Beacons Prospectus 2009/10

Beacon AwardsProspectus 2009 - 2010

The Make Your MarkAward forEnterprise

The Mercers' CompanyAward for Science or

Mathematics

The Network for BlackProfessionals Award forPromoting Race Equality

The OCR Award forFunctional Skills

The RNIB and MencapAward for Students with

Learning Difficultiesand/or Disabilities

The Welsh AssemblyGovernment Award for

College Engagement withEmployers

The AoC Beacon Awards 2009-2010 Sponsors

The AQA Award forCollege/School

Partnerships

The Association ofColleges Award for

Widening Participation

The Becta Award for Excellence in the Use of

Technology

The British CouncilAward for International

Student Support

The CLA Award forPromoting the Value of

Copyright

The CoLRiC Award forthe Effective Integration

of Libraries/LearningResources Centres inCurriculum Delivery

The Churches' Award forSustainable College

Partnerships thatRecognise Diversity and

Develop People andCommunities

The City & Guilds Awardfor Staff Development in

Further Education

The Department forChildren, Schools and

Families Award forSuccessful Delivery ofLevel 3 Qualifications

The DCSF, DIUS and LSCAward for Smarter

Procurement

The Edexcel Award forLifelong Learning

The Edge Award forPractical Teaching and

Practical Learning

The FENC Award for theCreative Production,

Adaptation and Deliveryof Learning Resources

The Jardine LloydThompson Benefit

Solutions Award forHealth and Community

Care

The Learning and SkillsCouncil Award for 14-19

Collaboration

The Learning and SkillsCouncil Award for

College Engagement withEmployers

The Learning and SkillsCouncil Award for

Equality andDiversity

LSIS Award forLeadership of Innovation

in CurriculumDevelopment

Benefit Solutions

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A Message from the Minister for Further Education

The Government’s very glad to give its continuing support to the AoCBeacon Awards which are now in their sixteenth year. These awards areunique because they bring out the strengths and wide-ranging talents of theCollege sector.

In difficult times like these, when we face difficult challenges, Colleges are avital source of support for people and their local communities. Not only doColleges give people the training they need for their future, but they are alsoa place for people who may have lost their jobs to keep connected and avoidbeing isolated.

Last year’s “Celebrating Colleges” report made clear just how innovate andexcellent UK Colleges are. Over the past decade, Colleges have provedthemselves to be highly adaptable to social, political and economiccircumstances whilst always making sure they give their local communitiesthe support that they need.

That is why it’s so important for Colleges to get involved with the AoCBeacon Awards. We need to be aware of the fantastic work going on in ourColleges throughout the country and to be reminded of how Colleges can bethe life-blood of their communities.

Thank you to all the sponsors of the AoC Beacon Awards for their continuingsupport of these important awards and to the AoC for ensuring that theawards keep to the highest standards, so winning Colleges know they havereceived the greatest possible accolade.

Siôn Simon MPMinister for Further Education

Print and Design ServicesCrossgate has been providing quality designand print services for 30 years.

We are also proud to have beenassociated with the BeaconAwards since they werelaunched by the AoC in 1994 asa producer and sponsor.

We provide our services to a wide range of clients in boththe public and private sectorsincluding a number of Schoolsand Colleges.

Our range of services includethe design and production of:

• Brochures• Mailers• Exhibition Display• Posters• Folders• Prospectuses• Stationery

For more information on our services call Alan Knighton 020 8539 [email protected]

1979 - 2009 Celebrating 30 Years in Print

further education - serving the needs of a better society and strong economy

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The following bodies have given invaluablesupport for the Programme for 2009-2010which is greatly appreciated:

The AoC Beacon Awards Programme

Administered by the Association of Colleges

The AoC Beacon Awards were set up by The Partnership Trust in 1994.

Since August 1996 they have been administered by the Association ofColleges.

The AoC Beacon Awards are run through the AoC Charitable Trust which is aRegistered Charity in England and Wales (charity number 1040631) and in

Scotland (charity number SC039064).

Authored by Alice Thiagaraj

Authorised by Dame Patricia Morgan-Webb

The AoC Beacon Awards ProgrammeThe AoC Beacon Awards, launched in 1994, recognise and are designed topromote the interdependence of further education colleges, business,professional and voluntary sector organisations to their mutual advantage.

The aim of the programme is to highlight the breadth and quality ofeducation in colleges throughout the UK and increase understanding ofcolleges’ contribution to UK educational skills policy and economic and socialdevelopment.

The Awards:• Recognise imaginative and exemplary teaching and learning practice in

colleges

• Draw attention to provision which encourages and supports learners toapproach challenges positively and creatively

• Support learning and continuous improvement through thedissemination of Award-bearing practice.

.

The Programme represents partnership in action by providing significantbenefits for the major players involved:

• An Award acts as a development grant to help realise the full potentialof a project based in a college of further education.

• An Award serves to promote the business needs and interests of thesponsor.

The dissemination of exemplary practice represented by the Award-winningprojects is a major purpose of each year’s AoC Beacon Awards Programme.Project Profiles of each year’s winning colleges are written up and areavailable on the AoC web site approximately a year after their announcement.

The AoC Beacon Awards Steering GroupThe AoC Beacon Awards Programme is operated through the AoC CharitableTrust which is a Registered Charity in England, Wales and Scotland, and isadministered by the Association of Colleges (AoC). The AoC Beacon Awardsoffice is offered advice and guidance by the Steering Group for the deliveryand development of the programme. The Steering Group is made up ofrepresentatives from colleges, funding bodies and sponsoring organisations(Steering Group members as of 1 April 2009 appear on the back page). TheSteering Group makes all final decisions about Award winners in the light ofrecommendations from the team of Assessors and the Lead Assessor.

further education - serving the needs of a better society and strong economyfurther education - serving the needs of a better society and strong economy


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The 2009-2010 AoC Beacon Awards

The AoC Beacon Awards recognise and commend exemplary initiatives(which can be programmes, courses, projects or other forms of teaching,learning, advice, guidance or support).

• Awards take the form of monetary grants of, on average, £5,000 whichwill be awarded on the clear understanding that the total monies willbe set against expenditures incurred taking forward the developmentof each winning initiative.

• Colleges are defined as institutions which were incorporated under theFurther and Higher Education Act 1992 (the Act).

• Awards are designed at the discretion of the sponsors as UK Awards oras Awards for colleges in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland orWales.

• It is a condition of entry that each college gaining an Award undertakesto inform its community about its achievement and about the supportand interest provided by the sponsor. It should also undertake toinform the sponsor of how the Award money was used.

• It is expected that within approximately three months of theannouncement of the Award, the winning college will organise a LocalPresentation Ceremony in consultation with the sponsor to allow formaximum media coverage. The AoC Beacon Awards office should beadvised of the arrangements.

• Award winning colleges are permitted to use the AoC Beacon Awardslogo with the year of the programme beneath it on college headedpaper, promotional material etc.

• Letters of commendation will be sent to shortlisted colleges on therecommendation of the AoC Beacon Award Assessors and the SteeringGroup. Highly Commended colleges are entitled to use the AoCBeacon Awards logo with ‘Highly Commended (year)’ beneath it. Thelogo is available from the AoC Beacon Awards office. HighlyCommended colleges will also be sent certificates testifying to theirachievements.

• A summary list of Awards, their sponsors and the geographical focusof each appears opposite.

• New projects or initiatives which have not completed a full cycle ofimplementation so that evidence of outcomes is unavailable will notbe eligible for consideration.

SPONSOR FOCUS OF AWARD GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS

AQA College/School Partnerships UK

Association of Widening Participation UK

Colleges

Becta Excellence in the Use of Technology UK

British Council International Student Support UK

CLA Promoting the Value of Copyright UK

CoLRiC Effective Integration of Libraries/LRC UK

in Curriculum Delivery

Christian Churches Partnerships that Recognise Diversity and Develop UK

People and Communities

City & Guilds Staff Development in Further Education UK

DCSF Successful Delivery of Level 3 Qualifications England

DCSF, DIUS and LSC Smarter Procurement England

Edexcel Lifelong Learning UK

Edge Practical Teaching and Practical Learning UK

FENC Creative Production, Adaptation and Delivery UK

of Learning Resources

Jardine Lloyd Health and Community Care UK

Thompson Benefit

Solutions

LSC 14-19 Collaboration England

LSC College Engagement with Employers England

LSC Equality and Diversity England

LSIS Leadership of Innovation in Curriculum England

Development

Make Your Mark Enterprise UK

Mercers Science and Mathematics UK

Network for Black Promoting Race Equality UK

Professionals

OCR Functional Skills UK

RNIB and Mencap Students with Learning Difficulties and/or UK

Disabilities

Welsh Assembly College Engagement with Employers Wales

Government

The Awards


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The AoC Beacon Awards 2009-2010 Calendar

2009

April AoC Beacon Awards 2009-2010Prospectus distributed to colleges

22 July Closing date for receipt of AoC BeaconAward applications

August – September First stage of assessment (shortlisting)

September – October Second stage of assessment (site visits)

October Third stage of assessment and finalselection by AoC Beacon Awards Steering Group

17-19 November 2009-2010 AoC Beacon Award Winnersannounced at the AoC AnnualConference

2010

January – April Local presentation ceremonies

10 February AoC Beacon Awards NationalPresentation Ceremony

November Project Profiles of winning colleges issued

AoC Beacon Awards Assessment

The Assessment of the AoC Beacon Awards applications will be theresponsibility of specialist assessors co-ordinated by the AoC Beacon AwardsManager. Normally two assessors will be assigned to each Award.

