Croft Centre Systems and Process - Detail

This is how the process of working with Croft Centre usually maps out.

Stage 1

We have a preliminary planning meeting when we go through the following things:

• Your core business objectives
• Any initiatives or changes that have sparked your need for a programme
• The types of managers and their previous experience and development work
• Issues you have had with leadership and management development in the past
• The organisational culture and attitude towards development
• Measurable outcomes you would like to see as a result of the programme
• Behavioural competencies you would like to see improved
• Initial thoughts on which awarding body, which units, frequency and spacing of taught days etc

Stage 2

We then go away and create a formal proposal capturing what was discussed and setting out the details and cost of an accredited programme to meet your needs.

Stage 3

After further discussion and evolution, you approve the programme and we supply you with a list of dates which you then match to venue availability - and we tweak if needs be.  We also provide internal marketing material to help you "sell" the programme to prospective delegates and a delegate recruitment questionnaire that you can adapt to use for selection purposes.

Stage 4

We then come back and have a more detailed content planning meeting in preparation for starting the programme.  This looks at what kind of emphasis we need to place on the content within each unit being delivered and whether there will be internal speakers visiting any of the days - who and when (we later provide them with a full brief on how they can add the best value in their session).  We also look at assignment briefs to see how we can customise these to fit with your organisational objectives.

Stage 5

We turn the output of stage 4 into a briefing document which gets circulated to all the facilitators and assessors so that they have full details of the context, objectives and any other relevant points.  

Stage 6

Prior to the start of the course we ask you for a list of names and email addresses for each participant.  Our administrator contacts each delegate by email to gather the information needed to register the delegates and we launch a pre-course 360 survey which sets a benchmark for behavioural competencies (that we hope will be improved as a result of the programme) as well as providing help with the personal development work that is usually part of the first sesssion. 

Stage 7

The course is launched with an induction session of anything from an hour to half a day at which we explain carefully to the delegates and often their line managers:

• What to expect
• Advice on writing assignments
• Understanding the awarding body
• Rules on plagiarism
• The importance of applying what you learn
• Sources of support and advice
• Issues and ideas around studying on a course like this

At induction we also hand out comprehensive course handbooks in the form of A4 ringbinders with all of the logistical and Q&A material the delegates need.

The first session is usually personal development based, and at this we give feedback from the 360 survey and explain how to use the information collected.

Stage 8

Teaching continues during the course with individual faciliators arriving on agreed dates taking delegates through what is largely a blend of some chalk and talk to get across core concepts and lots of interactivity, discussion, exercises and role plays where appropriate.

At the end of each taught day, each faciliator completes a handover document which comes back to head office and is then shared with all future facilitators on that programme. We also record Kirkpatrick Level 1 feedback using a standard form plus delegate comments.  These are captured on a spreadsheet and emailed to the client course manager along with attendance information and updated information about assignment hand-in status.

Stage 9

At each taught day delegates are given the relevant assignment brief and the facilitator talks them through what they need to do to complete it successfully. Delegates complete the written assessments to agreed deadlines.  There is a standard process for requesting extensions if essential.  Assignments are handed in using an assignment hand-in website which shows the delegate where they are up to and automatically renames and stores the delegate's work.

Stage 10

Assignments then go off to be assessed by a range of awarding body approved assessors who are often (but not always) also facilitators on the programme.  This process takes 4-6 weeks.  One in four scripts is internally verified.

During the programme as delegates need additional help with assignments and other work, support is provided by email and telephone, and frequently through the provision of one to one or one to small group tutorial days.

Stage 11

Part way through the course we receive a visit from the awarding body External Verifier who checks the quality of the work we are doing as a centre in terms of delivery and assessment and checks that the standard of delegate work is appropriate.

Stage 12

At the end of the programme the EV visits again to sign off the programme following which we claim certificates and forward these to the course organiser.  Very often there is then some kind of certificate presentation event to celebrate the delegates' achievement.

Stage 13

Following on from the end of the course - usually 6 months later, we re-run the 360 survey we did at the start in order to compare pre and post course results and demonstrate the value added in a report which can be used to report back the success to senior management.

Stage 14

In the event that some delegates do not complete the programme within given deadlines, we continue to support them until they are successful - within the bounds of what is permitted by the Awarding Bodies.