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ACADEMIC QUALITY ASSURANCE

APPENDIX 14

APPRENTICESHIP PROVISION - POLICY AND PROCEDURES

New March 2019

Issued by Academic Quality and Compliance

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Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3

2. Apprenticeship Agreement and Commitment Statement .............................................................. 3

3. Finding your way through the stages of the Apprenticeship Journey ............................................ 4

Apprenticeship Standard .................................................................................................................... 4

Recruitment and Admissions .............................................................................................................. 5

Course Conception, Design and Approval .......................................................................................... 6

Course delivery and on-going employer engagement ........................................................................ 7

Assessment ......................................................................................................................................... 8

Monitoring and Review ....................................................................................................................... 8

Staff training and development .......................................................................................................... 9

4. Apprenticeship Commitment Statement ...................................................................................... 10

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1. Introduction

This document outlines the processes in place for Apprenticeship programmes. In relation to academic awards which form part of an Apprenticeship it should be read in conjunction with the University’s Academic Quality Assurance manual, in particular the Course Developer’s Guide and the academic regulations.

Principles underpinning our management of Apprenticeships are founded from relevant guidance from the regulatory bodies with oversight for different aspects of Apprenticeship provision and delivery. These include:

• DfE: accountable for the apprenticeship programme and apprenticeships

policy;

• Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA): operational management of the apprenticeship funding system. Delivers the contracting and auditing of training

providers and operation of the Registers of Apprenticeship Training Providers and

Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations respectively;

• Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA): accountable for designing and operating

approvals and review processes for standards and assessment plans. Responsible for

advising employers/trailblazers on the policy and process for developing standards

and ensuring all EPAs are quality assured;

• HEFCE/OfS: regulate the quality of Degree Apprenticeships at level 6 and 7;

• QAA: works with HEFCE/OfS to Quality Assure Degree Apprenticeships at level 6 and

7;

• OFSTED: works with HEFCE/OfS to Quality Assure Apprenticeships at levels 4

and 5

Apprenticeships are a partnership between industry and higher education institutions, designed to meet the needs of employers. Apprenticeships should be developed with employers and industry partners and to meet local and national skills strategies and where relevant to contribute to skills shortages. Apprenticeships are designed to a national standard for a job role and often comes with professional qualifications and accreditation. The development and delivery of Apprenticeship provision needs therefore to be approached very differently to standard academic provision and although a higher level academic qualification is part of the Apprenticeship it is only one part of the overall requirements. Additionally those Apprenticeships which have a Higher Education award at Level 4 or Level 5 are subject to ofsted inspection under the Further Education and Skills inspection framework: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ofsted-inspections-of-further-education-and-skills-providers#ofsted-inspections-of-further-education-and-skills-providers

2. Apprenticeship Agreement and Commitment Statement An Apprentice is only undertaking a UCLan academic award because they are employed as an Apprentice and are undertaking a particular role. The relationships with potential employers are therefore very important and part of these discussions at an early stage needs to consider how the Apprenticeship, which is mapped to the relevant standard, could map to the proposed occupations/roles which the employer requires.

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The apprenticeship is a tripartite relationship that builds upon:

• commitment from an employer, with the intention and capability of employing someone through to completion of their training and End Point Assessment (EPA) and securing their longer term future

• commitment from the learner as an apprentice, to be motivated to learn and work diligently to complete the apprenticeship

• high quality off-the-job training and support, advice and guidance for work-based learning delivered by UCLan

• an initial assessment of any recognised prior learning and the job role, mapped against the standard

• the apprentice agreement and commitment statement which has been signed between the employer, the apprentice and the University, which sets out details of the training provided and each parties roles and responsibilities

(See Appendix 1: UClan template Commitment Statement) Apprentices will normally be employed for a minimum of 30 hours a week. Academic learning fits around their work commitments through an agreed ‘off-the-job’ course of study. Time is split between academic and work-based learning, with 80% of time learning skills on-the-job and for the remaining 20% undertaking off the job training with UCLan. The 20% off- the-job element is measured over the whole period of the apprenticeship as opposed to a traditional term-time/academic year. Course teams therefore need to consider this carefully when designing any apprenticeship programme as block, distance learning or blended learning approaches are likely to be needed even where there is some traditional academic delivery. Apprentices must be undertaking off the job training equivalent to 20% of their contracted time across a full year and course teams therefore need to consider relevant activities periods outside of traditional term time periods. (See Appendix 2: Off the Job Training Flowchart). Course teams should ideally work with each employer contracted to the Apprenticeship when developing the content of the programme to ensure that the academic and apprenticeship elements of the programme can meet the needs of the employer as well as the method of delivery. Each employer will have an apprenticeship training agreement which will detail what has been agreed. A template Apprenticeship Training Agreement is available on the Apprenticeship Sharepoint site or from Innovation and Enterprise. Once employers have signed Apprenticeship Training Agreements for an Apprenticeship, the ongoing relationship management of that employer is the responsibility of the course team and owning school.

