Prevista Ltd

Learning and Skills inspection report Date published: 24 July 2013 Inspection Number: 410647 URN: 58513

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Summary of key findings for learners

 The proportion of learners who successfully achieve their qualifications, and within planned timescales, is low.  The planning and delivery of teaching, learning and assessment do not provide an effective learning experience for all learners.  Results from learners’ initial assessment are not routinely used to effectively plan learning.  The quality and use of teaching resources are not of a consistently high enough standard.  Support to improve for learners’ English, mathematics and functional skills is very weak.  Assessors do not systematically review learners’ progress. Not all learners have sufficient challenge to help them to succeed and target setting is too variable across programmes.  Too few employers attend progress reviews to consider how to help learners succeed on their training programme.  Significant aspects of the leadership and management are weak, including quality monitoring and improvement arrangements.

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Summary of key findings for learners

 While Prevista recognises the majority of its weaknesses in its self-assessment report, it has underestimated significantly the adverse impact of these weaknesses on its learners.

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Summary of key findings for learners

 Prevista has developed strong and beneficial partnerships, particularly with community groups, which help provide a curriculum that responds well to regional priorities.  Recently recruited staff demonstrate a strong level of commitment to improving the experience of all learners. Inspection dates 17−21 June 2013

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This inspection: Inadequate-4

Previous inspection: Requires improvement-3 Outcomes for learners Inadequate-4 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate-4 Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate-4

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Take urgent action to ensure that all current learners are supported fully so that they successfully complete their programmes.  Ensure that learners’ individual levels of competence in English and mathematics are correctly diagnosed and clearly recorded at the start of training, and ensure plans are in place for experienced and qualified staff to act on this information to support learners’ achievement of functional skills.  Improve the quality of all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment by acquiring and using teaching expertise in essential areas of learning and by ensuring rigorous quality monitoring arrangements are in place, with managers and assessors held to account through the setting of challenging targets.  Implement closer liaison with employers to ensure there is a coordinated approach to training, and that it takes account of the requirements of the learner’s work role as well as the standards

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

of the qualification.  Implement a thorough quality improvement system that is fully inclusive of all aspects of apprenticeship and workplace programmes.

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Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners Inadequate  Outcomes for learners are inadequate. Overall success rates of apprentices for 2011/12, the first year in which Prevista offered such programmes, were low, as were the rates for those apprentices achieving within planned timescales. There was a large rise in the number of apprentices who enrolled this year, 2012/13. However, a significant number of apprentices who started on health and social care programmes and a smaller number on administration programmes, left training early. The success rates of health and social care and child development apprentices in 2012/13 are very poor and have declined sharply from the low rate of the previous year. There is a similar pattern of failure for administration apprentices.  Overall success rates for 2011/12 across all the provider’s other workplace programmes were around the national average, but the proportion of learners achieving their qualifications within

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Inspection judgements

allocated timescales was significantly lower. During this period, success rates for workplace learners enrolled on health and social care, child development programmes and business administration and management programmes were below national rates. In addition, the number of learners who successfully completed their qualification within the time allocated was low. However, Prevista’s data for the current year indicate some improved progress for workplace learners.  The focus on learners working towards and achieving functional skills qualifications is poor and affects the success rates of apprentices. While Prevista correctly identifies this as an area that requires urgent improvement, arrangements to provide the necessary support are not yet fully operational and are not having any significant impact on learners’ progress.  Learners who remain in training develop relevant and appropriate vocational knowledge and

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Inspection judgements

improve their confidence well in relation to their current work roles. For example, administration and management learners acquire the knowledge they need relating to data protection and in team working. Child development learners develop the knowledge and skills they require to carry out their work successfully.  The standard and quality of learners’ work are satisfactory and portfolios generally meet the requirements of the qualification. However, too often teachers and assessors offer insufficient challenge and high enough expectations for learners to produce better work.  Prevista is unable to identify any possible discrepancies in achievement between different groups of learners because such data have only recently started to be analysed.  Prevista does not formally acquire information about learners’ destinations, nor about changes in their employment roles at the end of training. However, anecdotal evidence points to some

