When the Civil Service leadership commissioned the National School of Government to develop the Core Learning Programme, the brief was ambitious. To build a programme of learning that would accelerate the transformation of public services. It would be acknowledged as learning that the business of the Civil Service deemed as essential for success in the Civil Service.

Who it is for

It's primarily aimed at senior civil servants and for people at grade 6/7 and S/HEO staff who have a cross-government role.

In addition there is a professional development programme for Ministers and also for staff working in Private Office

What it covers

There are six strands to the Core Learning Programme which are deemed as essential for shared knowledge, learning and development across the Civil Service:

• Leadership
• Fast Stream
• Achieving policy outcomes
• Implementing Government priorities
• Core knowledge
• Professionals in Government

See also professional development for Ministers and Private Office

Roll-out

The roll-out has started with programmes and workshops for the Leadership, Achieving Policy Outcomes and Implementing Government Priorities strands. The majority of the Core Learning Programme will be in place during 2010/11 and it will be developed and expanded in 2011/12.

The purpose of the Core Learning Programme

1. To build leadership capability and depth - through a development programme tailored to the needs of government and underpinned by its values (the "Civil Service way").
2. To promote the highest standards in policy development and implementation by driving consistent approaches, common standards, and common language - a shared understanding across government.
3. To 'join-up' government by creating professional communities.
4. To equip civil servants to respond rapidly to new government priorities, both nationally and internationally.
5. To deliver essential elements of learning and development more efficiently across the Civil Service through economies of scale.

Delivering value for money

The Core Learning Programme works in a different way from open programmes. Instead of "pay-as-you-go", participating departments make an annual payment in return for a set number of programme places throughout the year.

It delivers value for money for a number of reasons:

• Effectiveness: it will meet the priorities identified by the Civil Service leadership, and be rolled-out on a scale that can have meaningful impact on the way the Civil Service operates.
• Best practice: it will capture and recycle the Civil Service's own knowledge, skills and experience to deliver learning.
• Full capacity: as attendance will largely be by nomination it will ensure courses and other interventions run at, or near, full capacity.
• Smarter delivery mechanisms: larger group sizes, more contributors from within the Civil Service and more effective use of e-learning.
• Saving: marketing and administrative costs associated with individual transactions will be significantly reduced through a centrally administered programme based upon allocated places for each department.