Heathercroft Training Services Limited

Published date 29 July 2011 Inspection Number 363230 Unique reference number: 52165

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Janet Rodgers HMI

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

42 Whitley Road Eastbourne BN22 8LT Telephone number: 0132 3411517 Heathercroft Training Services Limited

p.1

Information about the provider

1. Heathercroft Training Services Limited is a private training company based in Eastbourne in East Sussex that trades as Heathercroft Training Academy (HTA). It was established in 1991, initially to provide training and assessment for the care sector. Since then, HTA has broadened the programmes it offers to include childcare, information and communication technology (ICT), equine studies and business, administration and law. HTA has 343 apprentices and 149 Train to Gain learners. Learners work for organisations across Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex and South London. HTA and a local employer have set up an independent company, Heathercroft Technical Services (HTS), which refurbishes and sells used computers and employs 11 ICT apprentices. Additionally, HTA provides registration, certification and verification for childcare and equine studies learners aged 14 to 19 at three local schools. There were

p.2

Information about the provider

too few business administration and law, and equine studies learners to include within this inspection.

p.2

Information about the provider

2. HTA’s management team comprises a centre manager, framework coordinator and three team leaders. Two of the team leaders have been in this role for less than a month. An executive board of two directors, the centre manager and the employment and data coordinator sets the strategic direction for the company.

p.2

Information about the provider

3. HTA offers programmes across Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex and South London, in areas with low and high unemployment. Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex have low proportions of the population from Black and minority ethnic heritage groups.

p.2

Information about the provider

4. The following organisations provide training on behalf of the provider:  Bishop Bell School, Eastbourne (childcare and ICT)  Small Time Training (childcare).

p.2

Employer provision:

Train to Gain Apprenticeships 229 learners 289 apprentices

p.2

Summary report

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

p.3

Grade

Outcomes for learners 4 Quality of provision 3 Leadership and management 4 Safeguarding Equality and diversity

p.3

Subject Areas Grade

Health and social care and childcare 4 ICT for practitioners 4

p.3

Overall effectiveness

5. HTA is an inadequate training provider. Although Train to Gain learners achieve satisfactorily, apprentices’ achievement is poor. Hindered by frequent changes in their tutors, many apprentices make slow progress on their course. Learners gain good skills and confidence. Health and social care and childcare learners become more competent carers and ICT learners develop good skills in computer maintenance. Learners feel very safe during their training. HTA’s safeguarding arrangements are managed well. Staff promote equality and diversity appropriately when working with learners.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

6. Health and social care and childcare tutors provide effective training and assessment for learners. They use their occupational experience well to help learners understand theory. Learners’ work is regularly and flexibly assessed to fit in with their shift patterns and workloads. Employers provide good training. HTA has good partnerships with schools, providing progression routes onto its apprenticeships.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

7. ICT tutors do not have enough computing or teaching experience and qualifications to adequately support learners and develop their knowledge. Most learners’ training is poorly planned. Many advanced-level apprentices’ work has not been assessed despite them being a long way into their programme. The innovative partnership with a local computer repair company is providing good learning opportunities for a group of intermediate-level apprentices. 8. Managers have been too slow in tackling some of the declining and low achievement. They have not sufficiently rectified issues in high staff turnover. Targets set for improvement are too low and managers and tutors do not use data sufficiently to analyse trends in performance, identify the underlying reasons and take timely action. Managers have an inaccurately good view of the quality of HTA’s learning programmes. As a result, they do not identify the full extent of what needs to be improved and HTA’s capacity to improve is

p.3

Main findings

 Success rates for Train to Gain learners who complete within agreed timescales are satisfactory and have greatly improved over the last three years. In 2009/10 the overall success rates for apprentices and the proportion completing within the planned time are low and below the national rates. In ICT and childcare these rates are particularly low. Too many apprentices are making slow progress or have gone beyond their planned completion date.  Learners develop good skills and confidence which they use well at work and in their personal lives. They become more competent within their job roles. Some ICT apprentices’ prospects of gaining permanent employment are impaired by them not having achieved their qualification.  Learners feel very safe and use safe working practices. Tutors cover health and safety very well during induction and regularly discuss the topic with learners during progress reviews. Health and social care and childcare learners pay good

