Continuing professional development

Following the one-day cross-professional event, participants can obtain a Play Shaper certificate that acknowledges ten hours of continuing professional development (CPD).

How do I get my CPD certificated?

To obtain this certificate you will need to undertake further independent reading and reflection, and then complete an assessment in the form of a multiple choice question paper.

From September 2009 to January 2010 this questionnaire will be paper-based and will be issued to you directly by Playwork Partnerships, after your participation in the cross-professional event. After January 2010, you will be able complete the question paper on this website.

Who accredits this continuing professional development?

This accreditation is issued by Playwork Partnerships and the University of Gloucestershire, and is independently endorsed by SkillsActive, the Sector Skills Council for active leisure and learning including play. This is a level 4 training module mapped to the relevant National Occupational Standards for managing and maintaining play provision.  

When do I complete the question paper?

You have 21 days from the date of issue to complete and return the question paper.

Where can I find further information to help me complete the question paper?

Links and signposts to further reading can be found in the Resources section of this website.

Where do I send my completed question paper?

If you are completing a paper-based version of the questionnaire, please return it using the Freepost envelope provided to:

Play Shaper Administrator
Playwork Partnerships
University of Gloucestershire
Oxstalls Campus, Oxtsalls Lane
Gloucester, GL2 9HW

When do I find out the result?

Question papers will be marked by Playwork Partnerships within 28 days of receipt if they have been received within the 21-day return period. Question papers received after the 21-day return period may experience a delay in marking.

What is the pass mark?

There are sixteen questions in the multiple choice question paper. You will need to answer nine or more of the questions correctly in order to pass.

What happens if I pass?

Playwork Partnerships will notify you and post your certificate within six weeks of achievement.

What happens if I don’t pass?

Playwork Partnerships will notify you, and you will then have 14 days within which to request a second questionnaire. The same process applies to the completion and return of the second question paper. If you are unsuccessful on the second attempt this will be marked as a ‘fail’ and you will be notified.

How can I make a complaint?

If you feel that the assessment process is unfair, you have the right to complain. Please put your complaint in writing to:

Claire Mills
Play Shaper Training Manager
Playwork Partnerships
University of Gloucestershire
Oxstalls Campus, Oxtsalls Lane
Gloucester, GL2 9HW

Tel: 01242 714531  Email: cemills@glos.ac.uk

Playwork Partnerships will respond within seven days of receiving your complaint. If you are not satisfied with the response you can request a complaints enquiry. The procedure for an enquiry will be forwarded to you at this stage.

Further feedback

Your feedback is welcomed. Please send any comments to the named contact above.

Quality assurance

We want to ensure the Play Shaper programme reaches the highest standards.

SkillsActive, the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure, Learning and Well-being, provides quality control of both the content and delivery of Play Shaper seminars, and the routes to endorsement and validation.

SkillsActive is working closely with other Sector Skills Councils covering relevant professional sectors (such as those involved with landscape architects and designers, planners and developers, parks and leisure, police and community safety, and regeneration and housing) to ensure the relevance and compatibility of the Play Shaper programme.

This includes validation of the programme within other sectors’ continuing professional development frameworks. 

Quality assurance visits

SkillsActive has a team of quality assurance verifiers from a range of professional backgrounds. They all have extensive experience in the assessment and delivery of quality adult education and training.  

On average, 20 per cent of all Play Shaper professional development seminars receive a quality assurance visit from a verifier.

These visits help to ensure that each seminar reaches the high standards set out in SkillsActive quality assurance systems. 

Back to top

Further information

Play Shaper online learning

Use the online learning environment after you have participated in a Play Shaper seminar. You can access learning materials, online discussions and an assessment quiz that accredits your continuing professional development.

Start learning now

Get updates

Sign up for Play Shaper email updates

Sign up