AoC Beacon Awards 2010/11 Prospectus

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The OCR Award forFunctional Skills

The Welsh AssemblyGovernment Award for

14-19 Collaboration

The YPLA Award for14-19 Collaboration

The YPLA Award forEquality and Diversity

The AoC Beacon Awards 2010/2011 sponsors

The AQA Award forCollege/School

Partnerships

The AoC ManagementServices Award for

College Engagementwith Employers

The Association ofColleges Award for

Widening Participation

The Becta Award forEfficiency through the

Effective Use ofTechnology in FE and

Skills

The British CouncilAward for International

Student Support

The City & GuildsAward for StaffDevelopment in

Further Education

The DCSF Award forSuccessful Delivery of

Level 2 and 3Qualifications

The DCSF/BIS/AoCAward for Smarter

Procurement

The Edexcel Award forLifelong Learning

The Edge Award forPractical Teaching and

Practical Learning

The Enterprise UKAward for Enterprise

The Jardine LloydThompson Benefit

Solutions Award forHealth and Community

Care

The LSIS Award forLeadership ofInnovation inCurriculum

Development

The Mencap/RNIBAward for Students

with LearningDifficulties and/or

Disabilities

Benefit Solutions

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A Message from Kevin Brennan, theMinister for Further Education, Skillsand Apprenticeships

I am delighted to continue the Government’s support for the AoC BeaconAwards which are now in their seventeenth year of capturing and celebratingthe best practice of the College sector in the UK.At a time when Colleges are facing challenges from all sides, the opportunityto recognise their outstanding and exemplary work and celebrate excellencehas never been more important. The Awards highlight best practice andencourage others to replicate this in order to raise achievement across thecountry.I welcome the Association of Colleges’ decision to carry out a thoroughreview of the Awards to ensure they continue to reflect the innovative andinspirational work of Colleges. The new Award groupings reflect the breadthand far-reaching impact that Colleges have not only on individual learnersbut also on the wider communities which they serve.I support the Association of Colleges’ decision to strengthen the applicationand assessment process. As the reputation of these Awards gains ever greaterprominence, it is important that Colleges know they are run and assessedwith integrity thus preserving the value of the Awards to the Colleges and thesector as a whole.I would encourage all Colleges to become involved with the Awardsprogramme; to showcase their contribution to their communities; and to givethe sector even more cause for celebration in November.

Kevin Brennan MPMinister for Further Education, Skills and Apprenticeships

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The following bodies have given invaluablesupport for the Programme for 2010/2011which 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 andsocial development.The Awards:

• Recognise imaginative and exemplary teaching and learning practice inColleges

• 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 website approximately a year after their announcement.In 2009, using the futures map at the end of ‘Celebrating Colleges’, theAssociation consulted with Colleges, sponsors and assessors to devise a newformat for the Awards to ensure that they continue to capture and celebratethe creative and innovative ways in which the sector meets the needs of itslocal and regional communities and ensures continual social and economicregeneration.

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 2010 appear at the back of thisprospectus). The Steering Group makes all final decisions about Awardwinners in the light of recommendations from the team of assessors and theLead 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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1 BeaconAw

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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 Awardundertakes to inform its community about its achievement and aboutthe support and interest provided by the sponsor. It should alsoundertake to inform 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 not be eligible for consideration.

SPONSOR FOCUS OF AWARD GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS

AQA College/School Partnerships UK

AoC Management College Engagement with Employers UKServices

Association of Widening Participation UKColleges

Becta Efficiency through Effective Use of Technology UK

British Council International Student Support UK

City & Guilds Staff Development in Further Education UK

DCSF Delivery of Level 2 and 3 Qualifications England

DCSF/BIS/AoC Procurement England

Edexcel Lifelong Learning UK

Edge Practical Teaching and Practical Learning UK

Enterprise UK Enterprise UK

Jardine Lloyd Health and Community Care UKThompson Benefit Solutions

LSIS Leadership of Innovation in Curriculum EnglandDevelopment

Mencap and RNIB Students with Learning Difficulties and/or UKDisabilities

OCR Functional Skills UK

Welsh Assembly 14-19 Collaboration WalesGovernment

YPLA 14-19 Collaboration England

YPLA Equality and Diversity England

The Awards


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1The AoC Beacon Awards 2010/2011 Calendar

2010

April AoC Beacon Awards 2010/2011Prospectus distributed to Colleges

7 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 final

selection by AoC Beacon Awards Steering Group

16-18 November 2010/2011 AoC Beacon Award winnersannounced at the AoC AnnualConference

2011

January – April Local Presentation Ceremonies9 February AoC Beacon Awards National

Presentation CeremonyNovember 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 the Lead Assessor and /or aSteering 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.

