Item: 12
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2005-2008
INTRODUCTION
This document sets out Hampshire Constabulary’s Learning & Development Strategy 20052008, from which the 2006/07 Training and Development Business Plan has been
developed.
1. VISION (STATEMENT OF VALUES)
Hampshire Constabulary’s Learning and Development Strategy will provide a progressive,
flexible, balanced and efficient training service in order to develop the skills, knowledge and
abilities of our staff to deliver a first class policing service to our communities.
2. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
1) Ensure all learning and development activities support Force strategic aims, values
and priorities
2) Prioritise scarce resources in order to ensure force priorities take precedence, e.g.
through the Training Prioritisation and Steering Group (TPSG).
3) Apply agreed professional and quality standards to the design, provision and
evaluation of our training and development service.
4) Continuously improve our training provision and seek partnerships to ensure high
quality, effective and efficient costed training is provided.
5) Be able to demonstrate the tangible and intangible benefits derived from the
investment in learning and development.
6) Continue to promote Hampshire Constabulary’s identify as a strategic force by
building capacity, capability and investment in the Training and Development
Department.
7) Maintain fair and transparent policies and procedures which are open to internal and
external scrutiny and have been Equality Impact Assessed effectively.
8) Provide an efficient and effective training management service to secure appropriate
learning and development opportunities for the right people, at the right time, in the
right way, to the right standard.
3. RACE, DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY
Race and Diversity Learning and Development Strategy
The Force Personnel Strategy and Strategic Diversity Action Plan for Employment identifies
specific local objectives and targets to be met through learning and development activities.
The Training & Development Department will ensure fairness in all its dealings, promote
anti-discriminatory practices and be accessible to all. All training staff have a specific
responsibility to ensure this, and there are a number of diversity specialists to assist by
monitoring performance, reviewing processes and procedures and consulting key
stakeholders to ensure compliance with legislation and good practice.
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Commitment to equality and diversity is fully integrated at all stages of the training cycle.
For example, diversity issues are considered at the design stage; the trainer development
procedure ensures that trainers are fully aware of diversity issues and are translating what
they have been taught into the classroom.
Community Involvement: We will:


continue to consult with and actively involve members of the internal and external
training consultative groups
continue to exploit training related contacts through LEADER (Local Employers
Acting on Diversity, Equality and Race) and through the Force Independent Advisory
Group.
The Head of Training is a member of the Equality of Service Delivery Committee (ESDC),
chaired by ACC Territorial Operations and the Equality and Diversity in Employment
Committee (EDEC), chaired by the Director of Personnel. Both committees report to the
Diversity Gold Group, chaired by the Chief Constable as the Force Diversity Champion.
A separate Strategy and Implementation Plan, which sets out Hampshire Constabulary’s
approach to implementing the Police Race and Diversity Learning and Development
Programme (PRDLP), is under development and will form an integral part of the Learning
and Development Strategy
4. MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibility for setting the strategic direction of learning and development is exercised as
follows:
In consultation with the Chief Constable, Hampshire Police Authority (HPA) agree and
secure the budget required to deliver the annual T&D Business Plan as an integral element
of the overall Policing Plan. Throughout the year, the HPA Personnel Committee and
Performance Committee receive regular reports and updates on achievements of plans.
Ultimate responsibility sits with the Chief Constable who exercises this through his Chief
Officer (Director of Personnel) for Personnel and Training, to whom the Head of Training
reports.
The Head of Training (HoT) is responsible for all centrally provided training, for the
formulation of learning and development strategy and policy, for producing the Annual
Training Plan and for its implementation once agreed. HoT also has overall functional
responsibility for all learning and development activities across the Force, conducted by
members of specialist departments and subject matter experts in OCUs, for whom HoT
does not have direct line management responsibility. This functional and professional
responsibility will continue to be strengthened by the extension of Service Level
Agreements or similar quality assurance protocols.
OCU Commanders and all Line Managers have a responsibility to ensure that all staff
have annual Performance Development Reviews, that training needs are identified,
actioned and evaluated in the workplace to ensure the transference of learning. They are
also responsible for ensuring that staff are released to attend training.
Individuals have a responsibility for their own continuous professional development (CPD).
Although the Constabulary will ensure there are opportunities available, it is for individuals
to take responsibility for their own development and seek opportunities to learn as
appropriate.
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Responsibility for ensuring staff receive the learning and development they need
The flow chart in Figure 1 of Appendix A describes the relationship between everyone
involved in the learning and development process.
