The Future of the Growth and Skills Levy
2025-05-29 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London) | Online
Overview

This webinar will explore, through panel discussion, what we currently know about the direction of travel for the Growth and Skills Levy. The panel, chaired by Simon Ashworth, AELP Director of Policy and Deputy Chief Executive, will consider thoughts and views from three AELP board members on what might happen, as a result of the impending spending review decisions, to provide members with more clarity on any likely consequences.

Objectives

This webinar will discuss:

– The future of apprenticeship funding– What is the opportunity with foundation apprenticeships and is the government seizing it?– The latest developments on level 7 apprenticeship defunding, and its likely impact– What will shorter duration apprenticeships mean, and why is it being introduced?

Facilitator

Simon Ashworth, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Policy, AELP

Guest Speakers

Nicki Hay MBE, Director of Apprenticeship Strategy and Policy, BPP Education Group, Ian Bamford, Chief Quality and Curriculum Officer, Paragon Skills and Sue Pittock OBE, CEO, Remit Training

Fees

AELP Member: FREENon-member: £100.00 + VAT.

Click here to find out more information or to register.

2025-05-29 14:00 - 2025-05-30 21:30
iSpring Days 2025 — a free online conference for learning professionals

Most companies say they’re investing in learning, but how many can actually prove its business impact?

At iSpring Days 2025, we’re closing that gap. Join James Gilchrist, Holly Owens, Tom McDowall, Susi Miller, and 10+ more industry leaders on May 29th–30th to learn how to:

Speak the language of C-level, tie learning to business outcomes, and demonstrate training value beyond activity metrics.

Break down silos between teams to reduce turnover, build stronger talent pipelines, and make better use of learning budgets.

Shift from top-down training to peer-driven growth, scale mentorship, and bring AI into learning — even on tight budgets.

As a special bonus, all attendees will get a chance to win a travel package to one of Europe’s premier in-person eLearning conferences!

How to practically implement the new 2025-26 Apprenticeship Funding Rules
2025-06-02 10:00 - 2025-07-28 11:00 | Online
With an early release of the new apprenticeship funding rules (2025/26) due to be published in May, join us for our annual business-critical webinar series – now in three parts to help you plan for the changes and understand the practical actions you will need to take across your organisation.

That’s where we do a lot of thinking for you. Using the stages of the learner journey, this 3-part webinar series will walk through the updates, what it means operationally for different teams along the way, where new risks might arise and practical ways you can mitigate them. It will also include the latest critical changes to the functional skills implementation, new minimum durations as well as clarifications to 25/26 rules.

We’ll also give you a detailed “Changes Action Plan”, setting out all the key changes and actions you need to take across different teams.

Session 1 – Laying the ground (2nd June, 10.00am-10.45am)

After the DfE’s announcement that there will be no draft funding rules this year, we have added this additional webinar to our funding rules series – at no extra charge – to help you lay the best foundations for August implementation

Following the first release of the first version of the funding rules in May, this session will cover the headline changes and start the process of preparing for change.

Break down each of the funding rule changes
Explore the impact for independent providers, universities, colleges, and employer providers
Identify key risks across your organisation

Session 2 – Detailed implementation (3 July, 10.00am-1pm)

Having consolidated the rules and developed models of best practice, for change this session will explore:

How the funding rule changes will impact on the learner journey:
o Pre-entry
o Entry
o On-programme
o Gateway and end-point assessment
o Progression
Specific changes you will need to make to your ILR and funding administration and management
Practical adaptions you will need to make to your systems, processes and templates
Q&A
We will issue a detailed implementation action plan to work through with this session

Session 3 – Supporting change (28th July, 10.00am-11.00am)

Taking account of any further clarifications and further examples of best practice, this Q&A session will include quality perspectives on the changes as well as the opportunity to get best practice answers to your questions

Updates and clarifications
Quality perspectives
Q&A

About your session

The session will be facilitated by David Lockhart-Hawkins, SDN’s compliance and funding expert who has supported hundreds of providers in their apprenticeship journey including some of the UK’s largest, highest quality, specialist and new providers.
David’s in-depth understanding of curriculum design and quality, as well as funding, gives him a unique insight into the practical implications of funding rule changes.

This session is designed for apprenticeship providers – compliance and operational staff, quality managers, and leaders overseeing the impact on the apprenticeship delivery journey.

“This was excellent. You feel that an awful lot of work has gone into producing this, packed with helpful content, guidance and experience. Thank you so much!”

