(POSTPONED) Delivery of Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) Training Courses

Update: Please note that this procurement has been postponed due to COVID-19.

The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking multiple providers to design and deliver Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) courses supporting recruitment to Initial Teacher Training (ITT). A framework agreement will replace the grant funding model currently in place for the SKE programme, and will be the only means of drawing down funding from the DfE for SKE courses delivered from October 2020.

SKE is a key part of the Department's teacher supply strategy and supports recruitment to ITT in hard-to-recruit subjects. It is for applicants who have a conditional offer of a place on an ITT programme. SKE programmes are designed to help these applicants gain the depth of subject knowledge needed to train to teach in their chosen subject.

SKE courses:

• support conditional offers to places on ITT courses or High Potential Initial Teacher Training (HPITT) programmes;
• must only be offered to Participants who, without SKE, would be highly unlikely to meet the subject knowledge requirements of the Teachers' Standards by the time their ITT course is complete;
• enable Participants to train to teach their chosen subject;
• need to include a mechanism for informing the ITT provider of progress made by the Participant on completion of the course;
• must end before the Participant completes their ITT course and before a recommendation for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) is made; and,
• cannot be longer than the minimum duration recommended by the ITT provider to address the subject knowledge gaps of a Participant.

For more information on the service requirement, the procurement process and to access the tender documents please go to: https://education.app.jaggaer.com/

Please note: The estimated value is the maximum budget for funding SKE courses over the term of the framework agreement and includes both provider payments and participant bursary payments. Acceptance onto the framework will not guarantee any funding and individual call-offs will be made on the instruction of the participant undertaking the SKE course.

Please note: There is no restriction on the number of providers that can be appointed to the framework and the Department intends to run subsequent procurements on an annual basis to appoint further providers to deliver SKE training courses.

Additional information:

The DfE will be running two tender information webinars on the following dates:

3. March, 3pm - 4.30pm - The first session will provide a general overview of the procurement, covering the programme background, service requirement and procurement process.

4. March, 3pm - 4.30pm - The second session will be led by DfE Commercial and focus on the tendering process with a 'walkthrough' of the tender documents, explanation of the processes involved and outlining what is required to submit a compliant bid. This session will be particularly useful for anyone who is unfamiliar with applying for public sector contracts or feel they require additional support to submit a tender.

18. March, 1pm - 3pm - A third session will be held covering both the service overview and a detailed tender pack 'walkthrough' for bidders who were unable to attend the first sessions.

Please use the messaging facility in the eTendering Portal to register for either event.