Integer Training Limited

Published date 25 February 2011 Inspection Number 363180 Unique reference number: 58315

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Name of lead inspector: Martin Hughes HMI

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Telephone number: 0128 8357355 Integer Training Ltd

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Information about the provider

1. Integer Training Ltd (Integer) is an independent training provider established in 1989. The company offers a wide range of full-cost courses and specific Train to Gain programmes in event stewarding and security for sport, leisure and recreation. Integer contracts directly with the Skills Funding Agency National Employer Service and offers training and assessment in four government regions.

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Information about the provider

2. Integer’s head office and administrative function are based in Bude, Cornwall. This was the company’s first inspection. A managing director is responsible for the provision, with a team of 12 staff managing a part-time team of 32 assessors and 24 tutors.

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Information about the provider

3. Training and assessment take place on employers’ premises in sports and event stadia during match days, regular and one-off events for marshals, stewards, doormen and security personnel.

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Information about the provider

4. At the time of the inspection there were 92 Train to Gain learners on programme of which seven were also completing Skills for Life qualifications. The provision included 82 learners on stewarding and 10 on security programmes; the security programme was not inspected. All learners work part-time with sports and events providers. The Train to Gain provision represents approximately 10% of learners and Integer’s income. The average age of the Train to Gain learners on programme is 43 years. Approximately 21% of learners are women and 2% are from minority ethnic groups.

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Information about the provider

5. The provider delivers training on behalf of the following providers:

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Information about the provider

 City of Wolverhampton College  Cornwall Marine Network  Havering College  Kidderminster College  New College Swindon  Richmond upon Thames College  The Learning Partnership of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly  Tyne Metropolitan College

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Summary report

Grades: 1 is outstanding; 2 is good; 3 is satisfactory; 4 is inadequate

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Grade

Leadership and management 2 Safeguarding Equality and diversity

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Overall effectiveness

6. Integer’s provision has many outstanding features. The organisation is highly effective at raising learners’ aspirations, supporting them to succeed and celebrating their achievement. Staff provide tremendous support and get to know their learners very well. Many learners improve their social and economic potential working for other similar employers and providing support to community-based projects.

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Overall effectiveness

7. Learners make outstanding progress. The vast majority complete their qualifications before agreed end dates. Learners develop appropriate customer service and security skills. They are well prepared for their jobs in spectator safety in sports and event stadia. The skills they learn enable them to safely manage crowds and conflict situations. High priority is given to ensuring learners can manage the public and create a safe and secure environment.

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Overall effectiveness

8. Practical sessions are very good. Learning activities are lively, stimulating, challenging and thought provoking. Learners enjoy the training and feel safe working in small groups, on their employer’s premises, developing their security, personal safety and crowd control skills. Theory lessons are structured well, catering for diverse experiences and skills, and ensuring that learners of all abilities make good or better progress. 9. Highly focused training is managed carefully to accurately mirror expectations in the spectator and security industries. Integer’s links with employers are outstanding. Learners are chosen carefully by employers. Managers work hard to effect improvements and ensure programmes meet employer and learner needs. Integer’s improvement plan is used very effectively to ensure improvements are implemented. The quality of training is regularly analysed and used very effectively to drive improvement. A strong emphasis is placed on

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Overall effectiveness

promoting equality and diversity. Staff and learners are trained to understand how to work and respect the values of others, especially in close personal contact situations. This is apparent in the learners’ knowledge and understanding. For example, they understand the different cultural norms for conducting personal searches.

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Main findings

 The success rates for all stewarding and security courses are very high. Integer is particularly effective in raising the expectations and aspirations of older learners. For many, the learning experience is transformational. Learners frequently complete additional qualifications including first aid and other security qualifications. However, some learners do not understand how their skills relate to the qualifications studied.  Learners develop excellent stewarding, crowd control and safety skills for sports and event venues. They speak enthusiastically about their abilities to use their stewarding skills in busy sports stadia and can demonstrate enhanced interpersonal and customer service skills with the ability to manage conflict and deal with difficult situations. Many increase their employability and make important contributions by safely managing community events.  Training sessions and assessments are outstanding. Learners make excellent

