Holden Grange TEC QSF journey

2​2 September 2025

B​y Hannah Pinnington, Managing Director at Holden Grange

When I joined Holden Grange in August 2024, one of my first responsibilities was to lead us through the process of becoming TEC QSF certified.

We applied for the audit in September 2024 and, after months of preparation, the audit itself took place in May 2025. It was a huge moment for us, and something I’m really proud we achieved together as a team.

On a personal level, the journey has been invaluable. I’d held managerial roles before, but this was my first step into the TEC industry. Working towards TEC QSF gave me a clear picture of the standards we should be working to in this sector. It’s set the bar high, and that’s exactly what we want for our service users.

The foundations were already there at Holden Grange — a dedicated team, strong values, and a real focus on the people we support. TEC QSF didn’t change that, but it gave us a structure to build on, a way to make sure those values translate into consistent standards across everything we do.

I also think it’s worth saying that, as an SME, the whole process can feel daunting at the start. In our case, I managed the audit preparations on my own — and while it was a lot of work, it shows that it can be done, even without a big project team behind you. For other SMEs who might be considering it, I’d encourage you to go for it. The benefits, both for your organisation and the people you support, are absolutely worth it.

I’m looking forward to seeing how this next stage of our TSA journey develops and if anyone is thinking about starting their own TEC QSF journey, or is currently navigating it, I’d always be happy to have a chat and share what I’ve learned along the way.