The process has three stages – shortlisting, visiting and final decisions

STAGE 1 Assessment leading to shortlisting will have regard to thegeneral requirements detailed on page 8 of this prospectus togetherwith the stipulations governing the specification of each Award. Theoutcomes of this stage are lists of applicants who best match thesecriteria. These lists are verified by a Steering Group representative.

STAGE 2 Assessment by visiting involves matching the ‘evidence onthe ground’ at the shortlisted colleges with their applications. Inparticular, the assessors will be interested in outcomes, methods ofevaluation, quality assurance, the future development of the initiativeand possible dissemination. The assessors would expect to havediscussions with staff, students and other relevant parties in the courseof the site visit. Assessors, prior to a visit, may contact the college torequest additional information. The outcomes of this stage are thejudgements and recommendations for Awards.

STAGE 3 The Lead Assessor will present the Assessors’ reports andrecommendations to the AoC Beacon Awards Steering Group whichwill select the Award winners and those colleges to be HighlyCommended.

Sponsors may, with the agreement of the AoC Beacon Awards Manager, undertakeStages 1 and 2 of the assessment process in respect of their own Award(s), inconjunction with an AoC Beacon Award Assessor.

All AoC Beacon Awards are awarded or withheld at the sole and absolute discretionof the AoC Beacon Awards Steering Group and those acting on its behalf.

No explanation will be given following the making or withholding of an Award.

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How to Apply for AoC Beacon Awards

You are asked to submit THREE copies of your completeapplication AND statement (including supporting evidence)by Wednesday 22 July 2009 to:

ALICE THIAGARAJAoC BEACON AWARDS MANAGERAoC CHARITABLE TRUST2-5 STEDHAM PLACELONDON WC1A 1HU

All enquiries about making an application should beaddressed to the Beacon Awards office at the above addressand NOT to Sponsors or Assessors.

• Monitoring Procedures – demonstrate howquality assurance was used to improve theinitiative.

• Outcomes and Benefits – show how theinitiative has benefited the students/traineesand others involved with the project – thisshould be supported by written evidencefrom beneficiaries who may be students,trainees, employers or, in some cases, parents.

• Dissemination and the Future – indicatehow the initiative could be of benefit to othercolleges and how you perceive it developingin the future.

The statement needs to be accompanied by a completedapplication form (see back of this Prospectus) and mustbe signed by the Principal/Chief Executive.

No initiative which has previously won a Beacon Awardwill be eligible for consideration for the same Award asecond time.

A college may apply for as many Awards as it wishes.However, it may submit only one application perAward.

A college which has a project which fits into two ormore categories may submit that project for only oneAward.

All applications will be treated as strictly confidential tothe Steering Group, Assessors and Beacon AwardsManager. Material from any application will only bemade public with the express approval of the collegeconcerned.

Each application will be sent an acknowledgementaddressed to the Principal/Chief Executive. Yourcollege will be subsequently contacted only if the projectis shortlisted.

Curriculum Focused Awards Page No.DCSF Award for the Successful Delivery of Level 3 Qualifications 26-27

Jardine Lloyd Thompson Benefit Solutions Award for Health and Community Care 36-37

Mercers’ Company Award for Science or Mathematics 48-49

OCR Award for Functional Skills 52-53

IT Awards and Awards where college provision enhances learningBecta Award for Excellence in the Use of Technology 14-15

CLA Award for Promoting the Value of Copyright 18-19

CoLRiC Award for the Effective Integration of Libraries/Learning Resources Centres in Curriculum Delivery 20-21

DCSF, DIUS and LSC Award for Smarter Procurement 28-29

Edge Award for Practical Teaching and Practical Learning 32-33

FENC Award for the Creative Production, Adaptation and Delivery of Learning Resources 34-35

Make Your Mark Award for Enterprise 46-47

Awards focused around inclusivity and reaching out to communities and beyondAssociation of Colleges Award for Widening Participation 12-13

British Council Award for International Student Support 16-17

Churches’ Award for Sustainable College Partnerships that Recognise Diversity and Develop People and Communities 22-23

Edexcel Award for Lifelong Learning 30-31

LSC Award for Equality and Diversity 42-43

Network for Black Professionals Award for Promoting Race Equality 50-51

RNIB and Mencap Award for Students with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities 54-55

Leadership and staff development AwardsCity & Guilds Award for Staff Development in Further Education 24-25

LSIS Award for Leadership of Innovation in Curriculum Development 44-45

Partnership AwardsAQA Award for College/School Partnerships 10-11

LSC Award for 14-19 Collaboration 38-39

LSC Award for College Engagement with Employers 40-41

Welsh Assembly Government Award for College Engagement with Employers 56-57

The Awards

General AoC Beacon Award CriteriaYour application may be for a programme, course, orproject or for some other aspect of your collegeprovision – teaching, learning, guidance or support. Tobe eligible, your initiative should show evidence ofimaginative yet sustainable teaching and learningpractice or other relevant provision. It must also fulfilthe following criteria:

• It must meet the specific requirements set out bythe sponsors of the particular Award for whichyou are applying (see relevant page in theAwards section of the Prospectus)

• It must be subject to evaluation/qualityassurance to influence the continuingdevelopment of the initiative

• It must have regard to ensuring that equality anddiversity are accounted for in all aspects of the programme’s delivery.

• It must have been running for at least oneacademic session by 31 July 2009

• It must have features which actively promoteexemplary teaching and learning

• It must be of benefit to one or more groups ofstudents or trainees who will be identified anddescribed in the application

• It must have wider relevance and applicabilitymaking it of value to other colleges as anexample of good practice or innovation.

How to Structure your ApplicationYour application should address all of the above criteriaand should be made in a statement of no more than3,000 words. The statement should be made by a seniormember of staff who has had close contact with theinitiative. Written evidence from beneficiaries should beincluded in the word limit. You may make reference toother materials (i.e. multimedia material, collegedocuments etc.) which the assessors can request, shouldthey wish to do so.

Your submissions should be structured, as far aspossible, under the following headings:

• The Project: Planning and Purpose – includea description of the initiative and how it wasset up or developed. Also include a cleardescription of target group, includingnumbers.

• Aims and Objectives – outline how aims andobjectives were established and how theinitiative evolved to meet them.

The AQA Awardfor College/School Partnerships

The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) is the largest of the threeEnglish awarding bodies offering a range of qualifications and servicesincluding GCSE, GCE, the Diploma, AQA Bacc and Extended ProjectQualification, from its offices in Guildford, Manchester and Harrogate.

Each year AQA administers a range of examinations for over 1.75 millioncandidates in a wide range of centres across the country, for whichapproximately 25,000 examiners and moderators are responsible for settingand marking. AQA is playing a leading role in the modernisation of theexaminations system: it set the first ever on-screen GCSE and is committed tothe continued use of electronic marking.

As an organisation, AQA’s purpose is to provide high quality publicexaminations, tests and related services in the UK and overseas. It aims todeliver a coherent portfolio of qualifications and supporting services whichrepresent rigorous, consistent education standards and to provideopportunities for students to engage in a lifelong learning process.

The AQA Award for College/School Partnerships is open to all furthereducation, sixth form and tertiary colleges in the United Kingdom who haveestablished successful and sustainable partnerships with schools.

The Assessors will be seeking evidence of at least three of the following:

• Complementary Curriculum Delivery e.g. – colleges and schoolssharing planning and delivery of post-14 provision

• Curriculum Continuity and Transition e.g. – evidence of collegesworking with schools to give summer/taster courses pre-induction,evidence of colleges and schools bringing staff together to discusscontinuity of support, evidence of learning partnerships

• Information/Marketing and Promotion e.g. – shared arrangements fordissemination of information e.g. – career fairs for all providers in anarea, joint meetings for parents and learners

• Student Support e.g. – evidence of policies for transport or financialassistance, evidence of school/college tutors providing continualsupport for learners

• Sharing Facilities e.g. – sport/science etc. facilities, sharing staffexpertise, schools offering sites for adult courses.

The assessors will be particularly interested to see evidence of highperforming colleges partnering with lesser performing schools to share bestpractice and raise standards.

guidance on applying for this award appears on page 8 and 59 of this prospectusfurther education - serving the needs of a better society and strong economy1110

The AoC Award for Widening Participation is open to faculties in furthereducation colleges, sixth form colleges and tertiary colleges which candemonstrate active strategies for Widening Participation either over a rangeof courses or for individual courses.

The Award will be given to the college which can demonstrate it is providingteaching and learning opportunities for any learners who have not presentlyfulfilled their potential, or who may be underachieving or who had not yetaccessed education.

guidance on applying for this award appears on page 8 and 59 of this prospectus

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The Association of Colleges Awardfor Widening Participation

As the representative body for colleges, established in 1996 by the collegesthemselves to provide a voice for further education at national and regionallevels, AoC’s role is to provide leadership within the new culture of lifelonglearning. The AoC welcomes this opportunity to demonstrate its support ofthe Awards Programme through sponsoring this important Award. It isimperative to recognise the exemplary work colleges are doing in promotingsocial inclusion and this award helps highlight how colleges are making adifference to their local communities.