“I will be recommending colleagues to sign up to training alerts. Really looking forward to attending other sessions.”

“Very useful – as always. Thorough and detailed, with great slides to support.”

“It was very clear that a large amount of time and effort has gone into the preparation of today’s event – and that is why SDN is my first choice for webinars.”

“Excellent coverage, well planned and organised with clear expertise in the funding rules”

– Event attendees

Booking and payment:

You can either attend the live sessions or be sent the recording and materials if you prefer to review them in your own time.

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)

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.

Understanding the Changing Adult Social Care Sector - Northern Skills Network
2025-06-04 14:00 - 16:00
The adult social care sector is undergoing significant transformation. With changes in policy, evolving workforce needs, and the introduction of new national strategies, it’s never been more crucial for training providers to stay informed and proactive. In response to this, the Northern Skills Network is proud to partner with Skills for Care to deliver an insightful and interactive webinar.

This free online event is specifically designed for training and learning providers who are currently working with—or are looking to expand into—the adult social care sector. Attendees will gain valuable insights into current sector trends, key policy developments, and future workforce requirements, directly from those helping shape the strategy.

What to Expect:

During this two-hour session, our expert speakers will:

Present regional workforce data to help providers better understand the size, structure, and dynamics of the adult social care workforce in the North of England.

Explore key policy changes introduced by the government, including the reform agenda for adult social care and its direct implications on skills development and training provision.

Introduce the national Workforce Strategy for Social Care, a cornerstone document that sets out the vision and framework for supporting the workforce of the future. Learn how this strategy is influencing the sector and what it means for those delivering training.

Discuss opportunities for training providers to adapt, evolve, and expand their services to better meet the changing needs of social care employers and staff. This is a chance to identify where your offer fits and how you can contribute to a more skilled and resilient care workforce.

About Skills for Care

Skills for Care is a trusted sector leader, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Our mission is to support the adult social care sector in developing a workforce that is capable, confident, and well-equipped for the demands of today and tomorrow. We collaborate closely with employers, training providers, local authorities, and strategic partners to ensure quality outcomes for the people who draw on care services. Learn more at Skills for Care.

Apprenticeship curriculum design
2025-06-11 09:30 - 13:00 | Online
Whether you’ve been on our curriculum webinar series, or are new to SDN, this Masterclass will help you hone your skills as a curriculum developer.

Developing a curriculum for apprenticeship standards is challenging. In many cases, it is less prescribed, employers have greater input into the content and sequencing, and the prior learning of the apprentice needs to be taken into account.

It’s something the ESFA and Ofsted are looking at closely too.

Over a 3.5-hour interactive online session, Chris Cherry will take you through a step-by-step example of how to deconstruct a standard and build the curriculum from the top down.

During the session, you’ll work on short activities at each stage to develop your understanding and skill and come away with a clear model you can use for the apprenticeship standards you deliver.

Here’s what we’ll cover during the session:

The principles of good-quality curriculum design
A practical step-by-step worked example:

Deconstructing the standard and amplifying the KSBs
Articulating the learning outcomes, deciding on the learning methods and building in other components
Shaping this into ‘episodes of learning’ as part of a Scheme of Work
Translating the Scheme of Work into an Individual Learning Plan which takes both the apprentice’s prior learning and employer requirements into account

Practical tips on how to adjust the curriculum and training plan “mid-flight” during the programme, to meet the needs of the apprentice and employer

About your session

The session will be facilitated by Chris Cherry an SDN expert 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.

This masterclass is designed for those involved in the design and development of your apprenticeship curriculum and materials.

Before the session, you’ll be sent a 1-hr webinar, giving you an overview of the curriculum planning process for apprenticeship standards.

“Breaking down the KSB’s and how the curriculum forms the ILP was a key learning point. Excellent session and also enjoyed the pre-training recording.”

– Orange Moon Training

“I’ve been trawling the internet and asked FE colleagues about curriculum design and found nothing useful. This is just the ticket. Very engaging, informative and fun to listen to. I’ve learned more in the first 15 minutes than the previous 15 years.”

“Very informative and helpful”

– Previous event attendees

Booking and payment:

You can either attend the live session or be sent the recording and materials if you prefer to go through it in your own time but we highly reccommend attending live to get the most out of this interactive session.

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.

