Minutes: taking and writing effective minutes

Effective minute-taking is vital to the efficient organisation and a good minute-taker can transform the effectiveness of a team. This one-day Minute-taking course is a sound introduction to minute-taking and equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to write professional minutes with confidence.

This is a hands-on course with practical exercises throughout the day to help you capture the essential information accurately.

Please note our Standard Private course price is £626.40 Incl VAT. Our Not-for-Profit price is £562.80 Incl VAT.

Want us to deliver this course at your organisation? Contact us for a bespoke quote.

Certificate of Completion

Digital certificate - Included

Minute-Taking Courses in London

Over the day's training you will cover:

• the purpose and use of minutes
• preparation for taking minutes and meetings
• the special rules of grammar and language for minutes
• some useful terminology and how to use it
• minuting presentations and information briefings
• the difference between informal and formal minutes
• what minutes should include and what should be left out
• the tasks of the effective minute taker
• the role of the chair and how to work with your chair
• effective listening
• tips and tricks for note-taking
• practical exercises including real life opportunities to practice taking minutes
• minutes and The Freedom of Information Act
• a year of free support from your trainer

To help you develop your skills further and remind you of what you learnt on the day, you will receive a published book to take away with you.

“When I used to take minutes my boss would then review them and make a lot of amendments before passing them to the actuary and then to the chair. After attending the course, not only did my managers comment on how quick the turnaround was, they all commented on how little they changed. As a result the minutes were circulated to the Trustees much quicker than usual and even they have commented that all looks good (probably because it was quick enough for them all to remember the meeting!)” SB, RSPB

This one-day Minutes course is useful to anyone who has to take minutes as part of their work, whether you are asked to minute the occasional team meeting or are responsible for minuting formal Board meetings. This course is suitable for those who have never taken minutes before as well as those who want a refresher and clarification of minute-taking.

"I really enjoyed the course. The follow up option for 12 months is very useful." - M.W, Teaching and Learning Administrator, UCL

"The session was a good mix of going through notes and the context, with plenty of time to also use practical exercises and go through that." - S.M, Governance administrator, Association of Anaesthetists

"I loved the examples given to see how to and how to not do what we were discussing, other courses I have been on have lacked this, so I was very impressed. I especially loved the additional material that was provided for further learning and the professionalism of the service." - J, Engagement Manager, Department for Energy & Security

This course provides you with an opportunity to practice and review your minute-taking so you leave knowing how to take effective and clear minutes. The skills you learn will make minute-taking simpler and make you feel more confident.

You will understand the key skills involved in minute-taking, both in terms of format and layout, and the crucial thing about what to put in and what to leave out.