Greenwood Academies Trust: Provider Access Policy (PAL)

Access for colleges, training providers, university technical colleges, universities and all other post 16 providers offering technical, vocational and academic routes and apprenticeships 

Updated January 2023 

This policy statement sets out the arrangements for managing the access of providers to students for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer.  

Pupil Entitlement 

All students in years 8 to 13 are entitled:  

• to find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships opportunities, as part of a careers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point;  
• to hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships – through options events, assemblies and group discussions and taster events;  
• to understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses. 

In line with the updated Provider Access Legislation, from January 2023, all schools must provide a minimum of six meaningful encounters for all students with post 16 providers, as above. This is broken down into key phases:

1^st key phase: Year 8 or 9              Two encounters for students that are mandatory for all to attend 

2^nd key phase: Year 10 or 11       Two encounters for students that are mandatory for all to attend 

3^rd key phase: Year 12 or 13       Two encounters that are mandatory for the school to put on but
                                                                     optional for students to attend 

These provider encounters will be scheduled during the main school hours and the provider will be given a reasonable amount of time to, as a minimum:  

• share information about both the provider and the approved technical education qualification and apprenticeships that the provider offers  
• explain what career routes those options could lead to  
• provide insights into what it might be like to learn or train with that provider (including the opportunity to meet staff and students from the provider)  
• answer questions from all students, including our most vulnerable and those with additional learning needs 

Further information, including how to contact the relevant people at Trust and Academy level, can be found in the full policy document below.