There is clear evidence to show that to maximise apprentices’ success on programme, apprentices need to engage fully with both the on and off the job requirements of their programme of study (see Appendix 2), and the University is committed to helping you engage and achieve the best possible outcome from your apprenticeship programme.

This policy sets out how the University will support you to engage fully with your apprenticeship programme, what we expect of you by way of engagement with your programme, how we will monitor that engagement, and what we will do if you are not engaging or meeting the apprenticeship requirements of the programme that as an apprentice you have signed up to.

This policy applies to all apprentices on apprenticeship programmes.

For the purposes of this policy, engagement is defined as “active attendance and regular use of resources and learning activities including (but not exclusively) participation in scheduled events, accessing core University systems, completing all required assessments, and interacting with staff and peers, and with programme learning resources”. Engagement on an apprenticeship programme includes elements of both on and off the job learning (please see Appendix 2).

Engagement is compulsory and will be monitored by the University. Academic staff will provide appropriate learning opportunities to facilitate engagement from all learner groups. Persistent non-engagement on your apprenticeship programme may result in you being withdrawn from programme by the University. Non-engagement will also be escalated and discussed with your employer.

This policy outlines the requirements for all apprentices. You may have additional requirements as to your engagement with the University and your apprenticeship programme, for example if you are studying a programme governed by a Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB).

This Policy forms part of the University’s Regulatory Framework (http://www.wlv.ac.uk/polsregs). It applies to all apprentices.

This policy has been reviewed taking into consideration all Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) mandatory compliance requirements, Ofsted and any other applicable regulatory requirements for all apprentices and apprenticeship programmes.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apprenticeship-funding-rules

The objectives of this policy are to ensure support for apprentices and clear mandatory requirements for engagement and responsibilities of the Apprentice, University and Employer.

The implementation of this policy is in accordance with the University’s core values which are to be:

•  Ethical
• Respectful
• Transparent
• Inclusive and fair
• Challenging
• Confident
• Collaborative
• Professional

The Apprenticeship Engagement Policy and Procedure applies to all apprentices of the University. The responsibilities and organisational arrangements for the Apprenticeship Engagement Policy and Process lie with a variety of individuals within the University, details of which are set out as follows:

• Director of Apprenticeships and Lifelong Learning,
• Director of Academic Services,
• Apprenticeship Hub – Head of Apprenticeship Operations and Apprenticeship Compliance Manager,
• Faculty Apprenticeship Leads,
• Faculty Apprenticeship Programme Leaders,
• Apprenticeship Tripartite Progress Review Coaches (Skills Coaches).

University apprentices who fail to adhere to the terms of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action.

• It is the responsibility of the University to monitor all apprentice’s programme compliance and ensure the evidence to support this is available. Where this is not provided by the learner the University will monitor and escalate in accordance with the Apprenticeship Engagement Policy and all other mandatory Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), Ofsted and other regulatory requirements.

• Apprentices will therefore be monitored using the mechanisms outlined in this policy to ensure they are engaging appropriately to enable the University to claim funding through the Individual Learning Record.

• The University will escalate and provide communication and updates to employers where concerns around engagement and programme requirements are not being met.

• The University takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of any member of the University community and to work together with other agencies to ensure that adequate arrangements are in place within our University to identify, assess, and support any member of the University community who may be suffering from abuse, harm and/or neglect. This is in line with the University Safeguarding Policy and Procedures. https://www.wlv.ac.uk/media/Safeguarding-Policy-and-Procedures-Nov-2021.pdf.

An apprenticeship calendar is approved through the validation and approval process to ensure that all apprenticeship courses meet the off the job requirement as part of their course design. The calendar should include reference to the following as a minimum:

• weeks of activity per year,
• hours of activity in average week,
• what sort of activity makes this up (e.g., hours on lectures, work-based study),
• If there are non-apprenticeship versions of these courses, detail of any differences between the two routes.

This apprenticeship delivery calendar will be used in conjunction with the apprentices contracted hours to determine the off the job hours requirement for individual apprentices. A delivery calendar will be available for each apprenticeship programme cohort outlining the whole programme and relevant key milestones.

