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 & Childcare 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 info@oosa.co.uk.
You can also check out our brand new training platform OOSA Academy!
Playwork and Childcare
National Extension College (NEC)
Distance learning courses for a wide range of childcare and playwork qualifications.
www.nec.ac.uk
Common Threads Playwork
Common Threads Playwork provides online and face-to-face PARS playwork training and NCFE-accredited Customised Qualifications from Levels 1-4.
www.commonthreads.org.uk
The Childcare Company
The Childcare Company is a Matrix accredited online training provider specialising in apprenticeships.
www.thechildcarecompany.com
Parenta Training
Provides Level 2 and Level 3 Childcare courses as well as a range of business qualifications.
www.parenta.com
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
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
Quest Training
Playworker apprenticeships and commercial training in the workplace and online across South and Central England.
www.questfortraining.com
Virtual College
Offers training in the Common Core of Skills and Knowledge as an online course.
www.virtual-college.co.uk
First aid
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
First Aid for Life
Delivers regular classes in first aid at its training centre in Balham, London. Also runs in-house first aid training courses. They offer a 10% discount to OOSA members.
www.firstaidforlife.org.uk
MBK Training
Hold paediatric first aid courses in the Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Birmigham and Coventry areas, and can deliver the courses on-site across the Midlands. They offer a reduced price to OOSA members.
www.mbktraining.co.uk
Sprouts Training
Hold paediatric first aid courses in the Hampshire area, and can deliver the courses on-site across most of the country. They offer a 10% discount to OOSA members.
www.sprouts-group.co.uk
Child protection and safeguarding
NSPCC
Runs child protection courses at its Leicester training centre, and has some distance learning training packs.
www.nspcc.org.uk
SAFE CIC
Offers two online child safeguarding courses: an introductory course suitable for all staff, and a course for designated child protection officers. Members of the Out of School Alliance can book these courses at a special rate. (How to claim your discount.)
www.safecic.co.uk
CPD Online College
Offers a Level 2 and Level 3 child safeguarding course. The courses are available online and can be taken at any time. OOSA members enjoy a 20% discount.
cpdonline.co.uk
Virtual College
Now offers a wide range of online courses in child protection through their Safeguarding Children e-academy.
www.safeguardingchildrenea.co.uk
MBK Training
Have two 2-hour courses: Basic Safeguarding and Safeguarding in Practice, run from various centres in the Midlands. OOSA members can enjoy a 10% discount.
www.mbktraining.co.uk
Sprouts Training
Provides Level 1 and Level 3 safeguarding training in the Hampshire area, as well as on-site training across most of the country for group bookings. They offer a 10% discount to OOSA members.
www.sprouts-group.co.uk
High Speed Training
Offers a variety of online safeguarding courses, including Level 1, Level 2, Designated Person, and refresher courses.
www.highspeedtraining.co.uk
Food handling and hygiene
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.highspeedtraining.co.uk
Train4Food
Provides online training courses in Food Safety and Hygiene.
www.train4food.co.uk
CPD Online College
Provides online training courses in Food Safety and Hygiene. OOSA members enjoy a 20% discount.
cpdonline.co.uk
MBK Training
Provides a basic food hygiene course in Warwickshire and at sites across the Midlands. Members of the Out of School Alliance can claim a 10% discount on the standard price.
www.mbktraining.co.uk
Outdoor play
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, Wales, North East England and South East England on topics such as outdoor play, risk, den building, and forest school leadership.
www.mindstretchers.co.uk
Inclusion
KIDS
The training department at KIDS offers a range of e-learning courses to playwork and childcare professionals who wish to include disabled children within their mainstream settings.
www.kids.org.uk
Other CPD
Inspired Children
Delivers award-winning training for out of school clubs across the country. Training courses include: Amazing Play, Positive Behaviour, Risk and Challenge, Innovative Play Ideas, Working with ADHD, Self-Regulation, Effective Supervision, and many more. Courses are delivered at your site and are the same price whatever the number of participants. OOSA members enjoy £50 off half-day courses and £100 off full day courses. (How to claim your OOSA discount.)
www.inspiredchildren.org.uk
Reach4Skills
Reach4Skills offers a selection of online CPD courses, covering topics such as understanding autism, team leading, equality and diversity, etc. Most of these courses are available fully funded for eligible learners.
www.reach4skills.co.uk
CPD Online College
Provides online CPD courses on a range of topics including autism awareness, managing challenging behaviour, health and safety, etc. OOSA members enjoy a 20% discount.
cpdonline.co.uk
