Policy Access Statement
Name of School: Provider Access Policy Statement
Details of the Baker Clause can be found in the Visit our School - Baker Clause section of the website
Ownership: The Skipton Academy
Date updated: January 2024
Rationale
High-quality career education and guidance in school or college are 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 fully understand 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
The Skipton 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. The Skipton 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.
The Skipton 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 Skipton 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 dropout from courses and avoid the risk of students becoming NEET (Young people not in education, employment or training).
Student Entitlement
The Skipton 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. This will be done in assemblies in National Apprenticeship Week and National Careers Week, in addition to providers attending careers events at school. Further details of opportunities can be found in the Visit our School - Baker Clause section of the website
Development
This policy has been developed and is reviewed annually by the Careers Leader (Mr Khalil) and Line Manager (Mr Cook) based on current good practice guidelines by the Department for Education.
Links with other policies
It supports and is underpinned by the key school and trust 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. The Skipton 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 Mr Khalil, Careers Leader. Mr Khalil may be contacted by telephone or email at j.khalil@theskiptonacademy.co.uk Tel 01756 792965.
Grounds for granting requests for access
Access will be given for providers to attend during school assemblies, timetabled Careers or Personal Development Time, and Careers or Raising Aspirations events that The Skipton Academy is arranging. Students may also visit other providers as part of trips organised with external providers
Details of premises or facilities to be provided to a person who is given access
The Skipton Academy will provide an appropriate room or assembly hall to be agreed upon. All rooms have computers, projectors and screens provided. Computer rooms can also be arranged. 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
The Skipton 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 the compatibility of systems.
Parents and Carers
Parental involvement is encouraged, and parents may be invited to attend the events to meet the providers. The parent advice section of the website contains relevant information to support parents
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 Mr Khalil, email: j.khalil@theskiptonacademy.co.uk, Mr Khalil will raise the complaint to Mr McManus, Principal of The Skipton Academy. The complaints procedure can also be accessed on the trust policy website
Monitoring review and evaluation
The Policy is monitored and evaluated annually via the Moorland Learning Trust Trustees.
Policy Coordinator: Mr Khalil
Policy Reviewed: January 2024
Appendix
Providers who have been invited into The Skipton Academy to date include:
- Askham Bryan College
- Craven College
- Keighley College
- UTC Leeds
- University Central Lancashire
- Bradford College
- University Bradford
- Newcastle University
- Huddersfield University
- Skipton Girls High School
- South Craven School
- Settle College
- Harrogate College
- Lincoln University
- Ilkley Grammar School
Destinations of previous:
- Askham Bryan College
- Craven College
- Keighley College
- Leeds City College
- Skipton Girls High School
- Ilkley Grammar School
- British Army College
- Yorkshire Cricket College
- Leeds United Football College
- Burnley College
- Accrington & Rossendale College
- South Craven School
