Framework for Training Ringers

  The Framework was developed by the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers Education Committee in 2006. It is no longer available on the Central Council website and is reproduced here to make it available to anyone interested. 9nb – links to the Council website no longer work.)

This Framework applies to the training of bellringers in full circle ringing. It lists a comprehensive set of objectives that will be achieved to a greater or lesser extent by a band applying good practice. It does not mandate how the objectives must be achieved, nor indeed that all bands must achieve all of them to the same extent. The Framework is not a manual to tell you how to organise and conduct training. It is a checklist that you can use when reviewing or planning how your tower trains ringers.

The Framework is comprehensive, and covers all angles of four essential aspects of training:

If you know how you achieve each objective (fully or partly), or if you have a good reason why you don't achieve a particular objective, then you can be confident that you are applying good practice.

If you were ever required to explain why you do things the way you do, and you could explain how you meet the Framework objectives, then you would be on firm ground.

If you need help thinking in more detail about any particular objective, there are some supplementary questions, containing questions about each objective, to help stimulate your thoughts. It can be downloaded from the CC Education Committee website: http://www.cccbr.org.uk/edc/edc.php

1 – Management of training

1.1 Organisation
  1. Prior to starting training, a new recruit is given a full understanding of what is entailed in learning to ring and what commitment will be expected when (s)he can ring.
  2. The rate at which new trainees are recruited takes account of the human and other resources available to provide adequate support for learning at each stage.
  3. The tutor(s) allocated to a recruit for initial training is suitable in temperament for the trainee.
  4. Training sessions are scheduled to optimise the trainee's opportunity to progress.
1.2 Young people
  1. When a young person is recruited, his/her parents are given the full understanding of what is involved, and the support that they will be expected to provide.
  2. Training sessions involving young people conform to the Parish's child protection policy.
1.3 Assessment of results
  1. A trainee's progress is regularly assessed in an open and constructive way.
  2. Decisions about future training are based on reviews of progress.
  3. Tutors are encouraged to assess the outcome of training methods they use.

2 – Resources

2.1 The training setting
  1. Training is conducted in comfortable surroundings.
  2. The location used for training does not present undue safety hazards.
2.2 Physical resources
  1. Resources are provided to demonstrate how a bell works and is rung.
  2. Bell(s) used for initial training are chosen to present the trainee with least handling challenge.
  3. Trainees ring bells of progressively different characteristics to help develop rounded skills.
  4. Different resources are used to gain benefit from different exercises.
  5. Best use is made of available resources.

3 – People

3.1 Personal ringing competence
  1. Tutors who teach bellhandling can safely and confidently handle any bell on which training is undertaken, using minimal concentration.
  2. Tutors who teach bellhandling can intervene in a timely and safe way if necessary.
  3. Tutors who teach bellhandling can set a good example, and demonstrate any aspect of bell control.
  4. Ringers supervising novices are able to intervene in a timely and safe way if necessary.
  5. If more than one person working as a team undertakes training, the collective competence of the teaching team is adequate.
3.2 Teaching skills
  1. Tutors who teach bell control understand essential ringing skills.
  2. Tutors understand the learning process.
  3. Tutors who teach bell control can observe trainees and diagnose problems.
  4. Tutors explain things clearly, and check that the trainee understands.
  5. Tutors develop a rapport with their trainees.
3.3 Development of tutors
  1. The band develops new tutors to ensure continuity.
  2. The band encourages its existing tutors to develop their teaching skills.
3.4 Participation of trainees
  1. Trainees actively participate in their development.
  2. Trainees take an appropriate share of responsibility for safety.

4 – Teaching process

4.1 Bell control
  1. Trainees are taught to control a bell using a systematic process of explanation, demonstration, supervised rehearsal and critical feedback.
  2. Trainees are taught a basic safety drill before they learn to ring.
  3. Physical tutor intervention is kept to the minimum while a trainee is ringing.
  4. Trainees are taught to raise and lower a bell early in their training.
  5. Trainees are coached to perfect their bell control skills alongside learning to ring changes.
4.2 Collective ringing
  1. Trainees are taught to synchronise a bell with others using a systematic process of explanation, rehearsal and critical feedback.
  2. Trainees are encouraged to develop a sense of rhythm by a combination of suitable exercises and coaching.
  3. Trainees are encouraged to develop listening skills by a combination of suitable exercises and coaching.
  4. Trainees are encouraged to develop ropesight by a combination of suitable exercises and coaching.
4.3 Change ringing
  1. Trainees are taught change ringing using a systematic process of explanation, rehearsal and critical feedback.
  2. Trainees are taught the basics of changeringing using simple exercises and methods.
  3. Trainees are given opportunities to progress in small steps where possible.
  4. Trainees are encouraged to supplement practical experience with study of theory
  5. Input from 'minders' while trainees are ringing is kept to a minimum, but available if needed
  6. Trainees are encouraged to develop an understanding of what they are ringing
  7. Trainees are encouraged to aspire to being able to call things that they can ring.
4.4 Continuing development
  1. Trainees are encouraged to take responsibility for their own continuing development, and to take an active role in ringing.

If you ever needed to develop a formal Code of Practice for training in your band, you are advised to base it on the Framework headings. The content should reflect your local needs and constraints, not some idealised view of what someone else would do in a perfect band. It must be workable.