Advanced Personnel Management Group (UK) Limited

Further Education and Skills inspection report Date published: December 2013 Inspection Number: 424468 URN: 54969

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Summary of key findings for learners

 Learners on employability programmes develop a positive attitude to work and learn a good range of relevant work-related skills. Apprentices gain useful workplace skills and competences.  Progression rates for learners aged between 16 and 19 into further education, apprenticeships and employment are very high.  Most teaching is good or better. Learners benefit from a good range of techniques, which ensure their participation and enjoyment.  Support for learners by dedicated and skilled staff, particularly employment coaches, is very effective in building skills and ensuring progression.  Leadership and management are good, with a new team that has good capacity to maintain and build on current improvements.  Pertemps People Development Group Ltd (PPDG) is particularly good at developing programmes to meet the needs of learners and employers.

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Summary of key findings for learners

 Targets set for learners do not clearly identify how to improve and make progress in their personal, social and employability skills.  Written feedback is not used systematically to identify and develop individual improvement.  Not enough teaching and learning is yet outstanding. Tutors are not always sure what they need to do to improve their teaching practice. They do not regularly support their peers to develop teaching, learning and assessment practice. Inspection dates 18  22 November 2013

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This inspection: Good-2

Previous inspection: Satisfactory-3 Outcomes for learners Good-2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good-2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Good-2

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that learners understand fully the progress they are making by ensuring that targets clearly identify personal, social and skills development.  Improve written feedback by focusing on identifying improvements to learners’ work and raising the standard of learners’ spelling, punctuation and grammar.  Improve the proportion of learning sessions that are outstanding by:  strengthening and refining the observation of teaching, learning and assessment to ensure that all trainers clearly understand how to improve  further improving the standard of teaching, learning and assessment by focusing on peer support, sharing good practice, particularly in equality and diversity, and developing the use of information and learning technology (ILT) for all tutors.

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Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners Good  Outcomes for learners are good. Since the previous inspection in 2011, overall success rates for apprentices have improved to the national average. Progression rates into apprenticeships, employment and further education for learners aged between 16 and 19 have improved consistently over the last three years and are very high. Adults on short employability courses are gaining a good range of relevant work-related qualifications and a minority are successful in gaining employment.  Business administration apprentices are making good progress. The majority are on target to complete the apprenticeship framework within agreed timescales. The new employment related services programme is meeting the business needs of its apprentices well.  Learners enjoy their learning, which is carried out in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect. Learners feel at ease and consequently they develop positive attitudes to work, participate well

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Inspection judgements

in sessions and are engaged effectively in learning.  No significant differences exist in performance between different groups of learners on employability programmes. PPDG monitors regularly the performance of different groups of learners through its systematic analysis of data and performance reports. For example, analysis of business administration programmes identified underperformance by females on the advanced apprenticeship programme. This resulted in restructuring the programme to accommodate an early introduction of functional skills. Senior managers make good and regular use of data to monitor recruitment, retention and performance of learners.  Learners on employability programmes develop a positive attitude to work. They develop a good range of skills and gain in confidence and self-esteem. They develop new skills or update and refresh their existing skills and are gaining valuable experience of interviews for future

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Inspection judgements

employment.  Employability learners are gaining problem solving and critical thinking skills, which they use effectively to prepare for interviews. Apprentices become confident and articulate and make valuable contributions in their work setting through the application of new skills and competencies. Learners develop greater confidence in mathematics. However, written feedback is not used consistently to develop learners’ English skills.  Employability learners progress to further learning and employment. They gain a good range of relevant qualifications to enhance their employment prospects. For example, a foundation learner has progressed to an advanced customer service apprenticeship and is now a peer 18-22 November 2013 3 of 12

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Inspection judgements

mentor to others. All learners are encouraged to reflect on their future aspirations and how to achieve their short- and longer-term goals. Former learners and apprentices are employed at various levels throughout PPDG.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good. The company has high expectations of learners and often delivers more training than their contractual requirements. Learners acquire a positive attitude to learning and work. For example, when learners miss training sessions, often for legitimate reasons, they are encouraged to attend at a different time to catch up on any missed work. Staff are committed and motivated to improve the future prospects of all learners. These high expectations are reflected in the good outcomes for employability learners and apprentices.  Tutors and assessors are well qualified and have a good understanding of their learners. They motivate them effectively and work with them to tailor learning to meet their individual needs. Functional skills sessions for business administration apprentices frequently make use of work-