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 and diversity are accounted for in all aspects ofthe programme’s delivery

• It must have been running for at least oneacademic session by 31 July 2010

• 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 ApplicationYou should submit a single covering application form(at the back of this prospectus) which should be signedby the Principal and should have the contact details ofthe person the assessors will contact to arrange a sitevisit. This should be accompanied by the main part ofthe application.The main body of your application should beanonymous and should address all of the above criteriaand be made in a statement of no more than 3,000words. The statement should be made by a seniormember of staff who has had close contact with theinitiative. Written evidence from beneficiaries shouldbe included in the word limit. You may makereference to other materials (i.e. multimedia material,College documents, etc.) which the assessors can requestor access, should they wish to do so.Your application should be structured, as far as possible,under the following headings:

• Project summary – a brief overview of theinitiative including a clear description of targetgroup

• Aims and objectives – the aims and objectives,how they were established, and how they haveresulted in the promotion of exemplary teachingand learning

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1How to Apply for AoC Beacon Awards

You are asked to submit THREE copies of your completeapplication AND statement (including supporting evidence)by Wednesday 7 July 2010 to:ALICE THIAGARAJAoC BEACON AWARDS MANAGERAoC CHARITABLE TRUST2-5 STEDHAM PLACELONDON WC1A 1HUAll enquiries about making an application should beaddressed to the AoC Beacon Awards office at the aboveaddress and NOT to sponsors or assessors.

• How the project meets the sponsor’s criteria – asection which clearly addresses each of thesponsor’s criteria as set out on the relevant pagein the Awards section

• Project management – describe how the projectis managed including how quality assurance isused to improve the initiative, and how theproject meets equality and diversity standards

• Outcomes and benefits to learners – show howthe initiative has benefited the learners andothers involved with the project – this should besupported by written evidence from beneficiarieswho may be students, trainees, employers or, insome cases, parents. This section should alsoinclude data on enrolment, retention,achievement and progression

• Dissemination and the future – highlight keyfeatures of the project that could be of benefit toother Colleges and how you perceive itdeveloping in the future

No initiative which has previously won an AoC BeaconAward will be eligible for consideration for the sameAward a second 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 theproject is shortlisted.

Awards for Teaching and Learning, Curriculum Designand Development Page No.

Becta Award for Efficiency through the Effective Use of Technology inFE and Skills 12-13DCSF Award for Successful Delivery of Level 2 and 3 Qualifications 14-15Edge Award for Practical Teaching and Practical Learning 16-17Jardine Lloyd Thompson Benefit Solutions Award for Health and Community Care 18-19Mencap/RNIB Award for Students with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities 20-21OCR Award for Functional Skills 22-23

Awards for Leadership and Quality ImprovementDCSF/BIS/AoC Award for Smarter Procurement 26-27City & Guilds Award for Staff Development in Further Education 28-29LSIS Award for Leadership of Innovation in Curriculum Development 30-31YPLA Award for Equality and Diversity 32-33

Awards for Responsiveness, Partnership and ImpactAQA Award for College/School Partnerships 36-37AoC Management Services Award for College Engagement with Employers 38-39Association of Colleges Award for Widening Participation 40-41British Council Award for International Student Support 42-43Edexcel Award for Lifelong Learning 44-45Enterprise UK Award for Enterprise 46-47Welsh Assembly Government Award for 14-19 Collaboration 48-49YPLA Award for 14-19 Collaboration 50-51

The Awards


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Teaching and Learning, Curriculum Design and Development

Becta Award for Efficiency through the Effective Use of Technology in FE and Skills

DCSF Award for Successful Delivery of Level 2 and 3 Qualifications

Edge Award for Practical Teaching and Practical Learning

Jardine Lloyd Thompson Benefit Solutions Award for Health and Community Care

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

OCR Award for Functional Skills

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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 and training. These include personalisingindividual learner experience, enabling flexible learning, improvingorganisational efficiency, and supporting and enhancing managementprocesses. The benefits of using technology are shared throughout the sector,positively impacting 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, help 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 Becta Award for Efficiency through the Effective use of Technology in FEand Skills is open to all Further Education, Sixth Form and Tertiary Collegesin the United Kingdom.Becta will be particularly interested in applications which demonstrate,through digital evidence, how new models of delivery can impact positivelyon both learners and the workforce to understand whether e-delivery hasbeen used across the institution or just in specific curriculum areas.Assessors will look for comprehensive evidence (including statisticalinformation) which clearly demonstrates the following:

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

• The successful application of technology to achieve significantquantified efficiency savings through the effective use of technology

• How new models of e-delivery has produced a significant increase inlearners’ outcomes and released time and money to enhance thelearning experience

• How innovation in new delivery models has been supported by thesenior management team and is built into the development ofincreased organisational e-maturity**

The Becta Award for Efficiency through the Effective Use of Technologyin FE and Skills

guidance on applying for this award appears on page 8 and 53 of this prospectus

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One of the key goals of the 14-19 Reform of education and training for youngpeople is to close the achievement gap so that all have an opportunity tosucceed, irrespective of gender, race, disability or background. Disadvantagedyoung people are not only found in disadvantaged institutions – they arewidely dispersed. Some of the widest attainment gaps are seen in those areaswhich have high overall achievement, but which include pockets ofdeprivation and disadvantage. In recent years we have seen improvements in attainment by age 19 for allgroups – based on entitlement to free school meals (FSM), gender, ethnicityand Special Educational Needs, but to varying degrees. In general, the gapsbetween the highest and lowest achievers are narrowing. In 2008, there was a23.7 percentage point gap in attainment of Level 2 between those eligible andthose not eligible for FSM (a reduction of 4.6 percentage points since 2005)and a 25.1 percentage point gap in the attainment of Level 3 (a reduction of1.3 percentage points since 2005). 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 changing world economy, it is ever more important to equip youngpeople with skills that will enable them to succeed in a competitive jobsmarket and pursue productive careers. Increasing the numbers of youngpeople who achieve at higher levels, particularly for those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, has the potential to break the cycle of disadvantage,opening up opportunities in highly skilled employment or entry into highereducation.The Department for Children, Schools and Families has set challengingtargets to raise the attainment of young people who were in receipt of free-school meals in year 11, and to narrow the attainment gap between thoseyoung people and their peers. To meet these targets, and the 14-19 Reformgoals, we will need schools and Colleges to provide inspiring, motivatinglearning options which keep young people engaged and on the path tosuccess. This Award will be given to a College which leads the way in delivering highquality teaching which results in high rates of success for young people whoexperience disadvantage. The College may serve a deprived community oradapt more general approaches to support specific groups of learners withinthe institution.


