Most of what you need to know
to achieve your Apprenticeship!
Personal Development
Contents
The Apprenticeship...............................................................................................................................................3
Important Off the Job Training Definitions........................................................................................................4
How are Apprenticeships’ achieved?....................................................................................................................5
On-line Training Sessions ......................................................................................................................................9
Showcase Portfolio ............................................................................................................................................ 10
Reflective Learning............................................................................................................................................. 14
A Reflective / Learning Journal ....................................................................................................................... 14
Maintaining a Reflective / Learning Journal ................................................................................................... 17
Cheating and Plagiarism..................................................................................................................................... 19
How to write an academic essay........................................................................................................................ 20
The purpose of an essay ................................................................................................................................. 22
Planning an essay........................................................................................................................................... 23
Produce an essay plan.................................................................................................................................... 23
Structuring an Essay........................................................................................................................................... 25
References and Bibliography ............................................................................................................................. 27
The Bibliography Reference List ..................................................................................................................... 27
Harvard Referencing System .......................................................................................................................... 28
Marking Symbols................................................................................................................................................ 29
Summary - How to write an Assignment ........................................................................................................... 30
Taking Notes in Training Sessions ...................................................................................................................... 31
Safeguarding ...................................................................................................................................................... 32
British Values.................................................................................................................................................. 33
What is not acceptable................................................................................................................................... 34
Prevent........................................................................................................................................................... 34
Off the Job Learning Q&A .................................................................................................................................. 36
Off the Job Training Definitions...................................................................................................................... 36
General Questions and Answers ..................................................................................................................... 36
What must be excluded from off-the-job training? ....................................................................................... 39
When should off-the-job training take place?................................................................................................ 41
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The Apprenticeship
How much work is involved?
It is wrong to say that achieving an apprenticeship is easy and
that it doesn’t involve some hard, challenging, work and study.
However, do not think that you won’t see a cinema or a nice
restaurant for the next few years either! The secret to
achieving an apprenticeship without a roller coaster of late-
night essay writing and 12-hour internet surfing sessions, is to
plan how to fit your apprenticeship around your life right from
the start.
Identify where you can set aside a few hours for study. Check
out your routine work activities and identify where the quite times are. Set aside time in which you can
study and focus on your apprenticeship. Make sure that you create recurring appointments in your diary
and calendar to keep this time ringfenced for study.
From week 1, even if you have no tasks to do, you could spend time starting the functional skills learning
activities on BKSB.
This early start will pay back many times over when you are looking for something in your portfolio!!
Do I get time off to study?
It is a contractual requirement of an apprenticeship that all Apprentices are
allowed 20% off their normal working time to use for off the job learning
activities. This will have been notified to your employer during the sign up
process and you will have agreed to this when you signed the apprenticeship
contract. These off the job learning activities could include attending tutored
classes, work shadowing, visiting suppliers or customers, completing tasks set by
your Tutor, attending workshops, conferences and maybe residential training
courses related to your apprenticeship. It does not include a lie in, a duvet day,
or an investigative trip to the seaside!! – Remember the time you record must be
directly linked to the apprenticeship.
At the start of the apprenticeship your Tutor will calculate how many hours your 20% off the job equates to.
This is the minimum amount of time that should be spent on off-the-job activities during your
apprenticeship.
Remember - this time is to be taken across the whole duration of the qualification and not taken in a few
large lumps!
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Important Off the Job Training Definitions
“Off-the-job training is training received by the apprentice, during the apprentice’s
paid hours, for the purpose of achieving their apprenticeship”.
“It is not training delivered for the sole purpose of enabling the apprentice to
perform the work for which they have been employed”.
“Off-the-job training is a statutory requirement”.
“Off-the-job training must be directly relevant to the apprenticeship framework or
standard, teaching new knowledge, skills and behaviours required to reach
competence in the particular occupation.”
Each time you undertake an off the job learning activity, it is essential that you record this as off the job
learning. You will need to describe the activity and explain how you benefitted from the activity. You must
also explain how the employer will benefit from you having undertaken the activity. Finally, you must
identify the module of the Apprenticeship Standard to which it relates and the criteria within it. You will be
expected to achieve at least the minimum number of hours every month, however, it is recognised that this
may vary from time to time. The running total will be checked and recorded at each 1:1 session with your
tutor.
An apprentice who cannot clearly demonstrate they have fulfilled the 20%
commitment will NOT be allowed to go through the Gateway.
20% is the minimum amount of off-the-job training that should be provided to an apprentice, over the time
they are engaged on the programme. A higher number of hours may be necessary to reach occupational
competency.
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How are Apprenticeships’ achieved?
There are a number of stages in the completion of an apprenticeship. Firstly, your qualification will be based
in the workplace doing the job you currently do, or doing parts of a job you hope to do in the future. An
apprenticeship today is based on three things. The knowledge you gain, the skills that you have developed
and the behaviours you display.
In addition, you must either hold, or be
working towards, the next level of Functional
Skills.
Once you have demonstrated that you have the knowledge, skills and behaviours and have achieved the
appropriate level of functional skills, you will have reached what is known as Gateway. At this point your
employer will ask for you to be put forward for end point assessment. Depending on the qualification, you
may have to undertake examinations, undertake practical tests, submit a portfolio, give a formal
presentation which showcases your portfolio and undertake an interview with an End Point Assessor.
The End Point Assessor will make the decision as to whether you have reached the necessary standards and
the scores you achieve in each area will be totalled to decide what grade you will be awarded.
How do I start my Apprenticeship?
Your employer will put you forward to enrol on an
apprenticeship. Your employer is responsible for your
qualification, the training provider is responsible for providing
the training.
At the beginning of the process, your Tutor will review your
skills, knowledge and identify the most suitable level of
apprenticeship for you. The level you start at will depend on the type and breadth of your current job role
together with your past experience, qualifications, skills and any relevant prior learning. The level you start
at may also depend on your employer in terms of the skills they need to support their business.
How are apprenticeships assessed?
Assessment is based on what you know, what you can do and how you go
about your work. The assessment process involves you (the Apprentice),
your Tutor, an End Point Assessor, your line manager and your Employer.
You, your manager and your Tutor will agree when you are ready to
undertake assessment tasks and will set target dates for completing each
task. This may include a written response to a scenario or case study, a
test, an observation of you at work, testimony of colleague or line
manager, a professional discussion, a written essay or pieces of work
created over the duration of your studies.
What is evidence?
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To complete your qualification, you need to gather evidence which shows
you have achieved the criteria set in the standard. It is important that your
evidence can be easily found, so that it can be checked against the
standards, by both your Tutor and the Awarding Body.
To achieve that, you will use an e-portfolio. In agreement with your Tutor,
you will upload evidence to the e-portfolio where it will be stored until all
criteria have been met.
Your Tutor will choose the way evidence is gathered to be included in the
portfolio for each unit, as long as the methods chosen allow Apprentices to
produce valid, sufficient and reliable evidence of meeting the assessment
criteria.
A balance of evidence types needs to be produced demonstrating the Apprentices’ competence.
Evidence is likely to come from naturally occurring activities from the workplace and may include (but is not
restricted to):
• Products from the Apprentice’s work.
• Records of Team Minutes/agendas.
• Direct observation of the Apprentice’s performance by their Tutor.
• Outcomes from oral or written questioning.
• Personal statements and/or reflective accounts.
• Professional discussion.
• Authentic statements/witness testimony.
• Records of External Customer communications.
Apprentices must provide tangible evidence to their Tutor and this evidence should come from different
sources.
It is important that evidence is:
valid — it relates to the Apprenticeship Standard you are trying to achieve and claim
authentic — the evidence, or an identified part of it (for example, a report), was produced by you!
consistent — achieved on more than one occasion
current — usually not more than two years old, but your Tutor will advise on this
sufficient — covers all the areas of competence needed, as described in each unit.
You should check carefully that the evidence covers all of the above — if there is any doubt about whether
to use a piece of evidence, ask the Tutor for guidance.
Evidence can be collected through a range of sources, such as the job, voluntary work, training and
interests/activities outside work. Evidence can be produced in various formats, e.g. reports, work products,
testimonies from colleagues, supervisors or members of the public, projects, models, audio tapes,
photographs, videos.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
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If an apprentice has previous work experience, skills, knowledge and
understanding which is relevant to the qualification, inform the Tutor about
it.