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Inspection judgements

positive examples of learners progressing into higher-level jobs and accessing higher education courses.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate and is reflected in the low percentage of apprentices who achieved their qualification last year and the further significant decline in success rates during the current year. Too many learners, in the majority of programmes, have made slow progress. However, some processes, such as recruitment and assessment, are recently improved.  Teachers and assessors do not have sufficiently high expectations, nor the planning, teaching or assessment skills to challenge, motivate or develop the majority of learners, particularly apprentices and those with additional learning needs. However, the new team of assessors and account managers is enthusiastic and eager to improve, and is starting to form good relationships with learners.  Assessors have appropriate vocational experience and qualifications; however, teachers fail to

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Inspection judgements

support fully the development of learners’ knowledge and understanding, or meet learners’ additional learning needs. Learning materials are generally adequate, but not enough use is made of available resources to support learning.  Inspectors observed some effective teaching, and a few assessors, for example in childcare, use vocational expertise well to plan sessions. However, poorer sessions fail to involve learners enough and learning is not adequately checked. The planning of learning is not effective and learners’ individual needs are too often not fully met. A minority of learners receive good individual coaching, for example in how positive body language can improve customer care in a work setting, but not enough is done during these sessions to extend learning for all learners or to challenge the more able learners.  The assessment and diagnosis of learners’ levels of competence in English and mathematics are

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Inspection judgements

inadequate. Although assessors carry out basic initial assessment of learners’ strengths and weaknesses in these subjects, the results of this analysis are not used systematically to plan appropriate support in order to develop learners’ knowledge and skills.  The teaching of functional skills is ineffective and too many learners, particularly apprentices, do not receive appropriate support to satisfy their English and mathematics needs to enable them to complete their courses successfully. Where support is offered, it is often not recorded or monitored effectively or related sufficiently to the learners’ work. Learners do not have adequate opportunity early in their training to take functional skills tests, which are for the majority of learners introduced towards the end of their course.  The recent changes in appointing new assessors have resulted in more regular and frequent assessments. However, many learners have experienced delays in assessment visits during their

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Inspection judgements

programme. Assessment practice is generally effective; assessors know their learners well and foster the development of relevant vocational skills. However, in weaker assessments, feedback and action planning are insufficiently detailed. A recently introduced recording system is improving the quality of the assessment process, but has not yet been fully implemented.  Regular reviews, which are usually timely and encouraging, monitor learners’ progress and set broad objectives. However, these are not always conducted or recorded in sufficient detail to inform learners what they need to do to develop skills and knowledge or how they need to do it. Employers are not sufficiently involved in the review process.  Assessors provide appropriate and timely information, advice and guidance for learners. The general support, that in particular newly enrolled learners receive, helps to improve their motivation to succeed.

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Inspection judgements

 Learners have an adequate understanding of aspects of equality and diversity, with relationships between assessors and learners based on mutual trust and respect. However, few assessors reinforce or expand learners’ knowledge and understanding of equality and diversity during training and assessment activities.

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Other work based learning

 Teaching, learning and assessment in health and social care and child development and well- being programmes are inadequate and this is reflected in the low success rates, in particular of apprentices.  The learning experience is not consistently effective, and is a poor one for most learners. However, assessors develop positive working relationships with learners who generally feel well supported, particularly those who are newly enrolled. Assessors use their own work experiences well to support learners in developing vocational knowledge and skills.  In the better teaching sessions, assessors plan well to ensure they meet the needs of individual learners. Poorer sessions lack structure, with very limited reinforcement of learning or checking of understanding and insufficient involvement of learners. Assessors appropriately encourage the development of independent learning skills by directing learners to websites and other

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Other work based learning

resources to enable them to prepare for assessment and complete set homework tasks.  Resources are underdeveloped and not consistently used well enough, with limited use made of information and learning technologies (ILT) to support learning.  A small minority of learners use the recently introduced e-portfolio system very effectively to record and track their progress and achievement. However, not all programmes use the new system yet; the majority of learners continue to use portfolios and tracking systems which vary in quality, and too often, neither the assessor nor the learner has a clear understanding of progress made.  Few assessors use the results from learners’ initial assessment to personalise learning, and portfolios do not always contain all appropriate documentation. Target setting is too variable across programmes. Childcare learners negotiate effective long- and short-term targets, but

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Other work based learning

targets for health and social care apprentices lack sufficient detail to be useful for learners. Employers are not routinely involved in learners’ reviews, which adversely affects their ability to support learners.  Assessors do not use consistent or effective assessment strategies. Learners experience significant delays between enrolment and their first assessment visit. In the minority of assessment sessions, effective challenges develop learners’ knowledge and understanding well. In most sessions, however, learners do not have sufficient challenge and are not encouraged to strive for better results. For a minority of learners, effective assessment planning ensures good support for their individual needs. For example, two adult learners had a joint assessment session so they could support each other in the initial stages of their learning.  Childcare assessors give detailed verbal feedback that helps learners understand what they do