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The Department for Children, Schoolsand Families Award for Successful Delivery of Level 2 and 3 Qualificationsfor Disadvantaged Learners

The Department for Children Schools and Families is sponsoring an Awardfor successful delivery of Level 2 and/or 3 qualifications by a FurtherEducation or Sixth Form College in England. This Award will be given to aCollege which leads the way in delivering high quality teaching at Level 2and/or 3 which results in high levels of achievement for young people fromdisadvantaged backgrounds.Assessors for the Award will be looking for evidence of significant value-added to the levels of achievement for young people.Colleges should provide evidence demonstrating how provision meets thefollowing criteria:


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• Outstanding levels of achievement of Level 2 and/or 3 qualificationsby young people aged 16 to 19 from disadvantaged backgrounds, i.e.demonstrating significant value-added

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

• High quality support and guidance for young people which helpsthem stay motivated to learn and achieve

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

• Effective support for vulnerable young people and those fromminority groups, which helps them to achieve qualifications

• Successful collaborative working with a wide range of partners tosupport progression into and out of Level 2 and 3 provision

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 AoC 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 haveexperiences that are:

‘Until the voices of learners are heard, nothing will really change’(Andy Powell, Chief Executive, Edge)www.edge.co.uk


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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 candescribe their new skills and insights and show the distance theyhave 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

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 sectors’ 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 Colleges of Further Education,Sixth Form Colleges and Tertiary Colleges offering courses which covercommunity and residential care, health studies, early years/nursery nursingand other health and community care programme areas.

The assessors will be looking for:

• Outstanding schemes that provide models of good practice inhealth and community care provision

• Initiatives that have innovative and flexible features supportinghigh levels of achievement

• Responsiveness to employer and training needs in the provisionof high quality courses or specific training programmes

• Effective collaboration with employers and service providers inthe planning and evaluation of the course

• 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 sustained improvement in the quality of provision

• Successful development of coordinating strategies to facilitatelearning outcomes through consistency in supervision and in theassessment methods used in practical work placements

Colleges should provide evidence demonstrating the following:

MencapMencap is the UK’s leading learning disability charity; it supports peoplewith a learning disability and their families and carers. Mencap is keen tosupport this AoC Beacon Award which recognises quality and innovation inthe promotion 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 AoC Beacon Awards in 2010/11 asa demonstration of how organisations can work actively and successfullytogether to reward initiative and success.

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 principal 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.


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


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The Inclusive Learning Award, supported by Mencap and RNIB, 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 and/or disabilities.The assessors will look for provision that demonstrates the following:

• Teaching and learning activities that are well matched to learner'sdifferent needs, that enables individuals to develop their skills andexperiences through a personalised approach and is supported bysustained involvement with their local communities

• Effective multi-agency partnerships making a practical contribution tosupporting learner achievement and progression

• Comprehensive transition planning for each individual includingprocesses that fully support learners to transform their lives throughreaching their destination goals

• Appropriate resources and support for the development of the skillsand attributes that employers want and sustained work withemployers to help them know to make use of these skills in theirworkforce

• Promotion of the contribution that learners make in raising bothawareness and expectations throughout their peer group, the Collegeand local community

• Equipping and empowering learners to solve their own problems,make their own choices and take control of their lives

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 will soon complete a successful large-scale three-year pilot forFunctional Skills in all three subjects and at all levels – Entry Level, Level 1and Level 2. Throughout the pilot, OCR specialists have refined anddeveloped the Functional Skills qualifications to ensure learners develop therequired practical skill 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 and eachyear 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 andreflects the 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 developsa sustainable 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 forwardwith the implementation of Functional Skills


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DCSF/BIS/AoC Award for Smarter Procurement

City & Guilds Award for Staff Development in Further Education

LSIS Award for Leadership of Innovation in Curriculum Development

YPLA Award for Equality and Diversity

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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.Applications from consortia groups of Colleges would also be welcomed.The assessors will be looking for evidence of:

The DCSF, BIS and AoC Awardfor Smarter Procurement

• Sustainable collaborative partnerships between the College and otherorganisations, whether they are with other Colleges, employers,schools or LEAs , which has led to significant savings

• An innovative and pro-active approach to procurement • How the savings made as a result of efficient procurement policies

and practices have directly benefited learners • How the College has improved its management of procurement

activities and maximised the resources available for the ultimatebenefit of its staff and students

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and theDepartment for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), in conjunction with theAssociation of Colleges (AoC), are working to ensure Colleges across Englandget the most from their budgets. By helping Colleges adopt an innovative andpro-active approach to procurement the team is maximising the resourcesavailable to frontline staff and students.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 programme launched in 2005 many Colleges have achievedconsiderable savings 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.Through the programme, the Colleges have been provided with access toprocurement support and training, spend analysis, procurement reviews, anonline repository of tools, templates, guidance and other support, as well asregionally based network meetings to discuss procurement matters. Over 220 Colleges are actively engaged with the programme of support, andthe Departments and the AoC are delighted to sponsor this AoC BeaconAward.

