PrintIPDS Guide - Producing & Presenting your Portfolio
Keeping records and timing
Before You Start
We strongly recommend that, as soon as you commence your studies, you develop an IPDS plan with your supervisor. This will help your supervisor to better understand the scheme and assist with identifying appropriate development opportunities. Ideally, this plan should be revisited throughout your studies, as your understanding of your professional role and your development needs will change over time.
Log of Workplace Experience
You must start keeping your log as soon as you register as a CIPFA student and maintain the log throughout the period of your studies.
The IPDS requirements are 400 days of validated experience over the period of training, with at least 20 days spent in each of four out of the eight areas of expertise. You should start recording of your workplace experience as soon as you register with CIPFA.
Certificate and Diploma level requirements
6 Evidenced Activities
Your evidenced activities may be undertaken at any time although we suggest that they should be completed during the Diploma or Final Test Of Professional Competence stages of your studies.
Keeping Notes and Collecting Evidence
You need to keep notes of the evidenced activities as they take place. You will need to collect and file the evidence at that time, as it may not be available in retrospect.
In addition you will need to undertake your reflection and write the reflective commentary soon after you have undertaken the activity.
However, you may wish to return to your experiences after a significant length of time and reflect again on what the long-term effects have been on your learning. This is acceptable and often positively helps learning. You might then adapt your commentary in line with your later reflection.
The final overall reflective commentary should be completed at the end of your CIPFA studentship. This will enable you to reflect on the whole process. You will not be able to identify your future learning goals until you have reflected on your overall professional development to date.