Making the grade

Last year, Aspect launched a flexible work-based qualification specifically designed for educational improvement professionals. The BTEC Qualification in Educational and Children’s services – the brainchild of Aspect’s head of professional development Judith Hibbert – consists of six units and is at the level of an honours degree. It is based on Aspect’s revised National Standards and has been developed with and approved by Edexcel.

“An accredited professional qualification plays a significant role in establishing the status and credibility of professional groups” explains Judith, “and Aspect is committed to playing a key role in promoting the much valued role of the middle tier in educational improvement.”

The BTEC Qualification in Education and Children’s Services is designed to offer candidates choice and flexibility. Unit 1 is compulsory, but then candidates can choose to undertake either two or three units depending on whether they wish to achieve the BTEC Professional Award in Education and Children’s Service Development or the BTEC Professional Certificate in Education and Children’s Service Development.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is an early trailblazer of the work based qualification. So far 18 members of the of the authority’s education service – including nine advisers and nine advisory teachers/consultants have signed up to take the qualification. The high uptake can largely be attributed to Aspect local representative Joyce Rothschild, who heard about the new qualification and its benefits at an Aspect run local representatives day.

Solihull is committed to supporting CPD for its school improvement team, which includes school improvement advisers, consultants and advisory teachers. As the Aspect representative I felt it would be really helpful to engage in this opportunity as a group of professional. Undertaking this qualification as a significant group of colleagues, we could maximise the impact of the programme by collectively understanding Aspect’s professional standards and making sure these were clear as a focus in our work. This would benefit both individuals and the wider school improvement service,” she said