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 professional

development• Effective and imaginative work to support staff development• Schemes that can demonstrate positive outcomes for teachers, other

staff and learners

LSIS was formed to speed up quality improvement, increase participationand raise standards and achievement in the learning and skills sector inEngland and is dedicated to developing excellent FE provision working inpartnership with all parts of the sector to build and sustain self-improvement.It is responsible for developing and providing access to resources that helpColleges and providers implement initiatives and improve quality – bycommissioning products and services, by identifying and sharing goodpractice throughout the system, and by providing tailored programmes ofsupport.LSIS’s mission is ‘to accelerate the drive for excellence’ which will helprealise our vision that: every learner acquires the skills, knowledge andappetite they need for learning, living and working; and that every provideris valued by their communities and employers for their contribution tosustainable social and economic priorities.


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• Effective leadership of curriculum development for the benefit of theorganisation and its clients/customers/learners

• Responsiveness to the learning needs of the individuals and groups inthe local area and/or the organisation’s community resulting in arealistic strategy for the development of the curriculum

• The processes of management and development result in curriculumprovision supporting high standards of outcomes for learners

• Sustainability has been built into the curriculum development• Creation of value for individuals, teams and their organisations in

ways which can be considered novel, innovative and from which otherproviders can learn

• Equality and diversity has been an integral part of the design andembedded into the implementation of the curriculum development

The LSIS Awardfor Leadership of Innovation in Curriculum Development

LSIS is pleased to sponsor this AoC Beacon Award for Leadership ofInnovation in Curriculum Development. The Award is open to all FurtherEducation, Sixth Form and Tertiary Colleges in England.This Award aims to recognise the crucial role of leadership in curriculumdevelopment activities. This may be for a specific aspect of the provider’swork or take a broader perspective. The assessors will look for evidence thatthe initiative is innovative, is responsive to learners and the community, hasproduced positive results and made a significant impact on learners. Colleges should demonstrate how the provision meets the following criteria:


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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 YPLA’s mission will be to champion youngpeople by providing financial support to young learners, by fundingAcademies for all their provision and by supporting local authorities’commissioning of suitable education and training opportunities for all 16 – 19year olds. This Award recognises the success of an institution in the FEsystem to meet this mission and the ambition of the FE sector: FE is at theheart of its actions to unlock the talent of individuals; to build strong andinclusive communities; and to develop the skills and innovation employersneed to compete successfully.

YPLA recognises the success of the LSC; the numbers of young people takingpart in education and training are rising. We want learners to be at the heartof our work and make sure that our approach supports the aspirations of allyoung people participating in learning.

The new YPLA Single Equality Scheme is designed to place equality anddiversity at the heart and go beyond the achievements of the LSC. The YPLAaims to do more than comply with the present legislation for equalopportunities, going beyond it to promote equality and embrace diversity inall its aspects. The YPLA wants its approach to be a model for the Collegesand providers it works with.

The Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) Equality and Diversity Awardwill recognise exemplary practice in equality and diversity and inclusion. TheAward is open to all Skills Funding Agency and local authority-fundedFurther Education Colleges. Applicants must have developed and acted upon a clear equality anddiversity strategy and action plan or plans that respond to the needs ofunder-represented or under-performing groups, and to relevant equalitylegislation.The Award will be made to the College that best demonstrates a clearcommitment across the institution to embedding and going beyond thestatutory duties for race, disability and/or learning difficulty and genderequality, and positive outcomes for learners.Assessors will be looking for evidence of:

• Innovative approaches to promote equality, particularly in relation tosexual orientation, religion/belief, age, race, gender identity and socialdeprivation

• A clear, systematic and visibly embedded approach to deliveringequality and diversity outcomes across the institution, including: apublished strategy, relevant action plan(s), improvement measureswhich identify and successfully address priority equality challenges,embedding equality and diversity within the overall mission of theCollege

• Clearly identified indicators of success, monitored by regular auditingof policies, procedures and practices, including a strategic approach toequality impact assessments as part of the policy review process,leading to continued improvement in provision for learners

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

• Leading by example, commitment and leadership from the top of theorganisation ensuring the workforce reflects the diversity of thelearning and wider community

• Action to share and promote good practice among other Colleges andproviders

The Young People’s Learning AgencyAward for Equality and Diversity


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1 Responsiveness, Partnership and ImpactAQA Award for College/School Partnerships

AoC Management Services Award for College Engagement withEmployers

Association of Colleges Award for Widening Participation

British Council Award for International Student Support

Edexcel Award for Lifelong Learning

Enterprise UK Award for Enterprise

Welsh Assembly Government Award for 14-19 Collaboration

YPLA Award for 14-19 Collaboration

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.

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The AQA Award for College/School Partnerships is open to all FurtherEducation, Sixth Form and Tertiary Colleges in the United Kingdom whohave established successful and sustainable partnerships with schools.

