CTS Training

Further Education and Skills inspection report Date published: February 2015 Inspection Number: 452979 URN: 51259

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Summary of key findings for learners

 learners develop a good range of personal and employability skills to support them in achieving their personal learning goals; these include interview techniques and writing skills  robust systems are in place to assure the quality of teaching, learning and assessment  good care and excellent support is given, particularly to those with poor prior learning experiences, ensuring that learners remain on programme  assessors give professional, motivational and positive support and use their professional experience during sessions to successfully make links between theory and practice  good teaching of English allows learners to improve considerably their language, speaking and listening skills and effective use of technical language  learners develop good mathematical skills which effectively prepare them for employment and help them personally with money management and household budgeting  the promotion of equality and diversity is good; teachers and assessors use a very broad range

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Summary of key findings for learners

of teaching materials in many sessions to extend learners’ understanding  self-assessment is good; learners, staff and stakeholders views are collated and analysed to effectively evaluate the quality of the provision and make improvements  Senior managers have fostered strong working relationships with key regional stakeholders, enabling Community Training Services (CTS) to engage with more employers within the region to meet local skills shortages.

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Summary of key findings for learners

 achievement of qualifications across all programmes of study are not yet high enough and attendance requires improvement  target-setting requires improvement; specifically, there is a lack of short-, medium- and long- term action planning to allow learners to extend their knowledge  written feedback on apprentices’ work is too brief and lacks developmental action planning Inspection dates 12-16 January 2015

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This inspection: Good-2

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

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This is not yet an outstanding provider because:

 the quality improvement plan lacks clarity and prioritisation, which prevents more rapid improvement.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Improve the proportion of learners and apprentices that achieve their qualifications. Make sure that all teachers ensure that learners on classroom-based courses attend lessons and complete their courses on time.  Improve the clarity, precision and communication of targets to incorporate short-, medium- and long-term target-setting to ensure learners fully understand what they need to do to complete their qualification on time and to the highest possible standard.  Ensure that written feedback to learners is more evaluative and clearly explains what they have done well and how they can further improve their work.  Improve the clarity and prioritisation of the quality improvement plan to increase the pace of improvement, particularly in raising the quality of teaching, learning and assessment to outstanding.

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Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement  Community Training Services (CTS) provides apprenticeships, 16−19 study programmes and adult learning programmes. The subject areas reported on and graded include the most significant provision in health and social care, foundation English and business administration and management. Apprenticeships make up around two thirds of the provision with the large majority in health and social care. A small minority are in business administration and management. The 16−19 study programme and 19+ classroom-based learning caters for learners from entry level to level 2; both of these groups of learners equally accounting for the remaining one third of the provision.  Outcomes for learners require improvement. Over the past three years, apprenticeship success rates have fluctuated and although declined, remain above the national rates. Current apprentices are making good progress and the standards of work are good for the vast majority.

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Inspection judgements

Three quarters of learners on the study programme achieve their qualifications.  Learners on study programmes up to level 1 make good progress and develop a wide range of personal and employability skills. Additional courses enable learners to acquire highly relevant skills in interview techniques, curriculum vitae (CV) writing, money management and effective telephone techniques which learners value greatly. These additional courses give learners the confidence to progress to work placements in their chosen sector.  Work experience is an integral component of the study programme at CTS. The large majority of learners undertake a work placement to hone their newly developed skills in preparation for employment. This effective strategy has led to the majority of learners progressing into further learning, employment or apprenticeships.  Outcomes for adult learners who, up until 2014/15 represented a significant proportion of all

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Inspection judgements

learners, have steadily improved over the last three years. However, achievement is still significantly below national rates. CTS recognise the reasons for this and have reviewed the curriculum provision for adults. It is too soon to judge the full impact of this.  The achievement of learners from different groups requires improvement. Learners from minority ethnic heritages account for a small minority of all learners and are less likely to achieve than others, particularly on adult programmes. The achievement gap between males and females on the study programme is too variable. On adult learning programmes, females outperform males. In the last 12 months females have outperformed males on apprenticeship programmes and the gap has increased. Study programme learners who need additional support or have learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve less well than their peers.  The collection and analysis of destination data to evaluate the impact that CTS has on the future