The Becta Award for Excellence in the Use of Technology is open to all furthereducation, sixth form and tertiary colleges in the United Kingdom.

Assessors will be looking for full evidence (including statistical information)in relation to the following criteria:

** Becta defines e-maturity as ‘the capacity of a learning provider to make strategicand effective use of technology to improve educational outcomes.’

• Demonstrate and identify key issues and areas of activity wheretechnology has brought clear transferable benefits to an FE and Skillssector organisation and its provision.

• Clearly demonstrate the successful application of technology toorganisational business processes.

• Demonstrate with full appropriate evidence that the practice is havingmeasurable impact, qualitative and/or quantitative, and identify thebenefits to learners which result from this activity.

• Identify how the investment in technology has contributed totransformation.

• Identify to what extent the return on investment relates to theorganisation’s improvement and progress towards e-maturity **

• Show clear evidence of the impact of the changes in practice whichhave resulted, and the development cycle and approaches required toachieve the desired outcomes.

• Demonstrate examples of organisational practices, including howtechnology has facilitated and supported the development andmanagement of the core business, the leadership and management ofthe organisation, staff development, and/or produced efficiencies.

• Demonstrate a strong strategic approach and senior leadershipinvolvement in the delivery of all

• Demonstrate that the use of technology is fully embedded across thewhole institution

The Becta Award for Excellence in the Use of Technology

Becta is the government agency leading the national drive to ensure theeffective and innovative use of technology throughout learning. It is ourambition to utilise the benefits of technology to create a more exciting,rewarding and successful experience for learners of all ages and abilities,enabling them to achieve their potential.

Through strategic partnerships with key national organisations, we work toprovide the support and understanding required by the Further Educationand Skills sector for the full benefits of harnessing technology to be realised.

Our research and partnerships throughout the sector demonstrate provenbenefits of technology for education. These include personalising individuallearner experience, enabling flexible learning, improving organisationalefficiency, and supporting and enhancing management processes. Thebenefits of using technology are shared throughout the sector, positivelyimpacting on learners, staff and employers.

Recognising and celebrating excellence in the use of technology is essential tosupport improvement throughout the whole sector. This award and othersthat we support and lead, including our own Next Generation Learningawards for FE and Skills, helps to share and communicate the benefits ofexcellence in the use of technology throughout the whole sector. Weencourage all of our award winners to disseminate their examples of effectivepractice to benefit others understanding of the impact of technology.


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The British Council Awardfor International Student Support

Purpose

The British Council builds engagement and trust for the UK through theexchange of knowledge and ideas between people worldwide.

They work in three main programme areas:

Inter-cultural dialogue

Their aim here is to:• Strengthen understanding and levels of trust between people in the UK

and other societies

• Strengthen the consensus for rejecting extremism in all its forms

• Increase the ability of individuals and organisations to contribute topositive social change and the strengthening of civil society

• Increase the use of English as a tool for international communicationand inter-cultural understanding

UK creative and knowledge economy

Their aim here is to:• Increase the value to the UK of its share of the market for international

education

• Enhance the UK’s reputation as a source of expertise and a partner forskills development, including in the teaching and learning of English

• Strengthen the international profile and engagement of the UK’screative sector

• Increase the UK’s contribution to international co-operation in researchand innovation

• Ensure that every teacher and learner of English worldwide has accessto quality language services from the UK

Climate change

Their aim here is to:• Increase understanding of the case for tackling climate change

• Increase support for the achievement and implementation ofinternational agreements that address the threats of climate change

• Strengthen relationships and networks which lead to action on climatechange mitigation and adaptation


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The British Council Award for International Student Support is open to allcolleges in the further education sector in the United Kingdom.

The Award recognises best practice in supporting international students fromrecruitment through to completion of qualifications. It will be granted to thecollege which has developed and maintained consistent and caringprocedures in the support of international students studying in the UK.

Assessors will seek to identify:• academic support, including English, study skills and tutoring

• accommodation support with reference to safety and security

• faith support systems, given that international students can come froma wide variety of faith backgrounds

• responsible marketing practices in the recruitment of internationalstudents

• comprehensive, accurate and clear information covering courses andqualification requirements, tuition fees and payment details

• clear and consistent application and admissions procedures

• student welfare support including pre-departure information,orientation programmes, counselling and careers guidance

• open and accessible procedures for handling complaints on academicand non-academic matters

• exemplary approaches in, for example, integrating international andhome students, fostering employability skills and welcome events.

• Creative courses are offered that include teaching on copyright.

• Projects are developed in which consideration of copyright plays asignificant role.

• Policies or guidelines are promoted that encourage responsible use ofcopyright materials.

Examples of winning submissions might be:

• A writing course for students that includes a module on protecting andmanaging their work showing how copyright can benefit them.

• A college that publishes and promotes policies on managing their andother people’s intellectual property.

• A student and/or teacher project that requires and demonstrates somepractical consideration of copyright issues, such as publishing a collegemagazine.

The CLA Awardfor Promoting the Value of Copyright

Protecting creativity

• The Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd. (CLA) is owned by authors and publishers and issues licences permitting the copying and re-use of extracts from books, magazines and journals on their behalf.

• Our licences provide peace of mind by allowing easy, legal access to copyright publications for information, teaching and training purposes without them having to seek permission from individual copyright owners each time.

• CLA works closely with the Association of Colleges (AoC) and the Association of Scotland’s Colleges (ASC) in ensuring that the licences offered provide the best solutions for both the colleges and the rights holders CLA represents.

• Creativity and the expression of ideas depend upon the protection provided by copyright law. Awareness and understanding of copyright can directly benefit students while protecting and sustaining the creative industries in the UK.

• Your own college may well be developing future authors, artists or publishers whose livelihoods may depend on organisations such as CLA. Entering a submission for the award demonstrates support for creators, brings recognition to your college and helps to strengthen the creative industries in the UK.

The CLA Award is open to all further education, sixth form and tertiarycolleges in the United Kingdom and rewards initiatives that promote thevalue of copyright to students and/or staff.

The CLA Award recognises courses or projects that increase understanding ofcopyright and its role in protecting and encouraging creativity.

Submissions for the award may be based around courses, projects ormanagement practices that include education about copyright andincorporate a practical consideration of intellectual property issues.

Curriculum areas featuring literature, creative writing, visual arts orpublishing are particularly favoured, although other fields - such as music,drama or even business management – will also be considered.

Assessors will be looking for evidence that colleges demonstrate one or moreof the following criteria:


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The CoLRiC Awardfor the Effective Integration of Libraries/LearningResources Centres in Curriculum Delivery


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The Council for Learning Resources in Colleges (CoLRiC) was founded in1993 as an independent organisation dedicated to enhancing and maintainingthe quality of learning resources service in further education collegesthroughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. It now has a membership ofover 250 colleges.

CoLRiC stimulates the enhancement of quality in college learning resourcesservices in a number of ways, including providing and publishing nationalstandards and criteria for service provision, a peer accreditation scheme,publishing ‘Working Papers’ and guidelines for inspections and initiatingresearch into areas related to the aims of CoLRiC.

CoLRiC also raises awareness and understanding of the learning resourcesservice’s role by contacting college senior managers and governing bodies,making strong representation to organisations that are important to the futureof college learning resources services, organising conferences, and beingactive members of other organisations.

This award is to promote and encourage good practice and high standards inlibraries/learning resources centres (LLRC) in colleges, and to enhance theirpotential as areas that contribute to the delivery of the college’s curriculum.It is open to all further education colleges in the United Kingdom.

The assessors will be looking at:

• The liaison, involvement and consultation between the staff of theLLRC and the academic and managerial staff of the college

• The participation of the LLRC in the college’s information andcurriculum delivery strategies

• The integration of the students, including flexible and distance learning students, in curriculum delivery through the LLRC

• The use of information and learning technologies (ILT) and informationand communication technologies (ICT) through the LLRC.

The Award is open to all colleges in the United Kingdom.

It seeks to affirm colleges and their chaplaincies/faith teams in the work theydo to develop the communities they serve and the learners within them, inpartnership with the faith groups and voluntary / community organisationswhich support them. The Award will be given to the college that has mosteffectively developed a sustainable partnership with local communities /faith groups which supports the development of the whole person amonglearners and communities. This will be broadly interpreted, recognising thediversity of localities, colleges and the rich variety of opportunities topromote spiritual development and social cohesion in college andcommunity.