The Tutor will ask for more proof in the form of, for example, letters from
previous employers/training providers or details about any courses
completed and will need to see certificates. For example, you may have
completed work previously for another qualification, which is relevant to
some of the criteria in the Apprenticeship being studied.
The success of this process depends on the apprentice telling the Tutor
what previous qualifications, work experience or knowledge they have and how they think it is relevant to
their Apprenticeship. The more information supplied to support the claim, the easier it should be to show
competence to the Tutor.
When can simulation be used?
Throughout an Apprenticeship, there should be the opportunity to carry out real work activities so
assessment will normally be carried out in the workplace. The apprenticeship will normally specify which
parts may need a differing approach. There may be times, however, when it might not be appropriate to be
assessed whilst working. For example, where a qualification requires carrying out emergency or contingency
procedures, for safety or confidentiality reasons or if the job role does not cover all of the qualification.
When there is no other means of generating evidence, simulation might be appropriate.
Simulation is any structured exercise involving a specific task which reproduces real life situations. Care
must be taken though, to ensure that the conditions in which you are assessed mirror the work environment
or the environment needed i.e. a realistic working environment (RWE).
Simulations are normally undertaken in a minority of cases, where the Apprentice is unable to complete the
standards because of the lack of opportunity within that work role practice, and where the Standards
permit simulation i.e.:
• where there is a high risk of harm to you or others, or where events such as medical emergencies or
health and safety issues occur
• where there is risk of harm to you or service user in a real situation, for example, dealing with
aggressive or abusive situations or using specified equipment.
What is integration of assessment?
It is not necessary to have each evidence component assessed separately — doing so could result in
assessment that takes too long and makes it harder to achieve and the Tutor to make judgements.
There will be times when one piece of evidence can be used to prove your competence across several
different elements, outcomes or units.
The evidence may be relevant for different units — this is called integration of assessment.
At the start of the qualification, the apprentice and Tutor will spend time looking at the standards, planning
how much time to devote to the qualification and drawing up an action plan.
At this stage any activities that relate to more than one unit or outcome should be identified and arrange for
the best way to collect a single piece of evidence that satisfactorily covers all the evidence components.
Ensure the evidence is cross-referenced to all the relevant units.
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Remember — it is the quality of the evidence that is important — not the quantity.
How should evidence be presented?
Evidence will normally be presented in electronic format. Assignments, essays, reports, feedback, etc, can
be submitted in document format or you can scan or photograph the work and upload it in picture format.
Sound records and video recordings can be uploaded as well.
It is important that every piece of evidence is given an accurate name and that it has been correctly cross
referenced to the standard. The e-portfolio will record the date and time of every submission made so
where there is a deadline to be met – you must ensure you make it!
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On-line Training Sessions
The COVID pandemic has had a huge impact on all areas of society and training is no exception. Classroom
sessions have been replaced with online learning and along with this change comes a new etiquette which
applies to this type of learning.
An on-line training session is no different to one which is delivered in a classroom. The learning objectives
are the same and the expected results are the same.
Please ensure you attend on time. The session will start at the planned time and there will be no
opportunity to repeat any content which has been missed.
You should ensure that you have:
• A quiet environment which is free from distractions and interruptions
• Access to a fast internet connection
• Personal presentation which is appropriate for work
• Access to a computer which is fitted with a camera and speakers or a suitable headset
• Mobile phones are turned off
• Mobile telephones and tablets should not be used for training sessions
• Access to an email account so materials and resources can be sent as needed
• A pen and paper to take notes during the session – there is a great deal of information which is given
in a session which is not easy to find elsewhere.
• A drink and snacks if desired.
It is important that the tutor is able to monitor the body language of learners during the session – it is
therefore a requirement that cameras are on throughout the session, excluding during comfort and meal
breaks.
You should always set your microphone to mute to prevent feedback and sound distortion for other
delegates, however, you must also remember to turn it on when you want to speak!
You should not rely on software to attract the tutors attention – if you wish to ask a question or express a
point of view – turn on your microphone and speak at an appropriate moment. Try not to interrupt in the
middle of a sentence – wait for a natural break. The tutor may not be able to see Teams or Zoom software
whilst running a presentation.
The training sessions will not be routinely recorded, to avoid conflict with GDPR and other confidentiality
issues. In the event that any part is to be recorded, you will be informed in advance. You should therefore
feel free to speak openly and honestly.
The content of discussions which take place in a training session remain in
that training session and must never be repeated outside that session.
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Showcase Portfolio
In vocationally based apprenticeships, the apprentice will often produce pieces of work which demonstrate
the application of the practical skills they have learned and developed over the duration of their
apprenticeships as evidence of their competence.
In more academic apprenticeships, it can be difficult to produce physical examples of work and therefore an
alternative method of demonstrating the skills and knowledge developed over time is needed. The solution
is a portfolio of evidence. For many years portfolios were used and were crammed full of the apprentices
work during the apprenticeship. This was hugely challenging for assessors to evaluate, simply because there
was so much evidence being produced.
The result was the introduction of the Showcase Portfolio. This is a condensed summary of the learners
work which must satisfy specific, defined criteria.
Definition
A showcase portfolio is a collection of evidence that demonstrates the apprentice’s
knowledge, skills and behaviours against the relevant areas/KSB groups within the
Standard.
The Showcase Portfolio…
• Enables apprentices to showcase their best work, and the activities that are most relevant to them
and their role
• Includes some form of contextualisation (not reflection) that links their skills-based and behavioural
evidence to what they have learned on-programme and what they did within the workplace during
the time they were on their apprenticeship
• Is validated using witness testimonies and/or observations
• Needs to be clearly mapped to the KSBs within the relevant assessment method for their Standard
The purpose of the Showcase Portfolio is to provide the EPA with an overview of what the apprentice has
been doing during the apprenticeship and it will provide the basis for the questions which will be set for the
Professional Discussion which forms part of the End Point Assessment process.
The Showcase Portfolio should only contain evidence which covers the KSBs assessed within the
relevant assessment method (usually the Professional Discussion)
The portfolio may be restricted to around 15 -20 pieces of evidence and requires a mapping document that
shows how each piece of evidence is mapped to the relevant KSBs
The portfolio will be predominantly skills-based (Work-based examples/activities supported by
contextualisation statement & validated using witness testimonies/observations)
The evidence should be selected by the apprentice to ‘showcase’ their best work and the key activities that
are most relevant to them. As a result, the apprentice not only knows exactly what is in their portfolio but
also why, and can discuss the evidence in-depth at their live assessment.
A single piece of evidence can take either of the following 2 formats:
1. It could be a single thing or activity, such as a Feedback Report, a ‘Thank-you email’ or an
observation
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2. It could also be a combination of 2-3 things that are all related and when combined provide full
coverage of a relevant learning outcome, area or grading descriptor within the Standard. e.g.: The
activity of chairing a project review meeting that is supported by the following appendices /
documents:
• a copy of the agenda/minutes (that clearly show the apprentice's role)
• the project plan/milestones report (what was discussed, what actions have been agreed)
• a witness testimony or observation by one of the attendees at the meeting (validating what
the apprentice did, how they acted and what were the relevant KSBs that they saw
demonstrated)
It is important that the evidence is clearly related to the defined criteria and this can be demonstrated
through the triangulation of evidence.
The evidence should meet the following criteria:
• Contextualisation – I used what I learned to……………….
• Application (via activity or example) – Here’s what I did……………………
• Validation – confirmation that Learner has done what they set out to do
Planning the Portfolio
• Needs to include about 20 pieces of evidence
o only covers the KSBs listed for Assessment Method (The Professional Discussion)
• Needs to be specific to the individual Apprentice
o In order for them to be able to discuss/talk about it in depth at their EPA
• Ideally should be grouped into and is relevant to the KSB groups defined in the assessment plan
• Needs to show what they did/learned, how they did it and validated
Mapping the Evidence
• It is a requirement to include a mapping document with the portfolio that clearly shows how the
evidence maps to the relevant KSBs within the assessment method
• The Independent Apprenticeship Assessor (IAA) is only able to review the evidence that has
been mapped
• The Apprentice has to reference and be able to talk in-depth about the evidence submitted in
their portfolio during their professional discussion
• It is not the responsibility of the IAA to ‘guess’ what areas or KSBs the evidence is supporting if it
has not been mapped or cannot be easily identified
At the start of any apprenticeship, it is vital that the employer, apprentice and the provider fully understand
all specific details and requirements of the published apprenticeship standard and associated assessment
plan.
