1. Commitment Statements and the UVAC Commitment Statement Template
September 2017
Rebecca Rhodes, Senior Associate, UVAC

2. Agenda Commitment Statement Rules Use and Common Issues
Commitment Statement Template

3. At its most basic
You have to have one ..! (211.7) signed and dated by apprentice & employer
Sits alongside the employer contract significant status
Key Element of the Evidence Pack – make sure dates match ILR
Ready at the start, and for the entire length of, the apprenticeship
Employer, Apprentice and Provider must all hold accurate and up to date signed copies, updated and redistributed as needed.
Updated to include EPAO / Subcontractor details as soon as they have been confirmed.
Includes provider’s process for resolving any queries or complaints and the escalation process to the ESFA through the apprenticeship helpline
Provides a short summary (a ‘routemap’) of content, timing and delivery arrangements

4. Funding Rules Content Required:
1. APPRENTICESHIP CONTENT - Planned content and schedule for eligible training, start and end-dates and (where applicable) end-point assessment, and key milestones for mandatory or other qualification achievements
2. SUPPORT FOR THE APPRENTICE - what is expected and offered by the employer, main provider (and any delivery subcontractors) and the apprentice to achieve the apprenticeship
3. FUNDING - details on
which elements are eligible for funding from the employer’s digital account or government-employer co-investment and necessary to meet any end-point assessment,
those which are extra and not eligible for co-investment but will be fully funded by the employer,
and those fully funded by the ESFA including English and maths

5. Funding Rules Content Required:
4. DELIVERY ORGANISATIONS - a list of all organisations delivering the training including English and maths and the apprentice assessment organisation (where applicable)
5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - for the employer, provider and apprentice and arrangements for how the three parties will work together; including
contact details
the expected commitment from each party to ensure the smooth running and day-to-day delivery of the apprenticeship, including, e.g. • for an apprentice, attendance and study time • for an employer, commitment to wages and time off to study in the working day • for a provider, support and guidance available and how to access

6. Emerging Complexities
Employers
with multiple providers
Employers wanting customised versions
Employers wanting consistent versions
Lack of clarity about ownership (provider vs employer)
Who is it for ?
What is its purpose ?
Lack of clarity about Ofsted, QAA and evidence packs
Duplication of the Individual Learning Plan
GDPA

7. Current Use and Common Issues
Failing to include the complaint escalation to ESFA
Turning it into the contract for services
Too brief to add any value
Micro-font !
Too many hyper-links to be useable on its own
Not including the content ‘map’ for the apprenticeship
Imbalance in responsibilities between provider, employer apprentice
Focussed on the provider as a ‘provider document’
Refusing to make adjustments for employers
Using ESFA ‘rules’ as an excuse not to change
No employer signature

8. Commitment statement template
AOC
AELP
Your Own
Company’s Own
The New Structure
Employers pay Apprenticeship Levy to Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)
FE colleges become “Providers” of education services to Employers
ESFA pays Providers out of Levy funds
Employers enter into a Contract for Services with Providers

9. UVAC commitment statement template
USE:
Update with EPAO etc if not ready at the start
Use in tri-partite reviews:
progress against the 20%
Assess impact & achievements
Check responsibilities are being met
Reiterate ongoing support
Action Plan and to review queries and issues
Evaluation and impact review
PURPOSE :
A single guide for the apprentice & line manager
For the tri-partite review
For employer impact review
Demonstrate compliance
Applies to Levy and Non-Levy
Covers all the requirements set out in the Funding Rules
Working document –expectation of change
Cannibalise as needed

10. Template Structure
SECTION 1 – core information 1.1. Signatories 1.2. The Apprenticeship covered by this Commitment Statement 1.3. Apprenticeship Review Schedule & Attendees 1.4. Further Support and Guidance SECTION 2. Roles and Responsibilities SECTON 3. Funding Summary DOCUMENT CONTROL SECTION 4. Apprenticeship Summary - See also Annex A 4.1. Employer Impact / Outcomes 4.2. Initial Assessment Outcomes 4.3. Additional Learning Support 4.4. English and Maths ANNEX A - map

11. Template

12. Template

13. Template

14. Template

15. Template

16. Annex A

17. Questions & Further Information
Template : UVAC-CS-template-V30917 Template Guidance : UVAC-CS-guidance-V10917 Funding Rules :
Queries and Questions to :