The Mayor’s Academies Quality Mark

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated entrenched inequalities, pushing groups already underrepresented in multiple sectors further from the labour market and disproportionately impacting those in certain industries and roles. Before the pandemic, many employers struggled to fill vacancies due to skills gaps, including in digital, skilled trades and key/employability skillsReference:2. As the economy starts growing again, employers face recruitment challenges in finding skilled workers.

In response to the pandemic, the London Recovery Programme, overseen by the London Recovery Board, identified an ambition to restore confidence in the city, minimise the impact on communities and build back better the city’s economy and society. The London Recovery Programme set out nine Missions to achieve this.

Further details on the London Recovery Programme can be found at /coronavirus/londons-recovery-coronavirus-crisis/recovery-context.

As part of the Helping Londoners into Good Work Mission, the Mayor’s Academies Programme aims to support Londoners hardest hit by the pandemic into good work in sectors key to London’s recovery and long-term economic growth. It will do this by providing financial support for the coordination and quality marking of training in London (including adult education) and the provision of bespoke support to help newly skilled people into work in our priority sectors.

The programme design builds on the learning of the Mayor’s Construction Academy (MCA) which sought to address skills gaps facing the construction sector, creating more opportunities for Londoners to benefit from good work opportunities.

It also builds on the work of the Mayor’s Workforce Integration Network (WIN)Reference:3, which was established to address the structural barriers that prevent underrepresented groups from accessing high quality work opportunities across different sectors in London. The first phase of the WIN programme has focused on supporting young Black men aged 16-24 into quality employment in the digital tech and construction sectors. The Mayor’s Academies Programme will expand WIN to support other sectors and underrepresented groups.

The objectives of the Mayor’s Academies Programme are to:

• get Londoners into good workReference:4 (direct employment, apprenticeships, or self-employment/freelance) in priority sectors
• help fill vacancies in priority sectors with skilled people
• support employers to address structural barriers to engagement, recruitment, retention and progression for underrepresented groups in their industry/workforce
• raise the profile of these sectors for potential applicants
• highlight routes into and career pathways within each sector to help underrepresented groups to navigate and overcome barriers to entry
• support the Further Education (FE) sector to deliver industry-relevant provision.

The Programme will include several elements:

1. Hubs
2. Training Provider Quality Mark
3. Bespoke support for excluded groups provided through the Workforce Integration Network
4. Awareness raising campaign
5. Capital funding for investment in training provider facilities (subject to funding availability)

This prospectus sets out the opportunity to apply for the Academies Quality Mark. More information relating to the other elements of the Mayor’s Academies Programme can be accessed here: /programmes-strategies/jobs-and-skills/mayors-academies-programme.

Some of the key benefits for a training provider obtaining the Quality Mark are:

Employer Awareness: The Quality Mark will clearly signpost employers to high-quality providers delivering industry-relevant skills for their sector as well as wider employability and work readiness skills.

Quality Mark Network: There will be opportunities for Quality Mark providers to work together to tackle sector-wide challenges via network meetings. Helping to facilitate and support further collaboration between Quality Mark training providers to share ideas, discuss best practice and develop solutions to joint challenges will be central to driving high standards for sector skills provision.

Quality Mark providers will meet at least twice a year via the network. The network will provide a space for training providers to come together to tackle a range of issues for their relevant sector, ensuring there is strong input from sector bodies/trade associations, key sector employers and access to the GLA’s wider networks. The network meetings will support sectoral collaboration between training providers to understand how training provision can further contribute to the wider aims of the Academies Programme and other skills and employment programmes.

Capital funding: The Mayor expects to launch an opportunity to access funding for investment in estate, facilities and equipment for providers that hold the Quality Mark. This funding will be available for capital projects which help providers to deliver accessible industry-relevant provision.

The Quality Mark will unlock a series of opportunities for training providers who are delivering good-quality provision to showcase and highlight this, based on the following principles:

• Celebrating Excellence: We are planning to host an Adult Learner Awards ceremony celebrating adult learning in London. This will form part of the GLA’s wider awareness raising campaign that will promote the Academies Programme and adult learning offer to Londoners. This promotional activity will support the Mayor’s commitment to champion London’s further and higher education sectors and will complement a wider marketing of adult education and learning opportunities in London. Further details on this will be made available at a later date.
• Raising Awareness: Providers will also be invited to promote their training offer directly to Londoners and employers through the GLA website, where the information will feed into the adult education provider map.

• Recognition: Quality Mark providers will have access to relevant assets, which they will be able to use as part of their own promotional activities and materials.

Some of the key benefits for an employer in a Mayoral priority sector are:

Tackling skills shortages: The Quality Mark will clearly signpost employers to high-quality providers delivering industry-relevant skills for their sector as well as wider employability and work readiness skills. By recognising excellence and helping to improve the quality of training provision in London, there will a direct benefit to employers in being able to recruit skilled staff into their vacancies.

Trust and assurance: The Quality Mark will provide reassurance for employers knowing a training provider who holds a Quality Mark is recognised as a ‘good quality’ provider delivering both industry-relevant and employer-approved training provision in their sector. The Quality Mark is designed to work alongside and complement other relevant Quality Marks and OFSTED, further supporting and enabling discussions between employers and skills training providers.

