Paul Blackshaw
ILR, QAR and funding rules specialist with 13+ years experience. Providing ITPs and colleges with consultancy services to primarily support their Apprenticeship operations and management.
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Paul Blackshaw commented,
I submitted pretty much the same query over 5 weeks ago and it's apparently sat with the Specialist Support Team. Will be interesting to see if I receive the same reply.
I submitted pretty much the same query over 5 weeks ago and it's apparently sat with the Specialist Support Team. Will be interesting to see if I receive the same reply.
Paul Blackshaw commented,
Further development on this point has identified the report logic in the PDSAT has not been updated to reflect the policy change referred to in version 2 of the 2022/23 Apprenticeship Funding Rules. Currently, the PDSAT report ID 24A-206 continues to state: Apprentices in scope for this report can start level 1 or below in English and/or maths prior to level 2 English and/or maths where a main/lead provider or delivery subcontractor has conducted a formal, recognised assessment that demonstrates that the apprentice needs to study at level 1 first in order to successfully achieve level 2. I have reported this to the PDSAT help desk and requested the report logic be updated.
Further development on this point has identified the report logic in the PDSAT has not been updated to reflect the policy change referred to in version 2 of the 2022/23 Apprenticeship Funding Rules...
Paul Blackshaw commented,
Thanks Steve. Your reference to the rule that allows the money earned to date to be retained is an excellent point. Cheers.
Thanks Steve. Your reference to the rule that allows the money earned to date to be retained is an excellent point. Cheers.
Paul Blackshaw commented,
Here is my latest reply from the Help Desk / Specialist Support Team regarding the rounded weeks calculation of 20% OTJT hours. The Specialist Support team have been in touch today to let us know the following; We will not be removing rounding from the OTJ policy, calculator or associated FRM report. If you have been using your own calculator, one that does not include rounding, then this is fine. The material difference, depending on the length of programme, is likely to be no more than 1-3 hours overall. All you would need to do is to explain how you have calculated OTJ if you are asked to (e.g. in an audit). In relation to historic learners on the FRM report (prior to a rounded calculation appearing in the funding rules) we will look at this internally.
Here is my latest reply from the Help Desk / Specialist Support Team regarding the rounded weeks calculation of 20% OTJT hours. The Specialist Support team have been in touch today to let us know...
Paul Blackshaw commented,
Finally received a reply from the Specialist Support Team justifying the rounding of weeks used in the published OTJ calculator. "The Specialist Support team have been in touch today to let us know that with regards to the OTJ calculation, the example that we have used in the funding rules for a number of years clearly has rounding in it (we use 52 weeks instead of 52.14 for a 365 day year) and we round 278.4 hours down to 278 hours. This has been replicated in the OTJT calculator and in the FRM 37 report." So it looks like we are stuck with a mathematically incorrect calculation of 20% informing the FRM37 report. Unbelievable!!
Finally received a reply from the Specialist Support Team justifying the rounding of weeks used in the published OTJ calculator. "The Specialist Support team have been in touch today to let us know...
Paul Blackshaw commented,
Earlier this week I asked the Helpdesk to confirm whether an apprenticeship can be recorded as complete if the apprentice has sat and failed part of their EPA and therefore does not attempt any remaining parts of the EPA. Two days later, here is their reply: Dear Paul, Ticket reference number: 1016532. I can confirm that rule 120 refers to the end-point assessment being recorded with the outcome in the ILR. It refers to 'all elements of the end-point assessment' because the completion payment is not paid until the outcome is recorded. If the apprentice fails an element, they are not able to continue and therefore they have completed all the elements they could and receiving a fail outcome. I hope that clarification is useful.
Earlier this week I asked the Helpdesk to confirm whether an apprenticeship can be recorded as complete if the apprentice has sat and failed part of their EPA and therefore does not attempt any rem...
Paul Blackshaw commented,
I've still not received a reply from the helpdesk, other than the regular automated updates saying "we are working on your issue". The point I originally made back in December 2023, along with the calculation being mathematically incorrect, is that the rounded calculation is not compliant with Funding Rule 73.4. which states: ‘This formula must be adapted proportionally for longer duration apprenticeships’. In a mathematical context, this means having a constant ratio to another quantity, which unfortunately the rounded calculator does not provide.
I've still not received a reply from the helpdesk, other than the regular automated updates saying "we are working on your issue". The point I originally made back in December 2023, along with the ...
Paul Blackshaw commented,
The current version of the published calculator rounds down as well as up, which means it calculates less than 20% for durations rounded down, as shown in this example. [image]
The current version of the published calculator rounds down as well as up, which means it calculates less than 20% for durations rounded down, as shown in this example.
Paul Blackshaw commented,
The 2024/25 definition has been updated this morning to mirror the existing definition for 2023/24 by adding "For new starts on or after August 2019, the planned end date must only include the learning related to the learning aim and not include the end point assessment period."
The 2024/25 definition has been updated this morning to mirror the existing definition for 2023/24 by adding "For new starts on or after August 2019, the planned end date must only include the lear...
Paul Blackshaw commented,
I will ask the ESFA for confirmation whether the new definition is correct and will update on here when I get an answer.
I will ask the ESFA for confirmation whether the new definition is correct and will update on here when I get an answer.