Foundation Apprenticeship Provision in Scotland. Review

In 2020, the Scottish Ministers requested that HM Inspectors of Education review the quality of Foundation Apprenticeship (FA) programmes in Scotland. The purpose of the review was to identify what is working well, what is in need of further development or improvement, and to inform future arrangements. The review took place between March 2020 and November 2021 and took account of variations in the range and scale of FA provision across Scotland. In line with COVID-19 restrictions, HM Inspectors made arrangements with key stakeholders to carry out evaluative activities either remotely or in person as appropriate. Throughout the review, HM Inspectors drew upon data supplied by Skills Development Scotland (SDS), Scottish Government (SG) and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). Review activities involved professional dialogue with key stakeholders, young people, and staff in nine local authorities, eleven secondary schools, six colleges and six independent training providers (ITPs). HM Inspectors also observed learning and teaching activities delivered onsite and online. The quantification used within this report relates to these authorities, schools and providers.