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Inspection judgements

based examples to make learning more relevant.  Teaching sessions are good. Tutors quickly put learners at ease, which helps them to overcome barriers which may prevent them from learning. Learners become confident and are able to contribute well within their learning group. Tutors do provide peer support and share good teaching practice but this is not systematic.  Lesson planning is good and frequently encourages use of participative techniques; the better sessions make good use of these activities to stimulate learning. For example, a study programme lesson effectively used the concept of ‘speed dating’ to explore interviewing and presentation skills. In an employability session, elastic bands were used to demonstrate how much the learners were being ‘stretched’. The reinforcement of health and safety is effective at the beginning of sessions and learners’ understanding is checked frequently.  Classrooms are generally spacious and suitable learning environments; many are situated in the

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Inspection judgements

centre of local communities. However, not all are equipped with ILT. Sessions in team building and sports activities provide learners with a good variety of additional activities. Tutors use these participative sessions well to observe learners and better understand their abilities and challenges.  Initial and diagnostic assessments are systematic and thorough. They are used effectively to identify support needs and the levels of relevant qualifications to be completed. Teaching assistants support younger learners on study programmes well. They effectively coordinate the initial stages of the course including interview, initial assessment and induction. Assessment is appropriate and incorporates a wide variety of assessment methods.  Verbal feedback on learners’ work is good. Learners are clear about what progress they are making. All learners have adequate opportunities to develop their English and mathematical

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Inspection judgements

skills via dedicated sessions and through embedded content in classroom sessions. However, the use of feedback to develop learners’ spelling, punctuation and grammar is not consistent.  The quality of learners’ progress reviews is satisfactory. Business administration apprentices receive specific targets that enable them to understand well what is required before their next review. Wider discussions, to ensure apprentices and employers know what progress has been made, are inconsistent. Employability learners’ reviews are very helpful in identifying progress in their qualification goals. However, they are less well developed in identifying personal, social and employability skills.  Information, advice and guidance are good. Helpful employment coaches provide good support for employability learners to help them progress on and off the programme. They are particularly helpful in identifying skills that learners may not realise they have, through, for

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Inspection judgements

example, caring for a family member. Support throughout the programme is highly valued by learners. However, opportunities are missed for business administration apprentices to receive information, advice and guidance during reviews.  Promotion of equality and diversity in teaching and learning is satisfactory. In the best classroom sessions good use is made of naturally occurring opportunities to explore equality and diversity issues. For example, a discussion on mental health issues led to a helpful debate on discrimination and its possible impact on job offers. However, further opportunities to promote equality and diversity are often missed.

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Employability

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good. This correlates well with the good skills development and good rates of progression into further education, apprenticeships and employment. Learners enjoy their courses, make significant gains in self-confidence and develop a good range of employability skills. They also make significant gains in their vocational knowledge and understanding and achieve units of accreditation, which support their job applications and progression very effectively.  Learners receive good individual support. They value the way skilled and experienced trainers put them at their ease and help them to overcome any nerves or resistance to learning they may initially have. Learners make rapid progress. For example, adult learners on a short retail course develop their knowledge and understanding and increase their self-confidence after just a half-day. Study programme learners quickly gain new mathematical skills in percentages and

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Employability

money management through working out rates of interest on loans, using helpful examples from their everyday lives.  Learners benefit from well-planned lessons, which actively involve them in a good variety of interesting activities and tasks, providing good levels of challenge and opportunities to extend their learning. They work productively and with interest and enjoyment, using a good range of learning resources, which help to promote and reinforce learning well.  Learners make good use of individual and group presentations and develop their speaking, listening and team-working skills very effectively. They particularly enjoy the hands-on approach to their learning. Trainers regularly reinforce health and safety with learners, which promotes the importance of their health and safety in the workplace. However, not all trainers make sufficient use of ILT to support learning and rely too much on paper-based learning resources.