p.4

Main findings

attention to the health and safety of the children and adults they care for. ICT learners place an appropriate focus on using and maintaining computers safely.  Employers provide good training for learners at work. Health and social care and childcare tutors are well qualified and experienced and they use this well to coach learners. They carry out effective assessment practice. Childcare learners experience satisfactory off-the-job training which links theory and practice well.  Off-the-job training for ICT learners is inadequate. Both current tutors have insufficient qualifications and experience to train and assess ICT effectively. They do not use questions sufficiently to challenge and develop learners’ understanding. Too many learners have had long gaps between assessments and have submitted work which has yet to be marked.  Learners’ progress reviews are generally satisfactory and appropriately include

p.4

Main findings

employers. Once learners have passed their planned completion date, HTA does not carry out any progress reviews. These learners have a poor awareness of their progress or what they still have to do to complete their qualification.  Tutors work very flexibly around learners’ work priorities when planning training and assessment. Health and social care and childcare learners’ programmes are appropriately planned to meet their current and future needs and aspirations. HTA provides good progression opportunities. However, some ICT learners’ programmes are poorly planned and do not meet their individual needs well.  HTA has good partnerships, particularly with employers and local schools. The very active role that managers and team leaders have with local schools is enabling schoolchildren to learn about childcare, ICT and equine studies. The innovative partnership with a local computer repair company is enabling ICT

p.4

Main findings

learners to gain good work opportunities and take a wider range of optional units.  The directors set a strong direction for the future growth and diversification of the organisation. However, at times, this has not given due consideration to staffing levels. As a result, too many learners have had changes in tutors and some have had long gaps in their learning. HTA continues to recruit ICT learners despite having insufficient qualified and experienced staff.  Managers and team leaders have greatly improved how they use data to monitor trends in overall success rates and in successful completion by the planned end date. They have improved the latter in Train to Gain, but have not taken sufficient prompt or effective action to increase either overall success rates or successful completion within agreed timescales for apprentices. Overall success rate targets are insufficiently challenging and their achievement would

p.5

Main findings

still keep HTA well below national rates.  Safeguarding is managed well. Tutors and learners have a good understanding of their responsibilities and receive very effective training. They use their knowledge well to identify potential issues. HTA takes highly appropriate action to deal with safeguarding issues and tackle potential situations at an early stage.  Tutors promote equality and diversity appropriately with learners. They are highly inclusive in their interactions with learners and recognise and respond to individual differences well. However, managers do not sufficiently analyse and use data on success rates by different groups to identify trends and take appropriate action.  HTA has not sufficiently recognised the seriousness of some of their weaker areas within the self-assessment process. The resulting self-assessment report is too positive and misses key areas for improvement. Managers do not observe

p.5

Main findings

tutors, particularly those new to the organisation, sufficiently regularly or critically to help improve the quality of teaching, progress reviews and assessment or to inform self-assessment judgments.

p.5

What does HTA need to do to improve further?

 Take action to ensure that ICT learners are receiving adequate training and assessment from suitably qualified and experienced tutors.  Introduce progress reviews for learners who have exceeded their planned completion date.  Review how data are used to analyse trends in success rates, including those for different groups, and make more timely interventions.  Set more challenging targets to raise HTA’s success rates.  Use more appropriate and reliable information within the self-assessment process, particularly in the quality of the provision and outcomes, to improve the accuracy of judgements.  Devise a more appropriate system for observing tutors’ training, assessment and progress reviews to use towards quality improvement.

p.5

What learners like:

 the very supportive, approachable and professional tutors  the flexibility of tutors and assessment which accommodates work priorities and does not constrain them  the confidence, understanding and skills they have gained, which they use at work and in their personal lives  the recent improvements in assessment for ICT intermediate apprentices that are helping their progress.

p.6

What learners would like to see improved:

 the introduction of text books for level 3 health and social care and childcare learners  the speed with which work is marked and assessed for ICT advanced-level apprentices  the consistency of the guidance they are given about the assignments they need to produce and units they can take, as this has been different when their assessors have changed  the way in which HTA checks on its tutors when they are working with learners so managers can pick up problems earlier.

p.6

What employers like:

 the training that HTA provides for their learners which helps them in their job role and develops their confidence  the efficient, responsive, knowledgeable and reliable tutors  the fact that HTA listens to employer comments and has improved some areas, like communication.

