Valley Forge (UK) Limited

Inspection date 13 March 2009 Valley Forge (UK) Limited Inspection number 330958

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Contents

Background information ............................................................................................................... 3

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Contents

Inspection judgements ....................................................................................................................... 3

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Contents

Scope of the inspection ...................................................................................................................... 3

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Contents

Description of the provider ........................................................................................................... 4

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Summary of grades awarded ........................................................................................................ 5

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Overall judgement ........................................................................................................................ 6

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Contents

Effectiveness of provision .................................................................................................................. 6

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Capacity to improve ........................................................................................................................ 6

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Key strengths ............................................................................................................................... 7

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Key areas for improvement .......................................................................................................... 7

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Main findings ............................................................................................................................... 9

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Achievement and standards .............................................................................................................. 9

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Quality of provision ............................................................................................................................ 9

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Leadership and management........................................................................................................... 11

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Equality of opportunity ................................................................................................................. 11

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What learners like about Valley Forge ......................................................................................... 14

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What learners think Valley Forge could improve ......................................................................... 14

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Learners’ achievements .............................................................................................................. 15

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Inspection judgements

Inspectors use a four-point scale to summarise their judgements about achievement and standards, the quality of provision, and leadership and management, which includes a grade for equality of opportunity .

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Key for inspection grades

Further information can be found on how inspection judgements are made on www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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Scope of the inspection

In deciding the scope of the inspection, inspectors take account of the provider’s most recent self- assessment report and development plans, and comments from the local Learning and Skills Council (LSC) or other funding body. Where appropriate, inspectors also consider the previous inspection report ( www.ofsted.gov.uk ), reports from the inspectorates’ quality monitoring or annual assessment visits, and data on learners and their achievements over the period since the previous inspection.

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Scope of the inspection

In addition to reporting on overall effectiveness of the organisation, its capacity to improve further, achievement and standards, quality of provision and leadership and management, this inspection focused on specialist provision in:

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Description of the provider

1. Valley Forge (UK) Limited (Valley Forge) is part of SPX Service Solutions, a global business offering a range of business support services to companies throughout the world. Valley Forge has operated in the United Kingdom for 12 years delivering technical authoring and technical training services to a range of motor vehicle manufacturers.

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Description of the provider

2. In August 2007 Valley Forge was awarded a contract by the LSC to deliver to the Fiat Group, which includes Ferrari and Iveco, apprenticeship programmes. In November 2007 it took over the Bentley national apprenticeship programme, and in May 2008 the contract for the Suzuki and Mazda programmes transferred to Valley Forge. Government funded training accounts for about 25% of Valley Forge’s business.

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Description of the provider

3. There are currently 370 learners. Bentley has 20 learners, Ferrari has 17, Fiat has 57, Iveco has 148, Mazda has 43 and Suzuki has 85. Eighty-four learners are advanced apprentices and 286 are apprentices.

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Description of the provider

4. The programmes are managed from the head office in Nottingham. Trainers and assessors, employed by Valley Forge, are responsible for progress reviews and assessment of learners in the workplace. Off-the-job training is delivered on block release at seven technical training centres throughout the country. In addition Iveco apprentices attend Stoke-on-Trent College for part of their technical training and key skills.

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Summary of grades awarded

Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Achievement and standards Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Quality of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Leadership and management Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Summary of grades awarded

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

5. The overall effectiveness of the provision is satisfactory. Achievement and standards are satisfactory as are the quality of provision, leadership and management and equality of opportunity. Provision in motor vehicle is also satisfactory.

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Good: Grade 2

6. Valley Forge has demonstrated that it has good capacity to improve. It has focused highly on improving learners’ success and recent data demonstrates that this is improving significantly, as is the rate of learners’ progress. Valley Forge sets high standards and strives to achieve them. It makes good use of feedback from employers, learners and clients and responds rapidly and effectively to opportunities to improve. Staff and managers look continuously for better and more effective ways of working which enhance the learners’ experience. Quality assurance arrangements, driven by the internal verification system, are good overall although there are some gaps.

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Good: Grade 2

7. The self-assessment process is good. It is thorough, inclusive and accurate. The views of all stakeholders are drawn together well and, combined with relevant numerical data to provide a largely accurate assessment of the provision. The self-assessment report is well written and identifies most of the strengths and areas for improvement. Action planning for improvement is particularly effective.