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Inspection judgements

lives of learners and apprentices are good. Managers collect a wide range of destination data for all learners and have a good understanding of the impact CTS is having on the local community and on the learners who live there.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good. The success rates for past learners have declined over the last three years although they remain high for a large majority. Current learners are making good progress and standards of work, development of employability, personal, social and communication skills are good for most.  Arrangements to ensure that observers effectively assess and assure the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are robust. Current practice is rigorous and all staff are observed once a year and more regularly if their sessions are not judged to be good or better. Teachers and assessors value the constructive guidance on how to improve further. Findings are moderated and observers attend regular additional training to keep their practice up to date. Inspectors agreed broadly with the summary judgements of observers.  Study programme learners make good progress towards achieving their personal learning goals.

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Inspection judgements

Good teaching and particularly strong support helps many of these learners improve their skills in English and mathematics. Focused and individual support help these learners rediscover confidence and develop employability skills that are enhanced by good opportunities to participate in vocational work experience. Through training, learners rapidly understand the importance of positive attitudes, punctuality, and the ability to work in a team or independently as component parts of their employability skills. Teachers motivate learners through challenging assignments and group rules on how to behave, which reflect professional standards and expectations.  Through good teaching, English learners improve considerably their language, speaking and listening and effective use of technical language. Apprentices are able to produce high-quality reports in the workplace, while learners in the classroom can undertake a range of skills that will

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Inspection judgements

assist them in being employable in the future.  Teachers in mathematics lessons carefully pace learning activities to suit the individual needs and abilities of learners, ensuring they do not struggle to keep up or remember all of the steps involved in completing mathematical tasks. Apprentices use acquired skills effectively in the workplace to complete complex calculations when requested, such as staff ratio calculations in care homes.  Teachers increase the confidence of learners in their own abilities and potential; high numbers of learners start programmes without qualifications or have low levels of prior attainment and almost all of these learners progress over time to higher-level qualifications.  Good teaching helps adult skills programme learners improve their communication, speaking and listening skills. In one session, the teacher promoted a lively discussion of the need to show respect to each other in order to extend adult learners’ understanding of equality and diversity.

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Inspection judgements

The teacher used increasingly challenging scenarios and non-technical language to encourage learners to share their own experience. One learner defined respect as not assuming ‘that a young skinhead wearing a hoodie was a thug.’ Others debated opposing views on the ethical question of what you should do if you see an elderly person fall in the street and are not trained in first aid.  Excellent support enables learners, particularly those with poor prior learning experiences and negative attitudes to learning, to engage in their programme and remain in learning. Teachers and assessors motivate learners well and help improve their confidence and self-esteem. Staff are appropriately qualified and use their skills and knowledge well to keep learners focused, attentive and engaged in tasks set. Good practice is shared effectively between staff through standardisation meetings, the virtual learning environment and training and assessment

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Inspection judgements

meetings.  Learners’ progress is not always monitored thoroughly during assessment and reviews and contributes to a few learners making slower progress. Learning resources are used well to stimulate effective learning.  Teachers and assessors offer good support to learners in identifying and recording their starting points. Not all teachers and assessors make sufficient use of these findings to plan learning and these results in a few learners and apprentices having imprecise personal targets. Learners and apprentices are aware of the progress they are making and they benefit from good oral feedback on their work with guidance on what they need to do to improve. Written feedback is more variable and in a few cases does not clearly explain what a learner needs to do to improve or make progress.  Assessors give professional, motivational and positive support to apprentices and most use their professional knowledge during sessions to make successful links between theory and practice.

