Raytheon Professional Services

Published date 20 July 2012 Inspection Number 388132 Unique reference number: 58936

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Name of lead inspector: Penelope Horner HMI

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Ruddington Fields Business Park Ruddington Nottingham NG11 6JZ Telephone number: 0115 9457289

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Information about the provider

1. Raytheon Professional Services (Raytheon) is a subsidiary of Raytheon Company, a large multinational organisation specialising in technology, defence and national security. Raytheon started providing apprenticeships and training in 1997, mainly as a subcontractor. Since 2009, it has held a direct contract for apprenticeships. Most are in transportation operations and maintenance; it also has learners in business, administration and law, and until recently on media courses, where learners have now completed their training. Only provision in transportation operations and maintenance was inspected. Since 2011, Raytheon has held a contract for employer responsive provision leading to National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs). It provides training in transportation operations and maintenance at its centre in Milton Keynes to learners aged 14 to 16. Publicly funded training accounts for less than 2% of Raytheon’s work.

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Information about the provider

Raytheon has not previously been inspected.

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Information about the provider

2. Raytheon offers its training nationally, and has learners in all regions of England. Those over the age of 16 are in employment. A small team of managers is responsible for Raytheon’s provision. Apprentice development coaches (ADCs), employed by Raytheon, support learners at work. In addition to on-the-job training and assessment, learners take part in virtual classroom training (VCT) sessions and make use of Raytheon’s internet resources for training.

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Information about the provider

3. Raytheon has 145 learners training for qualifications in vehicle maintenance and repair, vehicle parts or customer service for the motor industry. Of these, 78 are intermediate, and 56 advanced, apprentices. Eleven learners are on employer responsive programmes leading to NVQs. Most learners work in Vauxhall car dealerships and workshops across the country. A small number work at independent garages. Transportation operations and maintenance learners attend week-long programmes of off-the-job training and assessment seven times each year at one of Raytheon’s training centres.

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Information about the provider

4. Raytheon provides training on behalf of the following provider:  Calex Ltd (transportation operations and maintenance for learners between 14 and 16 years of age)

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Information about the provider

5. The following organisations provide training on behalf of the provider:  Morgan Daniels (business administration and law)  Inspire Solutions (media and communication)

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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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Subject Areas Grade

Transportation operations and maintenance 2

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Overall effectiveness

6. Raytheon is a good training provider. A high proportion of learners is successful on its programmes. Most complete their training and achieve their awards within the time planned. The training Raytheon provides for learners is well designed and successful in developing their knowledge and skill, and in instilling high professional standards. Programmes meet learners’ and employers’ needs very effectively and learners’ progression to further learning or employment is good. Raytheon is particularly successful at enabling young learners, and those who are disaffected or disadvantaged, to succeed. Managers are ambitious for the quality of their provision and for learners. They provide clear and effective direction for staff. Their systems to monitor and evaluate the quality of provision are good and they use them well to make improvements.

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Main findings

 Outcomes for learners are good. A high proportion successfully achieves intended qualifications within the time planned for their completion. Learners enjoy their learning and most progress to higher level awards or employment. However, learners on Raytheon’s employer responsive NVQ programmes make slow progress.  Learners develop good skills and the standard of their work is high. They feel particularly safe and their health and safety practice is excellent. Most gain valuable additional qualifications that enhance their employability. Raytheon provides very successful opportunities for young or disaffected learners to participate in learning, gain useful qualifications and progress to employment or further training.  Teaching, learning and assessment are good. Raytheon uses a well-balanced blend of individual coaching, off-the-job training, VCT sessions and internet resources to develop learners’ knowledge and skills. Tutors in off-the-job and

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Main findings

VCT sessions make very effective use of a range of learning strategies and high quality resources to provide learning. Theory and practical teaching are good on off-the-job training in transportation operations and maintenance.  Apprentice development coaches make good use of learners’ progress reviews to provide feedback on performance and set targets for development and assessment. They use these discussions very effectively to reinforce learners’ knowledge of health and safety and equality and diversity. ADCs and workplace mentors provide good coaching for learners and promote high standards of professional practice.  Raytheon uses initial assessment well, to place learners on appropriate programmes and to identify additional learning needs. However, it makes insufficient use of the results to prepare individual support plans that link vocational learning with otherwise effective literacy and numeracy sessions.