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Key strengths

 Very effective staff target-setting and review

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Key strengths

 Highly effective internal verification process

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Key strengths

 Good self-assessment and development process

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Valley Forge should address:

 Inadequate arrangements for the identification and provision of additional support

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Valley Forge should address:

 No formal strategy for business development

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Valley Forge should address:

 Underdeveloped management information system

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Valley Forge should address:

 No formal arrangements for managing subcontracted provision

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

8. Achievement and standards are satisfactory. The overall success rate of learners on all programmes was 69% in 2007/08 compared with the national average of 64%. The rate of progress was slow for many of the apprentices who transferred from the previous provider of these programmes. Valley Forge’s own data indicates that success rates have improved significantly in the first six months of this year to 55% for apprentices and 96% for advanced apprentices. Timely success rates have also improved significantly to 25% for apprentices and 60% for advanced apprentices.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

9. Learners develop good technical and interpersonal skills. By their third year of training most learners work independently with minimal supervision, often on advanced diagnostic and repair work. Learners are adept in the use of manufacturer-specific diagnostic equipment and fault finding techniques, often becoming a point of reference for other staff in their dealership. Many learners develop high levels of confidence and ability in customer-related activities. They are able to talk to customers about the repairs that are needed and to offer advice. Some learners experience work as service receptionists. Others are moved to different departments to gain a wider view of their dealerships. Many learners are authorised to carry out warranty and service repairs to specific vehicles.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

10. Quality of provision is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are good. Off-the-job training is good and learners are issued with good quality training manuals and notes. Training programmes are well structured and allow learners to build on skills and knowledge from previous sessions. Tutors make good reference to product related examples to reinforce learner understanding. The effective use of question and answer techniques produces good learner responses based on their different experiences. Classroom work is well linked to visits to the practical workshops to reinforce theoretical principles. All lessons observed by inspectors were judged good or better. Learners’ portfolios and written work is satisfactory. Attendance on training programmes is very good. 11. The facilities and resources to support learning are excellent. This was identified as a strength in the self-assessment report. Tutors are very experienced and well qualified. Learners attend

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

regular off-the-job block training programmes in the manufacturer’s customised training centres. Training centres are equipped to a very high standard with the latest vehicle products. Learners benefit from using the same resources used to train experienced technicians. The standard of learning materials is high with much being produced by professional authors. Tutors make good use of the extensive information and learning technology facilities provided in the centres. The workshop resources in dealerships are to the standard required by the vehicle manufacturers.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

12. The monitoring of learner progress is weak. This was identified in the self-assessment report. Workplace visits by tutors are insufficiently frequent for some learners. Targets are set for learners but they do not always have precise time limits and they are not always reviewed at subsequent meetings. Many learners are not aware of their overall progress. Health and safety and equality and diversity are appropriately discussed at reviews.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

13. The planning of individual learning is weak. Learners are issued with an individual learning plan at the start of their training but these are not updated systematically and do not give a clear picture of what a learner has achieved or has yet to complete. The plan is not referred to during progress reviews and is not updated as the learner progresses through their training. Employers do not always have an overall plan of their learner’s training and consequently are not always able to take advantage of any workplace opportunities to provide both training and evidence for the learner’s National Vocational Qualification.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

14. The arrangements for the identification and provision of additional support are inadequate. This was identified in the self-assessment report. There is some screening of learner literacy and numeracy skills on entry to the programme but there is no formal diagnosis of the specific help learners require if they have weak literacy or numeracy skills. Valley Forge does not have a central record of the screening results or of any potential support required by learners. Tutors provide some development of learner literacy and/or numeracy skills through motor vehicle related key skills assignments but not in a systematic way.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

15. The programmes and activities meet the needs and interests of learners and their employers well. Valley Forge liaises closely with the different vehicle manufacturers to identify their specific training requirements. The training provided for learners is closely matched to the vehicle manufacturer’s requirements and develops learner skills and knowledge to meet the employment standard required by motor vehicle dealerships. The training provides a good foundation to enable learners to progress on to further technical courses to advance their careers.

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Satisfactory: Grade 3

16. Guidance and support are satisfactory. Learners initially work under the guidance of a mentor to develop their technical skills. The induction to the programme is comprehensive and informative. Learners receive a well produced manual which contains detailed welfare information. Some dealership managers have provided very good support for individual learners regarding personal and professional matters.

