The National Academy for Educational Leadership is moving Wales to an ambitious curriculum by developing inspirational leaders

Portal Training secures NAEL endorsement for its Leadership and Management Provisions 

Portal Training is the first work-based learning company to be successful in the endorsement process from the National Academy for Educational Leadership (NAEL) for its ILM Higher Apprenticeship programmes in Leadership and Management.

The Cardiff-based training organisation’s delivery of the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Level 4 and 5 qualifications has been formally endorsed by NAEL as part of its aim to secure, nurture and inspire leaders for today and tomorrow.

A dynamic, innovative and proud bilingual Welsh training provider, Portal has delivered the Higher Apprenticeship in Leadership and Management to more than 600 learners over the past 6 years with over 500 learners currently registered on both programmes.

It has engaged with staff at more than 400 schools across Wales, who have been supported to further develop their management and leadership skills and knowledge, with many achieving promotion and extra responsibilities as a result.

Gwawr Booth, Managing Director of Portal Training explained:

“Wales is moving along one of the most ambitious curriculum and whole system change journeys in the last 30 or so years.  Our aim at Portal is to support the National Mission in Education reform to develop inspirational leaders that are well prepared to lead their organisations through this change, with the qualifications we choose to deliver at Portal designed to encompass this objective as comprehensively as possible.”

“We are therefore delighted this has now been formally recognised by the National Academy for Educational Leadership too,” Gwawr added.

The ILM level 4 and 5 Diploma is a Higher Apprenticeship (HA) programme which is fully funded by Welsh Government and ESF funding, and focuses on the basic principles of leadership and management as well as numeracy, communication and digital literacy skills. 

NAEL was officially launched by the Welsh Government in 2018 after concerns were identified around the quality of leadership in schools in a number of reports and reviews of the Welsh education system.

Its core objectives include promoting the availability of programmes supporting leadership, accessibility to leadership, create a community of peers and quality assuring the provision of those programmes through endorsement.

Portal Training is the only work-based learning provider to have claimed endorsement from NAEL to date, alongside others including Bangor University and University of Wales Trinity St David. 

Gwawr said: “The vision, values and principles of NAEL are similar to our own in that we are striving to give access to schools and all educational establishments/programmes to leadership development whatever the needs, career stage and ambition of the individuals concerned.

“We never stand still in Portal and are continually reflecting on how we can improve delivery, content of programme and customer service to ensure the best programme is available to our learners. To have this approach and our provisions formally recognised through this endorsement is therefore very gratefully received.”

Cardiff-based Portal Training is a leading bilingual Welsh training organisation delivering high quality and creative leadership and management training courses, programmes and resources for professionals working in the education, business and sporting sectors.