Management Information Sheet
Changes to Support Staff Qualifications
Important changes are being made to the qualifications system. These changes have been designed to help improve skills by creating flexible qualifications that are easier to understand and meet the needs of both the learner and the employer. A new system has been designed to make qualifications easier to understand and use and more inclusive. Qualifications are intended to be more relevant to the needs of employers and more flexible and accessible for learners. The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is the new framework for creating and accrediting qualifications and is at the heart of this major reform of the whole vocational qualifications system.
In addition the Government White Paper for 21st Century Schools outlines the expectation for everyone in the children's workforce to be qualified to Level 3 where appropriate. Evidence from world-class education systems suggests that having better qualified staff can make a greater impact on pupils in the classroom. So, in the 21st Century school all staff working to support pupils' learning will have, or will be working towards, a Level 3 qualification by 2020.
What does this mean for schools?
From September 2010 all vocational qualifications will have to be accredited within the QCF, including the previously known NVQs in Supporting Teaching and Learning, TA induction, and the SWiS (Support Work in Schools) suite of qualifications. The new qualifications are expected to be in place by late Autumn Term 2010 (responsibility for these lie with the sector skills body for school support staff), the Training & Development Agency. Candidates will be asked to complete an application form which will be analysed by the Curriculum Team and Children's Services staff who will then make a recommendation on the most appropriate training route for the applicant. Full details of this can be found at www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk.
How do staff apply for an accredited qualification?
Selecting the correct level and type of qualification is crucial. As a consequence of these changes we have developed a new application process to ensure learners receive the correct level, type and size of qualification appropriate to the individual's knowledge, experience and role. An application pack has been issued to schools with full details of these new qualifications. This can also be found on our website www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk (under What's New). Entry requirements remain the same and candidates must be employed in a local authority school to receive funding. This process will replace the previous one for applying for our fully funded NVQ Level 3 and other support staff qualifications.
Briefing Sessions on New Qualifications and Apprenticeships
To update schools and answer questions on these changes we will deliver briefing sessions which will be delivered across the County in partnership with Adult Education, our training provider of choice. Dates, times and venue details can be found on our website (places are limited so early booking is recommended) www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk in the 'What's New' section. Please book by Friday, 28th May, 2010.
How will the new qualifications work?
They will be made up of units that are worth credits. These units of study can be built up into full qualifications of different sizes at different levels of difficulty. There are three sizes of qualification;
Award - the smallest type of qualification on the QCF. Worth between 1 - 12 credits
Certificate - worth between 13 - 36 credits.
Diploma - worth 37 credits or more
There are eight levels of difficulty from entry level through to the highest level 8 - it might be helpful to know that GCSEs 9grades A* - C) are level 2, A levels are level 3 and a PhD degree is equivalent in difficulty to level 8.
Common Core of Skills and Knowledge for the Children's Workforce
The Common Core of Skills and Knowledge is integrated within the competency framework and the intention is for the majority of qualifications within the sector to be submitted for inclusion to the integrated qualifications framework (IQF) for the children's workforce.
Funding for qualifications
It is our intention to continue to fund as many accredited qualifications as possible and we continue to support our programme of training and development for school support staff for 2010/11. Qualifications and training offered best meet the needs of the sector and reflect current Government skills policies.
It is also important to note that NVQs will continue to be recognised and valued by employers.
Who to contact for further information
If you have a query or need further information, please contact Denise Beckett, Training and Development Co-ordinator for School Support Staff, on 01603 222743 or email denise.beckett@norfolk.gov.uk.
In addition the Government White Paper for 21st Century Schools outlines the expectation for everyone in the children's workforce to be qualified to Level 3 where appropriate. Evidence from world-class education systems suggests that having better qualified staff can make a greater impact on pupils in the classroom. So, in the 21st Century school all staff working to support pupils' learning will have, or will be working towards, a Level 3 qualification by 2020.
What does this mean for schools?
From September 2010 all vocational qualifications will have to be accredited within the QCF, including the previously known NVQs in Supporting Teaching and Learning, TA induction, and the SWiS (Support Work in Schools) suite of qualifications. The new qualifications are expected to be in place by late Autumn Term 2010 (responsibility for these lie with the sector skills body for school support staff), the Training & Development Agency. Candidates will be asked to complete an application form which will be analysed by the Curriculum Team and Children's Services staff who will then make a recommendation on the most appropriate training route for the applicant. Full details of this can be found at www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk.
How do staff apply for an accredited qualification?
Selecting the correct level and type of qualification is crucial. As a consequence of these changes we have developed a new application process to ensure learners receive the correct level, type and size of qualification appropriate to the individual's knowledge, experience and role. An application pack has been issued to schools with full details of these new qualifications. This can also be found on our website www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk (under What's New). Entry requirements remain the same and candidates must be employed in a local authority school to receive funding. This process will replace the previous one for applying for our fully funded NVQ Level 3 and other support staff qualifications.
Briefing Sessions on New Qualifications and Apprenticeships
To update schools and answer questions on these changes we will deliver briefing sessions which will be delivered across the County in partnership with Adult Education, our training provider of choice. Dates, times and venue details can be found on our website (places are limited so early booking is recommended) www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk in the 'What's New' section. Please book by Friday, 28th May, 2010.
How will the new qualifications work?
They will be made up of units that are worth credits. These units of study can be built up into full qualifications of different sizes at different levels of difficulty. There are three sizes of qualification;
Award - the smallest type of qualification on the QCF. Worth between 1 - 12 credits
Certificate - worth between 13 - 36 credits.
Diploma - worth 37 credits or more
There are eight levels of difficulty from entry level through to the highest level 8 - it might be helpful to know that GCSEs 9grades A* - C) are level 2, A levels are level 3 and a PhD degree is equivalent in difficulty to level 8.
Common Core of Skills and Knowledge for the Children's Workforce
The Common Core of Skills and Knowledge is integrated within the competency framework and the intention is for the majority of qualifications within the sector to be submitted for inclusion to the integrated qualifications framework (IQF) for the children's workforce.
Funding for qualifications
It is our intention to continue to fund as many accredited qualifications as possible and we continue to support our programme of training and development for school support staff for 2010/11. Qualifications and training offered best meet the needs of the sector and reflect current Government skills policies.
It is also important to note that NVQs will continue to be recognised and valued by employers.
Who to contact for further information
If you have a query or need further information, please contact Denise Beckett, Training and Development Co-ordinator for School Support Staff, on 01603 222743 or email denise.beckett@norfolk.gov.uk.