The Mayor's Academies Quality Mark

The Mayor’s Skills Academies Programme, established as part of the London Recovery Programme, introduced in 2022 a Quality Mark that sets a high bar for skills training in London that responds to the needs of sectors key to London’s recovery. The Academies Quality Mark builds on the Mayor’s Construction Academy Quality Mark and is only awarded to training providers who deliver high-quality provision which meets our assessment criteria. The second window for applications will be held from 19 April – 19 May 2023.

The objectives of the Quality Mark are to support the FE sector to deliver high quality industry-relevant provision and to:

• incentivise accessible, industry-relevant provision that gets Londoners into jobs 
• raise the profile of good provision to employers and Londoners looking for good work
• provide a network of training providers with specialisms to deliver industry-related provision 

The Quality Mark is an opportunity for providers to demonstrate and celebrate best practice in the sector and the GLA will use various channels to celebrate accredited providers.

This document outlines the Quality Mark application process, scoring guidelines and assessment criteria.

The Mayor’s Quality Mark is also aligned to the Skills Roadmap for London which was published in January 2022 and, builds on the success of the delegation of the Adult Education Budget (AEB) to the Mayor in 2019. The Roadmap sets out the actions that the Mayor will take over this mayoral term to ensure skills provision, learning and adult education are locally relevant, make an impact, and are accessible. Support will be offered to training providers as part of the Roadmap to help diversify their workforce and work towards net-zero estates. The Quality Mark specifically responds to a commitment in the Roadmap on supporting adult education providers as Anchor Institutions in their communities.

Skills providers make an enormous contribution to London and the communities they serve, and the Quality Mark is an important step in recognising and showcasing the best practice that exists across the sector. This includes developing industry-relevant training that meets the needs of London’s economy in a way that is accessible to Londoners and enables them to progress and succeed in work. The Quality Mark is an important way for learners and employers alike to recognise and access high-quality industry-relevant training provision and the intention is for it to continue beyond the Mayor’s Skills Academies Programme.

Going forward the Quality Mark and its wider principles will be reflected in the application process for other GLA employment and skills programmes. The Quality Mark aims to consider the changing needs of Londoners and London’s economy, responding to emerging sector priorities over time.

Table 3: Criteria key

5.1. Quality Mark Criteria - Form A, Provider Overview

5.1.1. Criteria Section 1: Sector Applications

Question 1: Quality Mark sector application is being made for

Applicants must select which key sectors they are applying for and submit a Form B for each sector.

Score: N/A

5.1.2. Criteria Section 2: Eligibility Checks

Question 2: Provider Information  

Criteria: Demonstrate the training provision being assessed is publicly funded and delivered predominantly to London residents

Score: PASS or FAIL

Evidence requirements: Documentation confirming contracts in current (2023/24) academic year and expect to hold a contract/grant in future years:

• Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)
• Greater London Authority (GLA)

If applicable, please provide documentation confirming applicant is on Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP). 

Question 3: OFSTED Grades

Criteria: Publicly funded providers should have a minimum OFSTED grade of 2 (Good).

Score: PASS or FAIL

Evidence requirements: Link to access latest OFSTED report.

Where providers are subcontracting for an OFSTED assessed prime contractor, the OFSTED grade of the prime must be a minimum OFSTED grade of 2 (Good). Providers are invited to submit provision evidence to be followed up with clarification discussions where required.

5.1.3. Criteria Section 3: Organisation-wide Quality Assurance

Question 4: Learner Journey

Criteria: Applicants should demonstrate a clear learner journey from prospecting to course completion/achievement.  

Applicants should demonstrate how bespoke support for underrepresented¹ learners is helping them to prepare for good work

Score: 0-2

Evidence Requirements: Learner journey chart including: 

• identification of learners 
• initial assessment 
• induction  
• any wider holistic support built within the course e.g. mental health and wellbeing support 
• adaptions designed and delivered to improve accessibility and access to provision for underrepresented learners 
• bespoke support for underrepresented learners  
• progression into further/ higher learning, employment or an apprenticeship for relevant skills courses 

Question 5: Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)

Criteria: Applicants to demonstrate how they are delivering high-quality Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) to learners and embedding careers education in the curriculum. 

