Select Service Partner UK Limited

Further Education and Skills inspection report Date published: 28 July 2015 Inspection Number: 451098 URN: 59042 SSP (Select Service Partner)

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Summary of key findings for learners

 apprentices grow in confidence throughout their training and develop good customer services skills and business acumen in a wide variety of food and beverage outlets  prompt and effective actions by leaders and managers following the previous inspection have resulted in a significant increase in the number of apprentices successfully completing  staff use a thorough selection process for apprentices, and provide good initial advice and guidance; new apprentices understand the commitment needed to achieve their qualifications  assessors and unit managers work closely together to plan training and support apprentices, who make good progress towards achievement of their qualifications and development of work- related skills  online training materials and particularly well-structured workshops provide apprentices with good opportunities to learn independently and in groups  the progressive structure of apprenticeship programmes provides SSP employees with good

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Summary of key findings for learners

training and development, enabling them to gain promotion from team member roles through to management positions  managers energetically develop apprenticeship programmes and high quality learning materials to meet the growing and changing needs of employees and a large nationwide business  senior managers’ effective encouragement throughout SSP ensures operational managers in their many different locations are enthusiastic about the apprenticeship programme and appreciate the tangible benefits that it brings to their business.

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Summary of key findings for learners

 although an increasing number of apprentices successfully complete their qualifications, too many take longer than planned to do so, and first-time pass rates are low in ICT and English  assessors’ written feedback and the targets set for apprentices are often not specific enough  staff do not yet implement quality improvement arrangements well enough to ensure that standards are consistently good or better across the regions and types of businesses. Inspection dates 22−25 June 2015

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This inspection: Good-2

Previous inspection: Inadequate-4 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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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Increase the number of apprentices who complete within planned timescales by maintaining the current focus on apprentices’ progress and improving pass rates for functional skills.  Ensure written feedback and targets set for apprentices focus on the specific aspects learners need to improve or develop, and that assessors, unit managers and apprentices work together to achieve these targets.  Raise the standard of all apprentices’ English and mathematical skills by ensuring assessors support and challenge apprentices more effectively, and that specialist support is available when required.  Ensure that managers further develop the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning to ensure that they accurately identify areas for improvement in the self-assessment report and achieve consistently high standards.

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Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement  SSP offers apprenticeship programmes in hospitality and business management to its employees. Around three quarters of current apprentices are eligible for government funding. Half of the funded apprentices are employees, known as team members, working towards qualifications in hospitality and catering; a quarter are on a team-leading programme at level 2; and, most of the rest are on a management programme at level 3 called Discovery.  In 2013/14, the proportion of apprentices successfully completing their programmes was inadequate and very few achieved within planned timescales. In the current year, significant improvements have resulted in a much higher proportion of apprentices successfully completing. More apprentices are achieving within the timescales expected, although this rate remains low. SSP’s data indicate that success rates overall are now in line with industry averages.

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Inspection judgements

 The majority of apprentices are making good, or expected, progress towards completion of their qualifications. The number of apprentices making slow progress has reduced substantially to a very small minority. The vast majority of apprentices, who started in the last nine months after undergoing the improved selection, training and assessment processes, are still in training and making good progress.  Recent analysis demonstrates that a much higher proportion of apprentices now complete their programmes; staff turnover of team members is significantly lower for those who are apprentices compared to those who are not.  Apprentices value the opportunity to improve their English, mathematical and information and communication technology (ICT) skills and gain relevant qualifications. First-time pass rates for functional skills tests are improving, but remain low for ICT and written English.  Hospitality apprentices develop good customer service skills, becoming confident in

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Inspection judgements

communicating with customers and responding to their diverse needs and requests. Advanced apprentices develop good team-leading skills and business acumen which help SSP achieve its operational targets.  Apprentices have a very good understanding of how the apprenticeship programmes link to career progression within SSP. A large majority of advanced apprentices gain promotion to assistant manager roles during, or on completion of, their programme. SSP provides opportunities for apprentices to progress further to foundation degree-level qualifications.  The variation in performance between male and female apprentices identified at the previous inspection is no longer evident and all groups of apprentices achieve at similar rates. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good; this is reflected in improving success rates and the progress that current apprentices are achieving, as well as the development of good skills and

