The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has announced new training and career development initiatives for school staff.

These include a new Level 3 vocational qualifications for all school support staff, and a new collaborative four-partner Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE), dedicated to them.

The Level 3 Vocational Qualification (VQ) pilot in Advanced Support Work in
Schools, planned for September 2005, has been developed by LSC in collaboration with the Teacher Training Agency and a wide range of partners.

The qualifications will be delivered through the new CoVE, which is a partnership between LEAs (Lancashire and Staffordshire (QLS), a private provider (STAR Training and Consultancy) Ltd and Blackburn FE College .

The CoVE will deliver and share best practice in school support staff training.

Gail Bailey, LSC’s sector manager for the public sector, said: “As part of the School Workforce Development Board, the LSC is committed to developing a more flexible approach for school support staff training and development, with a focus on learning and assessment on school premises. The new vocational qualification, the CoVE and the conference are major steps towards achieving this. Schools can be reassured that partnerships within the CoVE will share best practice and provide relevant and high-quality training to help school support staff to develop their skills.”