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The employer is required to support their apprentice to develop their skills, knowledge and behaviours
required through work-based activities.
The achievement of KSBs’ will form the basis of progress review meetings held with the apprentice,
employer and training provider to ensure the apprentice is on track in meeting the required on-programme
learning, e.g. development of work practice skills, knowledge and behaviours stipulated by their
apprenticeship standard.
Apprentices studying at higher levels are reasonably expected to take a high level of ownership of their
portfolio evidence, so they must be fully aware of their responsibility and what is required from the start.
Any evidence contained in a portfolio must comply with all confidentiality and data protection requirements
and this will be explained to the apprentice at the start of their apprenticeship. Providing the evidence still
showcases the required S/K/B and is still authentic, then redaction of evidence is suitable.
A portfolio of evidence in many cases starts with the apprentice aligning portfolio requirements to evidence
that can potentially be generated from their learning and practice. Creating a draft plan as to what evidence
could potentially be included is always useful. This should be supported with ideas from their employer and
training provider as to the types of evidence that could be generated through their apprenticeship journey.
It would also enable the employer to plan work-based learning opportunities for their apprentice too.
Where a skill / knowledge / behaviour (S/K/B) within the standard is not ‘naturally occurring’ within either
the workplace role or academic programme an innovative approach may be required to expose the
apprentice to this area.
Consider what projects, meetings, workplace shadowing the apprentice could get involved with to generate
evidence for the ‘harder to reach’ outcomes.
Portfolio evidence can in many cases, include work-based reports, project plans, reflective journals,
presentations, assignments, photographs and videos.
The key message is not about the quantity of evidence, but the quality and ensuring the evidence meets the
defined criteria.
The evidence should ‘showcase’ the apprentices’ achievements, including expected behaviours in how they
are working with others and in teams.
The independent end-point assessor will not be familiar with the apprentice or the specifics of their work
environment so evidence must be clear and unambiguous in its presentation. Supporting ‘context
statements’ are recommended to support evidence that could be open to misinterpretation.
Where audio or video evidence is used it is recommended, where feasible, that the IEPA can clearly and
easily identify the key pertinent points within the recording where an apprenticeship outcome is being met.
Please be mindful and check of any file size restrictions applied by the EPAO for this type of evidence
Referencing a Portfolio
Normally this will be competed in an electronic format (through an e-portfolio such as Learning Assistant) to
enable uploading onto the EPAO assessment platform.
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The apprenticeship progress reviews with employers and providers will review how the apprentice is
capturing and collating their portfolio evidence and to check that it is meeting all requirements of the
apprenticeship and EPA.
Before submission, the apprentice should double check all their portfolio evidence to ensure its validity,
currency, sufficiency and reliability and that their completed portfolio meets the set criteria outlined within
any EPA plan/any additional guidance provided by the EPAO.
The duplication of evidence should be avoided wherever possible – a range of different evidence should
always be considered where possible.
The evidence must be clear to those assessing it, e.g. any photographs scanned in electronically must be of
good quality, so they can be clearly seen by the independent end point assessor (IEPA). Visual clarity applies
to all submitted evidence not just to photographs and videos.
The portfolio must be cross referenced to the assessment criteria defined in the assessment plan and this
matrix must be submitted along with the evidence.
Once completed, the portfolio should undergo one final check to make sure the content of the portfolio
reflects the apprentice’s best work before submission.
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Reflective Learning
Reflective learning is a learned process that requires time and practice. It is an active process involving
thinking through the issues, asking questions and seeking out relevant information to aid understanding.
Reflective learning works best when you think about what you are doing before, during and after the
learning experience. Reflective learning is therefore not only about recognising something new, it is also
about seeing reality in a new way.
Reflection is an important skill to develop and requires you to think about how you are personally relating to
what is happening in the workshop or in your work.
The process of Reflective Learning
What do I think about this Issue/topic/ experience?
Explore understanding, perceptions and ideas
Question assumptions
Identify anything confusing or difficult to understand
What more do I need to know to help my understanding?
Develop and refine ideas and beliefs
Identify, locate and interpret relevant Information and resources.
How can I use this experience to improve my learning, thinking and working?
e.g. What would I do differently next time?
A Reflective / Learning Journal
What is required in reflective writing?
Reflective writing provides an opportunity for you to gain further insights from your work through deeper
reflection on your experiences, and through further consideration of other perspectives from people and
theory.
Through reflection we can deepen the learning from work – which of course, is why we do it!
We reflect in order to:
• Consider the process of our own learning
• Critically review something - our own behaviour, that of others or the product of behaviour (e.g.
an essay, book, painting etc.)
• Build theory from observations: we draw theory from generalisations - sometimes in practical
situations, sometimes in thoughts or a mixture of the two
• Engage in personal or self-development
• Make decisions or resolve uncertainty
• Empower or emancipate ourselves as individuals (and then it is close to self-development) or to
empower/emancipate ourselves within the context of our social groups.
There is an old saying that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” and it is certainly true when the “old dog”
has a mind which is closed to new learning and experiences. A “old dog” with an open mind will analyse
their experiences and use that analysis to influence their reaction and behaviour should the experience
occur again.
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You will hear the term ‘reflective writing’ many times as part of your apprenticeship and indeed, it is an
integral part of every successful apprenticeship. Without reflecting back on something, how will you know
whether to do the same thing again or maybe handle a situation differently next time? How will you know
when something has gone really well, but more importantly, why it went well?
You should update your journal every time you undertake some activity relating to your apprenticeship or
PDP. Your reflection may be of a general nature, almost a reflective conversation with yourself or,
alternatively, it could be a structured review of your experience over a period of time.
Ideally you should follow a structure similar to the one below.
• What have you learned or experienced that is new? (Knowledge)
• Where did you learn this?
• How did you learn it?
• How have you, or could you, introduce this into your working life? (Skills)
• How might this affect the workplace?
• How might this affect you in the longer term?
• How might others in the workplace be affected?
• How will, or could this affect the way in which you work and how might others be affected by it?
(Behaviours)
• What have you done differently?
• How will others be affected by this change?
• Will others benefit from the change?
• Will some in the workplace be disadvantaged by the change?
This is not a definitive list and not everything in the list needs to be addressed every time, but you should
feel free to expand and add to this list as you see fit.
You should also keep a record of activities which take place around you which are not “normal”. You should
think about the actions and behaviour of others and reflect on how their activities affected others and the
organisation as a whole. Reflect on how it was dealt with and what the outcomes were. Where possible
and/or appropriate, ask those who were dealing with the matter why the particular outcome was chosen,
what considerations had they made in order to make the decision – did they reflect on the matter before
making the decision?
A Learning Journal will:
• provide a “live” picture of the growing understanding of a subject experience
• demonstrate how learning is developing
• keep a record of thoughts and ideas throughout experiences
• help identify strengths, areas for improvement and preferences in learning
Be mindful of other workplace issues too. You have a responsibility for staff welfare, safeguarding,
PREVENT, Equality and Diversity. Any issue arising under these headings should also be included in your
reflective journal whether or not you were directly affected or involved. What you experience and your
views and thoughts upon that experience are likely to affect and influence you in the event it should ever
occur, in which case it is important that you have reflected on the experience.
This is not the limit of your learning whilst on an apprenticeship, you will continue to develop your English
and Maths skills. Any activity in these areas should also be included and reflected on as this will also form
part of your development and progression. If you are asked to interpret data, create spreadsheets, write
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reports, undertake planning, etc which is an extension of your existing duties, it should be included in your
reflective journal.
Structuring a Reflective / Learning Journal
A learning journal may be called several different things: a learning log, a Field-work diary or personal
development planner. Different subject areas may ask you to focus on different aspects of your experience
and may have different formats.
A journal could be a notebook, an electronic document or sometimes recorded verbally on tape. Choose a
method that works best for you!
Content of a Reflective / Learning Journal
A learning journal should focus on personal responses, reactions and reflections to new ideas or new ways of
thinking about a subject that you have been introduced through:
Workshops, seminars, training sessions
Research and reading including any visual research including television, film and internet
Conversations and discussions with other participants, your Manager, Mentor, Coach and other
colleagues
Significant experiences in the workplace
Write about what you think about issues discussed at the learning event
Any flashes of inspiration
What you understand
What is puzzling, difficult or contradictory
How to reach a better understanding?
