Provider guide to delivering high-quality apprenticeships

Question 1

Prepare to offer apprenticeships

Accepted Answer

To prepare to offer apprenticeships, you should do research to investigate:

local, regional, and national employer needs and how to meet them
what’s in your local skills improvement plan
the existing provision in the area and how you plan to complement it
the demographics of the local area and where you source potential apprentices
how to make your provision accessible to people from a range of backgrounds and with different needs
how to develop an effective equality and diversity policy and how to train staff to implement it
our expectations of apprenticeship training providers on the apprenticeship provider and assessment register (APAR)
the requirements and capacity needed to handle public funding effectively and deliver the quality of service required
the necessary safeguarding processes to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all your apprentices
whether you need to get supporting providers to provide part of an apprenticeship standard
whether you can offer English and maths functional skills qualifications to those who need it

Find out about becoming a registered apprenticeship training provider.

Apprenticeship provider and assessment register (APAR)

To provide apprenticeship training you’ll need to apply to join the APAR.

To join the APAR, you must be:

able to fill a gap in the market by offering training provision that’s not otherwise available
nominated by an employer as a preferred provider via a business case in which the employer evidences the absence of alternative provision

It is not possible for a training provider to apply directly without this nomination.

Once you’re accepted onto the APAR, you need to create your training provider page on the recruit an apprentice service. This will help you to attract prospective apprentices and employers. You’ll need to review your details on the service regularly.

To be eligible for funding, you’ll need to:

enter into an agreement with ESFA
make sure you follow the apprenticeship funding rules
submit monthly individualised learner records for apprentices

You may get extra funding if you take on apprentices who need additional support, such as care leavers or those with a disability.

Governance and safeguarding

You should have appropriate governance and safeguarding processes in place. This includes effective governance structures such as a board of trustees or directors. We expect you to have some independent scrutiny. This is to make sure you consider the best interests of apprentices and employers. Good governance also ensures that you spend any public funds you receive properly.

Legally, you must have arrangements in place for the safety and wellbeing of all your apprentices. Set out clearly what procedures staff need to follow when they are concerned about the safety of an apprentice. These concerns can be either at work or in their personal life.

Where ineffective safeguarding practices have been found or reported, we’ll normally take contractual action against the provider. This is to protect the interests of apprentices. To better understand what Ofsted inspectors look for when they assess safeguarding, read their guidance on safeguarding for inspectors.

Qualified and competent teaching staff

Make sure teaching staff are:

appropriately qualified
trained with the necessary contemporary industry knowledge for the apprenticeship standards you offer
supported to undertake continuous professional development
encouraged to provide the best possible education to their apprentices

To support continuous professional development, we fund an online apprenticeship workforce development programme. This is available free of charge to all providers. It also provides online resources to support apprenticeship training and end-point assessment.

Preparing to deliver quality apprenticeships

You should start by:

getting involved in training provider networks for peer support
holding tailored open events for employers, career starters or those who want a change of career or to progress in their existing career
holding open evenings for parents and carers which may help younger apprentices feel supported
planning how you will evaluate and improve your training offer
ensuring that you have the capability to deliver initial assessment and the recognition of prior learning
understanding the role of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) in supporting employer groups to develop apprenticeship standards
understanding the main activities that Ofsted inspectors carry out when they inspect further education and skills providers in England under part 8 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006

Develop your offer by:

putting in place a strategy for developing and maintaining the curriculum for each standard
considering how you can adapt your curriculum for individual apprentices, with additional consideration for those with special educational needs
understanding each standard you want to use, the associated knowledge, skills, and behaviours, and end-point assessment
considering the optimum mode of teaching and learning for the apprenticeship focusing on the needs of the apprentice, sector, and employer
making your curriculum adaptable in line with changes in the sector
making sure your curriculum will help apprentices to achieve successful outcomes at their end-point assessments

Seek continuous improvement by:

planning how and at what intervals to obtain apprentices’ and employers’ feedback
signing up to the apprenticeship workforce development programme
understanding the apprenticeship training provider accountability framework and how it is used to assess and improve the quality of apprenticeship provision

Providing inclusive apprenticeships

There are many benefits of a diverse workforce for businesses, as well as productivity benefits to the wider economy. You must have a rigorous equality and diversity policy which will ensure that apprenticeships are inclusive.