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Main findings

progress in well-planned, focused and stimulating training sessions that are delivered at a pace to meet the needs, abilities and experience of all learners. Assessment arrangements are particularly well planned and flexible to meet learners’ stewarding responsibilities. Feedback to learners is highly effective.  Trainers and assessors have good vocational knowledge with a particularly wide range of experiences in the security industry. This knowledge is used well to enliven training and ensure learners understand the implications of their role. All staff have appropriate vocational and professional qualifications. All trainers and assessors are highly motivated and enthusiastic about their roles.  Resources are excellent. Training sessions and assessments take place in well- resourced employer facilities. Stadia and venues are of a high standard, providing a variety of different practical training opportunities. Technology is

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Main findings

used widely and very well to emphasise key learning points.  Integer works particularly well with employers and partners to provide highly effective training and assessment to deliver the qualifications required. Integer plays an important role in ensuring delivery of complex and non-standard training to a wide range of employers. Considerable attention is paid to ensure training meets the needs of both employers and learners.  Integer has an exceptionally strong and ambitious vision to develop training with employers, raise expectations and promote high standards. Staff and managers are committed to ensuring learner success. Highly effective business planning and performance review ensure continuous improvements to meet demanding business-focused targets. Partnership working with employers to develop skills and qualifications is outstanding.  Learners’ understanding and ability to interpret and deal with potential

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Main findings

safeguarding and health and safety concerns are particularly good, especially in potentially volatile and confrontational situations. Awareness of safety concerns is an integral part of learners’ roles as event stewards. Learners appreciate the different approaches required to deal with people of all ages, ethnicity and gender when carrying out a search.  All staff and learners have good awareness and understanding of the range of expectations of different members of their society, and how that impacts on their work. The promotion of equality and diversity understanding in the taught sessions is very effectively reinforced during assessments.  Arrangements to further improve the quality of training and learning are impactful, frequent and well planned. Learner and staff feedback is used very effectively to identify concerns or needs. A detailed programme of tutor observations is in place, but lacks sufficient detail to provide substantial

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Main findings

feedback and developmental activities for trainers to enable them to improve their performance.  The self-assessment process is fully inclusive, taking into account fully all stakeholders’ views. Integer is very effective in gathering and analysing a wide range of views from learners and all stakeholders, and responds outstandingly well to their concerns in order to effect improvements.

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What does Integer Training Ltd need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen and promote learner involvement in the development and recognition of their own skills and experiences as part of their evidence collection in their portfolios.  Maintain a focus on continuous improvement of the quality of teaching, training and learning so that records of observations provide detailed feedback to staff. Secure more reliability in the training sessions grade profile by developing the skills of observers to evaluate what learning takes place and how much progress learners make.

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What learners like:

 knowing the training is delivered by people who really understand the stewarding and security role  the strength of the support provided by Integer staff and employers  feeling better informed about health and safety  high-quality teaching and training  knowing the qualification can help with further employment  the real work assessments are really good and relaxed  the development of people skills.

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What learners would like to see improved:

 less repetitive paperwork, especially at the start of training  more assessment opportunities  the access to online training.

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What employers like:

 the responsiveness and flexibility of Integer staff to meet the training needs  the excellent customer service skills that stewards develop having done the training  very thorough training with good support from Integer  access and availability of Integer staff to provide support to learners  the good open communications channels  the practical skills and experience of the tutors and assessors.

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Grade 1

10. Integer demonstrates an outstanding capacity to improve. This is the first inspection of Integer, but they have been running training for over 20 years. Success rates are very high on the Train to Gain programme as they are on all other training programmes. Selection and investment in staff are particularly good. Employers and learners all benefit from their expertise and high levels of security and stewarding knowledge. Managers have detailed knowledge of employers and their learners. They ensure tutors and assessors can support individuals who need extra help to achieve their qualification.

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Grade 1

11. The director and managers set and achieve demanding targets. The self- assessment report is largely accurate, providing a comprehensive analysis of the training programme. Very robust quality systems are firmly established to ensure improvement. Management information systems are very well used to monitor learner and staff performance and to record employer performance data. When underperformance is identified, staff take quick and decisive action to secure and maintain improvements. Employers and Integer’s own resources are used particularly effectively to bring the greatest benefit to learners. Learner views are regularly collated and responded to quickly. This results in very rapid and significant improvements for learners which they value highly. Internal verification is very well managed, with particularly supportive reports from the awarding bodies. Performance review and business planning, which