Level 3 Award in Education and Training (Fast-track)
2025-06-12 10:00 - 2025-06-27 16:00 | Online
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.
The programme will focus on those aspects of training so essential in ensuring sound learning. 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.
Participants attend for 4 workshop days, which include a microteach, and assignment completion. Assessment will be via portfolio, assignment and observation.
Dates of attendance on this block release programme are 12, 13 & 26, 27 June 2025 (all days 10.00 – 4.00).
Delegate fee £425 (plus vat) plus £62 awarding body registration fee – maximum delegate number 12.

Innovate North 2025
2025-06-12 15:00 - 19:00 | David Hockney Building, Great Horton Rd, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1AY, United Kingdom
Do you work in Education? Come and join us at Bradford College for an exciting FREE afternoon where we’ll showcase how we’ve embraced technology to transform teaching and learning. From mind-blowing VR experiences to AI tools that save hours of planning time and enhance students’ learning – you’ll get to see it all in action.

We’ll have hands-on sessions, testimonials from our staff, and some fantastic partners like Microsoft, i-Immersive, Bodyswaps, TeacherMatic, and more. Plus, we’re excited to welcome guests from JISC and AoC—it’s going to be a brilliant opportunity to learn, share, and get inspired together!

Choose your Top 3 Session Choices to attend – purchase 1 ticket per session (3 in total pp)

🕶️ Immersive Learning in Action (Experience the i-Immersive Room in action)

🤖 AI in Education: Bradford College’s Success Story (Learn how Bradford College embraced AI, plus insights from Microsoft representatives on their latest educational AI tools)

🛠️ VR Marketplace (Hands-on with the latest virtual reality tools)

📚 TeacherMatic: Smarter Lesson Planning (AI-powered lesson planning demo)

🎥 Interactive Learning with Edpuzzle (Explore engaging, interactive videos)

Escape from Dracula! (showcasing digital innovation within a library setting) 20 per session

Itinerary

3-4pm – Welcome / intros4-4:45pm – Session 1 4:45-5:30pm – Session 2 5:30-6:15pm – Session 3 6:15-7:15pm – Networking & close

EPA – Maximising the opportunity of Policy Changes
2025-06-13 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
Overview
Recent announcements are set to reshape how End-Point Assessment (EPA) is approached, with a stronger emphasis on embedding specific EPA principles into the design process from the outset.

Join us for this insightful webinar as we unpack these changes and explore what they mean in practice. Gain a deeper understanding of the updated principles and how they will impact EPA design moving forward.

Objectives
By attending this session, you will:

• Gain a clear understanding of the proposed changes and implementation timelines
• Learn what the new EPA principles entail and how they will impact current EPA arrangements
• Explore key considerations for your sector, including how on-programme delivery and assessment may evolve

Facilitator
Charlotte Bosworth, Managing Director, Innovate Awarding

EdTechX Summit
2025-06-17 08:00 - 18:00 | ect. venues County Hall, County Hall, Belvedere Rd,, London, SE1 7PB
We’re thrilled to announce the return of the EdTechX Summit in 2025, where the future of education, training and work takes centre stage!
Set within the vibrant London EdTech Week programme, this exclusive headline event is limited to 400 senior industry leaders, ensuring an intimate and dynamic experience between founders, CEOs, policymakers, senior executives, and investors.
EdTechX will provide a whirlwind of visionary insights, high-impact networking and thought-provoking discussions, all designed to connect industry with innovation and to foster collaboration. This one-day summit is your gateway to connecting with a global network of stakeholders shaping the future of the education, training and workplace landscape.
The EdTechX Summit 2025 will take place on Tuesday 17th June at County Hall, Westminster. Located on London’s Southbank, with breathtaking views of the River Thames, The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and the London Eye; this is the perfect setting for igniting ideas and forming new connections.

Building Confidence and Tackling the “Anti-Maths Mindset”
2025-06-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Overview
This webinar focuses on general strategies (rather than specific maths content) to engage students and improve maths outcomes. It encourages maths-related delivery across vocational areas and tutorials based around topical and contextualised material.

Objectives
This webinar will help delegates to:

Recognise the key principles of the maths mastery approach and identify how these can be translated into a delivery strategy at your organisation;
Develop a strategy for raising the profile of maths across college and increase collaboration between departments;
Identify the causes and symptoms of maths anxiety, and plan and deliver lessons that support learners with maths anxiety.
The session will suggest some strategies for streamlining maths delivery and signpost resources and schemes of work. It will highlight the importance of cross-college collaboration, and consider how to address the challenges of maths anxiety in the classroom.