3. Finding your way through the stages of the Apprenticeship Journey

Apprenticeship Standard Apprenticeships map to an approved Apprenticeship Standard. Standards are developed by a subject specific ‘trailblazer’ group made up of invited employers and university subject specialists (under the guidance of the Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA). Only one standard can exist per occupation but several can exist in the same subject area/industry. Standards can be found at: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/ The published standard will set out: • baseline entry requirements (set by employers),

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• what the apprentices will learn; • the required outcomes in terms of knowledge, skills and behaviours; • the assessment plan for the end point assessment (EPA); • the typical duration of the course; • the maximum funding that can be drawn down from the tax levy

Recruitment and Admissions Employers advertise for their Apprentices and applications are made to the employer (in the first

instance). Appropriate information exchange needs to happen between employers and the University

to enable timely and accurate decision-making to enable an offer to be made by the employer.

Academic decisions on applications will be made at School level but processed through central admissions. Entry criteria needs to take into account expectations and baseline criteria in the relevant

Apprenticeship standard and should be set in conjunction with employers. UClan as the Higher

Education Provider is accountable for accurately recording and assessing applicant academic

qualifications and eligibility. UCLan staff should work with employers through recruitment and

selection and at the point of admissions we must perform a detailed needs analysis of the apprentice and create an individual learner plan for them. This should include any additional skills support

needed (including maths and English) or additional qualifications that they may need to meet the

requirements of your particular standard. This should also include an analysis and application of any relevant APL/APEL which should be agreed and documented at this stage and as per standard

university processes. The initial assessment outcomes should be recorded on the commitment statement along with any additional required support for English and maths.

Apprenticeship programmes should assess each apprentice as an individual and should be flexible

enough to accommodate those learners who are able to progress more quickly than others. It is

important therefore to be able to assess Individual progress as measured against the initial assessment

and then monitored through the individual learning plan. Using a learning log

or eportfolio will provide a platform for learning, discussion, reflection and assessment with the

learner and the employer. It should be used as a mechanism to track the learners progress towards

meeting the Apprenticeship standard and will track the entire audit trail for the QAA to assess.

Samples of logs currently being used can be found at Portfolio Handbook AP Students 2018 and

Portfolio Checklist. As we develop more apprenticeship provision the University is moving towards

use of Onefile as the best tool to facilitate the Individual Learning Plan, initial assessment and progress

reviews all within one place in a format easily shared and accessible to the apprentice, academic staff and the employer contacts.

Course teams are responsible for the initial skills assessment of each apprentice and the recording of

this information as the start of a learner’s individual progress.

Individual Learning Plan (ILP): Each apprentice must have an individual learning plan that has been crafted from the employer and apprentice initial needs analysis outcomes which must take place to ensure that the Apprenticeship meets the requirements of the employer. It is constructed by the HE provider (in agreement with employer as the client) for training, progress checking and observation, mandated achievements, formative assessment and diagnostic assessment practice for EPA requirements.

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Course Conception, Design and Approval The course needs to both enable an apprentice to develop the attributes required for proficiency in a

particular occupation as specified in the standard and assessment plan under the categories of

knowledge, skills and behaviours and also to meet the requirements for academic standards and

quality set out in the QAA Quality Code for any academic award. The QAA has also produced a

characteristic statement recently published Characteristics Statement : Higher Education in

Apprenticeships which teams also need to adhere to. The full document can be found at

file:///C:/Users/slmatthews/AppData/Local/Packages/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe/T

empState/Downloads/characteristics-statement-apprenticeships.pdf. A summary of the

characteristics can be found at the end of this document.

The starting point therefore must be an approved Apprenticeship Standard and End Point Assessment

Plan which the course team will need to map against the proposed academic award as part of the

course approval process. The standard itself will dictate whether the EPA is integrated or non-

integrated and what the EPA Plan will detail the requirements to progress through the gateway to

EPA. The standard itself dictates whether the APA is integrated (part of the achievement of the

academic award) or non-integrated (academic award completed prior to EPA).

End Point Assessment (EPA): Must deliver valid and accurate judgements of occupational competence. The methods of assessment must be fit for purpose and appropriate to the content of the occupational

profile. The assessment must include synoptic assessment delivered using a mixture of valid methods

that will lead to in an end point assessment at the end of the programme. The synoptic assessment of

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours as per the Assessment Plan. This is delivered by an approved provider

on the apprentice assessment organisation (AAO) register maintained by the ESFA.

UCLan is responsible for all aspects of the Apprenticeship including the 80% undertaken in their role

and hence work-based learning expertise will inform the development, and subsequent approval and review of these programmes (see section on course delivery and employer engagement below). Clear

processes for admissions and preparation/gateway procedures for the EPA need to be considered at

an early stage in course development. These should, when agreed, be replicated within Apprenticeship Agreements and Commitment Statements relevant to a particular Apprenticeship and

should include a minimum period in which the EPA must be completed for a non-standard

Apprenticeship to ensure timely completion.

