Competence Framework
During the period 1999 – 2002 the VSC and the Local Government National Training Organisation completed the development of a competence framework for staff in LEAs. This has now been revised for Children’s Services.
Essentially competences are a language that can be used to describe jobs and the level of performance that is required to do them successfully. As such they have a wide range of uses. They can be used for job descriptions, performance appraisal, individual development plans and for designing training/development programmes to meet identified needs.
All VSC accredited training events state the intended learning outcomes together with those elements of the competence framework being addressed by the course/event content. A number of the partner universities have already designed their Masters’ programmes to reflect the competence framework.
Virtual Staff College Occupational Standards: Competence
Glossary of Terms
Competence – being able to perform ‘whole’ work roles to the standards expected in employment in real work environments.
Key Purpose – an all-encompassing statement designed to capture all the unique features of a sector, and will normally represent activities to which hundreds or thousands of people contribute.
Functional Map – the range of functions that are carried out within a specified occupational sector (in this case education and children’s services management)
Key areas, Key roles, Functional Units, Functional Elements – successive sub-divisions of roles and functions, until they are expressed at a level which individuals either alone or in teams will carry out directly.
Standards – external (to individuals reference points describing what he/she would have to do to demonstrate competence in a particular functional area. (Note: these can be national reference points as in occupational standards and NVQs or local within a particular organisation setting out what level of performance is required in that specific context).
Performance Criteria – more detailed descriptions of the evidence that is required to demonstrate competence.