It is intended that learners receive a consistent message regarding the importance of maths, and a fresh approach that presents a contrast to previous negative experiences. Learners with maths anxiety will be given support to achieve and ultimately to reduce their anxiety.

Facilitator
Sam Edwards, Pick ME Consulting

Click here to register or to find out more information.

Open Education Conference (OER25)
2025-06-23 08:00 - 2025-06-24 17:00 | Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, London, N7 6PA
Mark your calendars. The 16th annual Open Education Conference (OER25) is set to take place on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 June 2025 in London at the Resource for London conference centre. This year’s conference promises to be an inspiring gathering, to share the latest research, practices, and approaches in open education.

The OER25 Conference is a pinnacle event for the Association for Learning Technology, bringing together a dynamic community of educators, researchers, and practitioners. This is your chance to explore a world of innovation, exchange ideas, and contribute to the ever-evolving landscape of open education.

What to Expect:

Engaging keynote sessions from leaders in the field

Insightful presentations and workshops

Opportunities to network with like-minded professionals

Exciting social events and much more

We will be sharing the theme and inviting papers for OER25 shortly.

Effectively Self-Assessing Quality of Provision Under Ofsted’s New Framework
2025-06-23 10:30 - 12:00
Join us for an insightful webinar with Peter Nelson, former HMI, as he explores the pros and cons of self-assessing this year against Ofsted’s new inspection framework.

During this session, Peter will:

• Consider several options of how you might approach self-assessment and the structure of your self-assessment report (SAR) and quality improvement plan (QIP)• Introduce Ofsted’s new inspection framework, and how that might have a bearing on this year’s SAR• Explore how you might approach grading of your SAR• Introduce the toolkits, and summarise the main points of each of the key judgements contained in the new inspection framework• Provide practical insights on how to self-assess objectively and identify areas for improvement.

This is an invaluable opportunity for education providers to gain expert guidance and help ensure the rigour of your quality improvement process.

Please contact info@fin-online.org.uk for any support with booking.

Event Booking (sphr.uk)

Integrating Social Value into Tenders
2025-06-25 10:00 - 11:00
Overview

The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 has become a key component in public sector tendering. It requires contracting authorities to consider how procurement can improve economic, social, and environmental well-being in their communities.

This practical session will explain how to understand and apply the Act in your tendering process—helping you improve your Social Value scores and win more contracts.

You’ll leave with:

A clear understanding of the Act and its relevance to bids

Insight into identifying and demonstrating your Social Value offer

Proven strategies to answer Social Value questions effectively

Objectives

This session is designed to help you meet the following learning objectives:

Understand the Social Value Act and its implications for bidding

Identify their own Social Value contributions in education and skills

Respond confidently and effectively to Social Value tender question

Facilitator

Steve O’Hare, SCLO Consulting LTD

FREE WEBINAR - DISCOVERY SESSION WITH FIN - WITH OFSTED INSPECTION DATA AND TOP TIPS
2025-06-26 10:30 - 11:30
Join us for an informal session hosted by Peter Nelson, former Ofsted Inspector. Peter will share some updates on inspections with some top tips. This is also an opportunity to find about the Fellowship of Inspection Nominees (FIN) and how your organisation could benefit and answer any questions you may have. Peter will also provide attendees with an insight into the guidance and knowledge members have access to. We look forward to meeting you.

If you have any problems registering please email Caroline at info@fin-online.org.uk for assistance.

Events – Fellowship of Inspection Nominees (fin-online.org.uk)

Apprenticeship compliance for leaders - CPD accredited
2025-06-26 14:00 - 2025-07-08 16:00 | Online
“An apprenticeship deliverer is only going to be compliant if they understand the real risks within their organisation”

This CPD-accredited, in-depth webinar series digs deeply into the realities of apprenticeship compliance.
Designed for managers and leaders who want strategies for apprenticeship compliance, these sessions bring to life the knowledge and understanding of the core rules and funding methodologies. Beyond the basic rules, you’ll look at the foundations of compliance across your organisation, and how curriculum, evidence system design and monitoring of implementation are integral to getting compliance right while also strengthening quality.