Procedures for course planning and course approval for Apprenticeships mirror standard course

planning and course approval processes as much as possible with some minor amendments in terms

of the documentation set and where appropriate the timescales to meet business needs. Proposals

for Apprenticeships should therefore go through the Course Planning Process in the normal way where

possible to ensure that there is Course Planning Committee oversight at a strategic level and to

facilitate any fast track approvals required. The documentation set for course approval includes the

following additional pieces of documentation:

• Copy of Apprenticeship Standard

• Details of End Point Assessment and the Assessment Plan

• Mapping document to demonstrate how the programme meets the knowledge, skills

and behaviours of the Apprenticeship standard. See example at Mapping Document

There is detailed guidance on issues to consider when developing an Apprenticeship and also more

information on the course planning and course approval processes in AQA Manual Appendix 2 Course Developers Guide: https://intranet.uclan.ac.uk/process/quality/Pages/cdg.aspx

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Course delivery and on-going employer engagement The “on-programme” phase is the period (which must be for a minimum 12 months) from commencement on the relevant Apprenticeship up until the EPA gateway is met. As already indicated a minimum 20% of the Apprentice’s s time is to be spent on “off the job” learning. This can be a combination of off-the-job activities with the employer or ourselves and may be supported by online learning opportunities. Training should prepare Apprentices for the EPA by developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours required and should also include completion of any qualifications including level 2 English and Maths prescribed by the standard. Where learners do not already have level 2 English and Maths, they must undertake additional qualifications (provided through T2000) to ensure that they can meet this requirement before they are ready for the gateway. Time undertaken on any additional English and Maths qualifications should be additional to the 20% off the job training time. Even where learners already have the required level 2 English and Maths, course teams must consider how they will further develop these skills as part of their off the job training and how English, Maths, Digital skills and any other relevant functional skills will be developed relevant to their vocational area. Course teams will be expected to demonstrate how apprentices make ‘sustained and substantial progress from their starting points’ in all aspects of their apprenticeship enabling them to develop excellent skills, knowledge and behaviours to high industry standards. The ILP should be reviewed regularly and progress reviews should demonstrate and document that progress is monitored, learners are challenged (even where they are already high achievers) and where appropriate learners who fall behind are able to catch up and progress appropriately. Development of reflective practice as a means of supporting the development of professional competence is key to Apprentices, this includes approaches such as learning logs and professional development portfolios for formative and/or summative assessment of learning. Apprentices also need to develop the ability to identify learning opportunities within the context of their work in negotiation with employers and UCLan tutors. UCLan tutors should therefore, within all of their teaching sessions, continually relate the academic aspects of the course to practice and to highlight and promote opportunities to relate to the development of skills relevant to their role and vocational area. In additional to the standard requirement for each learner to have an allocated Academic Advisor,

each apprentice must have a named work-based mentor / practice mentor (sometimes the employer

will refer to this as their line manager) in place and course teams should also have in place

arrangements to oversee these ongoing tripartite relationships with employers and monitoring of

learners in the workplace. This role can be one of the course team or where we now have sufficient numbers of apprentices in place some schools/faculties are moving towards appointing work-based

educators. Whoever undertakes this workplace coordination role a maximum ratio of 1 per 30

learners is suggested.

The ESFA suggests that 4-6 weekly meetings with employers would be ideal. However the absolute minimum requirement for tripartite meetings between employer, UClan staff member and apprentice

would be three per year (including at least one onsite). Additionally a contract meeting once per year

with each employer who has an Apprenticeship Agreement with UCLan is required. The agreed

arrangements for meetings should be recorded in the Commitment Statement. All employer and

apprentice engagement should be recorded and it is helpful to look on these meetings as progress reviews. It is really important that apprentice progress is monitored and challenged throughout to

enable progress towards meeting the EPA gateway and timely completion.

It is particularly important to monitor attendance and engagement of apprentices and where there

are problems with attendance or engagement these would be discussed in the tripartite meetings.

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Individual employer contracts may require UCLan to notify them of any ongoing issues in relation to

their apprentices and permission to share relevant information with employers has been included in contracts and commitment statements.

Some sample templates are available to support these employer visits. Please see:

https://intranet.uclan.ac.uk/ou/innovation-and-enterprise/higher-

apprenticeships/_layouts/15/start.aspx#/Course%20Developers%20Resources/Forms/AllItems.aspx

