CEIAG Provider Access Policy
CEIAG Provider Access
Policy 2025-26
Policy details
- Issue Number 4 (25/26)
- Date Reviewed September 2025
- Date Approved September 2025
- Next review date November 2026
- Policy Owner Rachael Brodrick-Walton
Content:
3 - Rationale and pupil entitlement (intended learning outcomes)
4 - Management of provider access requests
Aims
This policy statement aims to set out our academy’s arrangements for managing the access of education and training providers to students for the purpose of giving them information about their offer.
It sets out:
● Procedures in relation to requests for access
● The grounds for granting and refusing requests for access
● Details of premises or facilities to be provided to a person who is given access
Statutory Requirements
All academies adhere to the updated DfE Statutory guidance (May '25) and are working towards embedding the updated Gatsby benchmarks and preparing for the future introduction of a guarantee of 2 weeks worth of work experience for every young person.
All schools / academies are required to ensure that there is an opportunity for a range of education and training providers to access students in years 8 to 13 for the purposes of informing them about approved technical education, qualifications or apprenticeships. This complies with the school’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997.
In addition to the Baker Clause, an amendment to the above stipulates that schools must allow colleges and training providers access to every student in years 8 - 13 to discuss non-academic routes that are available to them. It is expected that by doing so this will help address the UK’s productivity challenges and address skills shortages experienced across several sectors of the economy. In line with the updated Provider Access Legislation, from January 2023, all students will have at least six encounters with providers of approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships.
This is broken down into key phases: -
- 1st key phase:
- Year 8 or 9 two encounters for students that are mandatory for all to attend
- 2nd key phase:
- Year 10 or 11 two encounters for students that are mandatory for all to attend
- 3rd key phase:
- Year 12 or 13 two encounters that are mandatory for the academy to offer but optional for students to attend
Rationale and pupil entitlement (intended learning outcomes)
At Co-op Academy Failsworth we will use Gatsby Benchmarks as a framework of best practice to develop and improve our careers provision to ensure that we not only fulfil legal duties of providing opportunities for a range of education and training providers to access all students in Year 7 to year 13 but to also have CEIAG programs that meet the needs of an ever changing cohort. All of our students 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
- To understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.
These provider encounters will be scheduled during the main academy hours and there will a minimum expectation that our providers will provide :-
Information about the provider and the approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships they offer
Information about the careers to which those technical education qualifications or apprenticeships might lead i.e career routes
Description of what learning or training with the provider is like, including the opportunity to meet staff and students where possible
Opportunities for students to ask questions , including our most vulnerable and those
with additional learning needs.
Further detail of our CEIAG programme is available on our website
Management of provider access requests
4.1 Procedure
A provider wishing to request access should contact:
CEIAG Leader: Rachael Brodrick-Walton rachael.brodrick@coopacademies.co.uk
Careers Advisor: Joanne Farnworth joanne.farnworth@coopacademies.co.uk
Telephone: 0161 688 3900
A provider wishing to request access should contact and complete the google form below:
https://forms.gle/1pjrv8245P1b9kQw5 or complete the form in Appendix 1.
4.2 Opportunities for access
Our academy will offer the six provider encounters required by law and a number of additional events, integrated into our careers program. We will offer providers an opportunity to come into our academies to speak to students and/or their parents or carers.
Calendar of events
Year 7
- Autumn Term
- KS3- Curriculum and subject links through Careers Spotlights
- Future Skills Questionnaire - transition to secondary school
- Introduction to Unifrog
- Aspire Project
- Lunchtime careers cafe -drop ins
- Impartial advice and guidance -Lunchtime careers cafe- Careers Advisor
- Spring Term
- HT4 -Introduction to Employability Skills workbook
- University of Manchester Gateways Programme
- National Careers Week
- National Apprenticeship week
- Lunchtime careers cafe -drop ins
- Impartial advice and guidance -Lunchtime careers cafe- Careers Advisor
- Summer Term
- Pupil profiling session
- Curriculum and subject links
- Lunchtime careers cafe-drop ins
- University of Manchester Gateways Programme
- Impartial advice and guidance -Lunchtime careers cafe- Careers Advisor
Year 8
- Autumn Term
- KS3- Curriculum and subject links through Careers Spotlights
- Introduction to Unifrog
- Aspire Project
- Connell Co-op College Assembly
- North Lancs Training Group Workshop
- Impartial advice and guidance -Lunchtime careers cafe- Careers Advisor
- Spring Term
- KS3- Curriculum and subject links through Careers Spotlights
- Co-op Enterprise Challenge
- Curriculum and subject links
- Lunchtime careers cafe
- University of Manchester Gateways Programme
- National Careers Week
- National Apprenticeship week
- Impartial advice and guidance -Lunchtime careers cafe- Careers Advisor
- Summer Term
- University of Manchester Gateways Programme
- Oldham College - T-Levels/Apps/L3
- North Lancs Training Group - Apprenticeships/Traineeships
- Guinness Partnership (apps)
- Impartial advice and guidance -Lunchtime careers cafe- Careers Advisor
