Arden University (the “University”) are committed to offering high quality apprenticeship programmes. In most cases all delivery of the Apprenticeship will be carried out by the University. The University will ensure that any delivery, that is funded through the Education Skills Funding Agency (“ESFA”) and public funding, is represented by a high-quality learner experience and is good and proper use of public monies.
The University will consider the use of subcontractors where specifically requested to do so by an employer who wishes to complement and enhance the University’s directly delivered provision. All subcontractors used will be listed on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (“RoATP”), in addition our own due diligence will be made, which may include an assessment of Ofsted reports available.
Our subcontracting relationship operates as follows;
- The University acts as the lead training provider and sub-contracts some of the training to a training provider for some of the delivery. The University retains oversight of the whole apprenticeship.
The rationale for our decision to sub-contract in this instance is to meet the following aims;
- Enhance the opportunities available for learners;
- fill gaps in niche or expert provision, or provide better access to training facilities;
- support better geographical access for learners.
The University retains responsibility for all of the actions of our delivery subcontractors and in all instances retains accountability for the quality of the training provision, through agreement with the subcontractor to manage the overall apprentice experience.
All subcontracting will comply with the ESFA Apprenticeship Funding Rules for Main Providers 2020/2021, the European Social Fund (“ESF”) Funding and Performance Management Rules 2014 to 2020 (“the Funding Rules”) and any amendments made to the Funding Rules from time to time.
Payment to subcontractors will be made to cover direct costs only as required in the Funding Rules and shall be detailed in an agreement with them.
In line with the Funding Rules, all written legal agreements with each employer that has agreed to the use of delivery subcontractors shall contain the following:
P190.1 The apprenticeship training and/or on-programme assessment that you will directly deliver.
P190.2 The amount of funding you will retain for your direct delivery.
P190.3 The apprenticeship training and/or on-programme assessment that each delivery subcontractor will contribute to the employer’s apprenticeship programme.
P190.4 The amount of funding you will pay each delivery subcontractor for their contribution.
P190.5 The specific amount of funding you will retain to manage and monitor each delivery subcontractor.
P190.6 The specific amount of funding you will retain for each other support activity you will provide to each delivery subcontractor.
P190.7 The specific amount of funding you will retain for the monitoring you will undertake to ensure the quality of the apprentice training and/or on programme assessment you have contracted each delivery subcontractor to carry out.
P190.8 A detailed description of how the funding retained for each activity detailed in P190.5 to P190.7 contributes to delivering high quality training and how the funding retained is reasonable and proportionate to delivery of the apprenticeship training described in P190.3.
P190.9 Any actual or perceived conflict of interest between you and any delivery subcontractors. For example, where you and a delivery subcontractor are part of the same group, share common directors or senior personnel, or where you will benefit financially from using a particular delivery subcontractor.
Our Subcontractor Policy can be found here