Provider Access Statement
Introduction
This statement sets out Collingwood College’s arrangements for managing the access of providers to students at the College for the purposes of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer. This complies with Collingwood College’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997.
Rationale
High quality careers education and guidance in school or college is critical to young people’s futures. It helps to prepare them for the workplace by providing a clear understanding of the world of work including the routes to jobs and careers that they might find engaging and rewarding. It supports them to acquire the self-development and career management skills they need to achieve positive employment destinations. This helps students to choose their pathways, improve their life opportunities and contribute to a productive and successful economy.
As the number of apprenticeships rises every year, it becomes increasingly important that all young people have a full understanding of all the options available to them post-16 and post-18 including wider technical education options such as T-Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications.
Commitment
Collingwood College is committed to ensuring there is an opportunity for a range of education and training providers to access students, for the purpose of informing them about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. Collingwood College is fully aware of the responsibility to set students on the path that will secure the best outcome which will enable them to progress in education and work and give employers the highly skilled people they need. That means acting impartially, in line with the statutory duty, and not showing bias towards any route, be that academic or technical.
Collingwood College endeavours to ensure that all students are aware of all routes to higher skills and are able to access information on technical options and apprenticeships (The Department of Education, July 2021: “Baker Clause”: supporting students to understand the full range of education and training options, and the Provider Access Legislation, January 2023).
Aims
Collingwood College policy for Access to other education and training providers has the following aims:
To develop the knowledge and awareness of our students of all career pathways available to them, including technical qualifications and apprenticeships.
To support young people to be able to learn more about opportunities for education and training outside of school before making crucial choices about their future options.
To reduce drop out from courses and avoid the risk of students becoming NEET (Young people not in education, employment or training).
Student Entitlement
Collingwood College fully supports the statutory requirement for students to have direct access to other providers of further education training, technical training and apprenticeships. The school will comply with the new legal requirement to put on at least six encounters with providers of approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships. This will be done in assemblies in National Apprenticeship Week and National Careers Week, in addition to providers attending careers events at school.
Opportunities for access
Our provision includes various opportunities for students to access a range of events. These are integrated into Collingwood’s careers programme and curriculum as well as hosting or attending one off events that provide such opportunities. The integrated events are usually delivered internally, with contribution from external providers where necessary. The one off events, such as a college open day or an apprenticeship fair, are regularly advertised to our students and where appropriate we will arrange a visit, during the College day, for a select group of students to attend. In line with the updated Provider Access Legislation (January 2023) the college will provide access to approved providers of apprenticeships and technical education to deliver encounters within all three key stages.
The College provides an impartial careers adviser who works with Year 11 students to ensure they are able to make an informed choice about their next steps. The adviser, form tutors and post 16 personal tutor team will see all of our Year 11 cohort at least once, but where necessary repeat appointments can be made. We also employ an intensive careers adviser who works with students who have been identified as risk of NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). The adviser will inform students about the opportunities that other providers have, and when needed, they will complete application forms together for those selected college or apprenticeship placements.
Procedure
A provider wishing to request access should contact Mrs Emma Clelland, CEIAG (Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance) Co-ordinator via the college contact details.
Local providers are invited to key relevant events that are held at Collingwood College. When holding Year 11, 12 or 13 parents evening we would, for example, invite universities, HEON or other relevant groups such as NCS. We encourage other providers who are interested in coming into the College to contact Mrs Emma Clelland to identify the most suitable opportunity.
Collingwood College policy on safeguarding sets out the college’s approach to allowing providers into the College as visitors to talk to our students. At all times we ensure that there are no issues of safeguarding and that our students are always completely safe whilst meeting or speaking to external providers.
Resources
Once visits have been agreed, the college will provide appropriate facilities to facilitate the visit, along with any equipment requested by the provider, where it is available. Sessions can be held in different venues according to the number of students and the requirements of the provider. Visits can be in the main hall and delivered to over 400 students, or sometimes in the classroom with a smaller group.
We also have the facility to deliver safe personalised sessions. We are happy to work with providers to provide any resources we can that make their visit possible and we are happy to accommodate those that need to bring extra equipment into the college in order to showcase what they do.
Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature at reception for the attention of Mrs Emma Clelland.
Live/Virtual encounters
Collingwood College will consider live online encounters with providers where requested, and these may be broadcast into classrooms or the school assembly hall. Technology checks in advance will be required to ensure compatibility of systems.
Parents and Carers
Parental involvement is encouraged, and parents may be invited to attend the events to meet the providers.