Ofsted Inspection Requirements

If you've been accepted on RoATP as a main or employer provider then you will be in scope for direct Ofsted inspections.

“New providers will normally have a first full inspection within 3 years of being funded. They may also receive monitoring or support and challenge visits.”
Ofsted

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Who is Ofsted?

“Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. We inspect and regulate services that care for children and young people, and services providing education and skills for learners of all ages.”

“Our goal is to achieve excellence in education and skills for learners of all ages, and in the care of children and young people.”

“We report directly to Parliament and we are independent and impartial.”
About ofsted

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What does this mean for Commercial training providers?

Well to be honest, lots of hoops to jump though!

To be fair though it’s an absolute necessity to ensure all apprenticeship training is a quality provision but it does mean you will be scrutinised and must follow the rules.

Notification of inspection

53. Notification for all types of further education and skills inspections will normally take place up to two working days before the inspection unless the inspection is unannounced. Ofsted reserves the right to carry out unannounced inspections or monitoring visits.

54. Ofsted will notify the provider in the morning of the notification day and will email the notification letter. The lead inspector will then contact the provider as soon as possible and by the following morning at the latest. The lead inspector should make sure that:

•    good communications and effective working relationships are established
•    the arrangements for the inspection are established.

P14 of Further education and skills inspection handbook for use from 20 April 2017.

It’s simple, you can’t ignore it, or if you do, there will be dramatic consequences as Ofsted play a major role in your ability to continue to deliver apprenticeship training.

It's really advisable to familiarise yourself with the documentation so you know what's in store, as there's simply so much at stake.

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How Will You Be Inspected?

Ofsted inspectors use a 4-point grading scale to make judgements during inspections:

•    grade 1: outstanding
•    grade 2: good
•    grade 3: requires improvement
•    grade 4: inadequate.

Any organisation who receives a grade 4 for apprenticeship delivery will be removed from RoATP and no longer be allowed to contract with the ESFA or deliver to levy paying employers.

Ofsted inspections are carried out using the Common inspection framework: education, skills and early years document and you will find that Page 11 explains how you will be inspected:

Overall effectiveness 

23. Inspectors will use all the available evidence to evaluate what it is like to be a child, learner or other user in the provision.

In making the judgements about a provider’s overall effectiveness, inspectors will consider whether the standard of education, training or care is good or outstanding. If it is not at least good, inspectors will consider whether it requires improvement or is inadequate.

24. Inspectors will also make graded judgements on the following areas using the four-point scale:

•    effectiveness of leadership and management
•    quality of teaching, learning and assessment
•    personal development, behaviour and welfare
•    outcomes for children and learners.

I have selected another section to highlight, this time from page 19 of Further education and skills inspection handbook for use from 20 April 2017 which covers the length of time needed for each type of inspection:

Days allocated to inspection and inspection team members

70. A full inspection will normally last between two and five days on site, although the number of inspectors involved will vary according to the size and complexity of the provider. Some inspectors may only be required for part of the inspection.

71. Short inspections (see paragraphs 114 to 147) will normally last no longer than two days on site, although the number of inspectors involved will vary according to the size and complexity of the provider. Some inspectors may only be required for part of the inspection.

72. Monitoring visits will usually last between one and two days, depending on the scope of the visit and size of the provider.

73. The inspection team will consist of inspectors who will focus on the four key judgements of the CIF and/or the type(s) of provision selected for inspection.

74. How the team is deployed to gather evidence will depend on the number of learners and sites, the type(s) of provision and range of learning programmes.

How Ofsted inspects further education teaching and training has further information and guidance for you to check out as well as their blog post on the apprenticeship levy implications.

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Has the apprenticeship levy forced you to consider delivering apprenticeships?

For the past 8 months or so I have been writing about the apprenticeship levy and reform, concentrating on what ESFA funded training providers need to know.

Yes, there are huge changes ahead for these providers but it’s time I consider how commercial training providers will be affected too.

