Standards, guidance and training

High quality conservation and management depends on all those involved working in line with professionally recognised standards and sound conservation principles. Local authority archaeologists also have a responsibility to the community to ensure that their work is undertaken to the highest standards.

ALGAO co-ordinates training events to meet specific member needs, and working in partnership with national agencies and others to develop training initiative.

The Association also works with a range of other organisations to develop and promote standards, guidance and best practice across the sector.

Standards and guidance for archaeological advice by historic environment services

CIfA and ALGAO, with funding from Historic England, Historic Scotland and Cadw, have produced a CIfA Standard and guidance (PDF file) to cover the role of providing archaeological advice primarily, but not exclusively, through local authority historic environment services.

Links

Standards and guidance

• HERs: Informing the Future of the Past: Guidelines for Historic Environment Records (2nd ed)
• CIfA - Standards and Guidance
• Historic England Training
  • Minerals Practice Guide
  • Looking after monuments and sites in the landscape
• ALGAO standards and guidance
  • ALGAO:England Post-Excavation Assessment Advice Note (2015)
    Document

    ALGAO-England-PXA-Advice-Note.pdf (171.43 KB)
  • Local Authority Historic Environment Roles and Responsibilities: an Assessment (2010)
    • Project Report
      Document

      ALGAO-Roles-Responsibilities-Project-Assessment_Report.pdf (191.03 KB)
    • Appendix 1
      Document

      ALGAO-Roles-Responsibilities-Appendix1.pdf (48.48 KB)
    • Appendix 2
      Document

      ALGAO-Roles-Responsibilities-Appendix2.pdf (18.33 KB)

England:

• Historic England planning advice
• Heritage Gateway Historic Environment Records contact details

Scotland:

• Historic Environment Scotland planning advice
• Delivery of Public Benefit and Social Value for Archaeology in the planning system 
• Guidance for Peatland Restoration and the Historic Environment in Scotland
• ALGAO Scotland Historic Building Recording Guidance: 
  Document

  ALGAO Buildings Guidance.pdf (645.09 KB)
• Management of Lithic Scatters in Scotland ALGAO Guidance:
  Document

  ALGAO-Scotland-Management-Lithic-Scatters-Guidance.pdf (2.42 MB)

Wales:

• CADW Wales planning advice
• Historic Environment Records - access to Archwilio system for Historic Environment Records in Wales

Training

The Association is a member of the Archaeological Training Forum. The ATF is a delegate body which represents all those organisations which have an interest in the issues of training and career development in archaeology. It was constituted in 1998 to review the present provision of training in archaeology and to co-ordinate future strategies to meet the profession's training needs.

A suite of National Occupational Standards in Archaeological Practice has been developed in conjunction with ATF members and after extensive consultation with the sector.

These bodies also provide information on training and professional development:

• Historic England - training skills
• Historic England - e-learning modules
• Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) - continuing professional development
• Council for British Archaeology (CBA) - training in archaeology
• University of Oxford Dept of Continuing Education