FE Focus: What Educators Love About CENTURY

At our most recent FE Focus Conference in partnership with Nottingham College, we asked attendees to share their thoughts and experiences of using CENTURY. The insights we received were not only inspiring but also highlighted the different ways educators are using technology to personalise learning, enhance teaching, and keep learners engaged. Here’s what they had to say:

What do you love most about using CENTURY?

For many, CENTURY stands out for its ease of use and adaptability:

• “It’s so easy to use, it’s very visually pleasing and all learners work quickly.”
  – Alison Stenton, English Lecturer, Chesterfield College
• “No marking!”
  – Rhiannon Davies, Curriculum Area Lead, North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC)

Others highlighted the personalised learning experience and how it connects skills to real-world application:

• “It focuses entirely on student weaknesses. An excellent training tool to aid progress. It shows students how widely maths is used within industry and helps focus them on key topics.”
  – Jonathan Reid, Maths and English Digital Lead, Kirklees College

CENTURY also supports instant feedback and independence:

• “Students get instant feedback on work they complete with a RAG rating. Green = move on, Amber = revisit, Red = let’s retry together.”
  – Charmain Dickerson, Functional Maths Tutor & IQA, East Coast College
• “It allows for independent learning with a structured approach. Students have freedom of choice but tasks are still tailored to their needs.”
  – Emma Stephens, Programme Leader English, TEC Partnership

And it’s not just students who benefit as teachers appreciate CENTURY’s wraparound support:

• “The CPD sessions, regular updates, and caring attitude to learners are excellent.”
  – Steve Wileman, Head of Digital Learning, South Staffordshire College

What is your favourite CENTURY feature and why?

Educators were quick to share their favourite tools:

• “Getting assignments – it adds a standardised approach alongside differentiated nuggets. Great for formative assessments.”
  – Alison Stenton, English Lecturer, Chesterfield College
• “The ability to see each question with a score and time. Excellent when applying exam conditions.”
  – Rhiannon Davies, Curriculum Area Lead, North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC)
• “The diagnostic – it makes initial assessment and progress a breeze.”
  – Emma Stephens, Programme Leader English, TEC Partnership
• “The ability to provide AI-generated questions so learners can practice skills without memorising answers.”
  – Reece Tinkler, GCSE Teacher in Construction, Barnsley College

Teachers also praised the data and insights CENTURY provides:

• “My favourite feature is being able to see, in one place, how long each student has spent on the nuggets that have been set.”
  – Jeanette Walsh, Mathematics Teacher, Craven College
• “The group scatter graph […], it engaged learners outside the classroom and had a positive impact on progress.”
  – Rachel Munroe, English and Maths Campus Lead (Lichfield & Cannock Campus), South Staffordshire College

How has AI changed your approach to differentiation and intervention?

AI has opened new doors for personalisation and time-saving interventions:

• “Embracing AI including CENTURY has improved the speed at which our staff can differentiate – what used to take hours is now automatic.”
  – Kate Scott, Curriculum Leader for English, DN Colleges Group
• “We use AI to create short quizzes to target mistakes learners made in assessments. They are quick to create, extremely personalised and easy to mark.”
  – Dimitrios Tsokanos, Curriculum Manager – English Department, Loughborough College
• “It has made differentiation far easier, due to CENTURY’s individual pathways. It also allows for more creativity too.”
  – Emma Scragg, Curriculum Area Lead for English and Maths, North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC)

Others shared creative uses of AI in the classroom:

• “We’ve used it in English to help learners create opening paragraphs for narratives. Getting started is often the hardest part for resit learners.”
  – Tony Jackson, Deputy Head of E&M, RNN Group
• “AI has provided a time-effective strategy to differentiate tasks by grade and contextualisation. It allows staff to create activities ‘on the fly’.”
  – Craig Hancox, Head of English and Maths, South Staffordshire College

What are your top tips for inspiring and engaging students?

Engagement strategies varied, but many focused on relationships, positivity, and creativity:

• “Build an actual relationship with your students. Make them feel important and respected.”
  – Barka Batool, Programme Lead (English and Maths), Kirklees College
• “Always focus on the positive. Praise effort as much as possible.”
  – Tony Jackson, Deputy Head of E&M, RNN Group
• “Passion is powerful! Turn lessons into experiences.”
  – Marie Tate, English Lecturer, Leeds College of Building
• “Include students in curriculum planning – we even published their short stories in a book. They were so proud to be published authors.”
  – Bojana Bojauic, English lecturer, Leeds College of Building

Others found gamification and structure kept motivation high:

• “Make every session a competition – pit students or tables against each other to keep engagement up.”
  – Rhiannon Davis, Curriculum Area Lead, North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC)
• “Encourage short, sharp bursts of usage weekly and write it into schemes of work so it’s part of lessons.”
  – Alison Stenton, English Lecturer, Chesterfield College

The voices of FE Focus attendees show just how powerful CENTURY and AI are in transforming teaching and learning. From reducing workload to personalising pathways, from boosting student confidence to building stronger connections, educators are finding innovative ways to inspire learners.

Above all, one theme ran throughout every response: it’s not just about technology, it’s about people. The passion, care, and creativity of FE educators are what truly bring CENTURY to life.

Learn more about CENTURY for FE by booking a demo today.