommendRecommendation It is continuing recognised 1 approvalThat that theas theforLaw thebar School academiccourse do is everything ayear highly 2010-11. specialist possible course,to retain this its distinctivewill need careful and strong identity ofChambers the1. newThe course.classrooms). openness to The asthe the mainuse development of University new technologies librarywith the is Businessavailableas teaching inSchool anresources. adjacent goes forward. building although in practice it is littleconsideration. used by bar The course panel students recommended who prefer that to the use Law the School resources do everything within the possibleSchool or to online. retain Studentsits distinctive were and Recommendation2. The commitment 2 Theto investment balance between in the redevelopment ‘live’ and online of thelectures new courseshould ratherbe closely than monitored reshaping alongthe old. particularlystrong identity appreciative as the development of the online with resources the Business and the School way thesegoes forward.were linking The withpanel practical noted that application there are of the 3. The excellent teachingwith the materials. developing pedagogy of the VLE. lawproblems in4. classes,The in theconscientious although current accommodation some management felt that there inand terms was teaching ofa dangertemperature staff. that too regulation. much online At the material time of could the visit result it was in a more Recommendationimpersonalexcessively approachhot, and 3 this or in wasGiven a potential affecting the apparent feeling both staff offundamental being and students.short-changed. problem It is withto Abe balancethe hoped effectiveness thatis clearly some ofdesirable way feedback can beand found the to paneladdress recommended this. thatmechanisms, the balance betweenthere is a ‘live’ need and for onlinestudents lectures to have should a forum be closelyto voice monitored, views openly along and with the developing pedagogyfreely, of and the aVLE. transparent and thorough process for management to respond to these The Law School providesviews. financial support for students to attend Inns events in London so that they do not miss RecommendationTheout on panel the benefitswas impressed 4 of qualifyingDevise with the sessions and innovative review and an andInns anonymous imaginativeweekends questionnaire that use canthat provide was that being ainvites boost made clear to of confidence. technology feedback on to both enhance learning and teachingthe course, on the individual course. Each subjects subject and areaindividual has a tutors, set of andinteractive find the materials most appropriate and podcastsPro bono andopportunities documents at meansrelatedthe Law ofto School ensuringlectures have cana good been be uploaded.response developed rate.Staff over are the pleased last three with years the results into a deliberatelyso far, and feel Recommendationthatbroad the partnership electronic model5resources ratherReview have than teaching enabled a clinic techniques students environment. to in be small Therebetter group prepared,are 8sessions partners, for exampleto mostly give students charities,a voluntary a moreand self-test around effective in 12 advocacyprojects are was run completed each year. frameworkby Bar 78 courseout of of 84 thestudents students. whole are that The involved enables management in them all but to team oneunderstand project. indicated focussedThere that isalthough a feedback pro bono there on website had beenwith details some ofteething how to problems applyspecific to takewith areas. advantagethe Virtual [e.g. looking Learningof opportunities. at Environment,a whole The opinion commitment additional or skeleton] student required support is substantial, had been but is of Recommendationprovidedgreat benefit and toit wasthe 6 students hopedIn that reviewing who future take problemsindividualit on. A BVC wouldstaff Graduate members’ be addressed was overall shortlisted through work allocations, fora change the Attorney to the a Moodle panel General’s strongly award environmentin 2010 and was with named 24-hour onerecommends critical of the back-up top that6 pro-bono hosted marking by students loadthe University and for additional her ofoutstanding London. areas of work work with be takenthe Manchester into account to Mediation Service. prevent over-reliance on the goodwill of staff. 80-85 PCs are available to BPTC students (in addition to those in the Chambers rooms), and there is an IT drop-inAn Additional system Professional for any problems. Programme There runsis a resourceweekly and room provides with a amini range library of additional available lecturesfor part-time and workshops,students whenoften drawingthe Chambers on contacts rooms with are the in use. Northern Circuit, designed to enhance students’ knowledge and skills. Students spoke very warmly of this initiative.

The panel met with a group of students, all of whom were full-time and all of whom wished to practise at the self-employed Bar, although one student in the group would also be interested to explore other potential options.

Students were generally positive about the level of contact with tutors, and about tutors’ approachability and willingness to explain things. The Chambers set-up was thought to have worked extremely well for the core subjects but now that the course had moved on from those to ReDOC, the Chambers set-up was no longer used and students missed their base rooms and groups. One disadvantage of the Chambers set-up is that lockers in those rooms are inaccessible if the room is occupied.