Further information can be found here: 

• Matrix Standard  
• Gatsby Benchmarks for Careers Education. 

Score: 0-2

Evidence Requirements: Evidence provided of Matrix Accreditation – this means applicant will receive full marks and can skip to next question.   

If evidence is not provided, applicant must submit narrative evidence detailing: 

• how they are working towards delivering high-quality Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) to learners against the key elements of the Matrix Standard.  

OR  

• narrative evidence of how applicant is working towards meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks for Careers Education.  

Question 6: Quality of teaching and learning

Criteria: 

a) Staff  

Applicants should demonstrate teaching 

and assessing staff have relevant qualifications and experience to offer a sufficiently broad and thorough learning experience. 

Evidence requirements: Documentary evidence such as: 

• Staff Development Policy 
• Academic Recruitment Policy  
• CPD Policy  

Score: 0-2

Criteria:

b) Monitoring and Feedback Procedures 
Applicants should demonstrate procedures are in place to monitor, review and provide feedback on the performance of teaching and assessing staff. Demonstrating how this supports wider Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities. 

Evidence requirements: Documentary evidence of monitoring and feedback procedures, which could include: 

• Learner satisfaction surveys 
• Employer satisfaction surveys/ case studies. 

Narrative explaining  

• monitoring and feedback procedures, including how evidence are evaluated  
• how CPD is offered following evaluation of findings

Question 7: Governance

Criteria: Applicants should demonstrate appropriate governance is in place to ensure suitable oversight of sector provision.  

There should be clear visibility and transparency of related governance documents on applicant’s website.

Score: 0-2

Evidence requirements: Documentary evidence which may include: 

• governance charts,  
• associated Terms of Reference documents,  
• Safeguarding Policy  

Note, governance refers to any individual, group or groups that ensures the adherence of members of an organisation to any policies and procedures, and monitoring delivery against agreed targets. 

Question 8: Quality Management

Criteria: Confirmation that a quality management system is in place that allows the provider to monitor and report performance and quality. 

Score: 0-2

Evidence requirements: Documentary evidence.  

Copy of most recent Self-Assessment Report.  

Question 9: Raising Green Awareness and supporting net-zero carbon

Criteria: Applicants to demonstrate what strategies and activities are in place to raise awareness of the Green Agenda and working towards becoming net-zero carbon organisations.  

Applicants should highlight how their responses to both their internal and external activity is joined up.  

Score: 0-2

Evidence requirements: Examples of documentary evidence could include: 

• Sustainability/net-zero/carbon neutral strategy 
• The Carbon Trust standard of ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems or equivalent: Carbon, Water, Waste, Supply Chain, Zero waste to landfill 

Provide narrative evidence to: 

• explain how technical knowledge is being embedded within the applicant’s curriculum to link to green skills/sustainability/tackling climate change 
• demonstrate what sustainability strategies and activities the applicant has in place working towards becoming net-zero carbon by 2030. 
• the intended impact and progress to date of these activities. 

Question 10: Promoting fair pay and Good Work

Criteria:

a) Sector employers  

Applicants to demonstrate how they are embedding the following principles around ‘Good Work’ within conversations with sector employers: 

• London Living Wage 
• Employment status & rights  
• Limiting and avoiding the use of zero-hour contracts  
• The Mayor’s Good Work Standard  

b) Internal support  

Applicants must demonstrate what strategies/activities they have in place to support ‘good work’ principles within their own organisation. 

Further information:  

Good Work Standard (GWS)   

London Living Wage 

Score: 0-2

Evidence requirements: Documentary evidence provided of London Living Wage accreditation and/or Mayor’s Good Work Standard (GWS).   

