Awards Ceremony Recognises Individual and Organisational Excellence

The Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI) may have a limited shelf life as an independent organisation, with the merger with Ofsted growing ever closer.

Even so, the ALI has been as active and vigorous as ever in their campaign to encourage the sharing of best practices throughout the learning and skills secotr. This week, this took the form of being able to announce ten Quality Champions at the inaugural ceremony held in Coventry.

The awards are part of the ALI’s “Excalibur” initiative and are designed to promote good practice to build on the already impressive improvements in quality of provision. The programme also seeks to provide the highest possible quality managers with a comprehensive framework for personal development. The programme receives its accreditation from the Chartered Institute of Management and leads to an NVQ in quality management.

ALI and Winners on Excalibur

The Chief Inspector of Adult Learning, David Sherlock, said whilst presenting the awards to the ten winners: “These awards recognise individuals who are passionately committed to improving standards in the learning and skills sector and who inspire others to do the same. Their efforts mean that more adults and young people are gaining vital skills and qualifications, getting jobs and fulfilling their potential.”

Suzi Dejnega was one of the first ten Quality Champions and received her award at the ceremony. She said: “You can have a career-long history in quality management but how do you quantify all that experience? This award gives me a current qualification, brings me right up to date with latest practice and recognises me as a professional who values working in partnership with people who are equally passionate about quality.”

Another Quality Champion, Kerry Boffey, echoed the positive message of the award, saying: “Going back to learning and being assessed helped me to see things from the learners” perspective and understand what they are going through.” The Chartered Institute of Management was represented by Ian Flavell, who said: “The Quality Champions awards are important because they both prove and improve competence.”

Jethro Marsh