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

Colleges should provide evidence demonstrating how provision meets thefollowing:

• Complementary curriculum delivery e.g. – Colleges and schoolssharing planning and delivery of post-14 provision

• Curriculum continuity supporting effective transition e.g. –evidence of Colleges working with schools to give summer/tastercourses pre-induction, evidence of Colleges and schools bringingstaff together to discuss continuity of support, evidence of learningpartnerships

• Collaborative information/marketing and promotion e.g. – careerfairs for all providers in an area, joint meetings for parents andlearners

• Consistent student support e.g. – evidence of policies for transportor financial assistance, evidence of school/College tutors providingcontinual support for learners

• Efficient and effective sharing of facilities e.g. – sport/science etc.facilities, sharing staff expertise, schools offering sites for adultcourses

guidance on applying for this award appears on page 8 and 53 of this prospectusfurther education - serving the needs of a better society and strong economy3736

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The AoC Management Services Awardfor College Engagement with Employers

AoC Management Services (AoCMS) is the commercial arm of AoC. Its role isto provide commercial services to the sector of the highest quality withmaximum impact. Most of the income generated by AoCMS is invested backin to the AoC.

We offer the following services to FE providers and organisations within thesector:

• Event management – as the leading provider of conferences andevents we also provide end to end event management services toclients including sponsorship and exhibition campaigns, programmedevelopment and speaker sourcing, marketing, delegatemanagement, audio-visual, production, onsite management,evaluation and full post-event de-brief

• Conferences and events – we run some 50 events per year targetedat the further education sector and beyond including; localauthorities, employers, and HE institutions. Events range from largescale national conferences and exhibitions for 1,500 delegates; afeature of the events profile is the sector flagship AoC AnnualConference, through to smaller policy focused workshops, coveringkey policy areas and issues from quality and curriculum, finance,human resources, examinations, Machinery of Government changes,technology to equality and diversity

• Consultancy – we provide consultancy and advisory services toColleges and those interested in FE through our own staff and awide network of senior associates, providing up to 2,000 consultancydays a year

• Management development programmes – in partnership with LSISwe are leading on the development of skilled 21st Century Managersfor the Sector

• Bespoke training – we design training programmes to suit the needsof particular clients

• Executive recruitment – typically we run 15-20 recruitmentcampaigns for Principals, Vice Principals and other senior managersand offer services, such as recruitment campaign management,assessment centres, and support during selection. We have anadvanced search capacity which, added to our deep knowledge ofthe sector, allows us access to a wide pool of potential recruits

• Interim management – in a typical year, we place around 20 interimmanagers in a variety of posts, in a range of skill areas

• Strategic research - we have extensive experience of strategicresearch. We aim to be the authoritative voice of Colleges based oncredible analysis and research. Our closeness to policy formulationand to member Colleges, and our effective use of technology areparticular strengths in conducting research projects

Website: www.aoc.co.uk/en/Management_Services/index.cfmTel: 020 7299 6980

The AoC Management Services Award for Engaging Employers is open to allFurther Education and Sixth Form Colleges in the UK. The Award willrecognise exemplary practice in the delivery of provision that is bothresponsive to the needs of employers and that is making a difference toemployers. The Award will be granted to the College best demonstratingimpact in meeting employers skills needs. This will have resulted from aclear, long-term vision and partnership with employers, reflected in provisionwhich demonstrates development of a skilled workforce and contribution toeconomic progress in response to identified skills priorities.Assessors will be looking for evidence of:

• A whole College approach to meeting the training and developmentneeds of employers reflected in the Colleges’ three-year developmentplan and investment in employment related training

• Responsiveness to key economic and training priorities identified bySector Skills Councils or other strategic and systematic analysis oflocal or regional skills needs

• Systematic networking and collaboration with other providers, andbusiness support organisations to provide a comprehensive responseto meeting the training needs of employers and learners

• A successful record of managers, leaders, teachers, trainers andsupport staff in delivering sustained levels of employer engagementdemonstrated by feedback from employers to improve or changeprovision and the positive impact of provision on businesses

• Well managed investment in training and development of staff, andthe provision of up to date facilities and equipment to industrystandards demonstrated by high success and achievement rates forlearners

• Development and implementation of flexible teaching, learning andassessment methods that overcome barriers to accessing learning,and respond to the needs of employers and learners


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The AoC Award for Widening Participation is open to all Further EducationColleges, Sixth Form Colleges and Tertiary Colleges which can demonstrateactive strategies for Widening Participation, particularly for young peopleand/or those not well represented in further education.The Award will be made to the College which can demonstrate, either over arange of courses or for individual courses, that it is enabling learners tosuccessfully participate in education and /or training.Assessors will look for evidence of provision that meets the needs ofpreviously disengaged learners, of learners who may be underachieving or ofgroups not well represented in further education. Assessors will also look forevidence that the initiative has produced positive outcomes for learners interms of achievement and progression. Colleges should provide evidence demonstrating how provision meets thefollowing criteria:

The Association of Colleges Awardfor Widening Participation

• Effective assessment of the learning needs of under-achieving or ofgroups under-represented in further education

• Partnership arrangements that support recruitment and the provisionof teaching and learning

• Curriculum provision that meets the range of learning andsocial/personal needs of the learners

• Effective guidance and support contributing to learner re-engagementand progression

• Teaching, training and assessment that support learning andachievement

The Association of Colleges (AoC) exists to represent and promote theinterests of Colleges and provide members with professional supportservices. As such, we aim to be the authoritative voice of Colleges – based oncredible analysis, research, advocacy and consultation with Colleges – and thefirst choice destination for guidance and advice for members.