If documentary evidence is not provided, applicant must submit narrative evidence demonstrating how the applicant is working towards either the London Living Wage accreditation OR the Mayor’s GWS.  

Please provide narrative evidence of: 

1. how applicant is supporting new/existing sector employers to embed the ‘Good Work’ principals 

2. how applicant embeds ‘Good Work’ principles within own organisation

Question 11: Promoting Diversity and Inclusion

Criteria:

a) Applicants to demonstrate what strategies/activities they have in place to support Equality, Diversity & Inclusion within their organisation at all levels.  

b) Applicants to demonstrate how they are embedding Diversity and Inclusion principles within conversations with sector employers.

Score: 0-2

Evidence requirements: Narrative evidence to demonstrate what strategies/activities are in place to support Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within the applicant’s own organisation to: 

• be an inclusive organisation that is representative of the communities the applicant serves and is located within.  
• highlight gender, ethnicity and disability pay gaps within the applicant’s own organisation and publication of this data.  
• Examples shared of what applicants are doing to address these pay gaps.   

Provide narrative of how support is given to new/existing sector employers to embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion principles.  

Wider examples of evidence could include:  

• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy  
• Disability Confident Level 1, 2, 3 
• Being a ‘Ban the Box’ employer  
• Care Leaver Covenant Signatory  
• Stonewall Awards (Gold, Silver, Bronze)  
• Investors in Diversity Award

5.2 Quality Mark Criteria - Form B, Sector Specific

Question 1: Quality Mark sector application is being made for

Sector options

a) Please select one option: 

• Digital 
• Creative 
• Health and Social Care
• Hospitality 
• Green 
• Construction

Score: N/A

Evidence requirements: Confirm which sector this application relates to. Please only provide details on this form for the sector being applied for. If applying for more than one sector, you must complete a separate Form B for each sector. 

Criteria: Applicants must provide details of the sector specific courses.

Score: N/A

Evidence requirements List the relevant courses this application relates to specifying:

• Name of course
• Learning aim reference numbers
• Qualification type
• Level

Question 2: Industry relevance: Training offer

Criteria:

a) Applicants should demonstrate how their training offer is industry relevant to include:

• how training offer addresses sectoral skills shortages referring to specific sub sectors and particular occupations
• how industry intelligence is used to inform and shape the training offer.

Score: 0-2

Evidence requirements: Please submit course information via the 'Skills Academies Quality Mark Course List' provided.

Documentary evidence can include:

• Planning documents setting out the strategy for delivery in the coming two academic years
• Evidence of consultation with employers and/or employer groups as part of developing those documents.

Criteria: Applicants should list any sector bodies/trade associations worked with and the outcomes achieved.  Applicants can provide evidence of sector-specific kitemarks they currently hold or are currently working towards. 

Score: 0-2

Evidence requirements: Narrative evidence setting out how applicant works with relevant sector bodies, trade associations, industry bodies. Examples of evidence could include:

• Relevant sector-specific kitemark (documentary evidence required if holding a kitemark).

Criteria: Applicants should demonstrate how their engagement with local stakeholders, and support of local/regional strategies, helps to ensure alignment of training offer to the needs of the local/regional economy.

Score: 0-2

Evidence requirements: Narrative evidence setting out how applicant is working with local stakeholders can include: 

• Local Authorities (LAs) 
• Sub Regional Partnerships (SRPs) 
• Other training providers 
• Chambers of Commerce   
• Sector-based organisations  

Supporting statements from at least one of the stakeholder organisations listed above must be provided.  The statement should highlight how applicant’s training offer is responding to sectoral need.  Official letterhead or emails with full contact details will be accepted.

