Our subcontracting partners 2021/22

In accordance with our ESFA funding contracts, below is a summary of our subcontracts for the academic year 2021/22 with a high-level rationale for each.

Each of these rationales is approved in greater detail each year by the Corporation’s audit committee to ensure that each contract is low risk from a quality and financial perspective, has sufficient monitoring in place to guarantee the quality going forward and is of strategic value to the organisation.

Our subcontracting policy and general strategic aims is available from our governance page.

Partner: SOFEA

Specific funding stream: 16 to 19 programmes

Value of contract in academic year:

  • Funds passed to SOFEA: £162,389.08 (85% of funding drawn down)
  • Funding retained by Activate Learning for management of the contract: £9,930.17
  • Funding retained Activate Learning for quality assurance and oversight: £14,771.45
  • Funding retained Activate Learning for administrative functions such as data returns: £3,952.26
  • Additional funding is generated through high needs funding arrangements with local authorities for students that require support above £6,000
  • Funds passed to SOFEA: £188,480 (85% of funding drawn down)
  • Funding retained by Activate Learning for management of the contract: £8,455.58
  • Funding retained Activate Learning for quality assurance and oversight: £13,048.29
  • Funding retained Activate Learning for administrative functions such as data returns and EHCP co-ordination: £8,350.50
  • Funds retained for procurement of equipment: £3,407.62

High-level rationale summary:

The relationship enables and supports hard to reach young people and engages them back into education in a unique way. External organisations recognise SOFEA’s and Activate Learnings influence and presence in the county and beyond through the FairShare brand. There are increased opportunities to grow and expand the provision together on the Didcot site.  This is a jointly delivered study programme on Sofea’s premises.

Partner: Reading Football Club Community Trust

Specific funding stream: 16 to 19 programmes

Value of contract in academic year:

  • Funds passed to RFCCT: £50,000 (85% of funding drawn down, plus payment in lieu of lagged funding for an additional cohort)
  • Funding retained by Activate Learning for management of the contract: £2,445.55
  • Funding retained Activate Learning for quality assurance and oversight: £6,070.72
  • Funding retained Activate Learning for administrative functions such as data returns: £416.82

High-level rationale summary:

Activate Learning will be sharing facilities at the Madejski Stadium for the continued teaching of Laser L2 and a new BTEC L1 Programs sports courses from September 2021. The Laser L2 course in coaching and social work will be delivered by RFCCT to provide an expert employer-led delivery of this qualification. AL will provide pastoral support and English and maths delivery. In addition, the new BTEC L1 will also be co-delivered with RFCCT to allow a pathway for playing football, taught by qualified teachers who are also experts at the club to add employer-led expertise.

Activate Learning are subcontracting with RFCCT to enhance the opportunities available to our students. The community connections and employer links offered by RFFCT are exceptional, while the classrooms, gym and training facilities at the Madejski Stadium will benefit the student’s educational experience.

Partner: Ignite Sport UK Ltd

Specific funding stream: Adult Education Budget

Value of contract in academic year:

  • Funds passed to Ignite: £174,134.27 (89% of funding drawn down)
  • Funding retained by Activate Learning for management of the contract: £8,422
  • Funding retained Activate Learning for quality assurance and oversight: £10,943
  • Funding retained Activate Learning for administrative functions such as data returns: £2,007

High-level rationale summary:

Ignite Sport have forged relationships with user groups that are not currently engaging with Activate Learning. By working with Ignite on this cohort we can engage with a wider user base for potential further learning opportunities in response to stakeholder demands and increase our geographical base to parts of the county that do not currently work with Activate Learning.  The curriculum offer has been modified for 21/22 to ensure that AL and Ignite offer complementary products that allow students to progress from one to the other and participate in higher-level learning.

Specific funding stream: ESF - Skills to Support the Workforce (SSW)

Value of contract in academic year:

  • Funds passed to Ignite: £75,360 (83% of funding drawn down)
  • Funding retained by Activate Learning for management of the contract: £4,540
  • Funding retained Activate Learning for quality assurance and oversight: £10,892
  • Funding retained Activate Learning for administrative functions such as data returns: £963

High-level rationale summary:

This sub-contract is for the SSW service and runs from April 2019 to July 2023. The Agency expect us to work with partners to engage with disparate groups in the community.

Ignite Sport will deliver upskilling and retraining within the sport sector and initially focus on schools to develop employees in support roles to deliver sport sessions

Ignite have the largest sports community hub in Oxford by being at Oxford City FC, with community events and participation taking place each day.  They are uniquely positioned to attract students that may not necessarily want to attend a college campus and have facilities in the City that we do not.

Ignite have a strong relationship with local schools and attract and upskill staff from, primarily, primary schools so work in and develop primary sports teaching.  This is the Skills Support for the Workforce programme so is designed to upskill those currently in work.  Ignite have a track record of doing so with this group.

Partner: Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust

Specific funding stream: Adult Education Budget

Value of contract in academic year:

  • Funds passed to partner: £72,340 (90.4% of funding drawn down)
  • Funding retained by Activate Learning for management of the contract: £4,727
  • Funding retained Activate Learning for quality assurance and oversight: £2,050
  • Funding retained Activate Learning for administrative functions such as data returns: £883

High-level rationale summary:

Activate Learning are subcontracting delivery to Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust in order to:

  • Enhance the opportunities available to students, employees of NHS Trusts who want to progress internally.  Many will progress to become Nurse Associate Apprenticeships to help meet the shortfall of nurses and other health professionals in the NHS.
  • To widen the range and scope of provision offered by Activate Learning in terms of engagement, retention and progression to nursing opportunities, a key strategic focus of the organisation
  • To increase learner and employer engagement between our two organisations
  • To support better geographical access for learners through onsite delivery at NHS Trust facilities
  • To respond to meet stakeholders demands (Learners, Employers and Community)
  • To develop and support local NHS Trust where a symbiotic relationship is developed/can be explored, in particular links to T-Levels and progression to employment for out L3 HSC students

Students will benefit from this arrangement because they can study within the Trust site where they are taught English and maths Functional Skills in a contextualised way, to enable them to progress internally.