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Other work based learning

well and what they need to do to improve, but this feedback is not always clearly outlined in writing. Health and social care assessors give brief, positive verbal and written feedback, but too often there is no clear evaluation of what learners do well and what they need to do to improve further.  For apprentices, the strategies to integrate functional skills in teaching, learning and assessment activities are inadequate. Developing learners’ English and mathematics relies heavily on assessors, not all of whom have the experience or confidence to provide the relevant tuition for learners. The majority of learners do not receive adequate support to reinforce or improve their English and mathematics.  Learners have access to an adequate range of information, advice and guidance, which constructively links to career pathways so that they can make informed choices with the assessor to support their career aspirations. However, not all employers are included in

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Other work based learning

decisions or discussions about how elements of training link to learners’ work.  Learners have an adequate understanding of equality and diversity and are able to demonstrate this during training and assessment as well as in their job roles. However, inspectors observed missed opportunities to challenge learners or extend their awareness when they showed limited understanding of these themes.

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Other work based learning

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate and is reflected in the low success rates of apprentices last year and the declining success rates in the current year. Learners on other workplace programmes have better success rates, although these are still below the national average.  Learners who have most recently started their programmes are keen and motivated to learn. Recently appointed assessors have started to remedy the unacceptably long waiting times between initial enrolment and the start of training. However, it is too late for these new arrangements to have a beneficial impact on the rate of progress for the majority of learners currently in training.  The structure for planning teaching and learning is insufficiently rigorous and does not meet the needs of individual learners well enough. The majority of learners do not have access to off- the-job training and, while some individual coaching supports learning adequately, learners too

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Other work based learning

often rely on their own efforts to gain the knowledge they need to complete their qualifications.  Resources for learning are adequate but vary in quality and are not always used effectively to support learning. Prevista has recently introduced an e-learning system but it is not yet fully functioning in all programme areas.  In review sessions, learners’ targets are not specific enough to enable learners to understand what knowledge and skills they need to improve. Learners on customer service courses focus on producing evidence for the qualification but do not have targets set to improve their speaking and listening skills. Employers are not sufficiently involved in the planning and review of learning so that they might provide learners with opportunities to practise and develop their skills in their workplaces.  Assessment practices are generally effective and assessment visits, more recently, are frequent

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Other work based learning

and regular with assessors making accurate decisions to confirm that learners meet set standards. In the best sessions, assessors give learners detailed instructions about their assessment relevant to their job roles. However, assessment planning is often weak and as a result, learners do not have sufficient information on what to expect in the assessment and are often unable to complete their work on time. Too often assessment documentation is incomplete so that when a learner is allocated to a new assessor it is not clear what work has already been completed and often feedback received by learners is insufficiently detailed.  Results from the initial assessment of learners’ competence in English and mathematics do not adequately inform planning to address identified additional learning needs. The provision and development of functional skills are inadequate. The majority of apprentices do not receive

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Other work based learning

functional skills training to enable them to complete their full qualification. The monitoring and reviewing of learners’ progress in English and mathematics are poor. Learners’ written work is not always marked carefully and spelling and grammatical errors are often not corrected.  For newly enrolled learners in particular, information, advice and guidance adequately ensure that they are on the most appropriate learning programme.  Learners treat each other with respect, feel safe and know how to report inappropriate behaviour. Learners’ basic understanding of equality and diversity is checked at induction. However, during subsequent training and progress reviews, little attention is paid to promoting or monitoring equality and diversity.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leadership and management are inadequate. Outcomes, particularly for apprentices, are low. Senior leaders have accurately identified most areas that require improvement. However, they have underestimated the scale of the weaknesses and the adverse impact of these on learners. Despite attempts to bring about change, leaders have not yet managed to enact effective strategies to raise standards or to improve the quality of provision.  Contract managers have constructive links with employers, local boroughs and charitable organisations across London, such as NACRO, Shape and Action for Blind People. In line with Prevista’s mission, this enables managers to schedule courses that respond to the needs of employers, address regional priorities, and make a positive contribution to improving the social and economic prosperity of the region.  Governance arrangements support the organisation in setting its mission and strategic