What do you need to know more about, and how to find out more?
What resources have helped to understand and/or been interesting to use
How do you feel about the way you have approached the subject/topic so far?
What new knowledge, skills or understanding have you gained during the process of writing your journal?
Regarding your long-term development.
• Have you changed your opinions or values during the process/experience?
• How can you improve your learning, thinking and working in the future?
• Have you identified the next step for your development?
What to write
Step 1
Your journal. This can be anything from a composition book to a leather-bound diary, as long as you find
it inviting enough to write in.
Step 2
Pick a quiet time and place to write, free of pressing obligations and distractions. Remember that this is a
special time for you to reflect on yourself, not the laundry or the electric bill.
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Step 3
Follow a consistent format. Although there is no strict way to keep a learning journal, it may help you to
have that structure to guide your writing. You might begin your entry by first describing what you are
learning. This is often referred to as the Intent
Step 4
Talk about any factors affecting the learning process. Are you studying alone or in a group? How does
this alter your understanding? Did you come to this subject on your own, or was it assigned?
Step 5
Write down your feelings about and reactions to what you are studying. Do you agree or disagree? How
have your assumptions been challenged? What has inspired you? Note any quotes or concepts that
intrigue you. It's helpful to have your learning materials and notes close by for this purpose. This is the
process of implementation of the learning into your working life.
Step 6
Reflect on what you have learned from the experience, and place it within a larger context. How have
you gotten to this point? What can you do to improve in the future? How can you use what you have
learned, and how does it relate to anything else? This final section reflects on the Impact the learning has
had on you and your working life and on the business itself.
Maintaining a Reflective / Learning Journal
The important thing is to add to your journal regularly and to record incidents and experiences that best
demonstrate the knowledge skills and behaviours you are trying to develop and which you have outlined in
your Personal Development Plan.
There are two suggested stages to each reflective log/journal entry:
• Describe what happened
• Reflect on, and analyse what happened, what have you learnt from the experience, what you
would improve another time, what personal and key skills have you developed, what progress you
have made against your initial Personal Development Plan
You will have to make decisions about which experiences to write about and how best to describe and
analyse them. They should be experiences that are relevant to the development of your learning and your
goals. You will also need to write about which areas of knowledge, skill development and/or behaviours
they demonstrate.
When you have completed your log/journal you will be asked to draw the threads together and use them to
show what you feel you have learned and how well you can analyse the learning process you have been
through.
Consider the following when writing your reflective logs/journals:
• Ensure the reflective writing has a purpose.
• Reflective writing requires practice and constant standing back from oneself.
• Practice reflecting writing on the same event/incident through different people’s viewpoints and
disciplines.
• Develop deepening reflection with the help of others through discussing issues with individuals
and groups.
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Revisiting the Personal Development Plan
As a result of reflecting on the changes in your Knowledge, Skills, Behaviour and experiences, revisit your
Personal Development Plan and assess if any changes are necessary.
Do you need to revise your plan?
• Have you discussed your Personal Development Plan with your workplace supervisor?
• Is your Personal Development Plan still realistic and achievable?
• Are there any extra goals or targets you want to add?
• Who in the organisation will help you achieve these goals or targets?
• What learning or training course do you need to participate in to help you achieve your goals and
targets?
• Are the target dates practical?
If you decide not to revise your plan, give a full explanation of your rationale for this decision
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Cheating and Plagiarism
Cheating is defined as any illegitimate behaviour designed to deceive those setting, administering and
marking an assessment. Cheating in an assessment is a very serious academic offence, which may lead
ultimately to expulsion from the course. Cheating can take a number of forms, including:
• The use of unauthorised books, notes, electronic aids or other
materials in an examination
• Obtaining an examination paper ahead of its authorised release.
• Collusion, i.e. the representation of another’s work or ideas as one’s
own without appropriate acknowledgement or referencing, where
the owner of the work knows of the situation and both work towards
the deceit of a third party (while in plagiarism the owner of the work
does not knowingly allow the use of his or her work)
• Acting dishonestly in any way including fabrication of data, whether
before, during or after an examination or other assessment so as to
either obtain or offer to others an unfair advantage in that examination or assessment
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of representing another’s work or ideas as one’s own without
appropriate acknowledgement or referencing. There are three main types of
plagiarism, which could occur within all modes of assessment (including
examination):
Direct copying of text from a book, article, fellow student's essay, handout, thesis,
web page or other source without proper acknowledgement.
Claiming individual ideas derived from a book, article etc. as one's own, and incorporating them into one's
work without acknowledging the source of these ideas.
Overly depending on the work of one or more others without proper acknowledgement of the source, by
constructing an essay, project etc. by extracting large sections of text from another source, and merely
linking these together with a few of one's own sentences.
Any abuse of acceptable academic conduct is subject to Awarding Body Regulation and will be treated under
the Disciplinary Procedure of the Training Provider. A range of penalties may be applied to a student found
guilty of cheating/plagiarism, including expulsion from the course.
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How to write an academic essay
Being able to write a strong academic essay is a critical skill for all students. It is also a skill that will continue
to serve them if they plan to go into an academic career, or any field that involves persuasive or analytical
writing. In order to write a successful essay, the command verbs used in the assignment or task are chosen
very carefully.
The wording of the assignment is very important in terms of how you should approach it.
What is so important about a word?
To obtain higher grades in assignments you need to show deeper understanding of a topic. This can be done
by understanding the words used in the assignment and obeying them!
Command Verb Explanation
Analyse Break the subject or complex situation(s) into separate parts and examine each part in
detail; identify the main issues and show how the main ideas are related to practice and
Appraise why they are important. Reference to current research or theory may support the
Assess analysis.
Comment
Compare Assess, estimate the worth, value, quality, performance. Consider carefully to form an
Conduct opinion.
Consider Provide a reasoned judgement or rationale of the standard, quality, value or
Create importance of something, informed by relevant facts/rationale.
Identify and write about the main issues, express an opinion, giving reaction to what
Critically Evaluate has been read/observed.
Review the subject(s) in detail – looking at similarities and differences.
Critically Organise and perform a particular activity.
Take (something) into account (i.e. different ideas, perspectives, theories, evidence)
Critique when making a judgement
Define Originate or produce a solution to a problem.
Describe Consider the strengths and weaknesses, arguments for and against and/or similarities
Determine and differences. The writer should then judge the evidence from the different
Develop perspectives and make a valid conclusion or reasoned judgement. Apply current
Differentiate research or theories to support the evaluation when applicable.
Discuss Critical evaluation not only considers the evidence above but also the strength of the
evidence based on the validity of the method of evidence compilation.
Typically used to qualify verbs such as evaluate, assess, appraise, analyse and reflect.
Give in-depth insight, opinion, debate, verdict based on a wide variety of sources,
theory, research which may agree and contradict an argument.
A detailed analysis and assessment of something, especially a literary, philosophical, or
political theory.
Show or state clearly and accurately.
Provide an extended range of detailed factual information about the topic or item in a
logical way.
Settle/conclude an argument/question as a result of investigation or by referring to an
authority.
Elaborate, expand or progress an idea from a starting point building upon given
information.
Recognise or ascertain a difference to identify what makes something different.
Give a detailed account including a range of views or opinions, which include
contrasting perspectives.
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Distinguish Draw or make distinction between.
Draw Present a conclusion or decision about what is likely to happen based on facts.
Establish Discover, prove or show something to be true or valid by determining the facts.
Consider the strengths and weaknesses, arguments for and against and/or similarities
Evaluate and differences. The writer should then judge the evidence from the different
perspectives and make a valid conclusion or reasoned judgement. Apply current
Examine research or theories to support the evaluation when applicable.
Explain Inspect (something) thoroughly in order to determine its nature or condition.
Formulate Make something clear to someone by describing or revealing relevant information in
Identify more detail.
Interpret To devise or develop an idea or concept in a concise and systematic way.
Investigate Ascertain the origin, nature or definitive characteristics of something.
To clarify/explain the meaning of something
Justify Carry out a systematic or formal inquiry to discover and examine the facts of (problem,
options, incident, allegation etc) so as to establish the truth.
Outline Provide a rationale for actions and/or decisions. Your rationale should be underpinned
Prepare by research, academic theory, data analysis or experience.
