Provider Access Statement

Back to careers policies

Date: May 2023
Review Date: May 2024

Policy for external providers’ access to pupils for educational and learning purposes. The Leigh Academy is part of the Leigh Academies Trust (LAT).

Introduction

This policy sets out the academy’s arrangements for managing the access of providers to pupils at the school for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training opportunities and supporting pupils with their career learning development. This complies with the legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997.

Contact details for provider access requests are stated below.

Procedure

A provider or employer wishing to request access should initially contact Michael Williams, the Careers Leader at the academy.

Telephone: 01322 620400
Email: christopher.bradley@leighacademy.org.uk
Address: Green Street Green Road, Dartford DA1 1QE

Opportunities for access

A variety of events, integrated into the academy’s careers programme, will offer providers an opportunity to come onto the academy premises to speak to pupils and/or their parents/carers.

LAT Working with Business (WWB) has strong links and networks with businesses and organisations and may also arrange visits to the academy as part of the overall careers programme. This is organised through partnership between LAT WWB and The Leigh Academy.

The Leigh Academy endeavors 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).

Refusal for access

We appreciate external providers approach to inform pupils of opportunities however, requests for access can be refused by the academy or linked staff within the Trust on the following grounds:

  • The need is being met elsewhere in the careers programme
  • Safeguarding reasons
  • Imbalanced or conflicting views
  • Not considered to be in the best interest of the pupils or is not relevant to the intended audience
  • Timing conflicts with other events.

Premises and Facilities

The academy will make any necessary arrangement to ensure that the location and resources required for the event is appropriate to the activity. This will all be discussed and agreed in advance with the Careers Learning Development Manager or member of their team. Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature for student access after the event.

Pupil entitlement

The Leigh 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.

All pupils in Years 7-13 are entitled to:

  • find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities as part of a careers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point;
  • hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships – through option events, assemblies, group discussions and taster events;
  • understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.
  • two encounters for pupils during the ‘first key phase’ (Year 8 or 9) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend
  • two encounters for pupils during the ‘second key phase’ (Year 10 or 11) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend
  • two encounters for pupils during the ‘third key phase’ (year 12 or 13) that are mandatory for the school to put on but optional for pupils to attend

Links with other policies

It supports and is underpinned by key school 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 Leigh Academy is committed to encouraging all students to make decisions about their future based on impartial information.

Review

Approved by the academy Principal and Governors.

The statement will be reviewed by May 2024 or updated sooner if contact names change.