Expectations for High-Quality Apprenticeship Provision

The overarching expectation that drives our high-quality provision is to deliver our mission in line with the key components of high-quality apprenticeship provision.

Mission

To provide support and knowledge for all people to achieve personal excellence in their chosen profession.

Roles and responsibilities

Leaders - All leaders and management staff are responsible for the identification, implementation and continuous development of high-quality provision. The Board of Governance is responsible for providing oversight and critical feedback to guide the senior management team.

Delivery staff - To ensure the delivery of all services reflect the core values and wider considerations relating to the high-quality provision in all areas of the curriculum

Employers - to support their apprentice to develop personal excellence in all aspects of the curriculum

Apprentices - to commit to and work towards their own personal excellence and support those around apprentices to achieve more. 

High-Quality Provision - Delivery 

1. All apprenticeship training offered is ‘‘employer’ and/or industry-led - national, regional and local research is conducted to identify training needs. This is achieved by direct research, interaction with key industry groups (e.g. The FA, CIMSPA), awarding organisations and local stakeholders  (e.g. LEPS) 

2. Maintain robust governance arrangements that ensure decision making by managers is challenged and supported. This is achieved by ensuring governors have the knowledge, skills and confidence to carry out their role.

3. Maintain high standards of safeguarding. This is achieved by ensuring all staff have been trained to the correct level, and that systems support effective safeguarding activities, including regular meetings of the safeguarding team to discuss the impact of local, regional and national issues on apprentices.    

4. Ensuring staff are qualified and competent to teach and support apprentices in a particular standard. This is achieved by ensuring Elev8 employs appropriately qualified staff with the necessary contemporary industry knowledge for the standard(s) being offered. All staff must be supported to undertake continuous professional development (CPD).

5. Developing strong partnerships with Employers. This is achieved through regular communication to explain the apprenticeship journey and EPA process, To share responsibility for the apprentice’s progress, development and wellbeing in their learning and work. To gain feedback and insight from all employers. To develop plans to support apprentices who need additional support and help employers understand their learning needs. To work together to plan and complete ‘on and off the job’ learning in an effective way. To elicit engagement in the design and implementation of the apprenticeship curriculum, including sequencing and content for their apprentice. 

All apprenticeship programmes include the following key components to ensure that the provision is high quality.

1. Initial Assessment. This is achieved by recognising prior learning relating to the knowledge, skills and behaviours, maths and English that the apprentice already has, ensuring the apprentice is offered a standard at the correct level for the apprentice to learn sufficient new knowledge, skills and behaviours. That a curriculum is developed based on these results, any reasonable adjustments and the on and off the job training required for the apprentice to achieve personal excellence.

2. SEND/LLDD. Apprentices who identify as having disabilities or additional social or learning needs are supported from the initial stages of recruitment - to clearly identify support arrangements and the required considerations for completing the apprenticeship. The 4-way partnership of apprentice, employer, provider and EPAO identifies and implements the required support arrangements (e.g. equipment, additional one to one learning, assessment arrangements and signposting to other services)

3. Commitment statement. This is achieved by clearly defining the expectations and responsibilities of the apprentice, employer and Elev8 training. It includes all of the key funding and compliance requirements, including Gateway, EPA and progress review dates. It should provide a shared explanation and agreement of the chosen standard in relation to the initial assessment results.  

4. Induction. This is achieved by discussing the commitment statement to make sure that apprentices and employers understand how the four-way relationship (Apprentice, Employer, Training provider and EPAO) will function and what apprentices can expect from their training provider. Highlighting the progress review meetings as an opportunity for apprentices to hold their training provider and employer to account. The apprenticeship coach confirms the apprenticeship agreement between the apprentice, employer and provider is signed. and the initial curriculum and delivery plan, providing an overview of the assessment for the specific standard which has been agreed upon.

The apprenticeship coach ensures apprentices understand; 

1. How OTJT will be delivered and by whom, encouraging apprentices to log their learning from the outset to help monitor if apprentices are being given a minimum of 20% of their working hours to dedicate to OTJT and whether apprentices are getting the opportunities to practise and reflect on what apprentices have learnt. 

2. The difference between off-the-job training and on-the-job training. It is important that apprentices understand which activities will count as which form of training and how apprentices fit together.  

3. The pastoral support available, how to seek it if needed and how apprentices can make complaints. 

4. How the apprentice will work towards assessment and full occupational competence throughout their apprenticeship and that passing the assessment is required for apprentices to complete their apprenticeship and get a certificate.

5. The sector-specific and transferable skills apprentices can expect to develop. 

6. Mandatory qualifications (if required) the apprentice will also need to pass in order to complete their apprenticeship and receive a certificate. 

7. The possibility of taking a break-in-learning during their apprenticeship where apprentices need to ‘pause’ their apprenticeship for four or more weeks due to illness or caring responsibilities.

5. Review Progress. This is achieved by ensuring that data is collected on key areas of progress on a regular basis including progress towards EPA, %OTJT, KSB’s, Safeguarding (Including PREVENT, Personal development (behaviour & attitudes), British values,  mandatory qualifications, workplace impact, employer feedback, professional aspirations. Progress review information is shared with apprentices, employers and EPAO, where applicable.

6. Progress reviews. This is achieved by ensuring reviews are every 10-12 weeks, employers, apprentices and a provider representative is in attendance and proactively contributes to the review process. Employers, apprentices and delivery staff provide feedback to identify progress. The commitment statement is updated where necessary, Completed learning is identified and assessed and future learning is planned and agreed upon.

7. Quantity & Quality OTJT. This is achieved by monitoring the amount and type of OTJT activity that is taking place, and identifying that it is relevant to the KSB’s required for completion of the standard. Apprentices and employers are made aware of any issues with the amount or quality of OJT and adjustments are made. If the employer cannot provide this time as planned in the commitment statement, negotiate whether apprentices can give time in lieu at a later date within working hours. OTJT is discussed with the apprentice about whether apprentices are happy with the quality and quantity of their OTJT, and feel sufficiently challenged or whether there are opportunities such as shadowing or mentoring which apprentices are interested in.

8. Mandatory qualifications. This is achieved by preparing the apprentice for any mandatory qualifications required by their standard. This could include their level 2 English and maths qualifications if apprentices do not already have these. Employers are reminded that preparing and assessing apprentices so that apprentices can obtain English and maths qualifications does not count towards fulfilling the 20% of working time for OTJT obligation.

9. Prepare for Endpoint Assessment. This is achieved by supporting the apprentice to become familiar with their assessment format and grading criteria (particularly where reasonable adjustments have been made to the default format) providing mock assessments which are worded and assessed taking into account the KSBs included in the standard and EPA grading criteria. Using their mock results to determine when to hold a three-way “gateway” discussion to agree whether the apprentice is ready to move to the next stage, or if the apprentice needs any additional support. Assess and use language in all assignments and reviews with reference to the Endpoint assessment to familiarise the apprentice in advance.  Emphasise to employers and apprentices the importance of completing EPAs which were designed by employers to demonstrate the individual’s full occupational competency.

10. Gateway - This is achieved by holding a meeting 3 months before EPA with the employer to discuss roles and responsibilities, a proposed timeline for the EPA, whether the apprentice will need any reasonable adjustments, where the EPA is going to take place and what equipment and materials the apprentice will need. Review progress and update the EPAO portal. 

11. Feedback. This is achieved by providing the employers and apprentices with opportunities to provide feedback on all areas of the apprenticeship provision. Embedded within the delivery and review process  Within the OTLA procedure are the employer and apprentice ‘voice’, where feedback on all areas of the programme is promoted. Within all of the ‘safeguarding matters’ is a culture and system to encourage apprentices to ‘speak up’ if apprentices need support. Feedback is used to improve all areas of the apprenticeship provision and is shared regularly with all stakeholders.

12. Completing the apprenticeship. Apprentices and employers are provided with the result of EPA. Graduation is celebrated, certificates are distributed, ILR records are updated.

13. Retaking End-point assessment. This is achieved by discussing the EPA result with the EPAO, employer and apprentice about components of the ‘fail’. If the EPAO recommends a retake, the provider and employer ensure an action plan is implemented that aims to improve the apprentice’s weaknesses, to ensure a successful retake.

14. Tracking onward journeys. This is achieved by discussing the next steps with the apprentice and employer. This can include any offer of progression to a higher level apprenticeship, additional skills or signposting to another skills development opportunity. Apprentices and employers are also contacted at regular points in the future to review current progress and identify any additional training needs or support.

To achieve high-quality apprenticeship provision, the policies and procedures must reflect the key components to ensure that compliance and transparency are maintained; This is achieved by reviewing all policies annually and updating apprentices regularly to reflect key changes outlined by ESFA and other regulatory organisations.

Key supporting policies include; 

Equality Opportunities policy and procedure

Complaints policy (including whistleblowing)

Apprenticeship Training Continuity plan

Safeguarding Policy 

PREVENT Policy 

Professional Development policy 

Anti-Bullying policy 

Sexual Abuse Policy 

Sexual violence, Harassment and abuse policy. 

Appeals Procedure

GDPR Policy

Health and Safety Policy

Malpractice policy