The Institute of Swimming (IoS) is pleased to announce a successful outcome of the OFSTED inspection into the delivery of the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) programme.

The report of the inspection, carried out in March 2008, has now been formally released and highlights the key strengths of the programme: very good skills development in a variety of aquatic sports; high retention rates; good quality resources to promote learning; very good coaching to develop excellence in sports performance and good use of residential camps and workshops to develop learner’s social, academic and aquatic skills.

The report also details how the programme has improved and developed since its introduction just under two years ago to ensure that the 210 current learners receive the necessary skills and support to become champions while continuing with their education.

AASE is a Government funded initiative designed to meet the needs of young people, aged 16-18, who have the realistic potential to achieve excellence in their sport and are seeking to perform at the highest level as their main career goal, whilst continuing their education.  As part of the programme, athletes learn about such key subjects as time management, career planning, nutrition, training, and communications. This valuable experience will go towards preparing them for international competition.

The IoS contracts with Leicestershire Learning and Skills Council for the delivery of the AASE programme, for which the framework has been developed in partnership with Skills Active, the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning.

ASA’s Head of Workforce Development Spencer Moore is delighted at the achievement:

“It is unusual for a training provider to be inspected by OFSTED so early in a programme’s development – AASE is a two-year apprenticeship plan which has been in operation since 2006, so we don’t have any athletes who have completed the full schedule of learning yet.  The successful report is a testament to the quality of our provision and the hard work and dedication of everyone involved.”

Steve Mitchell, AASE Programme Manager at Skills Active, was closely involved with the inspection process in helping the government representatives understand the complexities of the AASE framework.

“Skills Active’s role is to set the framework for the AASE programme and broker the funding – we then hand over to the IoS to recruit the athletes and manage the whole process.  The outcome of the report is very encouraging – without having a full cohort of apprentices finish their programme the grade achieved is a credit to the expertise, enthusiasm and knowledge of the whole team.”

He added, “The report has also provided some excellent feedback which can be used to develop the programme even further.”

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The full OFSTED report is available on request.  For further information please contact Claire Freeman on 01509 632238 or email claire.freeman@swimming.org.

Amateur Swimming Association (ASA)
The Amateur Swimming Association is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The ASA supports 1,220 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The ASA aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.
In order to comply with national education and training standards it has developed two separate and independent arms – the ASA Awarding Body and the Institute of Swimming (IoS) - which represent the awarding and delivery channels for all ASA qualifications.

ASA Awarding Body
The ASA Awarding Body develops, assesses, awards and quality assures all ASA qualifications. It is the equivalent of other awarding bodies such as City & Guilds and OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations), The ASA Awarding Body is licensed by British Swimming to award qualifications in England and Wales. It also has the remit for quality assurance of all areas of UKCC standards.

Institute of Swimming (IoS)
The IoS is a licensed training provider, like a school or college. It is one of many ASA Awarding Body Approved Centres.  The IoS is also a membership body for qualified swimming teachers and coaches, providing insurance, advice and learning opportunities to its members.

Skills Active
SkillsActive is the sector skills council for the active leisure and learning industry. There are 25 sector skills councils in total in the UK, covering a huge variety of business, industry and learning.   The active leisure and learning sector is made up of five sub-sectors: sport and recreation, health and fitness, playwork, the outdoors and caravans. SkillsActive works with all five sub-sectors to increase the demand for, the quality and the supply of skills provision, to bring all areas together in collaboration, and to lobby funding agencies and policy makers for improvements to the sector.

OFSTED
The new OFSTED, the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills –came into being on 1 April 2007. It brings together the wide experience of four formerly separate inspectorates. It inspects and regulates care for children and young people, and inspects education and training for learners of all ages.