The AoC welcomes this opportunity to demonstrate its support of the Awardsprogramme through sponsorship of this important Award. It is imperative torecognise the exemplary work Colleges are doing in promoting socialinclusion and this Award helps highlight how Colleges are making adifference in their local communities.

The British Council Awardfor International Student Support

PurposeThe British Council builds engagement and trust for the UK through theexchange of knowledge and ideas between people worldwide.Their work in cultural relations focuses on major challenges of our time:• Building understanding, trust and dialogue between cultures • Creating opportunity for people to participate in the creative and

knowledge economy • Tackling the threats presented by climate change These three challenges inform their programme areas:• Intercultural dialogue At the core of their work in intercultural dialogue lies the idea of mutualityand a commitment to listen with respect and to communicate with directness.Intercultural dialogue is about fostering understanding between people eventhough they may see the world in different ways. An effective dialogue is anenriching and opening interaction that encourages the respectful sharing ofideas and an exploration of the different thought processes through which theworld is perceived and understood. Encouraging such dialogue is a clearresponsibility of cultural relations.They concentrate their activities in this programme area in the Middle East,Near East, North Africa and Central South Asia regions.• The creative and knowledge economy The term ‘creative and knowledge economy’ is used to describe the aspects ofeconomic and social development that hinge upon creativity, innovation andknowledge. Their cultural relations work in the creative and knowledge economy buildsopenness, the sharing of knowledge and ideas, and the promotion ofcreativity and innovation. Sharing the benefits of the creative and knowledgeeconomy is at the heart of the response to global insecurity, financial crisisand isolationism. Strong cultural relations delivered through our work in thecreative and knowledge economy builds a safer, more prosperous and moresustainable world.In this global programme they focus on Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Nigeria,Russia, the US and Europe.• Climate changeCultural relations will be affected by the direct impacts of climate change andthe subsequent international actions required to tackle it. There is a pressingneed to create, maintain and enhance relationships so they can survive thetests and strains climate change will place upon them.


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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 that has developed and maintained responsible recruitment (in linewith Tier 4 sponsor recruitment practices) and exemplary care and support ofinternational students studying in the UK.

Assessors will seek to identify exemplary practice regarding:

• Responsible recruitment practices including consistent applicationand admissions procedures

• Initial advice and guidance including , accurate and clearinformation covering courses and qualification requirements, tuitionfees and payment details

• Comprehensive accommodation support with appropriate referenceto safety and security

• Appropriate teaching and support for learning, including English,study skills and individual support resulting in high levels ofretention and achievement

• Inclusive faith support systems that reflect the multi-cultural andmulti-faith background of international students

• Comprehensive student welfare support, including pre-departureinformation, orientation programmes, counselling and careersguidance

The Edexcel Awardfor Lifelong Learning

Edexcel provides qualifications to schools, Colleges and employers andprocesses over 8.5 million examination entries each year. An innovativeleader in educational services, Edexcel provides a wide range of academicand vocational 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, work based learning providers andadult education centres, including all FE Colleges; 76 higher educationinstitutions and 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 built onthe 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 Enterprise UK Awardfor Enterprise


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Enterprise UK exists to give people in the UK the confidence, skills andambition to be enterprising. Our vision is of a society where economicprosperity and social cohesion is driven by an enterprise culture andentrepreneurial behaviour.We were founded in 2004 by the British Chamber of Commerce, theConfederation of British Industry, the Institute of Directors and theFederation of Small Businesses, funded mostly by what is now called theDepartment for Business, Innovation & Skills.We started our work with young people under a campaign called ‘Make YourMark’ that encouraged enterprising activity amongst 14 – 30 year olds. Thatcampaign was so successful that we wanted to reach out to new people of allages and backgrounds, fresh thinkers who spot opportunities, applyentrepreneurial talents and overcome obstacles to make their ideas happen.Our campaigns therefore still include the ‘Make Your Mark’ challenge, theUK’s biggest live enterprise competition with 62,000 participants from schoolsand 11,000 from FE Colleges; the ‘Make Your Mark with a Tenner’; ‘One BigIdea’ focusing on social enterprises; as well as other Enterprise UK brandedcampaigns such as ‘Global Entrepreneurship Week’ (formerly EnterpriseWeek) involving over 80 countries and 3 million people world-wide and‘Enterprising Britain’.Our FE team works with governors, senior managers and other staff withprogrammes designed to develop an entrepreneurial culture in Colleges.www.enterpriseuk.org

Enterprise UK is sponsoring an Award to recognise Enterprising Colleges.The winning College will be developing enterprise on a number of frontswith staff and learners, through both the prescribed, and an enhancedcurriculum, and by providing guidance and support for would-beentrepreneurs. It will provide a range of enterprising opportunities for adiverse range of learners.An enterprising College will demonstrate the following:


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• Well developed strategies and implementation plans for developingenterprise learning and entrepreneurial opportunities across theCollege