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Inspection judgements

Many apprentices develop good independent study skills and increasing numbers are starting to use an electronic portfolio system, which increases opportunities to complete and submit work for assessment from any location. Assessment practice is mostly good although a few assessors allocate too much time in sessions, which results in the pace of learning being too slow for a few learners. In successful sessions assessors use sharply defined questions to check apprentices’ knowledge and understanding. Not all assessors carry out direct observations of apprentices’ practical work early enough in their programmes, which delays the completion of some qualifications.  Information, advice and guidance ensure that prospective learners can join the right programme at the right level. The provider collaborates well with external agencies to ensure that learners receive appropriate pre-course information. An effective induction prepares apprentices and

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Inspection judgements

learners well for their programme. Learners who need extra support and guidance are identified effectively through initial assessment. Trained staff and external speakers enable learners to receive advice and guidance on progression opportunities.  Teachers and assessors use a good range of learning materials in many sessions to extend learners’ understanding of both equality and diversity. Festivals are celebrated and used well to extend learners’ understanding of different cultures. CTS respond actively to local issues, placing a high priority on concerns that affect community cohesion, such as knife crime, child exploitation and conflicts between different cultural groups. Teachers make good use of external speakers to increase learners’ awareness of these issues. They ensure that this learning is reinforced throughout all learners’ programmes so that learners develop confidence in dealing with difficult situations. Teachers have the confidence to challenge inappropriate language or

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Inspection judgements

behaviour presented by learners. Posters promoting respect for others are displayed throughout centres. In lessons, learners treat each other with respect and value each other’s opinions.

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Teaching learning and assessment in health and social care are good because:

 a high proportion of apprentices complete their qualifications; they develop good vocational, social and personal skills which enable them to contribute positively to their workplaces and make good progress in their employment  learners on level 1 study programmes build their confidence and self-esteem and develop good employability skills through motivational teaching and learning which meets their often challenging needs very effectively  apprentices develop good knowledge and understanding of the health and social care sector through effective coaching; one apprentice described how to communicate sensitively to each client and articulated clearly why they need to respect clients rights to determine their own care  apprentices are well supported and given good careers advice throughout their programmes; they develop high ambitions for their future which many achieve by becoming managers, nurses

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Teaching learning and assessment in health and social care are good because:

or team leaders  the involvement of employers in their apprentices’ progress is outstanding; one apprentice worked well with their supervisor detailing how the seven rights for medication administration apply to domiciliary care as well as being able to apply risk assessments accurately and effectively  initial advice and guidance for learners on the level 1 study programme is particularly effective; learners who have often had very negative experiences of education in the past value the rapid and responsive recruitment which enables them to start their programmes when they are most motivated  diversity is promoted particularly well and embedded throughout the apprentice framework by assessors giving learners challenging scenarios; one learner was asked how to balance the right of a client to refuse to take their insulin with the duty of care the apprentice holds as a healthcare professional  functional skills are promoted very successfully; the majority of apprentices go on to continue to

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Teaching learning and assessment in health and social care are good because:

study English and mathematics at level 2 after succeeding at level 1, promoting future career and educational progress.

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Health and social care are not yet outstanding because:

 attendance at lessons on level 1 study programmes for a minority of learners is poor; this affects their ability to successfully achieve their qualifications  target-setting for apprentices is not sufficiently detailed to ensure they understand what they need to complete to achieve their programme of study  Written feedback on apprentices’ work is insufficiently detailed to ensure they know what they have done well and what they need to improve.

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Teaching, learning and assessment in Foundation English are good because:

 learners make good progress in their English studies and quickly develop good personal, social and work–related skills; in an English session at level 1, learners were discussing the idea of respect using complex language, such as apathy, sympathy and empathy and this significantly enriched their understanding of the topic  teachers support learners well both individually and in groups; during lessons learners feel confident to freely ask questions to aid understanding, which creates a positive learning environment and motivates learners to achieve and enjoy their studies  teachers make good use of contextualised, relevant activities to skilfully clarify and increase learners’ understanding; during a level 1 English session on proof reading with 16−18-year-old study programme learners, the teacher effectively used the interests of the group, such as tattoos and social media websites to significantly improve their skills development

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Teaching, learning and assessment in Foundation English are good because:

 thorough verbal feedback is helpful and informative; during one lesson on informal and formal language, verbal feedback encouraged the learners to explore in depth the discussion topic enabling them to acquire and extend the knowledge they needed to complete their qualifications  learners receive good initial and ongoing advice and guidance; this rapidly places 16−18-year- olds on study programmes at the appropriate level of study and helps them to overcome significant barriers to achieve their personal and work-related goals  diversity is promoted well; for example, in one lesson learners developed a thorough understanding of the meaning of different gestures in different countries and cultures as part of the topic of non-verbal communication.

