How to win: Step Up To Social Work Cohort 10 Emerging Talent Recruitment

About this contract

The Department for Education (DfE) is responsible for the Step Up to Social Work (SUSW) programme and requires a contractor to manage the application and assessment process for Cohort 10. SUSW is an established part of the social work sufficiency pipeline, training high-quality post-graduate students to become qualified, practising social workers. SUSW is an LA-led, accelerated, practice-focused route into social work. SUSW commenced in 2010, delivering the Programme every 2 years. There has been 8 completed cohorts to date, training 3,500 Social Workers. Cohort 9 (640 students) commenced in January 2026 and will complete March 2027. Indicative Programme Scope a) Design, manage and host a web portal and online platform allowing potential applicants to; - Register interest in the programme - Access information about the programme - Complete and submit applications. We expect c4000 applicants to apply, and have previously used the pocket recruiter platform b) Work with the DfE and Local Authority Regional Partnerships (RP) to develop web content for the platform (web content from the previous cohort can be used). c) Support Regional Partnerships in marketing the programme to prosp

How to win contracts like this

• ✓Answer against the marking scheme, not the question text — Department for Education scores each response, so map your evidence to the published criteria and weightings.
• ✓At £352,320, expect quality and social value to carry a large share of the score — price alone rarely wins services work.
• ✓Show recent, comparable delivery: name similar services contracts you've delivered for public bodies, with measurable outcomes.
• ✓Start early: it closes 22 June 2026 and a strong bid takes iteration.

BidWriter drafts your responses from your company profile, scores them against the marking scheme, and tracks your whole pipeline. Free to start — no card needed.

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