SETA

Published date 25 November 2011 Inspection Number 376238 Unique reference number: 54510

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Name of lead inspector: Anthony Ward HMI

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

First Avenue Millbrook Southampton SO15 0LJ

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Address:

Telephone number: 02380 771 908 SETA Ltd

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Focused monitoring visit report

Focused monitoring visit: SETA Ltd, 21 October 2011 1 of 4

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Context and focus of visit

Southampton Engineering Training Association Limited (SETA) is a group training association established in 1969. The head office is in Millbrook, Southampton, where its practical training centre is also located. SETA provides work-based learning in engineering and manufacturing technologies, more specifically engineering maintenance and engineering construction. The association trains apprentices for national and local companies, most of which are located in Southampton and the surrounding areas. SETA has 43 full- and part-time employees and uses a small number of specialist lecturers. Approximately half of SETA’s funding comes from commercially sponsored training.

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Context and focus of visit

At the last inspection in November 2009 SETA’s overall effectiveness was judged to be satisfactory. Outcomes for learners were good. Quality of provision, leadership and management, safeguarding and equality and diversity were all satisfactory. Engineering and manufacturing technology was also satisfactory as was SETA’s capacity to improve.

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progress

At the last inspection, SETA used self-assessment effectively to identify strengths and areas for development to improve the provision. SETA has strengthened its quality improvement activities and action planning. It has implemented a range of well-planned improvements, including greater organisational clarity, more effective programme delivery, better standardisation and improved programme management. Communication within the organisation is much better, with a well-managed meeting structure leading to improved sharing of good practice and a strong focus on learners’ success and support. Teaching staff are now located in one office and can more easily discuss work-related issues and learners’ concerns. Internal verification is now much improved; however, managers recognise the further work required. Staff have very good relationships with employers, and respond quickly to their feedback and comments. The self-assessment report identifies accurately the

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strengths and areas for improvement and links well to the improvement plan which has tackled those areas for improvement found in the inspection and has significantly improved programme performance. Learners’ views are considered in Focused monitoring visit: SETA Ltd, 21 October 2011 2 of 4

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the self-assessment process. However, these are generally collected on an informal basis and learners still receive insufficient feedback on their impact.

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At the last inspection, overall outcomes were good. Framework achievement success rates were above national figures. Timely success rates had improved over the previous three years and were significantly above the national average for apprentices and around the national average for advanced apprentices. Success rates have increased further and are now outstanding for intermediate apprentices and well above national rates for advanced apprentices, with an overall success rate of 92%. Achievement within the planned timescale is an expectation for the great majority of learners who are now making good progress. Learners’ progression to higher-level qualifications is very high. Learners still thoroughly enjoy their learning experience and those who have been in training since the last inspection recognise the improvements in their programme. A wide range of additional industry-specific courses is available to learners to support the needs of their employment, and

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programmes are now better tailored to meet their individual employment needs. Employers recognise the good quality of the provision. The employment prospects for the great majority of learners are very good. Most are employed prior to starting their programme with many gaining employment because of their good range of engineering skills.

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progress

The quality of work-based assessments has improved. At the last inspection, the quality and frequency of work-based assessment required improvement to enable learners to make better progress towards their qualifications, especially for advanced apprentices. Advanced learners in employment are very well monitored and receive regular reviews on a four- to six-week cycle. Employers are kept well informed and are now given a copy of the targets agreed by assessor and learner. On most occasions, assessors spend some time with the learner’s supervisor to ensure they are aware and understand what is expected of the learner. The progress of learners continues to be much improved, with a greater focus on learners’ performance and with most learners working and achieving at an appropriate rate. Where this does not happen the assessors generally provide senior managers with appropriate information. The documentation for reviews and preparation for assessment has

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been revised and now provides an effective record of the meeting. Copies of review documentation and targets set are effectively shared with employers and supervisors. Sensible, realistic but challenging, targets are now established, with the Focused monitoring visit: SETA Ltd, 21 October 2011 3 of 4

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learner taking responsibility for making sure they complete what they have been tasked to do.

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At the last inspection, progress towards completion of key skills, technical certificates and the NVQ was not effectively reviewed or regularly discussed with learners and employers. SETA has improved arrangements for reviews, and learners and employers are well informed on progress. SETA has done good work to ensure key skills are achieved at the start of apprenticeship programmes. This has resulted in a significant improvement to the success of key skills and the contextualisation of learning. The revised approach to the delivery of key skills allows all learners to receive coaching in the application of literacy and numeracy relevant to their specialised areas and work with others in an engineering environment. Learners work on group and individual projects specifically focused on the aspect of engineering they are studying. Learners now complete their key skills early in the programme, whereas previously they were often left until the end of the

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programme. Progress towards collection of evidence for the NVQ is better through improved arrangements for assessments. Learners completing technical certificates with SETA now have a more integrated programme and take up good additional support from staff with whom they work every day. However, for the reducing number of learners who complete technical certificates with other providers, the contextualisation and integration of the practical and theoretical work are more problematic.

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progress

SETA has made reasonable progress towards developing an effective and evaluative process to improve the quality of teaching, training and learning. The current scheme is well planned and identifies when and who will be observed for the year ahead. The observations include practical sessions in workshops as well as theoretical lessons in the classroom. The quality manager regularly monitors actions identified at observation to ensure they are completed and followed up with line managers. Observations are graded and moderated between the two staff who complete the observations. Staff value the system and feel it has helped improve their skills. Most tutors now have professional teaching qualifications. However, the observation scheme does not sufficiently measure the impact of teaching on learning. The checklist used focuses too much on process and does not sufficiently Focused monitoring visit: SETA Ltd, 21 October 2011 4 of 4

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encourage evaluative judgements of learning. Recorded observations often lack sufficient detail to justify the final grade and too few actions are given to staff to help improve the learning during future sessions. The observation records do not systematically include feedback from those being observed.

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SETA’s arrangements for equality and diversity were satisfactory at the last inspection. However, although the promotion of equality and diversity was satisfactory and adequate reinforcement of equality and diversity was given to learners at induction, their knowledge and understanding was not regularly reinforced during their programme and the staff’s understanding of equality of opportunity, although satisfactory, required additional updating. SETA has worked hard to ensure that staff and learners have a good awareness of equality and diversity issues. Staff have undertaken some additional awareness training and induction is still effective in raising learners’ awareness. SETA has strengthened the review process to ensure that equality and diversity are better reinforced through a range of prepared questions which test learners’ knowledge and stimulate discussion. Assessors test learners’ knowledge further by asking them how the

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learners would handle a particular problem or incident in their workplace. Key to the improving success rates is the better matching of programme content and delivery to the needs of the individual learner and their circumstances, which SETA now does well. SETA has improved its safeguarding training both for staff and learners and this is also addressed well through the review process and at induction. However, SETA recognises that arrangements for e-safety require improvement. inspects to 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 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.

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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’. Ofsted

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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