Questions to be asked:

1.    Has the apprenticeship levy forced you to consider delivering apprenticeships?
2.    What impact will it have on your business if you are accepted on the Register of Apprenticeship Training
       Providers (RoATP)?
3.    Will your commercial clients have to go elsewhere for training provision to use their levy pot if you’re not on
       RoATP?
4.    Do you know what to do?

I’m taking a look at the process from a beginner’s point of view and as there is a vast amount of information to cover my research will be split over several posts to include:

•    How to apply to RoATP.
•    Who can deliver apprenticeship training?
•    What apprenticeships are available?
•    What rules have to be followed?
•    What qualifications can be delivered?
•    What are the implications?
•    What is data management?

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Part One - Should you apply to the RoATP?

Many commercial training providers may find they are being pushed into applying to the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP), as their clients may now be paying the levy and want to use this to fund training.

There is a whole host of requirements for those new to apprenticeship delivery or indeed ESFA funded provision and getting on the RoATP will be the easy part!

There’s a lot of preparation involved but on the upside there is no limit to the number of apprenticeships you can deliver to levy paying employers, so this could offer potential growth for your company.

You need to ask yourself:

•    How many clients you could potentially loose?

•    How much time and resources will you need to invest?

•    How you will manage the data management and compliance issues?

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What levy paying employers need to know.

The Apprenticeship Levy is a tax specifically to fund apprenticeship training and nothing else!

“You can only use funds in your account to pay for apprenticeship training and assessment for apprentices that work at least 50% of the time in England, and only up to the funding band maximum for that apprenticeship.”  ESFA

The levy can be used for recruiting new apprentices or up skilling existing staff but employers need to consider if the training they want is available as an apprenticeship.

Some of the training employers currently pay for may not be available as an apprenticeship and not all types of qualifications can be delivered.

For example, if an employer simply wants to use their levy pot to pay their favoured commercial training provider to deliver the same short courses they normally receive, the chances are you won’t be able to.

An apprenticeship is for a minimum of one year and must include functional skills maths and English.

Points to Note:

•    Only training providers accepted on the RoATP can deliver apprenticeship training.
•    Levy tax can only be used for apprenticeship training.
•    Employ a new apprentice or up skill existing staff.
•    Apprenticeship duration – minimum 1 year.
•    20% ‘off the job’ training.
•    ESFA approved Framework or standard (only if approved for delivery).
•    Ofqual regulated qualifications only.
•    Must be registered with Ofqual regulated awarding organisation.
•    In scope for Ofsted inspections.
•    Main provider on RoATP – only deliver to levy paying employers unless has direct contract with ESFA.
•    Monthly ILR submissions to ESFA & data management.
•    Must adhere to all ESFA funding rules.
•    Matrix Standard.
•    Must include functional skills maths & English (unless learner is exempt).
•    Must have safeguarding and prevent duty policies and procedures in place.

There are two types of apprenticeship programmes, frameworks and standards.

Frameworks are being phased out and being replaced by standards, many of which are still in development, and only those which are approved for delivery will be accepted.

Not all apprenticeship standards have a qualification as a part of the programme, but those that do must comply to the ESFA regulations and be available on the Hub.

Check List:

I've put together a check list to bring you up to speed on what you need to know when applying to the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP).

First of all you will need to locate a standard or framework which you are able to deliver making sure you are registered with an awarding body that provides the qualification, if indeed there is one associated with the standard.

You can download a list of occupations available on the apprenticeship standards.

Apprenticeship frameworks

First steps:

1.    Find the standard or framework to deliver.
2.    Make sure you have a UKPRN number.
3.    Register with the ICO.
4.    Register for access to the ESFA e-tendering portal.
5.    Complete your application to RoATP on ESFA Portal – this should open quarterly.
6.    After submission upload your apprenticeship offer to the Course Directory Provider Portal.

