Memorandum from the Interactive College
Nord Anglia (NA) through its subsidiary the
Interactive College (IC) provides a range of services to the MoD
at the Army Foundation College site as part of a PFI contract
with the MoD. The contract is with Defence Services Training Ltd
(DTSL), and the two main providers are Jarvis Accommodation Services
(JAS), who subcontract to a number of other supplier partners,
and the Interactive College. Contracted services at the College
are divided into Serials: the Interactive College is responsible
for three of these serials:
Serial 2: Vocational Education
Serial 3: Library Services
Serial 8: Services to Sport
The Interactive College employs 95 full-time
equivalent staff to provide these three services. Approximately
40% of the staff—employed as Vocational Education Instructors,
Learning Support Assistants, Sports Services Instructors, Leadership
and Initiative Instructors and administrative staff— have
a background in or with the Army or other branches of the uniformed
services. Others are drawn from FE, work-based learning, schools
and local industry in West and North Yorkshire.
SERIAL 2: VOCATIONAL
EDUCATION/SERIAL
3: LIBRARY SERVICES
The AFC recruits 1,344 Junior Soldiers (JS)
each year, with intakes of 864 JS each September and 480 JS each
January. The JS training programme consists of three main components:
Military Training (through the Common Military Syllabus (for Recruits)),
Leadership and Initiative Training (L&IT) and Vocational Education
(VE).
VE provision and Library Services have been
managed by the Interactive College, a member of the Nord Anglia
group, a multi-national educational organisation, since PFI contract
signature in May 2000.
The Interactive College's Mission at the AFC
is:
"To provide quality education and training,
enabling all to achieve their personal and vocational potential"
The course is one year in duration consisting
of 42 training weeks. The VE course consists of a Foundation Modern
Apprenticeship (FMA) in Using Information Technology delivered
in 12 weeks of contact time spread across the 42 weeks. The FMA
consists of a National Vocational Qualification Level 2 in Information
Technology along with Key Skills at Level 2 in Communication Skills
and Level 1 in Application of Number. In addition, the contract
between the Authority and DTSL sets further targets for achievement
at Level 2 in AoN. Key Skills to Level 3 in Information Technology
(IT), Application of Number (AoN) and Communication Skills (CS)
are also delivered to more able JS to add value, though targets
for these awards are not set within the contract.
The FMA element of the VE programme at the College
has been directly funded by the Learning and Skills Council North
Yorkshire to the College, but from August 2004, funds will be
drawn down through a centralised Army-wide LSC contract managed
by DETS(A)'s Project Velvet team.
Since September 2003, the majority of JS have
also taken some units of the European Computer Driving Licence.
JS also participate in a five-week Leadership
and Initiative Training (L&IT) programme, one week of which
produces evidence for the Wider Key Skills; the Interactive College's
participation in L&IT is analysed below (Serial 8: Services
to Sport).
From September 2004, the Interactive College
will be required to deliver the REME Common Foundation Module,
formerly delivered in Phase 2 training, to REME JS.
Falling out of this will be a further accredited
award, the NVQ2 in Performing Engineering Operations.
The Interactive College delivers this serial
in collaboration with South Trafford College (STC) which provides
the VE Director together with specialist consultancy support.
All quality systems have been devised in collaboration with STC
and therefore mirror those that would be found in most competent
post-16 training establishments.
Vocational Education has delivered in Block
C at the Uniacke Barracks in purpose-built, state of the art accommodation
since September 2001.
Management of Serials 2 and 3
The Interactive College has a Director and four
Section Managers (the Senior Management Team) who are responsible
to the Interactive College based in Southport. They also liaise
on a daily basis with Chief Instructor (CI) who is their formal
link with the Authority. The CI monitors their contractual performance
as a work-based learning provider. An elaborate performance monitoring
system (the Matrix) is currently being developed with the Authority
and DTSL to refine this monitoring and reporting process. Staff
are organised into teams, each led by a Team Leader, responsible
to a Section Manager, to deliver provision. Each team has regular,
minuted, fortnightly review and development sessions which are
logged on the Vocational Education Information System (VEIS).
Additionally, five Team Leaders act as points of contact for named
training companies to ensure that there is a channel for regular
communication between VE and the company lines where JS live and
work.
Staff Qualifications
The Interactive College insists that all instructors
within VE are in possession of recognised teaching and assessment
qualifications. Likewise, all Learning Support Assistants are
suitably qualified. All staff undergo regular appraisal through
the Individual Planning and Review system (IPR) which identifies
any additional training required to assist them in the performance
of their roles and which might contribute to their career and
personal development.
Selection of Staff
Staff are selected by application and interview.
Staff are selected on the basis of qualifications and experience.