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Grade 1

encompass self-assessment, are very strong. Management policies establish clear boundaries for individuals. Managers have autonomy for their learners and make decisions for their own areas. Managers and all staff are held accountable for improving the quality of training. There is a very strong and relentless ethos to provide excellent training. This is evident through all Integer enterprises.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 1

12. In a subject not characterised as glamorous or for high academic attainment, Integer has been remarkably effective in raising the aspirations of its learners and their employers, whilst supporting and celebrating achievement. Success rates for learners are very high and show steady improvement over the past three years. In 2009/10, 95% of learners successfully achieved their qualifications and 90% completed within planned learning times.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 1

13. Learners make outstanding progress in developing crowd control, spectator safety and conflict management skills, and utilise them well to control spectators at major sporting events. The standards achieved by learners are exceptionally good. Learners develop excellent personal, team-working and social skills, supported by highly experienced tutors, to deal with conflict and personal abuse with excited and exuberant crowds of spectators and visitors. Learners’ portfolios are well collated and provide good evidence of their progress and success. However, a small minority of learners are too passive in collating their evidence, relying on assessors to identify evidence and reference that against the expectations of the qualification.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 1

14. Learners make substantial improvements to their economic and social well- being as they develop valuable employment skills. Many use the qualifications gained to extend their part-time employment to other racecourses or sporting stadia.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 1

15. Learners feel very safe. The training they receive is particularly effective in preparing them to manage difficult and confrontational situations. They all use safe working practices and are particularly aware of how a failure to identify a problem can escalate into a major crowd control incident or accident. In many locations, closed circuit televisions are used and provide added security for learners.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 1

16. Many learners contribution positively to their community by using their stewarding, marshalling and security skills to support local carnivals and other community events.

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The quality of provision Grade 1

17. Outstanding training with inspirational tutors, using a good range of carefully planned activities, enhances learners’ understanding of the skills required to operate safely and to effectively manage large crowds of people. Learning is designed to be challenging and exciting, whilst conveying the importance of managing large numbers of members of the public. Tutors are good role models.

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The quality of provision Grade 1

18. Resources are excellent. Training sessions and assessments take place in well- resourced employer facilities. Stadia and venues are of a high standard, providing a variety of different practical training opportunities. Technology is used widely and very well to emphasise key learning points, for example a film of the Hillsborough stadia disaster shows how quickly a concern can escalate to a disaster and the importance of immediate steward action.

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The quality of provision Grade 1

19. Assessments are frequent and planned to coincide with learners working in a range of stewarding or security roles during events or on match days. Learners are able to make rapid progress following constructive, detailed, verbal and written feedback and assessment notes provided by assessors. Learners value the planned, regular meetings with assessors which they find inspirational and motivating.

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The quality of provision Grade 1

20. Initial assessments are thorough and used well in conjunction with learners’ prior achievements. Challenging targets are quickly established for more able learners and additional support given to those who require it. Early and rapid identification of additional support needs enables timely and appropriate support to be initiated. Well-developed support plans provide an excellent basis for learners with barriers to learning. Good use is made of a range of local colleges to support a few learners who require additional learning support. Learners particularly value the supportive visits from assessors to the workplace.

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The quality of provision Grade 1

21. Integer’s responsiveness to meeting learner’s and employer’s education and training needs is outstanding. The flexibility of Integer staff to meet the individually identified training needs of employers ensures learners are well prepared to manage crowds, monitor problems, deal with conflict and ensure the safety of the public using sporting and event stadia.

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The quality of provision Grade 1

22. Learners benefit from extremely good arrangements with high profile employers, who are committed to developing the skills of their employees. Corporate organisations demonstrate high levels of commitment to Integer, recognising the value of training and the capability of the staff. Social cohesion is promoted through learners who work effectively with independent voluntary groups to steward and marshal local carnivals and other events.