Documents to help you apply:

Register of apprenticeship training providers

Application instruction documents:

Joining the register of apprenticeship training providers: application instructions

Register of apprenticeship training providers financial health self-assessment toolkit

Joining the register of apprenticeship training providers: application instructions

Register of apprenticeship training providers e-tendering support guidance

There is a blog post available on how to upload your apprenticeship offer to Course Directory Provider Portal

Further posts include:

•    Ofqual regulated qualifications
•    ESFA funding rules and regulations
•    Data management & ILR specification
•    Ofsted inspection requirements.

If you have any questions drop me an email, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,  I’m only too happy to help.

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The Apprenticeship Levy is almost upon us and the latest Apprenticeship Funding update highlights the changes to apprenticeship funding for ALL employers.

I attended an apprenticeship levy event at East Riding College last week with presentations by East Riding College and Skills Funding Agency and I thought I would share some important points with you.

The levy will be introduced from 6th April 2017 but the first payments won't be seen in the Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) until May 2017.

The DAS may have a name change when it's fully functional.

The new apprenticeship funding rules will apply to all employers, if they pay into the levy or not, so to be clear there are two elements at work here... The Apprenticeship Reform and the Apprenticeship Levy.

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The Apprenticeship Reform

To recap.... the apprenticeship reform will have an impact a ALL employers, apprentices and training providers as the intention is to revamp the way in which apprenticeships are delivered, paid for and most importantly experienced by employer and apprentice alike.

The plan is to phase out the existing frameworks and replace with the new standards by 2020. This deadline has been extended as there are a vast amount of standards still yet to be written and approved.

Training providers delivering apprenticeship training CANNOT assess their own apprentices and only an organisation on the The Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations are allowed to provide this service.
 
The apprenticeship funding rules include the new funding bands and EPA costs will apply to all employers, if they pay into the levy or not.

There are some incentives to small non levy paying employers with less that 50 employees but these are limited to 16-18 yr apprentices or 19 - 24 apprentices who have previously been in care or have an educational and health care plan.

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What Should Levy Paying Employers Do?

Essentially it is the responsibility of employers to setup and manage their Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) accounts but there's nothing to stop training providers assisting with this process.

The DAS is now open for registration, though it looks like they have changed the name to Manage apprenticeships.

Levy paying employers will soon receive an invitation to create their account(s) and add details of the apprentices they are looking for.

There are several things for employers to consider especially if they are part of a group of companies.

1. If a parent company is over the levy threshold but others in group are not, they all become levy paying as their PAYE is aggregated.

2. Estimate your apprenticeship levy and bare in mind that although the levy is a UK wide directive the levy will only account for employees who are resident in England. If employers have operations across borders they will need to check with the appropriate apprenticeship authority:

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland 

Example:

If 20% of their workforce are resident outside England, say Wales, then only 80% of their levy will be available in the DAS. Although I understand there is debate at the moment to determine if this should be based on residential or work location.

3. If an employer has more than one PAYE account then they can set up an account in the DAS for each of these BUT they can only use levy funds to pay for apprentices in those areas of the business.

For example, if they have executive PAYE then they must only use the levy funds for training in this part of their business.

4. Employers can use their levy to up skill existing workforce even if their have employed graduates. The new Funding Rules allow for people with a degree to undertake a Level 3 apprenticeship if the job requires additional / other skills. They will obviously stay on their current salary but can take advantage of an apprenticeship framework or standard.
 
HMRC have an online Apprenticeship Levy Manual which is packed with all the fine details of PAYE, end of year adjustments, refunds etc.

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Key Points

1. Levy becomes active - 6th April 2017.
2. DAS - Manage apprenticeships live February 2017.
3. 10% monthly top up to DAS account from government.
4. 20% retention until completion.
5. Training applies to new and existing workforce.
6. Levy funding can be used for graduates to undertake a level 3 apprenticeship if need arises.
7. Levy expires after 24 months if not used. May 2017 payment will be removed at that point.
8. Levy is for residents in England only.
9. PAYE is aggregated for groups of companies.
10. If levy funds used up then fall into co-funding model.

