It's hard to believe that another academic year is drawing to a close. We hope it's been a good one for you.

Here at CPCAB in spite of the usual challenges from regulations, funding arrangements etc (not to mention an exciting re-branding exercise!) it feels as though we've had an unusually stable year and it's been good to be able to spend time on forging even stronger relationships with our centres. Some of you have been with us for many years and many of you feel like special friends now. We have also welcomed many new centres to the fold this year and look forward to developing the same sense of mutual trust and support.

We wish you a happy, healthy and restful summer break and look forward to working with you again in the new year.

Cardiff and Vale College: Open University Foundation Degree graduates

We're very pleased to be able to share this photograph of proud CAVC students.

Their tutor Jane tells us that

“the first cohort to successfully achieve the Foundation Degree in Counselling attended the Open University Graduation Ceremony in the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on Saturday 3rd May 2014. The FD in Counselling is a demanding three year part time programme that includes a counselling placement, supervision, personal therapy and distance learning as well as weekly lessons and weekend day schools. All graduates showed the utmost commitment to achieving their goal, and I am delighted to have been able to join them in their celebrations.

All graduates continue to work in the counselling profession in a range of settings from family support, housing support, cancer support, in paid employment, in private practice as well as volunteering; two graduates are currently teaching counselling. I wish them every success in their future careers.”

Congratulations, all! And many thanks to Jane for sharing the photograph.

Funding (including 24+ loans) - small centres

As you know, in order to access funding - including student access to the 24+ Advanced Learning Loans - centres in England must be able to show an annual training turnover of at least £500,000 in order to sign an Adult Skills Budget (ASB) contract with the Skills Funding Agency. Where turnover is lower than this threshold figure, it's acceptable to sign a ‘subcontract’ arrangement with a larger centre or form an alliance with other centres of a similar size to yours (with one centre being selected as the ‘lead provider’ who signs the ASB contract).

From time to time we're asked for suggestions as to which centres might be willing to form an alliance. Although we're unable to take on the role of facilitator for such individual introductions between centres, please note that contact details for all of our approved centres are available on the CPCAB centre finder. And remember that lead providers and their subcontractors don't necessarily have to be in the same geographical area.

Do be aware that circumstances can change - a centre with whom you have formed an alliance may withdraw from providing counselling training, or even run into financial difficulties. But with careful consideration this can be a useful way of accessing the funding that can make your courses even more attractive to potential students.

For more info see Lead providers, subcontracting & the Skills Funding Agency: guidance for centres in England.

External assessment dates 2014-15

A reminder of the dates for 2014-15.

Qualification	Date of EA Week commencing	Date of results Week commencing
ELSK-L2, LSK-L2 and USM-L2 Independent verification	17th November 2014 2nd March 2015 8th June 2015 10th August 2015	As and when portfolios are submitted to CPCAB for verification
ICSK-L2 Date when CPCAB needs to receive CRC lists	17th November 2014 2nd March 2015 8th June 2015 10th August 2015	As and when centres submit internal assessment results (there is no fixed date for this qualification)
CSK-L2	12th January 2015 27th April 2015 6th July 2015	23rd February 2015 8th June 2015 7th September 2015
CST-L3	26th January 2015 11th May 2015 6th July 2015	9th March 2015 15th June 2015 7th September 2015
LCS-L3	19th January 2015 18th May 2015 6th July 2015	13th April 2015 15th June 2015 7th September 2015
LC-L4	17th November 2014 22nd June 2015	8th December 2014 7th September 2015
TC-L4 Stage 1	Role play/audio recording: 29th September 2014 - 17th October 2014 5th January 2015 - 24th January 2015 27th April 2015 - 16th May 2015	N/A
TC-L4 Stage 2	Review papers: 20th October 2014 26th January 2015 18th May 2015	5th January 2015 23rd March 2015 7th September 2015
PC-L5	17th November 2014 22nd June 2015	15th December 2014 7th September 2015
CBT-L5	17th November 2014 22nd June 2015	15th December 2014 7th September 2015
TCSU-L6	17th November 2014 22nd June 2015	15th December 2014 7th September 2015

Standardisation training 2014/15

Dates and venues have been agreed for next year's programme of tutor standardisation training. The higher level qualifications day will again be on the Saturday of the London weekend (4th October), meaning that Friday, 3rd October will be very popular. The capacity is for a maximum of 70 delegates so you may need to be quick and book your place to avoid disappointment. You will know when it is booked up as the date will no longer be available on the booking form.

For more information see standardisation training. To book online complete our standardisation booking form. Confirmation for your booking comes as a pop up immediately after pressing submit but if you have any queries about your booking please email Jackie.

Humour - CPCABees

A rather sweet little true tale ... a swarm of bees recently took up residence in our chimney stack here at CPCAB Towers. Following advice, a ‘baiting hive’ - containing some honey - was set up outside in the hope of tempting the bees out of the chimney. It worked! The swarm reacted almost immediately to the arrival of this new des-res by leaving the chimney stack and making a bee line for the hive.

The hive and its new residents - who are now called CPCABees - have been moved to a safe site just a short distance away and we hope they will pay us a visit now and again!