External influences
External influences on the strategic direction of learning and development include:
 HMIC (Training), which reviews our performance, processes and practices as a training
establishment and recommends improvements, encouraging compliance with national
standards.
 Skills for Justice, which is guiding the application of National Occupational Standards to
policing services.
 Police Training and Development Board, which provides national strategic leadership for
the improvement of police training.
5. STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE
5.1 National Occupational Standards and National Competency Framework
Hampshire Constabulary fully supports and is working in partnership with Skills for Justice
to develop National Occupational Standards (NOS) and integrate them within the National
Competency Framework (NCF).
The NCF applies to all police officer and police staff roles, providing role holders and their
line managers with information about job content, skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviour
required for effective performance. The NCF therefore provides a basis for needs analysis,
design and provision of learning and development, and evaluation of outcomes as
discussed under Section 7 below.
5.2 Assessment Methods
Assessment methods will be relevant to the training outcomes and relevant standards for
the training being delivered. These may include national exams, local knowledge checks,
and workplace assessment against competencies, assignments, skills test or formal
assessment centre methods. In all cases these will be validated either by the examining
body or by internal verifiers in accordance with the Quality Assurance procedures.
Standardisation Groups will be introduced to moderate all NVQ programmes, to benchmark
OCUs and Departments and to maintain national standards. We will ensure that the
required number of assessors and verifiers are trained and accredited to support
implementation.
5.3 Accreditation of skills and learning
We will work to accredit learning opportunities to nationally recognised qualifications by
collaborating with awarding bodies and Skills for Justice. National Occupational Standards
will underpin nationally recognised qualifications for example; NVQs, SVQs and Foundation
Degrees, where appropriate. Work with the local university to provide and/or accredit
appropriate courses will continue.
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5.4 Investing in Our Training Staff
High quality and well-trained staff are key to the achievement of strategic aims of the
Training and Development Department. All delivery staff will complete the recognised
instructor or trainer course, and appropriate updates and refresher training for their
specialist area of training delivery. All staff will be assessed for Occupational Competence
in their area of expertise to recognised National Standards and will complete one (or more)
of the following externally validated qualifications, as appropriate to their specific role:






NVQ Learning and Development (Level 3/4)
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
o Certificate in Training Practice
o Certificate in Personnel Practice
Certificate in Education
A1 Assessor’s Award
IV Internal Verifier’s Award
1A4/1A5 Race &Diversity NVQ Units
A new Police Training Roles Learning and Development Programme (PTRLDP) is being
developed within the ACPO National Learning Requirement 2006/07. We will support these
developments as a means to provide flexible and standardised initial support to new trainers
and, where appropriate, as a means of CPD for existing staff for skills development and the
sharing of best practice between internal units and with other forces/agencies.
5.5 Student Welfare and Standards
A Students Charter will be maintained by the Training Projects and Standards Team and be
provided to all students with their course joining instructions. This will identify the “Individual
Learning Contract” between the Training & Development Department and student,
standards to be expected, support available and appeals procedure in the event of
disagreement.
5.6 Providers of Learning and Development
The main providers are:
 The Training and Development Department
 Operations Support Training (ie Firearms Training, Dog Section)
 OCU and Specialist Department Staff (ie PDU Tutors and CID Tutors, as work-based
development officers and accredited assessors; Force Support Unit; Scientific Services;
Media Services; Control Room and Force Enquiry Centre).
All training providers will be developed to work to a consistent process and standards to
ensure uniform high quality training products and services. Efforts have been made to
clarify and formalise the client-contractor relationship as between training providers and key
clients and stakeholder groups. This will be promoted further during project scoping and
throughout the TPSG process.
5.7 Continuous Process Improvement
The Department has a detailed Department Improvement Action Plan in progress to
respond to the recommendations of the Best Value Training Inspection Report (November
2004); to meet the requirements of the IPLDP Quality Assurance Framework; to achieve
Centre Status to award a range of NVQ’s and to submit to Centrex for Centre Approval
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when appropriate. The plan also formalises the commitment to actions that extend the
scope of quality assurance activities to all providers of learning and development.
The revised edition of the Models for Learning will form an integral part of the Department’s
quality improvement activities. In order to increase flexibility and accessibility to learning
and development opportunities, alternative methods other than off-the-job training courses
will increasingly be adopted through a more blended approach combining e-learning, selfpaced workbooks, work based assignments, tutor assessments, coaching and mentoring.