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because:

 level 2 success rates for a small minority of learners are still too low  teachers do not use individual targets effectively in lessons in order to challenge and extend learners’ knowledge and understanding; teachers’ written feedback on learners’ work lacks detail and results in learners not knowing what they need to do to improve.

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management are good because:

 the large majority of apprentices successfully complete their qualification; current learners are on target to achieve within agreed timescales and the standard of learners’ work is good  learners develop good work-related, personal and social skills; assessors provide learners with a good level of support motivating learners to take on additional responsibility in the workplace, such as producing complex weekly reports to support the manager of a busy care home  assessors deliver good one-to-one coaching sessions in the workplace to meet learners’ individual needs and develop their work-related skills; learners apply these new skills very well in the workplace, with one learner who is working as an administrator in a busy office, confidently using newly acquired skills to complete a workplace risk assessment  assessors make good use of resources, including information and learning technology, which

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management are good because:

supports learners to develop good independent learning skills  assessment of learners’ work is frequent and accurate; assessors provide good oral feedback on how well learners are progressing and what they need to do to improve their skills  the development of learners’ mathematics skills is good; inspectors observed learners’ effective use of percentages and ratios to analyse staffing ratios when completing complex reports for payroll  the development of learners’ English skills is good; assessors provide learners with effective one- to-one coaching, resulting in learners making good use of commas and semicolons which enhances the quality of the minutes of meetings that the learner prepares in the workplace  the promotion of equality is good; learners value and respect others in the workplace; one learner adapted the style of a form used by staff in the workplace, making it more visual, to meet the needs of an employee with dyslexia.

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Business Administration and management are not yet outstanding because:

 learners’ understanding of what they need to do to achieve their apprenticeship framework requires improvement; assessors do not focus sufficiently on setting short-, medium- and long- term targets which results in sessions being insufficiently focused  written feedback requires improvement; written feedback is not sufficiently developmental to challenge learners to reflect on their progress and make improvements.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leadership and management are good. Leaders and managers have successfully aligned the curriculum to support the local priorities within the region and developed clear pathways for learners to progress and achieve excellence. Aspirational plans to be a centre of excellence for vocational education in South Yorkshire and beyond are clearly articulated in detailed and challenging development plans. All staff have a clear understanding of the organisation vision, strategic and operational objectives and how they contribute to the achievement of these objectives.  Performance management is good. Clear strategic and operational targets are set annually with all members of staff. Wide-ranging, aspirational targets are rigorously monitored and evaluated through regular one-to-one meetings. Where underperformance is highlighted managers effectively support staff members to improve. As a result, staff performance and motivation has

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

improved over the last three years. The management of sub-contracted provision is good; targets are clear and well communicated and are subject to the same level of scrutiny as the rest of the organisation, which is reflected in the good achievement rates and progress of learners.  The quality assurance of teaching, learning and assessment is good. Since the last inspection, the provider has implemented a highly effective observation system. The process is very closely monitored by the managing director, with any variations in the performance teachers and assessors leading to a rigorous process of support and challenge. A peer review process has been introduced to enhance further the quality of teaching, learning and assessment through the sharing of best practice.  Self-assessment is good. Learners, staff and stakeholders’ views are collated and analysed to evaluate the quality of the provision and make improvements. Robust analysis of data on

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

learners’ performance, progress and progression is used well to improve the aspects of the organisation that need further development. However, the quality improvement plan requires improvement as it does not prioritise the most important areas of development, in particular, improving the learners’ experience.  Learning programmes offered by CTS meet local priorities well. CTS provide vocational qualifications that meet identified skills shortages in the local area, specifically in health and social care. Good partnerships exist with Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, Sheffield Work and Skills Board, training provider groups and employer organisations across the region. These relationships support learners to access training, work experience and employment opportunities with significantly more local employers now engaging with CTS compared to the previous inspection.  Curriculum planning and management are good. Learners access a good range of qualifications,

