Cultural Heritage Level 4

The job role undertaken by candidates will determine the appropriate route. At Level 4 the Standards reflect the following functions:

  • Conservation
  • Education and Interpretation
  • Curatorial

I was extremely pleased to have the option of completing my G3 NVQ unit in Cultural Heritage at the V&A. Although I work in Poole, Dorset, I generally managed to time my meetings at the museum with other work commitments in London.

Working with my assesor, and the training department, we set clear meeting dates and targets. I successfully submitted my portfolio, and was pleasantly surprised to have an invite to the presentation of awards.

Achieving this award has enabled me to progress towards my AMA (Associate of the Museums Association). This has been on my 'to do' list for quite a while and it will help me move forward with my career plans and have benefits for my organisation.

Maureen la Frenais

Structure of award

To achieve a full Level 4 NVQ in Cultural Heritage, you must complete 12 units:

  • 5 mandatory units
  • 5 required units from the chosen specialist group
  • 2 optional units

Mandatory Units (5 units must be completed)

A2Research and analyse information to achieve objectives

  • A2.1 Identify sources and availability of information
  • A2.2 Collect information to achieve research objectives
  • A2.3 Analyse research information
  • A2.4 Report results

G3 Promote the care, use and understanding of cultural heritage

  • G3.1 Maintain and develop your own competence and specialism
  • G3.2 Sustain working relationships with colleagues in the cultural heritage sector
  • G3.3 Promote the care and use of items
  • G3.4 Promote the benefits of the organisation to other people

H5 Plan and monitor projects to deliver organisational requirements

  • H5.1 Plan the use of resources to implement a project
  • H5.2 Allocate project objectives to people
  • H5.3 Monitor and maintain the progress of a project

K1 Ensure your own actions reduce risks to health and safety and either

  • K1.1 Identify the hazards and evaluate the risks in your workplace
  • K1.2 Reduce the risks to health and safety in your workplace

J4 Manage the use of financial resources

  • J4.1 Make recommendations for expenditure
  • J4.2 Control expenditure against budgets

or

J18 Manage the finances of the business

  • J4.1 Make recommendations for expenditure
  • J4.2 Control expenditure against budgets

Specialist Groups (choose 1 group)

Conservation

  • E4 Evaluate items
  • E5 Develop conservation plans for items
  • E7 Develop and implement remedial conservation procedures for items
  • E8 Develop and implement preventive conservation procedures for items
  • and either
  • A1 Propose and plan research projects
  • or
  • E6 Develop strategies for the preservation of collections

Curatorial

  • E3 Apply preventive care procedures to items

one unit from the following

  • B1 Develop information systems to meet the needs of users
  • C1 Develop strategies for the maintenance and use of a collection
  • F1 Devise a strategy for interpretive activities

and three from the following

  • A4 Identify and describe items
  • B2 Develop procedures for the use of information systems
  • B3 Document items
  • C2 Acquire and dispose of items and collections
  • C3 Lend and borrow items
  • D3 Organise the transfer of items
  • E9 Prepare for potential disasters
  • F3 Identify and evaluate the requirements of users of exhibitions or interpretive activities
  • F4 Devise and plan exhibitions or interpretive activities

Education and Interpretation

  • F3 Identify and evaluate the requirements of users of exhibitions or interpretive activities
  • and either
  • F1 Devise a strategy for interpretive activities
  • or
  • F2 Devise a strategy for user education and learning

and three units from the following:

  • E3 Apply preventive care procedures to items
  • F4 Devise and plan exhibitions or interpretive activities
  • F5 Commission work on the interpretive and educational media
  • F6 Implement designs for exhibitions
  • F7 Plan and deliver interpretive activities
  • F8 Support learning

I Chose the V&A Cultural Heritage NVQ as it really stood out from other professional museum course options as a way to move forward with my career. The V&A education programme has an excellent reputation, and I feel that this course will provide me with the platform I need to go on and do my AMA.