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Employability

 Initial and diagnostic assessments are systematic and thorough and clearly identify learners’ levels of English and mathematics and any support needs, as well as their career aspirations. Assessment of learning in lessons is good, with use of interesting approaches to check learners’ understanding and progress. However, targets for learners are not sufficiently specific, in relation to their skill development in English and mathematics, in order to contribute to their systematic progress.  Learners receive helpful verbal feedback in lessons, which increases their confidence and enables them to be clear about the progress that they are making. They make good progress in the development of their mathematical, speaking and listening skills. A minority of learners on short programmes develop their writing skills well. Written feedback on learners’ assessed work is not always sufficiently clear or helpful and errors in spelling and punctuation are not always

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Employability

corrected.  Initial advice and guidance are very effective at ensuring that learners receive good personalised support and that they attend appropriate courses which support their goals well and help them 18-22 November 2013 5 of 12

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Employability

to increase their chances of gaining employment. Learners are very positive about the invaluable support they receive, particularly from the employment coaches, who are particularly helpful and skilled.  Trainers generally treat learners with care and respect and effectively help them to overcome any barriers to their learning. In the best learning sessions, the promotion of equality and diversity has an excellent impact on learners’ understanding of key issues in their lives, in the workplace and in wider society. However, this is not done consistently well across all programmes.

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Apprenticeships

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good. This is reflected in the improving outcomes for apprentices. Assessors are well qualified and have a good understanding of the organisations in which apprentices are employed; this is used effectively to support the development of work- related skills. Apprentices are clear about what is expected of them and are making good progress, with the majority on target to achieve within agreed timescales.  Apprentices appreciate the good support provided by assessors who work flexibly to meet their individual needs. For example, assessors visit learners weekly or even daily to ensure they progress well. They enjoy their learning and develop good work skills and knowledge. Employers value the skills they develop and their contribution to the organisation and client relationships.  The skilfully planned assessment and individual coaching sessions meet the needs of individual

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Apprenticeships

learners well. Apprentices’ work is of a good standard with a broad range of evidence. They make good use of the e-portfolio system to present evidence, access feedback and monitor their progress. Assessors make appropriate use of resources available to them to support development. Opportunities are missed on the advanced apprenticeship programme to encourage reflective practice and expand their independent learning skills.  Individual learning plans set appropriate targets based on thorough initial assessment. Targets are regularly updated at progress reviews with specific targets for on-going development and assessment agreed at each meeting. Verbal feedback provides apprentices with detailed and clear direction that assists them to progress through the qualification. However, targets are not used consistently to monitor personal progress and written feedback does not always identify how to improve further the standard of work.

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Apprenticeships

 Progress reviews are flexible and meet the needs of learners well. In the better reviews, employers are fully involved, contribute effectively to apprentices’ progress, and provide feedback on areas and opportunities for development. In reviews where the employer is not present, discussions are less effective in identifying skills gained and how they can be developed further to enhance the job role.  Support for the development of English, mathematics and functional skills is good. Assessors provide effective individual coaching sessions, which are supported by online learning materials and group tutorials. Teaching sessions often use relevant workplace examples to clarify learning and apprentices are encouraged to develop these skills on-the-job.  Information, advice and guidance are satisfactory. The more-experienced assessors provide apprentices with appropriate information relevant to progression routes and career

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Apprenticeships

development. Opportunities are missed during reviews to direct apprentices towards appropriate progression opportunities. 18-22 November 2013 6 of 12

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Apprenticeships

 Apprentices have an adequate understanding of equality and diversity but their promotion in teaching, learning and assessment is under developed. Equality and diversity are addressed satisfactorily through the employee rights and responsibilities workbook but opportunities are missed during assessment and progress reviews to extend and embed knowledge and understanding.

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Apprenticeships

The effectiveness of leadership and management Good  Leadership and management are good. Leaders and managers demonstrate a clear vision and direction that are understood by all staff. Staff share the values of the organisation which focus on continual improvement and the support of learners to achieve. Managers and staff are passionate about the success of their learners. Staff value the open management style and feel well supported.  Leaders recognise the need to improve. They have put in place an effective management structure and recruited skilled people who have already made significant improvements that bring benefits to the learners. Managers recognise most of the areas for improvement found during the inspection and have appropriate plans in place to deal with them. The new management team and staff have good capacity to maintain and build on current improvements.  Areas of functional management are strong, for example, the management of data and

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Apprenticeships

production of management information. The new management team has implemented a range of strategies to improve the provision; it is too soon to measure the full impact of all these initiatives. Performance management is thorough and communications are good throughout the organisation. The well-structured meetings are frequent and provide the basis for sound quality improvement.  PPDG has a clear focus and strategy for improving teaching, learning and assessment that includes investing in higher-level teaching qualifications for tutors. Observations of teaching, learning and assessment are satisfactory and provide tutors with a clear understanding of their performance. However, the insufficiently detailed action plans do not explain how and where their performance can be improved, particularly from good to outstanding. Views from learners gathered from individual sessions are not fed back effectively to tutors.