In line with the force priority to make Best Use of Resources, the Department will report on
the set of agreed Key Performance Indicators on a quarterly basis. The indicators (currently
relating to classroom utilisation; trainer contact time; failures to attend; course place
utilisation and PDRs completed on time) will be reviewed and refined as appropriate on an
annual basis. We will comply with all force procedures for Procurement and Finance.
The department will work with other forces to maintain meaningful performance indicators
and benchmark ourselves more broadly against a range of organisations in the private and
public sector. This will be conducted through the EFQM self assessment process.
6
ASSESSMENT, TRAINING NEEDS AND PRIORITISATION
6.1
Environmental Scanning
To keep informed of key developments within the Constabulary the Department will be
represented on the key management boards and consultative committees e.g. Force
Performance Review Group, Level 2 Tactical and Coordinating Group (TCG), ESDC and
EDEC, Command Forum, Information Management Board, Health and Safety Committee.
It will be represented on Force project and programme boards as they are established.
The Corporate Environmental Scanning Group and the Training Prioritisation and Steering
Group (TPSG) play a key role in the early identification of training needs likely to arise from
changes in legislation, new national initiatives and NCPE or Home Office guidance and
doctrine. All Training Unit Managers are responsible for environmental scanning in their
particular specialist area of activity. This is achieved through regular contact with the
management in their key client areas and with policy writers in their particular field.
6.2
Training Needs Analysis
An annual training needs analysis will be conducted to support the correct prioritisation of
design, delivery method and timing. The analysis aims to identify any gaps in knowledge or
skills that staff require to perform their duties effectively and achieve current policing
objectives and targets. The results of the analysis will form the basis of the aggregated
Annual Training Plan (which will include the schedule for Frontline Training delivered locally
in OCUs) and identify the annual resource implications for Resource Management Board
and Police Authority approval. It will also identify alternative methods of delivery e.g. elearning which do not require classrooms and trainers.
The Force Control Strategy, based on the National Intelligence Model, will identify learning
requirements in support of statutory performance indicatorss and force priorities.
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6.3 Identifying Learning and Training Needs
Learning and training needs are identified at three key levels: the individual, the group or
generic job role and the organisation, as described below
Level of need
Organisational
Group/Team
Individual
Responsibility for identification
Training & Development/senior management sponsors/force leads
Training & Development / OCU or Department Personnel &
Training Managers
Individual with their Line Manager through PDR
The diagram (Figure 2) in Appendix A seeks to reflect the complexity of competing
demands in the process for determining needs and priorities on an annual basis, and for
dynamic risk assessment as new requirements are identified throughout the year.
6.4. Approach to Collaboration
Hampshire Constabulary will continue to collaborate with other police forces, local
authorities and learning providers where there is a sound business case to do so and on a
reciprocal or cost recovery basis. This may be to obtain added value to a learning
programme, compensating for skills that are not evident in the organisation or economy of
scale in delivery of a programme. Collaboration can range from simply sharing information
and existing materials/lesson plans to offering or accepting places on existing courses.
Ideally in future there will be evidence of more structured collaboration of resources and
expertise to complete the full training cycle in respect of an agreed common requirement.
The HoT is an active member of the SE Regional Training Managers Group and portfolio
holder for two of the practitioner subgroups aimed at accelerating progress on Foundations
for Change. HoT will also maintain links with Hampshire County Council and local providers
in both the private and public sector to identify broader opportunities for collaboration.
7. EVALUATION OF LEARNING
Hampshire Police Authority (HPA) review the Learning and Development Strategy on an
annual basis. They also review and approve the annual Training Department Business
Plan and monitor progress to plan on a six-monthly basis. The HPA are also represented
on the TPSG and other Force Boards and committees with significant responsibility for
deciding on learning and development initiatives eg EDEC, ESDC. The HPA Performance
Committee also receives regular reports on key learning and development initiatives against
the Constabulary’s Control Strategy.
7.1 Evaluation of Training Programmes
The Department will evaluate training to clarify and substantiate the effectiveness of stated
objectives, course learning experiences and course content and to provide evidence of the
effective transfer of learning into improved performance in the workplace.
The Kirkpatrick four-level evaluation model has been adopted in line with the National
Evaluation Strategy as set out in Hampshire Constabulary Evaluation Strategy. This
emphasises the critical need to agree a clear evaluation plan right from the beginning of the
training design cycle.
