Be Totally YouOfsted inspection, 17 Oct 2013

Learning and Skills inspection report Date published: 19 November 2013 Inspection Number: 423832 URN: 59122 Be Totally You

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Summary of key findings for learners

 Staff do not use initial assessment and progress reviews sufficiently well to plan and review individual learning.  Assessors do not involve employers sufficiently in reviews of learners’ progress.  Teachers do not sufficiently integrate learners’ functional skills into their workplace skills, and do not challenge more able learners sufficiently.  Managers do not use findings from the observation of teaching and learning to bring about sufficient improvement.  Managers do not currently use management information sufficiently to inform improvement actions.  Quality improvement arrangements are insufficiently formal, and are not yet comprehensive enough to ensure good self-assessment and improvement plans.

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Summary of key findings for learners

 Be Totally You (BTY) has improved some aspects of its provision and functions.  Learners develop good subject knowledge.  Staff have good skills and knowledge which they use well to provide effective one-to-one coaching and support during off-the-job training.  Learners successfully make the transition from unemployment to work and skills development.  BTY strongly promotes the inclusion of vulnerable young people, who would not normally enter further education, into learning and employment.  BTY makes good use of partnerships to promote learning and employment opportunities. Inspection dates 14-17 October 2013

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This inspection: Requires improvement-3

Previous inspection: Satisfactory-3 Outcomes for learners Satisfactory-3 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Satisfactory-3 Effectiveness of leadership and management Satisfactory-3

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Improve the planning and review of individual learning and progress. Make better use of initial assessment, and implement comprehensive reviews of progress which more effectively link on- and off-the-job training. Set more specific targets for learners.  Build on the existing good links with employers to encourage their involvement at all stages of learning. In particular, complete all reviews of learners’ progress with employers in the workplace.  Improve learners’ development of functional skills by integrating these with other workplace skills. Provide challenge for able learners, and monitor individual learners’ progress more effectively.  Make better use of the observation of teaching, learning and assessment to focus on the impact on learning; and also to provide clearer actions for staff development, in order to improve the overall consistency and quality of provision.  Further develop the new data systems to provide effective management information which

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

managers can use to improve the monitoring of performance.  Develop more coherent quality improvement arrangements, including a more formal, analytical and evaluative self-assessment process. Ensure that self-assessment makes better use of learners’, employers’ and staff’s views, and implement a quality improvement plan which provides clear actions for improvement.

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Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement  The apprenticeship programme is new, with no validated data on outcomes for learners yet available. According to the provider’s own data, around two thirds of all learners who commenced in 2011/12 successfully completed their frameworks in 2012/13. This rate of success is below national averages, although the number of learners who commenced is low, making comparison difficult. It is too early to judge overall success rates for those who commenced in 2012/13, although there are indications of an improving trend.  Learners currently on the programme are all at least making the progress expected towards their qualification within planned timescales, and some are making good progress. However, a small minority of learners experience delays in finding jobs at the start of their apprenticeship.  The provider does not yet use data sufficiently well to monitor the achievement and progress

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Inspection judgements

of different groups of learners. A few bilingual learners, who have lower levels of English skills, do not always make sufficient progress in learning as they struggle to understand the level of English used in learning materials and the training sessions.  Learners make effective progress in the development of their personal and vocational skills. They gain useful and appropriate job skills, and learn new skills in their jobs, whether in customer service, administration, youth work or child care. They take on more responsibilities as they progress and become more confident at work. Learners develop knowledge well and produce good quality work in their workbooks and portfolios.  In many instances, learners make good progress from low starting points. Many have come from unemployment into jobs and are valuing the opportunities to gain employment and improve their future prospects. Rates of progression are adequate, with a minority of learners