Assessment Standard regulations and processes apply in relation to all assessment as per the Academic Regulations and Assessment Handbook. The format, timing and volume of assessment across modules needs to be carefully considered in the context of the 20% off-the-job time available to apprentices. The nature and format of assessment will be heavily influenced by the Apprenticeship Standard and Assessment plan and may include gateway independent assessments. Progress and assessment must be discussed at tripartite reviews with employers and apprentices. Working together UCLan and the employer should agree competence and preparedness for the EPA. The EPA is an assessment undertaken at the end of an apprenticeship in order to be awarded the apprenticeship element of the programme in recognition of occupational competence. A degree apprenticeship is either ‘integrated’ and includes the EPA as a final, credit-bearing element of the academic award or ‘non-integrated’ and requires that the apprentice completes the award in order to become eligible to take the EPA to be awarded an apprenticeship. For non-integrated degree apprenticeships, the employer chooses the End Point Assessment Organisation with advice from UCLan. In this instance UCLan can not be the end point assessment organisation (EPAO) as those who have been involved in the delivery of the apprenticeship can not act as the EPAO. For integrated Apprentices, UCLan will act as the Training Provider and EPAO but must recruit appropriately qualified Independent Assessors to carry out the assessments as stipulated in the Standard’s Assessment plan. UCLan is currently registered as an overall EPAO but each approved standard requires an additional application. UCLan is therefore currently working through the approval process to become EPAOs for various standards. This might then mean that UCLan is approached by employers to act in this capacity for apprentices trained elsewhere. Each standard includes an expected duration. This ensures the ‘timely completion’ of the Apprenticeship. The duration of the majority of Apprentices means that it is likely that progression and course boards will need to be scheduled in a more timely manner and potentially outside of the standard assessment calendar. Course teams should consider this when developing their assessment plans and plans for the EPA.

Monitoring and Review Standard quality assurance processes apply to all Apprenticeships. Where relevant templates and processes have been amended slightly to fulfil the particular requirements of this type of provision but they should be considered within the context of our normal quality assurance procedures and management structures. Contracts with employers cover their obligation to formally review apprentice performance alongside UClan. Feedback from employers should be collected during visits and included within the CCE report along with relevant student feedback.

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In addition to our standard feedback mechanisms apprenticeships are subject to a dfe survey of both apprenticeship learners and employers. Annual reports from these surveys are published.

Staff training and development The Quality Code requires all staff who teach and enable learning (including staff of employers in work-based learning scenarios) to be appropriately qualified, supported and developed. UCLan provides ongoing training and development opportunities for staff. The expertise of staff supporting work-integrated learning should be reinforced with professional qualifications, CPD and professional practice. Regulators and employers will also expect all staff involved in delivery of Apprenticeships to have undertaken the following training. Consequences of not doing so could risk our apprenticeship delivery across the whole organisation. These are already required as part of staff induction and ongoing training, however please ensure that all your mandatory training is up to date before delivering your apprenticeship courses. https://intranet.uclan.ac.uk/ou/hr/Pages/Mndatory-Training.aspx This list applies to all staff, no matter what their role; Data Protection (GDPR) Start now Safeguarding Essentials: Start now Information Security Essentials: Start now Fire Safety Awareness: Start now Safety, Health an Environment Awareness Start now Diversity in the Workplace: Start now

Appendix 1

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4. Apprenticeship Commitment Statement SECTION 1 – core information This Commitment Statement summarises the schedule, roles and responsibilities and funding that supports the successful completion of this apprenticeship. The

information set out in this document forms part of the evidence pack required for every apprentice and must be signed and retained by the employer, the apprentice and the university named in section 1 below. This must be retained with, or in, the written agreement or contract for services between the employer and provider as the current and accurate statement about the content of this apprenticeship. The content of this document is also intended to form the basis of regular reviews between all three parties to track progress and review the ongoing support and commitment needed during the lifetime of the apprenticeship. Any changes to the apprenticeship, and therefore to this document, must be agreed and recorded in an updated commitment statement with signed copies distributed to all parties listed in section 1 below. The main training

elements of the apprenticeship are contained at Annex 1. 1a 1.1. Signatories

Apprentice (& Guardian if aged 16-18)

Employer Line Manager University

Name

Organisation

Phone

Email

Signature

Date

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1.2. The Apprenticeship covered by this Commitment Statement

The Apprenticeship Level Name

Start Date Planned End Point Assessment Date Planned End Date

1.3. Apprenticeship Review Schedule and Attendees

Reviews between the university, employer and apprentice will take place throughout the apprenticeship to discuss progress, review impact, confirm success and

identify any actions needed to ensure the success of the apprenticeship.

Review Schedule Frequency Attendees Name Role

Contact phone number Contact Email

Apprentice/Tutor Reviews University

Reviews (Employer/ Apprentice/ Provider)

University

Employer

1.4. Further Support and Guidance

Contacts Support Available Name Role

Contact phone number Contact email

Personal Tutor

Course Leader

Student Services

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Key Processes and Policies

Process First Point of Contact Name, Role, Email & Phone number

Reference Document or Policy

Attendance & Absence

• In the event that you are not able to attend university or join a planned face to face or online live session you must inform << University role>> as soon as possible after first contacting your employer.

<<Line Manager>> <<University role>>

Section C.10 of the Academic Regulations: http://www.uclan.ac.uk/study_here/student-contract-taught-programmes.php

Data Protection

• The personal information that you provide is passed to the ESFA, the Department for Education and the Apprenticeship Assessment Organisation, for the purpose of tracking progress, confirming eligibility for funding or for processing your end-point assessment.

• Your personal information may be shared with other regulatory or professional bodies necessary for the delivery of your apprenticeship and your well‐being but only where the law allows this sharing to take place, in compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018.