Evaluation at Levels 1 and 2 are conducted by the trainers, with any areas for concern or
suggestions for improvement being actioned by the Training Unit Managers, supported by
the Training Projects and Standards Unit.
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The TPSG is now responsible for sponsoring and authorising the more resource intensive
evaluation projects to determine the transfer of learning into the workplace (Level 3) or to
evaluate the extent of organisational performance improvement (Level 4). Baseline
measures and key performance indicators will be agreed during the training design stage
with the sponsor and key stakeholders to facilitate the later evaluation stage. The Research
Unit in Corporate Services will be commissioned to conduct Level 4 to provide rigour and
independence to the process. E-learning also provides a resource for efficient and very
cost effective evaluation projects at Level 2 (e.g. knowledge checks for Record
Management System (RMS)). The HoT will ensure that evaluation methods and practices
are better understood and deployed appropriately in line with strategic objectives.
The drive for collaborative evaluation projects on a regional basis is now progressing with
Hampshire’s representation on the SE Regional TNA and Evaluation Sub Group. This
group is tasked by, and reports, to the SE Regional Training Managers Group, with
guidance and support from both the Police Training and Development Board and the
National Evaluation Strategic Implementation Group (NESIG).
7.2
Evaluation of the Learning and Development Strategy
This strategy is owned by the Director of Personnel as the Chief Officer and Portfolio holder
for Personnel and Training and is approved by the Chief Constable, ACPO and the
Hampshire Police Authority. The effectiveness of the strategy will be monitored through the
Annual Training Plan and through Level 3 and 4 evaluations of significant training
programmes. This strategy document will be reviewed and updated annually by the Head
of Training. The Strategy enables Hampshire Constabulary to revise and adapt learning
and development efforts and activities to reflect changing organisational demands, through
liaison with senior managers and the TPSG process. This will ensure that learning and
development responds to short term urgent demands whilst remaining aligned with long
term strategic objectives.
Reference Documents
 Training Matters 2002
 Diversity Matters 2003
 Value Matters 2005
 National Evaluation Strategy
 Models for Learning 2005
 National Best Value Review of Training – Foundations for Change 2005
 Hampshire Constabulary Police Race Equality Scheme 2005
 Hampshire Constabulary Evaluation Strategy May 2005
 Hampshire Constabulary Personnel Strategy 2005-2008
 Hampshire Constabulary Strategic Diversity Action Plan (Employment)
 Hampshire Constabulary Training and Development Department Improvement
Plan 2004
 Home Office Circular 4/2005: The Police Race And Diversity Learning And
Development Programme, A Strategy for improving performance in race and
diversity 2004-2009
 Home Office Circular 44/2005
 Disability Discrimination Act 1995
 Sexual Discrimination Act 1995
 Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2001
 Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003
 Employment Equality (Religion and Belief) Regulations 2003
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Glossary of Terms
CPD
Continuous Professional Development
EDEC
Equality and Diversity in Employment
Committee
Equality of Service Delivery Committee
European Foundation for Quality
Management
Head of Training
Initial Police Learning and Development
Programme
ESDC
EFQM
HoT
IPLDP
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NCPE National Centre for Policing
Excellence
NIM
National Intelligence Model
OCU
PDR
Operational Command Unit
Performance Development Review
PDU
TPSG
Professional Development Unit
Training Prioritisation and Steering
Group
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Appendix A
Figure 1: Responsibility for ensuring staff receive the learning and development they need
Individual staff
Take responsibility for their own learning and professional development
Line managers
Conduct PDR and assist staff to identify professional development requirements
Personnel and Training Managers
Guide and support managers and staff to identify & prioritise suitable learning and development
Ensure training bookings made
Training & Development HQ providers, local provision
Provide learning based on summarised needs
Training Prioritisation and Steering Group
Reviews demand and sets priorities at each stage of the training cycle
Figure 2: Process for identifying needs on an annual and on-going basis
All possible corporate and individual learning and development needs
Environmental
scanning
(including new
legislation) and
NIM
Strategic
NIM, based
Control Strategy
Assessment
and
Control Strategy
Feedback from
communities
Requirements
from projects in
Corporate
Programmes
Corporate requests
(eg new ICT
system, or
performance
driven
requirement)
Team/group &
individual
demands (via PDR
– summarised or
individual)
New national
programmes
Training
Proposals
Project initiated
andprepared
developed
TPSG
TPB
prioritisation
prioritisation
Development and Delivery of learning solutions
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