Awards and standards - RAMM

RAMM is one of Exeter City Council's award-winning services. It subscribes to a range of nationally-recognised standards.

The MLA's Designation Scheme

The MLA's Designation Scheme has identified RAMM's World Cultures collection as a pre-eminent collection of national and international importance. The collection contains important items from cultures in every continent outside Europe and RAMM is committed to providing high-quality services which deliver the fullest possible access to our collections. With support from the Scheme, RAMM takes a leadership role in the sector by helping other institutions by sharing expertise, offering advice and lending objects or materials.

The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council is the government's agency for museums, galleries, libraries and archives. It delivers strategic leadership in England and in each of its regions and collaborates with partners across the UK. The Designation Scheme aims to identify and celebrate the pre-eminent collections of national and international importance held in England's non-national museums, libraries and archives. 

Sandford Award for Heritage Education

In 2006 the quality of RAMM's schools programme and its commitment to lifelong learning was recognised with a prestigious Sandford Award for Heritage Education. The Awards are given by the Heritage Education Trust which promotes and recognises quality in heritage sites and historic properties to allow meaningful access and understanding for all. 

Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Service (VAQAS)

RAMM's Queen Street site was VAQAS accredited in 2004, RAMM in the Library and St Nicholas Priory in 2009. This recognition from VisitBritain gives a consumer-focused quality assessment of visitor attractions. To gain and maintain VAQAS accreditation RAMM has to demonstrate a good level of customer service and quality in a wide variety of disciplines. These include, interpretation, staffing, visitor information, services and facilities, cafe and retail services, cleanliness and general observations. 

The Accreditation Scheme for Museums in the United Kingdom

The Museum Accreditation Scheme run by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, sets nationally agreed standards for UK museums. To qualify, museums must meet clear basic requirements on how they care for and document their collections, how they are governed and managed, and on the information and services they offer to their users.

RAMM is one of a select group of 16 museums in the country that is piloting advanced level 3 accreditation.

Inspiring Learning for All

Inspiring Learning for All is a Museums Libraries and Archives Council initiative to transform the way in which museums, libraries and archives deliver and engage users in learning.  

Investors in People

Exeter City Council and RAMM subscribe to the Investors in People Standard, a straightforward, proven framework for delivering business improvement through people.

Investing in Volunteers

The quality of RAMM's vibrant volunteer programme gained formal recognition in November 2007 with the achievement of the Investing in Volunteers Quality Standard, the UK's best practice standard for volunteering. The volunteer programme was assessed against a range of best practice standards for the recruitment, involvement, support and retention of volunteers and it excelled in all aspects. RAMM was only the forth Museum nationally and the eighth organisation in the SW to receive the award.

Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge

Awarded in June 2009, the LOtC Quality Badge is the first national accreditation scheme giving an easily recognisable and trusted Quality Badge to all types of organisations providing safe high quality educational experiences outside the classroom. The badge was developed by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom with the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Image: Kathleen Dalyell OBE, presents the Sandford Award for Heritage Education to Cllr Edwards, lead councillor for Leisure and Museums © Crown copyright, 2006, Historic Scotland Images.