Robert Flemming

Optional Units (choose 2)

  • H2 Represent the interests of a cultural heritage organisation
  • J1 Manage activities to meet customer requirements
  • J15 Complete projects
  • J16 Business counsel clients
  • J17 Implement the business plan
  • J20 Manage media relations
  • J21 Developing public relation strategies

Cultural Heritage Level 4 Summary of Units and Elements

A2 Research and Analyse Information to Achieve Objectives

  • A2.1 Identify sources and availability of information
  • A2.2 Collect information to achieve research objectives
  • A2.3 Analyse research information
  • A2.4 Report results

G3 Contribute to the Care, Use and Understanding of Cultural Heritage

  • G3.1 Maintain and develop your own competence and specialism
  • G3.2 Sustain working relationships with colleagues in the cultural heritage sector
  • G3.3 Promote the care and use of items
  • G3.4 Promote the benefits of the organisation to other people

H5 Plan and Monitor Projects to Deliver Organisational Requirements

  • H5.1 Plan the use of resources to implement a project
  • H5.2 Allocate project objectives to people
  • H5.3 Monitor and maintain the progress of a project

K1 Ensure Your Own Actions Reduce Risks to Health and Safety

  • K1.1 Identify the hazards and evaluate the risks in your workplace
  • K1.2 Reduce the risks to health and safety in your workplace

J4 Manage the Use of Financial Resources

  • J4.1 Make recommendations for expenditure
  • J4.2 Control expenditure against budgets

J18 Manage the Finances of the Business

  • J18.1 Manage the cash flow of the business
  • J18.2 Maintain the profitability of the business
  • J18.3 Maintain effective working relationships with finance providers

E4 Evaluate Items

  • E4.1 Determine key aspects of information about items
  • E4.2 Identify risk factors and problems for items

E5 Develop Conservation Plans for Items

  • E5.1 Explore conservation options for items
  • E5.2 Specify conservation options for items

E7 Develop and Implement Remedial Conservation Procedures for Items

  • E7.1 Explore, test and develop conservation procedures to solve specific problems
  • E7.2 Minimise the deterioration of items
  • E7.3 Physically intervene to aid interpretation of items

E8 Develop and Implement preventive Conservation Procedures for Items

  • E8.1 Specify the appropriate environment in which to maintain and protect items
  • E8.2 Monitor, evaluate and advise on the environmental protection of items

A1 Propose and Plan Research Projects

  • A1.1 Propose a research project
  • A1.2 Identify the methodology to achieve the aims and objectives of a project
  • A1.3 Determine the resources and time scale required to complete a project

E6 Develop Strategies for the Preservation of Collections

  • E6.1 Assess the collection
  • E6.2 Devise a preservation plan for the collection

E3 Apply preventive Care Procedures to Items

  • E3.1 Control the environment to preserve and protect an item
  • E3.2 Monitor and modify the environment and the condition of an item

B1 Develop Information Systems to Meet the Needs of Users

  • B1.1 Identify the needs of users of information systems
  • B1.2 Identify and recommend improvements to information systems
  • B1.3 Implement improvements to information systems

C1 Develop Strategies for the Maintenance and Use of a Collection

  • C1.1 Determine the scope and potential development of a collection
  • C1.2 Plan the acquisition and disposal of items and collections
  • C1.3 Develop a loan policy

F1 Devise a Strategy for Interpretive Activities

  • F1.1 Develop the organisation's ability to implement the interpretation strategy
  • F1.2 Evaluate the organisation's ability to implement the interpretation strategy
  • F1.3 Develop a programme to implement the interpretation strategy

A4 Identify and Describe Items

  • A4.1 Provide a description of an item
  • A4.2 Identify an item to determine its features and significance

B2 Develop Procedures for the Use of Information Systems

  • B2.1 Develop procedures for accessing and amending data
  • B2.2 Develop documentation rules
  • B2.3 Maintain the security and safety of information

B3 Document Items

  • B3.1 Apply documentation procedures
  • B3.2 Assign and attach an accession number to an item