At the end of the series, you will:

Be able to critically evaluate compliance in your own area of operation
Have developed your understanding of best practice for reducing risk
Increased your knowledge of common errors and how to avoid them

We’ll take you through:

Key compliance principles – How it all should work
Risk in areas of operation
Managing the risk of rogue elements within your organisation
Safeguarding funding through the apprentice journey – the data needed
The three R’s, Right programme, Right learner, and Right employer
Compliance strategies
Common strategic errors

About your session

David Lockhart-Hawkins, SDN’s funding and compliance expert will facilitate this series. After working in the sector for over 20 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.

This Compliance for Leaders series is now fully CPD accredited! The accreditation reflects the industry-leading insights and practical strategies the series gives you. Not only will you come away more confident to lead compliance in your team and organisation, you will also receive a CPD certificate to evidence your personal development.

We’ve built this series so that providers can send middle and senior managers from all departments and areas on an intensive high-level compliance journey so that they can bring new ideas and best practice examples back into their organisations.

We highly recommend that you attend our Apprenticeship compliance fundamentals and what this means for your role series prior to attending these webinars. This will introduce all apprenticeship staff to the core apprenticeship rules and where their role fits in the compliance journey.

“Gave me a better understanding of how to improve quality through compliance audits and reviews within the company.”

“Very insightful, lots of great knowledge and handouts to help.”

– Previous event attendees

Booking and payment:

You can either attend live sessions or be sent the recordings and materials if you prefer to review them in your own time. You can also mix and match for whatever works best for your schedule.

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)

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.

EPA 2025: Navigating Change, Embracing Opportunity
2025-07-01 09:30 - 16:30 | Warwick Conferences, Slate Rooms, Coventry, CV4 7SH
Supporting EPAOs to understand and adapt to the current change agenda and take advantage of the opportunities presented.

EPA 2025 offers a unique chance for end-point assessment professionals to network, tackle challenges, and explore opportunities.

Join us for a comprehensive programme featuring insightful keynote speeches, interactive panel discussions, and engaging workshops. Gain the latest updates on policy and regulatory developments, with practical takeaways you can immediately apply to enhance your professional practice.

Don’t miss this chance to expand your network, deepen your knowledge, and be at the forefront of advancements in end-point assessment.

Practical Approaches to Embedding Prevent into Your Learner’s 2025/26 Curriculum
2025-07-02 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Overview

Attendees will gain practical insight into how to effectively embed the Prevent Duty into the 2025/26 curriculum. This includes:

Translating the Prevent Duty into practical and relatable curriculum content
Exploring how risk, ideology, and extremist behaviours intersect in an FE context (led by Ian Smith)
Enhancing understanding of risks to learners
Defining and applying key terms such as extremism, radicalisation, and ideologies
Developing strategies to make Prevent relevant and meaningful for learners

Objectives

By attending this webinar, participants will:

Learn to help learners identify, recognise, and respond to potential risks
Gain clarity on the core definitions underpinning the Prevent Duty
Apply knowledge of radicalisation and extremism to develop effective, learner-focused content
Leave with strategies and tools to confidently integrate Prevent into everyday practice

Facilitator

Maureen Deary, FE and Skills and Independent Schools Inspector, Strategic Adviser in Quality

Guest speakers: Ian Smith, FES Consultancy Ltd and Inspector and Sue Gomer, Quality Director, Logistica Training & Consultancy

Click here to find out more information or to register.

Cirrus Online Roundtable: The Financial Testing Challenge
2025-07-03 15:00 - 16:00
Adapting to an AI-Driven World

4–5pm CEST / 3–4pm BST / 7–8am MST

Financial certification is facing multiple pressures simultaneously. Security measures that worked for decades are being outpaced by new technologies. Candidates increasingly question whether traditional testing methods reflect actual professional competence. Meanwhile, the skills finance professionals need are evolving faster than assessment methods can adapt.

This isn’t just about AI, though that’s accelerating everything. It’s about fundamental questions: What does professional competence look like when technology changes how work gets done? How do you secure high-stakes exams without creating such barriers that you can’t measure what matters?

Our expert panel brings together perspectives from across the testing ecosystem to examine these challenges, because decisions made now will shape financial testing for years to come.

Nominee Masterclass: Embedding Inclusion in Ofsted Readiness
2025-07-08 10:00 - 12:00
With the introduction of Ofsted’s revised inspection toolkit later this year, the expectations for nominees have evolved—placing greater emphasis on inclusion and learner outcomes. Whether you’re stepping into the nominee role for the first time or are experienced and keen to align with the latest reforms, this masterclass is essential.