Assessors will be looking for evidence of:

Imaginative and sensitive use of college resources to meet spiritual andcommunity needs and promote mutual understanding throughpartnership with diverse communities with a focus on one or moreof the following:

• Employability and vocational skills provision which builds spiritual and moral development across the curriculum and/or in a particular programme;

• In-college provision for students’ spiritual needs through multi-faith chaplaincy/ student support links with local faith communities;

• Collaborative work that builds links with faith groups and voluntary/ community organisations to promote access, achievement and the growth of the whole person for NEET students and disadvantaged groups;

For further information about thechurches’ involvement in FE, please contact:

John Breadon

Churches’ National Adviser in FurtherEducation

Email: [email protected]

Education DivisionChurch HouseGreat Smith StreetLondon SW1P 3AZ

Tel: 020 7898 1517Fax: 020 7898 1520

For further information about fbfe, pleasecontact:

Ann Limb, Harjinder Singh (Co chairs, fbfe)

Email: [email protected]

c/o Education DivisionChurch HouseGreat Smith StreetLondon SW1P 3AZ

Tel: 020 7898 1529

The Churches’ Awardfor Sustainable College Partnerships that recognisediversity and develop people and communities

The churches, in partnership with Fbfe (National Council of Faiths and Beliefsin FE, formerly NEAFE), are very pleased to sponsor a Beacon Award as partof our continuing support of further education colleges, and of our advocacyof the work of FE within the churches and faith communities.

Seeking to ensure that all fulfil their potential through education, thechurches have a long history of commitment to lifelong learning, educationand training through chaplaincies and local partnerships. We work forcommunity development in both informal and formal settings, and for justiceand hope for people at the margins of society. This Award confirms thechurches’ vision, shared with colleges, of an inclusive learning society.

We believe that further education is concerned both with skills foremployability, and with development of the whole person - spirit, mind andbody - and therefore we promote the place of shared human values, and ofspiritual and moral development in FE. We encourage innovative curriculumapproaches which help students develop a sense of meaning and purpose inlife.

In partnership with all faith communities we work to promote mutualunderstanding between diverse communities and to foster greater awarenessin colleges of different faiths and cultures. We currently support chaplainciesin over 270 colleges, many of them multi-faith teams offering students andstaff pastoral and curriculum support, and opportunities for service in thelocal community.


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The City & Guilds Awardfor Staff Development in Further Education

City & Guilds is the UK’s leading provider of vocational qualifications,supporting learning for work, life and leisure, and the opportunity forindividuals, businesses and communities to prosper.

The City & Guilds Group comprises City & Guilds, the Institute ofLeadership & Management (ILM), the land-based awarding body City &Guilds NPTC and the City & Guilds Hospitality Awarding Body (HAB). TheGroup offers a wide range of qualifications across all sectors – fromadministration to engineering and from health, care and community justice tosecurity. Awards are available for all levels of skill and knowledge from entrylevel to the highest levels of professional expertise.

We’re always aiming to improve learning support and the delivery ofqualifications and assessment. We provide effective, reliable and secure onlinetesting through our global online assessment (GOLA) system. We have alsodeveloped a learning portal called City & Guilds SmartScreen(www.smartscreen.co.uk) which provides general advice, guidance andlearning support for tutors and learners for an increasing number of ourqualifications.

City & Guilds is committed to supporting the professional development of allstaff working in further education: teachers, tutors, management, technical,support and administrative. At a time of significant change for the educationand development of teachers, City & Guilds is keen to recognise effective andimaginative work to support staff development across the breadth of thesector.

We recognise the role further education staff play in promoting anddeveloping skills across a wide range of learners and we believe it is essentialwe share best practice within the sector. Through this award we willshowcase effective ways of encouraging and motivating staff and schemesthat encourage and promote professional development.

We are proud to sponsor an award that shares our passion and commitmentfor excellence and innovation and recognises outstanding achievement.


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The City & Guilds Award for Staff Development encourages applicationsfrom all colleges of further education who believe they can meet the criteria.

The award aims to recognise contributions from across the whole range ofstaff working in further education. The assessors will be looking to rewardinnovative best practice that delivers identifiable results and benefits. Inparticular they will be looking for evidence of the following:

• Effective ways for encouraging and motivating staff

• Schemes that allow and encourage personal and professionaldevelopment

• Effective and imaginative work to support staff development

• Schemes that can demonstrate positive outcomes for teachers, otherstaff and learners

Department for Children, Schools andFamilies Award for Successful Delivery of Level 3 Qualifications

More young people than ever before are achieving level 3 qualifications. Thelatest data shows that 48% of young people aged 19 were qualified to Level 3in 2007 compared with 46.6% in 2006. These figures are testament to the hardwork of young people and those who work with them in schools, collegesand work based learning providers. But we need to do more. In a changingworld economy it is ever more important to equip young people with higherlevel skills so that they can succeed in a competitive jobs market and pursueproductive careers. Increasing the numbers of young people who achieveLevel 3, particularly for those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, hasthe potential to break the cycle of disadvantage, opening up opportunities inhighly skilled employment or entry into higher education.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has set challengingtargets to raise attainment at level 3: by 2010/11 we want 54% of youngpeople to be achieving level 3 qualifications by the age of 19, and ourChildren’s Plan sets the goal that by 2020 at least 70% of young people shouldachieve level 3 qualifications. To get there we will need schools and collegesto provide inspiring, motivating learning options which keep young peopleengaged and on the path to success. This Award will be given to a collegewhich leads the way in delivering high quality teaching at level 3 whichresults in high rates of success for young people.

The Department for Children Schools and Families is sponsoring an Awardfor successful delivery of level 3 qualifications by a further education or sixthform college in England. The Award will be given to a college which bestdemonstrates exemplary performance in enabling young people to achievequalifications at level 3.

Assessors for the Award will be looking for evidence of:


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• Outstanding levels of achievement of level 3 qualifications by youngpeople aged 16 to 19;

• Innovative approaches to teaching and learning which are leading tothis success;

• High quality support and guidance for young people which helps them stay motivated to learn and achieve.

The assessors will also be interested to see evidence of:

• Narrowing the achievement gap between young people from differentsocio-economic groups;

• Support for vulnerable young people and those from minority groups,which helps them to achieve qualifications; and

• Collaborative working with a wide range of partners to supportprogression into and out of Level 3 provision.

The DCSF, DIUS and LSC Award for Smarter ProcurementMaking money go further for the benefit of learners

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and theDepartment for Innovation Universities and Skills (DIUS), in conjunctionwith the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), are working to ensure collegesacross England get the most from their budgets. By helping colleges adopt aninnovative and pro-active approach to procurement the team is maximisingthe resources available to frontline staff and students. The Departments’ andLSC’s work with English colleges ensured that the FE sector saved £72millionbetween 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008; enough to fund 2,000 collegelecturers.

Whether it is by collaborating with other colleges, joining purchasingconsortia or improving their management of procurement, colleges can savehundreds of thousands of pounds by actively managing their procurementactivities. All of the money that is saved stays within the college to bereinvested into services and facilities that benefit both the staff and students.Since the scheme launched in 2005 many colleges have achieved considerablesavings by making small changes to their purchasing methods.

In addition to the financial benefits offered by procuring correctly there is therisk of legal penalties should procurement rules and regulations not becomplied with. In 2006 new EU rules were brought in governing how publicsector money should be spent, and these have already resulted inorganisations across the public sector being taken to court by suppliers.

The Departments and the LSC team have been working with colleges for overthree years now, and have provided access to NVQ training, spend analysis,an online repository of tools, templates, guidance and other support, as wellas running 22 regionally based network meetings to discuss procurementmatters.

Over 220 colleges are actively engaged with the programme of support, andthe Departments and the LSC are delighted to sponsor this AoC BeaconAward.

This award is open to all further education colleges in England.

The Award seeks to identify and recognise imaginative and innovative waysin which colleges have managed their procurement activity and/or takenadvantage of procurement opportunities to make sustainable savings thathave been re-invested in supporting learners.

Entries are welcome from whole organisations, any specific area of theorganisation, and any area of the Learning and Skills sector provision.

The assessors will be looking for evidence of sustainable collaborativepartnerships between the college and other organisations, whether they arewith other colleges, employers, schools or LEAs. Applications from consortiagroups of colleges would be welcomed.

Colleges should demonstrate how the savings made as a result of soundprocurement policies and practices have directly benefited learners. Thesavings made can be on any scale; the assessors will be looking for how thecollege has maximised the opportunities presented to it and its partners forthe ultimate benefit of its staff and students.


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The Edexcel Awardfor Lifelong Learning

Edexcel provides qualifications to schools, colleges and employers andprocesses over 8.5m examination entries each year. An innovative leader ineducational services, Edexcel provides a wide range of academic andvocational qualifications including GCE, GCSE, BTEC, NVQs, TechnicalCertificates and Key Skills/Functional Skills; and provides qualifications tolearners from Entry to HE level.

As an awarding body, Edexcel delivers qualifications to over 5,500 secondaryschools; 700 further education centres, WBL learning providers and adulteducation centres, including all FE Colleges; 76 higher education institutionsand more than 900 employers in the UK.

Edexcel is a member of the Pearson Group which includes the FinancialTimes and Penguin.

Edexcel is also pioneering a number of far-reaching IT initiatives, includingonscreen marking and testing, to change and improve the examinationssystem. By uniquely offering students and teachers rich data on examperformance, through its Results Plus service, Edexcel is helping to raiseattainment.

Edexcel believes education enhances life opportunities and provides peoplewith choices, through an academic or a vocational route. Find out whatEdexcel can do for you by visiting www.edexcel.com and see for yourselfhow Edexcel can help.


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The Edexcel Award for Lifelong Learning is open to all colleges of FurtherEducation and Sixth Form Colleges which have made specific provision toattract adults to continue their education. The Award will be given inrecognition of effective and imaginative approaches to motivate adultlearners which can show that it is either a new initiative or concept or has builton the best practice from other providers.