Your equality and diversity policy should include how your organisation will:

promote the policy
train your employees about equality and diversity
make sure your recruitment practices deliver equality and diversity
train apprentices
work with both employers and apprentices

You may get extra funding to support apprentices who have additional needs. You can get £1,000 for taking on apprentices aged:

16 and 18-years-old
19- to 24-year-old who have either:
- an education, health, and care plan
- been in the care of their local authority

We provide funding for 100% of the cost of training and assessment for small employers (less than 50 staff) who take on apprentices aged:

16 and 18-years-old
19- to 24-year-old who have either:
- an education, health, and care plan
- been in the care of their local authority

Apprentices (aged between 16 and 24 years old) are eligible to receive a bursary if they have been in local authority care. You’ll get this payment and must pass this on in full to the apprentice. For apprentices who start their apprenticeships up to and including 31 July 2023, the bursary is a single payment of £1,000. It can only be received once by an individual care leaver. For apprentices starting their apprenticeship on or after 1 August 2023, the bursary will be £3,000. It is payable in instalments over the first year of the apprenticeship.

You should identify any learning difficulties or disabilities that an apprentice has and where you need to make a reasonable adjustment. We encourage providers to use learning support funding to meet the costs of putting reasonable adjustments in place. See the apprenticeship funding rules for more information.

Working with employers

Strong partnerships with employers are essential to high quality apprenticeships. We advise you to start working with employers at the outset. For example, through holding employer or industry events and involving employers of all sizes in the design of each curriculum.

Working effectively with employers is designed to help you work effectively with employers throughout the apprenticeship journey, so that apprentices gain the opportunities and support they need.

You must negotiate a price with the employer for the total cost of each apprenticeship. This includes the training costs and any subcontracted training. The price must also include the cost of the end-point assessment. The employer must negotiate this with the end-point assessment organisation.

Involving employers in your initial assessment of the apprentice will help you to provide a tailored, high-quality experience for them.

As a minimum, you should meet:

at the outset of the apprentice’s journey to discuss the training plan
before your apprentice proceeds to their end-point assessment

You should have frequent meetings with the employer as regular progress reviews are integral to a high-quality training offer. At least some of these meetings should also involve the apprentice.

Discuss with employers your shared responsibility for the apprentice’s progress, development and wellbeing in their learning and work. We expect employers and providers to support their apprentices with embedding their English and maths learning.

This partnership is crucial for apprentices who may need additional support, such as those who are care leavers or those with special educational needs. It will help to make sure they get the support they need from you both.

A strong partnership can help to make sure that apprentices from all backgrounds achieve the best possible outcomes.

Off-the-job training

You should highlight to employers that all apprentices must meet at least the minimum off-the-job training requirements over the duration of the apprenticeship. Funding is dependent on them meeting these requirements.

Off-the-job training should complement the training an apprentice receives to help them carry out their day-to-day role. By working with the employer, you can help to ensure the apprentice gets the opportunity to practise what they have learnt off-the-job.

Apprentices who start their programme on or before 31 July 2022 will work to the funding rules in place when they started (their plan will be based on 20% of their own normal working hours). From 1 August 2022, all full-time apprentices (those that work 30 hours per week or more) must spend, as a minimum, 6 hours per week, over the planned duration of the practical period, on off-the-job training. The 6 hours per week average is based on 20% of 30 hours.

Part-time apprentices must spend, as a minimum, 20% of their normal working hours, over the planned duration of the practical period, on off-the-job training.

