Co-op Academy Walkden

Policy Statement on

Provider Access

2023-2024

Approved by:                [Governing Council]

Approved in:                [November 2023] (Pending approval)

Review by:                [November 2024]        

1.Aims

This policy statement aims to set out our academy’s arrangements for managing the access of education and training providers to students for the purpose of giving them information about their offer.

It sets out:

● Procedures in relation to requests for access

● The grounds for granting and refusing requests for access

● Details of premises or facilities to be provided to a person who is given access

2.Statutory requirements

Academies are required to ensure that there is an opportunity for a range of education and training providers to access students in years 8 to 13 for the purposes of informing them about approved technical education, qualifications or apprenticeships. This complies with the school’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997.

In addition the Baker Clause, an amendment to the above, stipulates that schools must allow colleges and training providers access to every student in years 8- 13 to discuss non-academic routes that are available to them. It is expected that by doing so this will help address the UK’s productivity challenges and address skills shortages experienced across several sectors of the economy.

3.Rationale and pupil entitlement

At Co-op Academy Walkden we will use Gatsby Benchmarks as a framework of best practice to develop and improve our careers provision to ensure that we not only fulfill legal duties of providing opportunities for a range of education and training providers to access all students in year 7 to year 11 but to also have CEIAG programs that meet the needs of an ever changing cohort. All of our students are entitled:

1. To find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships opportunities, as part of a careers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point;

2. To hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships – through options events, assemblies and group discussions and taster events;

3. To understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.

Further detail of our CEIAG plan is available on our website

4. Management of provider access requests

4.1 Procedure

A provider wishing to request access should contact

Careers Adviser: Lynne Loughnan

Telephone: 0161 850 1625 ext 8017

Email: lynne.loughnan@coopacademies.co.uk

CEIAG leader : Mat Hemmings

Telephone: 0161 850 1625

Email: mathew.hemmings@coopacademies.co.uk

4.2 Opportunities for access 

A number of events, integrated into our careers programme, will offer providers an opportunity to come into our academy to speak to students and/or their parents/carers:

CEIAG Priorities:

● Co-op Academy Walkden are keen to develop local employer links to support the curriculum and promote industry awareness and pathways to local employment opportunities.

Autumn Term

Year 7

• Open Evening engagement
• Year 7 Parents ‘Evening

Year 8

• Lunchtime Careers Drop-in Talks

Year 9

• Employer Lesson Visits
• Guest speakers
• Lunchtime Careers Drop-in

Year 10

• Employer Lesson Visits
• Guest speakers
• Post 16 Fair
• Lunchtime Careers Drop-in Talks Employer site visits
• Curriculum & Subject links
• Apprenticeship Sessions

Year 11

• Guest speakers
• Post 16 Careers Fair
• FE Assembly talks
• Year 11 Parents’ Evening
• Lunchtime Careers Drop-in Talks
• NCS Promotion
• Apprenticeship Sessions

Spring Term

Year 7

• Guest speakers
• Lunchtime Careers Drop-in Talks

Year 8

• Lunchtime Careers Drop-in Talks

Year 9

• Year 9 Choices assembly
• Year 9 Options Evening
• Lunchtime Careers Drop-in Talks
• Curriculum & Subject links
• Year 9 Parents’ Evening

Year 10

• Lunchtime Careers
• Drop-in Talks
• Employer site visits
• Curriculum & Subject links
• Year 10 Parents’ Evening
• Apprenticeship Sessions

Year 11

• Lunchtime Careers Drop-in Talks
• FE Assembly talks
• FE Visits
• NCS Promotion
• FE Interviews
• Apprenticeship Interviews

Summer Term

Year 7

• Guest speakers
• Lunchtime Careers Drop-in Talks

Year 8

• Lunchtime Careers Drop-in Talks

Year 9

• Lunchtime Careers
• Employer site visits
• Curriculum & Subject links Apprenticeship Sessions
• Virtual Work Experience

Year 10

• Work Experience
• Placements
• Mock Interviews
• FE/HE Taster Visits
• Lunchtime Careers Drop-in Talks
• Employer site visits
• Curriculum & Subject links
• Apprenticeship Sessions

Year 11

• Lunchtime Careers Drop-in Talks

4.3 Safeguarding

Our policy on safeguarding, which can be found on our website, sets out our approach to allowing providers into our academy as visitors to talk to our students

Education and training providers will be expected to adhere to this policy. 

4.4 Premises and facilities

Our academy will make the main hall, classrooms or private meeting rooms available for discussions between the provider and students, as appropriate to the activity. 

The academy will also make available AV and other specialist equipment to support provider presentations. This will all be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Careers Leader or a member of their team. 

Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature at the Careers Resource Centre located in the school library, which is managed by the academy careers adviser. This facility is available to all students at lunch, break times, before and after school. 

5. Monitoring arrangements

Co-op Academy Walkden arrangements for managing the access of education and training providers to our students is monitored by Mat Hemmings, Assistant Principal for Personal Development. 

This policy will be reviewed by Mat Hemmings annually. At every review, the policy will be approved by the governing board & Senior Leadership Team.