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

priorities. While members of the board have taken an increasingly active interest in quality improvement initiatives, they have failed to hold senior managers to account for the declining outcomes for learners; they have focused on the growth of income for the company and have not had enough impact on implementing improvements in the quality of provision for learners.  Prevista has adequate performance management systems and procedures in place for staff. There are regular opportunities for staff development, which accurately target developmental priorities. Trainers have appropriate assessor qualifications. However, a minority lacks sufficient experience or confidence to deliver aspects of teaching and learning, such as functional skills and more specialist elements of the technical certificates.  Quality assurance and improvement processes are inadequate. While the self-assessment report accurately identifies most weaknesses, improvement strategies have not yet had sufficient

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

impact. Not all staff take a full part in quality improvement reviews. There has been too little focus on monitoring and reviewing the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Systems for capturing the views of learners and employers are rudimentary and do not probe sufficiently to seek their opinions on what might help to improve the quality of the provision. In particular, the system does not enable managers to gather feedback from learners who leave their programme prematurely.  Following an extensive management review and restructure, and the recent appointment of new managers and assessors, there are early indications and increasing confidence amongst leaders that recent interventions are beginning to have a positive impact on raising quality. At the time of the inspection, staff were beginning to implement a more comprehensive and detailed quality improvement plan to rectify the weaknesses identified in the self-assessment

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

report. It is too early to evaluate the impact of this plan, or to judge the validity of leaders’ own assessment of its progress to date.  Since managers introduced a new management information system recently, they are making increasingly effective use of data reports to help inform developments. However, managers are only just beginning to report on the performance of different groups of learners, and they do not yet capture or monitor information on learners’ progression and destinations once learners complete their programme of study.  While most learners have appropriate opportunities to develop their employability skills, there are insufficient opportunities for them to develop their skills in English, mathematics and ICT.  The resources and accommodation available to learners are generally adequate. However, in a minority of sessions, teachers do not make full use of teaching resources, for example to

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

develop functional skills, or to support learners’ knowledge development.  Managers have a sound approach to the promotion of equality and diversity amongst staff and learners, which is central to the values of the organisation. However, teachers create only limited opportunities to promote equality and diversity during training activities.  Prevista meets its statutory requirements for safeguarding learners. Arrangements to train staff and raise the awareness of learners in safeguarding are appropriate and assessors actively promote to learners the need for safe working practices.

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on a provider’s performance:

1: Outstanding 2: Good 3: Requires improvement 4: Inadequate

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Overall

Apprenticeships Other work- based learning

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Overall

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment 4 4 4

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Overall

The effectiveness of leadership and management 4 4 4

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Prevista Ltd

Type of provider Independent learning provider

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full contract year

Managing Director Mr James Clements Smith

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full contract year

Date of previous inspection March 2011 Website address www.prevista.co.uk

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programme level

Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 and above

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(excluding apprenticeships)

Full-time - - - - - - - - Part-time - 133 - 803 - 52 - -

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Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 21 116 10 172 - -

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Apprenticeship level and age

Number of learners aged 14-16 N/A Number of community learners N/A Number of employability learners 2 Funding received from Skills Funding Agency (SFA)

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following main subcontractors:

 AQT Limited  DPT  Exchange Group  Exemplas  Fit4Sport Limited  Hannah Training Services  Ixion Group  Newham College  Newtec  Sarina Russo  Westminster Kingsway College

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Additional socio-economic information

Prevista is a private limited company based near Kings Cross in London. It has been trading since 1995 and works with other training organisations and employers to support business enterprise, improve employability and provide workplace training. It was formerly a broker for Train to Gain. Over the past two years, the company has provided apprenticeship, workplace and employability training either directly or through a substantial network of subcontractors, mainly within London and the home counties.

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Information about this inspection

Lead inspector Diane Stacey HMI Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and five additional inspectors, assisted by the head of quality and compliance as nominee, carried out the inspection with short notice. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors also used data on learners’ achievements over the last two years to help them make judgements. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected throughout the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all of the provision at the provider. Inspectors looked at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across all of the provision and graded the sector subject areas listed in the report above.

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Grade Judgement

Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Handbook for the inspection of further education and skills 2012, Part 2:

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Grade Judgement

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/handbook-for-inspection-of-further-education-and-skills- september-2012

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Grade Judgement

guidance ‘Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Grade Judgement

Learner View is a new website where learners can tell Ofsted what they think about their college or provider. They can also see what other learners think about them too.

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Grade Judgement

To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk 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, 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.

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Grade Judgement

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Grade Judgement

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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