Education and training services

Tender description

The Centres for Excellence (CfE) programme will enhance basic maths teaching (upto GCSE or equivalent) so that students 16-19 who do not hold a GCSE grade 4 or above can improve their skills and secure valuable qualifications. We are seeking a Delivery partner to use their mathematical and programme management expertise to develop evidence-based teaching approaches; work with Centres to implement and disseminate them; and evaluate their success. The overarching aim is to improve mathematical skills and knowledge for the 16-19 cohort with low prior attainment. Improvements will be demonstrated by sound mathematical knowledge as evidenced by appropriate level 2 qualifications. For this reason we expect the Delivery partner to have demonstrable mathematical expertise. We anticipate that as part of their programme management responsibilities, the Delivery partner will train, mentor and support the Centres to trial the approaches within their institution, and to disseminate them more widely. At Autumn Budget 2017 we announced plans to establish basic maths Centres for Excellence (CfE) across the country to build teaching capacity and spread best practice on what works to improve basic skills. To deliver this, the DfE is seeking a Delivery partner with mathematical expertise to manage the programme. In addition to typical programme management responsibilities, we anticipate that as part of managing this programme the Delivery partner will develop evidence-based basic maths teaching approaches in line with our proposed themes then support, train and mentor the Centres to deliver the approaches, and evaluate their success. Four teaching methods are proposed, as either standalone or complementary approaches: i) An adapted ‘Teaching for maths mastery’ for lower attaining students in FE – This is an approach used in Maths hubs to ensure pupils achieve a comprehensive understanding of mathematical concepts and learn how to apply the maths to a variety of contexts using a Shanghai/Singapore approach to teaching maths. The CfE programme could trial an adapted maths mastery approach suitable for the cohort of post-16 low attaining students and relevant to the FE timetable and teaching environment. ii) Motivating and engaging learners — Evidence suggests that students find re-sitting maths and English qualifications to be a demotivating experience. This approach could research, develop and trial engaging approaches to teaching maths to demotivated learners and practical methods to supporting students to overcome any barriers to their engagement. iii) Contextualisation of content towards vocational learning - Students are more likely to improve their engagement and attainment when maths aligns to their vocational aspirations. In anticipation of the 15 technical routes for T-Levels, we propose to trial embedding route specific numeracy content in to students’ study programmes. iv) Use of technology: This theme could research, develop and trial the use of technology, exploring whether there are more efficient or intelligent ways to manage and support teaching and learning. This theme could explore the use of prior attainment data, diagnostics tools and online/virtual learning. The Centres will be selected through a competitive application process and directly grant funded by DfE. The Delivery partner will have no role in this process. The Delivery partner will be appointed following competitive tender and be accountable to the Secretary of state for education for the services provided. They must be able to demonstrate performance and accountability for the services provided by means of a range of management reporting requirements. DfE will welcome bids from a consortia of organisations, from a lead contractor working with sub-contractors, and will accept bids from single suppliers. DfE will issue its final specification of requirements for the Delivery partner at competition launch. The Delivery partner will provide the service with professionalism, skill, care and diligence in accordance with best professional practices to produce value for money services, offering: — the ability to provide a comprehensive service nationally while meeting the needs of local providers; — a proactive response to the DfE’s requirements, including the ability to react to developing policy, liaise with a range of stakeholders, and produce evidence-based approaches to pedagogy; — a high level of understanding and experience of developing effective approaches to improving attainment in mathematics; — the ability to support the Centres to deliver the teaching approaches and establish strong networks; and. — ongoing formal monitoring and evaluation of performance and outputs. The Delivery partner must comply with the requirements of the HM Treasury publication ‘Managing public money’ as it applies to the service and such other relevant guidance as may be issued by HM Treasury or DfE from time to time, in particular the Public expenditure system papers.