Further examples of evidence could include:  

• Membership of local/regional/London skills/economic development board

Question 3: Employer engagement Strategy

Criteria: Employer Engagement Plans
a) Applicants should demonstrate their employer engagement strategy within the sector, setting out how the organisation builds and maintains relationships.

b) Applicants should demonstrate how their employer engagement strategy specifically engages Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and/or voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) in their sector.

Score: 0-2

Evidence of requirements: Narrative evidence setting out, in detail:

• Employer engagement strategy/plan (provide evidence as required)
• Attendance at any relevant events or employer forums in the preceding 12 months
• Planning engagements scheduled for the coming 12 months

Specific actions undertaken to engage SMEs/small businesses

Question 4: Strength of relationships

Criteria:

a) Applicants should demonstrate integration with employers to secure opportunities for learners in support of the quality of learner experience while on a programme of study and destinations post-study.

Narrative evidence setting out any activity to secure (list not exhaustive):

• work placements for learners
• employer-led talks and site visits
• any in-kind support from employers to deliver any programmes
• employer input to programme design or delivery
• employer support for pastoral care/ mentoring
• employment for learners including apprenticeships

Where possible, provide evidence of volume and/or quality of any of the above.

Note, all activity to relate to provision targeting the chosen sector.

Score: 0-2

Question 5: Employer Satisfaction

Criteria:

a) Applicants should demonstrate high levels of employer satisfaction with the customer service provided to employers. Explain how your customer service meets employer needs and continues to remain employer focused.

Score: 0-2

Evidence requirements: Narrative evidence setting out: 

• The process used to survey employers and/or other feedback mechanisms on employer satisfaction rates; 
• How feedback is used to support continuous improvement. 

Further evidence which must be provided are: 

• Supporting statements from no fewer than five employers
  (with representation from both large employers and SMEs) from the (named) sector.
  Letterhead and emails with company signature will be accepted.
• A list of a further five sector-related employers who can be contacted at a later date as part of the follow-up assessment process.
• Any results of satisfaction surveys or other relevant information including:  

1. The latest results/evaluation of your employer survey 
2. Copy of latest employer survey

Examples of further evidence which could be provided are:

• Any recent reviews supplied to Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) through the employer satisfaction surveys available on Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP). 

Question 6: Destination Data

Criteria:

b) Applicants should demonstrate meaningful provision to support learners into employment or further training on completion of their course or programme.

Score: 0-2

Evidence of requirements: Narrative evidence setting out outcomes that have been achieved by the applicant against the following:

• job starts including apprenticeships
• further training starts
• sustainment to six months
• start-ups/freelance

Please state whether these outcomes can be verified by the Individualised Learner Record (ILR).

Question 7: Sector promotional activities

Criteria:

a) Applicants to demonstrate how they raise the profile of the sector to potential learners, focusing on how they target and recruit underrepresented groups.

Applicants to demonstrate how they highlight routes into and career pathways within their sector to help underrepresented groups to navigate and overcome structural barriers to entry focusing on engagement, recruitment, retention and progression for underrepresented groups in the workforce.

Narrative evidence of how applicant highlights and promotes career pathways into their sector specifically for underrepresented groups.

Score: 0-2

Evidence requirements: This could include details of:

• Outreach strategy/specific outreach activities
• Promotional activities/specific marketing materials
• Partnerships with voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations.   

Theme: Facilities

Criteria: Applicants should demonstrate how their training facilities and equipment support the delivery of high-quality inclusive provision relevant to industry need.

Score: Not scored Response for this question is for information only

Evidence requirements: Descriptive and/or documentary evidence describing the facilities available for the sector.

Theme: Quality of teaching and learning

Criteria: Applicant should provide detail of how teaching and assessment staff stay up to date with industry/sector trends to meet the current and future demands from both employers and learners.

Score: 0-2

Evidence requirements: Narrative detailing how teaching and assessment staff:

• have/are working towards qualifications aligned to professional body/sector-specific standards.  
• maintain CPD to meet current and future demands of employers and learners within the sector