Inclusion – Responding Effectively to Ofsted’s Expectations
2026-06-24 10:00 - 13:00 (Europe/London) | Online
The recent introduction of Ofsted’s revised inspection framework has firmly shone the spotlight of inspection onto Inclusion. Although Inclusion has always been considered in an inspection, it was embedded within other aspects of provision; recruitment, participation, equality, diversity or achievement.
Inclusion isn’t about any one single initiative – inspectors want to see how well training providers develop an inclusive culture, how leadership support inclusive education and how learner needs are identified and responded to.
This session aims to develop a providers understanding of Ofsted’s expectations around inclusion and to build confidence in applying inclusive practices across curriculum, teaching, support and leadership.
As part of this session, we will consider:
The expectations of Ofsted

What they expect to see
What they have reported so far
What makes an exceptional judgement?

Strategies for structure and support

A culture of inclusion
Practice and policy
Mechanisms for review
Measuring and understanding impact

Identifying and recording learner vulnerabilities

What makes a learner vulnerable?
What does your data tell you?
What are your patterns of attendance?

Supporting Employers to Work Confidently with Younger Apprentices
2026-06-25 10:00 - 11:30
Helping providers support employers to create confident, inclusive workplace environments

Effective Apprenticeship Progress Reviews
2026-07-07 14:00 - 16:00 | Online
The essential requirements for an apprenticeship, at any level, include the need for high quality Progress Reviews. Not only are they a contractual requirement, but Progress Reviews also support the effective measurement of progress through the curriculum.
This event will help providers, especially those responsible for curriculum quality/quality of education to understand what is required and why.
Clear links between the importance of measuring apprentices progress and the
requirements of Ofsted and the DfE are explored and explained, helping you to focus on delivering high quality education.
Key Outcomes Of The Day
At this important workshop delegates will explore and discuss:

What is ‘Progress’?
What is the purpose of a Progress Review?
What does an effective Progress Review look like?
What to consider when evaluating the effectiveness of Progress Reviews
How the the inspection framework and Quality of Education link to effective Progress Reviews
Understanding the link between apprentices starting points and recognising progress.
Using Progress Reviews to support apprentices progress, using effective target setting

Preparing for an Ofsted Inspection (new framework)
2026-07-14 10:00 - 13:00 | Online
This seminar will have new content which focuses on the revised expectations of Providers arising out of the implementation of Ofsted’s new inspection framework.

New style inspections commenced at the beginning of November, incorporating report cards and a revised grading structure.

The guidance given in the seminar will be inciteful and reflects both inspector training and involvement in inspections.

Embedding Effective Assessment in Apprenticeships
2026-07-15 14:00 - 2026-07-22 16:00 | Online
Get ahead of the changes – build assessment practice that works for learners, employers and your team
About this session
The way assessment is used in apprenticeships is shifting. With more focus on on-programme and pre-Gateway assessment, providers need to make sure their approach is fit for purpose. This series will help you build assessment into the apprenticeship journey from the very start – making it meaningful, manageable and linked to real workplace performance.
We’ll cover:

Practical ways to design and apply assessment methods that work across different standards
How to build assessment into delivery – from day one through to Gateway
Making assessments reflect the behaviours, skills and knowledge needed in the job
Involving employers so they can play an active role
Simple tools to plan, record and review assessments.

You will receive an attendance certificate after the series, as evidence of your personal development.
Series breakdown:
1. Planning effective assessment
Wednesday 15 July (2-4pm)
2. Assessment Design & Methods
Wednesday 22 July (2-4pm)
You can book onto the webinar series for £150 (+VAT). This includes the live webinars (with Q&A), the webinar recordings, and supporting resources.
Unable to make date / times? Register anyway and we’ll send you the recording and materials.
Facilitators and speakers
The session will be facilitated by Chris Cherry an SDN Mesma Group specialist in apprenticeship on-programme training and end-point assessment. Chris has supported hundreds of apprenticeship organisations to develop their curriculum against the new standards and has lots of insights to share.
Who should attend?

Managers, trainers, assessors and quality leads who want to improve assessment practice
Anyone involved in curriculum design or progress reviews
Employer engagement staff looking to play a role in assessment.

