Rachel Heyes (FBMH Teaching, Learning & Students) for Inclusive education and Flexible learning and digital delivery

Rachel’s nomination outlined several initiatives that she has spearheaded over recent years to help staff create more equitable and effective learning environments. This work includes the development of online guidance, creation and delivery of training sessions and an asynchronous course - Accessibility in Blended Learning- to support staff to apply accessible and inclusive principles in their teaching.

The course addresses a known challenge by reducing the gap between policy and practice. It provides explicit guidance and practice in key areas such as presentation design, documents, digital resources, recorded lectures and approaches to student support. Staff are able to translate what they learn directly into practice, improving the accessibility of teaching materials, digital resources and student support. The overall aim is to enable all students to fully engage with their learning, supporting achievement and wellbeing through a greater sense of belonging. By improving the accessibility of content and communication, the work supports more consistent, embedded practice across the institution and contributes to a more inclusive university.