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Inspection judgements

progressing onto higher-level qualifications and a majority of apprentices remaining in employment at the end of their apprenticeships.  Learners make adequate progress in improving their functional skills. Learners who are at entry level at the start of the programme progress well to achieve level 1 qualifications. However, a minority of learners do not have sufficient challenge, working towards functional skills that are at, or below, their existing levels.  Staff do not sufficiently monitor attendance rates at off-the-job training to measure overall attendance levels. During the inspection, attendance was low in a small minority of lessons.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement  Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement and the outcomes for learners reflect this judgement.  The pastoral support for learners is good and effectively provides assistance to the many learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. Learners renew their interest in learning, and show more motivation to progress into employment and achieve qualifications. They enjoy the supportive culture that exists at the provider. In addition, the provider makes available financial support for travel and clothing to help learners into employment.  Assessors have good subject knowledge and use their skills effectively to coach and mentor the learners well. They use one-to-one sessions to provide good support with course assignments. Learners receive useful feedback on how they can develop their knowledge further. This off-the-job vocational training and coaching enable learners to achieve and make

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Inspection judgements

progress in line with expected benchmarks. However, tutors and assessors use an insufficient range of teaching methods, with an over-reliance on workbooks rather than interactive activities, discussions with fellow trainees and group work. Employers provide effective on-the- job learning in the workplace to meet the needs of the job. However, the links between on- the-job and classroom learning are not always sufficiently explicit.  Staff’s use of assessment to set targets for learners and to plan learning is ineffective. Staff carry out initial assessments of learners’ skills, but these do not identify sufficiently clearly learners’ strengths and areas for development. Many of the observation reports provided by assessors about learners’ performance at work are detailed and provide feedback on unit achievement. However, they are not sufficiently comprehensive. In most reviews of learners’ progress, assessors do not pay sufficient attention to their individual learning needs and the

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Inspection judgements

development of their skills. Assessors tend to visit the workplace solely to complete observations, and do not sufficiently involve employers in reviewing learners’ progress and action planning.  The teaching and learning of functional skills require improvement. Most learners make the progress expected for their level. The explanations of concepts are clear, for example concerning the use of percentages in mathematics and apostrophes in English. Learners enjoy active, whole- and small-group learning activities. The lessons are well planned and resources are appropriate. However, tutors do not yet integrate English and mathematics into the work- based content. Tutors do not always pay sufficient attention to monitoring the progress and understanding of all learners, which leads to poorer progress for weaker learners. The planning of extension activities for stronger learners is weak.  Managers have put in place a process for the observation of teaching and learning, and the

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Inspection judgements

schedule to observe new and existing staff is set within an appropriate timescale. The documentation to capture information on strengths and weaknesses is good. However, observers do not always focus sufficiently on learning and learners’ progress in their written reports. These tend to contain descriptions of activity rather than an evaluation of the impact of the lesson and the quality of learning. The provider does not yet analyse reports to identify staff training needs.  The provision of information, advice and guidance is adequate. Tutors and assessors offer learners useful advice and guidance about how they can continue their learning, either with the provider or externally with other organisations. Information on job opportunities is made available to learners. However, the provider does not focus sufficiently on the learners’ prior education and training, job skills and ambitions in designing initial assessment and counselling.

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Inspection judgements

The level of language used in documents, such as the learning agreement, is too high for many learners to understand.  The accommodation and resources are fit for purpose, with sufficient computers for learners to work independently. Tutors develop their own resources over time, but do not share resources sufficiently, or moderate their quality and relevance.  Managers’ internal verification of assessors’ judgements is effective. Assessors receive thoughtful feedback and recommendations for action, for example on the need for sufficient detail in assessment plans. The outcomes of verification are used well to plan staff training. The quality of assessors’ management of learners’ portfolios of evidence, and of their feedback to learners, is improving steadily.  The promotion of equality and diversity in teaching and learning is good. The provider attracts trainees from diverse backgrounds. Staff and trainees treat each other with respect and work

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Inspection judgements

very well together. Child care and youth work resources explore equality and diversity aspects well, for example disability and discrimination. Teachers and assessors in customer service and business administration use the content of workbooks to tackle matters relating to equality and diversity. However, assessors do not consistently reinforce learners’ awareness of equality and diversity matters during reviews.

