Statement of Intent – JCB Academy Collaboration with AccXel
It is The JCB Academy’s intent and purpose to create opportunities that help to increase the social mobility of young people. To that end The JCB Academy works diligently and with purpose to seek partners that work to this same aim.
Subcontracting enables The JCB Academy to meet its intent and as such The JCB Academy agrees to working with sub-contractors that share this same intent.
The following are the key principles we follow when selecting a new subcontractor:
- fit with our strategic objectives of enhancing opportunities for young people
- bring positive local community benefits and allows entry points for all learners regardless of education, background, gender or any other protected characteristic.
- Complement and add value to the work The JCB Academy does
The relationship must have the below characteristics for it to be viable to us;
- A willingness to engage in a mutually supportive relationship built on trust and respect
- Have a reputation and standing within the sector / market.
If apprentices need to enrol for Functional Skills English and Maths alongside their main programme, we will work closely with our selected subcontractor to deliver this. This ensures access to specialist expertise in Functional Skills English and Maths including links to Awarding Organisations.
Current Arrangements
The JCB Academy is currently working with a single subcontractor. This subcontractor (Axxcel) is based within a multi-million-pound training centre and they provide a skills pipeline for young people in the region that will deliver them into construction sector.
With the support of The JCB Academy, Axxcel deliver the apprenticeship standards below:
- Groundworkers – (ST0513)
- Bricklayers – (ST0095)
- Construction Plant Operatives (ST0736)
The primary aim of both providers is to develop young people and close identified gaps in the local skills market. By partnering both providers believe that the relationship will enable both providers to further enhance their work to meet this aim ensuring learners are put at the centre of any decisions.
It is agreed by both parties that this relationship is built on mutual trust and The JCB Academy aims to work with AccXel and help guide them to being an outstanding main provider in their own right.
Role and Responsibilities
The JCB Academy will manage, guide and co-operate with AccXel who will provide sub-contracted services on behalf of The JCB Academy to support the delivery of the aforementioned apprenticeship standards.
The JCB Academy recognises that it will be taking the responsibility (in the eyes of the ESFA) for the management of;
- quality of teaching and learning,
- ensuring the relevant and appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the learners,
- that appropriate careers, information, advice and guidance is offered to the learners,
- any contracts that are held with employers,
- that learners are employed under at least the minimum terms as set out in the ESFA funding guidance,
- the management of the ILR, Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) and accurate claiming of funding,
- the contracting of any end point assessment organisation and ensuring they are capable of completing learners in a timely manner once they are post gateway,
- the overall successful completion of the apprenticeship standards.
Axxcel recognises that it has the following roles to perform under this arrangement and will work in good faith with The JCB Academy to provide them with accurate evaluation of their performance when requested;
- delivery of teaching and learning in line with recognised ‘best practice’, and that delivery is aligned to the relevant apprenticeship standard,
- implementing appropriate safeguarding measures to protect the learners,
- providing learners with appropriate careers, information, advice and guidance,
- maintaining robust working relationships with employers in regard to learner progress, well-being, safeguarding, and the implementation of any support measures,
- supporting the employers to ensure that learners are fully prepared for endpoint assessment,
- maintaining learner records and providing the JCB Academy with timely information in regard to learner progress and completion,
- Provide suitable literacy and numeracy support that is not only relevant to the learners attaining minimum standards but also provides further development,
- Will have an effective system in place for recruiting members of staff that follows the principles of safer recruitment.
Both parties recognise this is a joint venture and appreciate that this relationship will only work with close co-operation between both parties. As such both parties make a commitment to the following;
- to provide a robust induction process for the learners,
- to ensure that the learners are clear about who each party are and their involvement with their apprenticeship,
- to hold a formal review meeting once every six weeks that reviews performance and health of the relationship,
- to work together and offer opportunities for staff to develop their practice across the providers locations and expertise
All sub-contracted delivery will be subject to an agreed service level agreement between the JCB Academy and Axxcel and this will be reviewed on an annual basis.