p.6

What employers would like to see improved:

 the initial explanation of the activities and evidence that ICT learners will need to collect for their programme, which lacks clarity  the targets that are set for their learners between tutor visits, which are not always clear  the changes in tutors, which has affected their learners’ progress.

p.6

Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 4

9. Directors and managers have been too slow in effectively addressing some of the key issues that have a significant impact on HTA’s learners. As a result, overall success rates for apprentices and their completion rates within agreed timescales are low and well below national rates. Over the last year, HTA has improved its accuracy and use of data and this is starting to bring about improvements, particularly in Train to Gain and health and social care. HTA’s restructure has given managers and team leaders a clearer responsibility for quality improvement. Individual team leaders are making improvements to their teaching, assessment and resources. However, high staff turnover, new appointments and staff taking on additional work have resulted in some staff not being in a position to be fully effective in their roles, learners are left for long periods of time without assessment and too many learners make slow

p.8

Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 4

progress. HTA has not been sufficiently critical in recognising these issues within its self-assessment report which gives an inaccurately good picture. The grades at this inspection are lower than at the previous inspection.

p.8

Outcomes for learners Grade 4

10. The rates for successful completion within agreed timescales by Train to Gain learners at level 2 and level 3 are satisfactory and, at 83% and 70% respectively, are around the national rate in 2009/10. These rates have greatly improved over the last three years, a trend which is continuing in the current year. The overall success rate for apprentices in 2009/10 was 60%, and 55% of apprentices completed successfully within the agreed time. These rates are well below national rates and are lower than the previous year. Although apprentices’ overall success rates are showing a slight improvement in the current year, they are still over 10 percentage points below last year’s national rate, and successful completion within the time planned has further declined.

p.8

Outcomes for learners Grade 4

11. Current ICT learners are making slow progress for some, or all, of their programme. In particular, many advanced-level apprentices who are close to, or have exceeded, their planned completion date still have a lot of work to finish. Their achievement of technical certificates is slow because tutors have not produced assessments quickly enough.

p.8

Outcomes for learners Grade 4

12. Apprentices aged 16 to 24 achieve less well than those aged over 25. Men on the intermediate-level apprenticeship and Train to Gain programmes have lower success rates than women. The overall success rate for apprentices with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, which was around half the total leavers in 2009/10, was particularly low at 51%.

p.8

Outcomes for learners Grade 4

13. Learners develop good skills and improve their self-confidence. Health and social care and childcare learners demonstrate good communication and teamwork, particularly when dealing with unexpected emergencies. ICT learners are developing their competence in computer maintenance effectively. However, the employability chances of a few ICT advanced-level apprentices, including progression to permanent positions, are being impaired through them not finishing their programme on time.

p.8

Outcomes for learners Grade 4

14. Tutors cover health and safety in considerable depth at learner induction and progress reviews, and learners feel very safe. Health and social care and childcare learners have a good understanding of their responsibilities for protecting adults and children in their care. HTA has thorough risk assessments for employers and learners.

p.9

The quality of provision Grade 3

15. Health and social care and childcare learners receive satisfactory training and coaching. Tutors use their wide range of vocational experience to enhance learners’ understanding of theory. The better learning activities are tailored to meet learners’ needs and involve them well in discussions. Tutors do not always use effective questioning techniques to encourage learners to reflect on their practice. They use a suitable range of assessment methods to assess learners in the workplace. Learners are given constructive feedback which helps them to improve their work.

p.9

The quality of provision Grade 3

16. ICT learners’ training is inadequate. Their tutors lack the technical and teaching qualifications and experience to plan their learning sessions effectively or provide sufficient depth. Tutors do not use effective questioning to check learners’ understanding of concepts. Although some learners are now being assessed more regularly, too many have had long gaps in assessment. Advanced-level apprentices have had little or none of their work marked and they are unclear about whether they have passed their assignments. Assessment activities for technical certificates have only recently been produced and this has had an adverse effect on advanced-level apprentices’ achievement.

p.9

The quality of provision Grade 3

17. Tutors carry out satisfactory reviews of learners’ progress. They agree appropriate targets with learners and their employers. Once learners have gone past their planned completion date, HTA no longer carries out progress reviews. As a result, these learners are unclear about their progress and how much they still need to complete.

