Working closely with government and industry bodies, SDN has been instrumental in helping training organisations and employers across the country to understand, prepare and deliver new skills initiatives and reforms. We’ve also led on large-scale research projects.
Here’s a few examples…
T Level industry placements – employer support package
SDN has been commissioned by the DFE to lead a major package of support, to help employers across the country to plan and prepare to offer high-quality industry placements.
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T Level Professional Development Offer
Our team has been at the forefront of helping training organisations to prepare for, and deliver, T Levels. We’ve been a major delivery partner with the ETF, helping providers to understand T Levels, map out their development journey and provide training for technical teachers on the assessment approach for T Levels.
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Future Apprenticeships – training providers
As the core delivery partner, SDN worked with over 1,000 apprenticeship providers and their staff to make the transition to apprenticeship standards. We helped providers establish new delivery models, make organisational changes and develop curriculums for specific standards, culminating in the Future Apprenticeships toolkit. We also developed a 2-hour online course exploring equality, diversity and inclusion for apprenticeship standards.
Future Apprenticeships – end-point assessment
Working closely with the ESFA, SDN were instrumental in helping to establish the end-point assessment market. We supported 50 of the first EPAOs and their assessor teams to set-up, design and deliver robust end-point assessments for the first time.
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Local (LEP) apprenticeship toolkits for employers
Working with the Learning and Work Institute, SDN designed a bespoke toolkit for 21 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) across England, providing advice, case studies and tools for employers in each region, to support their engagement in apprenticeships.
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Outstanding Teaching, Learning and Assessment – apprenticeships
Commissioned by the ETF, SDN led a programme of research with over 30 organisations and 120 practitioners, exploring what outstanding teaching, learning and assessment means for apprenticeship standards.
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Outstanding Teaching, Learning and Assessment – education technology
SDN headed up an innovative pilot programme for the ETF, looking at how the digital capability of students could be harnessed to support staff and improve their teaching, learning and assessment.
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Longitudinal research – tracking the apprenticeship reforms in each industry
SDN conducted an ongoing research project for FISSS over three years, mapping how the apprenticeship reforms were playing out in each industry. This included a comprehensive analysis of government data, qualitative interviews and policy workshops.
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Advanced Learner Loans
Funded by the ESFA, SDN developed a toolkit to support providers looking to establish and grow provision funded by advanced learner loans. The interactive resource included guidance, practice and a wide range of tools.