Employers are required to:

• ensure that their apprentices are given sufficient time as part of their contracted hours to meet their off-the-job obligations,
• Support the completion and submission of off the job training logs every four weeks,
• ensure that apprentices submit evidence of off the job as per Policy and University requirements,
• inform the university contact of any authorised absences e.g., for illness that will mean the apprentice is unable to attend scheduled sessions,
• ensure the Employer Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) is updated and provides accurate information for the apprentice,
• inform the university contact of any changes to circumstances e.g., redundancy, break in learning that will impact on their ability to meet the off-the-job obligations,
• confirm details of absence with the University as the training provider so that continuation of learning can be reported to the Education and Skills Funding,
• revise the apprenticeship agreement and contract where absence means the apprenticeship cannot be completed as scheduled,
• any other activity requirements by the apprenticeship programme,
• support the completion of End point Assessment as aligned to the Apprenticeship Standard and Assessment Plan to be awarded the Apprenticeship and occupational competence,
• ensure employer and learner engagement with mandatory (ESFA) quarterly tripartite progress review meetings which is detailed and agreed to within the Commitment Statement signed by the employer prior to the apprentice commencing their apprenticeship; further detailed in the Employer’s [Apprenticeship] Handbook.

5.1 The University recognises that attendance and engagement significantly benefits your development and achievement against the knowledge, skills and behaviors of the apprenticeship Standard aligned to your programme. The University wishes to support you to achieve your full potential. In addition to attendance at learning and teaching events, we encourage engagement with programme-related quality activities, and a range of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities provided and promoted by the University and the Students Union.

5.2 The University supports your engagement in a number of ways, including:

• pre-entry and induction/introductory information, activities and processes that are designed to ensure you are familiar with the requirements of your apprenticeship programme and know how to access facilities, services and support,
• high quality teaching and learning experiences,
• encouraging early opportunities for you to submit work and receive detailed feedback and feed-forward,
• high quality programme-related learning resources and support materials,
• a range of academic and personal support services,
• support for other aspects of the apprenticeship via access to a skills coach/tripartite progress review coach,
• clear policies and regulations written in learner-facing language; and
• by offering a range of co- and extra-curricular activities designed to improve the learner experience and to support career enhancement and employability.

5.3 Programme leaders, personal tutors and skills coaches/ tripartite progress review coach will advise on, monitor and encourage engagement throughout the apprentice journey.

5.4 The University expects you to engage fully with its engagement monitoring procedures, including attendance recording through digital registers. The derived data will be made available to staff including module tutors, personal tutors, skills coaches/ tripartite progress review coach and programme leaders to enable you as an individual to be supported.

5.5 You will be able to see your own attendance and engagement data through the same system, including whether you are meeting the University’s and the Apprenticeship requirements and comparison with levels of engagement by your peers.

5.6 Where illness or other circumstances impact on your engagement and/or attendance, you should report your absence through our digital register system and also with your employer. This does not mean the non-attendance doesn’t count, but the information you provide will be taken into account when interventions are required. Where assessment submission is impacted, you should follow the procedure referred to in paragraph 8.1.

6.1 It is important that our expectations around attendance and engagement are clear to you. It is your responsibility to engage with your learning, on and off the job requirements (see Appendix 2), staff, systems and resources and you are encouraged to become a proactive partner in your own development and learning experience.

6.2 Clear guidance on positive engagement with the University will be given in relevant programme materials (e.g., module and programme guides). Induction/Introductory programmes will include a briefing on the University’s digital register system, including your responsibility to record your attendance and seek approval for any absences.

6.3 Induction/introductory programmes and programme materials will also outline the on and off the job requirements and the responsibility for you as an apprentice in the collation and submission of this evidence.

6.4 Consequences of non-engagement, as set out in section 10 below, and include any additional programme-specific requirements that apply over and above this policy, for example if there are stricter requirements set by a PSRB.

6.5 It is your responsibility to ensure we have your accurate contact details and those of your line manager throughout your studies with us. Your contact details can be updated at any time via eVision.

7.1 It is your responsibility to ensure you are fully enrolled through e: vision for the academic year you are studying in to enable you to access the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), libraries and other resources.

7.2 On your first enrolment, you must be fully enrolled and engaging no later than 7 days or the end of the month if that is sooner after the learning start date recorded in your apprentice agreement and commitment statement.

7.3 You must complete and submit your first day of learning form for signature to ensure this requirement is met (See Appendix 1 – 42-day rule).

8.1 Engagement with all on and off the job requirements to include, learning and teaching activities or alternative placements, is compulsory and will be monitored by the University in the ways that are set out in the further sections of this policy, with the aim of identifying any issues and difficulties at a sufficiently early stage to be able to work with you to facilitate your full engagement with your programme.