The main concerns of students were around inconsistencies that they perceived across their experiences with teaching as it was felt that on occasions staff simply did not have time to address their needs, and could sometimes be dismissive of concerns raised. It was also thought that there were sometimes inconsistencies in advice given by tutors.

One serious concern voiced by students was that it was not always possible to get the desired benefits from teaching sessions because of the way they were structured. The Opinion Writing classes in particular had left students confused as to what they should be able to do, given that the focus had been on the detail of one small part of an opinion with no sense of overview and a focus on stylistic matters that students found puzzling; similarly with writing skeleton arguments, some students had been given detailed advice whilst others felt that they had been left without a clear sense of what was required. Whilst the panel acknowledged that the group of students was not speaking for the whole cohort, it was nevertheless concerned that some sessions were evidently leaving students confused. The panel therefore recommended that the Law School review teaching techniques in small group sessions to give students a more effective framework of the whole that enables them to understand focussed feedback on specific areas, for instance by ensuring that a whole opinion or skeleton is discussed at some point.

The panel was also concerned that students did not feel that the formal mechanisms by which they might raise such issues were effective, and that there needed to be a more systematic way of collecting feedback on both teaching sessions and individual tutors in order for problems to be effectively raised and addressed. There panel therefore recommended that the School should revise and review the use of an anonymous questionnaire that invites clear feedback on both the course, individual subjects and individual tutors, and find theManchester most appropriate Metropolitan means University, of ensuring 15 a Marchgood response 2011 rate. 2 Confirmed

Response by the Provider

Summary MMU has successfully delivered the Bar Vocational Course since 1997 and have now successfully completed delivery of the first year of the Bar Professional Training Course. The team welcome the advice and guidance provided by the Bar Standards Board and will continue to collaborate with the Bar Standards Board to maintain excellence in teaching and learning and use the monitoring process as part of the quality enhancement process for the BPTC. Specific comments addressing the matters discussed in the report are set out below.

Context Approval was granted for the Masters Degree in Legal Practice (LLM) in 2009-10. Students holding a BVC/BPTC qualification are eligible to apply for the course which commenced in September 2010. There are currently10 BVC graduates enrolled on the programme and it is anticipated that a further 12-15 BPTC graduates will commence study on this programme in the next academic year.

Adherence to course aims, philosophy and standards The course remains popular, demand for places exceeds our validated number.

Quality management systems There are a range of feedback mechanisms in place to gather student views. Whilst good feedback in terms of quality and content has been obtained in a number of areas the team recognise that full publicity has not always been given to changes and enhancements that have been made in response to student comment. For future years there will be greater feedback opportunities and clearer information provided of how that feedback has fed into enhancing the quality of the course. In addition students will be made aware of the range of methods that they can use to put across their views on the course.

Staffing and staff development MMU has a highly experienced teaching team. We are fortunate in the depth of breadth of experience of the team. MMU took the decision to fundamentally redesign the course in preparation for the delivery of the BPTC. The School of Law is adopting a new work loading model for all members of the school which will more accurately capture and reflect the work load of the teaching team, specifically time spent designing new learning resources and the marking of student course work and examinations will be taken into account. This should lead to a more balanced and equitable staff workloading for future years.

Curriculum content and structure The team have been very pleased with the effectiveness of the new BPTC design in delivering all the learning outcomes in a way that has allowed students to understand the holistic nature of preparation for the Bar.

Admissions and student profile Our 5 year longitudinal survey has indicated that over half our graduates have been successful at obtaining pupillage/tenancies in chambers and 91% are working in the legal profession. We believe that this offers a much truer representation of ultimate student destination than the report indicating destination 6 months after leaving the course.

Teaching and Learning (knowledge and skills areas) The Opinion Writing course will be enhanced for the next academic year providing more opportunities for work to be individually marked to develop students’ understanding of the skill.

Student support and quality of student experience The professional and distinct identity of the course will be maintained through its delivery in the dedicated ‘Brook Square’ Learning area. Student views will continue to be sought and acted upon by the team. New methods of capturing feedback will be explored. The team will continue to work towards improving the overall quality of the course and ensuring an excellent student experience.

Manchester Metropolitan University, 15 March 2011 3