Working with end-point assessment organisations

Every apprentice will need to undertake an assessment at the end of their apprenticeship. This is to evidence that they are occupationally competent. It is good practice to design your curriculum to enable apprentices to prepare for assessment from the beginning of their apprenticeship.

Except for integrated degree apprenticeships, an independent organisation must undertake all end-point assessments. The provider selects the end-point assessment organisation unless the employer wishes to do so. Where an employer selects the end-point assessment organisation providers should offer to help the employer make that selection.

At least 6 months before the apprentice reaches the gateway, the provider or employer must have selected an organisation from the APAR to deliver the end-point assessment. The provider or employer must negotiate a price with the end-point assessment organisation. Only those organisations listed on the APAR are eligible for funding.

The provider must put a contract in place with the end-point assessment organisation that has been selected and work closely with them. Provider representative bodies are a good source of guidance and model templates.

It is essential to plan and schedule apprentices for their end-point assessment. Having a shared commitment and strong channels of communication will help make sure the apprentice gets their end-point assessment on time.

Work together with the end-point assessment organisation and discuss early any reasonable adjustments for apprentices which they’ll need to make. Make sure you support any application for reasonable adjustments with evidence.

Integrated degree apprenticeships

Degree apprenticeships, like all apprenticeships, have an on-programme period, gateway and end-point assessment period. To pass the gateway, the apprentice will need to have completed:

new learning related to the occupation’s knowledge, skills, and behaviours
any additional (non-degree) mandated qualifications

You cannot deliver the end-point assessment for the apprenticeship (except for integrated degree apprenticeships). This role must be filled by an independent end-point assessment organisation approved on the APAR.

In integrated degree apprenticeships, the same organisation must provide the off-the-job training (the degree) and end-point assessment. For assessment, you must integrate the end-point assessment and the award of the degree. This means both need to be completed, passed and awarded together, except for degree apprenticeships where the professional body has a regulatory role which controls access to the occupation.

Question 2

Starting to deliver apprenticeships

Accepted Answer

The actions you take when the apprenticeship starts helps to make sure the apprentice gets a high-quality experience.

Initial assessment

Complete an initial assessment of each apprentice’s prior learning and experience. Use this to identify sector-specific knowledge, skills, and behaviours which the prospective apprentice already has. You can also use this assessment to identify if they need extra support with English and maths.

This assessment is important. The purpose of an apprenticeship is to give each apprentice substantial training and introduce new knowledge, skills, and behaviours in their occupation. An accurate assessment of the apprentice’s current competence against the apprenticeship standard will help you to create a tailored training plan for them. This leads to a more engaging and high-quality apprenticeship. You cannot use funding to certify or refresh existing knowledge, skills, and behaviours.

The funding rules specify the minimum steps you must do as part of the assessment:

skills scan
accreditation of qualifications
discussion

If the apprentice already has significant existing knowledge, skills, and behaviours, relevant to the occupational standard, they may not meet the:

12-month minimum duration
off-the-job training requirements (equivalent of 6 hours per week)

In these circumstances, the apprentice is ineligible for funding. Discuss with them and their employer whether there is a higher-level apprenticeship they could complete or if a different programme would be more appropriate to help their career progression.

Your findings from the initial assessment will provide an individual baseline to design their tailored training plan. Where training is not necessary, the plan must reflect:

the content you’ve removed
an appropriate reduction in duration of the apprenticeship
an appropriate reduction in funding
English and maths teaching where apprentices have not yet obtained level 2 qualifications in these subjects

Level 2 apprentices, without level 1 in English and maths, must prioritise achieving level 1 in these subjects. They are only required to work towards level 2 English and maths where they have time remaining to make meaningful progress once they have achieved level 1. Teaching time for English and maths is additional to their off-the-job training time.

During your initial assessment, you must identify any learning difficulties or disabilities. This includes where you need to make a reasonable adjustment. We recommend a discussion with the apprentice and their employer about any reasonable adjustments the apprentice needs. This will make sure any adjustments are consistent with individual need. Learning support funding is available to meet the costs of putting in place reasonable adjustments.