• The apprentice’s personal data may also be shared with the employer for the purposes of delivering the apprenticeship programme.

• For further details regarding how and why the University may process personal information, please refer to the Student Privacy Notice at: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/data_protection/privacy_notices.php

• If you have any queries about how your personal data is used please contact: UCLan’s Information Governance Manager on DPFOIA@uclan.ac.uk

University Data Protection Policy: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/data_protection/assets/data-protection-policy-may2018.pdf Student Privacy Notice: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/data_protection/privacy_notices.php

Safeguarding & PREVENT

• You will be briefed about your and the University’s responsibilities under our safeguarding and Prevent policy as part of your induction.

All safeguarding concerns should be reported to: University Safeguarding Leads Vanessa Chew (Head of Student Safety & Living) VChew1@uclan.ac.uk or Lisa Banks (Director of Student Services) LBanks2@uclan.ac.uk.

• If you have concerns or queries about your apprenticeship in the workplace you should discuss these with your line manager detailed above.

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Key Processes and Policies

Process First Point of Contact Name, Role, Email & Phone number

Reference Document or Policy

Raising Queries & Concerns

• If you have concerns or queries about your apprenticeship

delivered by the university you should discuss these with your

personal tutor. • Apprenticeship concerns and enquiries can also be raised with

the ESFA Apprenticeship helpline

• apprenticeship queries and concerns should be raised with: your personal tutor .

• The ESFA Apprenticeship helpline can be contacted on 0800 015 0400 or by email nationalhelpdesk@apprenticeships.gov.uk

Complaints

• In the event that either employer or apprentice

have concerns or complaints regarding this

apprenticeship that cannot be resolved with the

Course Leader you should escalate this to the Head

of Degree Apprenticeship Delivery following the university

complaints process.

• Student support is available on-line through the

student portal, and on campus through the support

hubs.

• You may also escalate a complaint to the Skills

Funding Agency’s apprenticeship helpline.

Unresolved issues or concerns should be escalated to: • Course Leader

• Antony Barron, Head of Degree Apprenticeship Delivery at the University

Email: ABarron2@uclan.ac.uk Telephone: 01772 896380

• The ESFA Apprenticeship

helpline can be contacted

on 0800 015 0400 or by

email

nationalhelpdesk@apprenticeshi

ps.gov.uk

Details of UCLan’s student complaints

process can be found on-line at:

https://www.uclan.ac.uk/corporate_infor

mation/assets/student_complaints_1819.p

df

SECTION 2. Roles and Responsibilities This Roles & Responsibilities summary confirms that accountabilities for a successful apprenticeship are shared equally by the employer, apprentice and

university. The roles and responsibilities are intended to support the apprentice throughout their apprenticeship to successful completion. 2.1. The Apprentice agrees to:

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a. Work with their employer and Personal Tutor to agree an individual learning plan, to achieve their apprenticeship

b. Manage their own learning, and with support from their employer and Personal Tutor, work to meet the targets and timelines needed to complete the apprenticeship by the

planned end date

c. Participate in reviews with the employer and Course Leader to track progress and success in meeting apprenticeship milestones, and agree any changes needed to the learning

plan to address performance or support enhanced learning opportunities

d. Manage and track attendance and participation to meet the off the job learning requirements for this apprenticeship programme

e. Inform the University and their employer if personal circumstances change that will affect completion of the apprenticeship or will change the planned end date

f. Proactively identify any issues or barriers to successful completion of this apprenticeship and raise these quickly with their employer and Course Leader, working with both

to implement any action needed

g. Raise any queries or complaints regarding the apprenticeship through the university process, and to the ESFA where needed as set out in section 1.

h. Participate in course feedback and apprenticeship evaluation to support the continuous improvement of the programme for current and future apprentices.

i. Take opportunities that arise to support other current and future apprentices to benefit from their apprenticeship

The Employer, both the representative signatory to this agreement and the apprentice’s day to day manager agree to: a. Provide a working environment that meets current health and safety legislation to enable their apprentice to work and learn safely for the duration of the apprenticeship

b. Work with their apprentice and the university to agree an individual learning plan, and provide the apprentice with access to the on the job knowledge, skills and experience,

resources and opportunities needed to achieve this apprenticeship

c. Support the university to comply with funding rules and collate evidence to confirm apprentice and apprenticeship eligibility for funding

d. Support the apprentice to manage their own learning, by ensuring sufficient off the job time in their typical working day (or time in lieu) to meet the requirements of this

apprenticeship

e. Enable the line manager and/or Course Leader to support and guide this apprentice to carry out their day to day role and to meet the targets and timelines needed to complete

the apprenticeship by the planned end date

f. Participate in reviews with the apprentice and university, providing evidence and feedback on progress at work and success in meeting apprenticeship milestones, and agree

any changes needed to the learning plan supporting the apprentice to address performance or access enhanced learning opportunities

g. Support their apprentice to track attendance and participation to meet the off the job learning requirements for this apprenticeship programme

h. Inform the University if there are organisational or apprentice circumstance changes that will affect completion of the apprenticeship or change the planned end date

i. Proactively identify any issues or barriers to successful completion of this apprenticeship and raise these quickly with the university and apprentice, working to implement

any action needed

j. Raise any queries or complaints regarding the apprenticeship through the university process, and to the ESFA where needed as set out in section 1.