p.9

The quality of provision Grade 3

18. Learners’ and employers’ needs are met satisfactorily through the range of available programmes. Tutors work very flexibly around learners’ and employers’ availability. Health and social care and childcare learners’ programmes are appropriately planned to meet their current and future needs and aspirations. HTA has greatly extended the range of programmes offered to learners, offering them greater opportunity to progress or take additional qualifications, for example in management. However, some ICT learners’ programmes are poorly planned and do not meet their individual needs well.

p.9

The quality of provision Grade 3

19. Tutors have developed very effective partnerships with employers who provide good training and support for learners. Managers work productively with partner schools to provide pupils with good progression opportunities. The innovative partnership with a local computer repair company is greatly enhancing the learning experience of ICT intermediate-level apprentices and is enabling them to work on a realistic project. HTA is now using partners to provide specialist support for some of the advanced-level ICT units.

p.9

The quality of provision Grade 3

20. Learners value the pastoral support they receive from their tutors and employers. Health and social care and childcare learners are given suitable advice and guidance, but some ICT learners have received inadequate guidance from tutors about relevant units or assignments to complete.

p.10

Leadership and management Grade 4

21. Leadership and management are inadequate in sufficiently improving the quality of the provision. Directors have set an ambitious strategy for the growth and diversification of the organisation. The company’s goals have a clear focus on quality improvement, but some of these aspirations have yet to be achieved. High staff turnover has greatly affected the quality of the learners’ experience. The company continues to recruit new ICT apprentices despite not having sufficient appropriately-qualified or experienced tutors. The childcare and ICT team leaders are very new in this role and are not yet in a position to be fully effective. However, in health and social care, where the team leader is more established in the role, operational management is better and overall success rates are showing early signs of improvement.

p.10

Leadership and management Grade 4

22. Managers and tutors have greatly improved how they use data to monitor learners who have exceeded, or are at risk of exceeding, their planned completion date. However, they do not sufficiently analyse success rate data in meetings. Targets for overall success rates are too low and, even if they were achieved, HTA’s rates would remain below last year’s national rates. In childcare, where success rates are low, the team leader does not have access to one coherent data set that includes all learners.

p.10

Leadership and management Grade 4

23. Safeguarding is managed well and HTA takes issues that arise very seriously. Managers work productively with external agencies. Staff and learners have good training in safeguarding and they are very aware of their responsibilities, including for service users. HTA has appropriate systems for checking staff with the Criminal Records Bureau.

p.10

Leadership and management Grade 4

24. Tutors promote equality and diversity appropriately. Health and social care and childcare tutors take a highly inclusive approach to arranging training and assessment and are good at recognising individual needs. Staff have regular equality and diversity training and they use this knowledge to good effect. Tutors cover equality and diversity well at induction and satisfactorily reinforce the topic during learners’ progress reviews. Where issues have arisen, these are recorded well, thoroughly investigated and dealt with appropriately. Although they routinely monitor participation by some minority groups, managers recognise that they do not analyse data about success by different groups sufficiently. As a result, some groups of learners achieve less well and targeted action has not been taken for improvement.

p.10

Leadership and management Grade 4

25. Managers make effective use of learners’ feedback, including those who left without achieving their qualification. Individual tutors take specific action in response to learners’ feedback. The annual learner questionnaire shows high satisfaction levels for health and social care learners but does not provide HTA with sufficient information to use towards quality improvement.

p.11

Leadership and management Grade 4

26. HTA monitors the work of its subcontractors appropriately. Managers observe tutors’ assessments, reviews and training annually, but the process is not sufficiently critical or useful for quality improvement. New tutors are not formally observed sufficiently early to manage their performance. The self- assessment process is inclusive and contains a selection of some learners’ views. However, the process is inadequate and has key omissions. Directors and managers are not using data or available evidence effectively to ensure judgements and grades are accurate.

p.11

Context

27. HTA has 420 health and social care and childcare learners. In health and social care there are 105 Train to Gain learners and 206 apprentices who are mainly aged over 19. In childcare, there are 30 Train to Gain learners and 79 apprentices. Learners are employed in care homes and nurseries across Kent and East Sussex. Most learning and assessment happen in the workplace, although some childcare apprentices attend HTA once a week for off-the-job training.