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Inspection judgements

knowledge. Managers set high standards for apprentices to ensure high levels of customer service. Assessors and unit managers have high expectations for apprentices to make good progress in their qualifications and jobs.  Apprentices receive good support and encouragement from assessors and managers, and demonstrate good commitment and motivation to progress. Assessors undertake frequent and productive visits to support apprentices, who can contact them easily between visits.  Assessors and managers work very well together to plan training to meet the needs of apprentices and of the organisation. Very effective mapping of workplace training, against the requirements of the vocational qualification, results in apprentices achieving their qualification while completing SSP’s internal training programmes. Where assessors identify that apprentices need additional training on specific topics, for example coffee making, they plan the necessary

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Inspection judgements

actions effectively, using good resources as well as further on-the-job training by unit or assistant managers.  Assessors have very good operational experience and knowledge which they use well to provide effective one-to-one coaching. Assessors promote e-learning well, and apprentices use online resources very effectively to improve their knowledge. Group workshops for management apprentices are proving very successful in preparing advanced apprentices for new management positions.  Managers set apprentices suitably challenging learning activities. Team members often carry out team leader responsibilities; this builds their confidence and helps motivate them to make progress in their careers. The Discovery programme, for potential assistant managers, challenges apprentices to develop a project that improves business performance. For example, one apprentice successfully completed a waste reduction project and another improved their ICT

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Inspection judgements

spreadsheet skills by creating a training plan to meet staff shift patterns.  Assessors are rigorous in assessment, challenging apprentices to work to a high standard; they use probing questions to check apprentices’ knowledge. Assessors provide consistently helpful verbal feedback on apprentices’ performance, including on how they can improve. Written feedback is less consistent in quality, and apprentices do not always receive a clear summary of what they need to do to improve. Assessors provide constructive action plans for apprentices in the main, but do not always sufficiently involve them in setting their own targets, and some actions are not sufficiently specific.  The planning and delivery of learning to develop skills in English, mathematics and ICT are improving and are generally effective. Staff carry out initial and diagnostic assessments of new apprentices’ skills in English and mathematics, which provide an accurate overview of their

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Inspection judgements

development needs. Apprentices then use online resources well to develop their skills and prepare for tests. Apprentices with English as an additional language improve their confidence in using speech particularly well.  Assessors generally provide good support to apprentices, but do not always tackle their weaker areas promptly or challenge more able apprentices. Not all assessors routinely correct apprentices’ spelling and grammatical errors, and they do not always encourage apprentices to locate and use appropriate resources to improve their written English. Assessors do not have the experience or qualifications to provide specialist support to those with specific needs such as dyslexia or dyscalculia.  Apprentices receive good information, advice and guidance from managers and assessors who regularly discuss progression to team leading and assistant manager roles. At induction, apprentices receive a thorough initial introduction to the e-learning portfolio and resources, and

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Inspection judgements

are confident in using them. However, the induction into the apprenticeship programme is insufficiently interactive. Assessors do not check apprentices’ understanding of different aspects effectively and apprentices do not get a copy of the induction information for reference.  Assessors and other staff promote the understanding of equality and diversity well in teaching, learning and assessment, particularly in relation to meeting customers’ diverse needs. Apprentices have a good understanding of how to support customers who have disabilities or specific support needs, such as language barriers or allergies. Apprentices are encouraged to view a video to raise awareness of diversity, and team leaders and managers undertake comprehensive training that gives them a fuller understanding of company procedures and relevant legislation.  Assessors ask useful probing questions to check apprentices’ understanding of diverse customer

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Inspection judgements

needs. However, topics such as bullying, harassment and online safety are not always routinely reinforced with apprentices. The apprentice induction does not promote awareness of equality, diversity and safeguarding sufficiently well .

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Teaching, learning and assessment in hospitality and catering are good because:

 the majority of apprentices currently in learning are making good progress; they grow in confidence, communicating well with customers and demonstrating good practical food and drink service skills  assessors plan learning effectively with unit managers and mentors in the workplace; they provide regular feedback to unit managers and mentors on apprentices’ progress and identify where apprentices need to develop further  resources to support and reinforce learning are good; apprentices regularly access online resources and support materials, which help them make good progress and learn skills such as how to make perfect coffee  assessors conduct initial assessments using an online system which effectively informs individual programmes of learning in English and mathematics, and ensures that apprentices study at the correct level; apprentices complete tasks assigned by the system to help them improve, and

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Teaching, learning and assessment in hospitality and catering are good because:

assessors plan well to extend apprentices’ learning through additional activities  assessors check learning well; they use effective questioning techniques, including probing questions, and apprentices respond with detailed examples to demonstrate their knowledge, for example the correct temperatures for storing food and the reasons for safe storage  apprentices benefit from good information, advice and guidance; the induction programme is comprehensive, so that apprentices fully understand their programme and the opportunities they have to progress to team leading and, consequently, to promotion in the workplace  assessors develop apprentices’ understanding of equality and diversity effectively; apprentices are able to talk confidently about how they can identify customers’ individual needs and respond to them; for example, when serving customers with a physical disability, they offer to take their

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Teaching, learning and assessment in hospitality and catering are good because:

order at the table rather than at the counter.

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Hospitality and catering are not yet outstanding because:

 target setting in reviews of apprentices’ progress is inconsistent; assessors often set targets which are too general and do not identify apprentices’ specific development needs in enough detail  written feedback on apprentices’ work requires improvement; not all assessors provide sufficient written feedback or identify mistakes in spelling, punctuation and grammar to help apprentices improve their skills  specialist support for apprentices with additional learning needs in English and mathematics is not sufficient; assessors are not sufficiently qualified or experienced in providing specialist support, and apprentices requiring additional support generally make slower progress.

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Teaching, learning and assessment in management are good because:

 apprentices have high standards of work and develop good work-related, personal and social skills; apprentices are ambitious and use their team leading and managerial skills well to delegate and motivate colleagues in the workplace  apprentices are motivated and inspired to improve their broad managerial skills through well- planned individual coaching sessions and group workshops, where they network effectively and learn from colleagues working across the wide range of brands and locations  assessors and unit managers work together seamlessly to support apprentices to ensure they develop and use their skills; for example, apprentices are given responsibility for promoting new product lines use their ICT and mathematical skills well to track sales and calculate profit margins  apprentices make good use of the wide range of resources and activities to improve their knowledge and skills; for example, team-leading apprentices improve their understanding of the

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Teaching, learning and assessment in management are good because:

cost implications of waste and, as a result, reduce wastage of disposable items such as straws and napkins  apprentices develop good spoken English skills; during their programme, apprentices, many of whom are not native English speakers, gain confidence in speaking with customers and colleagues, helping to resolve problems and support other staff  apprentices receive good information, advice and guidance to help them make informed choices about their career; apprentices take part in a rigorous selection procedure that links to promotional opportunities within SSP, and demonstrates their commitment to learning and development  apprentices have a good understanding of equality of opportunity and diversity; they are well aware of customers’ and colleagues’ diverse needs, and have a good understanding of ways in which they can support colleagues observing Ramadan.

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Teaching, learning and assessment in management are not yet outstanding because:

 intermediate apprentices are not sufficiently involved in identifying and setting their own targets for learning and assessment  assessors do not encourage apprentices to use additional learning materials to help them improve their written English skills, such as sentence structure and spelling, to professional workplace standards when errors are identified in their work  apprentices do not receive sufficient information to ensure they know how to stay safe when using social media or the internet.

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Teaching, learning and assessment in management are not yet outstanding because:

The effectiveness of leadership and management Good  Leaders and managers reacted quickly to the critical inspection messages they received last year, and promptly implemented new ways of operating to tackle the identified areas for improvement, the majority of which have been successful. They rightly prioritised improving apprentices’ experience; consequently, the number of apprentices completing their apprenticeship has increased significantly. Pass rates in functional skills are much improved, in particular the first-time pass rates. Leaders and managers have demonstrated that they have good capacity to continue improving the provision.  The much-improved management information system allows assessors and managers at all levels to understand apprentices’ progress more clearly, enabling them to monitor and target apprentices’ achievement more effectively. Managers throughout the company now demonstrate

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Teaching, learning and assessment in management are not yet outstanding because:

more commitment to the apprenticeship scheme; most operations managers and directors are enthusiastic about the tangible benefits the programme brings. Managers observe lower levels of absence and sickness amongst apprentices and improved levels of customer satisfaction due to the skill and confidence apprentices develop.  The apprenticeship team manager evaluates the performance of the team effectively in relation to training and assessment. Development areas are agreed and staff undertake a wide range of activities to help them improve their practice and capability. Managers utilise shadowing opportunities well; staff benefit from working alongside experienced managers to improve skills, such as influencing others. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment for apprentices is now good.  Managers have made particularly good use of apprentices’ feedback to inform improvement. Soon after the previous inspection, they asked apprentices to identify improvement areas in the

