Provider Access Legislation
The provider access legislation is new guidance that came into force from January 2023. It is a key mechanism to further help learners understand and take-up, not just apprenticeships, but wider technical education options such as T-Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications.
- Two encounters for pupils during the 'first key phase' (year 8 or 9) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend
- Two encounters for pupils during the 'second key phase' (year 10 or 11) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend
- Two encounters for pupils during the 'third key phase' (year 12 or 13) that are mandatory for the school to put on but optional for pupils to attend.
In the context of the provider access legislation, a provider is an organisation that offers approved technical education qualifications or their representative, for example an FE college or training provider. A provider, to whom access is given, must deliver an encounter that includes the following:
- Information about the provider and the approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships that the provider offers
- Information about the careers to which those technical education qualifications or apprenticeships might lead
- A description of what learning or training with the provider is like
- Responses to questions from the pupils about the provider or approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.
The full statutory guidance from DfE can be found here Careers guidance and access for education and training providers - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Provider Access Policy Statement
This policy statement sets out the arrangements for managing the access of providers to pupils at the school for the purpose of giving them information about the provider's education or training offer. This complies with the school's legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997.
This webpage sets out the arrangements for managing the access of providers to pupils at the school for the purpose of giving them information about the provider's education or training offer. This complies with the school's legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997.
Hagley Catholic High School is committed to providing a personalised education package for all our pupils, and this is reflected by our careers programme. Pupils will access different elements of the programme at different stages of their education whilst the focus will always be on preparing them for their future pathways, considering their own preferences. Our Careers webpages outline our generic offer from Year 7 to Year 13. For some pupils, a more personalised offer will be in place. Our focus links directly to the requirements of the 'Gatsby Good Career Guidance' report (2014) which became the basis for the statutory 'Career's guidance and access for education and training providers' (2023).
Student entitlement
It is our aim to provide pupils with both experiences of the workplace and / or
encounters with employers Students are entitled to:
- Learn more about technical education qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities, as part of a careers programme which informs students of the full range of education and training options available to them at each transition point.
- Hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities on offer, e.g. technical education and apprenticeships - this can be achieved through options evenings, assemblies, group discussions, and taster events.
- Understand how to apply to the full range of academic and technical courses available to them
Access requests from providersAccess requests from providers
We are delighted to work with a wide range of local and national providers of all types of education, including technical education, qualifications or apprenticeships. Our careers programme includes assemblies a programme of events in which providers may wish to participate; however, we are always looking to widen this offer and are happy to work flexibly with organisations providing high-quality opportunities, including the provision of facilities to support communication. Any provider wishing to request access should contact either:
The Careers Leader: Ms N Hackett (nhackett@emmausmac.com)
The Careers Adviser: Mrs N Copitch (ncopitch@emmausmac.com)
Opportunities for access
A number of events, integrated into the school careers programme across all key stages, will offer providers the opportunity to come into school to speak to pupils and/or their parents/carers. Activities include but are not limited to:
- careers assemblies with visiting speakers;
- STEM workshops
- the Year 8 Business Breakfast;
- university visits;
- work experience;
- mock interviews;
- Worcestershire careers fairs;
- one to one guidance;
- apprenticeship workshops;
- post-16 options assembly
- visits and virtual opportunities to sample different careers
- apprenticeship workshops
Premises and facilities
The school will make halls, classrooms or private meeting rooms available for discussions between the provider and students, as appropriate to the activity and within the school safeguarding policy. The school will also make available other specialist equipment to support provider presentations. This will all be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Careers Lead.
Management of provider access requests
Procedure
Providers wishing to request access should contact the Careers Adviser, Nikki Copitch
Telephone: 01562 883193
Email: ncopitch@emmausmac.com
All requests will be given due consideration by Hagley Catholic High School Senior
Leadership Team. Requests will be refused if:
- They impinge on pupils' preparation for public or internal exams
- They clash with other school events such as visits, other speakers, well-being days, school photographs, sports days, public or internal exams, parents' communication events etc.
- The school is unable to provide staff to support the presentation or talk due to previous commitments
- Rooming for the talk or event is unable to be found due to timetabling clashes
Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature with the Careers Adviser so that they can be displayed in an appropriate context.
Provider Access Legislation Plan 2024/25
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PAL Activities 2024/25 |
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Details |
When? |
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Two encounters for pupils during the'first key phase' (year 8 or 9) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend, to take place any time during year 8 or between 1 September and 28 February during year 9.
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Year 8 Business Breakfast Local employers All students to have one or more encounter with an apprenticeship provider |
18/3/25 |
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Year 9 Careers assembly: Apprenticeships Worcestershire Training provider speaker Information to parents Evaluation by students |
21/1/25 |
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Two encounters for pupils during the'second key phase' (year 10 or 11) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend, to take place any time during year 10 or between 1 September and 28 February during year 11. |
Year 10 Post work experience review to include employer/training provider encounter. |
8/7/25 |
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Year 11 Careers assembly: Apprenticeships Worcestershire Halesowen College |
17/9/24 and 8/11/24 |
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Two encounters for pupils during the'third key phase' (year 12 or 13) that are mandatory for the school to put on but optional for pupils to attend, to take place any time during year 12 or between 1 September and 28 February during year 13. |
Year 12 Worcestershire Apprenticeships assembly |
4/2/25 |
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Higher Education and Apprenticeships Week |
W/b 17/6/25 |
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Year 13: Worcestershire Apprenticeships seminar |
1/10/24 |
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PAL Statement: How the school intends to comply with the minimum requirement to provide six encounters and the opportunities for providers to visit and to explain how requests from providers will be handled. |
Statement on website reviewed annually |
Hagley Catholic High School - Provider Access Policy Statement |
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Schools should prepare for each provider visit by advising pupils and their parents to consult provider websites for background information, including details of the courses and qualifications |
Information on school website reviewed to reflect current provider partners reviewed annually. Information sent to parents before each event. |
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Measurement and Assessment of the impact of the careers programme on pupils
Evaluation of our careers programme is designed to enable us to examine what we do; consider how we can improve it and provide stakeholders with a summary of this. This will include gathering information from pupils, parents, providers and employers about the impact of the careers programme. Pupil progress in Character and Culture lessons will be evaluated each term as part of our ongoing assessment processes.
Feedback
We welcome parental and employer participation within our careers-related activities. Should you wish to support our activities or provide feedback on our Careers offer, please contact our Strategic Careers Lead or Careers Adviser directly.