There should be evidence that provision has:

• actively encouraged the participation of adults who have notpreviously engaged in programmes of study

• enabled adults to complete programmes of study successfully andsupported interesting practice which encourages adults to stay inlearning

• resulted in the provision of innovative learning materials whichmotivate adult learners.

The Edge Awardfor Practical Teaching and Practical Learning

Edge is an educational foundation with the aim of raising the status ofpractical and vocational learning.

Edge runs campaigns to change attitudes and behaviours – by engagingwith students, employers, teachers, government and the media, we seek tochange the way practical and vocational learning is viewed and carried out.

Edge provides grants and funding – we support organisations and newinitiatives that will deliver real changes.

Edge works to change policy – we work with opinion formers,educationalists and policy makers to identify the key barriers andopportunities for change.

We want young people to learn through practical training and experiencehow to succeed at a vast range of jobs – from building work to business – bydoing work experience, apprenticeships and trainee schemes.

That’s why we are sponsoring this year’s Beacon Award for PracticalTeaching and Practical Learning.

Edge wants to recognise, celebrate and publicise examples of excellent practicallearning. We believe that we must listen to learners themselves if we reallywant to improve learning experiences.

We invite entries for this award from colleges whose learners have experiencesthat are:

‘Until the voices of learners are heard, nothing will really change’

(Andy Powell, Chief Executive, Edge)www.edge.co.uk

gguidance on applying for this award appears on page 8 and 59 of this prospectus

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• Real – with opportunities for learners to tackle real life problems bylearning from people in the know, using the tools of the trade.

• Meaningful – the college can demonstrate that learners can explainwhy they are working on a particular task, and the benefits tothemselves, and others, of completing it well.

• Challenging – with opportunities for learners to work alongsideexperts and be challenged to perform at new levels of skill.

• Stretching – the college can demonstrate that the learners can describetheir new skills and insights and show the distance they have travelled.

• Life-changing – the college can demonstrate the doors that are nowopen to learners and the way that their learning at the college hasreshaped their future.

The FENC Award for the Creative Production, Adaptation and Deliveryof Learning Resources

FENC is a charitable organisation that supports colleges, schools and work-based learning providers across the UK and Europe. We are one of the largestand most successful voluntary communities dedicated to the supply of skills-based learning materials and applications.

Virtually everything in our catalogue is based on collaboration; our successmirrors the willingness of individuals, departments, institutions and thewider vocational community to share their efforts with colleagues elsewhere.

Being part of FENC means being part of a community that recognises thebenefits of working together. We all produce content. Contributing to theresource bank, or working with us to produce even a handful of new titlescan soon build up into a considerable port folio if every institution does thesame.

The winner of the FENC award 2008-2009 was Aberdeen College who haveshown us how their Content Development Support Team assists teachingstaff in the production of engaging and interactive materials, and provides ahigh quality support service to all teaching staff in order to encourage moreextensive and sophisticated use of the college VLE.

FENC is keen to continue building on the success of this award, to celebratethe ability of every one of us to make a difference to the learning processthrough the imaginative, adaptation or delivery of resources.

We invite all colleges to consider sharing their local learning resource successstories with us. Win or lose, FENC will be proud to promote all qualifyingsubmissions to the wider college community as part of its charitable remit toshare best practice.

On 28th of April 2009, for example FENC is building its annual networkingevent in Birmingham around the submissions to its Beacon Award for 2008-2009. We are honoured to be welcoming staff from over 12 colleges, who willbe coming together to share their enthusiasm and expertise with the rest ofthe college community. To find out more, please visit www.fenc.org.uk.


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The FENC Award for the Creative Production, Adaptation and Delivery ofLearning Resources is open to applications from centres or departmentswithin any further education, sixth form, land-based or tertiary college in theUnited Kingdom.

E-learning plays an important role in vocational education. FENC recognisesthat learning resources are key to enabling students to respond positively tothe learning experience. There is a growing realisation amongst tutors thateffective e-learning materials are not the exclusive domain of thetechnologically proficient or gifted among us. This award acknowledgesstaffs’ creativity, resourcefulness and flair using software readily available toall, tailored for the educational advancement of their own students.

When judging the entries the assessors will be looking for progress andachievement against at least two of the following criteria:

• The production of new resources in order to assist in the delivery oflearning.

• The adaptation of existing resources in order to assist in the delivery of learning.

• The creative use of different media types to meet personal learningneeds.

• The application of different media types to convey different learningmessages, or the application of different media types to give betterunderstanding of a single topic/subject.

• That you are sharing your learning resources with your colleagueswithin your college and/or with other organisations.

• That your production, adaptation and/or delivery of learning resources is a recognised part of your college commitment toPersonalised Learning.

Take, Shape, Share

Benefit Solutions

The Jardine Lloyd Thompson Benefit Solutions Awardfor Health and Community Care

Universities & Colleges Healthcare Services.

Jardine Lloyd Thompson Benefit Solutions has been advising andimplementing healthcare solutions for the education sector since 1981 whenwe launched the Universities & Colleges Corporate and Voluntary HealthcarePlans. Our knowledge of the sector’s requirements combined with ourknowledge of market products and solutions has ensured the continuedgrowth of our reputation.

Our healthcare solutions now form an integral part of employee benefits atover 300 Universities and Colleges and cover over 80,000 employees. Theseservices extend beyond private medical care and include all aspects of Health& Safety, Occupational Health and employee benefits. Details of ourcomprehensive services can be obtained including Flexible & VoluntaryBenefits Schemes from: Jo Fincham on 01344 381 609 or by email [email protected]

JLT Benefit Solutions Limited is a member of the Jardine Lloyd ThompsonGroup who have divisions specialising in Insurance Broking, EmployeeBenefits, Actuarial Consulting and Healthcare. The Group provides solutionsto maximise the effectiveness of our client’s financial, human resources andrisk management initiatives. Jardine Lloyd Thompson is one of the largestUK publicly quoted insurance brokers in the UK.

JLT Benefit Solutions Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

A member of the Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group. Registered Office: 6 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2PHRegistered in England No. 2240496. Vat No.244 2321 96

Benefit Solutions


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The Jardine Lloyd Thompson Benefit Solutions Award for quality in healthand community care programmes is open to faculties in colleges of furthereducation, sixth form colleges and tertiary colleges offering courses whichcover community and residential care, health studies, early years/nurserynursing and other health and community care programme areas.

Evidence is required of:

The assessors will be looking for:

• Responsiveness to employer and training needs in the provision ofhigh quality courses or specific training programmes.

• Innovation and flexibility in the planning and delivery of coursesincluding joint initiatives with service providers such as outreachactivities and the use of technology where appropriate.

• Effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms with clearevidence of outcomes.

• Successful development of co-ordinating strategies to facilitatelearning outcomes through consistency in supervision and in theassessment methods used in practical work placements.

• Outstanding schemes that provide models of good practice in healthand community care provision.

• Initiatives that have innovative and flexible features with cleardocumentation on the outcomes.

• Effective collaboration with employers and service providers in theplanning and evaluation of the course.

The LSC Award for 14-19 Collaboration is open to all further education andsixth form colleges in England and aims to recognise exemplary initiativesand programmes. The Award will be given to a college that bestdemonstrates the successful implementation of a clear policy in thisimportant area.

Assessors will be looking for evidence of successful collaborative practicewhere:

• All partners have a shared vision. Partners have an understanding ofhow the partnership will meet the needs of young people and improveoutcomes, priorities and targets.

• Leadership is at a senior level. A coordinator is appropriately placedplace to secure partnership arrangements.

• Partners are involved in joint strategic planning. Senior staff guide andshape priorities. A strategic group takes responsibility for overalldirection. There are protocols and service-level agreements in place tosupport working arrangements.

• Regular meetings take place between staff at all levels within thepartnership. There is a regular exchange of information and joint staffdevelopment and CPD opportunities.

• Monitoring and evaluation are central to the partnership. All partnersare involved and have full confidence in quality assurance processes.Outcomes are used to improve planning.

• Partnership has led to innovative approaches to learning and outcomesfor young people that could not have been achieved by individualproviders alone.

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Awardfor 14-19 Collaboration

The LSC was set up in 2001 to plan and fund high-quality education andtraining for everyone over 16 in England, other than in higher education. Ourgoal is to improve the nation’s skills to match the best in the world.

To achieve this, we work with further education (FE) colleges, school sixthforms, sixth-form colleges, higher education institutions and other trainingorganisations. We help them to plan their work, we provide their publicfunding, and we help them to achieve excellence in the way they are run andthe learning they deliver.

Our work is driven by the needs of the country’s employers. We work closelywith them to identify existing skills gaps, understand what skills they willneed in future, and make sure that the right education and training resourcesare in place. We also take account of the needs and wishes of individuallearners, and encourage their appetite for further education and training.

We work at national, regional and local partnership level from a network ofoffices across the country. We cannot do our job alone, and we work withmany other organisations, as well as employers and learning and skillsproviders.


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The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Awardfor College Engagement with Employers

The creation of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in April 2001represented the biggest single investment and most far-reaching reform inpost-16 education and training the country has seen. The LSC’sresponsibilities cover planning and funding in further education, school sixthforms, work-based learning and adult and community learning.