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Data Management - Are You Prepared?

Page 10 of Joining the register of apprenticeship training providers: application instructions stipulates that

"Organisations applying through the main and employer provider routes must have a management information system in place at the point they begin delivery.... You may access further information on these requirements by reading the SFA’s guidance."

.... then follows with information about the free ILR learner entry tool.

However when you read page 22 of the SFA's Guidance on ILR Specification it explains that

"A Learner Entry Tool is available for providers who do not have an MIS system capable of generating an XML file."

Rather confusing if you ask me!

I'm sure the SFA will soon clarify as the first ILR return (R09) deadline under the apprenticeship reform is 5th May 2017.

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Considering an MI System?

No matter how you decide to manage your data in the early stages you must take into account that your obligations don't stop with ILR submissions as you will be in scope for Ofsted inspections too.

Athena MIS is packed with tools for internal tracking and progression of a learner journey as well as the all important ILR generating features.

An introduction to Athena MIS & RAIL  outlines all the current features and benefits Athena MIS & RAIL provides for the management of your learner, employer, contract and subcontracted data.

We have a fully functional demonstration site and a You Tube channel full of  'How To..' videos to give you an idea of what Athena MIS is capable of.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to check it out!

We now also offer a data management service including ILR validation and submission!

 

 

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At long last the SFA have published their apprenticeship training providers policy, with a fantastic news for subcontractors!

 

The document titled Supporting quality and employer choice through a new Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers outlines the policy for apprenticeship training providers (in England) from May 2017.

The Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers opens for applications, today, 25 October 2016!

The first group of approved training providers will be selected from those who complete the application process by 5.00pm on 25th November 2016.

The RoATP will open for applications four times a year. The SFA plan to reopen the register as soon as the results from the first round are available.

I will attempt to cover the most critical elements of the policy in the sections below and as always the information will be available in Cleverblogs.

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Eligibility to Apply to the RoATP

Only training providers who directly provide training are eligible to apply to the RoATP, so that means;

•    managing agents
•    intermediary bodies
•    consortium leads
•    brokerage organisations
•    any other similar entity that does not itself deliver education and training to apprentices

are not eligible to apply.

"Providers would be ineligible to apply to the register if they have a grade 4 “inadequate” rating for their apprenticeship provision. Organisations with a grade 4 overall but a higher grade for apprenticeship provision would still be eligible to apply."
P5-Supporting quality and employer choice through a new Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers

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Future Role of Subcontractors

The plans to change the role of subcontractors seems to have been put on the back burner for now, which is great news!

Subcontracted practices will be monitored and any changes will happen over time.

There is a significant change from the proposal document in that subcontractors can continue to provide the whole of apprenticeship training programme and not just a small proportion.

"..we will require that all approved “main” providers will need to directly provide training for each employer’s apprenticeship programme that they deliver, but we will not require the main provider to deliver a significant majority of each framework or standard they contract with an employer to deliver. At the employer’s request, and subject to their agreement, main providers will be able to bring in sub- contractors to deliver whole, or parts of, frameworks or standards."
P4-Supporting quality and employer choice through a new Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers

Subcontractors don't have to apply to the RoATP if they deliver less than £100k of apprenticeship training. However, they can apply to the RoATP if they want to increase their training provision or to prove to employers that they meet the RoATP criteria.

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Application Routes and Tests

Thanks to the consultation process the supporting route has been developed with the subcontractor in mind.

•    Main route - eligible for selection by levied employers to deliver apprenticeship training, or selection by another main provider to work as a subcontractor.

•    Supporting route - entry route to the apprenticeship market for organisations that offer a specialism, and providers who only want to deliver as a subcontractor.

•    Employer-provider route - employers who want to provide training to their own staff. They will have the flexibility to lead their own programme, or act as a subcontractor to their appointed main provider.