Produce A general description/broad account/summary of something showing essential
features/outline the case briefly but not the detail.
Recommend To make or develop something ready which will happen in the future.
Reflect To make, create or form something. Put together, assemble. leads to an
Research outcome/result.
Review Put forward proposals, an alternative or suggestion(s) supported by a clear rationale
Specify appropriate to the situation/context.
Summarise Consciously contemplate, appraise or give balanced consideration to an action or issue.
Use A detailed study or investigation of a subject in order to establish facts and reach new
conclusions.
To examine, survey, reconsider a subject, theory or item.
Identify or state a fact or requirement clearly and precisely in detail.
Sum up or give a brief account of relevant information in own words.
The action of using something for a particular purpose
Before you start writing, research your topic using good, reputable sources. Organise your essay clearly, and
support your arguments with strong examples and evidence. Once your essay is drafted, make sure you’re
handing in your best possible work by checking it over thoroughly and making any necessary edits.
Read the instructions carefully. Before you begin working on your essay, it is crucial to understand what the
assignment is about, and to learn if there are any specific rules you need to follow. Read your assignment
thoroughly, and assess what you need to do.
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Example:
• Does your essay need to answer a specific question or questions?
• Is your essay supposed to present a critical analysis of a source, such as a book, poem, film,
or work of art?
• Is the objective to demonstrate your ability to present an original argument based on
research?
• Have you been asked to compare and contrast two ideas, events, or literary or artistic
works?
Format
Make note of any formatting requirements. Check your assignment carefully for formatting guidelines.
These might include things like line spacing, total essay length (in words, pages, or paragraphs), font size,
page numbers, or requirements for cover pages and section headings.
If the formatting requirements aren’t on your assignment sheet, you can assume that a standard format will
apply. This is:
• 12pt font – Calibri or Arial
• Double Line spacing
• A4 paper
• 1 inch or 2.5cm margins
• Essay title in the heading
• Your name and page number in the footer
Pay attention to citation style requirements. You will required to cite or reference anyone whose work you
use in a bibliography. It is customary to use the Harvard method of creating bibliographies which is
explained later.
The purpose of an essay
The original meaning of an essay is 'an attempt', or a try, at something. It is therefore appropriate to
consider writing an essay as a learning exercise.
Essays, and other academic writing, focus the mind and encourage you to come to conclusions about what
you are studying.
Writing is often the best possible way to assimilate and organise information. Writing helps to highlight any
areas that you have not fully understood and enables you to make further clarifications. It develops your
powers of criticism, analysis and expression, and gives you a chance to try out your and other writers' ideas
on the subject.
The feedback you receive from the marker of your essay should help to advance your study skills, writing,
research and critical thinking skills.
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What is the Tutor looking for?
As an essay is an assessed piece of work, it can be very useful to consider what the person who will be
assessing the work, the marker, will be looking for. Although different types of essays in different subject
areas may vary considerably in their style and content there are some key concepts that will help you
understand what is required of you and your essay.
When marking an assignment, a Tutor will look for some of the following elements, which will demonstrate
you are able to:
• Find relevant information and use the knowledge to focus on the essay question or subject.
• Structure knowledge and information logically, clearly and concisely.
• Read purposefully and critically.
• Relate theory to practical examples.
• Analyse processes and problems.
• Be persuasive and argue a case.
• Find links and combine information from a number of different sources.
Planning an essay
Planning is the process of sorting out what you want to include in your essay. A well-planned and organised
essay indicates that you have your ideas in order; it makes points clearly and logically. In this way, a well-
planned and structured essay enables the reader, or marker, to follow the points being made easily.
Essay assignments are usually formulated in one of the following ways:
• As a question
• A statement is given and you are asked to comment on it
• An invitation to ‘outline’, ‘discuss’ or ‘critically assess’ a particular argument or point of view
Remember, always write your essay based on the question that is set and not on another aspect of the
subject. Although this may sound obvious, many students do not fully answer the essay question and
include irrelevant information. The primary aim of an academic essay is to answer the task set, in some
detail.
Produce an essay plan
The essay plan below contains ten steps.
It is often useful to complete the first six steps soon after receiving your essay question. That way
information will be fresh and you are more likely to be thinking about your essay plan as you do other things.
• Study the essay question carefully.
• Write the essay question out in full.
• Spend some time, at least half an hour, brainstorming the subject area.
• Write down your thoughts on the question subject, its scope and various aspects.
• List words or phrases that you think need to be included.
• Note the main points you should include to answer the question.
If, at this point, you feel unsure of what to include, talk to your Tutor or a peer to clarify that you are on the
right track. Once you have finished the first six steps and you feel sure you know how to proceed, continue
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to expand on your initial thoughts and build a more in-depth essay outline.
Skim through any course material or lecture handouts and start to build up a more detailed outline. Scan
through your own lecture notes, and if anything strikes you as relevant to the assignment task, write where
to find it on your detailed outline
Write down where you will find the necessary information on each of the points in your detailed outline
(lecture notes, course handouts etc.). Indicate on the outline where you feel that some further research is
necessary.
Note down sources of further information, books, journals, webpages and media sources as appropriate.
Be careful not to allow your outline to become too complicated; stick to main points and keep it relevant to
the question. If you have been given a reading list or a core textbook then check the relevant sections of
that.
Once your plan is complete, stop and think about the proportions – how many words in total you need to
write and how many words to allocate to each section of your essay.
Academic essays usually have a word limit and writing within the word limit is an important consideration.
Many institutions will penalise students for not writing the correct amount of words – for example, the essay
question may call for a 2,000-word essay, there may be a 10% grace, so anything between 1,800 and 2,200 is
acceptable.
Think about the main elements that need to be covered in the essay. Make sure you allocate the greatest
number of words to the 'main body of the essay' and not to a subsidiary point.
Decide how much space you can devote to each section of your outline. For example, a third of a page for
the introduction, half a page for point 1 which has two sub-points, one and a half pages for point 2 which has
five sub-points etc. Although you will not follow such a space scheme rigidly, it does enable you to keep
things under control and to know how much detail to put in, keeping the balance of the essay as you
originally planned
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Structuring an Essay
An essay should be written in a flowing manner with each sentence following on logically from the previous
one and with appropriate signposts to guide the reader.
An essay usually takes the following structured format:
• The introduction
• The main body: a development of the issues
• A conclusion
• A list of references of the sources of information you have used
The Introduction
The function of the introduction is simply to introduce the subject, to explain how you understand the
question, and describe briefly how you intend to deal with it.
You could begin by defining essential terms, providing a brief historical or personal context if
appropriate, and/or by explaining why you think the subject is significant or interesting
Keep the introduction short, preferably to one or two paragraphs and keep it, succinct, to the point.
Some students find it best to write a provisional introduction, when starting to write an essay, and
then to rewrite this when they have finished the first draft of their essay. To write a provisional
introduction, ask yourself what the reader needs to know in order to follow your subsequent
discussion.
Some students write the introduction after they have written the main body of the essay – do
whatever feels right for you and the piece of work you are writing.
The Main Body: A Development of the Issues
Essays are generally a blend of researched evidence (e.g. from additional reading) and comment.
Some students' essays amount to catalogues of factual material or summaries of other people's
thoughts, attitudes, philosophies or viewpoints. At the opposite extreme, other students express only
personal opinions with little or no researched evidence or examples taken from other writers to
support their views.
What is needed is a balance.
The balance between other researchers’ and writers’ analysis of the subject and your own comment
will vary with the subject and the nature of the question. Generally, it is important to back up the
points you wish to make from your experience with the findings of other published researchers and
writers.
You will have likely been given a reading list or some core text books to read. Use these as your
research base but try to expand on what is said and read around the subject as fully as you can.
Always keep a note of your sources as you go along.
You will be encouraged and expected to cite other authors or to quote or paraphrase from books that
you have read. The most important requirement is that the material you cite or use should illustrate,
or provide evidence of, the point you are making. How much evidence you use depends on the type
of essay you are writing.
If you want a weight of evidence on some factual point, bring in two or three examples but no more.
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Quotations should not be used as a substitute for your own words. A quote should always have an
explanation in your own words to show its significance to your argument.
When you are citing another author's text you should always indicate exactly where the evidence
comes from with a reference, i.e. give the author's name, date of publication and the page number in
your work. A full reference should also be provided in the reference list at the end.