If you identify that the apprentice has a potential learning difficulty or disability, you may need to make a further detailed assessment. This should identify:

whether this will directly impact the apprentice’s ability to achieve their apprenticeship
what their individual reasonable adjustments might be
any evidence needed for claiming learner support

For further information, see the guidance on recognising prior learning.

Building your partnership with the employer

Providing a high-quality and engaging apprenticeship programme is reliant on developing and agreeing it with the employer.

Together agree:

the employer’s and their apprentice’s training needs including any reasonable adjustments the apprentice may need
that the prior learning and experience identified, via the initial assessment, is an accurate reflection of the apprentice’s current level of competence
that the training plan reflects the remaining training needed to meet the competence described in the standard
how much you’ll adapt the duration of the apprenticeship by
how you’ll align the training needs to make sure the new knowledge, skills, and behaviour are embedded into the apprentice’s job
the price of the training their apprentices require to reach full occupational competence
a proposed gateway date

The employer should assign a dedicated line manager or mentor to each of their apprentices. This role is key to maintaining support for the apprentice throughout their programme. They can also help resolve any challenges that may arise. Check that the mentor or line manager are also effectively supported in their role.

The training plan

You should draft the training plan with both the employer and apprentice. It should define with clear expectations and responsibilities how each of you will work together to achieve full occupational competence for the apprentice.

Agree how regularly you’ll review the training plan and the apprentice’s progress during the apprenticeship. These reviews should be at least every 8 to 12 weeks. This provides an opportunity to check that the plan is working and address anything that isn’t.

There is a training plan template you can use.

If you’re planning to include mentoring and shadowing as part of the off-the-job training for the apprentice, you need to reflect this in the training plan to be eligible for funding.

Online learning provision in apprenticeships

If you use online or blended modes of teaching in apprenticeship training, there are other key elements you’ll need to consider.

Considering the purpose

Consider the objectives of online learning, such as how it will:

support the apprentice’s skills development
integrate with their wider training

Review your proposed sequencing of the curriculum to make sure it is appropriate for your chosen training medium. As the value and suitability of online learning can vary according to factors such as the apprenticeship occupation, or the employer and workplace contexts, it is crucial that online learning is used in the right way.

Provision of online learning will require a suitable platform and learning environment, alongside the development of online learning resources. You need to have established the accessibility of online environments and content before releasing them to apprentices.

Supporting teaching staff

Teaching staff may need support and training to successfully use online resources, develop an online curriculum and learning technologies. As well as adapting their pedagogical approaches, teachers will need to be comfortable in using and supporting apprentices to use technology.

As technologies and their pedagogical uses evolve, teachers will need access to continuous professional development.

Supporting apprentices

It is essential that prospective apprentices and employers know how you’ll use online and in-person learning during the apprenticeship, and why. Apprentices need to have the means and digital skills to access and engage with any online training that is part of their apprenticeship.

We recommend that you assess the availability of technology to apprentices, both on and off-the-job. For example, lack of internet access or firewalls may cause issues in some workplace settings.

Consider whether the apprentice’s line manager or mentor may also require access to facilities or online resources to support their apprentices’ learning.

Apprentices need to be assessed for their ability to use any online platforms and technologies you are planning to use. You should consider whether self-directed study fits with the apprentice’s learning requirements and educational needs.

As with all aspects of apprenticeship training, you should regularly evaluate online learning to make sure that content is relevant and taught in an engaging manner. Action any feedback to ensure continuous improvement.

