Team Enterprises Ltd

FE&S report Team Enterprises Ltd independent learning provider

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Adult learning programmes Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a provider that requires improvement

 Too many learners do not complete their qualification within the specified time.  Tutors do not make good use of information about learners’ starting points to plan their teaching.  Tutors’ expectations of what their learners should achieve are not high enough and learners’ targets are not clear enough to help them progress swiftly.  Senior managers have been slow to develop and implement strategies to improve the quality of the provision.  Learners’ written English skills are not developed quickly enough as tutors do not consistently identify errors in learners’ written work.  Tracking of learners’ destinations is weak, therefore managers are unable to monitor the impact of the provision on securing good progression for learners.  Managers do not have an accurate view of priorities for improvement and consequently action planning is weak.  Information, advice and guidance are not provided well enough to ensure that learners receive

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This is a provider that requires improvement

sufficient detail prior to starting their course or to prepare them for their next steps in learning or employment.

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This is a provider that requires improvement

 Good partnership working with employers ensures that learners develop skills that improve their chances of gaining employment.  Most apprentices in health and social care achieve their qualification in the planned time.

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Information about the provider

 Team Enterprises Ltd is an independent learning provider located in St Helens, Merseyside in the north west of England. The company is owned and manged by its director. The company has two training sites, one in St Helens and one in Liverpool. The number of learners currently enrolled is 335. Provision is available in apprenticeships and adult learning programmes, with the highest proportion of learners in health and social care.  St Helens has a population of 176,000, a quarter of whom have a registered disability. The unemployment rate in St Helens is in line with the national average. The number of young people classed as not in education, employment or training at 6.6% is higher than the national average.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Raise success rates for apprentices in business administration, and increase the number of learners who complete their qualifications within the agreed timescales.  Ensure that tutors use information about learners’ skills at the start of the course to plan learning that challenges all learners so that they make swift progress.  Ensure that tutors have high expectations for their learners and set targets that enable learners to be clear about what they need to do next.  Ensure that the analysis of data leads to systematic and detailed action planning in order to prioritise areas for improvement, including data on learners’ progress and destinations.  Set clear individual performance targets for tutors in order to accelerate learners’ progress and narrow the gaps in performance between different groups of learners.  Accelerate the implementation of strategies to improve the quality of the provision.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that tutors identify consistently the errors in learners’ written work so that learners have a clear understanding of how to improve their spelling, punctuation and grammar.  Ensure that learners and apprentices receive good advice and guidance prior to commencing their course and are clear about their long-term career goals and the next steps they need to take. Ensure that advice sessions take place where individual confidentiality can be assured.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Managers have high aspirations for the organisation and for learners, but the strategies to translate these into good outcomes have not been fully implemented. Due to changes in senior management, the pace of improvement has been slow. Although senior managers monitor the implementation of actions to improve, these have not had sufficient impact on improving outcomes for all groups of learners.  The self-assessment report is comprehensive and thorough and includes the views of learners and staff. The report is analytical, judgemental and identifies most of the strengths and weaknesses in the quality of what the provider offers. However, managers have underestimated the significance of the areas that require improvement, and consequently they incorrectly judged provision to be good across all areas.  The process for observing teaching, learning and assessment accurately identifies the key strengths and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

weaknesses in teaching and learning. Observations focus well on learning and its impact in improving learners’ job performance or developing their skills. Recent observation reports are detailed but tutors’ action plans from their observations do not give sufficiently clear guidance on how to improve.  Staff development is focused well on improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and on raising staff awareness of the dangers, and how to identify the signs, of radicalisation and extremism.  Managers do not have an accurate view of the priorities for improvement. Management information and data analysis is not presented in a useful format to allow managers to make informed decisions about the quality of provision and to prioritise actions for improvement. The tracking of learners’ progress and progression is not good enough to provide managers with a clear view of performance.  Target setting for tutors is not effective. Tutors and lead tutors have frequent meetings with senior

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

managers to review the progress of the learners for whom they have responsibility. All tutors are given the same targets to achieve in relation to the retention and achievement of their groups of learners. Targets are therefore insufficiently well differentiated in relation to learners’ needs and individual starting points, and consequently the pace of improving the outcomes for different groups of learners is too slow.  Managers have developed good relationships with employers to establish their training needs and work flexibly to meet them. Most apprentices are successful in securing and sustaining employment as a result of these strong partnerships. Managers have carefully considered the priorities of the local enterprise partnership and have tailored specific courses to contribute to the local priority of supporting the tourist economy.  Managers promote equality and diversity well throughout the organisation. Appropriate policies and action

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

plans are translated into effective staff development and an inclusive environment where individual differences are valued. Tutors focus well on promoting British values during teaching sessions to enable learners to gain a good understanding of respect and tolerance of living in a multicultural society.  The governance of the provider – The provider has developed informal arrangements for governance. The owner of the company and the quality and performance manager meet with an external governor on a quarterly basis. – The external governor has a good understanding of education and training and the provider’s strengths and weaknesses. The governor has challenged senior managers on key issues such as the slow pace in tackling issues raised at the previous inspection and the lack of impact on increasing the proportion of apprentices who achieve on time.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

– Team Enterprises staff are appropriately vetted prior to the commencement of their employment. Appropriate records are maintained of staff training and backgrounds. – Learners are helped by tutors to develop a good understanding of health and safety and adhere to safe working practices in the workplace. A few learners took responsibility for carrying out and updating risk assessments in their workplaces. – Staff and learners understand the signs of radicalisation and extremism and know how to raise concerns. All learners take online training in the ‘Prevent’ duty to raise their awareness of the dangers of radicalisation and extremism.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Tutors’ expectations of what their learners should achieve are not consistently high. Consequently, learners do not progress well enough.  Tutors’ initial assessment of learners’ English, mathematics and vocational skills is thorough, but too many tutors do not use the results of these assessments well enough to plan and deliver suitably challenging learning activities.  Most learners receive an effective monthly visit from a tutor and the majority benefit from additional visits if they are identified as falling behind in their work. A minority of tutors monitor the progress of a large number of apprentices and these tutors do not have the time to offer additional support to their learners when it is needed; consequently their progress falters.  The quality of learners’ work is generally good, showing their understanding of the vocational elements of their course. In the better examples learners show good progress and application of developing skills and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

knowledge at work. In a minority of cases adult learners’ work is poorly presented and they are not encouraged by tutors to take pride in the quality of their work.  Tutors give good verbal feedback to learners at their individual reviews, which enables learners to understand clearly what they need to do next to improve the quality of their work.  Most employers are involved in reviewing their apprentices’ progress with their tutor. A minority of employers are involved more fully in planning their apprentices’ training programme and ensuring that work tasks are linked to their apprentices’ assessment requirements. As a result these apprentices make good progress.  Equality and diversity are promoted well through individual discussions and small group work. Most learners display respect and tolerance of different groups and apprentices can apply their understanding of diversity to their workplace.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Learners’ spelling, punctuation and grammar skills are not developed quickly enough as tutors do not consistently identify errors in learners’ written work. As a consequence learners continue to make the same errors and do not improve the quality of their work quickly enough.  Tutors effectively develop learners’ vocational vocabulary and understanding of key terminology so that they are more effective in the workplace. For example, health and social care apprentices develop a good understanding of medical terminology and so produce clearer care plans and handover reports for their colleagues.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

 A minority of apprentices receive insufficient information prior to starting on their course; consequently, they do not know they are on an apprenticeship. Tutors do not focus sufficiently on learners’ and apprentices’ longer-term career goals. As a consequence learners and apprentices fail to develop a good understanding of potential progression opportunities and the next steps they need to take to help them progress into employment or further training.  Attendance at learning sessions, for a small minority of learners, is poor. Tutors fail to monitor this sufficiently well to challenge learners and tackle the underlying causes that result in low attendance rates.  Most learners and apprentices have a positive attitude to their learning and employment. They enjoy their learning, become self-confident and most take pride in their work. A minority of adult learners produce work that is poorly presented.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

 Apprentices are confident in their abilities and contribute well to their workplaces. Many progress to supervisory roles and gain promotion within their workplace. They have a good attitude to their work and are valued by their employers.  Tutors help learners relate new learning to practical work situations, which helps learners quickly develop good employability skills that are valued by their employers.  Learners feel safe and have a good understanding of their own and others’ safety. Learners demonstrate tolerance and respect through good standards of behaviour, with a high level of mutual respect between tutors and learners.  Learners develop their awareness of the dangers of radicalisation through discussions with their tutors and most complete an online course to develop their knowledge and understanding further.  Most learners develop good skills in mathematics, which they are able to apply in their work and everyday

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

lives. Learners’ writing skills are less well developed.

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Outcomes for learners require improvement

 In 2014/15, the proportion of learners who achieved their qualifications within the planned time increased. However, the pace of improvement is too slow and just under half of learners did not successfully gain their qualification on time.  The achievement of apprentices varies significantly across vocational areas, between intermediate- and advanced-level programmes and for the different age groups that are delivered by Team Enterprise. Most health and social care apprenticeships achieve in the planned time, but in business administration success rates are low and less than half of apprentices successfully achieve on time.  In 2014/15, the proportion of intermediate-level apprentices who completed their programme successfully increased and was high. In the same year, the proportion of advanced-level apprentices achieving declined and was low. Younger apprentices aged 16 to 19 achieve better than those aged over 19.

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Outcomes for learners require improvement

 Success rates on adult courses are good. However, male learners do not achieve as well as female learners. Tutors have taken action quickly to reduce this achievement gap and current learners of both genders, including those who receive additional support, are making good progress  The majority of high-level apprentices are successful in gaining their qualification, with just over half in the planned time. Many progress within their employment to positions of increased responsibility.  Most apprentices in the current year are developing good employability skills and demonstrate confidence in applying them. A high number of apprentices who complete their qualification progress into employment.  Adult learners on functional skills courses make good progress and a high proportion of adults achieve their qualification.  Most learners are successful in achieving their English and mathematics functional skills qualification on

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Adult learning programmes require improvement

 Adult learning accounts for just less than half of the provision, with the majority of learners on part-time courses and a small number on workplace learning. The adult learning provision supports learners to improve their English and mathematics skills and achieve qualifications in dementia care.  Initial assessment of learners’ skills is thorough, but the outcomes of these assessments are not used well to plan learning to meet learner’s individual needs. Tutors are not sufficiently adept at using activities that challenge all learners and consequently some learners find the tasks too easy while others struggle to complete them.  On too many occasions, tutors set targets for learners that are not sufficiently clear or challenging. Consequently, learners do not understand what they need to do next to help them make rapid progress.  Tutors help learners develop their confidence, self-esteem and English and mathematics skills. For a small

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Adult learning programmes require improvement

group of learners, tutors do not reinforce the need for them to regularly attend planned learning sessions.  Tutors provide learners with highly individualised support. Tutors work effectively to extend the understanding of learners’ range of vocabulary, introducing words such as ‘tolerance’ and ‘democracy’. Tutors use questions well to assess learners’ understanding.  Learners enjoy their learning; they develop confidence in their skills, which enables them to progress to vocational courses, improve their employment opportunities and help their children with their homework.  In mathematics sessions, the tutor skilfully links tasks, such as working out surface area, to learners’ everyday lives. In vocational sessions, the tutor uses relevant examples to bring the learning to life. The tutors use their work experiences well to enhance and develop learners’ understanding.  Tutors do not provide sufficient guidance to help learners develop long-term career goals and the next

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Adult learning programmes require improvement

steps they need to take in their future learning or employment options. Tutors do not always ensure that learner confidentiality is secure during advice and guidance sessions.  Learners enjoy the safe and friendly learning environment; they understand their rights and responsibilities and have a good understanding of how to keep safe. Tutors help learners develop a good understanding of the dangers of radicalisation. Learners develop a greater understanding of British values through well-structured activities; learners are encouraged to explore different faiths such as Christianity and Islam.

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Apprenticeships require improvement

 Apprenticeships account for just over half of the provision, with the largest proportion of learners in health and social care. Apprenticeships are also available in business administration, management, customer service, and learning and development.  Tutors do not set apprentices sufficiently detailed short- and long-term targets to develop specific skills and knowledge to support timely achievement and personal and professional development. Young apprentices have insufficient formal advice and guidance prior to starting their course, with many in health and social care being unaware that they are apprentices. Apprentices receive no guidance in helping them to set long-term career targets.  Most apprentices develop good vocational and employability skills. Apprentices talk confidently about their skills and have a good understanding of the skills they are developing and how these will support the

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Apprenticeships require improvement

workplace. One apprentice, training to be a tutor, adapted a theoretical model of team building to the way she planned her delivery of a training session with positive feedback from her tutor. She was able to reflect on the impact of her plan with prompts from her skilful tutor.  Business apprentices benefit from the good working relationships between the provider and key employers in the area, such as the council and the police. Apprentices gain valuable experience in a wide variety of departments such as customer services, education, data management and finance. One large employer has an apprentice coordinator who works alongside the Team Enterprises tutor and together they effectively monitor apprentices’ progress and assessment to better link on- and off-the-job training.  The majority of apprentices are making the expected progress. A minority of apprentices have made good progress and gained promotion and permanent employment. Not all tutors communicate clear objectives

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Apprenticeships require improvement

to apprentices or allow them to reflect fully on what they have learned.  A minority of apprentices do not develop their understanding of the correct use of spelling, punctuation and grammar quickly enough, because tutors do not consistently correct errors in apprentices’ written work. Tutors have effectively helped apprentices to develop their understanding of technical terms and vocabulary relevant to their vocational area and this supports apprentices’ effectiveness in the workplace when, for example, completing emails, reports and care reviews. Tutors help apprentices understand how to use their mathematics skills in the workplace, for example, one apprentice developed a spreadsheet for collating information and costs for the regular trips that took place.  Apprentices demonstrate a good understanding of British values, the Prevent ‘duty’ and safeguarding through in-depth discussions in their individual reviews and in the workplace. Apprentices understand

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Apprenticeships require improvement

good safe working practices.  Equality and diversity are promoted effectively. Apprentices in learning and development, working as classroom assistants, discuss how to use the information from initial assessment to meet the needs of individuals with learning difficulties such as dyslexia and discuss potential cultural bias in assessment practice.

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Provider details

Type of provider Independent learning provider

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Julie O’Brien Website address www.teamenterprises.co.uk

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Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16 50 7 95 18 Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total NA NA NA Number of learners aged 14–16 NA

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Intermediate Advanced Higher

Funding received from Skills Funding Agency (SFA)

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Inspection team

Stephen Miller, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Bob Busby Her Majesty’s Inspector Kath Townsley Ofsted Inspector Barbara Hughes Ofsted Inspector Teresa Kiely Ofsted Inspector Robert Mottram Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

The above team was assisted by the Director, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of students and employers; these views are reflected within the report. They observed learning sessions, assessments and progress reviews. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider. 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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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk 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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Inspection team

To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

To find out more go to www.employerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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