A Conclusion
At the end of an essay you should include a short conclusion, the purpose of which is to sum up or
draw a conclusion from your argument or comparison of viewpoints.
In other words, indicate what has been learned or accomplished. The conclusion is also a good place
to mention questions that are left open or further issues which you recognise, but which do not come
within the scope of your essay.
Neither the conclusion, nor the introduction, should totally summarise your whole argument: if you
try this, you are in danger of writing another assignment that simply repeats the whole case over
again.
References
You must include a reference list or bibliography at the end of your work.
One common downfall is to not reference adequately and be accused of plagiarism. If you have
directly quoted any other author's text you should always indicate exactly where the evidence comes
from in a reference. If you have read other documents in order to contrast your argument then these
should also be referenced.
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References and Bibliography
During the course of writing an essay, report or other assignment it is usual to support arguments by
reference to other published work. These references may be from work presented in journal or newspaper
articles, government reports, books or specific chapters of books, research dissertations or theses, material
from the Internet, etc.
Citation is the practice of referring to the work of other authors in the text of a piece of work. Such works
are cited to show evidence both of the background reading that has been done and to support the content
and conclusions. Each citation requires a reference at the end of the work; this gives the full details of the
source item and should enable it to be traced. Referring accurately to such source materials is part of sound
academic practice and a skill that should be mastered. Other reasons for accurate citation and referencing
are:
• To give credit to the concepts and ideas of other authors.
• To provide the reader (often the marker/examiner of the assignment) with evidence of the
breadth and depth of your reading.
• To enable those who read your work to locate the cited references easily.
Remember to note the details of all the documents you read. The bibliography appears at the end of your
work. It is organised alphabetically and is evidence of all the sources you have used in your research. The
first two elements of each reference in your bibliography, i.e. author and date, appear in the text of your
work. This enables the reader to move easily between the citation in the text and the bibliography in order
to trace the relevant reference.
The Bibliography Reference List
The bibliography will be inserted at the end of the document and will contain an alphabetical list of the
references which have been cited in the text.
This is displayed in a standard order as shown below:
Ulrich, W., 1983. Critical heuristics of social planning. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Author: Surname with capital first letter and followed by a comma. Initials: In capitals with full-stop
after each and comma after full-stop of last initial
Year: Publication year (not printing or impression) followed by full-stop
Title: Full title of book/thesis/dissertation in italics with capitalisation of first
word and proper nouns only, followed by full-stop unless there is a sub-title.
Sub-title: Follows a colon at end of full title, no capitalisation unless proper
nouns. followed by full-stop.
Edition: Only include this if not the first edition, use the abbreviation ed.,
followed by full-stop.
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Place of publication: Town or city, and country if there may be confusion with UK place names, follow
by colon.
Publisher: Company name followed by full-stop
Harvard Referencing System
The Harvard system of citation is the most straightforward method of acknowledging other people's work,
because initially all you need to do is mention the author and date of publication in the text of your work.
So, at each point in the text that refers to a particular document, insert the author's surname and
publication year in brackets.
Customer compatibility management emphasises the controllability of customer to customer
interaction in the higher education environment (Rowley, 1996).
The reader can easily locate the full description of the item you have cited by referring to the alphabetical
list of references (or bibliography) provided at the end of your document. The system has the advantages of
showing at a glance the authority used, who may well be recognised, and how recent or contemporary the
information might be.
Direct Citations
If you are directly quoting a piece of work in your own work you should enclose the quotation in quotation
marks and then identify the page numbers the quotation is taken from. If details of parts of the document
are required for example, page numbers, track or title numbers of sound recordings, these appear after the
date within brackets. The abbreviations are: page (p.), pages (pp.), section (s.) or sections (ss.).
There is a need to create "stopping off" places in the learning process or what Kornbluh and
Green refer to as "professional encapsulations" (1989, p.78). These encapsulations allow
individuals time to assess and practice what they have learned, understand it more clearly and
decide upon its relevance.
"These resting times provide periods for reflection and permit time for new things to be learned,
mastered and brought to fruition" (Jones, 1995, pp.122-3).
If the author's name occurs naturally in the text:
When this happens, the year follows in brackets.
The work of Preece (1994) was concerned to emphasise the importance of quality in social
research.
Multiple authors
Three or fewer authors
Cutler, Williams & Schmitt (1986) believe that the fermentation process is prolonged by such
low temperatures.
Four or more authors
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In the case of four or more authors, the first author (from the title page) is followed by 'et al.' (this is an
abbreviation of the Latin term for 'and others').
Matlock et al. (2004) discussed the use of electronic databases.
Website citations
Website with author:
Cite the author and date as usual.
Turner (2001) has created many useful graphs showing the transition between the different age
groups.
Website without author:
Where the web page has no author whatsoever, use the title as the point of reference.
Cancer experts estimate that changes to our diet could prevent about one in three cancer
deaths in the UK (CancerHelp UK , 2002).
However, where you are quoting from a web page from within a larger site and you do not have the author
of the page, use the larger site as author.
HEFCE (2001) outlines the decisions made in relation to funding for universities and colleges in
2002-2003.
Marking Symbols
When your work is marked, spelling, punctuation and grammar will be marked by the Tutor using the
following symbols.
/ New Sentence
// New Paragraph
\ Space required
Sp Underline or circle mis-spelled word
T Incorrect tense used
C Capital Letter
P Punctuation error or missing punctuation
GR Grammatical error
Rep Repetition of word, phrase or idea
? Meaning is unclear
?? Does not make sense
^ Word missing
* Colloquialism – inappropriate use of slang / regional / informal language
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Summary - How to write an Assignment
Read the question
Read it carefully. Pay attention to the important words such as list, state, define, explain, evaluate.
Plan your answer
Decide on an appropriate format based on the important words e.g. List, detailed description, discussion
of viewpoints.
Answer the question posed
Make sure you understand the question. Do not waste time answering a question that was not asked.
Be clear and accurate
Make sure your answer is:
Factual, Logical, Relevant, Concise
Do not ramble
Only include relevant information. An assignment never says, ‘Write everything you know about…’.
Do not write about you
Unless you are specifically asked to state your opinion, do not write anything about you and how you
feel.
Re-read the question
When you think you have finished re-read the question. Make sure you have done all the things the
question asked for.
Proof read
Check spelling and grammar. Do not hand in your first draft.
Proof read
Read it again. Are you sure it makes sense?
When you are sure it is correct, hand in your assignment by the deadline.
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Taking Notes in Training Sessions
One of the most important skills to learn when studying for a qualification is how to take good notes. Use
the notes below to help you.
• Do use or develop a note-taking system that works for you. Whatever
you do, don’t take notes in paragraph form.
• Do date your notes and a note of the session.
• Don’t take notes to one of the extremes. In other words, you’ll need to
find the right balance. Writing too few notes will leave you with too
many unanswered questions while trying to write everything down will
result in frustration and keep you from being engaged in the discussion.
• Do practice active listening, which involves hearing (of course), but more importantly, thinking,
analysing, processing, and seeking to understand as you take notes. Remember too, that good
listening begins with a positive attitude.
• Do develop your own abbreviation system so that you do not need to write down every single word.
Just make sure that you do understand your system once you start using it.
• Do keep your notes safe – and in a well-organised manner. You could take the greatest notes, but if
you can’t find them or lose them, what good will they be when you need them to study?
• Don’t rely on the notes of someone else if you can avoid it.
• Do focus on the major points and key arguments.
• Don’t get lost in trying to record all the minor details or examples. Instead, use the time to make
certain you understand the key details.
• Don’t ignore gaps in your notes or understanding of the material. If the lecturer talks too quickly or
does not allow questions, do make a note in your notes to try to find the answer in your textbook or
follow-up with the lecturer afterwards.
• Do consider bringing a highlighter or coloured pens so that you can mark your notes to reflect key
points, questions you have, etc.
• Don’t doodle or daydream. Once you start disengaging from the lecture, not only will your notes
suffer, but so will your learning. Good notetaking and learning take active listening.
• Don’t write on more than one side of the paper, don’t write illegibly, and do consider other note-
taking options if taking them by hand does not work for you.
• Do consider rewriting or editing your notes for clarity and ease of studying.
Don’t just put your notes away after the lecture. Most studies show you’ll retain more information if you
review your notes within an hour.