All staff appointed by IC undergo Criminal Record Bureau (CRB)
checks at enhanced level.
Key Issues in VE regarding Duty of Care
Welfare
The Interactive College is not directly responsible
for the welfare of JS. The company has a manager responsible for
Equality and Diversity (Section Manager, Learner Support) and
any issues regarding learner welfare which occur or come to light
whilst JS are present in VE are referred to her. The affected
JS is then assisted in referring the issue to the most appropriate
Authority agency from:
— Company lines—platoon staff,
Coy 2iC etc
Health and Safety
The Interactive College has a manager (Section
Manager Services to Sport/Deputy Director) who is responsible
for all health and safety issues in the VE Wing. He is responsible
for updating the company's local Health and Safety policy and
procedures and he also sits on the wider College Health and Safety
committee. Health and Safety is a standing item an all team minutes
and all issues which come to light are referred to the Deputy
Director via line management communication channels.
Individual Learning/Learning Support
The Interactive College's main priorities in
VE focus on ensuring that each individual learner receives a level
of instruction and support suitable to their individual learning
needs. This is achieved through the following processes:
Initial Assessment
All JS are basic skills tested in CS, AoN and
IT to determine their skills level on entry. In addition, previous
examination results, head teachers' reports and army entrance
tests (GTI and PQAP) are taken into consideration to ensure that
JS pursue appropriate and relevant Individual Learning Plans.
JS are streamed so that appropriate levels of delivery can occur
and learning is also differentiated depending on the needs of
individual learners within each of these streams.
Learning Support
Any JS who require additional learning support
are identified and this support is provided either in discrete
one-to-one/small group sessions in specialist accommodation in
the Learning Support Centre (which is located just off the Learning
Resource Centre) or through normal provision which is double staffed
with an instructor and a learning support assistant (the latter
staffing pattern occurring in 50% of taught sessions). Two of
out staff are also specially qualified to deal with the needs
of JS who have specialist learning support needs which arise from
dyslexia.
Individual Action Planning
Each JS is assigned an individual action planning
(IAP) tutor who meets with them on an individual basis on at least
four occasions during their 12 weeks in VE to identify learning
needs, set learning goals and to identify the support required
to assist JS in achieving those goals.
SERIAL 8: SERVICES
TO SPORT
Under the terms of the contract, the Interactive
College provides:
1. Staff to deliver a physical training programme
to the Junior Soldiers (JS).
2. Staff to deliver the Leadership and Initiative
Training Programme (L&IT) for the JS. This is broadly an outdoor
pursuits programme in the non-military FE Sector.
3. Facility management of the Sports and
Physical Recreational facility (P&RTC) on behalf of the site's
"landlord" DTSL (Defence Training Services Limited).
Management of Serial 8
Responsibility for the overall delivery of both
the PT and L&IT programme rests with the college military
staff, specifically the Officer Commanding Physical and Adventurous
Training (OCPAT). It is his team that constitute the Physical
and Adventurous Training Wing. NA is not therefore directly responsible.
IC are contracted to provide civilian staff to support the OCPAT
in the delivery of training to the JS.
The military staff therefore tasks the IC staff
who follow lessons and procedures largely dictated by their military
colleagues.
Staff Numbers and Qualifications
In the gymnasium there are currently six civilian
Physical Training Instructors (PTI's) and two specialist swimming
teachers. They are administered by a Team Leader (TL) who takes
day-to-day direction from the military training programme. The
TL is himself a specialist swimming teacher.
These civilian staff augment the military physical
training staff. All staff both military and civilian report through
line managers to the Officer Commanding Physical and Adventurous
training. The majority of the civilian Physical Training Instructors
are themselves ex military PTI's. The contract with MoD means
that civilian IC staff are required to have a military physical
training qualification or a civilian qualification equivalent
to the military qualification. Currently this is defined as a
minimum of an NVQ in Sports and Recreation. In addition they will
have a variety of civilian sports qualifications and are knowledgeable
of current best practice in the sports industry.
The civilian swimming teachers all hold the
appropriate ASA (Amateur Swimming Association) and RLSS (Royal
Life Saving Society) qualifications and the AFC is a recognised
RLSS training centre. (Uniquely in Army Training establishments
the AFC has a 100% pass rate for students undertaking the military
swimming test.)
In the L&IT Department there are four specialist
civilian staff working alongside military L & IT staff. The
IC staff are line managed by an L & IT Co-ordinator. All the
civilian staff, both in physical training and leadership and initiative
training report to a civilian Section Manager for purposes of
personnel management and administration. Day to day tasking of
the civilian IC staff remains with the military managers either
directly or via the College Training Programme.
