What is Beacon status?
Beacon status identifies and recognises the very best providers of the further education and skills sector. Beacons are a source of expertise and willingly share their good practice with other organisations. Activities involve advice and support for other providers, trialling new and innovative approaches, peer review and development, and representation on LSIS expert/reference groups.
Beacons, as exemplars and trusted partners, promote and pursue excellence. They provide a major impetus for the culture changes needed for the whole sector in its move to becoming responsible for its own quality improvement and towards greater self regulation.
How do we become a Beacon?
Beacon status is awarded. LSIS uses both inspection report information and LSC advice to identify potential candidates.
The potential candidates are then asked to complete a 'Declaration of Interest' form to outline areas of their considered expertise and to offer a supporting statement to describe:
- how they share and transfer expertise good practice within their own organisation;
- the experience they have of cross-sector expertise and good practice sharing;
- their opinion of what makes for effective cross-sector expertise good practice sharing;
- how they determine the aims, objectives and performance outcomes for expertise good practice sharing activities;
- how they know they have made a difference.
What are the criteria for Beacon status?
The key criteria currently are:
- inspection evidence:
- grade 1 for Leadership and Management
- nothing less than a Grade 2 for all other areas inspected;
- LSC support:
- expression of support by the appropriate LSC Regional Director;
- identifiable expertise and strengths (from their Declarations of Interest) that would benefit the further education and skills sector;
- assessment of suitability by independent experts on an advisory panel.
The criteria will be kept under review as the arrangements for Framework for Excellence are developed.
What are the key benefits of Beacon status?
- Public recognition of excellence
- Increased reputation, status, standing and influence in the sector
- Beacons get no additional funding for achieving Beacon status. However, additional funding is available to transfer expertise and good practice and to undertake innovative activities
- Beacons have developed, tested and implemented a variety of new and innovative ways of teaching and learning
- Beacons have helped other colleges and providers to improve their performance, including improved inspection grades, increased employer engagement, better learner support and achievement
- Beacons themselves have also improved their own performance and have benefited from working with others in the sector