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Safeguarding
Recently there has been a great deal of coverage in the news of people
who have been abused. This is not limited to children and other
vulnerable people in society today, there have also been many
instances of historic abuse which, up until now has been hidden. It is
alarming that in our modern society such things as slavery and the
mutilation of human beings still exists.
Because of this, systems have been introduced which make the identification and reporting of
abuse far clearer and for the victim, much safer.
The victims of abuse fall into three categories, these are Children, who are those aged under
16. Young people are those aged 16 – 18 years and adults are those aged over 18.
Definition
Safeguarding means protecting people's health, wellbeing and human rights, and
enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. It's fundamental to high-
quality health and social care.
Safeguarding young people and promoting their welfare includes:
• Protecting them from maltreatment or things that are bad for their health or
development.
• Making sure they grow up in circumstances that allow safe and effective care.
Safeguarding vulnerable adults includes:
• Protecting their rights to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.
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Training providers take their responsibility in this area very seriously and all staff undergo an enhanced DBS
check and are trained to the highest standards in identifying and responding to suspected cases or incidents
of abuse.
In the event that you feel you may be vulnerable to, or suffering from any form of abuse, you should raise
the matter with your Tutor. They will discuss the problem with you and take steps to ensure you are safe
and protected.
You should be aware that anything you tell your Tutor relating to safeguarding
matters cannot be kept confidential and will be shared with people who are able
to provide help and support.
Should you feel that you are being abused or threatened or feel vulnerable in any way, you should share that
with a person who you trust, including your Tutor or the Safeguarding Officer.
British Values
Fundamental British Values underpin what it is to be a citizen in a modern and
diverse Great Britain, valuing our community and celebrating diversity of the
UK.
Fundamental British Values are not exclusive to being British and are shared by
other democratic countries as a way of creating an orderly society, where
individual members can feel safe, valued and can contribute for the good of
themselves and others.
Futures embeds these values into its fundamental policies and will mirror the principles and values of all the
work areas that we support. These will occur throughout your programme and will be promoted by the staff
with whom you come into contact.
These five values are:
Democracy
The rule of law
Individual liberty
Mutual respect and tolerance
It is now a prerequisite that these five values are embedded into the culture of education as well as forming
part of the curriculum. You will be encouraged to think about British Values throughout the course and you
should strive to include this same information into the workplace.
Democracy
A culture built upon freedom and equality, where everyone is aware of their rights and responsibilities.
Examples
• Leadership and accountability
• Joint decision making
• Team meetings
• The right to protest and petition
• Receiving and giving feedback
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Rule of Law
The need for rules to make a happy, safe and secure environment to live and work.
Examples
• Legislation
• Agreed ways of working, policies and procedures
• How the law protects you and others
• Codes of conduct
Respect and Tolerance
Understanding that we all don’t share the same beliefs and values. Respecting the values, ideas and beliefs
of others whilst not imposing our own others.
Examples
• Embracing diversity
• The importance of religion, traditions, cultural heritage
and preferences
• Stereotyping, labelling and prejudice
• Tackling discrimination
Individual Liberty
Protection of your rights and the right of others you work with.
Examples
• Equality and Human Rights
• Personal Development
• Respect and Dignity
• Rights, choice, consent and individuality
• Values and principles
What is not acceptable
• actively promoting intolerance of other faiths, cultures and races
• failure to challenge gender stereotypes and routinely segregating male and female
• isolating Apprentices from their wider community
• failure to challenge behaviours (whether of staff, Apprentices or employers) that are not in line
with the fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect
Prevent and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs
Prevent is part of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy that aims to
stop people becoming terrorists.
It is a multi-agency approach to safeguard people at risk of radicalisation.
It strives to look at building a deeper understanding of how individuals become
radicalised. This helps to identify ways of preventing people from becoming
terrorists or supporting violent extremism.
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Typically, a radicalisation process includes exposure of an individual to extremist viewpoints that may
eventually influence the person to carry out an act of violent extremism or terrorism. This could take weeks,
months or even years. It is possible to intervene during this process and stop someone becoming a terrorist
or supporting violent extremist activity.
Violent extremism is where people seek to justify or promote terrorism or encourage others to commit such
acts.
If you have any concerns about an individual.
If you believe someone is at risk of radicalisation you can help them obtain support and prevent them
becoming involved in terrorism by raising your concerns and making a referral.
You should raise this in accordance with your normal safeguarding reporting process.
Inappropriate content includes speeches calling for racial or religious violence or videos glorifying terrorists
who have committed atrocities, inciting racial hatred.
There is a dedicated internet page where inappropriate content can be reported.
You can visit the site at www.direct.gov.uk/reportingonlineterrorism
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Personal Development
Off the Job Learning Q&A
Off the Job Training Definitions
“Off-the-job training is training received by the apprentice, during the apprentice’s
paid hours, for the purpose of achieving their apprenticeship”.
“It is not training delivered for the sole purpose of enabling the apprentice to
perform the work for which they have been employed”.
“Off-the-job training is a statutory requirement”.
“Off-the-job training must be directly relevant to the apprenticeship framework or
standard, teaching new knowledge, skills and behaviours required to reach
competence in the particular occupation.”
20% is the minimum amount of off-the-job training that should be provided to an apprentice, over the time
they are engaged on the programme. A higher delivery amount may be necessary to reach occupational
competency.
General Questions and Answers
1. Why must off-the-job training be conducted during the apprentice’s paid hours?
An apprenticeship is a work-based programme. The training is required to help the apprentice
become fully occupationally competent in the workplace. Therefore, it is reasonable that the
apprenticeship should be delivered during the apprentice’s working hours. It is not appropriate, and
would be unfair, to expect an apprentice to undertake the apprenticeship in their own time, in
addition to their job role.
If training must, by exception, take place outside of the apprentice’s working hours, e.g. in an evening
or at a weekend, this must be recognised, through time off in lieu or by an additional payment to the
apprentice.
Example:
Sarah is undertaking an apprenticeship in Customer Service. Her tutor informs her of a
lecture taking place on Wednesday evening; this will cover some of the knowledge that is
fundamental to the apprenticeship standard that she is working towards. The lecture is
taking place outside of Sarah’s core hours of Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Sarah’s tutor contacts her employer and they agree that if Sarah attends the two-hour
lecture on Wednesday evening, she can leave two hours early on Friday to make up the
time.
2. What does the following mean …. ‘It is not training delivered for the sole purpose of enabling the
apprentice to perform the work for which they have been employed?’
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Personal Development
It is reasonable to expect that some individuals might require training, in addition to their
apprenticeship, to enable them to perform particular aspects of their job role, especially if they are
new to the job role. However, training for knowledge, skills and behaviours that are not covered in
the apprentice standard must not be included as off-the-job training.
Example:
An apprentice Warehouse Operative, following the Level 2 standard, might need to
understand the equipment, machinery and process limitations within their organisation
and also how to maintain and repair the machinery which they use.
The maintenance and repair of the machinery is not listed within the standard, it is a
requirement of the employer (i.e. it is training that is exclusively (solely) needed to perform
the job). Therefore, maintenance and repair is not off-the-job training and should not be
included in the off-the-job training calculation.
3. Why must an apprenticeship teach new knowledge, skills and behaviours?
Off-the-job training is about upskilling an individual to reach full occupational competency, not
accrediting their existing skills. If it is not new learning (i.e. the apprentice already has the knowledge,
skills or behaviours at the required level), then it is not off-the-job training. Instead, it is prior learning
and should be excluded from the off-the-job training calculation.
4. What can be included in off-the-job training?
The apprenticeship funding rules state that off-the-job training can include the following:
“The teaching of theory” (for example: lectures, role playing, simulation exercises, online
learning or manufacturer training),
“Practical training”: shadowing, mentoring, industry visits and attendance at competitions,
“Learning support and time spent writing assessments / assignments.”
5. If it is unclear whether an activity is off-the-job training is there an easy way to check?
Yes, there are four key tests:
Is the person signed up to the apprenticeship programme?
Is the activity directly relevant to the apprenticeship?
Is the activity teaching new knowledge, skills and behaviours?
Is the learning taking place in the apprentice’s paid working hours?
If the answer to all four questions is ‘yes’ then the activity can be regarded as off the-job training.
6. Can research, networking events and seminars be included as off-the-job training? What about
shadowing others and time spent in the supply chain?
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Personal Development
Yes, these can be included but only if the activity is imparting new learning to the individual, which
will help them to achieve the required knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in their
apprenticeship.
