BTEC Advanced Award

Convert your Level 2 / 3 Restorative Justice Training into a BTEC


Restorative Solutions have joined with the Community Restorative Justice Academy to continue the delivery of restorative justice training and provide formal accredited qualifications. As part of our work with the Academy we’re now giving the opportunity to people who’ve trained with Restorative Solutions to take a few simple steps to a full BTEC Advanced Award in Practitioner Training for Restorative Approaches and the career benefits this will bring.

Who is the Community Restorative Justice Academy?

The Community Restorative Justice Academy is a partnership between Restorative Solutions, the University of Highlands and Islands and Safety Net Associates Group.

The Academy has an ongoing commitment to professionalise the field of Restorative Justice. They do this by working with the academy partners and by listening to the thousands of individual RJ practitioners who have engaged with Restorative Solutions and the Academy via our programme of training and qualifications.

The Academy delivers trained, qualified, professional practitioners to the field of Restorative Justice, whose skills are formally recognised across the UK and throughout the world in the form of taught academic qualifications based on the needs of the practitioner, their organisations and the communities they serve.

Since the Community Restorative Justice Academy was launched we have been working to offer RJ practitioners formal recognition for both their previous experience and training they have already undertaken.

Restorative Solutions and the Community Restorative Justice Academy is pleased to announce that the first stage of this ongoing project will be via the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) of training some practitioners will have already completed, enabling them to count their prior training toward the BTEC Advanced Award in Practitioner Training for Restorative Approaches, a fully accredited UK qualification.

What is RPL?

“Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a method of assessment that considers whether learners can demonstrate that they can meet the assessment requirements for a unit through knowledge, understanding or skills they already possess and so not need to develop through a course of learning.”

Regulatory arrangements for the Qualifications and Credit Framework (Ofqual/08/3726)

RPL policies and procedures have been developed over time, which has led to the use of a number of terms to describe the process. Among the most common are, Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL), Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL), Accreditation of Prior Achievement (APA), Accreditation of Prior Learning and Achievement (APLA).

What can be counted as RPL?

One of the many resources of the Academy is its Edexcel “A rated” BTEC Centre status (the highest classification available). In order to maintain the integrity of our qualifications and their relevance to practitioners, organisations and the UK qualifications framework we are only able to recognise certain training courses or modules as RPL toward the BTEC Advanced Award in Practitioner Training for Restorative Approaches.

Initially, the training course we are able to offer RPL for will be the Level 2 or 3 training course delivered by Restorative Solutions.

How does RPL work?

If you have successfully completed the Level 2 or 3 training course delivered by Restorative Solutions training course this will be counted towards the BTEC qualification. In most cases you will not need to re-attend tutorials or training days as this will have been covered in the course you have already completed. You will be required to complete a written assignment, the details of which will be provided to you upon registration. You will also be required to pay the relevant course fees (shown below).

Why BTEC?

Over the last 25 years, BTECs have helped millions of people develop the skills they need to get on in life. Engaging and inspiring, these work-related qualifications are suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities. BTECs are recognised by schools, colleges, universities, employers and professional bodies across the United Kingdom and in over 100 countries worldwide. BTEC qualifications are undertaken in vocational subjects.

We choose BTECs as part of the Academy offering as they enable our learners to become qualified via structured, taught, learning. We developed the BTEC Advanced Award in Practitioner Training for Restorative Approaches, by listening to and understanding the needs of practitioners and following the national occupational standards, relevant legislation and recognised best practice.

What are the costs?

It is very important to us, in order to meet the aims of the academy and the needs of its learners, that no individual practitioner or organisation is prevented from becoming qualified based on cost. For this reason we are committed to keeping the registration costs to a minimum.

If you are able to evidence that you have successfully completed a Level 2 or 3 training course delivered by Restorative Solutions, the cost of the BTEC Advanced Award in Practitioner Training for Restorative Approaches enrolment would be reduced from £895 to just £220+VAT.

This fee includes all course materials, any required assignments and assessment costs, full life-time membership to the CSP Academy Student Zone (for keeping up to date with legislation, NOS, best practice and your continuing professional development), certification, assessment and registration with the accreditation body.

What should I do now?

You should begin by contacting Restorative Solutions by completing the enquiry form here http://www.restorativesolutions.org.uk/enquiry.asp. They will confirm whether your training can be counted as RPL for the qualification and how you can proceed.

Restorative Solutions will issue you with a code that you will need when registering at www.cspacademy.ac.uk/Book-Online.htm in order to apply for the discounted registration fees.
When registering for the course at www.cspacademy.ac.uk/Book-Online.htm please make sure that you select the correct qualification: "BTEC Level 3 - Advanced Award in Practitioner Training for Restorative Approaches" and, when requested for the venue, you select - "RPL - no venue required"

If you have any other enquiries about RPL please contact us either via emailing info@restorativesolutions.org.uk or calling 07505 128 568 or alternatively contact the Academy by emailing learning@cspacademy.ac.uk or by calling 0845 299 7144.
Please do not send us any certificates of completion. We will validate all applicants completion of training with the relevant training provider as we receive each application.