Training Providers

When looking for a specific training course for staff at your out of school club, as a first step it is a good idea to contact the Early Years service for your local authority. They should be able to advise you about the courses available in your area. Courses organised by the local authority are often heavily subsidised and bursaries to cover the cost of attending the training (eg to fund cover staff) are sometimes available.

For those who want to organise their own training, we have put together the following list of training providers. Please help us to make this list more comprehensive by recommending training providers that you have used. Please email your suggestions to .

National Extension College (NEC)
Distance learning courses for a wide range of childcare and playwork qualifications.
www.nec.ac.uk/childcare

The Childcare Company
Distance learning training for the childcare industry.
www.thechildcarecompany.com

ICS (International Correspondence School)
Offers a CACHE Level 2 Certificate in Children's Care, Learning and Development as a distance learning course. This course is notable in that it does not require a formal placement in a childcare setting.
www.icslearn.co.uk

Kids' City
Provides training for NVQ Level 2 and 3 in Playwork at their London HQ, as well as a wide range of childcare related courses including behaviour management, safeguarding children, and managing your Ofsted inspection. Will also deliver courses on site.
www.kidscity.org.uk

JACE Training and Assessment Centre
JACE offers work-based learning qualifications in childcare and playwork across London and the South East.
www.jace-training.co.uk

Bev Amison Consultancy Ltd
Delivers training for playworkers and managers, including NVQ Level 2 and 3 in Playwork and CCLD, as well as an extensive range of professional development courses. BACL works with local authorities in the North and North-West regions.
www.training4childcare.co.uk

Orchard Training
Holds a number of courses throughout Lancashire specifically for out of school clubs, including an introduction to EYFS and ideas for play and craft activities.
www.orchardtraining.com

Northumberland College
Offers a wide range of learning opportunities for people looking to begin or progress their career in childcare, including the CACHE Award in Playwork for Early Years Workers.
www.northumberland.ac.uk

Bath Spa University
Offers flexible training for graduates interested in becoming Early Years Professionals.
www.bathsap.ac.uk/courses/eyps

Best Practice Network
Offers a wide range of professional development courses for early years practitioners.
www.bestpracticenet.co.uk

The Red Cross
First aid training at various venues around the country,
www.redcrossfirstaidtraining.co.uk

St John Ambulance
First aid training at various venues around the country.
www.sja.org.uk

First Aid International
Provides a wide range of first aid courses, and first aid instructor training.
www.firstaidinternational.co.uk

NSPCC
Runs child protection courses at its Leicester training centre, and has some distance learning training packs.
www.nspcc.org.uk

Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
The CIEH has a useful 'course finder' tool for finding food handling and hygiene courses in your local area.
www.cieh-coursefinder.com

Virtual College
Provides online training courses in Food Safety and Hygiene.
www.food-hygiene-certificate.co.uk

High Speed Training
Provides online training courses in Food Safety and Hygiene.
www.food-certificate.co.uk

Train4Food
Provides online training courses in Food Safety and Hygiene.
www.train4food.co.uk

Forest Schools
Runs training courses on their innovative educational approach to outdoor play and learning.
www.forestschools.com

Mindstretchers
Runs courses and workshops in Scotland on outdoor play, den building, and forest school leadership.
www.mindstretchers.co.uk