8.2 Attendance at all timetabled sessions is mandatory. Time-tabled learning and teaching sessions, whether taking place on campus or on-line, are an essential part of your learning experience on your apprenticeship programme and form part of the contractual on and off the job requirements for you as an apprentice. Timetabled sessions also give you the opportunity to interact with academic staff and other apprentices about programme-related themes and issues. Where programmes have practical or placement elements, attendance at these is similarly central to your success.

8.3 It is a mandatory requirement for apprentices to engage with the quarterly tripartite progress review meetings as stipulated by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). This is detailed and agreed to within your Commitment Statement signed by the apprentice prior to commencing your apprenticeship and is outlined during induction at the start of each programme; further detailed in the Apprentice Handbook. Note: this does not count towards the off the job.

8.4 As an apprentice you must be active in learning, to clarify that active learning means off-the-job training and / or English and Maths some active learning must take place every 4 weeks. Apprentices must submit an off the job training log every 4 weeks as evidence of continued engagement and to demonstrate that the on and off the job requirements are being met. The log will be signed by you and your employer and monitored by the University every four weeks. This maybe undertaken as part of your tripartite review with your employer and skills coach/ tripartite progress review coach. This is to ensure that all apprenticeship compliance requirements are being met by the apprentice, the employer and the University.

8.5 As an apprentice where you are undertaking functional skills alongside your apprenticeship programme it is a requirement that as a learner you engage with the support and activities/resources to complete your functional skills within the first year of programme. Failure to engage or complete your Maths and English within the first year of study may impact on your progression and put you at risk of withdrawal from programme (see section 13).

9.1 The University expects you to attend all timetabled teaching sessions for their duration, including alternative placements and fieldwork/in-programme visits, and other off the job opportunities. You are expected to inform the University and your employer if you are unable to attend your classes for any reason.

9.2 Attendance will be monitored as part of this Policy. You will be contacted by your skills coach/ tripartite progress review coach or their nominee if you do not attend any component of your off-the-job training (see Appendix 2) and your employer will be notified. If you miss four consecutive off-the-job training components this may result in a break in learning. Failure to respond and to explain your absences or submit off the job logs may result in you being withdrawn from your apprenticeship course.

9.3 The University and the employer may revise the apprenticeship agreement and contract where absence means the apprenticeship cannot be completed as scheduled.

9.4 You will be required to take a break in learning if you are continuously absent for more than four weeks.

10.1 The University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is integral to the delivery of all programmes, providing programme-related resources and learning activities. In addition, the majority of assessments are managed and delivered through the VLE. You therefore need to access and interact with those learning resources and support materials on a regular basis if you are to be successful in your programme.

10.2 There are a range of other digital systems with which you will interact. This includes, but is not exclusive to: the library resource list system and the appointment management system, in addition to programme-specific systems. You will also need to be an active user of the University’s digital register system throughout your studies, in order to conform with the requirements of this policy.
Systems may be added or replaced over time.

10.3 The University monitors students’ engagement with the VLE and other systems. Should you have a low level of engagement, and this is impacting on your progress, this information will be shared with staff including module tutors, personal tutors, skills coaches/ tripartite progress review coach and programme leaders to enable you to be supported.

10.4 If you fail to engage with the University’s systems, including failure to use the digital register system for recording your attendance or submitting off the job evidence you may be withdrawn from your programme by the University.

11.1 You are required to complete pieces of academic or practical work on or by specified dates throughout the academic year. These pieces of work form part of assessment for the academic level on which you are enrolled. If you do not submit work for assessment, or if you submit work but receive a low mark for it, you are unlikely or less likely to be able to achieve an overall pass for a given level.

11.2 The University records the submission and non-submission of work by learners. This information is made available to staff who teach and support you. If you record multiple non-submission of assessments, you may find that your progression on the programme is affected.

11.3 The penalties for late and non-submission of work are contained within the University Academic Regulations (http://www.wlv.ac.uk/polsregs)

11.4 Following the marking of assessments, you will be invited to attend a module assessment feedback workshop, the timing of which will be listed in the relevant module guide.

11.5 An End Point Assessment (EPA) is a mandatory component of your apprenticeship. It is an assessment of the knowledge, skills and behaviors that you have learnt throughout your apprenticeship, confirming your occupational competence.