This session will strengthen your confidence, deepen your understanding of the updated inspection methodology, and equip you with the tools needed to ensure your provision delivers high quality and engaging education and training.

This masterclass will cover:• Understanding Ofsted’s Toolkit: what’s changed, what it means for your provision, and how to evidence strong practice under the revised grading approach• The role of the nominee: personal attributes, leadership responsibilities, and how to drive inspection readiness• Inspection structure and EIF: from deep dives and curriculum intent to documentation and methodology—aligning practice with the new toolkit• Barriers to learning: how to identify, mitigate, and evidence strategies for closing gaps in learner engagement and achievement• Inclusive provision: creating an environment where every learner can thrive, and demonstrating inclusive culture through curriculum, teaching, and support• Learner achievement rates: understanding, interpreting, and presenting your data in the context of impact and quality• Managing learner and employer perceptions: their role in shaping inspection outcomes and how to prepare stakeholders effectively• Challenging inspection judgments: when and how to respond professionally to emerging themes during inspection

With Ofsted’s focus shifting towards a more transparent, inclusive, and phase-specific approach, this masterclass offers the clarity and direction needed to navigate the new landscape with confidence.

Please contact info@fin-online.org.uk for support with booking.

Event Booking (sphr.uk)

The Fundamentals of Copyright in Learning Technology
2025-07-15 14:00 - 17:00
Join us for a half day workshop on copyright law, tailored to anyone working with learning technology.

Delivered by ALT CoOL SIG Chairs, Chris Morrison and Jane Secker, it is aimed at learning technologists and related staff in education. No knowledge of copyright is assumed prior to the course.

This half-day workshop uses Copyright the Card Game to establish a baseline level of knowledge and to give practical examples and scenarios about how copyright relates to the work of learning technologists and those in the field of digital education. Learning outcomes

By the end of the afternoon, delegates will have:

An understanding of issues related to copyright and digital education / online learning including: digitising content for online, using born digital resources, using digital media and lecture recording and copyright in the connected environment.

The ability to apply the basics of UK copyright law to the primary activities of learning technology

An awareness and understanding of the main licences and copyright exceptions that are relevant to those working in this fieldALT Member Rate £69.00Non-Member Rate £129.00

Level 3 Award in Education and Training (Fast-track)
2025-07-17 10:00 - 2025-07-25 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).

Experiential Learning: Turning doing into learning
2025-07-22 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
OverviewThis webinar will help participants design and deliver practical, work-based learning tasks that not only engage learners but also lead to meaningful, lasting learning. By grounding activities in the principles of experiential learning, attendees will gain insights into how to move beyond simple task completion toward experiences that foster critical thinking, reflection, and the transfer of skills to real-world situations. Whether you’re facilitating in classrooms, workshops, or workplace settings, this session will provide a framework for turning active participation into deep learning, enhancing learner outcomes and professional practice.
ObjectivesThis webinar will help delegates to:
Understand the Principles of Experiential Learning: Participants will explore the concept of experiential learning and its relevance in fostering deep, transferable knowledge.Explore Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle: Participants will identify the stages of Kolb’s cycle (Concrete Experience, Reflective Observation, Abstract Conceptualization, and Active Experimentation) and how they apply to teaching and learning.Develop Strategies for Experiential Learning: Participants will design activities that integrate experiential learning principles into their teaching or workplace practices.Reflect on Current Practices: Participants will evaluate their use of experiential learning and identify opportunities to enhance their approach.
FacilitatorPaul Wakeling, Education Consultant
Click here to find out more information or to register.

Future-Proofing Your Curriculum: Built to Adapt. Designed to Achieve
2025-07-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Overview

This hands-on workshop explores how to design adaptive learner pathways that respond to real starting points – using the 4D Initial Assessment model as a springboard. You’ll collaborate to build three distinct pathways and explore practical strategies for sequencing support, stretch, and engagement. Expect challenge, reflection, and ready-to-use tools to future-proof your curriculum design – helping you create learning journeys that work for every learner and stand strong under scrutiny.

Objectives

Delegates attending this webinar will leave with an understanding of:

What happens when we structure learning through adaptive pathways rather than fixed programmes
Real-world examples to help you build a more responsive ad adaptive curriculum
What it really means to ‘sequence for equity’
Designing personalised learner journeys from their starting points and beyond

Facilitator: Gemma Hart, Head of Quality Apprenticeships, Fuel Learning

Click here to find out more information or to register.