Booking information
If you have several staff who would benefit, let us know and we’ll send you details of the most cost-effective way of accessing the session.
If you’re a public sector body (e.g. Local Authority), and unable to book via card, please email us. When you make a booking, you agree to these Terms and Conditions (including those who request a booking via email and invoice)
Any questions, please email us.
SDN CPD is designed for Government funded Training Providers. If you’re not a Government funded Training Provider but are still interested in attending please email events@strategicdevelopmentnetwork.co.uk to discuss your attendance in more detail before booking.
Terms and Conditions
The Terms and Conditions (including our refund policy) for SDN events and webinars can be found here. When you make a booking, you agree to these Terms and Conditions (including those who request a booking via email and invoice)
Any questions, please email the SDN events team: events@strategicdevelopmentnetwork.co.uk

Level 3 Award in Education and Training (Fast-track)
2026-08-17 10:00 - 2026-08-20 16:00 | Online
As part of the Solvendis Teaching Excellence programme we are pleased to be able to offer an effective response to the need to develop the teaching and training skills of staff working in Post-16 education.
This intensive programme is designed for:

new or existing trainers with hands-on vocational expertise who are seriously looking to develop their teaching and training skills. This could include those recently moved into a training role from assessor role
staff new to the roles of trainer and assessor.

The programme will focus on those aspects of training so essential in ensuring sound learning – and, of course, meeting the requirements of the Education Inspection Framework. Participants will benefit from a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in the education and training sector. They will develop their teaching and training skills through a clear understanding of inclusive teaching and learning, and be able to plan, deliver and evaluate learning which meets the needs of all learners in a safe and supportive learning environment.
Finally, participants will gain a detailed understanding of the different types and methods of assessment.
To complete the programme, participants will be required to attend four workshop days, which will include learner-led microteach, as well as completing some pre-course work and assignments. Assessment will be via portfolio, assignment and observation.
Although there are no minimum entry requirements for this course, participants should be able to demonstrate the minimum core levels of literacy, language, numeracy and ICT skills expected of all teachers and trainers in the sector. At the end of the programme, successful participants will be awarded the Level 3 Award
Delivered online, delegates need to attend on 17, 18, 24 & 25 July 2025 (10.00 – 4.00 each day).

Apprenticeship compliance for your role
2026-08-18 14:00 - 2026-09-04 12:00 | Online
Everyone involved in apprenticeship delivery should understand the fundamentals of apprenticeship compliance.

Whether you’re involved in training, curriculum design, quality assurance, employer engagement or administration – understanding what ESFA compliance means for your role is crucial in helping the organisation to draw down the right funding and mitigate risks.
Designed around the latest version of the funding rules, this three-part series is designed to introduce all apprenticeship staff to the core apprenticeship rules and where their role fits in the compliance journey.
Part 1 will look at the typical apprentice journey, the core rules that matter and common solutions seen, including the importance of the little details and core parts of the evidence pack.
Part 2 will look at common errors and build an understanding of risk awareness as part of a transparent compliance culture.
Part 3 will open the floor to core questions and discussions of best practice.
You will receive an attendance certificate after the series, as evidence of your personal development.

This series will help you to:

Understand the core compliance rules for Apprenticeships
Understand how they fit into the typical apprentice journey
Know how funding works and what this means for your role
Keep an eye out for common errors
How to mitigate funding risks

About your session

David Lockhart-Hawkins, SDN Mesma Group’s funding and compliance specialist will facilitate these sessions.

After working in the sector for over 25 years, David has supported hundreds of providers to establish effective compliance systems. His in-depth understanding of funding and wider apprenticeship delivery gives him a unique insight into compliance across the organisation.
SDN Mesma Group’s PD is drawn from its work with over 2,000 FE & skills providers and 11,500 staff – giving you a unique insights into practices that can drive the quality of your provision. Our sessions are also intensely practical – equipping you with the knowledge and resources to act and make improvements in your role and organisation.

Perfect for new starts across all departments as well as those requiring a refresher, this is designed for all staff involved in administrating or delivering apprenticeships so they can develop a healthy understanding of compliance and how it relates to their job role.

Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement
2026-10-06 10:00 - 2026-10-13 13:00 | Online
This Level 3 accredited qualification is designed to develop delegates practical assessing skills helping them to become effective assessors in a range of Post-16 contexts both in the workplace and in the classroom.

We anticipate that delegates will already be working in post-16 education as a teacher/ trainer/assessor or coach. Delegates may have a strong vocational background and will have moved into teaching/ assessing as a secondary career.

Through participation in this important strand of the Solvendis Teaching Excellence programme you will complete three modules to help you develop and craft your assessment skills.

Delivery will be led by an experienced member of the Solvendis Teacher Training Team with all workshops being conducted online via Teams or Zoom.

Workshop Dates and Times: 2 & 9 June 2026 (10.00 – 4.00 online).

Delegate fee £455 (plus vat) plus £78 awarding body registration fee – maximum 12 delegates.

ALT Annual Conference 2026 - ALTC26: Learning without Edges
2026-10-20 08:00 - 17:00 | Holland House Hotel, Cardiff
In a world characterised by rapid technological innovation, shifting labour markets, social transformation, and ongoing uncertainty, learning can no longer be confined to a particular stage of life, institutional setting, or mode of delivery. Increasingly, learners will be required to move across educational, professional, and community contexts, engaging with opportunities that are flexible, personalised, and responsive to their evolving needs. Digital pedagogies and technologies are key to enabling this flexibility.

Learning Without Edges invites a collective exploration of how our community can help shape a future where learning is continuous, connected, and accessible to all. The conference theme recognises the role that digital can play in reimagining learning as a dynamic ecosystem that transcends traditional boundaries between formal and informal learning, education and employment, physical and digital environments, and local and global communities.

At the heart of this theme is a commitment to human-centred design, equity, and empowerment. We encourage debate about how digital tools and technologies can support learners throughout their lives while fostering agency, belonging, wellbeing, and resilience. We challenge you to consider how learning can be designed for uncertainty, ensuring that individuals, organisations, and societies can adapt and thrive in an ever changing world.

Streams

1. Designing for Flexibility Amid Uncertainty Exploring how digitally facilitated learning, curricula and assessment can be designed from the outset to respond to change, support multiple modes of engagement, diverse learner needs, and lifelong learning pathways.

2. Learner Agency and Empowerment Investigating how learners can play meaningful roles in shaping their own digital learning journeys, influencing provision, and developing the confidence, capabilities, and autonomy needed for lifelong engagement with learning.

3. Collaborative Partnerships for Digital Learning Exploring how institutions, employers, policymakers, regional development agencies, and community organisations can work together to create coherent, accessible, and responsive learning opportunities enabled by digital pedagogies and technologies.

4. Digital Ecosystems for Lifelong Learning Examining the policies, technologies, processes, cultures, and leadership approaches that support flexible lifelong participation through digitally enabled learning within organisations and institutions

5. Wildcard: Innovation without Edges This is a space for submissions that do not neatly fit into the other four categories. If your work represents a new domain of inquiry, an unconventional methodology or an unorthodox approach to digital learning and learning technology, we encourage you to submit under this strand. We particularly welcome contributions from colleagues working in under-represented areas of digital learning, including grassroots initiatives, informal learning spaces, or roles that are often overlooked in traditional contexts.

Please note: there is no dedicated AI strand, as AI‑related submissions should align with one of the strands above.

Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement
2026-12-08 10:00 - 2026-12-15 16:00 | Online
This Level 3 accredited qualification is designed to develop delegates practical assessing skills helping them to become effective assessors in a range of Post-16 contexts both in the workplace and in the classroom.
We anticipate that delegates will already be working in post-16 education as a teacher/ trainer/assessor or coach. Delegates may have a strong vocational background and will have moved into teaching/ assessing as a secondary career.
Through participation in this important strand of the Solvendis Teaching Excellence programme you will complete three modules to help you develop and craft your assessment skills.
Delivery will be led by an experienced member of the Solvendis Teacher Training Team with all workshops being conducted online via Teams or Zoom.
Workshop Dates and Times: 26 Feb & 3 March 2026 (10.00 – 4.00 online).
Delegate fee £455 (plus vat) plus £78 awarding body registration fee – maximum 12 delegates.
