AELP launches ‘Good to Great’ support programme for independent training providers

AELP members wanting to become great training providers are being invited to sign up for an 8-month structured support programme to help achieve their ambitions.

Announced at the start of today’s AELP annual conference, the programme, delivered by AELP, will support established good quality providers to become great across five core areas of operation.

Beginning in the autumn, ‘Good to Great’ will be sponsored by educational charity NOCN and with Ofsted’s involvement although the programme organisers are keen to stress that the initiative is more than about putting a provider in a position to achieve a grade 1 inspection.

The five areas of focus for improvement will be:

1. Inspirational leadership and management
2. Strong and robust financial health
3. Effective corporate governance
4. Innovative and cutting edge learning
5. Preparation for inspection and the new Education Inspection Framework (this module will be delivered by Ofsted).

The support programme will utilise a mixed model of workshops, webinars and support events. Each month it will cover a different topic and allow time for review and reflection, and development of action plans. It will also include facilitated peer review and collaboration. Before starting, providers will be given a toolkit containing a self-assessment tool and provider action plan.

There will be a strong emphasis on facilitated peer support, e.g. sharing good practice, helping each other with challenges, challenging each other and leading the agenda.

‘Good to Great’ will be overseen by an experienced facilitator and delivered by a team of subject experts from across the sector. The programme will formally conclude with a graduation ceremony and providers completing the programme will also join an alumni programme which will help them to continue with the peer review and collaborative partnerships created through participation.

Association of Employment and Learning Providers chief executive Mark Dawe said:

‘AELP’s primary role is to lobby government on behalf of its members, but this form of membership support is arguably just as important. Policymakers are more likely to take notice of a representative organisation committed to excellence among its members and AELP has always championed an objective to maximise the number of its members being good or better.

‘Members have told us that there is a real appetite to participate in a ‘Good to Great’ programme and we are grateful to NOCN and Ofsted in helping us devise a course blueprint that should appeal to different sized providers. I can’t wait to see it in action!’