Virtual Staff College
The College has only a very small central unit and operates through a network of partners. Its functions are:
- identifying professional development needs
- developing relevant programmes of professional development
- quality assuring provision
- providing information and guidance
- promoting professional development
CLICK HERE TO VIEW STAFF CONTACT DETAILS
A national board has been appointed which is comprised of members of education and children's services drawn from the Council of ADCS and its membership together with ADES and ADEW.
Currently membership of the College Board is:
- Eleni Ioannides (Chair)
- Anton Florek. VSC Chief Executive and company secretary
- Terry Piggott. Becta
- Jane Carter. Warwickshire County Council
- Carol Chambers. Rutland County Council
- Anne Marie Carrie, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
- Mike Keating. Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council
- Rose Collinson. Medway Council
- John Freeman. Dudley MBC
- Ann Baxter, London Borough of Camden
- Sharon Menghini, Herefordshire Council
The College is 'virtual' in that it does not generally itself deliver professional development but instead works through other organisations to produce relevant, high quality and cost effective programmes to meet the needs of professionals working in the delivery and management of local authority services to children. young people and families.
During its first year of existance the College surveyed all local authorities in England and Wales and information gathered on:
- the workforce and supply of skills
- the supply of training
- the demand for skills and training
- the delivery of training
- evaluation and assessment of training
An executive summary of the findings was circulated to all chief education officers and the responses identified gaps in provision compared to need in the areas of strategic planning/management, quality improvement and performance monitoring.
Further regional surveys have been conducted since this national survey and the regional ADCS networks also assess needs at local level on a regular basis.
To support this a competence framework has been developed (originally in partnership with the Local Government National Training Organisation). The framework is made up of a map of the functions carried out in the sector together with external reference points (standards) describing what has to be done to demonstrate competence to carry out a particular function in real work situations.
Click here to view the Competence Framework
Virtual Staff College Scotland
Virtual Staff College Scotland is the professional development arm of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland.
To access the dedicated site Please Click Here
Virtual Staff College Wales
Virtual Staff College Wales is the professional development arm of the Association of Directors of Education in Wales.
To access the dedicated site Please Click Here