C2 Acquire and Dispose of Items and Collections

  • C2.1 Establish criteria and procedures for acquisition and disposal
  • C2.2 Assess items and collections for their contribution to the organisation
  • C2.3 Initiate procedures for acquisition and disposal of items and collections
  • C2.4 Negotiate the transfer of rights over items and collections

C3 Lend and Borrow Items

  • C3.1 Establish criteria and procedures for lending items
  • C3.2 Evaluate a request for the loan of an item
  • C3.3 Agree the loan of an item to a borrower
  • C3.4 Agree the loan of an item from a lender

D3 Organise the Transfer of Items

  • D3.1 Organise the movement of items
  • D3.2 Monitor the installation of items within a new location

E9 Prepare for Potential Disasters

  • E9.1 Conduct a risk assessment
  • E9.2 Develop a disaster plan
  • E9.3 Implement disaster readiness measures

F3 Identify and Evaluate the Requirements of Users of Exhibitions or interpretive Activities

  • F3.1 Identify current and potential users and their needs
  • F3.2 Evaluate the impact of exhibitions or interpretive activities on users

F4 Devise and Plan Exhibitions or interpretive Activities

  • F4.1 Generate a concept for an exhibition or interpretive activity
  • F4.2 Select an interpretive approach
  • F4.3 Select resources and information

F2 Devise a Strategy for User Education and Learning

  • F2.1 Develop the organisation’s education and learning strategy
  • F2.2 Develop a programme to implement the education and learning strategy

F5 Commission Work on the interpretive and Educational Media

  • F5.1 Prepare a brief for a specialist to produce media
  • F5.2 Select a specialist
  • F5.3 Evaluate educational and interpretive media

F6 Implement Designs for Exhibitions

  • F6.1 Plan the use of resources to implement exhibitions
  • F6.2 Monitor and maintain the production of an exhibition
  • F6.3 Develop information materials to support an exhibition

F7 Plan and Deliver interpretive Activities

  • F7.1 Plan the use of resources
  • F7.2 Deliver and evaluate an interpretive activity
  • F7.3 Develop information materials to support an interpretive activity

F8 Support Learning

  • F8.1 Deliver an activity which supports learning objectives
  • F8.2 Provide opportunities for people to explore ideas

H2 Represent the Interests of a Cultural Heritage Organisation

  • H2.1 Generate external commitment to the future of the organisation
  • H2.2 Represent the interests of the organisation to policy makers and the public

J1 Manage Activities to Meet Customer Requirements

  • J1.1 Agree customer requirements
  • J1.2 Plan activities to meet customer requirements
  • J1.3 Maintain a healthy, safe and productive work environment
  • J1.4 Ensure products and services meet customer requirements

J15 Complete Projects

  • J15.1 Ensure the completion of project activities
  • J15.2 Evaluate the effectiveness of project planning and implementation

J16 Business Counsel Clients

  • J16.1 Assist clients to identify their needs and expectations
  • J16.2 Explore ways of meeting their needs and expectations with clients
  • J16.3 Agree courses of action with clients

J17 Implement the Business Plan

  • J17.1 Initiate the implementation of the business plan
  • J17.2 Monitor the implementation of the business plan
  • J17.3 Review the impact of the business plan

J20 Manage Media Relations

  • J20.1 Establish, maintain and develop media relations
  • J20.2 Select and acquire unpaid editorial
  • J20.3 Select and acquire financially supported editorial

J21 Develop Public Relation Strategies

  • J21.1 Determine requirements of Public Relations strategy
  • J21.2 Determine Public Relations strategy
  • J21.3 Prepare proposal
  • J21.4 Brief staff on requirements of Public Relations strategy
  • J21.5 Confirm strategy and monitoring arrangements

Cultural Heritage Level 4

A2 Research and Analyse Information to Achieve Objectives

  • A2.1 Identify sources and availability of information
  • A2.2 Collect information to achieve research objectives
  • A2.3 Analyse research information
  • A2.4 Report results

Want to know more?

If you are interested in applying you can download an application form.

Should you have any further questions please contact us and speak to either Pat McCann 0207 942 2523 or Ray Chan on 0207 942 2940 and we will be more than happy to advise you.