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Equality of opportunity

Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

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Equality of opportunity

17. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Staff are set individual targets and also work towards group key performance indicators. Targets are focused on ensuring learners complete and also to ensure the quality of the training programme. Close monitoring of these targets and the sharing of the key performance indicators with clients ensures that performance is focused and prioritised. Targets are set as part of the annual staff appraisal and any personal development needs, particularly those related to target achievement, are identified. A wide range of staff development takes place and staff highly value the development opportunities they are given.

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Equality of opportunity

18. Progress of the apprenticeship programme is being very effectively guided, driven and monitored by the organisation’s internal verification system. Procedures and processes for internal verification are extremely comprehensive and focus on timely achievement. Excellent action planning and communication between internal verifiers and assessors ensures assessment activity is well planned, monitored and is thorough. Observation of assessment and review activity, formative and summarative internal verifier assessment of portfolios and frequent standardisation meetings ensure a consistent approach to quality assurance. 19. Valley Forge has a very effective self-assessment process which is used as a foundation for quality improvement. The process is an integral part of the organisation’s quality cycle and is fully inclusive with staff, learners, employers and clients having the opportunity to participate. A

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Equality of opportunity

comprehensive and very well monitored quality improvement plan is produced as a result of self- assessment. External information including national statistics is used well to inform the self- assessment process. The self-assessment proved to be accurate in both its strengths and areas for improvements and in its proposed grades.

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Equality of opportunity

20. A wide range of valuable feedback is collected as part of the organisations’ quality assurance cycle. This was identified as a strength in the self-assessment report. Feedback is analysed in detail and where required actions are taken to improve performance. This has resulted in improvements to learner accommodation and to the quality of information given to employers and clients. Informal feedback is also collected on a regular basis and used to inform programme improvements.

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Equality of opportunity

21. Communication within Valley Forge is satisfactory. Managers meet regularly at all levels to review programme performance and internal verifiers and assessors meet regularly for standardisation purposes. As a national organisation regular telephone conference meetings are held at all levels. An intranet facility with open access allows all staff to view the latest reports and management information.

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Equality of opportunity

22. Equality of opportunity is satisfactory. Valley Forge has a comprehensive and well written range of policies and procedures which are accessible to learners and staff. Equality and diversity is a significant element of the induction to the training programme for learners. Assessors reinforce equality and diversity during learners’ reviews. Valley Forge collects data on learners’ gender, ethnicity, and disability; however, it does not use this data to compare the performance of different groups to monitor equality of opportunity. Recruitment data are analysed to identify the number and range of applications from under-represented groups. Female apprentices are offered an additional female support contact should they require to access particular support on gender related issues. The organisation’s procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements. The Every Child Matters policy is underpinned by a learner charter

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Equality of opportunity

which amplifies the five Every Child Matters themes. A young and vulnerable adults policy is also in place.

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Equality of opportunity

23. Although the business is currently highly focused on performance through individual targets and key performance indicators, there is no overarching strategy to determine growth, direction or developments. No short term business planning process is in place; however, initial meetings with key managers to formulate business strategy have recently taken place. 24. The management information system holds a comprehensive range of information and is accessible by all staff. Information on programmes and individual learners is current and updated daily. A recently introduced electronic monitoring system allows detailed information to be accessed on each individual learner’s progress. The system is however, underdeveloped with regards to the production of cohort performance reports for managers.

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Equality of opportunity

25. Valley Forge subcontract with Stoke on Trent College for some of the further education elements on one of their programmes. Although regular communication takes place through an internal verifier activity and standardisation meetings no formal arrangements are in place to set or monitor service levels.

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 The good training and that they learn a lot

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 ‘Training is fun – going to college increases my confidence’

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 The helpful and supportive garage staff

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 That everything is explained in detail at the start of the programme

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 That the programmes are now under control and well managed

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 Provide more information on block release training

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 To increase the contact with assessors between block training

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 Provide evening activities during block training

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 The quality and cost of food during block training

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 Provide cafeteria facilities at the Slough training centre Annex

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Learners’ achievements

Success rates on work-based learning apprenticeship programmes managed by Valley Forge 2006 to

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2008

Programme End Year Success rate No. of learners* Provider/c ollege NVQ rate ** National NVQ rate** Provider/college framework rate** National framework rate**

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2008

Advanced apprenticeships 06/07 overall - - - - -

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2008

* Learners who leave later than originally planned are counted in the year they actually leave. This group of learners are then added to the learners who planned to complete in a given year and did so or left earlier than planned

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2008

** College/provider and national qualification success rates are calculated using LSC published data derived from the Individual Learning Record (ILR)

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