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Main findings

ADCs do not always identify and correct learners’ spelling and grammatical errors in their written work.  Managers make good use of Raytheon’s partnerships with employers and other stakeholders to develop programmes that meet learners and stakeholders’ needs very effectively. They are particularly good at using these links to promote training and careers in the motor industry to young or disaffected learners. Raytheon gives learners a very high standard of individual care and support throughout their programmes.  Managers provide excellent leadership for all of Raytheon’s work. They communicate the purposes of provision to staff and partners’ organisations particularly effectively and provide strong direction for its development. Raytheon gave outstanding support to prevent large numbers of apprentices from leaving training and employment following the closure of an external provider. It manages its subcontracted training well.

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Main findings

 Managers pay particularly close and careful attention to learners’ safeguarding. They take prompt and decisive action if they have cause for concern about the treatment or behaviour of learners. Raytheon’s training for staff is thorough and it takes particular care to ensure that learners are properly safeguarded when they staying in residential accommodation for their off-the-job training.  Raytheon has been highly successful in engaging disadvantaged learners and in enabling learners from all groups to succeed. It is effective in developing learners’ understanding of equality and diversity. Although Raytheon has been slow to promote its training to under-represented groups such as women and minority ethnic groups, early signs indicate that its recent actions are beginning to improve recruitment from these groups.  Raytheon has good arrangements for collecting the views of learners, employers, subcontractors and staff to guide improvement in provision.

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Main findings

Managers make effective use of the resulting quality improvement plans to maintain good outcomes for learners and raise standards.  Managers monitor teaching and learning very well. They use the outcomes of observations of training sessions very effectively to assess the quality of their programmes and agree development plans for staff. Their use of self- assessment to monitor the quality of provision and take action to improve is good.

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What does Raytheon Professional Services need to do to improve further?

 On employer responsive NVQ programmes, increase the proportion of learners who gain their awards within the time planned by increasing the frequency of learners’ assessment, and intervening more promptly if learners are at risk of leaving.  Improve the effectiveness of literacy, numeracy and language support for learners by planning individual learning programmes that make better use of initial assessment results and that link more closely to learners’ vocational training.  Ensure that the spelling and grammatical errors in learners’ written work are identified and corrected in order to improve learners’ literacy skills.  Continue to take action to promote provision to under-represented groups in order to improve, in particular, the recruitment of women, and learners from minority ethnic groups, to technical training in motor vehicle programmes.

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What learners like:

 friendly and approachable apprentice development coaches and tutors, who explain things well  the blend of learning and the balance of different approaches to learning  practical on and off-the-job training to develop their skills  good quality resources and facilities  the good support they receive if it is needed  that learning is enjoyable.

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What learners would like to see improved:

 the rate of progress: a few would like to progress more quickly  more time for note taking in virtual classroom sessions  more rapid responses to their queries or concerns  more frequent contact with ADCs on employer responsive NVQ programmes.

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What employers like:

 the flexible way Raytheon provides training and assessment  links with Vauxhall’s accreditation programme  the good feedback on their apprentices’ progress  the support that Raytheon provides.

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What employers would like to see improved:

 the information on learners’ training programmes (they would like more).

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 2

7. Raytheon has made significant improvements to its training during a period of substantial growth and reorganisation. Strategic and development plans provide a well-structured framework for improvement, and include realistic performance and quality improvement targets. Managers monitor the implementation of these plans thoroughly and Raytheon has made good progress towards achieving its targets.

