Standards / Competences
What Programmes Exist Now?
Six universities piloted masters programmes in the College's first year. Since then the College has established a Principal Partners scheme with a core group of universities. These have agreed to work closely with the VSC on the development of accredited management development courses which are refined to reflect the competence framework. All programmes cover core areas of need such as strategic planning, quality improvement and resource management.
The five universities presently working most closely with the College and the appropriate contact points are listed below:
Prof. Mel Ainscow
0161 2753503
MEL.AINSCOW@man.ac.uk
Manchester University
Ann Grieve
0141 950 3035
ann.grieve@strath.ac.uk
University of Strathclyde
David Turner
dturner@glam.ac.uk
Glamorgan University
Coleen Jackson
Crjsol@aol.com
University of Chichester
Eleanor Moffatt
01392 262834
E.K.Moffatt@exeter.ac.uk
Exeter University
Note some universities programmes are delivered by supported learning and can be accessed from outside their region. Not everybody wants or can afford the time to take full masters programmes. Whereas it is possible to enrol for individual modules the need for even shorter programmes has been identified. Confed has long offered its members development opportunities through regional workshops and conferences. These 'information giving' events will continue to make an important contribution to professional development and can be enhanced by being more closely linked to the competence framework.
Working with the partner universities the College has built on this approach
to produce high quality, low cost, short professional development events
which can be delivered locally. These have explicit learning objectives;
and many offer the option of accreditation. They run for either half a day
or a whole day and cover topics such as project management, multi agency
working, using data, best value, developing healthy organisations, and special
educational needs.
WHAT ELSE?
The post graduate programmes will continue to be developed and will increasingly reflect the competence framework. Regional and National 'information giving' conferences are being brought under the College umbrella and kite marked to indicate their relevance and quality. More short courses are planned. The College will also be considering whether new accredited programmes possibly are required to serve a wide range of staff engaged in education and children's services management and delivery.
Professional development is about more than the provision of relevant off the job programmes however. Competence frameworks have a wide range of uses (see section on Competence Framework). Guidance has been produced for individuals and their managers as to how this framework can be used to write job descriptions; to aid performance management and review; and to produce individual development plans. It is already possible to begin to use the full functional map which is available on this website.
Possible uses might be to: analyse jobs, assess and individual's level of competence and compare it with job requirements, identify individuals development needs to meet personal and career aspirations; and analyse development opportunities to see if they meet needs. Now that the performance standards are available, it will be possible to do this with more precision.
Other projects include providing information to potential users both in paper form and via this website and the previously disseminated case studies of best CPD practice. Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield LEA completed a pilot assessment and development centre during 2000 aimed at supporting individuals in producing their own development plans. This initiative has informed the Professional Assessment and Development Initiative in Wales which was funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and has led to the publication of the Personal Development Portfolio and Professional Development Analysis. Both of these have now been revised for additional use in England and Scotland.