p.12

Key findings

 Success rates for Train to Gain learners completing within agreed timescales have significantly improved over the last three years. The improving trend is continuing in the current year. In 2009/10 82% of level 2 Train to Gain learners completed in their planned time which is well above the national rate. At level 3, 69% of learners completed successfully within their planned time, which is the same as the national rate.  Learners’ progress is reviewed regularly and appropriate targets are agreed. Tutors work productively with learners and those learners who started recently are progressing well. In the past, too many learners have not achieved by their target completion date. Some learners lack the motivation to achieve their qualification and are absent or unavailable when tutors are due to visit them.  Overall success rates for apprentices and rates for successful completion within the planned time are low. They declined in 2009/10 to 57% and 53%

p.12

Key findings

respectively, which are considerably lower than national rates. Overall success rates in childcare are particularly low at 49%. In the current year, there are early signs of improvement in health and social care apprenticeship success rates, which are now above last year’s national rate.  Learners develop good skills and improve their professional practice and self- confidence. They demonstrate good communication and teamwork, particularly when dealing with unexpected emergencies. Their knowledge and skills are further enhanced through in-house training provided by their employers. Several learners gain promotion where opportunities arise.  Learners demonstrate good safe working practices. They have a good understanding of respect for individuals and of their responsibilities for protecting adults and children in their care. Tutors are well trained in safeguarding and promote the subject well with learners.

p.12

Key findings

 Learners receive satisfactory training and coaching from their tutors who have a wide range of vocational experience. During training sessions, tutors make good use of real work examples to enhance learners’ understanding of theory. Although tutors use effective questioning techniques to check learners’ knowledge, they do not sufficiently challenge learners to reflect on their practice.  Tutors use a suitable range of assessment methods. They work very flexibly around learners’ shifts and their employers’ business priorities. Tutors link key skills into vocational assessment effectively to motivate learners to achieve better. Learners receive constructive and supportive feedback on their progress which helps them to improve.  HTA has good partnerships with schools and employers. Tutors work productively with employers to ensure they fully understand the qualifications and facilitate learning. HTA provides good progression routes into childcare

p.12

Key findings

apprenticeships for pupils at its partner schools.  Learners are supported appropriately by their tutors. Tutors make effective use of their experience to help learners choose the most appropriate units and level to match their job role and career aspirations. Learners receive satisfactory initial advice and guidance.  Action to improve outcomes has been too slow. Although the health and social care team is starting to improve success rates, the recently appointed team leader in childcare has not had sufficient time to have an impact. HTA has not collated all the childcare data, including subcontracted training, into one set of information to enable the cohesive monitoring of the programme.  The self-assessment process lacks critical analysis to plan quality improvement effectively. Managers do not assess the quality of the provision sufficiently and the resulting report is too descriptive. Their judgements about learners’

p.13

Key findings

outcomes are not based on a robust analysis of data, nor do they consider the performance of different groups.

p.13

What does HTA need to do to improve further?

 Increase successful completion within the planned time through tutors working more effectively with the less well motivated learners and their employers to ensure learners attend at the agreed dates and times and complete the work that is set by the deadlines.  Further challenge learners’ knowledge and understanding by setting activities that encourage learners to carry out wider research, develop a deeper awareness of topics and reflect on the implications for their own professional practice.  Review how data on the whole childcare programme is made available and analysed by the team leader to form a coherent picture that can be better used to effect improvement.  Strengthen the rigour and effectiveness of the self-assessment process by using data and evidence from quality improvement arrangements more accurately.

p.13

Context

28. HTA has 38 intermediate-level apprentices, 15 advanced-level apprentices and two Train to Gain learners taking ICT practitioner qualifications. Most of HTA’s ICT learners are men. Eleven learners are employed by HTS, a company set up in partnership with a local computer repair company, in a workshop for refurbishing computers. The rest are employed in technical support roles around East Sussex. Learners can attend HTA one day each week for off-the- job training.