k. Participate in course feedback, impact assessment and evaluation to support the continuous improvement of the programme for apprentices and employers

l. Take opportunities to promote and publicise the successful completion of this apprenticeship and the benefits of the apprenticeship programme

The university (and where relevant, manage any appointed subcontractors to) agree to:

a. Provide a learning environment that meets current health and safety legislation to enable the apprentice to learn safely for the duration of the apprenticeship

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b. Work with the apprentice and employer to comply with the apprenticeship funding rules, providing an evidence pack that confirms eligibility for funding

c. Work with the employer and their apprentice to agree an individual learning plan, and provide the apprentice with access to the knowledge, skills and experience, resources

and opportunities needed to achieve this apprenticeship

d. Support the apprentice to manage their own learning, by ensuring sufficient resources, support, access to materials in their typical working day to meet the off the job

requirements of this apprenticeship

e. Enable the line manager and/or workplace mentor to support and guide this apprentice, to carry out their day to day role and to meet the targets and timelines needed to

complete the apprenticeship by the planned end date by providing a clear summary of off the job and on the job learning needed, contained at Annex A

f. Lead reviews with the apprentice and employer, providing evidence and feedback on progress to track success in meeting apprenticeship milestones, and agree any changes

needed to the learning plan to support the apprentice to address performance or access enhanced learning opportunities

g. Track attendance and participation to meet the off the job learning requirements for this apprenticeship programme

h. Inform the employer if there are changes that will affect completion of the apprenticeship or change the planned end date

i. Proactively identify any issues or barriers to successful completion of this apprenticeship arising from university, employer or apprentice and raise these quickly with the

employer or apprentice, working to implement any action needed

j. Manage any queries or complaints regarding the apprenticeship through the university process, supporting the apprentice or employer to escalate to the ESFA where needed

as set out in section 1.

k. Enable employer and apprentice participation in course feedback, impact assessment and evaluation to support the continuous improvement of the programme for

apprentices and employers

l. Take opportunities to promote and publicise impact and success for employer, apprentice and the wider apprenticeship programme

3. Funding Summary

This Funding Summary sets out the financial contribution made by employers and government to fund this apprenticeship programme.

Funding Summary Levy Account

Employer/ ESFA

Co-funded

Employer Funded

ESFA Funded

University

Funded

Protective Clothing

Equipment

Initial Skills Assessment

Apprenticeship Training

English

Maths

Additional Support

Exam Registration

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Funding Summary Levy Account

Employer/ ESFA

Co-funded

Employer Funded

ESFA Funded

University

Funded

End Point Assessment

Exam or End Point Re-takes

Certification

TOTAL

SECTION 4. Apprenticeship Summary - See also Annex A

Apprenticeship Training & Assessment Milestone Summary – this sets out the indicative schedule for each key element in this apprenticeship, where

these are and which organisation will be leading delivery of each stage. Dates may change in line with each apprentice’s progress. This also includes the outcomes of the initial assessments, any gaps in knowledge skills or experience or prior learning and confirms the need for English & maths as part of the apprenticeship.

4.1. Employer Impact / Outcomes Measurement & Target

4.2. Initial Assessment Outcomes

Impact / Action

Prior Learning Accredited / Learning Gaps Prior Learning Accredited / Learning Gaps Prior Learning Accredited / Learning Gaps Prior Learning Accredited / Learning Gaps Prior Learning Accredited / Learning Gaps

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ANNEX A Apprenticeship Summary Schedule

4.3. Additional Learning Support Funding Source

Delivery Organisation

ESFA

ESFA

4.4. English and Maths Level Funding

Source Estimated Start Date

Estimated End Date

Delivery Organisation

ESFA mm/yyyy mm/yyyy

ESFA mm/yyyy mm/yyyy

Off the Job Elements This learning equates to the 20% minimum

of the job training required by all apprenticeships

Hours Estimated Start Date

Delivery Organisation

On the Job Elements This summarises the broad timetable of on the job

knowledge, skills experience that the apprentice will need during their apprenticeship to support each

module or assignment Module / Assignment Qualification / Exam /Review

mm/yyyy

Module / Assignment Qualification / Exam /Review

mm/yyyy

Module / Assignment Qualification / Exam /Review

mm/yyyy

Module / Assignment Qualification / Exam /Review

mm/yyyy

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Module / Assignment Qualification / Exam /Review

mm/yyyy

Module / Assignment Qualification / Exam /Review

mm/yyyy

Module / Assignment Qualification / Exam /Review

mm/yyyy

End Point Assessment mm/yyyy

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8

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Characteristics of Higher Education in Apprenticeships Apprenticeships incorporating higher education: • are constituted as first and foremost a job which requires work-integrated learning (see paragraph 2.1).

