Quality and Procurement

The Quality Principles for NHS Apprenticeships presents a set of guiding principles that, when reflected in practice, will support you to deliver high-quality apprenticeships in the NHS.

We have updated these principles and our updated version “Delivering High Quality Apprenticeships: Guiding Principles for the NHS in England” is now available.

The principles offer a tool to aid improvement –  they will help those already engaged in Apprenticeship training to develop their practice further. Those new to Apprenticeships may benefit from additional support to help plan and implement their own approaches, but this document will help by making clear the standards to which they should aspire.

This document is designed to help employers and those leading on the development of Apprenticeships in their organisation to understand what it takes to achieve high quality outcomes and the standards they should be expected to evidence through their organisational approach to Apprenticeships.

There are 21 principles, structured around three main themes;

• Embedding Apprenticeships in the organisation’s workforce strategy
• Securing management commitment
• Effective learning programmes and processes

 

You can also access our Overview of the Principles document which lists the 21 principles only.

Access case studies here

You can also can access the earlier version of this document here. 

Ofsted inspect the quality of apprenticeship training that is delivered by training providers to ensure it is high-quality and meets the needs of employers and apprentices.

There are two different kinds of Ofsted Inspections:

1. New provider monitoring visits

New training providers should expect a monitoring visit by Ofsted within 18 months of enrolling their first apprentices. Providers are given 2 days’ notice of the visit.

During monitoring visits, inspectors make judgments on the progress made by the new provider. The outcomes and the report of these visits are then published on Ofsted’s website.

The outcome of the monitoring visit will determine the timing of the first full Ofsted inspection and, where necessary, any intervention action taken by the ESFA according to their policy.

It is important to remember that monitoring visits only indicate progress. Providers that are awarded ‘reasonable’ or ‘significant’ progress in their new provider monitoring visits do not always achieve ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ grades at their first full inspection. Progress must continue to be made, particularly on any weaknesses identified by Ofsted inspectors to achieve a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ grade at full inspection.

2. Full inspections

Full Ofsted inspections will be scheduled within 18 months of the first monitoring visit. Inspectors grade the:

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

 

Consequences of being graded inadequate

Providers receiving an ‘inadequate’ grade for overall effectiveness will be removed from the APAR. Their funding is stopped once any apprentices that remain with the provider complete their training.

Resources

• Ofsted’s guide to inspections for providers contains a more detailed summary of what to expect from Ofsted.
• Ofsted’s full monitoring and inspection criteria can be found in Ofsted’s Further Education and Skills Handbook.

 

Education Inspection Framework (EIF)

This framework sets out Ofsted’s inspection principles and the main judgements that inspectors make.

Ofsted use a 4-point grading scale in all inspections to make the principal judgements:

• grade 1 – outstanding
• grade 2 – good
• grade 3 – requires improvement
• grade 4 – inadequate

Ensure you are familiar with the EIF and have procedures in place to evidence you meet all the criteria.

Resources

• Education Inspection Framework (EIF) 

 

Safeguarding and Prevent

One of the key remits of Ofsted is to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. Ofsted ensure that providers have effective procedures for keeping children and vulnerable adults safe from abuse, neglect and exploitation

The Prevent strategy, published by the Government in 2023, is part of the Governments overall counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST. The aim of the Prevent strategy is to reduce the threat to the UK from terrorism by stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

Your Organisation should ensure that those responsible for governance ensure that you fulfil your legal duties and responsibilities in relation to the ‘Prevent’ strategy and safeguarding.

Resources

• Prevent Duty Guidance

 

Self-Assessment and Quality Improvement Plans

Ofsted will periodically write to all providers to request that they provide a copy of their self-assessment. Providers can send their latest self-assessment to fes.sar@ofsted.gov.uk at any time.

You should ensure that you have a current self-assessment report or equivalent. This should include an evaluation of the impact of actions taken to date.

Resources

• Example Self-Assessment Report

 

Ofsted Inspections – Top Tips

1. Ensure you know how Ofsted will contact you to inform you about an inspection. Notification normally takes place up to 2 working days before the inspection unless the inspection is unannounced.
2. Make sure you have an Ofsted Nominee. Each provider is invited to nominate a senior member of staff to act as the provider’s main link with the inspection team.
3. Make sure you understand and work to the EIF. Make sure you have read and embedded the EIF across your training and education.
4. Keep your self-assessment report up to date. Have a Self-Assessment Report and Improvement Plan and make sure they are current.
5. Undertake mock inspections. Arrange regular reviews of your Ofsted processes to ensure you are prepared and can access information quickly and easily.

Prior to 1st August 2023, the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP) listed organisations eligible to receive government funding to train apprentices. All providers wishing to deliver apprenticeships needed be on RoATP.

From 1st August 2023, the Department for Education has merged RoATP (Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers) and RoEPAO (Register of End Point Assessment Organisations) and is now called APAR (Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register).

Please note that levy paying employers can also apply to be on APAR to become “employer-providers” and train their own apprentices.

All main providers and employer providers should ensure that they have the following policies in place when applying or reapplying to APAR.

• an equality and diversity policy
• a safeguarding policy
• a Prevent duty policy
• a health and safety policy
• a complaints policy
• This list is not exhaustive please see Gov Apply to the APAR as an apprenticeship training provider for full details

 

These policies and processes must be specific to your organisation, apprentices, and trainers. Policies should be reviewed and approved by the Trust Board annually. They must also be signed by a senior employee, for example: a director or CEO. The ESFA will not accept policies or processes that are generic or taken from a third party.

Supporting Providers also have as an obligation to follow lead provider’s policies and plans if asked by them.

NHS employers are advised to use a formal procurement process to ensure compliance with NHS Procurement Rules. NHS England (Health Education England) have designed a toolkit to help you navigate the procurement process.

As employers you select which training provider you want to use to train your apprentices from the Register. It is your chance to select the right provider, someone you feel you can work with and who can meet your requirements. Sometimes this may mean moving away from selecting providers you have used in the past and forging new partnerships. The government are very keen for you to feel empowered to spend your apprenticeship funds effectively so that you get the right training, when you need it, delivered in a way that fits with your priorities.

Employers can find apprenticeship training providers on APAR (Apprenticeship Providers and Assessment Register). All providers who want to deliver apprenticeship training must be on the Register and employers must choose a provider from the Register.

Providers must meet a clear set of criteria in order to be included on the Register – financial health, capacity/capability, and quality. If a provider does not meet these criteria they will not be included on the Register.

 

Resources

• NHS England – To find out more visit the Salisbury Apprenticeship & Education Frameworks workspace on FutureNHS.
• Apply to the APAR as an apprenticeship training provider
• Apply to the APAR as an End Point Assessment Organisation. 
• Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers . From 1st August 2023, RoATP (Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers) and RoEPAO (Register of End Point Assessment Organisations) have merged and is now called APAR (Apprenticeship Providers and Assessment Register).
• NHS Employers article: Apprenticeship FAQ

Developing a Strategic Apprenticeship Policy

Our principles for developing an apprenticeship strategy provides the key points on which to build a successful apprenticeship strategy; that with system-level oversight and planning will enable organisations to grow and recruit their own staff to meet their workforce needs.

Example Policies 

These are an example of draft policies and procedures that you can adapt and use in your own organisation.

• Example Equality and Diversity Policy
• Example Health and Safety Policy
• Example Prevent Policy
• Example Safeguarding Policy
• Example Self-Assessment and Quality Improvement Plan