WBCA Provider Access policy Statement
(To include The Department of Education, July 2021: “Baker Clause” and the Provider Access Legislation, January 2023)
Ownership: West Bromwich Collegiate Academy
Date updated: September 2024
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
West Bromwich Collegiate Academy 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. West Bromwich Collegiate Academy 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.
West Bromwich Collegiate Academy 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
The West Bromwich Collegiate Academy 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
West Bromwich Collegiate Academy 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.
Opportunities for access:
Opportunity | Date | Description | Gatsby Benchmark |
National Careers Week
National Apprenticeship Week | March
February | This week celebrates the opportunities for young people aspiring to different careers. It provides an opportunity for external partners to engage with school. | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 |
Student Assemblies | Throughout the year | Students will have the opportunity to listen to guest speakers from different career backgrounds. This broadens students contact with a range of employers. | 3, 6 |
Open Evenings | Throughout the year | Increased parental awareness of careers support in making decisions about options, future destinations, and opportunities in the academy. | 3, 8 |
Focus Days | Throughout the year | Specific career focused days where students learn a | 1, 3, 5, 6 |
Work experience | Summer Term | Students will all experience work within different sectors working with employer partnerships. | 3, 5, 6, |
Careers Events | Throughout the year | Students will have opportunities to network with a number of prospective employers, training providers and HE/FE during events through out the year. E.g Careers Fair | 1 |
dEVELOPMENT
This policy has been developed and is reviewed annually by the Careers Leader and Line Manager (Mr M Smith – Assistant Principal) based on current good practice guidelines by the Department for Education.
Links to Other Policies
It supports and is underpinned by key school policies including those for Careers, Child Protection, Equality and Diversity, and SEND.
eQUALITY AND dIVERSITY
Access to other providers is available and promoted to allow all students to access information about other providers of further education and apprenticeships. West Bromwich Collegiate Academy is committed to encouraging all students to make decisions about their future based on impartial information.
rEQUESTS FOR aCCESS
Requests for access should be directed to Mrs J Evans, Careers Leader. Mrs J Evans may be contacted by telephone or email, careers@wbca.shirelandcat.net , Tel 0121 393 4850. All request should be made at least 6 weeks in advance of the planned session.
gROUNDS FOR GRANTING ACCESS
Access will be given for providers to attend during school assemblies, timetabled Careers lessons, and Careers or Raising Aspirations events that West Bromwich Collegiate Academy is arranging.
gROUNDS FOR rEFUSAL
Requests will be refused if:
· They impinge on student’s preparation for public or internal exams
· They clash with other planned school events
· The school is unable to provide staff to support the event
· Rooming is unable to be found due to timetabling clashes
DetAILS OF PREMIS OR FACILITES TO BE PROVIDED TO A PERSON WHO IS GIVEN ACCESS
West Bromwich Collegiate Academy will provide an appropriate room or assembly hall to be agreed. All rooms have computers, projectors and screens provided. Students also all have access to their own laptop. The Careers Leader will organise this, working closely with the provider to ensure the facilities are appropriate to the audience. Appropriate safeguarding checks will be carried out. Providers will be met and supervised by a member of the Careers Team who will facilitate.
Live/Virtual Encounters
West Bromwich Collegiate Academy 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.
Management
The Careers Leader coordinates all provider requests and is responsible to his/her senior management line manager.
Complaints Procedure
Any complaints about this policy should be raised to Mary Henderson – Associate Principal via email mhenderson@wbca.shirelandcat.net
Monitoring and Evaluation
The Policy is monitored and evaluated annually via the Standards and Performance Committee.
Policy Coordinator: Mary Henderson Policy Reviewed: July 2024
Providers who have been invited in to date:
· Sandwell College
· Central Saint Michael’s Sixth
· Halesowen College
· Dudley College
· Dudley Sixth
· Sandwell Academy Sixth Form
· King Edwards Stourbridge Sixth Form
· Juniper Training
· Nova Training
· SCL Training
Destination of previous students of West bromwich collegiate academy.
N/A at present. The be updated during the autumn term.
Links to Other Policies
The following policies may also apply to interested providers:
- CEIAG Policy
- Careers and Enterprise Plan
- Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
For questions on this or the wider CEIAG programme at West Bromwich Collegiate Academy, please do not hesitate to contact us.