11.6 It is a requirement that as an apprentice you will prepare for your EPA and must engage with this to ensure timely completion of your EPA aligned to the apprenticeship assessment plan to fully meet all apprenticeship programme requirements. Where this is not met this may impact on your progression and completion of your apprenticeship programme.

12.1 If you consider that there are good reasons why you will not be able to meet deadlines for the submission of coursework or attend an examination, you should apply for an extension or claim extenuating circumstances. Guidance is available from; Late Submission and Extension Policy and Procedure - University of Wolverhampton (wlv.ac.uk).

12.2 If you experience academic or other difficulties, a range of support is available from Faculty Student Services and from the Directorate of Student and Academic Services (https://www.wlv.ac.uk/current-students/student-support/faculty-student-services/) including: financial support, support for students with disabilities, mental health and wellbeing, as well as academic and career development skills. Personal tutors, skills coaches/ tripartite progress review coach and other academic staff are also available to provide support.

12.3 The University of Wolverhampton takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of any member of the University community and to work together with other agencies to ensure that adequate arrangements are in place to identify, assess, and support any member of the University community who may be suffering from abuse, harm or neglect; or is at risk of being drawn into terrorism and being radicalised.
If you need to raise a concern or need further support a confidential on-line reporting portal is available and links to access further support (https://www.wlv.ac.uk/about-us/corporate-information/safeguarding/).

12.4 Impartial and independent advice is available from the Students Union (www.wolvesunion.org/advice/getadvice/academic).

12.5 All apprentices can gain ongoing support from representatives at the University to gain support with enrolment/course related topics by contacting ASK@wlv.

12.6 The University has its own Apprenticeship Hub that have expert staff on hand to support you throughout your journey, from onboarding through to end point assessment.

13.1 If you do not attend all of the timetabled teaching sessions for your off the job programme element or submit evidence of off the job as requested, and/or English and Maths (see section 8.6) and/or you do not respond to offers of support when alerted to concerns, you will be required to attend a meeting with your skills coach/ tripartite progress review coach, employer/line manager and programme leader to discuss the situation, to agree an action plan for your apprenticeship and an improvement plan for your ongoing attendance. 

If you do not attend this meeting, following repeated attempts to contact you, you will be withdrawn from your apprenticeship by the University. Withdrawal for non-engagement may take place at any time during the year and does not need to be ratified by a board of examiners.

13.2 If you do not access or make progress through your Canvas courses, you will be required to attend a meeting with your personal tutor, skills coach/ tripartite progress review coach to discuss the importance of accessing this information.

13.3 If you show no engagement with off the job training (attendance at timetabled sessions, accessing on-line materials, submitting assessments) throughout a semester, you will normally be withdrawn at the end of that semester. If you fail to engage for a 4-week period, you will be placed on a break in learning.

13.4 If you do not attend regular mandatory tripartite progress reviews to discuss your progress to date against your training plan this will be escalated and contact made with you as the apprentice and your employer. Completed tripartite review forms must be submitted 3 days following the date of review and must contain signatures of apprentice, skills coach/tripartite progress review coach and employer. Failure to attend or engage with this mandatory process may result in withdrawal from your programme.

13.5 Skills coaches/ tripartite progress review coach, apprenticeship support administrators and programme leaders are available to support you in times of difficulty. If you are experiencing difficulties, you should seek a discussion regarding your options at the earliest opportunity and not wait for the skills coach/ tripartite progress review coach, programme leader, support administrator or employer to raise concern about your lack of engagement.

13.6 It is recognised that in certain circumstances you may be unable to continue with or complete your programme of study as originally planned. However, there are a range of opportunities available to you which can be explored before your withdrawal is decided, and should withdrawal be inevitable, then you will be advised on your options for returning to higher education. This should be discussed with your employer, skills coach/ tripartite progress review coach and programme leader.

13.7 Failure to enrol in a timely fashion will result in your start being delayed and your apprenticeship being re-planned. You may be withdrawn if you do not enrol for an extended period. (See Appendix 1)

14.1 If you wish to appeal a decision to withdraw you from your apprenticeship programme as a result of the application of this policy, you may submit an academic appeal. You should note that to make a successful appeal about your withdrawal you must demonstrate that there has been a significant irregularity with the application of this policy that impacts the reasonableness of the decision. Details of the University’s academic appeal process are available here: www.wlv.ac.uk/current-students/conduct-and-appeals/academic-appeals/.

Appendix 1 – Implementation of the 42-day rule

The clause within the Academic Regulations, clause 3.3.9 states:

If an enrolled student does not engage with their course of study within the first 50 days of the start date of the course, the Dean of Faculty will recommend to the Academic Registrar that the student is discontinued and their registration terminated. The Faculty must provide evidence that there have been repeated and reasonable attempts to contact the student and establish their engagement with the course.

Different programmes have different definitions as to what constitutes engagement and different approaches to establishing contact with learners who have enrolled, but not yet academically engaged with their course of study. For example, many courses with apprenticeship requirements and PSRB accreditation have an attendance requirement, whilst other courses do not.

However, for apprentices, the ESFA Funding rules (2022/3) stipulate that:

• to qualify for apprenticeship funding the apprentice must be in learning for a minimum of 42 days between the learning start date and learning planned end date.
• if a learner withdraws without completing one episode of learning, for example without attending the first class, then they must not be included in the ILR.
• Apprentices will therefore be monitored using the mechanism described below to ensure they are engaging appropriately to enable the University to claim funding through the ILR.
• To ensure a consistent, equitable and fair approach to the application of the 42 day regulation the minimum requirement for engagement for all courses is defined here, noting that some courses may have additional requirements as expressed at validation or as defined by a PSRB which will be applied. Programme-specific requirements are contained within the Course Guide. Failure to engage to this minimum institutional requirement will result in a recommendation to the Academic Registrar to terminate the student’s registration under the 42-day regulation for apprenticeship programmes
• Any recommendation to be made to the Academic Registrar to discontinue an apprentice’s registration on the grounds of non-engagement is to be accompanied by evidence that there have been multiple attempts (at least 3) to contact the apprentice by more than one method of communication over the initial 42-day period.

To whom does this regulation apply?

This regulation applies to all apprentices in the first 42 days of study on a new apprenticeship programme of study (all new entrants to the University and those progressing to a new course of study (e.g., HND to degree or degree to masters).

Day 1 represents the programme start date, regardless of when apprentices enter the University.

How is non-engagement measured?

Apprentices will be deemed to not be engaged if they have not completed the following in the first 42 days of their apprenticeship programme:

• Enrolled on the programme and registered for their modules
• Completed a first day of learning form
  AND
• Attended all of teaching sessions supporting off the job apprenticeship programme requirements (this will be actively reviewed in accordance with the Apprenticeship Engagement Policy)
• Submitted the first off the job log of engagement via e-vision within the 4-week period
  AND
• Have accessed and made progress through each of their Canvas courses
  AND
• Met with their skills coach/ tripartite progress review coach or programme leader in a group or individual setting
  AND
• Completed any apprenticeship, DBS/OH tasks, where relevant.

How faculties will work with apprentices to ensure they engage:

• Faculties should identify apprentices who have not enrolled on their programme at the start of teaching week 2. Learners in this position should be contacted by the Faculty/Apprenticeship Hub to ask them to do this. This should also be an opportunity to check whether the learner is having problems and contact the employer.
• At the end of teaching week 2, Faculties should identify any apprentice who has not registered for their modules. Apprenticeship Hub will also be informed of this. Apprentices in this position should be contacted by the Apprenticeship Hub/programme leader to ask them to complete this. This should also be an opportunity to check whether the apprentice is having problems. Contact with the employer will also be made at this point.
• At the end of teaching week 3, Faculties and Apprenticeship Hub should determine whether the learner is attending (where attendance is monitored) AND have accessed and progressed in the Canvas courses AND that they have met with their skills coach/ tripartite progress review coach and personal tutor. Where an apprentice has not met these conditions, they should be contacted and directed to meet with their skills coach, programme leader (or take part in a telephone conversation or video conference) to discuss their engagement and advised that the Academic Registrar will write to confirm the termination of their registration from their course of study if they do not do this before the end of the date given.
• At Day 42, any apprentice that has failed to engage at the minimum expected level will be written to by the Academic Registrar confirming that their studies have been discontinued and their registration terminated.
• It is important to cross check against apprentices who are in the process of applying for a break in learning through the skills coach/ tripartite progress review coach, apprenticeship hub and programme leader.
• Engagement, discussion and communication will be undertaken with the apprentices and employers.

Appendix 2 – Off the Job Requirements for Apprentices

ESFA requirements

Off-the-job training is a statutory requirement for an English apprenticeship

It is training which is received by the apprentice within their practical period, during the apprentice’s normal working hours, for the purpose of achieving the knowledge, skills, and behaviors of the approved apprenticeship referenced in the apprenticeship agreement. By normal working hours we mean the hours for which the apprentice would normally be paid, excluding overtime.