Nature of Course
In Physical Training, JS follow an enhanced
version of the Common Military Syllabus (Recruits) (CMS(R)) including
agility, fitness and endurance training. There are carefully designed
lessons to allow progressive training leading to summative physical
tests. Staff work closely with the same group of JS over 42 weeks,
the IC PTI's leading their own classes and developing an excellent
knowledge of the individuals and groups.
JS also have ample opportunities to play and
be coached in competitive sports and games. Most instructors hold
national coaching awards in one or more disciplines.
JS also have the opportunity to undertake a
wide variety of sports and pastimes through the Duke of Edinburgh
Scheme which operates at the College. The civilian staff often
train and coach students and teams in these extra curricular activities
much as they would in a public school.
Leadership and Initiative Training
In L and IT the students follow five one week-long
packages of training. The content of each package is designed
internally by the military staff in collaboration with the civilian
staff. L and IT uses a mixture of traditional outdoor pursuits
and developmental training to enhance leadership skills and promote
teamwork and initiative. All the civilian staff in L and IT have
recognised civilian National Governing Body qualifications in
outdoor education. Most have both military and civilian outdoor
qualifications. The majority of the civilian L and IT staff have
recognised teaching qualifications.
Selection of Staff
Staff are selected following application using
an extended interview and a number of physical tests. The interview
is jointly run by the Interactive College (IC) and military staff.
Staff are selected on the basis of qualifications, experience,
physical tests and interview. All staff appointed by IC undergo
Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks at enhanced level.
Duty of Care
IC staff attend a number of induction events
outlining their special responsibilities with students aged under
18, including both IC and College-wide events and induction into
the responsibilities under ITG policy. Standards of conduct and
procedures are set out in the comprehensive PAT Wing Standing
Orders with which all staff must be familiar. Health and safety
considerations lie at the heart of the Physical and Adventurous
training curriculum and health and safety is the most important
single factor in conducting training.
Remedial Training of Junior Soldiers
A system exists for those JS who encounter difficulties
in the PAT training whether it be for medical, physical or pastoral
/welfare reasons. Those students who are either under-achieving
or injured are picked up by the College Medical Services including
a specialist remedial instruction (RI) department which delivers
rehabilitation and physiotherapy. The aim is to return the JS
to normal fitness as soon as possible.
Pastoral and welfare issues are referred back
through the military staff or through the College Welfare Services.
The Welfare Services consist of the WRVS, the Army Chaplains and
the Unit Welfare Officers. A Samaritans helpline is also in place
and actively publicised.
Staff Training
Staff undertake a variety of continuous professional
development (CPD). Certain types of training are offered to all
staff eg for L and IT staff Mountain First Aid and for PT staff
National Pool Lifeguard refresher training.
All staff have had First Aid training, Health
and Safety Awareness Training and Sports staff have had Child
Protection Awareness training. All PTIs have taken the ITG Risk
Assessment course and IC Team Leaders have undergone additional
civilian risk assessment training.
Individual staff training needs are identified
during the annual Individual Planning Review process (IPR) with
their line managers. The training thus identified may result in
further professional coaching, NGB qualification or the updating
and refreshing existing qualifications.
Facilities
The AFC is a result of a PFI Project costing
over £80 million. It has superb sporting facilities easily
amongst the best in all three Armed Services.
Under the arrangement a "Special Purpose
Vehicle" (DTSL) owns the buildings and a subcontractor Jarvis
Accommodation Services (JAS) provides facilities management and
maintenance. JAS in turn devolve some of the specialist facilities
management of the sports areas to IC (eg swimming pool management).
It is important to add that IC does not have direct responsibility
for the management of the facilities but does so on behalf of
the "landlord", DTSL.
The facilities consist of the following:
1. Physical Recreational Training Centre
(PRTC) this contains:
1.1 a large sports hall (1750)
1.2 the hall is marked out for basketball, volleyball,
five-a-side, netball indoor hockey
1.3 six squash courts including two competition
courts
1.4 cardio vascular (CV) training area with a
variety of machines
1.5 weight training area
1.6 climbing wall (indoor)
1.7 fully equipped remedial instruction suite
1.8 swimming pool
1.9 associated changing areas which separate
both genders and permanent staff from students
2. External Sports Facilities include the
following:
2.1 two all-weather playing surfaces
2.2 seven tennis courts
2.3 two cricket tables
2.4 athletics area
2.5 assault course
2.6 three rugby pitches
2.7 eight football pitches
2.8 all weather hockey surface
2.9 external sports pavilion and changing facilities
2.10 In late summer 2004 a specialist "command
task area " and "high ropes" course will be added
to the facilities. This is for teaching L and IT
2.11 A proposal has been put forward jointly
with Harrogate Borough Council for lottery funding to enhance
the athletics area. A joint bid is to be made to Sports England
and the National Lottery. This is to support the Commanding Officer's
vision of a Junior Soldier from AFC representing his/her country
in track or field events at the 2012 Olympics.
