Decision details

Greater Manchester Multiply Scheme – Enhanced Level 2 Grant Funding

Decision Maker: Group Chief Finance Officer

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

This opportunity has been ring-fenced to current GMCA Devolved AEB providers who are delivering Level 2 Maths qualifications.

In the first instance, AEB providers delivering Enhanced Level 2 in 2023/24 were invited to submit an Expression of Interest to continue to deliver this additional support above and beyond what the AEB will fund to detail:
1. The barriers learners are experiencing in achieving their Level 2 Maths
2. Proposed activities to alleviate these barriers
3. Rationale behind the number of learners identified as at risk
4. Costings to deliver this additional support

7 providers submitted an EOI for this support and all 7x of these EOIs following assessment and any necessary follow-ups/negotiations have been approved. Full assessment and values of those approved can be found within this spreadsheet:

As part of the evaluation process, GMCA ensured value for money by assessing the cost submission in the following ways:
1. Ensuring only eligible costs were included
2. Comparing proposed projects against proposed costs and ensuring they were proportionate
3. Where projects across Providers were similar but had varying costs, we followed up with the relevant provider on this

Decision:

Multiply is a UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) funded national programme, commissioned and delivered locally, to support adults who do not have GCSE/Level 2 maths or equivalent to gain skills in Maths/Numeracy.

A key aim of the GM Multiply Scheme is to increase the number of adults achieving a maths qualification, up to and including Level 2.

The Enhanced Level 2 Support will support Greater Manchester residents aged 19+ who have already engaged and enrolled on a Level 2 Maths Qualification (e.g. GCSE or Functional Skills) to achieve their qualification, but they are at risk of not doing so. This could be because;

• They have failed their exam, or only gained Level 1
• They are at risk of dropping out
• They have acknowledged they require additional support

Following an Expression of Interest process, the Grant award has been approved to the following organisations:

Aquinas College £5,491.87
Rochdale Training Association £28,250.00
Tameside College £160,551.00
Wigan Council £12,679.00
TOTAL £206,971.87

Please see the attached the Expression of Interest form that providers were invited to complete for this process:
Existing providers (who access this funding in the 2023/24 academic year)


Publication date: 24/01/2025

Date of decision: 23/01/2025

Effective from: 01/02/2025

Accompanying Documents: