Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Christine Tilley Chief Executive Officer Yorkshire College of Beauty Regency House Kirk Lane Yeadon LS19 7EP

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Short inspection Yorkshire College of Beauty

Following the short inspection on 15 and 16 June 2016, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The inspection was the first short inspection carried out since the provider was judged to be good in January 2012.

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Short inspection Yorkshire College of Beauty

You have ensured that apprentices continue to receive good education and training. The vast majority of apprentices complete their training and go on to secure permanent employment, gain promotion or move on to further or higher education. Achievement rates for most apprentices are very high. The recent introduction of traineeships to help get young people ready for an apprenticeship is ensuring that the vast majority progress onto an apprenticeship.

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Short inspection Yorkshire College of Beauty

You have resolved each of the weaknesses identified at the last inspection; assessment practice in the college is very effective, apprentices enjoy their work and develop the skills and attributes they need for employment. You have improved the monitoring processes to assess apprentices’ progress. Managers and tutors intervene quickly to reduce significantly the proportion of apprentices who do not complete their training. The vast majority complete their programmes within the planned time. You have reviewed the safeguarding policy and are now working effectively with external agencies.

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Short inspection Yorkshire College of Beauty

You, senior managers, delivery partners and all staff have prioritised safeguarding. Through mandatory training, all staff and employers know how to ensure and maintain safe working practices, and are very clear about reporting procedures, should they have concerns about apprentice safety. You have revised the safeguarding policies and procedures since the last inspection and now work well with a range of external agencies. All staff and partners have received basic training on the risks posed by radicalisation, and also on British values. However, apprentices and employers have a limited understanding of the risks posed by radicalisation and how British values are interpreted in the workplace.

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Inspection findings

 Teaching, learning and assessment is very effective. Apprentices take pride in their work and demonstrate a good understanding of health and safety in their workplace salon. Tutors effectively plan learning so that apprentices gain practical skills and knowledge in college with a range of clients and then apply this to their work with employers. Apprentices demonstrate an understanding of good practice in the workplace, for example, they carry out professional consultations with their clients and take into account individual needs when recommending treatments or products. Apprentices appreciate the additional training they receive from employers in developing their specialist knowledge of premium products and services, for example gel and acrylic nail application, and specialised product brand facials.  Tutors do not always take into account the knowledge that apprentices have acquired in their workplace when planning off-the-job learning and therefore

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Inspection findings

the most able learners are not able to develop these skills to complete their apprenticeship more quickly. Tutors set targets that focus on meeting the minimum standards of the qualification rather than the extended skills and knowledge apprentices need to gain. Not all tutors ensure that English and mathematical skills are developed in lessons.  The proportion of beauty therapy apprentices who achieve their studies within the planned time, often from low starting points, is very good. This accounts for 90% of the provision. Level 2 apprentices are particularly well prepared for work, resulting in the vast majority gaining employment at the end of their studies and, in addition, progressing to an advanced-level apprenticeship. The vast majority of advanced-level apprentices progress into sustained employment and a small number progress onto a higher-level apprenticeship. Apprentices make good progress in developing their English

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Inspection findings

and mathematical skills up to level 2.  Managers and tutors monitor the progress of each apprentice well through monthly meetings where they identify any apprentices making slower than expected progress; they put effective plans in place to help them catch up. However, a minority of apprentices are making slower progress because they have not yet developed the skills and knowledge they need to pass their English and mathematical functional skills tests.  Although the very small number of hairdressing apprentices achieve their apprenticeship on time, around a quarter do not complete their studies. Managers and tutors do not ensure that hairdressing apprentices who start their programme with a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics develop their skills further.  Senior managers maintain the good standard of teaching, learning and assessment by not tolerating poor performance and they take effective

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Inspection findings

action to manage underperforming staff; those that do not improve leave the college. Effective appraisal and staff development ensures that teachers are up to date in their subject area and this benefits apprentices because they learn the skills they need for work.  Lesson observations broadly identify strengths and areas for improvement; however, observers are not focusing sufficiently well on learning and the progress that apprentices are making. Not all tutors have an individual plan to improve their classroom practice. Their training has focused on improving their subject knowledge and expertise and has given insufficient emphasis on improving their teaching and training skills.  A rigorous self-assessment process and appropriate action plans ensure that any underperforming courses are improving rapidly. Managers accurately identified that improvement was needed in the quality of subcontracted

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Inspection findings

provision in hairdressing and in direct provision in beauty. Appropriate actions are addressing these concerns and are already improving the hairdressing apprenticeships.  Managers monitor the provision delivered by subcontractors rigorously and effectively. Where the quality of apprenticeship training is not good enough, the partnership arrangements are discontinued.  The implementation of the new standards for apprentices is effective. Tutors plan a programme that includes appropriate on- and off-the-job training with employers and as a result, apprentices develop a range of skills and become competent beauty therapists or hairdressers.  The summary self-assessment report and associated action plan provide insufficient detail and specific targets to ensure that directors are effectively challenged at weekly meetings by the chief executive officer on the progress and performance of apprentices. Directors do not record these meetings,

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Inspection findings

consequently in a very small minority of cases actions are not followed up quickly enough.

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Next steps for the provider

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the provider

 they monitor the progress of apprentices in hairdressing to sustain the improvements secured this year  staff who observe teaching, learning and assessment receive training so that they focus on the learning taking place and the progress that individual apprentices are making. They should ensure that all tutors have an individual plan to improve their classroom practice and monitor this frequently  tutors set challenging targets so that all apprentices, including the most able, extend their skills and knowledge beyond that of achieving the qualification minimum standards  the self-assessment report and action plan is revised to ensure that clear and measurable targets are set. These should be reviewed by the chief executive officer and directors in their weekly meetings and the progress made should be recorded  subcontractors and employers develop a better understanding of the risks that radicalisation poses and how it applies to their apprentices’ lives and

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Next steps for the provider

work. I am copying this letter to the Skills Funding Agency and the Education Funding Agency. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and two Ofsted Inspectors were assisted by the provider’s director of training, as nominee. Inspectors met with members of the leadership team, delivery partner managers, tutors, assessors, employers and apprentices. Inspectors observed taught sessions in the college and in the workplace and reviewed learners’ portfolios and assessed work. They reviewed key strategic and policy documents, including those relating to quality assurance and performance monitoring, safeguarding and curriculum planning.

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