Industry-relevant courses: The Quality Mark will focus on recognising training providers who are delivering industry-relevant provision which meets employers’ needs – this will ensure the courses help to tackle industry skills shortages. Training providers will need to demonstrate understanding of their chosen sector and the career pathways available to help inform learners with accurate and relevant information about jobs and careers in the sector.

The Quality Mark will indicate to learners that the provider is a high-quality organisation providing industry-relevant training, with strong employer links in the sector. The Quality Mark will give learners reassurance that the training offered by the provider will increase their chances of obtaining employment in the sector. Some of the key benefits for an existing/new learner in having a provider obtaining a Quality Mark are:

Support for underrepresented groups: The Quality Mark is focused on highlighting best practice of training providers who are supporting underrepresented groups into occupations within key sectors and tackling structural barriers to good work. Therefore, the Quality Mark will help learners to identify those providers which provide support to people who are underrepresented either in learning or in the sector to access learning and employment opportunities.

Learner experience: The Quality Mark assesses skills training providers on a number of criteria which aim to ensure a high-quality experience is being delivered for the learner focusing on various aspects of the learner journey and the quality of teaching and learning. For prospective learners this can provide reassurance that they will receive a good quality learning experience.

The following groups are defined as priority groups within the Mayor’s Academies Programme:

• Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) Londoners
• unemployed or economically inactive Londoners
• Londoners earning below the London Living Wage
• women
• young people (16-24)
• older people (50+)
• lone parents
• people with caring responsibilities
• Deaf and disabled Londoners.

Through network meetings the Quality Mark will provide an opportunity for sector bodies to work directly with the GLA and Quality Marked training providers to share sector insights/trends and to collaborate to tackle sector-wide challenges and share good practice. Furthermore, as the Quality Mark develops there is an opportunity for further integration and joint collaboration with other existing sectoral kitemarks.

As described in the Hubs Funding Prospectus, training providers who are partners in an Academy hub are expected to work towards gaining the Quality Mark.

Where the lead organisation for the hub is a training provider, we would expect them to lead by example and apply for the relevant sectoral Quality Mark. We would also ask Academy Hub lead organisations to encourage training providers who are their hub partners to work towards gaining the Quality Mark.

The Quality Mark process is open to all publicly funded providers regardless of whether they are already Mayoral funded, part of an Academies Hub, in receipt of AEB funding or European Social Funds or not. The GLA would like to capture the range of good quality provision being delivered in support of London’s key sectors, as well as creating opportunities to share knowledge and best practice between non-Hub and Hub training providers. Where a Hub and Quality Marked provider overlap, we would expect them to engage and work in partnership.

Full details of the eligibility criteria and evidence requirements to receive the Quality Mark are provided in Section 5 of this statement of requirements.

Theme:

1. Provider Information (G)

Criteria:

Applicants must 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 (2022/23) 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).

Theme:

2. OFSTED Grades (G)

Criteria:

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

However, in recognition of the impact of COVID-19 on the FE sector, a grade of 3 (Requires Improvement) will only be considered in special circumstances if any of the following apply:

• Latest Ofsted progress monitoring report outcome is showing “significant” progress has been made against the majority of assessment areas
• The assessment of Adult Learning Programmes in latest Ofsted report is a minimum of grade 2 (Good)
• For merged colleges without an Ofsted inspection, previous delivery colleges who formed part of a merger and held a grade 2 (Good).

These exceptions are temporary considering the impact of COVID-19 on the FE sector. We envisage this criterion to be tightened in future rounds of the Quality Mark application process.

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. Applicants should take a judgement on what evidence to supply.

Theme:

3. Please select which sector Quality Mark you are applying for: (O)

Criteria a):

Please select one option:

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

Score:

N/A

Evidence requirements:

Please select one option per application form.

Criteria b):

As part of your sector training offer, please list the names of the relevant courses specifying:

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

Score:

N/A

Evidence requirements:

Please submit course information via the 'Academies Quality Mark Course List' provided.

Theme:

4. Industry Relevance: Training offer (O)

Criteria a):

Applicants should demonstrate how their training offer is industry relevant. Please outline:

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

Score:

0 - 2

Evidence requirements:

Documentary evidence demonstrating how industry intelligence informs and shapes the training offer 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 b):

Please list any sector bodies/trade associations you work 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:

Word Count – 300 words

Narrative evidence setting out how applicant works with relevant sector bodies/trade associations/industry body.

Examples of evidence could include:

• Relevant sector-specific kitemark

Criteria c):

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

Score:

0 - 2

Evidence requirements:

Word Count – 300 words

Narrative evidence setting out how applicant is working with local stakeholders which 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 highlighting how applicant’s training offer is responding to sectoral need. Letters and emails with company logo will be accepted.

Further examples of evidence could include:

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

Theme:

5. Employer Engagement Strategy (O)

Criteria a):

Employer Engagement Plans – Applicants should demonstrate their employer engagement strategy within the sector, setting out how the organisation builds and maintains relationships and other particular areas of strength.

