Provider Access Legislation (and The Baker Clause)

The purpose of the Baker Clause was to ensure that there is an opportunity for colleges and other training providers to access Y8-Y13 pupils for the purpose of informing them about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. The new Provider Access Legislation (PAL DfE 2022) is designed to develop and strengthen the existing legislation (the Baker Clause) by ensuring strong partnerships between schools and different types of training provider and came into effect in January 2023. 

This is to ensure students in years 8-13 have meaningful encounters with providers of technical education and apprenticeships, so that they can be better informed about their options.  This includes independent training providers, FE colleges, universities and employer providers.  The Provider Access Legislation guidance sets out the other types of organisations and representatives that will be considered compliant with the requirements.  At Castleford Academy, for many years, we have consciously promoted the range of options at post-16 and beyond through: assemblies, career fairs, lessons and information provided to pupils and information to parents/ on our school  webpage. 

The Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022 ensures that the Provider Access Legislation provides at least 6 encounters for all their pupils:

• Two encounters for pupils during the ‘first key phase’ (Year 8 or 9) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend. The Baker Clause showed this as from the beginning of Y9 until 28th February in Y10.
• Two encounters for pupils during the ‘second key phase’ (Year 10 or 11) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend. The Baker Clause showed this as from the beginning of Y10 until 28th February in Y11
• Two encounters for pupils during the ‘third key phase (Year 12 or 13) that are mandatory for the school to put on but optional for pupils to attend.
  
  Schools must allow providers to have a reasonable amount of time, during the standard school day, to meet the pupils and to provide all pupils with ‘careers-focused’ experiences.

Also schools need to ensure that each registered pupil meets with a representative range of education and training providers. The providers must speak to pupils:

• about their provision – information about the provider and    the approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships that the provider offers;
• providing information about the careers to which those qualifications might lead;
• describing what learning or training with the provider is like
• and be ready to respond to questions from pupils about the   provider or range of qualifications.

At Castleford Academy, we welcome providers and are constantly looking to expand the  experience and impartial information that our pupils receive. Please see our careers programme on our website for further information.