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Beacon Status THE LEARNING AND SKILLS IMPROVEMENT SERVICE (LSIS) CELEBRATES 12 NEW BEACONS
Beacon status provides public recognition of the excellence and innovation which exists within the further education system. It celebrates learning providers that deliver outstanding teaching and learning and is for providers funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and inspected by the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills — Ofsted
Beacon status identifies and recognises the very best providers of the further education and skills sector. Beacons are a source of expertise and have agreed to, and willingly, share their expertise and good practice with other organisations. Activities involve advice and support for other providers, trialling new and innovative approaches, peer review and development and representation on LSIS expert/reference groups.
Beacons, as exemplars and trusted partners, promote and pursue excellence and innovation. They provide a major impetus for the cultural changes needed for the whole sector in its move to becoming responsible for its own quality improvement and towards greater self-regulation.
Beacon status is awarded by invitation. LSIS uses both published inspection report information and LSC advice to identify potential candidates.
The potential candidates are considered by a panel of independent experts from across the further education and skills sector, which makes a recommendation about whether to consider the candidate for the award of Beacon status. These candidates are then asked to complete a 'declaration of interest' form to outline areas of their considered expertise and to offer a supporting statement to describe:
- How they share and transfer expertise good-practice within their own organisation
- The experience they have of cross-sector expertise and good-practice sharing
- Their opinion of what makes for effective cross-sector expertise good-practice sharing
- How they determine the aims, objectives and performance outcomes for expertise good-practice sharing activities
- How they know they have made a difference.
The key criteria currently are:
Inspection evidence:
- Grade 1 for leadership and management
- Nothing less than a grade 2 for all other areas inspected.
LSC support:
- Expression of support by the appropriate LSC Regional Director
- Assessment of suitability by independent experts on an advisory panel
- Identifiable expertise and strengths (from their declarations of interest) that would benefit the further education and skills sector.
The criteria will be kept under review as the arrangements for Framework for Excellence are developed.
At a special ceremony held in London on 6 July 2009, Kevin Brennan, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Apprenticeships, presented Beacon status to 12 outstanding further education and skills providers.
Among the new Beacons are a wide range of providers, including general further education and sixth form colleges, work-based learning providers, adult and community learning providers and the first offender learning provider to gain Beacon status. They are:
- 5 E Ltd, London
- Aquinas College, Stockport
- Baldwin Training Centre, Eastbourne
- Bedford College, Bedford
- Gateshead College, Gateshead
- HMP/YOI Askham Grange, York
- HTP Training, Isle of Wight
- Mid-Cheshire College, Northwich
- Servisair UK Ltd, Manchester Airport
- South Devon College, Paignton
- Southend Adult Community College (Southend-on-Sea Borough Council)
- Venture Learning Ltd, Manchester.
The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) welcomed the minister, special guests, the new Beacons and their MPs to this prestigious ceremony to celebrate their outstanding achievement.
Kevin Brennan, Minister for Further Education, said, “This is an outstanding achievement. In today’s economic climate, the more we can all do to promote and celebrate the excellence that exists in further education and skills, the better. I expect all Beacons to work with LSIS to share their expertise and good practices to help drive up the performance of the whole sector to the high level that they have attained. Our students, learners and employers deserve nothing less.”
Dame Ruth Silver, Chair of the LSIS Board, said, “I echo the minister’s congratulations on your terrific achievement. But the really hard work starts now. Maintaining and improving upon your outstanding performances is going to be challenging. And we shall look to you to work closely with us to identify how your expertise and good practices can be best shared with, and taken on, by other providers. We look forward to working closely with all of you.”
Ali Hadawi, Principal of Southend Adult Community College, said, “We are delighted to receive our Beacon status. This is testament to the incredible effort and commitment by our staff in aligning the college as a cohesive and exemplary provider of education and training in the Southend area. It also reflects the incredible efforts undertaken by our students in achieving outstanding results.
“Within the last year we have received an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted inspection and now our Beacon status — this has been a humbling experience. It is an honour to be recognised in this way and to be held up as an example to others. We take this honour seriously and hope to be working, in partnership with the rest of our sector on raising aspirations and making a difference”.
The award celebration at The Roof Gardens in Kensington, London, also featured dazzling artwork by students from West Nottinghamshire College and a talented jazz quartet from Uxbridge College. The latter was awarded Beacon status in January 2009. |