Apprentice induction

With your new apprentices, you should:

discuss the training plan to make sure that they understand what they can expect from you and their employer
highlight the progress review meetings as an opportunity for them to hold their training provider and employer to account
ensure they understand how they will complete their off-the-job training
encourage them to log their learning to help monitor whether they are getting a minimum of 20% (or 6 hours a week on average) of their working hours to dedicate to off-the-job training
explain the difference between off-the-job training and on-the-job training - they need to understand which activities will count as which form of training and how they fit together
inform them of the pastoral support available, how to seek it if needed and how they can make complaints
check the apprenticeship agreement between them and their employer is signed

You should also:

send them their occupational standard and assessment plan
give them an overview of the assessment for their specific standard
make sure they understand the English and maths requirements
explain that they need to pass the end-point assessment to complete their apprenticeship and get a certificate
make sure they know the sector-specific and transferable skills they can expect to develop
inform them of any mandatory qualifications they’ll also need to pass to complete their apprenticeship and receive a certificate
inform them about the possibility of taking a break-in-learning during their apprenticeship where they need to ‘pause’ their apprenticeship for 4 or more weeks due to illness or caring responsibilities

Question 3

Ongoing apprenticeship training

Accepted Answer

Throughout the apprenticeship, there are steps you need to take to make sure the apprentice successfully completes their end-point assessment.

Review apprentice progress

Use frequent reviews of progress data to:

monitor the apprentice’s progress
identify any issues
assess the progress they have made since initial assessment

For example, they may need more time to develop certain knowledge, skills, and behaviours which would need to be discussed with the employer.

These reviews should cover getting:

the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in the apprenticeship
English and maths qualifications where required
any other mandatory qualifications where relevant

Check how the apprentice is progressing during the time that they are with their employer. This includes making sure whether their off-the-job training complements the training they’re doing on the job.

Update the end-point assessment organisation and employer of each apprentice’s progress. Let them know how soon they are likely to be ready to take their end-point assessment.

During these reviews, try to use similar wording and grading criteria of the end-point assessment. This will help the apprentice to know what to expect from their final assessments. Encourage the employer to monitor their apprentice’s progress towards achieving their apprenticeship and getting the certificate.

Progress review meetings

Hold progress review meetings between the provider, employer and apprentice. You should set out the frequency of the meetings in the training plan. They may need to be at shorter intervals early on and adjusted as the apprenticeship progresses.

You may need to adjust the training plan, especially if the apprentice is ready to take their end-point assessment sooner than anticipated. If there are changes to when the apprentice is likely to take their end-point assessment, you’ll need communicate this to the end-point assessment organisation.

Use these progress reviews to set out how you’ll help the apprentice to act on any feedback in the workplace and training.

Monitoring the quantity and quality of apprentices’ off-the-job training

Monitor whether:

apprentices are getting their planned minimum off-the-job training time over the duration of the apprenticeship
the off-the-job training is focused on developing the knowledge, skills, and behaviours set out in their apprenticeship standard

This can be flexible. It does not need to be the same every month. There are lots of different ways you can deliver off-the-job training to impart new knowledge, skills, and behaviours. Keep a log to help you review or use your IT system.

Where there are issues, contact the employer to remind them of their duty to allow their apprentice to spend, as a minimum, 6 hours per week doing off-the-job training. If the employer cannot provide this time as planned in the training plan, negotiate whether they can give time in lieu within working hours.

Discuss with the apprentice whether they’re happy with the quality and quantity of their off-the-job training. Check that they feel sufficiently challenged or whether there are opportunities such as shadowing or mentoring which they may be interested in.

Mandatory qualifications

Prepare the apprentice for any mandatory qualifications their standard requires. This should include their level 2 English and maths qualifications if they do not already have these. The apprenticeship funding rules explain English and maths requirements for level 2 apprentices who start with the lowest level of prior attainment in English and maths.

Remind employers that preparing and assessing apprentices so that they can get English and maths qualifications does not count towards the 20% for off-the-job training.

Breaks in learning

The apprentice must be involved in active learning (off-the-job training or English and maths training) throughout the apprenticeship. This is from the learning start date to the learning actual end date (the practical period). Some active learning must take place or a break in learning must be used.

