Strategic Development Network (SDN)

Do you manage or conduct the internal quality assurance (IQA) of your apprenticeship provision? If so, it’s vitally important to be focusing on the right things. Are your IQA activities solely focused on awarding body requirements? Are you able to monitor the apprentice’s learning and progress effectively (particularly where there are no qualifications)? Is your role helping your teachers and trainers to prepare apprentices adequately for the gateway and end-point assessment? You’ll leave this SDN-Mesma webinar with: 🔸 knowledge, tools and resources to help conduct your role as IQA effectively 🔸 an understanding of the IQA role and the questions you should be asking 🔸 knowing how to quality assure progress in the absence of qualifications 🔸 knowing how to change and adapt your internal quality assurance processes so they’re fit for purpose 🔸 knowing how IQA’s can contribute to preparing apprentices for end-point assessment 🔸 best practice tips from other sector professionals Follow the link for full event details and to book your place 👇 https://lnkd.in/gST-3bUB #apprenticeships #cpd #IQA Carole Loader

Thank you to everyone who joined SDN's Colin Bentwood in the discussion on "Changes in the skills sector" When it comes to 'taming the apprenticeship beast' there are 2 big changes you need to address: 1️⃣ Employer expectations - employers want faster, more valuable, tailored apprenticeships. Be proactive and address these needs. 2️⃣ Technology - Colin became 50% more productive in just 10 weeks by using new technology and generative AI. Don't let fear hold you back, proceed with appropriate caution, but don't get left behind. #Apprenticeships APPRENTICESHIPS Group: Colin Bentwood Zoe Bolger Tim Chewter Chloe Bjarkan #skillssector

It's a busy day here at the Apprenticeship Conference in Birmingham! If you only have a few minutes to grab a coffee between workshops, swing by the SDN stand for our collated insights: ✅️ Quality ✅️ Funding & compliance ✅️ Employer engagement ✅️ End-Point Assessment ✅️ The Quality Professional Awards & more! #Apprenticeships APPRENTICESHIPS Group: Colin Bentwood Tim Chewter Zoe Bolger Chloe Bjarkan Sally Forsyth Mesma The Quality Professionals Awards: Further Education and Employability

Time for coffee and networking ☕️ Bring a cuppa over and have a chat... don't forget to grab some SDN merch while you're here! #Apprenticeships APPRENTICESHIPS Group: Colin Bentwood Tim Chewter Chloe Bjarkan Sally Forsyth

We're here! If you're at the Apprenticeship Conference in Birmingham today do drop by the stand to say hello 👋 What we have for you today: Free merch (coaster, pandas and pens... oh my!) Sector insights Our work with Mesma Speech from Colin Bentwood on changes in the skills sector Come join us! #Apprenticeships APPRENTICESHIPS Group: Colin Bentwood Tim Chewter Chloe Bjarkan Sally Forsyth

Are you involved in the design and development of your apprenticeship curriculum? Whether you're new to SDN or a webinar series veteran, our Apprenticeship curriculum design webinar is a must-attend. Over 3.5 interactive hours, Chris Cherry, an expert in apprenticeship curriculum and assessment, will take you through a step-by-step example of how to deconstruct a standard and build the curriculum from the top down. Here's what we'll cover: 1️⃣ The principles of good-quality curriculum design 2️⃣ A practical step-by-step worked example: (KSBs, learning outcomes, shaping 'episodes of learning', the Scheme of Work, ILPs and more!) 3️⃣ Practical tips on how to adjust the curriculum and training plan “mid-flight” during the programme, to meet the needs of the apprentice and employer. Learn practical tips and gain insights from Chris's extensive experience. This masterclass is perfect for anyone involved in apprenticeship curriculum design and development. You'll also get 1-hour pre-session webinar to get you started! 👉 Register now to hone your curriculum development skills: https://lnkd.in/eCaS4WC7

Learner management software provides a great tool to collect Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data, but the required fields in the ILR do not tell your whole data story. If you really want to understand and drive performance as an apprenticeship provider, you must collect a wider set of data points… In this short blog we introduce the limitations of relying solely on ILR data fields to help you understand your delivery and financial projections and give an example on how additional data improves your business decisions: https://lnkd.in/eX-NazSm #apprenticeshipproviders #apprenticeships

DfE webinar: Hosting T Level placements as an SME Next week, the Department for Education & SDN are hosting a 1-hour webinar to explore how T Level placements are helping small businesses attract young talent, what placements look like in practice & the impact they can have for your organisation. There is no charge for this support. The webinar will cover:  ☑️ An overview of T Level industry placements  ☑️ The benefits to the success of your business  ☑️ The practicalities of hosting placements & how they work  ☑️ Hear from Richard Pankhurst on how OFP Timber Framed Homes Ltd are hosting placements & the impact they're seeing ☑️ Tackling questions & challenges in an SME context  ☑️ The government support available to help get you started    You can find out more & register here: https://lnkd.in/gciv22wy #TLevel #TLevels #SME #SmallBussiness #IndustryPlacements

Funding and compliance impacts apprenticeship staff across your organisation. If you're on the front-line working with apprentices, you'll need to understand what compliance means for your role at different points in the learner journey. That's why we're hosting an in-depth webinar series with David Lockhart-Hawkins - to help you implement compliance in your organisation. If you have several staff who would benefit, take a look at the group ticket option! Apprenticeship compliance for your role: 🔸 The core compliance rules for Apprenticeships 🔸 How they fit into the typical apprentice journey 🔸 How funding works and what this means for your role 🔸 The common compliance errors and how to identify them 🔸 How to mitigate funding risks in your role View the full event details and book your place here: https://lnkd.in/ehhM_bg9 #apprenticeships #cpd #compliance

Thank you to everyone who registered for last week's session - Unpacking Ofsted’s New Proposals: A Practical Walkthrough - all 800 of you! 🤩 Against a backdrop of wider sector change, we know that having easy-to-access support & CPD is critical. That’s why all online SDN-Mesma Ofsted framework change events will be free to attend throughout 2025. "On behalf of our university apprenticeship division, we are exceptionally grateful that you will be delivering these Ofsted update sessions free of charge for all. This is a really kind & generous gesture and use of your time, as you are of course a business too! Thank you!" - Andrea Bowers, Kingston University These sessions will help you: ☑️ Digest the latest updates when they happen ☑️ Understand what they mean in practice ☑️ Prepare for the new inspections with confidence. 📧 Sign-up to our newsletter to get updates on the next session: https://lnkd.in/eXxUyWAm 📽️ If you missed last week's session, you can catch up here: https://lnkd.in/eV_CGK-r Mesma Lou Doyle FIEP Sally Forsyth #Ofsted #Inspection #EducationInspectionFramework #FurtherEducation #Apprenticeships #Quality