• Enhanced opportunities for learners to engage in activities thatdevelop entrepreneurial skills throughout the curriculum

• Professional development opportunities for staff, to contribute towardsdeveloping an enterprise culture and, to deliver relevant experiencesthat stimulate entrepreneurial ambition in learners

• Support and guidance for a diverse range of learners wishing to start abusiness

The Welsh Assembly GovernmentAwardfor 14-19 Collaboration

The Welsh Assembly Governmentwww.wales.gov.uk

The Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills(DCELLS), has responsibility for the effective deployment of Welsh AssemblyGovernment funds for schools, further education, private and voluntarysector training provision, adult continuing education and higher educationthroughout Wales.DCELLS works with key partners to improve children’s services, educationand training provision to secure better outcomes for learners, business, andemployers. It helps empower children, young people and adults througheducation and training to enjoy a better quality of life.The FE sector plays a critically important role by equipping learners with theessential skills needed for work, home and leisure; providing lifelonglearning opportunities in a wide range of subjects; allowing flexibility andchoice designed to motivate and enthuse young people to reach their goals,balancing learning with real life experiences and breaking down barriers tolearning. 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.

The Welsh Assembly Government Award for 14-19 Collaboration is open toall Further Education institutions, including Tertiary Colleges, and Sixth FormColleges in Wales and aims to recognise exemplary collaborative initiativesand programmes. The Award will be given to the further education institutions that bestdemonstrate their successful contribution to the delivery of the Learning andSkills (Wales) Measure, including the implementation of a clear vision, wellcoordinated partnership arrangements supported by a senior level strategicgroup, which takes responsibility for overall direction, and regular meetingsbetween staff at all levels within the partnership.Assessors will be looking for evidence of successful collaborative practicewhere:


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vision in helping to meet the needs of learners aged 14-19 • There is strong leadership at a senior level• There is an increase in the range of options available at both Key

Stage 4 and post-16• Improvement in quality is central to development of provision• Increased numbers of learners are benefitting from wider choice

year on year• Innovative ways of learning have been found to keep travel to a

minimum

The YPLA will champion young people by providing financial support toyoung learners, by funding Academies for all their provision and bysupporting local authorities’ commissioning of suitable education andtraining opportunities for all 16-19 year olds.

The YPLA seeks to make a difference to all young people’s lives by raisingtheir aspirations and helping them get the knowledge and skills they need toprosper in the economy. Our ambition is to narrow the gaps in outcomes fordifferent groups and recognise, value and celebrate the diversity that youngpeople bring to society.

This Award aims to recognise exemplary collaborative and partnershipworking in pursuit of 14-19 reform and in improving outcomes for all youngpeople in an area.


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The YPLA Award for 14-19 Collaboration is open to all Further EducationColleges, including Tertiary Colleges, and Sixth Form Colleges in Englandand aims to recognise exemplary collaborative initiatives and programmes. The Award will be given to a College that best demonstrates the successfulimplementation of a clear vision, well coordinated partnership arrangementssupported by a senior level strategic group, which takes responsibility foroverall direction, and regular meetings between staff at all levels within thepartnership.Assessors will be looking for evidence of successful collaborative practicewhere:

• All partners have shared priorities, targets and a common vision ofhow the partnership will meet the learning needs of young people

• Partnership has led to innovative approaches to learning enablingoutcomes for young people that could not have been achieved byindividual providers alone

• Leadership enables effective coordination, promotes joint strategicplanning, and common approaches to monitoring and evaluation of the quality of provision

• Regular exchange of information, service-level agreements and jointstaff development support working arrangements which result intangible benefits to learners

• All partners are involved and have full confidence in quality assuranceprocesses which lead to improved collaborative planning and qualityof provision

The Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) Awardfor 14-19 Collaboration


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Members of the AoC Beacon AwardsSteering Group as at 1 April 2010