The apprentice may also request to take a break in learning from their apprenticeship programme if they plan to return to the same apprenticeship later. A break in learning can be taken either with, or without, a break in employment.

You must agree with the employer the:

decision to take a break in learning
reason for the break
expected duration

This could include medical treatment, parental leave or leave for other personal reasons.

The apprenticeship funding rules includes guidance on what constitutes a break in learning and the administrative requirements.

Retention

Apprentice surveys have shown how varied the reasons behind withdrawals and non-completion can be. Common causes are:

issues with the apprenticeship itself
personal or domestic reasons
leaving for other employment or different training

It is essential that both you and the employer support the apprentice to give them the best chance of achieving. Working effectively with employers enables apprentices to gain the opportunities and support they need to achieve their learning and career goals.

There are a range of challenges or support needs an apprentice may have. As apprentices work, they may require different types of support to other non-work based students. You share responsibility with the employer for making sure that support is available for apprentices. Working together you should be able to offer apprentices support or signposting to services across a range of areas including:

pastoral, health and wellbeing
available financial support
learning and development support
career progression

The way that you promote this support is important. Apprentices have different schedules to other students. They might not visit you regularly and they must have easy access to the support and information they need. You should tell the apprentice about any support offers at their induction. Revisit these support offers throughout the duration of the apprenticeship. Consider signposting them to:

materials and resources on websites
e-learning platforms
handbooks such as the Learning and Work Institute’s guides to support apprentices’ on-programme experience

Preparation for final assessment

Prepare apprentices for their final assessments by:

familiarising them with their assessment format and grading criteria, particularly where reasonable adjustments have been made to the default format
holding mock assessments which are worded and assessed using the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in the standard and end-point assessment grading criteria
using their mock results to determine when to hold a gateway discussion to agree whether the apprentice is ready to move to the next stage, or if they need any additional support or reasonable adjustments
wording and assessing all assignments and reviews with reference to the end-point assessment grading criteria to familiarise the apprentice in advance

Emphasise the importance of completing end-point assessments. These are designed by employers to demonstrate the apprentice’s full occupational competency.

Gateway

Apprentices reaching gateway will have completed their training. They are now preparing for their final assessment to certify the new knowledge, skills, and behaviours which they have learned.

Have a gateway discussion with the employer and the end-point assessment organisation. This involves assessing the apprentice against the knowledge, skills, and behaviours set out in their standard. You’ll then decide whether they are ready to take their end-point assessment.

Review any professional body and regulatory requirements prior to gateway to make sure that they have been met. Make sure you have plenty of time to notify the end-point assessment organisation in advance of the chosen end-point assessment date. Read the guidance on end-point assessment and the apprenticeship gateway to better understand this process.

Hold a meeting with the employer and end-point assessment organisation at least 3 months before the end-point assessment to agree:

roles and responsibilities
a proposed timeline for the end-point assessment
whether the apprentice will need any reasonable adjustments
where the end-point assessment is going to take place and what equipment and materials the apprentice will need

You should have a plan in place to keep the apprentice engaged with their learning in case there’s a delay to end-point assessment or they need a resit.

Feedback

It is important to collect feedback from apprentices and employers. You should have a policy in place for collecting regular feedback. This policy should include ways:

of getting feedback
to respond to feedback
to use feedback to improve your training offer

We recommend sharing feedback from apprentices, if they consent, with employers. This will help employers to improve the support and on-the-job training they offer future apprentices. It is important that you look at the differences in feedback by people with particular characteristics to share and act on any lessons learned.

You should regularly give meaningful feedback to apprentices. This will help them understand what they need to improve to make progress.

We publish apprentice and employer feedback on find apprenticeship training. We have also started to collect exit feedback from apprentices who withdraw early.

Question 4

Completion of the apprenticeship

Accepted Answer

Make sure all individual learner record data is correct and timely for apprentices who have completed their apprenticeship. This is to avoid any errors in certification.

