Yet another decision to make – but how do I know which LPC provider is best for me?
There are nearly 40 LPC providers in England and Wales. All of them are required to comply with written standards that are set down by the newly-formed Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Before selecting a provider, ask yourself several questions:
- Do you want to study full-time or part-time?
- Do you want a local provider or are you prepared to relocate?
- How much will it cost?
- What elective subjects do different providers offer?
- How many students will be in each class?
Then find out as much as you can about each provider from the Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) of the Law Society, the Solicitors Regulation Authority and from the colleges themselves.
Solicitors Regulation Authority Grading System
A new monitoring system for the LPC was implemented during the academic year 2005/06, and nearly all providers have now been assessed under the new system.
As previously, providers will receive a three-day monitoring visit during the first year of a three-year cycle. During the second year, the provider receives a one-day pastoral visit to check on progress since the last three-day visit, and in the third year, the provider submits to the Solicitors Regulation Authority a self-evaluation report.
The three-day monitoring visit will grade six areas of provision:
- Teaching, learning and the curriculum
- Assessment
- Students and their support
- Learning resources
- Leadership and management
- Quality assurance and enhancement
The team of assessors uses the following criteria for grading each of the six areas of LPC provision:
- Commendable practice – there is significant evidence of best practice
- Confidence in the provision – appropriate standards are maintained
- Failure to meet the required level of provision – appropriate standards are not met
Following the three-day visit, details of the grades awarded, issues to be taken forward by the provider, and an explanatory paragraph on each area of provision will appear on the Solicitors Regulation Authority website (www.sra.org.uk/lpc)
When a provider reaches the first year of the three-year cycle, it will receive the new three-day monitoring visit. Until all providers have gone though the three-year cycle and received a visit under the new system, there will be providers that have been graded under the old grading system (ie excellent, very good, good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory).
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