Criteria b):

Applicants should demonstrate how their employer engagement strategy specifically engages Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)Reference:6 and/or voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) in their sector.

Score:

0 - 2

Evidence requirements:

Word Count – 500 words

Narrative evidence setting out, in detail:

• Employer engagement strategy/engagement plan (provide evidence as required)
• Attendance at any relevant events or employer forums in the preceding 12 months/webinars
• Planning engagements scheduled for the coming 12 months/webinars
• Careers education in the curriculum resources allocated to proactive employer engagement, including staffing and other revenue costs
• Specific actions undertaken to engage SMEs/small businesses
• Examples of how these activities were adapted to in response to COVID-19.

Theme:

6. Strength of relationships (O)

Criteria:

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.

Score:

0 - 2

Evidence requirement:

Word Count – 300 words

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

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

Examples of further evidence which could be provided to evidence the volume and/or quality of any of the above.

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

Theme:

7. Employer Satisfaction (O)

Criteria:

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

Experience requirements:

Word Count – 300 words

Narrative evidence setting out:

• The process used to survey employers and/or other feedback mechanisms on employer satisfaction rates;
• How feedback is being 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. Letters 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).

Theme:

8. Learner Journey (O)

Criteria a):

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

Applicants should demonstrate how bespoke support for underrepresentedReference:7 learners is helping them to prepare for good workReference:8.

Score:

0 - 2

Evidence requirements:

Learner journey chart including:

• identification of learners
• initial assessment
• induction
• training
• progression into further/ higher learning, employment or an apprenticeship for relevant skills courses
• 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.

Examples of further evidence which should be provided are:

• any sector-related learner satisfaction survey results;
• bespoke support for underrepresented learners in the sector.

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 requirements:

Word Count – 300 words

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).

Theme:

9. Sector Promotion Activities (O)

Criteria:

Applicants to demonstrate how they raise the profile of the sector to potential learners, focusing on how they target and recruit underrepresented groups and those most affected by the pandemic.

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.

Score:

0 - 2

Evidence requirements:

Word Count – 300 words

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

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:

10. Facilities (O)

Criteria:

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

Score:

No score - Response for this question is for information only

Evidence requirements:

Word Count – 200 words

Descriptive and/or documentary evidence describing the facilities available.

Theme:

11. Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) (G)

Criteria:

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

Score:

0 - 2

Evidence requirements:

Evidence provided of Matrix Accreditation – this means applicant will receive full marks and can skip to Question 12.

If evidence is not provided, applicant must submit narrative evidence below.

Word Count – 300 words

Narrative evidence of how applicant is 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.

Further information can be found here:

https://matrixstandard.com/

https://www.goodcareerguidance.org.uk/

Theme:

12. Quality of Teaching and Learning (G)

Criteria a):

Staff – Applicants should demonstrate their teaching and assessing staff have relevant qualifications and experience to offer a sufficiently broad and thorough learning experience.

Detailing how staff stay up to date with industry/sector trends and build their knowledge to enable them to meet the current and future demands from both employers and learners.

Score:

0 - 2

Evidence requirements:

Word Count – 300 words

Narrative evidence setting out the continuing professional development undertaken by teaching staff to ensure skills are current and relevant to future training needs. Highlighting how teaching staff have/are working towards qualifications aligned to professional body/sector-specific standards.

Criteria b):

Continuous Professional Development – 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.

Score:

0 - 2

Evidence requirements:

Documentary evidence setting out monitoring and feedback procedures. Examples could include:

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

Theme:

13. Governance (G)

Criteria:

Applicants should demonstrate the appropriate governance is in place to ensure suitable oversight of sector provision, ensuring 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, and safeguarding policy – all of which can be accessed through relevant website links – please only provide website links to relevant documents above.

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.

Theme:

14. Quality Management(G)

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.

Theme:

15. Raising Green Awareness and supporting net-zero carbon (G)

Criteria:

Applicants to demonstrate what strategies and activities they have 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:

Word Count – 300 words

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.

Please demonstrate the intended impact and progress to date of these activities.

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

Theme:

16. Promoting Fair Pay & Good Work (G)

Criteria a):

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

Criteria b):

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

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

Score:

0 - 2

Evidence requirements:

a) Please provide narrative evidence of how applicant is supporting new/existing sector employers to embed the following ‘Good Work’ principals:

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

b) 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 demonstrate the intended impact and progress to date of these activities.

Further information on the Good Work Standard (GWS) can be found here: www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/business-and-economy/supporting-business/good-work-standard-gws-0/how-achieve-good-work-standard

Further information on the London Living Wage accreditation can be found here: www.livingwage.org.uk/become-a-living-wage-employer

Theme:

17. Promoting Diversity and Inclusion (G)

Criteria a):

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

Criteria b):

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

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

Score:

0 - 2

Evidence requirements:

a) Please provide narrative evidence of how applicant is supporting new/existing sector employers to embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion principles.

b) 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.

Narrative evidence highlighting 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.

Please demonstrate the intended impact and progress to date of these activities.

Wider examples of evidence could include:

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