1. The Awards
10
The National Association for Managers of Student Services (NAMSS) is a membership organisation
established in 1987 with charitable status, representing managers working in, or with responsibility for,
student services in post-16 education, training, community and adult education.
NAMSS has over 320 college and 700 individual members representing a comprehensive range of
providers in England, Scotland, Wales and North Ireland.
NAMSS works extensively with a range of government departments and stakeholder groups including
the Department for Education, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, the Department for
Health, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the National Union of Students, UCAS, the
Education & Training Foundation and the Student Loans Company. In all our engagements with national
bodies we seek to represent the views of our members and to champion the cause of the learner
Our mission is to provide support and professional development for managers of services who support
learners in education and training and this mission is driven by a vision to be recognised and respected as
an influential leading provider of support and professional development for managers of student services.
Benefits for members include a website with a dedicated members section containing job descriptions,
policies, procedures and summaries of government papers and policy decisions, a network of regions to
facilitate a dialogue between member colleges about local and national issues, a JISC mail service which
members can tap into the collective knowledge and experience of more than 700 managers and support
staff working in the area of student services.
NAMSS also holds an annual national conference with outstanding national speakers and a wide range of
workshops in addition to one day conferences throughout the academic year on topics of major interest
and concern to the sector.
Further education - serving the needs of a better society and strong economy

2. NAMSS Award for Student Support
This award is open to all further education, sixth form and tertiary colleges which can demonstrate
successful and innovative approaches in any aspect of student support.
Colleges should be able to provide evidence of achievement of the general Beacon criteria particularly
highlighting how support for students demonstrates:
• Effective leadership and management at all levels of the college which support the delivery
of student services
• Delivery of a range of support aimed at improving the student experience and which have
a demonstrable impact on students
• The promotion of a Learner Engagement Strategy which supports a constructive and
meaningful dialogue with students which has resulted in quality improvement
• Innovative support provision that meets the range of social and personal needs of students
• Meaningful engagement with students in the design of student services which leads to high
levels of student satisfaction with the service
• Effective partnership working with both internal and external partners that support the student
The award will be made to the college which demonstrates the most successful service provision which
meets the above criteria and clearly contributes to increased student retention and/or achievements and/
or improved progression to employment, further training or HE.
Assessors will also take account of the range of the service provided and the context of the college.
10
Further education - serving the needs of a better society and strong economy