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

which allows them to extend their knowledge and skills. Vocational subjects are accessed by learners from level 1 to level 3 in a range of different subjects including, health and social care, business administration and management. English and mathematics qualifications are available from entry level to level 2. Plans are in place to offer access to GCSE later this year, to give learners the opportunity to continue their studies at CTS and therefore achieve higher-level skills in English and mathematics. On apprenticeship programmes, the majority of apprentices complete a higher level of English and mathematics than is required by the programme. Programmes are delivered flexibly where required to meet employer and learner needs, particularly in health and social care, where shift working occurs regularly. For example, assessors regularly arrange learning and assessment visits at unsociable hours to ensure that

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

specific job-related experiences can be acquired. This allows the learner to extend their knowledge and skills, which the employer values.  The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Policies and procedures are up to date and underpin the work of CTS in the work they do with their staff, employers, learners and other partners. CTS staff and learners are protected from harassment, bullying and discrimination, through risk assessments, up-to-date information and training. Managers have implemented a new statement of intent and associated training for all staff on the subject of radicalisation and extremism and how to report this. Targets and the use of information to identify gaps in achievement between different groups of learners require improvement.  Safeguarding arrangements for learners at the time of inspection are good. The designated safeguarding manager is well trained and highly committed to supporting the welfare of all staff

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The effectiveness of leadership and management Good

and learners. Staff and learners have a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe and display safe working practices. Safeguarding procedures and systems provide very clear guidance on reporting safeguarding incidents throughout the organisation. Where learners raise concerns, staff deal with issues quickly, sensitively and appropriately. Recording of these issues and actions taken are very detailed and are used to analyse where additional support or training might be needed. Within a recent staff development session, a guest speaker worked with staff to promote greater awareness of the issues around sexual exploitation. They understand and apply procedures very well. Staff and managers place a high priority on health and safety and carry out detailed risk assessments for all activities.

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Community Learning Services Limited

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

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Community Learning Services Limited

1: Outstanding 2: Good 3: Requires improvement 4: Inadequate Overall 14-16 part-time provision 14-16 full-time provision 16-19 study programmes Traineeships 19+ learning programmes Apprenticeships Employability Community learning

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Community Learning Services Limited

Overall effectiveness 2 N/A N/A 2 N/A 2 2 N/A N/A

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Community Learning Services Limited

Outcomes for learners 3 N/A N/A 3 N/A 3 3 N/A N/A

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Community Learning Services Limited

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment 2 N/A N/A 2 N/A 2 2 N/A N/A

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Community Learning Services Limited

The effectiveness of leadership and management 2 N/A N/A 2 N/A 2 2 N/A N/A

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Provider details

Type of provider Independent learning provider

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full contract year

CEO Mr Steve Holmes Date of previous inspection January 2011 Website address http://ctstraining.co.uk

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programme level

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

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Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 50 715 93 745 N/A N/A Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total N/A N/A N/A Number of learners aged 14-16 N/A Full-time N/A Part-time N/A Number of community learners N/A Number of employability learners 311 Funding received from Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency

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following main subcontractors:

 Engage Training & Development  Full Circle Learning

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Contextual information

CTS was established in 1999 and has since developed to become a specialist training organisation, concentrating on learners who have significant barriers to employment in addition to delivering apprenticeship programmes. It operates from its head offices in Sheffield and has training centres in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. Apprenticeship programmes are delivered at employers’ premises throughout South Yorkshire and increasingly in other regions of England. CTS is funded by the Education Funding Agency and the Skills Funding Agency. Latest labour market statistics highlight that 11% of the working age population of South Yorkshire have no qualifications compared to 9.3% nationally. The percentage of working age residents in South Yorkshire claiming job seeker allowance is 2.9% compared to 2% nationally.

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Information about this inspection

One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and six additional inspectors, assisted by the Managing 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, 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 relevant 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

www.gov.uk/government/publications/handbook-for-the-inspection-of-further-education-and-skills- from-september-2012

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Grade Judgement

guidance ‘Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. 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 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

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Grade Judgement

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

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Grade Judgement

To find out more go to www.employerview.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 and 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

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 way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and provider inspection reports, please visit https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

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Grade Judgement

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

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