About Us

Who we are

Our team provide training and continued professional development to local authority staff, staff and volunteers in schools, early years settings, childminders, voluntary organisations and those wishing to enter the children and young people’s workforce.

We are committed to a culture of lifelong learning and career development. Whatever your role, we aim to ensure you have the skills and knowledge necessary to help you develop and succeed.

We teach from experience, not just theory. Our training staff are highly knowledgeable, qualified and are all occupationally competent to deliver their courses.  Our SCITT tutors, for example, are all current or former teaching professionals.  All our staff will support and challenge you, helping you become the best practitioner you can be.

Our Staff

Karen Shopland – Service Manager and BAPP Course Leader

Steph Dingle – Project Manager, IQA, Assessor, Tutor

Project Manager leading on apprenticeships and accredited courses.

Claudine Leoni – Project Manager, Assessor, Tutor

Project Manager leading on HEI programmes and CPD/Conferences

Keith Ford – SCITT Programme Manager and SCIL Safeguarding Lead 

Janet Limberg –  Foundation Degree Education and Development – Course Leader 

Michelle Armstrong – Lead IQA/Tutor/Assessor and Foundation Degree – Early Years Course Leader

Nikki Blake – Admin Project Leader

First point of contact for Accredited courses

Aimee Cordioli – Admin Project Leader

First point of contact for Apprenticeships

Julie Walker – Admin Project Lead

First point of contact for SCITT

Sam Fisher – Senior Admin Assistant

First point of contact for CPD courses and Reception/Customer Service

Jude White – Admin Assistant

First point of contact for Foundation Degree and BAPP

Jacqui McDermott – Library & Information Assistant

First point of contact for the SCIL Library and Reception/Customer Service

Achievements and Accolades

Ofsted Good Initial Teacher Training Provider 2023

Report can be access here.

Highlights include:

• Trainees are proud to be part of a nurturing and supportive partnership.
• Trainees are overwhelmingly positive about the course.
• Trainees acquire the knowledge that they need to become confident early career teachers.
• The centre-based ‘INSPIRE’ curriculum allows trainees to link theory and relevant educational research to classroom practice.
• Trainees say they are part of a ‘SCITT that listens’.
• Leaders are ambitious in their offer to trainees.
• Their vision, to train high-quality teachers to work in local schools, is unwavering.
• Leaders select relevant knowledge and teaching strategies to underpin their ITE curriculum.
• This exceeds the requirements of the core content framework set by the Department for Education.
• The ‘INSPIRE’ curriculum is underpinned by up-to-date and pertinent research.
• Many trainees receive high-quality mentoring. This allows them to develop the knowledge and skills they need to be highly effective early career teachers.
• Leaders are proactive in supporting trainees’ workload and well-being. It is at the heart of everything they do.

Ofsted Inspection for SCIL Apprenticeships May 2022 outcome – Good in all areas
The report cited – Apprentices are very positive about their learning and how they apply it in their roles at work. SCIL staff provide apprentices with high levels of support which helps them to make good progress in remembering the curriculum and to complete their apprenticeships.

Leaders and managers have developed an ambitious curriculum to meet the needs of the workforce, as a result, apprentices are appropriately trained for the roles they fill. Leaders and staff set high standards for apprentices. They expect them to make good progress, become better employees and achieve well in their apprenticeships. They produce high-quality work and achieve in their final assessments.

Inspire

Principles and Values to Inspire our Staff, Students, Apprentices, Learners and Trainees (SALTs)

I – Intent, Implementation and Impact of training is clear to develop positive professional training and work values, grounded inclusive practice

N – Nurture staff  and SALTs to be resilient and develop their full potential

S – Support SALTs in making excellent progress and gain a breadth of experience

P – Promote high expectations, equality of opportunity and empowerment

I – Instil confidence and develop competence to successfully meet outcomes

R – Reflect and review regularly on ourselves and our programmes

E – Enable SALTs through attainment of knowledge and tools to forge a successful career.

Partnership working

SCIL work with many teams across Somerset Council And beyond

HR&OD – Somerset Council

SCIL work in partnership with HR & OD and we are currently delivering Team Leader/Supervisor apprenticeships to Somerset Council staff. This apprenticeship has strengthened the knowledge and understanding of staff and through their learning on the apprenticeship supported them to become better leaders and managers.

NCFE/CACHE

SCIL offer qualifications accredited with NCFE who are comprised of specialist business units such as CACHE and EPA Plus, dedicated to providing high quality innovative products, services and solutions to specific areas of learning. Some of their qualification available through SCIL are the level 2 diploma for the early years practitioner, level 3 diploma -early years educator, level 3 diploma for the children and young peoples workforce, level 3 diploma for residential childcare, level 3 award in assessing competence in a work environment and the level 4 award in the internal quality assurance of assessment processes and practice.

ILM

ILM is the UK’s leading provider of leadership, management and coaching qualifications, and a City & Guilds Group Business. Achieving a regulated professional qualification makes a statement about an individual’s approach to their personal and professional development. An ILM qualification demonstrates that the holder not only understands the importance of learning, but by putting that understanding and new knowledge into practice, has demonstrated that their actions have had a positive impact on a work organisation. SCIL have offered ILM qualifications for many years and hold direct claim status for the qualifications we offer. These include leadership and management and coaching and mentoring.