“
We have had a
partnership arrangement with
Learning Curve Group for a number
of years and we are delighted with
the workbooks and the immediate
attention and support service we receive
from the company. The workbooks are
informative, easy to follow and updated
to ensure accuracy and relevance.
Connected
Issue 7 - November 2014
Chris Coyle
Faculty Head for Services to People,
Stephenson College
“
Managers and
staff are passionate
about the impact that
their courses have on
learners’ lives.
”
Find out about
our new
Learning Curve Ofsted
Report, 2014
English
and
Another
maths
academic year
offer on the
back page!
is under way with plenty of opportunities
and challenges ahead of us all.
2013/14 was a hectic time for Learning
Curve Group, bringing with it: a successful
Ofsted; 94% overall success rate on our
partnership contracts; 125 FE clients using
our services; 100,000 learning materials
used by learners; 20,000 learners referred
to providers and an acquisition of the
publishing company, Learning at Work,
to create the new, Learning Curve Group.
We start this academic year with a new
brand and logo. Our publishing, employer
engagement, e-learning and delivery
departments now all operate under
Learning Curve Group. Our updated
website will be launched in November in
time for our tenth anniversary.
Indeed the company has come a long way
since being launched in 2004. We have
devoted our centre pages to scope out
the journey we have been on and what we
offer in 2014. We have included thoughts
and quotes from some of our key partners
and hope that we have managed to make
a real difference to each and every learner
who has used the services we provide.
Moving forward, the online revolution is
one of the key growth areas. Over 50,000
learners are predicted to undertake an
online course or assessment on our
learning platform in 14/15.
”
Last academic year, over
100,000
learners were supported
through their courses
by services provided
by the Group.
This includes full-time students and adult
learners, and we are constantly evolving this
offer to embrace the rapid change within
learning technologies.
Our subcontracted provision has excelled
again with exceptionally high success rates
across all our contracts and an increase in
our overall success rate to 94%. We have
structured our delivery model and resources
around the demands of the learners we
engage with and this has proved incredibly
successful when supporting learners
through to achievement.
Some of our key
achievements were:
3 94% overall success rate on our subcontracted provision
3
With a wider portfolio of learning materials
and an increase in the services we provide,
we are sure we can support you to meet
your objectives in 14/15 and for the next
ten years!
Graded Outstanding by Ofsted for outcomes for learners, health and social care and public services
3 Worked with over 125
FE providers
3 Referred over 20,000
eligible learners
3 Over 25,000 learners
used our online portal
Jon Cummins
Group Commercial Director
Learning Curve Group
Mobile: 07894 851 849
Email: [email protected]
www.learningcurvegroup.co.uk
3
1
Progression of the company
2004-2014
Learning Curve founded
by Judith Moran, (MD),
Ann Johnston (Director) and
Tony Outhart (Non-Executive
Director)
Oct
2004
Company awarded direct LSC
(now SFA) contract
05/06
Delivery through 9 college
subcontracts
Directors delivered consultancy
support services to FE Colleges
Moved to current offices in
Bishop Auckland
Gained Matrix and IIP
accreditation
Feedback
from our
customers
“
We have had a great
relationship with Learning Curve
Group for a long time now. The resources
supplied are of high quality and they greatly
enhance the delivery and the learner journey.
The support from the company is excellent;
they are very approachable and willing to
discuss any future developments.