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Apprenticeships

 Staff are well qualified and have good, relevant experience. Learning materials are appropriate and are used well in learning. Learners on apprenticeships benefit from the e-portfolio which gives good access to both their tutors and additional learning materials.  A wide range of quality improvement measures has improved the quality of provision. Team meetings and standardisation meetings address particular elements of the programme. For example, documentation has been improved and initial induction is now more effective. Success rates and progression in several areas are now high. Quality assurance measures are generally effective and promote high standards of work. Staff views and learner feedback influence and support quality development and data are analysed and evaluated well to identify areas requiring improvement.  PPDG recognise that contribution to the self-assessment report is not sufficiently inclusive of all

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Apprenticeships

staff. Although feedback from staff and learners is collated and analysed well and contributes to overall quality improvement planning, it is not used to generate effective quality improvement plans for specific programmes.  Curriculum management is good. PPDG is particularly good at working with employers to design bespoke provision to meet well the needs of both its learners and employers. This strength is recognised in the self-assessment report. Appropriate systems are in place to ensure that learners are on the correct course and level. Learners enjoy good learning support to ensure their development, particularly in relation to their employability skills. 18-22 November 2013 7 of 12

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Apprenticeships

 Arrangements for equality and diversity are generally good. Staff receive regular training and their knowledge is at least satisfactory. They create a good atmosphere of mutual respect which learners value. PPDG is very focused on supporting unemployed and vulnerable people and offering a service that will improve their lives. Data on the performance of different groups are analysed thoroughly and managers review reports regularly and frequently.  Staff promote equality and diversity well to learners at induction and through key elements of the programmes, and learners often demonstrate a good understanding of wider equality issues. However, opportunities are often missed in teaching and progress reviews to further enrich the learners’ knowledge and understanding.  The provider meets its statutory requirements for safeguarding learners. PPDG carries out appropriate checks on all relevant staff. Where safeguarding issues are identified staff take quick

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Apprenticeships

and appropriate action, involving social services and the local safeguarding board where necessary. Designated safeguarding staff are trained to an appropriate level and all staff have a good awareness of safeguarding through regular training. Risk assessment is thorough and undertaken by suitably trained staff for all learning locations and employer premises. Health and safety are promoted well to learners throughout their programmes. 18-22 November 2013 8 of 12

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Pertemps People Development Group Limited

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

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Pertemps People Development Group Limited

1: Outstanding 2: Good 3: Requires improvement 4: Inadequate Overall 16-19 study programmes Apprenticeships Employability

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Pertemps People Development Group Limited

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment 2 2 2 2

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Pertemps People Development Group Limited

The effectiveness of leadership and management 2 2 2 2

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Subject areas graded for the quality of teaching, learning and assessment Grade

Administration 2 18-22 November 2013 9 of 12

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Provider details

Type of provider Independent learning provider

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Mr Steve King Date of previous inspection March 2011 Website address www.pertemps.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 167 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Part-time 2 83 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total N/A N/A N/A

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Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 4 73 17 30 N/A N/A

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Number of learners aged 14-16

Full-time N/A Part-time N/A Number of community learners N/A Number of employability learners 23 Funding received from Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency

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Contextual information

Established in 1997, PPDG delivers integrated employment, training and recruitment services, supporting unemployed people into sustainable work from its head office in Edgbaston and a number of centres nationally. PPDG is led by a chief executive officer who is supported by four executive directors, an operations director and a risk management director. The operations director manages the delivery of the Education Funding Agency and the Skills Funding Agency contracts and is supported by the quality assurance manager, six internal verifiers and 10 training coordinators and a number of staff who support the programmes. At the time of inspection 45% of learners were female and 83% White British.

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Information about this inspection

One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and five additional inspectors, assisted by the national operations director 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 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. 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. 18-22 November 2013 11 of 12

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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 18-22 November 2013 12 of 12

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Grade Judgement

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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