DEI Webinar Series: Part 1: Understanding Inclusion
2025-08-01 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Overview
Join us for a dynamic and interactive session designed to deepen your understanding of key Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) concepts. This engaging webinar offers a supportive space to critically reflect and develop practical strategies that enhance inclusivity in your professional and everyday interactions.
By attending this session you will:
Recognise and effectively respond in moments of inequity
Gain a clearer understanding of privilege, microaggressions, and equity
Learn practical ways to adopt more inclusive language
Build confidence in creating inclusive practices and team culture
Understand the distinction between intention and impact in DEI efforts
Objectives
You will leave this webinar with a stronger grasp of:
Positionality and how it shapes perspective
Microaggressions and strategies for addressing them
Allyship and its role in meaningful inclusion
Equity and intersectionality as core DEI principles
The crucial differences between diversity, equity and inclusion
Facilitator
Bilal Harry Khan, Facilitator, Speaker, Podcaster
Click here to find out more information or to register.

Level 4 Award in the IQA of Assessment Processes and Practice
2025-08-12 10:00 - 2025-08-13 16:00 | Online
This Level 4 accredited qualification is designed to develop delegates practical quality assurance skills helping them to become effective quality assurance practitioners in a range of Post-16 contexts both in the workplace and in the classroom. This course covers both ‘Internal Quality Assurance’ and has an option for a top-up for ‘Lead Quality Assurance’ roles. 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 some 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 two modules to help you develop and craft your assessment skills. These modules require 2 days of taught sessions and then for delegates to gather evidence from their own professional practice before returning to a 1:1 portfolio review.

Total attendance time is 2 days of delivery and then a separate 1:1 session once all evidence has been gathered and submitted.

All delegates must have access to a suitably qualified mentor who can offer advice, support and guidance during the practical application and portfolio creation.

Course Options – Dates and times are as follows:

Course Option 1 – 12 & 13 August 2025 (10.00 – 4.00 online)
Course Option 2 – 09 & 23 October 2025 (10.00 – 4.00 online)
Course Option 3 – 01 & 08 December 2025 (10.00 – 4.00)

Level 4 Certificate in Leading the IQA of Assessment Processes and Practice
2025-08-12 10:00 - 2025-08-14 16:00 | Online
This Level 4 accredited qualification is designed to develop delegates practical quality assurance skills helping them to become effective quality assurance practitioners in a range of Post-16 contexts both in the workplace and in the classroom. This course covers both ‘Internal Quality Assurance’ and ‘Lead Quality Assurance’ roles.

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 some 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. These modules require 3 days of taught sessions and then for delegates to gather evidence from their own professional practice before returning to a 1:1 portfolio review.

Delivery is made up of 3 mandatory modules as follows:

Understanding the Principles and Practices of Internally Assuring the Quality of
Assessment
Internally Assure the Quality of Assessment
Plan, allocate and Monitor Work in Own Area of Responsibility

Total attendance time is 3 days of delivery and then a separate 1:1 session once all evidence has been gathered and submitted.
All delegates must have access to a suitably qualified mentor who can offer advice, support and guidance during the practical application and portfolio creation.

Leading Change with Confidence: Practical Strategies for the Post-16 Sector
2025-08-14 10:00 - 11:30 | Online
Overview

Change is inevitable in post-16 education—from shifting funding priorities and curriculum updates to digital transformation and evolving learner expectations. The challenge? Leading change effectively when staff feel overwhelmed, resistant, or uncertain.

This dynamic and practical webinar goes beyond theory to give you real-world tools and strategies that you can put into action immediately. Discover what actually works when leading change, how to bring your team with you, and how to make positive changes last.

Forget passive learning—this is a high-energy, interactive session where you’ll engage in hands-on activities and leave with a personalised action plan to boost your confidence and capability.

Objectives
By the end of this webinar, you will:

– Understand the psychology of change and why resistance is normal—and manageable
– Explore tried-and-tested change management models to suit your context
– Use hands-on tools to assess readiness, address obstacles, and communicate with impact
– Learn how to lead change with confidence and credibility
– Create your own actionable Change Confidence Plan

Facilitator
Christine Edwards QTLS, Creating Excellence

Click here to find out more information or to register.

DfE Accountability Framework
2025-08-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Overview

Join us to explore the essential principles of the ESFA Accountability Framework and the key quality metrics it uses to assess provider performance. This session will equip apprenticeship providers with the knowledge and tools to effectively monitor, measure and enhance their delivery – ensuring they meet and exceed the quality benchmarks under ESFA scrutiny.