Off-the-job training must deliver new skills that are directly relevant to the apprenticeship standard. It can include the following:

• the teaching of theory (e.g., lectures, role playing, simulation exercises, online learning, and manufacturer training),

• practical training, shadowing, mentoring, industry visits, and participation in competitions, where the activity has been agreed and documented as part of the agreed training plan,

• or learning support and time spent writing assessments / assignments.

The below aligns to funding rules from August 2022

• Off the Job (OTJ) hours. To be eligible for government funding all full-time apprentices (those that work 30 hours per week or more) must spend, as a minimum, 6 hours per week, over the planned duration of the practical period, on off-the-job training (completed away from the apprentice’s employed setting) (ESFA Funding Rules 22/23).

(ESFA Funding Rules for Training Providers August 2022-July 2023. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1092603/2223_Provider_Rules_Version_1_Final.pdf

• The minimum requirement of 6 hours per week is for calculation purposes only; once calculated, you and the employer must agree when, where and how the off-the-job training is delivered (see paragraph P45 of funding rules).

Prior to August 2022

• To be eligible for government funding at least 20% of the apprentice’s normal working hours, over the planned duration of the apprenticeship practical period must be spent on off-the-job (completed away from the apprentice’s employed setting) (ESFA Funding Rules 2018/19 – 2021/2022).
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apprenticeship-funding-rules

The below apply to both ESFA funding rules Prior to August 2022 and after August 2022

• The practical period begins on the learning start date and ends on the learning actual end date (i.e., the final day, also known as gateway). Off -the-job training must not take place beyond gateway, in the end-point assessment period of an apprenticeship.

• when calculating the required amount of off-the-job training, the apprentice’s statutory leave entitlement must be deducted.

• you must pro-rata statutory leave for part time workers when you calculate off-the-job training.

• full-time apprentices receive at least 28 days paid annual holiday (this is the statutory leave entitlement and is the equivalent of 5.6 weeks of holiday).

• therefore off-the-job training is delivered over 46.4 weeks and provides, as a minimum, 278 hours of off-the-job training per calendar year (46.4 weeks x 6 hours = 278 hours).

• the volume of training hours you plan to deliver must be supported by the initial assessment. Some apprentices and standards may need more than the minimum equivalent of 6 hours per week of off-the-job training. Apprentices must receive the volume of high-quality apprenticeship training that they need to develop full occupational competence.

• it must be clear to all parties how you have worked out the amount of off-the-job training required by the apprentice, and you must record this in the evidence pack.

Apprentices with term-time only contracts (August 2022 onwards)

The off-the-job training requirement for an apprentice with a term-time only contract (e.g., those in the teaching profession) should be no less, as a minimum, than any other apprentice.
Off-the-job training is calculated as though the apprentice is working 52 weeks per year (minus statutory leave). Once the calculation is made, the training can be delivered across the weeks specified in the contract (usually 39 contact weeks), if this is what has been agreed between the employer and provider. This will mean delivering more than the equivalent of 6 hours per week during term-time in order to meet the minimum requirements of the off-the-job policy.

The number of planned off-the-job training hours, for the full apprenticeship, must be documented on:

• the apprenticeship agreement and the training plan (these must be separate documents), and.
• the individualised learner record (ILR). You must not change the planned off-the-job training hours figure once submitted (except for a data input error at the beginning of the programme). If planned off-the-job training hours have been submitted in the ILR for the apprentice, actual off-the-job training hours must also be documented in the ILR, at the end of the practical period or in the event of a change of circumstance; this includes current learners on programme as of 1 August 2022

The apprentice must be involved in active learning (off-the-job training or English and maths) throughout the apprenticeship, from the learning start date to the learning actual end date (the practical period).

• training can still be front-loaded at the beginning of the apprenticeship provided there is some evidenced learning activity every 4 weeks.
• a break in learning must be used where there is no evidence of learning for 4 weeks. This can be with or without a break from work.
• where the apprentice withdraws from the programme and they have made insufficient progress towards their training plan, then funds will be at risk of recovery. By insufficient progress we mean the apprentice is more than 4 weeks behind on the planned delivery of training, but the training has not been replanned or the apprentice has not been put on a break in learning. The replanning of training must be agreed with the employer

Evidence must be available to the ESFA to support the training delivered. Full details can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-off-the-job-training.