Its exciting remit is to transform the quality and scope of education andtraining in England and equip young people and adults with the skills andknowledge that enables them to achieve their potential and at the same time,improves the country’s national competitiveness to world-class standards.

The LSC is already making a difference at local, regional and national level.It is forging strong partnerships with schools, colleges and other trainingproviders, working with employers to encourage workforce development andtackle skill shortages and taking action to break down barriers to learning,whether they involve disadvantage or disability. It is enhancing the qualityand reputation of vocational education and establishing effective new routesinto higher education.

In the eight years since the LSC was established, the number of young peopletaking part in education and training is rising. Hundreds of thousands ofadults are improving their literacy and numeracy skills through LSC-fundedprogrammes. A new generation of improved Apprenticeships is being rolledout and the LSC is establishing a nationwide network of employer responsiveproviders that will deliver the Train to Gain service to employers in ademand led fashion.


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The LSC Award for Engaging Employers is open to all further educationcolleges and sixth form colleges in England. The Award will recogniseexemplary practice in the delivery of provision that is both responsive to theneeds of employers and that is making a difference to employers. The Awardwill be granted to the college best demonstrating impact in meetingemployers skills needs. This will have resulted from a clear, long-term visionand partnership with employers, reflected in provision which demonstratesdevelopment of a skilled workforce and contribution to economic progress inresponse to identified skills priorities in the industry sector or area oflearning.Assessors will be looking for evidence of:

• A planned approach to employer facing delivery across the wholecollege, embedded through the institution and targeting a range ofemployers, including innovative use of the Train to Gain service.This will be reflected in the college mission and investment in thearea of learning, and evidenced through the colleges’ three-yeardevelopment plan, self-assessment and quality improvementpractice.

• Responsiveness (recognised in college plans) to key prioritiesidentified and documented by the relevant industry sector or sectors,particularly those skills priorities identified by Sector Skills Councilsin their Sector Skills Agreement where these exist, or in SSC or otherstrategic and systematic analysis of labour market intelligenceincluding the National Employer Skills Survey, or other national orregional industry supported research on skills needs.

• Systematic networking and collaboration with other providers andbusiness support organisations with feedback from employers toimprove or change provision that have in turn delivered quantifiable:• Improvements to the success and achievement rates for learners.• Impact of provision on employers businesses.A track record of managers, leaders, teachers, trainers and supportstaff in delivering sustained levels of employer engagement, either asa core activity to further enhance direct services, or to provide thegateway to employment, depending on the mission of the college.

• Human and materials resources that match the best in the relevantindustry gained through forging partnerships with industry, andthrough the colleges own investment. Including, for example,inward and outward secondments, placements, investment intraining and development and access to up to date facilities andequipment to industry standards.

• Development and implementation of flexible teaching, learning andassessment methods (for example in time, mode, location) thatrespond specifically to identified needs or overcome barriers tolearning in the relevant industry sector, and also respond to the needsof local employers and learners.

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Awardfor Equality and Diversity

The FE system has a crucial role to play in enabling this country to meetcurrent and future challenges. The sector as a whole has shown, time aftertime, just how adept it is at delivering across a spectrum of needs and inchanging circumstances. The LSC’s vision for the FE system is therefore anambitious one: FE is at the heart of its actions to unlock the talent ofindividuals; to build strong and inclusive communities; and to develop theskills and innovation employers need to compete successfully.

In the years since the LSC was established, the numbers of young peopletaking part in education and training are rising. Hundreds of thousands ofadults are improving their literacy and numeracy skills through LSC-fundedprogrammes.

The LSC‘s Single Equality Scheme is designed to place equality and diversityat the heart of what it does to develop a system where all can benefit and noone is excluded. This has been an essential part of its role from the inceptionof the LSC. The LSC aims to do more than comply with the present legislationfor equal opportunities, going beyond it to promote equality and embracediversity in all its aspects. The LSC wants its approach to be a model for thecolleges and providers it works with, assuring a positive legacy for the sectorto build on throughout and beyond changes in the Machinery ofGovernment.


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The LSC Equality and Diversity Award will recognise exemplary practice inresponse to the aims of the LSC Single Equality Scheme 2007-10. The Awardis open to all LSC-funded colleges.

Applicants must have developed and acted upon a clear equality anddiversity strategy and action plan or plans that reflect the priorities outlinedin the Single Equality Scheme 2007-10 and relevant legislation; for example,the Race Relations Amendment Act; the Disability Discrimination Act; andthe Sex Discrimination Act.

Assessors will be looking for evidence of:

• a clear commitment across the institution to embedding and goingbeyond duties for race, disability and/or learning difficulty and genderequality

• innovative approaches to promote equality in relation to other learnercharacteristics such as sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, genderidentity and social deprivation

• commitment and leadership by example from the top of theorganisation with clear success indicators identified at each level

• a clear, systematic and visibly embedded approach to deliveringequality and diversity outcomes across the institution, including:

• a published strategy

• relevant action plan(s)

• improvement measures which identify and successfully address priority equality challenges

• mainstreaming and aligning equality and diversity within the overallmission of the college.

• regular auditing of policies, procedures and practices leading tocontinued improvement in provision for learners.

• involvement of learners from across the institution to shape and drivethe equality and diversity agenda

• action to share and promote good practice among other colleges andproviders, leading by example

• action to ensure the workforce reflects the diversity of the learningcommunity


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• Evidence that a conscious leadership approach has been taken tocurriculum development for the benefit of the organisations and itsclients/customers/learners.

• Evidence that the provider is responsive to the learning needs of thelocal and/or the organisation’s community

• Evidence of innovation through insight and evidence.

• Evidence that the approach adopted was innovative and effective interms of process and/or content in the context described.

• Evidence that individuals, teams and the organisation in which theyhave worked have gained from the curriculum development initiative.

• Evidence that sustainability has been built into the curriculumdevelopment initiative.

• A strong emphasis on impact and outcomes.

The LSIS Award for Leadership of Innovation in Curriculum Development

The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) came into operation on 1 October 2008. Combining the best aspects of two different sector bodies –the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) and the Quality ImprovementAgency (QIA) – LSIS will work closely with the sector, as its key partner, tofocus on learners and on developing excellent and sustainable furthereducation and skills provision. Leadership development will underpin andform an important part of the organisation’s strategic role in the sector.

LSIS is pleased to sponsor this Beacon Award for Leadership of Innovation inCurriculum Development. The Award is open to all further education, sixthform and tertiary colleges in England.

This award aims to recognise the crucial role of leadership in curriculumdevelopment activities. These activities should create value for individuals,teams and their organisations in ways which can be considered novel,innovative and from which other providers can learn. This may be for aspecific aspect of the providers work or take a broader perspective. Theassessors will look for evidence that the initiative has produced positiveresults and also made a significant impact on learners. Other importantselection criteria include:

Make Your Mark is the campaign to give people in the UK the confidence,skills and ambition to be enterprising – to have ideas and make them happen.Having a can-do attitude and the skills to sport opportunities, overcomechallenges and implement ideas is more important than ever in today’s toughglobal economic climate.

The year-round campaign includes Enterprise Week, a spotlight foreducation, business, communities, government and media; the Make YourMark Challenge, the UK’s biggest live enterprise competition with over56,000 participants from schools and colleges; and the Make Your Markeducation team which works across schools, colleges and universities toencourage students to turn their ideas into reality.

www.makeyourmark.org.uk

The Make Your Mark Award for Enterprise will recognise enterprisingcolleges offering enterprise activities for learners. The winning college willdisplay a commitment to creating an enterprise culture across theorganisation, to embedding enterprise learning throughout the curriculum,and to providing enterprise opportunities for a diverse range of learners. Wedefine enterprise simply as “having ideas and making them happen”.

An enterprising college will show commitment to creating:

1. A college wide emphasis on enterprise

Evidence of this might include:

• A strategy for the development of enterprise learning across thecollege, with demonstrated senior level commitment

• Enterprise capabilities, skills and attributes are embedded through arange of subjects throughout the curriculum

• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development for practitionersto embed enterprise in teaching and learning

• ‘Enterprise spaces’ or incubation spaces (either currently availableor being planned) for entrepreneurs to develop business ideas.

2. Enterprise opportunities for learners

Evidence of this might include:

• Opportunities for learners to engage in enterprise activities throughtimetabled study, and/or extra-curricular activity

• Entrepreneurship celebrated throughout the college as a viable andexciting aspiration for a diverse range of learners

• Opportunities for students to engage with entrepreneurs and localbusinesses

• Support and guidance for students wishing to start a business.


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The Make Your Mark Award for Enterprise

The Award is open to sixth form colleges, tertiary colleges and general furthereducation colleges in the United Kingdom for the exemplary teaching of anyaspect of mathematics or science or the application of these subjects in avocational context.

The assessors will be particularly interested in proven cases of ‘turningstudents on’ to maths or science through creative and imaginative teaching,which also succeed in improving recruitment, retention and levels ofachievement.

The Mercers’ Company Awardfor Science or Mathematics

The Mercers’ Company (www.mercers.co.uk) is the premier City LiveryCompany in London and has been involved in Education for almost 500years, through the trusteeship, governance and support of its 14 associatedschools and colleges in both the maintained and independent sectors, andthrough its charitable grant-making activities.