2.12 There are various other dedicated spaces
on the estate where extra curricular activities are pursed eg
a go-kart track and archery area.
Health and Safety Management at the AFC
Before giving an explanation of the risk assessment
practices and procedures at the AFC it is necessary to explain
Health and Safety management organisation at the site.
Health and Safety Management is a collaborative
undertaking between the various partners on the site. These partners
are:
1. DTSL: own the premises and as "landlords"
have overall responsibility. This is managed by their on site
facilities management service Jarvis Accommodation Services (JAS).
2. DTSL's supplier partners: work with JAS
on site to deliver services including education and training,
cleaning, catering, and IT support. Each of the supplier partners
has health and safety responsibilities to both its military and
civilian clients, employees and visitors.
3. The MoD: whilst they are technically tenants
on the site, the MoD provides the majority of the population.
The MoD has specific health and safety responsibilities to its
employees on site, notably the Junior Soldiers and Permanent Staff.
It also has responsibilities to its civilian partners on site.
All the various parties are brought together
in the Commanding Officer's Safety, Health, Environmental and
Fire Committee (SHEF) through which joint policies are devolved
and enacted. All parties must be compliant with civilian health
and safety legislation as well as their own internal policies
and procedures.
Risk Assessments
In the Physical and Adventurous Training Wing
(PAT) (loosely the sports area) there are two main areas of health
and safety management incorporating Risk Assessments (RA's).
Firstly health and safety management of student
activities and secondly health and safety management of facilities
and infrastructure.
1. Health and safety management of student
activities
All lessons on the syllabus within the Physical
Training Programme are risk assessed jointly by the military and
IC staff. These RAs are reviewed at six monthly intervals and
also following any change in activity. The RAs "belong"
to the MoD.
In the L and IT curriculum each activity has
a general risk assessment. However, given that environmental and
other conditions vary for each activity and for each group, each
lesson is risk assessed on an individual basis ie a dynamic risk
assessment applies.
The RAs are performed by the instructors and
filed to archive. The Chief Instructor in L and IT has overall
control of the daily activities in consultation with the civilian
and military instructors and OCPAT. In reality, the IC civilian
L and IT staff are the most experienced and qualified staff and
they play a fully integrated advisory role in the activities of
their military peers. A comprehensive emergency action plan is
in place for all high-risk activities. All activities and staff
ratios are subject to the comprehensive regulations laid down
by the Army for all physical and adventurous activities. Staff
are expected to be familiar with all these regulations. In addition
there are local regulations resulting from specific risk assessments.
These include everything from road crossing procedures to hourly
updates of temperature / humidity readings which effect the level
of all training.
There are specific military PT activities which
require civilian staff to be specially trained eg using the assault
course, or endurance-training leader.
There have been joint training events organised
by the Army for IC staff. Reciprocal training events often occur
where the IC staff with specific skills (eg Pool Lifeguard Trainer/Assessor)
train their military colleagues.
2. Health and safety management of facilities
and infrastructure
As stated the sports facilities are owned by
DTSL who devolve health and safety management to JAS. JAS in turn
devolve aspects of health and safety management to IC.
In reality, the systems in place are jointly
designed by the military staff and IC who are subject matter experts.
These procedures are then handed on to DTSL as the landlords.
For example, the swimming pool is run as a civilian swimming pool
under the relevant legislation with additional rules from military
swimming pools.
The buildings and facilities have a full set
of operating procedures controlling use of and access to facilities.
These operating procedures are put into practice by military and
IC staff.
Applicability of Health and Safety Legislation
IC adheres to all civilian health and safety
regulations in its conduct of training and building management.
When compared to the non-military sector the MoD is exempt certain
health and safety legislation that would otherwise apply to a
private company providing training services to the under-18s.
These include the legislation linked to the Adventurous Activities
Licensing Authority. However, IC would contend that equivalent
or even more stringent operating and audit processes are in place.
The College, rather than Nord Anglia is a training
provider for the Learning Skills Council. The LSC has recently
increased its role in monitoring and developing health and safety
awareness and procedures for "learners" under its jurisdiction.
The College, supported by IC, is currently in discussion with
the LSC Health and Safety Advisers on health and safety practices
and procedures at the AFC. It is our belief that the College is
compliant with LSC standards but all parties are as always keen
to improve standards.
Health and Safety will form part of the Self
Assessment Report and the inspection regime for the OFSTED Adult
Learning Inspectorate to which the College is subjected as a Provider
to the LSC.
June 2004
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