Year 9
- Autumn Term
- KS3- Curriculum and subject links through Careers Spotlights
- Reach Project - Buro Happold
- Impartial advice and guidance -Lunchtime careers cafe- Careers Advisor
- Pre-options Post 16 Guidance Assembly
- Spring Term
- Reach Project - Buro Happold
- Curriculum and subject links
- HT4 Employability Skills
- University of Manchester Gateways Programme
- National Careers Week
- National Apprenticeship week
- Impartial advice and guidance -Lunchtime careers cafe- Careers Advisor
- Year 9 Parents Evening
- Connell Co-op College
- OSFC - A-Levels
- The Manchester College
- Oldham College
- North Lancs Training Group
- Tameside College
- Hopwood Hall
- Summer Term
- Reach Project - Buro Happold
- Curriculum and subject links
- University of Manchester Gateways Programme
- VWEX - The Co-op Group
- Impartial advice and guidance -Lunchtime careers cafe- Careers Advisor
Year 10
- Autumn Term
- Curriculum and subject links
- Personal Development programme including utilisation of Unifrog
- GM Higher
- Post 16 Guidance Assembly
- GMHAP - Loreto Launch
- PWC linked KS4 vocational linked Workplace safari
- Spring Term
- Curriculum and subject links
- Personal Development programme including utilisation of Unifrog
- Pathway exploration through Family time
- University of Manchester Gateways Programme
- National Careers Week
- National Apprenticeship week
- Oldham Sixth Form College Varsity Programme
- Year 10 Parents Evening
- Connell Co-op College
- OSFC
- The Manchester College
- Oldham College
- North Lancs Training Group
- Tameside College
- GMHAP - Loreto Masterclass 1
- Summer Term
- Curriculum and subject links
- VWEX or face to face
- University of Manchester Gateways Programme
- VWEX - The Co-op Group
- Oldham Sixth Form College Varsity Programme
- Laurus Ryecroft Assembly
- Connell Assembly
- North Lancs Training Group visit and workshops
- College/Post 16 providers taster days
- Personal Development programme including utilisation of Unifrog
Year 11
- Autumn Term
- Oldham Sixth Form College Varsity Programme
- Mock Interviews
- Year 11 Parents Evening
- Connell Co-op College
- OSFC
- The Manchester College
- Oldham College
- North Lancs Training Group
- Provider assemblies
- Apprenticeship session
- GM Higher Activities
- One to one Careers Guidance
- Group guidance workshops
- Mock interview with employer
- Yr 11 Parents Evening Employer lesson visits Lunchtime Careers Drop in Talks
- Curriculum & Subject Links College/Provider lunchtime support sessions
- Personal Development programme including utilisation of Unifrog
- Spring Term
- National Careers Week
- National Apprenticeship week
- GM Higher Activities
- One to one Careers Guidance
- Group guidance workshops
- College interviews
- Employer lesson visits
- Lunchtime Careers Drop in Talks
- Curriculum & Subject Links
- College/Provider lunchtime support sessions
- Personal Development programme including utilisation of Unifrog and Springpod for VWEX
- Summer Term
- GM Higher Activities
- One to one Careers Guidance
- Group guidance workshops
- College interviews
- Employer lesson visits
- Lunchtime Careers Drop in Talks
- Curriculum & Subject Links
- College/Provider lunchtime support sessions
4.3 Safeguarding
Our policy on safeguarding, which can be found on our website, sets out our approach to allowing providers into our academy as visitors to talk to our students
Education and training providers will be expected to adhere to this policy.
4.4 Premises and facilities
Our academy will make the main hall, classrooms or private meeting rooms available for discussions between the provider and students, as appropriate to the activity.
The academy will also make available AV and other specialist equipment to support provider presentations. This will all be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Careers Leader or a member of their team
Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature at reception, from here they will be delivered to the careers office. This facility is available to all students at lunch and break times.
Monitoring arrangements
Co-op Academy Failsworth arrangements for managing the access of education and training providers to our students is monitored by the Careers Lead/Careers Co-ordinator.
This policy will be reviewed by Careers Lead/Careers Co-ordinator. At every review, the policy will be approved by the governing board and the headteacher.
Student Destinations
Last year, our year 11 pupils moved to a range of providers in the local area after school.
Here are the destinations of Y11 students that left our academy In July 2025:-
Sixth Form College: Oldham Sixth Form College, Ashton Sixth Form College, Loreto Sixth Form College, Xaverian Sixth Form College, Co-op Connell College, Pendleton Sixth Form College
FE College: Oldham College, The Manchester College, Tameside College, Bury College, Hopwood Hall College, Wigan and Leigh College,
Definition of Terms
CEIAG - Careers education, information, advice and guidance.
FE - Further Education.
HE - Higher Education.
Provider - Colleges, Universities, work based providers, training providers.
Transition Points - Yr 6/7, Yr 9 & Yr 11
Pathways - Technical college course, A level college course, work, apprenticeship or traineeship.
PSHCE - Personal, social, health & citizenship education.
Appendix 1
Provider Access Form
1.Name of provider requesting access and details of provision:
____________________________________________________________________________
2.Contact name of provider and contact details:
____________________________________________________________________________
3.Number of staff who propose to visit
____________________________
4.Aims and objectives of session including suggested year group(s)
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
5.Proposed format, timings and duration of session including facilities and equipment required:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________