Govt investigating flexible working for teachers looking to hire.....Capita.

[noblegiraffe]

Why the fuck do the government keep hiring totally unsuitable companies for their education contracts?

Ok, it's not been awarded yet (and hopefully the negative publicity will put them off) but it is being reported that Capita are the preferred bidder for a scheme to deliver a 'flexible working culture change' in schools.

Capita recently totally fucked up the SATs marking contract they were awarded, a complete shambles. Why would they even been in running after that?

The govt also gave the National Tutoring Programme to a Dutch HR firm called Randstad, and that was a complete balls-up too.

Also in the running were schools who actually have experience in the area.

Schools are generally dreadful for part time working and this 'culture change' is urgently needed to help retain teachers. The fact that they might balls it up again due to unsuitable contractors is depressing.

schoolsweek.co.uk/capita-set-to-oversee-flexible-working-programme/

You have to wonder. Is it that Capita is the only firm doing this work? Or the only firm doing it at rock bottom prices - because they’re cutting corners and delivering poor quality?

Other than that you’re left with back scratching and bungs. Surely not....?

It's another tick box exercise for the government, with someone (a crony, no doubt) making good money from it. Money that could have been better spent in actual schools.

Is it that Capita is the only firm doing this work?

Other bidders included "a consortium of existing ambassador schools, teaching school hubs and education consultants" (from the article). So people who actually work in education and have the experience.

Randstad were hired for the national tutoring programme because the most important factor that the bids were considered on was price, not ability to deliver.

And we know that govt contracts always go over budget so companies can easily put in a low bid, win the contract, and then charge far more. Coining it in from taxpayer money. They didn't deliver on the SATs contract, and yet that hasn't harmed them, so where's the incentive to do a good job?

I know! Capita!!
Aren't rhey also responsible for private care for children?

Crapita: fleecing the public sector for decades

Other bidders included "a consortium of existing ambassador schools, teaching school hubs and education consultants" (from the article). So people who actually work in education and have the experience.

...and who don't have a hotline to any government cronies.

Just reading their wikipedia page

"In 2012, Capita was awarded a 10 year long recruiting contract for the British Army, worth £1.3 billion.[70] However, they have been greatly criticised, as they failed to meet the army's recruiting target every year up until 2020, with the shortfall ranging between 21% and 45% every single year.[71] According to the National Audit Office one of the main failings of the contract was the new recruiting website, that was delivered in 2017- four years late and three times the original cost.[72] In 2020, the contract was extended for two further years, meaning that it will now terminate in 2024.[73] The Public Accounts Committee stated that Capita entered into the contract without "understanding the complexity of what it was taking on."[74]"

Well, that sounds encouraging. 🤦‍♀️

What does the actual contract involve and how will it foster a more flexible working culture?

Capita are the pitts though, they soon got their grubby mitts into the PIP assessments and look at the state of that.

What does the actual contract involve and how will it foster a more flexible working culture?

I don't know. One of the schools running a pilot was looking into timetabling, which is certainly an area that puts schools off part time teachers as 'too difficult'.

They could hire me and I could give them a list of reasons as to why there are fewer part time teachers than the average population.

Capita have just announced they're quitting delivering the ECF after 2 years (which they've been shit at too). There must have been a pile of money sunk into that debacle too.

Money under the table. It is always this when there's monumental fuck ups and an organisation keeps using a company knowingly. Someone, somewhere is getting kickbacks.

All it takes is an outbreak of illness (all winter at the moment!) and the part time teaching rota will go to shit completely, surely? The trial will probably be unsuccessful but they'll use a nice skewed statistic or percentage to justify going ahead with it, despite it monumentally going to shit for the school when it does go wrong.

There must be something seriously wrong with the procurement process for the government to persistently hire a company with such a shit track record.

Is that not taken into account? Any civil servants out there with any inside knowledge?

All it takes is an outbreak of illness (all winter at the moment!) and the part time teaching rota will go to shit completely, surely?

Not sure what you mean by part time teaching rota and why it would be worse affected by illness than a full time one?

Primary school teachers who are part time normally do a job share so the week is split. In secondary, they don't really do job shares. Trying to timetable a class so that they have a consistent teacher is more difficult when you have part time teachers BUT split classes aren't that bad that it's a reason not to do it, particularly when there's a shortage of teachers and allowing teachers to go part time might keep staff who would otherwise be lost.

Crapita didn and may well still do some of the outsourced work on payrolls in London schools.
When I chased gaps in my pension, the LAs had 100% records, Crapita said they only kept records for 3/4 years.
Utter wankers.