Kim Gallier
Programme Manager
Birmingham Metropolitan College
06/07
”
Added new distance learning
provision to course portfolio
Annual turnover exceeds £1m
for the first time
07/08
Brenda McLeish joins as a Director
New VRQ programmes in Health
and Social Care launched
Nicole Bewley
(now Director of Partnerships)
joins the Partnership team
First Ofsted inspection –
Grade 2 overall
Significant increase in college
partnership activity. 14 college
subcontracts with combined
contract value of over £4m
08/09
16 college subcontracts and
delivery partnerships
Gail Grossman joins as Director of
Quality and Curriculum
09/10
Invested in business-critical
MIS systems to support
distance learning delivery
13 college subcontracts
Exceeded Train to Gain
target contracts
Transition from Train to Gain contract
to new SFA single budget contracts
Developed in-house SFL
delivery capacity
Major £540k ESF SFL contract
Introduced adult apprenticeship
provision
10/11
Increased SFA contract by 25%
Judith
Moran
Group Chair
and Founder
Shareholder
26 college subcontracts
Developed strategic partnership
with publisher, Learning at Work
Matrix and IIP reaccreditation
Established 16-18 and specialist
employment provision in Learning
Curve Skills Centres
11/12
SFA direct contract value
increased 34%
Over 28,000 learners enrolled
on programmes
Tony
Outhart
Director
and Founder
Shareholder
Delivered over £10m ASB activity
34 subcontract partners
£19m ASB delivered
49,000 learners enrolled
12/13
Ofsted Inspection - Graded Good
with Outstanding features
Launch of online assessments
Launch of online MIS platform
Acquisition of Learning at Work to
create Learning Curve Group
New e-learning platform
13/14
Group
Managing
Director and
Shareholder
Worked with 125 FE provider clients
100,000 learning materials sold
44 subcontract partners
94% overall success rate
New English and maths provision
2
Brenda
McLeish
www.learningcurvegroup.co.uk
Jon
Cummins
Group
Commercial
Director and
Shareholder
Celebrating our
10 Birthday
th
“
Learning Curve
Group provides excellent
customer service and account
management, with helpful advice
on funding and delivery models.
The conference events are excellent
and very informative.
Ray Shilling
”
“”
Head of Faculty
Employability and Apprenticeships
Westminster Kingsway College
“
High-quality
delivery
since 2004
We found Learning
Curve Group to be an excellent
subcontract partner. Even with high
volumes of enrolments, the queries
on paperwork were minimal while
success rates and quality of provision
were outstanding.
”
Brian Archer
In ten years we have supported over 350,000
learners in gaining a nationally recognised
qualification. The delivery model has evolved
so we are now:
Executive Director
Leeds City College
“
Learning Curve
Group meets all their
financial and profile targets
and provides us with excellent
success, retention and achievement
rates. I can’t recommend them
highly enough.
”
3
3
3
3
3
3
Angela O’Donoghue CBE
Principal and Chief Executive
South Essex College
Judith has worked in FE for over 25 years, including 15 years
in various roles at Bishop Auckland College and the last
decade as co-owner and Chief Executive of Learning Curve
(JAA) Ltd. On the formation of Learning Curve Group,
Judith became Group Chair.
She is intensely proud of her company becoming the market
leader, and she remains passionate about providing lifeenhancing opportunities for learners.
Tony worked in teaching and senior management roles at two
colleges between 1990 and 2000.
Since 2000 he has been involved in several companies
providing FE delivery and support services.
He was part of Learning Curve Group at its inception in
2004 and is today a board member and Director.
Brenda has worked in FE for 17 years in business support,
teaching and managerial roles, joining Learning Curve Group’s
senior management team in 2008.
As Group Managing Director, she thrives on personal and
professional challenges and is strongly motivated to deliver
the best possible education to learners and employers.
Jon has worked in the FE sector for over 12 years. In 2007
Jon co-founded Learning at Work which was acquired by
Learning Curve Group last year.
Jon is responsible for sales and marketing across the Group
and continues to work alongside FE colleges, private training
providers and national employers on a number of projects.
a direct SFA/EFA contract holder
able to offer national delivery capacity
the largest subcontractor in the FE sector
working with 44 FE provider subcontract partners
providing an overall success rate of 94%
a grade 2 Ofsted provider with outstanding features
We have become the leading subcontract partner within the FE sector.
Offering high success rates, reliability, audit compliance and access to
hard-to-reach adult learners, we see our partnerships as complementary to
most FE providers’ core objectives. With a proven track record, as evidenced
by our own Ofsted inspection results, we help providers hit those key targets.
Alongside our delivery offer we provide
the following key services to the FE sector:
Learning Materials
Employer Engagement
Learning Technologies
3 hard copy and online
learning content
3 named learner
referrals
3 online platforms
that link to FELTAG
3 awarding body 3 appointment setting
approved assessments at employers
3 used by over 40,000
learners to date
3 online assessment
and tracking portal
3 identification of
employment placements
3 online assessments
3 marketing flyers
and materials
3 ideal for both ASB
and EFA provision
3 marketing and PR campaigns
3 over 40 courses available
3 advice on audit compliance
3 support with inductions/enrolments
3 in-depth reporting
and tracking tools
3 template documentation
3 destination and
progression tracking
3 easy-to-use dashboards
3 comprehensive
tutor guides
3 advice on delivery models and best practice
www.learningcurvegroup.co.uk
3 interactive e-learning content
3
New materials in 14/15
English and maths
Learning Curve Group is developing a wide
portfolio of English and maths materials for
use within our own provision and that of
our partners.
Already available are embedded English
materials within an Employability
Skills learning package. Alongside the
development of job search skills, CV
writing and letters of application, learners
will also develop their English skills and,
when successful, will be accredited with
a Level 1 Award in English. Awards in both
Construction Maths and Military Maths
have also been developed.
Within our distance learning provision
a Level 1 English Award has been fully
embedded within the Safe Handling of
Medicines qualification. Following the
piloting of this qualification from
November this year, all new learners will
enrol on this new exciting course and
develop their English skills alongside their
main qualification pathway. This embedded
model will be rolled out across other
distance learning products very soon.
Alongside embedded products, Learning
Curve Group has also developed two
stand-alone products – a full Level 1
Certificate in Maths and Level 1 in English.
These products are fully endorsed by NCFE
and will be available soon.
Updated
Level 2 courses:
Business Administration
Customer Service
Equality & Diversity
Dignity and Safeguarding
in the Adult Care Sector
3
UPDATED
AoC Annual Conference 2014
Learning Curve Group is proud of its learning
and training resources, and there is no better
place to showcase these than at the annual
Association of Colleges’ Conference and
Exhibition, which takes place in Birmingham
between 18–20 November.
As England’s largest education subcontractor
partner and specialist publisher, it offers
unrivalled opportunity for us to engage with
the many hundreds of college delegates
in attendance, each one looking for better
ways to deliver their education programmes.
Team member profile
Each newsletter will introduce you
to one of our key customer-facing
colleagues within Learning Curve
Group. This term it is Nicola Codd,
Head of Learning Technologies.
Nicola Codd
has been in
post-16
education
for 14 years
Our exhibition display area and presence
at this flagship event will allow us to speak
with key college players and to network
and meet new contacts – in short, to
show all that is good about Learning Curve
Group to those that matter within a positive
and focused environment.
This is reinforced by this year’s theme,
Creating Futures Together, which points
to how all within FE can learn from
each other and innovate to tackle
future issues and demands.
Nicola has worked for a national hospitality
training provider, as a Regional Manager,
and at NCFE as both a Business
Development and a Learning Resource
Manager, before joining the Learning Curve
Group as Head of Learning Technologies.
During at her time at NCFE as Business
Development Manager she increased the
number of FE providers her region worked
with from the smallest to the largest by
building customer relationships, providing
solutions and offering exceptional
customer service. Whilst Learning
Resources Manager with NCFE, Nicola
was responsible for the rollout of the
NCFE Learning Hub, their e-learning
platform providing customers with
resources to support customers deliver
NCFE qualifications.
If you would like to discuss any of our services in more detail,
please contact us:
Tel: 0330 660 0603
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.learningcurvegroup.co.uk
4
Come and
see us at
Stand 19
Nicola is responsible for learning
technologies within the Group, including
Learning@College, our online learning
platform which hosts a series of short
e-learning programmes that link to key
study, work and life skills which support
key objectives around the 16-18 Study
Programmes and Traineeships. We
now have a number of active providers
(including our own activity) using
Learning@College and expect over 25,000
students to experience our portal this
14/15 academic year.
Nicola works alongside FE Colleges and
Private Training Providers, supporting
them to utilise Learning Curve Group’s
learning technology solutions. She helps to
provide a balanced and effective learning
pathway that will enhance a learner’s future
prospects along with supporting the quality
and financial objectives of providers.