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Inspection judgements

The effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement  The leadership of BTY demonstrates clear strategic vision and direction, both through its actions and a mission statement which focuses on the development of young people’s potential in the economically-deprived local area. Managers and staff recognise that various aspects of the apprenticeship programme require improvement and have already started to address these. For example, new data systems are in place, although these are not yet effective. Managers set targets for staff to improve their practice, and track and closely monitor progress towards their achievement. Targets are clear and based on specific goals relating to recruitment and the achievements of individual learners. However, targets for staff do not take into account overall organisational performance because of the current lack of accurate management information.  The organisational structure is appropriate for a small organisation, as are the skills and

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Inspection judgements

qualifications of staff, who are enthusiastic, committed and knowledgeable. BTY works well in partnership with local community groups and statutory organisations to address the needs of the locality, particularly targeting young people not in education, employment or training, to support their progress into work, which meets national priorities.  Strategies to improve teaching, learning and assessment and programme quality are not yet fully effective. Many staff are new and managers are building the capacity of the organisation carefully. Staff take up good training and professional development opportunities, although managers do not yet link this to the process for appraising staff performance. Meetings to standardise assessors’ judgements, although not well recorded, have improved this relatively new provision, particularly those aspects identified in external moderators’ reports as requiring improvement.

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Inspection judgements

 The system for observing teaching, learning and assessment is well established. However, the process does not focus sufficiently on the impact of teaching on learning, nor provide sufficient qualitative feedback for trainers and assessors. Several staff were appointed recently and have not yet been observed. The provider recognises that while resources are generally satisfactory, it does not use the rich pool of assessors’ own resources sufficiently well. BTY communicates well with employers, with regular visits by business development staff. However, too many employers do not have sufficient involvement in their learners’ programmes.  Quality assurance of files, documentation and the monitoring and tracking of learners’ progress are in place. However, managers recognise the need to tighten quality assurance, and new mechanisms are being established. These have improved some aspects of the programme, for

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Inspection judgements

example the scheduling off-the-job learning sessions and the internal moderation process. However, BTY does not yet have a fully effective, comprehensive quality improvement system. The organisation does not systematically collect or analyse feedback from employers and learners, nor does it use formal self-assessment and action plans to promote continuous improvement. BTY is transferring data to a new system, which is not yet used effectively to analyse overall performance or furnish useful management information, for example to measure the relative performance of different groups of learners.  BTY strongly promotes social inclusion and supports vulnerable young people who would not normally enter further education, both through its programmes and through other support, often in partnership with local groups. Managers have put in place appropriate policies to promote equality and diversity, keep learners safe and maintain health and safety. Staff have a

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Inspection judgements

good understanding of equality and diversity, although there is little formal training. Most learners have a good understanding of these aspects gained within their qualifications through useful workbooks. Staff offer very good pastoral support for learners. Safeguarding arrangements meet current government requirements for keeping learners safe. Incidents are managed well and recording is appropriate. Risk assessments are undertaken for all training and employment locations.

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on a provider’s performance:

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

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Overall

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment 3 3

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Overall

The effectiveness of leadership and management 3 3

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Be Totally You

Type of provider Independent learning provider

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Beverley Ejomofo Date of previous inspection N/A Website address www.betotallyyou.com

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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 - - - - - - - -

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Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ - 23 - 8 - -

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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 N/A Funding received from Skills Funding Agency

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Additional socio-economic information

Be Totally You (BTY) is a not-for-profit organisation. It is based in the London Borough of Lewisham, where the proportion of minority ethnic residents is higher than the London average, and where the proportion of people with no qualifications is higher than in London overall. BTY provides apprenticeship programmes in child care, youth work, supporting teaching and learning, business administration and customer service. It also has a significant number of learners on employability programmes which are funded by other agencies. The main training facilities are in Lewisham and BTY has also recently opened premises in Bromley, Kent.

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Information about this inspection

Lead inspector Gary Adkins One lead inspector and two additional inspectors, assisted by the chief executive 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 three 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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

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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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