The workplace becomes a site for the development and generation of knowledge, understanding, skills

and professional behaviours rather than just a site for their application.

• are designed to enable apprentices to develop professional/occupational competence within a defined

occupation and apprenticeship pathway

• are based on occupational standards

• support inclusion and diversity in the workplace and should ensure that there are no unnecessary

barriers to learning or assessment

• require the integration of on and off-the-job learning

• may require at least 20 per cent off-the-job learning and/or meet notional guided hours

• require the development of professional and/or occupational competence that is concerned with the

ability to continually enhance professional practice to drive innovation, informed by codes of ethical

practice and values. This should be distinguished from a 'closed' model of competence, which is only

concerned with the ability to perform a set task to an established standard

• seek to maximise the transferability and recognition of apprenticeship outcomes to enhance career

development opportunities for apprentices and deliver workforce development objectives for

employers

• require comprehensive collaboration with employers at all stages

• position the employer as the primary gatekeeper for admissions working closely with the higher

education provider

• involve tripartite agreements between employers, apprentices and higher education providers

• include support for apprentices in the workplace by a competent mentor and in their learning and

assessment by a qualified trainer/educator/assessor who have sector experience and knowledge

• are not necessarily aligned with traditional academic years and may reflect varied patterns of

employment

• may include a higher education qualification; where it does not it will be ascribed at a higher education

level

• may include professional recognition

Full Document can be found at https://www.qaa.ac.uk/news-events/news/supporting-higher-education-in-apprenticeships-qaa-publishes-new-guidance#

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Key information on Apprenticeship Funding Rules for

Apprenticeship Course Leaders

Please refer to the following document for full details of ESFA compliance requirements: ESFA Apprenticeship Funding Rules August 2019- July 2020

1. Funding Returns: The University is required to return data regarding students studying on Apprenticeships to the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) on a monthly basis, through the Individualised Learning Record (ILR). Providers' funding for apprenticeship courses is dependent upon this return. Students studying on higher and degree apprenticeships also fall within the coverage of the HESA Student return and so will need to be included in providers' HESA Student record submission in addition to the ILR return. The Office for Students counts recognised higher education undertaken as part of an apprenticeship towards its allocations of teaching grant, where eligibility criteria are met. This provides support for high-cost activities, in the same way as for other higher education teaching.

2. Apprenticeship Levy/Non Levy: Employers with a pay bill of over £3 million each year have to pay the apprenticeship levy (0.5% of their annual pay bill) through the PAYE process. Levy paying employers can create an account on the Apprenticeship Service to receive levy funds to spend on apprentices, manager their apprentices, pay the University (training provider) and stop or pause payments to the University. Data recorded on the Apprenticeship service by the employer must match up with the data provided by the University to the ESFA through the Individualised Learning Record, this includes data such as each apprentice’s start and end dates (see para. 7 below). Employers with a pay bill of less than £3 million each year (Non-levy paying) will share the cost of training and assessing their apprentices with Government, this is called ‘co – investment’. From 1st April 2019, Non Levy paying employers will pay 5% (down from 10% prior to 1st April) towards the cost of apprenticeship training and the Government pays the remaining 95%. Non-Levy paying employers will be invoiced by the University on a monthly basis. The University has to prove to the Education Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) that the employer has paid their contribution as a condition of the Government paying its contribution.

3. Apprentice Eligibility “P67 You can only use funds in the employer’s apprenticeship service account, or government-employer co-investment, for those who are eligible.” Evidence of eligibility must to be retained as part of the apprentice’s Evidence Pack (see para: 9 below). To be eligible, apprentice applicants must: • Be able to complete the apprenticeship in the time they have available; • Confirmation from the employer that the apprentice is employed by them (where employer

is levy paying) – apprenticeship agreement • not benefit from funding for any part of their programme that duplicates training or

assessment they have received from any other source; • have the right to work in England; • the apprenticeship is at a higher level than the qualification they already hold or, if the

apprenticeship is at the same or lower level, that the apprenticeship will all them to acquire substantive new skills and it is evident that the content of the training is materially different from their prior qualifications/apprenticeship (AP(E)L). Confirmation of recognition of AP(E)L must be included in the evidence pack (P289);

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Also to note: Apprentices will be funded to achieve up to an approved level 2 qualification in English and maths where they do not already hold a suitable equivalent qualification; enrolment/registration, main provider (or subcontractor) induction, initial assessment, initial diagnostic testing, or similar activity are not eligible for funding (P105.1); if an apprentice does not have acceptable evidence of previous attainment of English and/or maths a judgement should be carried out with regard to their current level. Current assessment tools based on the national literacy and numeracy standards and core curriculum must be used to do this.