Check that the end-point assessment organisation has arranged for ESFA to send any apprentices who have completed their end-point assessments their certificates. It is important that the apprentice has their certificate of competence:

to celebrate their own achievement
as a formal record to show to other employers in the future

Support the employer to celebrate the apprentice completing their apprenticeship and gaining new skills. Graduation ceremonies either virtual or face to face are a good way to do this.

Retaking end-point assessments

When an apprentice fails one or more components of their end-point assessment, they can usually retake. This will depend on the apprenticeship.

If the end-point assessment organisation recommends a retake, work with the employer to create an action plan. This should aim to improve any weaknesses the end-point assessment identified. Retakes need extra learning and funding whereas resits do not.

Tracking apprentices’ onward journeys

Where possible track the onward journey of former apprentices. For example, whether they have achieved promotions or pay rises after achieving their apprenticeships.

Sharing the positive outcomes can help to inspire current and future apprentices.

Question 5

Ofsted inspection and accountability

Accepted Answer

There are different ways we assess the quality of apprenticeship training you offer.

Inspection

Ofsted inspect the quality of apprenticeship training you offer. This is to make sure:

it is high-quality and meets the needs of employers and apprentices
apprentices learn, develop, and make progress as they should
you continuously improve
you are accountable for the public funding you’ve received for apprenticeships

From the point you start delivering funded apprenticeship training, you’re subject to Ofsted inspection.

Ofsted inspect all apprenticeships under their further education and skills framework, except the:

Ofsted inspect these 2 apprenticeships under their initial teacher education framework.

Ofsted inspect all level 6 and level 7 apprenticeships. This includes degree apprenticeships, which had previously been the remit of the Office for Students.

The apprenticeships accountability statement includes information on quality assurance and the responsibilities of apprenticeships quality bodies.

Ofsted’s guide to inspections for providers contains a detailed summary of what to expect from Ofsted. Their full monitoring and inspection criteria is available in the further education and skills inspection handbook.

New provider monitoring visits

New providers will normally have a monitoring visit within 18 months of being funded. Ofsted give you 2 days’ notice of the visit unless the inspection is unannounced.

During monitoring visits, inspectors make judgments on the progress you’ve made. Ofsted then publish the outcomes and the report of these visits. The outcome of the monitoring visit will determine the timing of the first full Ofsted inspection.

Monitoring visits only indicate progress. They are not a judgement on overall adequacy or quality. Providers that Ofsted award ‘reasonable’ or ‘significant’ progress in their new provider monitoring visits do not always achieve ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ grades at their first full inspection. To achieve a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ grade at full inspection, you must continue to make progress. You should focus on any weaknesses Ofsted inspectors have identified.

Full inspections

New providers will normally receive a full Ofsted inspection within 18 months of the publication of the monitoring visit report. Inspectors grade the:

quality of education and training
leadership and management
behaviour and attitudes
personal development
types of provision offered

Section 24 of the legal agreement for training providers explains the consequences of getting an inadequate grade.

Accountability

We have introduced a timelier, more rounded approach to accountability for apprenticeship training providers. We based this on a wider range of quality indicators. The policy supports those willing and able to improve. It also allows timely intervention where necessary to protect the interests of apprentices.

Examples of quality indicators we use include:

outcomes from Ofsted reports
achievement rates
retention rates
employer ratings of providers on the apprenticeship service
apprentice ratings of providers on the apprenticeship service
supplementary indicators such as apprentices past their planned end date and breaks in learning data

The priority of any intervention is to safeguard the interests of apprentices. This includes apprentices currently on programme and future cohorts. Our interventions aim to support you to improve your provision in a timely manner. Where that is not possible, we may require you to exit the apprenticeship market.

Before an intervention, we’ll contact you for your views. This is to make sure we’re aware of any relevant circumstances and improvements already in progress.

See the apprenticeship training provider accountability framework and specification for possible intervention outcomes.

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