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Capacity to make and sustain improvement Grade 2

8. Self-assessment is very effective. Managers make accurate and good use of extensive arrangements to consult with learners, employers and staff to evaluate and improve provision. Their initiatives to improve the quality of training, learning and assessment, such as systems to identify and share good practice, have been successful. A high proportion of apprentices achieve their learning objectives, which include a range of additional job-related qualifications. Teaching and learning are good. Staff assess learners’ additional support needs accurately, but link these insufficiently to their vocational training.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

9. As a subcontractor, Raytheon was successful in enabling over 80% of its learners to gain their intended qualification within the time planned. As a direct contract holder, it has maintained or improved this success rate. In 2009/10, a particularly high proportion of learners attained their qualifications following Raytheon’s intensive action to enable a large number of apprentices at risk of redundancy to achieve their awards. Of the apprentices who left the programme in 2010/11, 92% achieved their qualifications, and of those who planned to complete that year, 79% were successful in a timely manner. However, Raytheon’s data indicate that its success rates will fall slightly in 2011/12 and that on its small employer responsive programme the proportion of learners who complete within the time planned will be no more than satisfactory. Although all its business administration learners achieved their

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

qualifications within the time planned in 2010/11, a small proportion of those who planned to finish in 2011/12 left before completing their qualifications.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

10. Raytheon monitors the performance of different groups of learners carefully. The proportion of successful learners is high, regardless of the group to which they belong. Raytheon has been particularly successful in enabling disaffected young learners or those with low prior achievement to participate and gain valuable qualifications. A high proportion of these learners progress to further learning in the sector.

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Outcomes for learners Grade 2

11. Learners develop good skills that improve their effectiveness at work. Their practical work is of a good standard and they become highly confident and competent. Almost all intermediate apprentices in transportation, operations and maintenance progress to advanced apprenticeships, and then to sustained employment. Learners enjoy learning, feel particularly safe and their knowledge of health, safety and personal security is excellent.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

12. Teaching and learning are good. Raytheon provides a well-balanced and coordinated blend of off-the-job training using internet resources and VCT sessions, workplace coaching and on-the-job training. Off-the-job training for apprentices in transportation operations and maintenance links well to training at work. In learning centres and VCT sessions, tutors make good use of a variety of strategies to involve learners, promote learning and link practical work to theory. ADCs provide good individual coaching for learners and workplace mentors provide good quality training at work.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

13. Training staff use good quality resources to develop learners’ knowledge and skill. Raytheon provides apprentices with electronic readers, which store useful resources and extensive reference material. Apprentices make effective use of these, and internet resources, to improve their knowledge and understanding. Apprentice development coaches plan their assessment of learners well and make good use of a range of evidence.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

14. Apprentice development coaches carry out thorough progress reviews and use them well to provide feedback on learners’ performance and to set suitable targets to help them progress. During reviews, they make good use of topical news items to develop learners’ understanding of equality and diversity. ADCs promote professional working standards and health and safety very effectively.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

15. Raytheon carries out a thorough initial assessment to place learners on appropriate programmes and to identify any additional support needs. Specialist staff give beneficial additional support to those needing help. However, Raytheon makes insufficient use of initial assessment to prepare individual plans for learners’ development that link their vocational learning with their additional learning support. Insufficient use is made of learners’ vocational training to contextualise the development of their literacy and numeracy skills. When assessing learners’ written work, apprentice development coaches do not always identify and correct spelling and grammatical errors to reinforce learners’ literacy skills development.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

16. Raytheon offers programmes that meet the needs of learners and employers very well. Learners in transportation operations and maintenance gain additional, valuable qualifications that employers value highly. Employers are closely involved in the design of learners’ programmes. Raytheon provides good opportunities for young people at school and from partner organisations to gain valuable experience and qualifications in working in the motor industry. 17. Raytheon has highly productive partnerships with employers and a range of other stakeholders including schools, voluntary organisations, employers’ representative bodies and training providers. It uses partnerships well to enable learners with low prior attainment to continue in learning and gain employment, or to provide employment opportunities for learners who have been made redundant. ADCs and employers communicate very effectively to keep up-to-

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The quality of provision Grade 2

date with learners’ development and progress.