There will be a series of tests to pass, differentiated by application route, in areas of;

•    financial health
•    due diligence
•    quality, capacity and capability

"Providers on the supporting route will be able to deliver up to £500,000 of apprenticeship training per year, before being required to apply to the main route. Those providers who want to deliver less than £100k of apprenticeship training per year as a subcontractor will have the option to apply."
P5-Supporting quality and employer choice through a new Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers

It would seem that only Main Route applicants will be available to search for in the DAS, which will control subcontracting in the levy.

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Application process

The register opens for applications, today 25 October 2016!

Take the following steps to complete the application process to enter the register of apprenticeship training providers (RoATP):

1.    Read the application instruction document to see if RoATP is right for you to apply to and determine the appropriate application route.

2.    Review the RoATP financial health self-assessment toolkit to establish if you are financially sound.

3.    Review the RoATP e-tendering support guidance to help with access to the questions on the e-tendering portal.

4.    Submit an application through the e-tendering portal before the application deadline.

Here are links to the RoATP application and information pages:

Register of apprenticeship training providers

Register of apprenticeship training providers: application instructions

Register of apprenticeship training providers: e-tendering portal guidance

The first group of approved training providers will be selected from those who complete the application process by 5.00pm on 25th November 2016.

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Here are the points I feel are the most important and of course this is just my review... Exciting times ahead!

Data Collection for the DAS Opens!

The SFA's Course Directory Provider Portal for apprenticeship data is now open!

This will form the search part of the DAS, so if you have access, you can go ahead and start writing the information you want EMPLOYERS to read about your organisation.

There are two guidance documents available to help you with the technical aspects of importing data and writing the content.

The Course Directory Provider Portal Help Page has many help files and templates to guide you through bulk upload of apprenticeship data, should you wish to take that approach.

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Subcontractor DAS Update

Here is the answer to my long awaited question... Will subcontractors appear in the DAS?

A subcontractor without a direct contract with the SFA will NOT have a presence in the DAS!

"Initially, the digital apprenticeship service will only display those training providers who have an adult education budget or apprenticeship 16 to 18 budget contract allocation from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) for the 2016 to 2017 funding year."

"If you meet this criterion and you are a lead provider who provides apprenticeship training through subcontractor(s), you may wish to also include the subcontracted training. You must submit the subcontractor’s apprenticeship data under your own course directory account."
P2, Apprenticeship data: course directory provider portal user guide Version 1

Lead providers add information about how they deliver apprenticeships and if any element of the training is provided by subcontractors.

This now makes sense when you read the new SFA proposals for becoming an approved apprenticeship training provider.

My understanding is that if the proposals are approved then subcontractors as we know them will become lead providers, if they are accepted on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP).

This would mean that as from April 2017, Subcontractors will be those organisations who offer a supporting role and deliver significantly less than 50% of an apprentices training.

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Apprenticeship Funding

The long awaited Proposal for Apprenticeship Funding was published last Friday and is now open for consultation.

There are some pretty major proposed changes ahead, so why not have your say by completing the Apprenticeship Funding survey. This one also closes on 5th September 2016.

The Apprenticeship Levy page has been updated and there is a new Estimation Tool available to find out if an employer will have to pay the levy, and how payments are broken down.

If you managed to catch Nick Linford's webinar this week then you will have seen the estimation tool in action.

Below are the points I feel are the most important and of course this is just my review of the document. It's certainly interesting reading... Exciting times ahead!

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Funding Levels

There are 15 levels of funding for apprenticeships and the adjacent table shows the upper limit of each level.

This means that these upper limits are the most you can earn per apprenticeship and also include the End Point Assessment costs.  

However, a flat rate of £471.00 each for maths and English, will be paid in addition to these upper limits.

The framework costs will change in line with the standards as from April 2017, so there will no longer be any age, disadvantaged or area uplift payments available.