7. If health and safety training is included in the apprenticeship, but it is also a company / statutory
requirement for all employees, is it off-the-job training?”
Yes, this can be included but only if the activity is imparting new learning to the individual, which will
help them achieve the required knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in their apprenticeship. It is
irrelevant that non-apprentices are also completing the same health and safety training in the
workplace.
Example:
Lisa is an engineering apprentice. She has weekly training on how to use a particular piece
of equipment. This forms part of the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for her
apprenticeship and so counts as off-the-job training.
Lisa works with Dave who is now a fully qualified engineer (he is an ex-apprentice). As this
particular piece of equipment is new, Dave is also receiving the same training. As part of
their company’s health and safety requirements, they must both have an observation once
a quarter, to ensure they are following the correct procedures when using this particular
piece of equipment.
The fact that Dave is receiving the same training as Lisa is irrelevant; the training is part of
Lisa’s apprenticeship.
The observation is a company requirement and does not count as off-the-job training.
8. Can an employer induction program count towards off-the-job training e.g. manual handling, conflict
resolution, corporate induction?
Yes, but again it can only be included if the activity is imparting new learning to the individual, which
will help them achieve the required knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in their apprenticeship.
A generic company induction, which might include a tour of the office and picking up a building pass,
will not be relevant. However, inductions can sometimes include an educational element that will
provide some generic skills that are core to the apprenticeship. This would count as off-the-job
training.
Important note: the apprentice must be engaged on the apprenticeship programme for any learning
to be included as off-the-job training; an employer induction can often happen at the beginning of
employment and this may be prior to the individual’s enrolment on the apprenticeship programme.
9. Can reflective learning and self-evaluation type activities be included?
Off-the-job training must be about gaining new skills. If the reflective learning and self-evaluation is
imparting new knowledge, skills and behaviours, this would be relevant. However, if it is being used
as a temperature or progress check then no, this would not be off-the-job training.
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Personal Development
10. For the new policing standard, each new officer will spend up to 12 weeks with a Tutor. They will
respond to actual 999 calls etc. Is this off-the-job training?
Off-the-job training must be separate from the productive / normal day-job. However, this is not to
say that a live environment isn't sometimes required in order to check transferability of knowledge.
Example
It would be difficult for an apprentice in a retail / customer service environment to practice
skills without customers, or for an apprentice bus driver to develop their skills without any
interaction with passengers.
A live environment should not be used for all off-the-job training as essentially this means
the apprentice is performing productive work and isn't being released from their job role.
Learning in a live environment can only count as off-the-job training while the individual is
learning new knowledge, skills and behaviours; once they have these skills, it is no longer
off-the-job training.
What must be excluded from off-the-job training?
The apprenticeship funding rules state that off-the-job training does not include:
“Training to acquire knowledge, skills and behaviours that are not required in the standard or
framework”.
“Progress reviews or on-programme assessment needed for an apprenticeship framework or
standard”.
“Training which takes place outside the apprentice’s paid working hours”.
“English and Maths (up to level 2) which is funded separately.”
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Personal Development
Common Questions and Answers
1. Why is …. “Training to acquire knowledge, skills and behaviours that are not required in the standard
or framework.”…. excluded from the definition?
Off-the-job training must teach new knowledge, skills and behaviours that will contribute to the
successful achievement of an apprenticeship. Whilst the individual might receive other training, if it
is not directly relevant to the apprenticeship then it should not be included in the off-the-job
calculation because apprenticeship funding cannot be used for this.
The knowledge, skills and behaviours listed in the apprenticeship are those that the trailblazer
groups, who designed the standards, have deemed that an individual requires, in order to be fully
occupationally competent at the level of the apprenticeship.
2. Why are progress reviews and on-programme assessments excluded from the definition?
A progress review is the regular tripartite discussion that should take place between the employer,
main provider and apprentice, to review the progress of the apprentice in relation to the planned
programme of learning set out in the commitment statement.
An on-programme assessment is a periodic or modular assessment that might be required for a
qualification that is being delivered as part of the programme.
Neither of these activities impart new learning to the apprentice and this is why both are excluded.
3. Is training that happens prior to enrolment excluded?
Yes, any training that takes place before the start of an apprenticeship cannot be included in the off-
the-job calculation. However, if it was relevant training (i.e. that would count towards the
knowledge, skills and behaviours of the apprenticeship) then it should be recognised as prior
learning and both the length of time needed on the programme and the price to the employer
should be discounted.
4. Why can’t English and Maths (up to level 2) be included in the off-the-job training calculation if the
apprenticeship specifically requires it?
Apprenticeships are designed to have sufficient stretch to require at least 20% off the-job
occupational training. They are designed on the basis that an apprentice already has the required
levels of English and Maths and therefore training for English and Maths must be on top of the
minimum 20% off-the-job training requirement.
Also, English and Maths may not be required by all Apprentices. It would be unfair if two
Apprentices received the same time away from their jobs but one of those Apprentices used up a
high percentage of this time studying English and Maths, to the detriment of any occupational
upskilling that this colleague was receiving.
Example:
Zoe and Imran both have the same employer. They are working towards their Level 3
Dental Laboratory Assistant apprenticeship. Their training provider has agreed the same
programme of off-the-job training for both apprentices with their employer, to teach them
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Personal Development
the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they will need to successfully achieve their
apprenticeship.
Imran already has a GCSE in English and Maths, but Zoe needs to pass level 2 qualifications
in English and Maths before she can take her end-point assessment.
Both apprentices spend equal amounts of time doing their off-the-job training, getting an
equal opportunity to learn the core elements of their apprenticeship. Zoe studies for level 2
English and Maths on top of this. Although her formal English and Maths training takes
place separately, their training provider uses the opportunity whenever they can through
off-the-job training to consolidate Zoe’s functional skills training.
5. If an employer has identified training as essential for a specific job that the apprentice is doing, but the
training is not outlined in the framework / standard, can it still be included as off-the-job training?
No, off-the-job training is the training required to complete the apprenticeship.
Employees may well require other training to enable them to do their job effectively but this isn't
something that should be paid for using apprenticeship funding.
When should off-the-job training take place?
“If planned off-the-job training is unable to take place as scheduled, the apprentice and the employer
must ensure this is re-arranged so that the full complement of training set out in the commitment
statement can still be delivered”. All off-the-job training must take place during paid hours.
“Apprentices may choose to spend additional time on training outside their paid hours, but this must not
be required to complete the apprenticeship and must not be included in the 20% calculation.”
Common Questions and Answers
1. Why must all off-the-job training, including where it has been re-arranged, take place during paid
hours?
An apprenticeship is a work-based programme. The training is required to help the apprentice
become fully occupationally competent in the workplace. Therefore, it is reasonable that the
apprenticeship should be delivered during the apprentice’s working hours. It is not appropriate,
and would be unfair, to expect an apprentice to undertake the apprenticeship in their own time,
in addition to their job role.
The delivery of the apprenticeship content is flexible. It is up to the employer and the training
provider to decide at what point during the apprenticeship the training is best delivered. This
could be a proportion every day, one day a week throughout, one week out of every five or some
other variation. This will depend on what is best for the organisation and the apprentice.
Example:
Joe is undertaking an apprenticeship to become a creative venue technician. He attends
college for one day per week. This time covers some of his off-the-job training and meets
his English and Maths requirements.
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Personal Development
In addition to this time, Joe’s training provider agrees with his employer that he is given 5
hours per week to complete course work, assignments and online learning activities. These
activities are flexible and take place when Joe and his line manager agree, on a weekly
basis, they will be least disruptive to Joe’s day-to-day role. Joe also has one-to-one sessions
once a quarter with his mentor. This time ensures that the all of the necessary off-the-job
training is delivered, in addition to Joe’s English and maths training requirements.
2. If an apprentice chooses to undertake training in their own time can this be included in the minimum
20% off-the-job training requirement?
No, it is recognised that some apprentices may want to undertake study or training outside of their
working hours for their own personal reasons. However, training undertaken outside of paid
employment cannot be counted towards meeting the 20% requirement.
Extra work is sometimes the difference between a pass and a distinction, but the final decision for
doing any additional study must rest with the apprentice. There must be no pressure or expectation
that the apprentice will undertake training in their own time to complete the apprenticeship.
© ice-training 11/2021 ver. 1 42
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