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The quality of provision Grade 1

23. Learners benefit from informative and comprehensive inductions that prepare them very well for training. Care is taken to ensure all learners complete an initial assessment to determine any learning or support needs. Additional learning support is often provided in conjunction with local colleges, who Integer staff work closely with to ensure learners’ progress appropriately. Learning support, technology and adaptation of training materials remove barriers to learning.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

24. Integer has a relentless drive and ambition towards pursuing and achieving excellence. Staff across the organisation share in this ambition and it has led to very effective and sustained improvements. This positive attitude is particularly influential on tutors and assessors, who in turn reflect their ambition on the aspirations of learners. The directors and managers have created a positive open culture with a very clear focus on providing strong, dynamic, focused leadership, which places learners and employers at the heart of their work. Integer makes a very good contribution to meeting national priorities, especially with the expectations for providing security and stewarding personnel at the Olympic Games in 2012.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

25. Extensive, appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented and managed rigorously. All learners complete extensive safeguarding training to ensure they can deal with any situation they may encounter. Criminal Records Bureau checks of all staff are comprehensive and regularly updated. Risk assessments of employer premises are completed annually. Health and safety are actively monitored and a critical part of the work conducted by learners whilst stewarding and providing security. Closed-circuit television cameras provide additional support and back up for learners on duty and help to promote their feeling of safety. Safeguarding training was particularly helpful in establishing new boundaries for individuals not used to working with children.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

26. Integer promotes a very positive culture of mutual respect throughout the organisation. Staff and learners are particularly aware of equality and diversity concerns, as they are regularly in very close contact with members of the public. Learners are particularly supportive of each other and respectful of different cultures and groups, especially when conducting searches of individuals or their possessions. Learner data are used very effectively to monitor the performance and participation of learner groups. Regular training and updating are an important feature of the staff development programme. Training received by staff is used effectively to reinforce aspects of training for learners. The recording of all complaints is effective and provides a clear trail of actions taken to manage the concern. Managers take quick and effective actions to deal with complaints and tackle potential problems.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

27. A highly effective, very thorough and robust business planning and performance review system underpins all of Integer’s work. This ensures demanding targets are established and personnel are held responsible for improvement and success. Management information systems are used to particularly good effect as a tool to identify underperformance or establish trends over time. A detailed programme of tutor observations is in place, but lacks sufficient detail to provide substantial feedback and developmental activities for trainers to enable them to improve their performance. 28. Integer provides very good value for money. Success rates are very high. Resources are very well managed and particularly good use is made of employers’ resources to support learning. Continued high levels of investment support the delivery of programmes and training courses for staff. Learners benefit from very capable, experienced and knowledgeable staff.

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Information about the inspection

29. One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and one additional inspector, assisted by the provider’s human resources and quality improvement manager, as nominee, carried out the inspection. Inspectors also took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, comments from the funding body, and data on learners and their achievement.

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Information about the inspection

30. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and emails to gain the views of learners and employers. They also looked at questionnaires learners and employers had recently completed for the provider. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews and a wide range of documentary evidence. Record of Main Findings (RMF)

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Integer Training Ltd

Learning types: 14 – 16: Young apprenticeships; Diplomas; 16-18 Learner responsive: FE full- and part-time courses, Foundation learning tier, including Entry to Employment; 19+ responsive: FE full- and part-time courses; Employer responsive: Train to Gain, apprenticeships

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Integer Training Ltd

Outcomes for learners 1 1 How well do learners achieve and enjoy their learning? 1 How well do learners attain their learning goals? How well do learners progress? How well do learners improve their economic and social well-being through learning and development? How safe do learners feel? 1 Are learners able to make informed choices about their own health and well being?* - How well do learners make a positive contribution to the community?* 1 Quality of provision 1 1 How effectively do teaching, training and assessment support learning and development? How effectively does the provision meet the needs and interests of users? 1 How well partnerships with schools, employers, community groups and others lead to benefits for learners? How effective are the care, guidance and support learners receive in helping them to achieve? Leadership and management 2 2 How effectively do leaders and managers raise expectations and promote

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Integer Training Ltd

ambition throughout the organisation? How effectively do governors and supervisory bodies provide leadership, direction and challenge?* -

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Integer Training Ltd

How effectively does the provider promote the safeguarding of learners? 2 How effectively does the provider actively promote equality and diversity, tackle discrimination and narrow the achievement gap? How effectively does the provider engage with users to support and promote improvement? How effectively does self-assessment improve the quality of the provision and outcomes for learners? How efficiently and effectively does the provider use its available resources to secure value for money? *where applicable to the type of provision Grades using the 4 point scale 1: Outstanding; 2: Good; 3: Satisfactory; 4: Inadequate Overall Employer responsive Approximate number of enrolled learners Full-time learners Part-time learners 92 92 Overall effectiveness 1 1 Capacity to improve 1 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and

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Integer Training Ltd

Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231 or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann’s Square

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Integer Training Ltd

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk No. 090105

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