4. Changes to the Apprentices Circumstances You must immediately notify the DA Programmes Officer of any changes to the apprentices’ employment circumstances so that the ILR can be updated which ensures the ESFA stops any further payments and so that the contractual agreement with their employer can be updated. This includes: • Changes to their employer; • Changes to their employment status (ie if they become unemployed/ redundant /dismissed

/self employed); • Where the apprentice takes a break in learning (for reasons other than redundancy); • Where the apprentice with the consent of their employer, withdraws from the apprenticeship

programme. The ESFA requires that if any circumstances change that affect any agreement made between the provider and the employer, the University must revise existing agreements or create new agreements. This includes but is not limited to: • changes to price; • changes to the apprentice’s eligibility; • any updates required to the employer’s apprenticeship service account; • changes to the apprentice’s contract or working pattern; • changes to the apprenticeship duration; • changes to the subcontractor; or • breaks in learning.

5. Recording off the Job Learning hours Off-the-job training is a statutory requirement for an English apprenticeship. It is training which is received by the apprentice, during the apprentice’s normal working hours, for the purpose of achieving the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the approved apprenticeship referenced in the apprenticeship agreement. Normal working hours means paid hours excluding overtime. The apprenticeship agreement (between the employer and apprentice) and the commitment statement must set out the amount of planned off the job training that the apprentice is to receive. For starts on or after 1 August 2019 it must also be documented on the individualised learner record (commitment statement). English and maths training does not count towards 20% off the job learning. The evidence pack (that should be held on OneFile, or in the absence of OneFile on ‘OneNote Class Notebook’) must evidence that delivery has taken place against the commitment statement and that records are available. ‘Delivery’ means how the number of off-the-job training hours compares to the planned training as set out in the commitment statement. Course Leaders should keep information on the training content delivered and the distance travelled by the apprentice (what has been achieved by the apprentice as a result of the off-the-job training); whilst this is outside the scope of an ESFA funding audit, it may be required by other parties (such as Ofsted and OfS).

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6. Early notification of intakes of apprentices It is important for Admissions, Registry (including Timetabling) are notified of intakes of apprentices as soon as they are being planned, where the intake will be outside of the intake dates approved as part of course approval. This is to ensure resources can be put in place to process applications and so that welcome and induction activities and registration arrangements can timetabled and arranged. It will also ensure learning activities are timetabled.

7. Start and Planned End dates These dates are required for the Individualised Learner Record which the University, as a provider has to return each month in order to draw down funding from the ESFA. The Start date must be the date the learner started the degree as part of the apprenticeship and must be accurate to within a week. The planned end date of the degree must be recorded at the start of the learning aim. This date must include both the training and end point assessment period for continuing learners, however, for new apprentices starting on or after August 2019, this date must exclude the end point assessment. An apprentice must be on the programme for a minimum of 42 days between the start date and planned end date in order to be eligible for funding.

8. Gateway requirements The Gateway requirements are requirements set out in the assessment plan for the Standard that must be met by the apprentice prior to undertaking end-point assessment of the apprenticeship standard. They will include the completion of English and maths qualifications (where applicable) and completion of any on-programme mandatory qualifications (where applicable) along with satisfactory evidence (as determined by the employer, in consultation with the main provider) that the apprentice has achieved the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the standard. The employer and provider must sign a statement to confirm the apprentice meets these gateway requirements and is ready to undertake end-point assessment. As part of its audits, the ESFA will check to ensure there is evidence of all gateway requirements having been met with regard to apprentices who have been allowed to proceed to the EPA.

9. Evidence Pack The following evidence must be collected and retained as part of the Evidence Pack which will support the funding claimed, assure the ESFA that the apprentice exists. The pack must be made available to the ESFA as part of any audit. It must include the following: • An initial assessment that evidences the apprenticeship and level is the most appropriate for

the apprentice and their existing abilities; • A copy of the apprenticeship agreement (which should specify the dates during which the

training is expected to take place and the amount of off the job training that the apprentice is to receive);

• If applicable, evidence of redundancy; • Confirmation from the employer that the apprentice is receiving a wage in line with the

national minimum wage (and that the apprentice rate was not used prior to a valid apprenticeship agreement being in place);

• The current signed commitment statement specifying how the planned number of off the job training hours (excluding maths and English) has been quantified and how it will be delivered and recording details of tripartite progress reviews – including frequency and format and immediate next steps required with regard to progress against the commitment statement;

• Evidence that the number of off the job training hours has taken place compared to the planned training as set out in the commitment statement and that records are available; (see para 5 above);

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• Confirmation of how the content, duration and price have been adjusted to take account of prior learning. (if it hasn’t been adjusted – need to justify why not) This must include a copy of the initial assessment recording the apprentice’s prior learning measured against the knowledge, skills and behaviours against those required to complete the apprenticeship, including where relevant: work experience, prior education/training, any previous apprenticeship undertaken;

• Confirmation that following initial assessment, the individual requires an apprenticeship with a minimum of 12 months and at least 20% off the job graining;

• Evidence of an initial assessment of the apprentice’s existing knowledge, skills and behaviours versus those required to complete the apprenticeship (skills gap analysis). This includes evidence of prior attainment for English and Maths or equivalent;

• Evidence, based on the initial assessment, that the apprenticeship leads to substantive new skills and that the learning aim is materially different where the apprenticeship is at the same level as, or lower level than prior qualifications.