The company aims to identify and spread excellent practice across thedifferent sectors of education, primarily through its network of schools andcolleges, its support for educational improvement projects, and through itsEducational Advisory Service.


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The Network for Black Professionals is sponsoring an AoC Beacon Award topromote and encourage good practice, high standards and sustainedcommitment to race equality within further education and sixth form collegesin England.

All colleges have a duty to act in accordance with the Race Relations(Amendment) Act 2000 (RRAA), to eliminate racial discrimination, promoteequality of opportunity and promote good relations between people ofdifferent racial groups. The LSC’s recent initiative, the Race Equality inEmployment Standard (REES), is an asset in addressing this important socialcohesion role for colleges and also complements Success for All, theinspection process and the LSC’s Agenda for Change. It sets standards forincorporating good race equality practices into existing strategic andperformance management frameworks. A key focus of both RRAA and REESis that race equality is incorporated into policies and procedures that affectboth staff and learners and that race equality targets are being set, monitoredand reviewed.

AoC Beacon Award assessors will be looking for evidence of excellence, usingsome of the following criteria:

The Network for Black ProfessionalsAward for Promoting Race Equality

More than a NetworkThe Network for Black Managers (NbM) was set up in 1998. Its purpose is toaddress the under-representation of Black staff in the FE sector, especially thealarmingly small numbers of managers, senior staff and principals.

The Network exists to raise awareness of race equality issues in the learning +skills sector and seeks, through its activities, to develop and supportmeasures that raise the numbers of Black staff at all levels in the sector, andpositively influence the experience of all learners.

The requirements of the revised Common Inspection Framework took effectin April 2007, and inspectors now grade colleges on Equality and Diversityfor the first time, the Network for Black Professionals will be seeking to workwith colleges, and other providers, to help them to meet their legislativeobligations and take a leadership role in delivering the government’s visionof a learning society in which everyone has the opportunity to go as far astheir talents and efforts will take them.

Contact: Robin Landman, Chief Executive, Network for Black Professionals,Wolverhampton Science Park, Wolverhampton WV10 9RU

Tel: 01902 715309, Mobile: 07976 221726, email: [email protected],www.nbp.org.uk


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• Leadership that inspires the college in implementing equalitiesobjectives and actively promotes the college’s equality policy bothinternally and externally

• Audits policies, procedure, practices leading to continuousimprovement in provision

• Responds to local diversity and actively consults and involves thecommunity

• Sets equalities targets that are ambitious and proportionate to the localcommunity’s needs and are reflective of the learner profile

• Actively promotes the sharing of good race equality practice in theteaching, learning and support of learners

• Ensures that Black staff are supported through the establishment offocus groups and /or affiliation to appropriate national networks

The OCR Awardfor Functional Skills

OCR is a not-for-profit organisation focused wholly on the enhancement ofeducation through assessment.

As one of the UK’s leading awarding bodies, OCR provides a professional,reliable and supportive service to thousands of teaching centres.

Learners of all ages study our specifications - whether at school, college, inwork or through part-time learning programmes - to achieve their fullpotential.

OCR qualifications include AS/A Levels, GCSEs, Key Skills, Basic Skills,Entry Level Certificates, Nationals and 'own brand' qualifications. They coverareas such as IT, business, languages, teaching/training, administration andsecretarial skills. OCR representatives can also work with Centres to provideaccreditation to unique qualifications.

OCR has a proven track record of developing new qualifications to helpteachers and students get the most out of learning and is currently running athree year pilot for functional skills in all three subjects at all levels – EntryLevel, Level 1 and Level 2. OCR’s functional skills qualifications help learnersdevelop practical skills in English, Maths and ICT to gain the most out ofwork, education and everyday life.

Our products are designed to enable teachers to get the best from students -both during the course and in preparing them for whatever they choose to goon to next. We place the student at the heart of our specification development,seeking new ways to engage with and excite learners.

Throughout the UK more than 13,000 Centres offer our qualifications andeach year more than 3 million people achieve an OCR qualification.


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The OCR Award is open to all further education colleges in the UK that aredelivering functional skills in English/mathematics/ICT.

The Award seeks to identify innovative examples of functional skills deliverythrough an approach that embeds functional skills across the curriculum.

The college should be creative in identifying and providing opportunities,which lead not only to the engagement of individuals but also contributes totheir continued progression.

In particular the Assessors will be looking for evidence of:

• contextualising functional skills delivery so that it engages and reflectsthe individual needs of learners

• programmes that enable learners to use and applyEnglish/mathematics/ICT to tackle problems that arise in their workand life

• an innovative and creative approach to functional skills that develops asustainable delivery model promoting the uptake of functional skillsacross the college

• regular evaluation mechanisms to measure the effectiveness andrelevance of the functional skills delivery model

• full support for staff that will enable the college to move forward withthe implementation of functional skills.

The RNIB and Mencap Inclusive Learning Awardfor Students with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities

Royal National Institute of the BlindRNIB is the largest voluntary organisation of and for people with sight loss inthe UK campaigning for positive change.

Our vision is a world where people who are blind or partially sighted enjoythe same rights and responsibilities, opportunities and quality of life aspeople who are sighted.

We believe that lifelong learning can significantly enhance the quality of lifeof people who are blind and partially sighted. It is one of the principle waysin which they can enjoy social inclusion; it can significantly contribute to theirindependence; and it is also a very important factor in enabling them toaccess employment. RNIB believes that participation in lifelong learningshould be a right for all, including blind and partially sighted people,whatever their age or the degree of their disability or learning difficulty.

RNIB is committed to empowering and supporting blind and partiallysighted people in accessing learning and to contributing to the developmentof the kind of provision that is necessary to facilitate high quality inclusivelearning.

MencapMencap is the UK’s leading learning disability charity; it supports peoplewith a learning disability and their families and carers. Mencap is keen tosupport the Beacon Award which recognises quality and innovation in thepromotion of inclusive learning. Mencap is particularly keen to supportinitiatives which provide people with a learning disability with accurate andaccessible information about learning opportunities. Since the publication of'Inclusive Learning', Mencap has been active in trying to make the reportaccessible to students and their families so that they can be actively involvedin shaping the future of lifelong learning opportunities.

Mencap works in partnership with other organisations to promote theimportance of further, adult and community education in the lives of peoplewith a learning difficulty and their families. Mencap is delighted to beworking with the RNIB in supporting the Beacon Awards in 2008-09 as ademonstration of how organisations can work actively and successfullytogether to reward initiative and success.


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The Inclusive Learning Award, supported by RNIB and Mencap, willcelebrate exemplary practice in further and continuing education for learnerswith learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Assessors would be interestedto receive applications from mainstream colleges which have developedexemplary practice in delivering the curriculum to visually impaired learnersor learners with learning difficulties. The Assessors will be looking forexamples of provision that demonstrate one or more of the following:

• an innovative curriculum

• partnership/multi-agency work, e.g. working with a specialistcollege

• individualised learning

• Self advocacy/empowerment, individualised learning, preferredlearning styles

• Provision based on the social model of disability

• Equal opportunities/access for all

• Relevant staff development and training.

In addition to focusing on the themes above, the Assessors will expectevidence of:

The Welsh Assembly GovernmentAwardfor College Engagement with Employers in Wales

The Welsh Assembly Government

www.wales.gov.uk

The Department for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DELLS), hasresponsibility for the effective deployment of Welsh Assembly Governmentfunds for schools, further education, private and voluntary sector trainingprovision, adult continuing education and higher education throughoutWales.

DELLS works with key partners to stimulate higher demand for skills and theability to make use of them. By doing this we intend to make the learningand skills sector to become more responsive to business, and create a flexibleinstitutional framework that supports the development of innovative firmsand multi-skilled workers.

The FE Sector plays a critically important role by equipping people with theessential skills needed for work, home and leisure; providing lifelonglearning opportunities in a wide range of subjects; ensuring that knowledge isapplied successfully within the economy; developing the skills needed byemployers; providing learning which helps strengthen and regenerate localcommunities.

The challenge of building a more inclusive society remains pressing.Education can assist individuals and communities to achieve their goals andaspirations and it helps develop new skills and encourages more informedand more effective participation in civil society. The Welsh AssemblyGovernment’s programme to widen participation and develop a more flexibleand responsive learning network aims to contribute to equipping Wales forboth social and economic success.

“It is vital that the economic and learning agencies work together to raiseemployers’ sights and create more high quality jobs as well as ensuringappropriate learning provision is available to meet and promote skillneeds.”

The Welsh Assembly Government

Department of Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills

“Skills and Employment Action Plan for Wales 2005”

The Welsh Assembly Government’s sponsorship of their award for CollegeEngagement with Employers in Wales is open to all further educationcolleges and sixth form colleges in Wales.

This Award will seek to recognise best practice in the development ofprovision which is responsive to the needs of employers includingsmall/medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and micro-businesses. The Awardwill be granted to the college best demonstrating a clear, long-term vision foremployer engagement, reflected in provision and developmental activity,which contributes to the development of a skilled workforce.

Assessors will be looking for:


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• Engagement with a range of employers embedded across theinstitution, reflected in the commitment of senior managers toensuring employer engagement is a core activity, with establishedlinks with a range of businesses, innovative networking andcollaboration with providers to develop appropriate learningprogrammes.