Ahmed Choonara Executive Member, Network for Black Professionals

Lesley Davies Assistant Chief Executive and Director of Policy, AoC

Louise Duffy Trust and Communications Officer, AoC Charitable Trust

Haydn Edwards Colleges Wales, Welsh Representative

Steve Frampton Principal, Portsmouth College – Sixth Form College Representative

Liz Green Head of Post-19, OCR

Joan Herron Southern Regional College – Northern Ireland Representative

Karen Murray Head of Framework (Quality Assurance and Intervention), YPLA

Michael Osbaldeston Partnership Director, WorldSkills London 2011

Chantel Rowe Brand Manager, City & Guilds

Judith Stradling Deputy Principal, City of Bristol College – GFE Representative

Alice Thiagaraj Manager, AoC Charitable Trust

Dame Patricia Chair, AoC Beacon Awards Steering Morgan-Webb Group

Guidance on how to apply for the AoC Beacon Awards

Submitting your applicationThe application should be in two parts: the completed application form,found at the back of this prospectus, is Part 1 of the application. Part 2 is thespecification and description of the project which should not include anyinformation to directly identify the College. The completed application form (Part 1) includes the College name andcontact details for the project and a statement from the Principal/ChiefExecutive that the AoC Beacon criteria are met by the project. The Collegename and contact details should appear only on the application form whichwill be retained by the Beacon Awards office when the submissions are sentoff to the assessors. Once the shortlist has been agreed, the Manager willprovide the assessors with the College’s contact details so that they canarrange site visits.The main part (Part 2) of the submission should be no more than 3,000 wordsand explicitly demonstrate how the project meets the sponsor's criteria for theAward. The submission should include the following:• The project summary• Aims/objectives of the project • How the project meets the sponsor’s criteria • Project management including its development and QA• Outcomes and benefit to learners • How key features of the project have/would benefit other CollegesThe section on the outcomes and benefits to learners should include data onenrolments, retention and achievement and learner testimonials/case studies.Many submissions will need to refer to College partnerships with localauthorities, schools, employers etc. Where these organisations are notarea/region specific you need not anonymise the partner. For example, if youare working in partnership with your local Tesco or have a partnership with aSt Michael’s Primary school then you can refer to them by name. If howeveryou have a partnership with, for example, Levenshulme High School orLiverpool Football Club – an organisation which could mean the College iseasily identifiable – then you should refer to them as a local secondary schoolor a local premiership football club.Where you wish to include letters from your partners as part of yourevidence from beneficiaries, you are requested to conceal the address on theletterhead if it could identify the College and any direct reference to theCollege by name within the body of the letter. Please ensure that you removethese from a copy of the letter so that the assessors can still see the original ifthey request to do so on a site visit.Shortlisted and Highly Commended Colleges are eligible to re-apply for the


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same Award. It is only Colleges that have won an Award that cannot re-apply for the same Award unless it is applying with a substantiallydifferent initiative.The completed application form (Part 1) and THREE COMPLETE COPIES ofPart 2 i.e. the details of the project with suitable supporting evidence, must besubmitted. Two of these are sent to the two assessors assigned to the Awardand 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.Guidance on the presentation of submissionsAs stated on page 8 of the Prospectus, your application for an AoC BeaconAward should not exceed 3,000 words. A word count is requested on theapplication form.Evidence from beneficiaries and appendices 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 information 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 the submission to illustrate points or as part of the ‘Outcomes and Benefits’ section. A footnote can be added to indicate that the original documents can be made available to the assessors, should they wish to see them

2) To include copies of a sample of feedback forms, letters, documents etc, highlighting which words on the page you are including within the word count and again indicating in a footnote that similar examples can 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 onto 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.On the opposite page, you will find some further advice on how to apply forthe AoC Beacon Awards, based on assessors’ feedback and on somefrequently asked questions.

Feedback from applications in previous yearsEach 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 eachAward and 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• Good use of shared facilities• Many Colleges have good policies for transport and financial assistance• Focus on vocational subjects not available in schools• Curriculum development to set up Foundation Diplomas• Good assessment of learning needs for under-achieving and under-

represented groups• Effective external partnership arrangements to support recruitment• Use of knowledge management to improve performance management• Recognition of importance of CPD• Commitment of senior management• Good dissemination work to other Colleges• Flexibility of staff in meeting a diverse range of needs• High success rates with students from all backgrounds and ability

levels• Excellent resources within the virtual learning environment• Good links with local schools• Awareness of up-to-date industry and business practice and standardsHow AoC Beacon Award applications could be improved• More details needed on employer links• More information on dissemination• More information on how provision meets specific needs of learners• More statistical data on retention, achievement and progression• Explicitly address the criteria for equality and diversity• More testimonials from staff and/or students• More examples of strategies for individual student support• Show how work goes beyond what is now standard practice• Ensure successful initiatives are not solely reliant on the knowledge and

enthusiasm of a single person or small number of staff• Demonstrate how senior management support the initiative


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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. YPLA, Skills Funding Agency, BIS, 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

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Please see overleaf...

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. Colleges that have been shortlisted and/or Highly Commendedare also invited to contact the Awards office to receive more detailed feedbackon their submission and visit. The AoC Beacon Awards Steering Group andits team of assessors are extremely keen to contribute towards the continuingdevelopment of all initiatives that are put forward for the Awards which isone of the reasons why this feedback is available.Frequently Asked QuestionsQ: Our course is 12 weeks long and therefore does not run for an academicyear. Are we still eligible to apply?A: Providing the course itself has been running since September 2009 (forexample), it doesn’t matter if several cohorts of students have undertaken thecourse since that time and the time you apply. What is important is for youto be able to demonstrate that monitoring the course over time has resulted inimprovements.Q: Our word count is 3,120. Can we still submit our application?A: The assessors are not going to be too concerned if you are slightly overthe word count; however they are asked to take into account all of the criteriawhen drawing up a shortlist so if there are two submissions of seeminglyequal merit and one is within the word limit and the other is over, then theywill select the one that is within the word limit to be shortlisted.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, preferablythe Principal. Your application will be accepted if it is signed by anothersenior member of the SMT and submitted with a covering letter stating thatthe Principal is aware and supportive of the application.

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✁

I accept the conditions set out in the 2010/2011 Prospectus. I have read page 8 of the Prospectus and confirm this application is not more than 3,000 words and includes details of:

• Project summary• Aims and Objectives• How the project meets the sponsor’s criteria• Project Management including its development and QA• Outcomes and benefits to learners (including data on retention and achievement)• How key features of the project have/would benefit other Colleges

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 2010

• 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 THREE copies of your supporting statement of no more than 3,000 words and one copy of thisapplication form by Wednesday 7 July 2010 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