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The quality of provision Grade 2

18. Raytheon gives learners very good individual care and support. Learners in transportation operations and maintenance value the good quality accommodation, food and transport that Raytheon provides for them when they attend its training centres. Training staff give learners good information, advice and guidance about progression within the apprenticeship, or to employment. They give transportation operations and maintenance learners good guidance and support on additional training available through Vauxhall’s accreditation scheme. However, they do not always give learners sufficient information on progression to higher education.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

19. Managers provide excellent leadership and very strong direction for all aspects of Raytheon’s work. They are highly effective in communicating their high levels of ambition and the purposes of provision to staff, employers and partners. Staff, including those at subcontractors, understand fully their role in providing and improving training. Raytheon gave outstanding support to prevent large numbers of apprentices leaving training and employment following the closure of an external provider in 2008. Almost all the 297 learners whose training, support and assessment had been interrupted for up to nine months were encouraged to re-engage in learning and supported successfully to achieve their qualifications.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

20. Raytheon’s partnerships are very strong and benefit learners well. Its management of subcontracted training is good. Communication is very effective. Managers’ frequent meetings with subcontractors maintain a clear focus on improving outcomes and on ensuring that learners receive the support that they require. Raytheon provides valuable training and support for staff and subcontractors. Its well-established, employer-based, advisory board provides useful guidance on the development of training to ensure it meets employers’ needs.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

21. Raytheon pays close and careful attention to learners’ safeguarding. It provides particularly thorough training for staff. Managers and staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities for safeguarding learners. They take particular care to ensure that safeguarding is effective when learners stay in hotels to attend Raytheon’s training centres. Managers promote anti-bullying particularly well. Incidents are very few; managers take prompt and well-judged action if they occur. Raytheon keeps detailed records and risk assessments of the health and safety checks that it carries out on employers. It carries out suitable enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks and keeps an up-to-date and appropriate central record of these checks. It ensures that contractors and subcontractors have similar checks and that their staff receive suitable training. However, Raytheon makes employers insufficiently aware of its role in safeguarding

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Leadership and management Grade 2

learners. It does not routinely receive information on accidents that have happened to learners at work.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

22. Raytheon has been particularly successful in enabling disaffected learners or those with low prior achievement to participate, gain valuable qualifications and progress to employment or further learning. It trains all staff in equality and diversity and some refresher training on diversity is planned. Apprentice development coaches understand their role in promoting equality and diversity and in reinforcing learners’ understanding. Schemes of work provide helpful guidance, enabling tutors to develop learners’ understanding during their technical training. Learners’ comprehension of equality and diversity is satisfactory and for a minority, it is good. Raytheon has recently introduced checks on employers’ equality and diversity arrangements. However, Raytheon has been slow to take action to increase the proportion of under-represented groups in training. Managers’ plans for improvement are clear, with suitable and

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Leadership and management Grade 2

realistic targets. Their actions are beginning to have an impact on recruitment.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

23. Raytheon has good arrangements for collecting the views of learners, employers and subcontractors. Managers make very effective use of surveys, group interviews and regular learners’ forums to evaluate provision. Learners use these systems well to provide feedback on their experience. Managers’ implementation of the resulting quality improvement plans is successful in maintaining good outcomes for learners and further improving the quality of their experience.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

24. Self-assessment to improve provision is good. The process is effective and a core component of Raytheon’s quality improvement procedures. Managers use data on learners’ achievements well, to identify areas for improvement. They monitor teaching and learning very effectively and make good use of the information from monitoring activities to assess provision and agree development plans for its improvement. Raytheon’s self-assessment report is detailed and thorough, sufficiently self-critical and broadly accurate.

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Leadership and management Grade 2

25. Raytheon manages its resources well and provides good for value for money. Its strategies for managing staff performance and quality improvement are very effective. Staff and subcontractors collaborate successfully to share good practice. Learners and staff use a wide range of good quality learning resources. Raytheon manages risk well. Outcomes for learners and the quality of teaching and learning are good.

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Information about the inspection

26. Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and three additional inspectors, assisted by the provider’s operations 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 bodies, and data on learners and their achievement.

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Information about the inspection

27. 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)

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Raytheon Professional Services

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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Raytheon Professional Services

Outcomes for learners 2 2 How well do learners achieve and enjoy their learning? 2 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?* n/a How well do learners make a positive contribution to the community?* n/a Quality of provision 2 2 How effectively do teaching, training and assessment support learning and development? How effectively does the provision meet the needs and interests of users? 2 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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Raytheon Professional Services

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

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Raytheon Professional Services

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 Overall effectiveness 2 2 Capacity to improve 2 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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Raytheon Professional Services

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’. Ofsted

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Raytheon Professional Services

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

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