p.14

Key findings

 Success rates are satisfactory. Advanced-level apprentices’ overall success rates are high in 2009/10 and above national rates at 90%, as are the rates for successful completion within planned timescales at 82%. In contrast, success rates for intermediate-level apprentices are below national rates at 80% and 73% respectively. In the current year, only four of the nine apprentices who have left have achieved their full qualification.  Current learners are making slow progress for some, or all, of their programme. In particular, many advanced-level apprentices who are close to, or have exceeded, their planned completion date still have a good deal of work to finish. Their achievement of technical certificates is slow because tutors have not produced assessment activities quickly enough.  Learners are enthusiastic and are developing their confidence and competence in IT maintenance effectively, mainly through the good opportunities provided

p.14

Key findings

by their employers. However, advanced-level apprentices’ employability chances, including progression to permanent positions, are being impaired through the apprentices not finishing their programme on time.  Learners use satisfactory safe working practices in computer workshops. Tutors cover the key health and safety issues effectively at induction and during off- the-job training and progress reviews. Learners place an appropriate focus on using and maintaining computers and peripheral equipment safely, which is further reinforced by employers.  Some intermediate-level apprentices are now receiving satisfactory assessment after a slow start to their programme. They receive some useful feedback to help them improve. However, some learners have waited over 10 months for any assessment of their work. Many advanced-level apprentices have not had their worked marked or returned and are still awaiting feedback from tutors.

p.14

Key findings

 Tutors lack appropriate information technology (IT) experience and qualifications and have a shallow understanding of the subject. This means they do not have the technical expertise to answer learners’ questions or use questions to challenge learners’ understanding. Advanced-level apprentices are being trained by tutors who are still working towards IT qualifications at level 2.  Learners receive insufficient worthwhile off-the-job training and support. Tutors do not plan off-the-job training adequately to ensure it meets individual learners’ needs. Learners have been given inadequate guidance about which units they should be taking, and one learner started units that were not valid for the qualification.  Learners’ progress reviews are currently satisfactory. However, too many learners have had gaps in progress reviews during their programme. Learners who have gone beyond their planned completion date do not have progress

p.14

Key findings

reviews and some are unclear about how much they still need to do to finish.  HTA has a very effective and innovative partnership with a local employer that is greatly improving the learning experience and skill development of 11 intermediate-level apprentices. Employers provide good opportunities and support for learners to gain the necessary experience for their qualification.  Management of the ICT programme is unsatisfactory. Staff changes have had a considerable negative effect on learners’ progress. HTA has employed tutors with inadequate experience and qualifications and managers have not yet observed them in their role. Managers have not dealt with the inadequate assessment practice early enough and actions are taking too long to have an impact.  Tutors promote equality and diversity satisfactorily. They routinely cover equality and diversity during learners’ progress reviews. Learners are actively

p.15

Key findings

encouraged to reflect on their responsibilities by their tutors. Sometimes tutors do not sufficiently challenge the use of inappropriate language.  The self-assessment report does not accurately reflect the very negative comments made by the small number of learners who completed last year’s feedback questionnaires. However, HTA recognises the need for specialist support for some of the advanced-level units and this work has now started.

p.15

What does HTA need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that ICT tutors have an appropriate level of technical expertise and qualifications for the subjects and levels being delivered and that they are competent in training and assessing.  Provide all learners with regular assessment and feedback to aid their improvement and achieve their qualifications on time.  Support tutors in improving their lesson planning and questioning techniques.  Review the strategy for recruitment and progression onto the advanced-level apprenticeship, taking account of the level of technical expertise and support that is available for these learners.

p.15

Information about the inspection

29. One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and four additional inspectors, assisted by the provider’s centre 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, the previous inspection report and data on learners and their achievement over the period since the previous inspection.

p.16

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. Inspectors collected evidence from programmes in each of the subject areas the provider offers. Record of Main Findings (RMF)

p.16

Heathercroft Training Services Limited

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

p.17

Heathercroft Training Services Limited

Outcomes for learners 4 4 How well do learners achieve and enjoy their learning? 4 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? 2 Are learners able to make informed choices about their own health and well being?* n/a How well do learners make a positive contribution to the community?* n/a Quality of provision 3 3 How effectively do teaching, training and assessment support learning and development? How effectively does the provision meet the needs and interests of users? 3 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 4 4 How effectively do leaders and managers raise expectations and promote

p.17

Heathercroft Training Services Limited

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

p.17

Heathercroft Training Services Limited

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 492 492 Overall effectiveness 4 4 Capacity to improve 4 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

p.17

Heathercroft Training Services Limited

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

p.18

Heathercroft Training Services Limited

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

p.18