• Effective analysis and use of labour market intelligence, researchincluding Future Skills Wales, feedback from employers and othersofter information to inform the design and delivery of learning tomeet local, regional and sector skills needs.

• Human and materials resource strategies that benefit from directlinks with industry, including for example inward and outwardsecondments, mentoring and placements, and access to up to datefacilities and industry standard equipment.

• Creative use and implementation of innovative means of learningdelivery for example using e-learning and flexible deliveryarrangements.

• Awareness of and engagement within WorldSkills and other relatedvocational skills competitions.

• Services and business development solutions offered directly toemployers to support business needs.

Members of the AoC Beacon AwardsSteering Group as at 1 April 2009

Ahmed Choonara Executive Member, Network for Black Professionals

Brenig Davies Fforwm Officer – Wales Representative

Lesley Davies Director of Framework for Excellence and Quality,Learning and Skills Council

John Guy Principal, Sixth Form College Farnborough – Sixth Form College Representative

Joan Herron Southern Regional College – Northern Ireland Representative

Michael Osbaldeston Partnership Director, WorldSkills London 2011

Chantel Rowe Brand Manager, City & Guilds

Maggie Scott Director of Learning and Quality, Association of Colleges

Anne Sleath Senior Manager – Post-19, OCR

Debra Stych Clerk to the Board, Association of Colleges

Alice Thiagaraj Manager, AoC Charitable Trust

Dame Patricia Chair, AoC Beacon Awards Steering GroupMorgan-Webb

Guidance on how to apply for the AoC Beacon Awards

Below you will find some further advice on how to apply for the AoC BeaconAwards, based on assessors’ feedback and on some frequently askedquestions..

FeedbackEach year, the assessors are asked to complete feedback forms for non-shortlisted colleges. These are useful for a number of reasons: it means thatthe Manager can give individual feedback to all colleges that applied for theawards, it means that the assessors can identify key trends within each awardand it means that the Lead Assessor can have an overview of all of theawards and can ensure that they are each assessed to the same standard.

Some of the recurring themes that the feedback forms identify are as follows:Overall strengths of AoC Beacon Award applications

• Strong dissemination of good practice both within the college and thewider sector

• Good progression routes to F&HE and employment

• Enthusiastic support from all levels of the college

• Good communication between college and partner organisations

• Use of CPD to develop teaching styles and support students

• Innovative projects which widen access that could be replicated byother colleges

• Effective data exchange across areas and systems

• Outstanding social and cultural programmes

• Multi-faith Chaplaincy with a very broad spectrum of representation

• Sharing of good practice through networking

• Individualised student support

• A modern curriculum which addresses emerging technologies

• Good use of VLE by both staff and students

• Effective publicity and marketing materials

• Staff aim to challenge, inspire, engage and enrich students

How AoC Beacon Award applications could be improved

• More quantitative data needed

• More written evidence from stakeholders/beneficiaries

• Objectives not SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic,timebound)


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• More evidence needed on dissemination

• Need for more evaluation and monitoring

• Sustainability of funding needs to be ensured

• Submissions do not always follow the format recommended in theprospectus

• Need for greater involvement of SMT to develop a strategic oversight

• More evidence of formalised routes for engagement with business

• More evidence of a progression strategy

Feedback forms on all non-shortlisted applications dating back to the 2005-2006 Programme are kept at the AoC Beacon Awards office and any collegewishing to receive feedback can contact the office to be given it over thetelephone. The AoC Beacon Awards Steering Group and its team of assessorsare extremely keen to contribute towards the continuing development of allinitiatives that are put forward for the Awards which is one of the reasonswhy this feedback is available.

Colleges that have been shortlisted and/or Highly Commended are alsoinvited to contact the Awards office to receive more detailed feedback on theirsubmission and visit. Shortlisted and Highly Commended colleges areeligible to re-apply for the same Award. It is only colleges that have won anAward that cannot re-apply for the same Award unless it is applying with asubstantially different initiative.

3,000 Word Limit

As stated on page 8 of the Prospectus, your application for a Beacon Awardshould not exceed 3,000 words. A word count is requested on the applicationform.

Evidence from beneficiaries and appendicies should be included within the3,000 word limit. Many colleges have numerous examples of evidence frombeneficiaries, whether these take the form of comments in learner evaluationforms, feedback from partner organisations e.g. employers, schools, localauthorities or via solicited and unsolicited letters. Similarly, colleges arelikely to have a wealth of supplementary in formation contained in variouscollege documents.

There are two ways in which colleges can incorporate the evidence into theirsubmission:

1) To ‘lift’ quotes from the forms, letters etc. and put them in thesubmission to illustrate points or as part of the ‘Outcomes and Benefits’section. A footnote can be added to indicate that the originaldocuments can be made available to the assessors, should they wish tosee them.

2) To include copies of a sample of feedback forms, letters, documents etc,highlighting which words on the page you are including within theword count and again indicating in a footnote that similar examplescan be made available to the assessors, should they wish to see them.

Including evidence from beneficiaries is vital to any submission and itsomission is one of the main reasons why an application does not make it on

to the shortlist. Whatever form it takes, it adds an extra dimension andcolour to the submission, helping the assessors see the direct beneficial effectof the college’s work.

Applicants are also advised to consider presenting information in tableformat for example, figures on recruitment, retention, achievement,progression or numbers of partners engaged with etc. This uses a minimalamount in terms of the word count and demonstrates to assessors at a glancehow your provision has had an impact over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Our course is 12 weeks long and therefore does not run for an academic year. Are we still eligible to apply?

A: Providing the course itself has been running since September 2008(for example), it doesn’t matter if several cohorts of students haveundertaken the course since that time and the time you apply. What isimportant is for you to be able to demonstrate that monitoring thecourse over time has resulted in improvements.

Q: Our word count is 3,120. Can we still submit our application?

A: The assessors aren’t going to be too concerned if you are slightlyover the word count; however they are asked to take into account all ofthe criteria when drawing up a shortlist so if there are two submissionsof seemingly equal merit and one is within the word limit and the otheris over, then they will select the one that is within the word limit to beshortlisted.

Q: Our Principal will be away when the application form needs to be signed.Will our submission still be accepted?

A: It is important that the form is signed by a member of the SMT,preferably the Principal. Your application will be accepted if it issigned by another senior member of the SMT and submitted with acovering letter stating that the Principal is aware and supportive of theapplication.

Final tips

THREE COMPLETE COPIES of the application and supporting evidencemust be submitted. Two of these are sent to the two assessors assigned tothe award and the third set is retained by the Awards office.

Do not send in original samples of evidence from beneficiaries, students’course work, letters of support etc. The AoC Beacon Awards office cannotaccept any liability if these items are lost or damaged.


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Notes

Applicant’s Name

Title

Address Postcode

Email Tel

In what capacity have you been involved in the initiative?

College switchboard number

Name of person the assessors can contact over the summer to arrange a visit:

Name Tel

Beacon Award Application FormYou are advised to read page 8 of the prospectus before completing this form

________________/ __________/ ____________(for office use)Please complete in block capitals

Name of College

Title of Award

Source of funding for this initiative(e.g. LSC, DIUS, DCSF, ESF, LEA etc.)

Please name the programme area/course to which this initiative relates

Give a brief description of the initiative’s main aims and objectives

How would you classify the initiative? e.g. induction scheme, new course or module etc.

Department/Unit/Team etc

Name of Beacon Awards Liaison Officer (where this differs from the Applicant)

Title Tel

Title of Initiative

✁

Please see overleaf...

✁

I accept the conditions set out in the 2009-2010 Prospectus. I have read page 8 of the Prospectus and confirm this application is not more than 3,000 words and includes details of:

• The Project: Planning and Purpose

• Aims and Objectives

• Monitoring Procedures

• Outcomes and Benefits

• Dissemination and the Future

Word count ______________________

Signed by the Applicant_______________________________________________Date__________________________

Name of Principal/Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________

Signature of Principal/Chief Executive__________________________________Date__________________________

Please check that your initiative fulfils the following criteria (please tick):

• It meets the specific requirements set out by the sponsors of the particular Award for which you are applying (see relevant page in the Awards section of the Prospectus)

• It is subject to evaluation/quality assurance which influences the continuing development of the scheme

• It has regard to ensuring that equality and diversity are accounted for in all aspects of the programme’s delivery

• It has been running for at least one academic session by 31 July 2009

• It has features which actively promote exemplary teaching and learning

• It benefits one or more groups of students or trainees who have been identified and described in the application

• It has wider relevance and applicability which would make it of value to other colleges as an example of good practice and innovation

• It is supported by written evidence from beneficiaries who may be students, trainees, employers or, in some cases, parents

Please attach a supporting statement of no more than 3,000 words and submit THREE copies of your completeapplication AND statement by Wednesday 22 July 2009 to the following address:

(Faxes will not be accepted)

Alice ThiagarajBeacon Awards Manager

AoC Charitable Trust2-5 Stedham Place

London WC1A 1HU

Assessors will take into account ALL of the Awards’ criteria when evaluating the applications

Notes

Notes

AoC Charitable Trust2-5 Stedham Place

London WC1A 1HUTelephone: 020 7034 9900Facsimile: 020 7034 9950

email: [email protected]: www.aoc.co.uk