Objectives

In this focused webinar, members will:

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the quality indicators that underpin the ESFA Accountability Framework
Learn what triggers ESFA intervention and what providers can expect in cases of under-performance
Discover best practice strategies for benchmarking performance, including how to factor in contextual considerations that may influence accountability outcomes.

Facilitator
Alison Tate, Audit & Compliance Manager, Skills Office Network

Click here to find out more information or to register.

Understanding Apprenticeship Financial Management
2025-08-18 10:00 - 2025-08-22 12:00 | Online
Apprenticeship financial management is complex.

Do you, and your organisation, know whether your provision is modelled effectively and profitable? Do you meet the compliance obligations for pricing and costs?

Getting your apprenticeship pricing right is essential for DfE compliance but perhaps more importantly for operating a financially sound apprenticeship programme. This three part webinar series is designed for role holders working in finance or operations to understand the funding methodology in apprenticeships, the compliance obligations and benefits of effective implementation.

For example:

How do you measure whether a new apprenticeship standard is financially viable for you to deliver?
Are you clear on what the apprenticeship actually costs you to deliver and where a profit margin can be made?
Can you forecast revenue effectively and identify profitability?
Are you clear on what are eligible and ineligible costs and that you aren’t overclaiming or underclaiming funding?
Are you reporting your training price breakdown correctly to the employer?
How do you recognise the apprentice’s prior learning and reflect this in your costings?
Are you applying the correct training price for your own employees (which must be at cost price)?

Session 1 – The funding model in England and funded components
Session 2 – Apprenticeship costs and pricing
Session 3 – Necessary infrastructure and variables

In the webinar series, we’ll help you to understand:

the apprenticeship funding model in England
understand price components of training and assessment
eligible and ineligible costs, how to identify these at a budget level and implement an effective offer to an employer
cost models and options
the importance of effective contracts with employers
the role of employer co-investment and models of collection to ensure compliance
Additional funding components: additional payments and learning support
the impact of prior learning on cost models
Employer-provider variables

You will receive a CPD attendance certificate after the series, as evidence of your personal development.

Booking

You can either attend the live sessions or be sent the recording and materials if you prefer to review them in your own time.

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).

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.

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.

Unable to make date / times? Register anyway and we’ll send you the recording and materials.

Who is this in-depth webinar for?

This series is for anyone involved in the development of apprenticeship budgeting and financial operations. This could, for example, include finance staff, compliance staff, employer-facing staff, business development teams, commercial leads, senior managers / decision-makers.

Note: This programme is a 25/26 update to our previously delivered series on understanding apprenticeship costings.

Facilitators and speakers

The session will be facilitated by David Lockhart-Hawkins, SDN’s funding and compliance expert will facilitate this series. After working in the sector for over 20 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.

Why an SDN webinar?

SDN has directly supported 5,000 apprenticeship staff, from 1,000 organisations, to prepare to deliver apprenticeship standards and end-point assessment. We’ve also worked closely with over 80 of the trailblazer employer groups, giving us a unique insight into what is required.

Payment

To keep prices down, payment for this event must be made online via credit card (book below). If you are a public sector body (e.g. Local Authority) who is unable to book via card, please email us on: events@strategicdevelopmentnetwork.co.uk.

Terms and Conditions

The Terms and Conditions (including our refund policy) for SDN courses, 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: events@strategicdevelopmentnetwork.co.uk.

Action Planning for Your Next Funding Audit
2025-08-21 08:00 - 17:00 | Online
Overview
Is your organisation ready for its next DfE funding audit?
Join us for a powerful, practical session designed to help providers like yours navigate the complexities of compliance with confidence.
Led by Rupert Crossland, one of the sector’s most respected audit and compliance professionals, this webinar will equip you with a clear and strategic action plan to ensure you’re audit-ready and aligned with the latest DfE expectations.
Objectives
What You’ll Gain:
A clear understanding of the key stages of the DfE FE funding audit process
Practical tips for identifying and addressing critical compliance issues
Insights into audit scope – including what lies beyond the main sample
Knowledge to create a tailored action plan that meets audit demands head-on
Confidence in safeguarding your organisation’s funding streams and credibility
Facilitator
Rupert Crossland, Director of Audit and Compliance, Professional Assessment Limited (PAL)
Click here to register or to find out more information.