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Teaching, learning and assessment in management are not yet outstanding because:

apprenticeship programme; as a result, the apprenticeship team added related actions into their improvement plan. Managers have recently conducted a second survey to measure the increased apprentice satisfaction following the improvements introduced.  The internal verification process is effective. Regular observations by managers and peers take place and best practice sessions allow assessors to conduct assessments to a consistently good standard. However, managers and assessors do not focus sufficiently on measuring the quality of teaching and learning across the entire programme. Assessors informally check the effectiveness of the training delivered by unit managers, but do not record their findings. Senior managers do not have a complete overview of the quality of training delivered.  The self-assessment process requires improvement. Staff are appropriately involved in self- assessment activity, but the current report is too descriptive, focusing on the distance travelled

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Teaching, learning and assessment in management are not yet outstanding because:

since the last inspection and not clearly stating the outstanding areas for improvement. The report does not use data sufficiently to illustrate the achievement of different groups of apprentices.  The apprenticeship programme is an integral part of the company’s clear career pathway. A comprehensive training and development programme supports the career aspirations of employees well. The portfolio of qualifications and apprenticeship programmes continues to expand to meet the skills needs of different parts of the business. The new ways of operating have brought quality, consistency and improved support to apprentices, and regional managers consider the apprenticeship an intrinsic part of their succession planning to fill job roles at the next level.  The promotion of an understanding of equality and diversity is good. SSP offers the apprenticeship programme to all its employees, regardless of their public funding entitlement.

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Teaching, learning and assessment in management are not yet outstanding because:

No significant differences exist in the achievement of different groups of apprentices. In the last year, managers invested in training the apprenticeship team to meet the needs of apprentices for whom English is not the first language better, and all assessors have completed a qualification in teaching English as a foreign language. Staff place particularly good emphasis on meeting the needs of diverse customers, and apprentices quickly develop an appreciation of these values. Apprentices use a range of suitable resources to develop their knowledge of equality and diversity, which is usually reinforced through discussions during assessment visits.  The safeguarding of apprentices is good. Managers place particular importance on promoting safe and hygienic working practices to all apprentices. All work activities undertaken by the very few young apprentices are thoroughly risk assessed. Managers and staff effectively implement

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Teaching, learning and assessment in management are not yet outstanding because:

appropriate harassment and bullying policies that exist to safeguard apprentices and employees. All have access to a confidential, anonymous helpline where they can raise any concerns about well-being, including safety. Staff also implement a clear policy concerning the appropriate use of internet resources at work; however, assessors do not sufficiently reinforce the topic of how to keep safe when using social media during the apprenticeship programme. Apprentices know how to raise safeguarding concerns and they report that they feel safe.

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SSP (UK) Ltd

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

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SSP (UK) Ltd

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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SSP (UK) Ltd

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

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SSP (UK) Ltd

The effectiveness of leadership and management 2 - - - - - 2 - -

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full contract year

CEO Kate Swann Date of previous inspection March 2014 Website address www.sspcareers.com/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+ 3 242 - 88 - - Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total - - -

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Number of learners aged 14-16

Full-time - Part-time - Number of community learners - Number of employability learners - Funding received from Skills Funding Agency (SFA)

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Contextual information

SSP is an operator of food and beverage outlets, under a variety of names and arrangements, in travel locations such as airports and train stations. It is an international concern; in the United Kingdom, SSP has around 10,000 employees working in almost 400 units. SSP provides apprenticeships to many employees, but only those who are eligible receive government funding. Nearly all apprentices work in units at travel locations. Apprentices receive training from their immediate managers and additional coaching from assessors. Advanced apprentices attend workshops at the head office run by SSP’s learning and development team. A team of regionally- based assessors provides assessment, guidance and support to apprentices and managers. The central team also provides management of the scheme, including administration, quality assurance and improvement support.

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Information about this inspection

Lead inspector Joy Montgomery HMI Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and three additional inspectors, assisted by SSP’s national apprenticeship manager as nominee, carried out the inspection with short notice. Inspectors took account of SSP’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, the previous inspection report and the re-inspection monitoring visit reports. Inspectors also used data on learners’ achievements over the last three years to help them make judgements. Inspectors used group and individual interviews and telephone calls to gather the views of learners and managers; these views are reflected throughout the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at SSP. 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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