The proposed funding bands for individual FRAMEWORKS and STANDARDS spreadsheets can be downloaded from the SFA.

The SFA have created a spreadsheet which compares the funding between current frameworks and the new standards.

These spreadsheets compare the funding between current frameworks and the new standards.

These changes could have a significant impact on your profit margin, especially as there will be some negotiation with employers with regard to the total amount they are willing to pay for apprenticeship provision.

 

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Support for Small Employers

The SFA recognise that small employers (less than 50 employees) play a significant role in helping the young and disadvantaged into apprenticeships.

With this in mind, it is proposed that the government would pay small employers 100% of the training costs for 16 - 18 year old apprentices.

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Additional Payments

The only additional payments are a proposed provision of £1,000 for the training provider and £1,000 for the employer to support 16 - 18 year old apprentices "or where the apprentice is 19 to 24 years old and is a care leaver or has a Local Authority Education, Health and Care plan."

P17, Apprenticeship data: course directory provider portal user guide Version 1

Further funding will be given if an apprentice needs additional support to reach level 2 maths and English.

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It maybe nine months away, but change is definitely coming. It can’t be stopped but it can be managed if you start planning now.

The Apprenticeship Levy & Reforms brings financial changes to large employers and a complete restructure to the way in which apprenticeship training is delivered and funded.

From April 2017 employers will choose a lead provider to deliver their future apprenticeship training. I have conflicting information that some say All direct funded (lead) providers will be listed in the Digital Apprenticeship Service but subcontractors won't but others say ALL

Will You Help ‘Your’ Employers Choose a Lead Provider?

or

Will Your Lead Providers Take on This Challenge?

It’s a more important time than ever to build on your employer relationships to make sure you’re still ‘your’ employers’ first choice for apprenticeship training. 

Apprenticeship Levy

The Apprenticeship Levy will come into force for companies with a wage bill over 3 million pounds, but non levy paying employers will also have to contribute to partially fund apprenticeship training.

According to the current apprenticeship standards funding rules (March 2016) the SFA will top up £2.00 for every £1.00 an employer spends. There are also three employer incentives to soften the blow but there are specific criteria to fulfil.

Apprenticeship Standards Pilot Funding Model

Example
Using the current funding model, if you have a level 2 standard with a funding cap of 2, which has a maximum core government contribution of £3,000.

The employer contribution will be £1,500 giving a total of £4,500 for the cost of the training.

In this instance the additional (employer) incentive payments for Cap 2 are;

16 – 18 year old - £900
Small business <50 - £500
Successful completion - £500

So if the employer fulfils the criteria above and they're not delivering any of the training themselves, they could be £400 up on the deal.

There could be promising changes heading our way.

There's talk of the government increasing their contribution for those companies who don't pay into the levy, or if their levy pot has run out.

The government contribution could be as much as £9.00 for every £1.00 invested!

Managing Your Data

With the introduction of the new Digital Apprenticeship Service and Find An Apprenticeship service each employer will choose apprenticeships, end-point assessors and negotiate fees and payment terms with their chosen lead provider.

In essence, every employer could be paying different amounts. As you can imagine this will create a huge amount of data management and reporting for lead providers to deal with, as they will receive an manage all payments from both government and employers. This will filter down to subcontractors and will have an impact on cash your flow, if you don’t have your data up to date and at your fingertips.

Data management will be especially important as you will probably have ongoing apprenticeships using the current framework and apprentices starting to use the new standards.

If you're still working with spreadsheets to manage your learner data switching to an Management Information System (MIS) will streamline your business and free up a lot of time in preparing reports and tracking learner progress.

There is usually a steep learning curve when you take the leap to an MIS, but just think of all the benefits it will bring to your business.

If you’ve been putting off trying out an MIS then don’t wait too long or there will be too much change deal with all at once!

I've put together an MIS Check List of questions you should be asking when looking for an MIS. Keep it for when you start your search, it will come in handy

 

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