TEAM Wearside

FE&S report TEAM Wearside 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

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is a provider that requires improvement

 Leaders have not acted quickly enough to address the declining achievement rates of apprentices.  Training consultants do not plan training and assessment sufficiently well to ensure that all learners make the progress of which they are capable.  Training consultants do not set sufficiently detailed or specific targets following training and review sessions to enable learners to improve and develop their learning and understanding independently.  Trustees do not have a sufficient oversight of the strategic or operational performance of the organisation to be able to challenge leaders effectively.  Leadership of traineeships is weak; programmes are not planned sufficiently well to enable trainees to improve their English and mathematics skills or to progress to positive destinations.  Leaders and managers have been slow to implement strategies and performance management processes to improve the quality of

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This is a provider that requires improvement

provision; they do not use data well enough to identify rapidly where action is required to address poor performance.

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This is a provider that requires improvement

 The proportion of apprentices who complete successfully has remained high in a few subject areas and the vast majority of apprentices who achieve remain in employment, often gaining promotion.  All staff prepare learners well for life in modern Britain through the effective promotion and reinforcement of equality and diversity.  Trainees and apprentices behave and apply themselves well and demonstrate good attitudes when undertaking learning activities and at work.

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Information about the provider

 Training, Education, Achievement and Motivation (TEAM) Wearside is a registered charity overseen by a board of trustees. TEAM has one training site in Sunderland. The small traineeship programme is delivered in classrooms at this location and within work placements in Sunderland. The very large majority of TEAM’s learners are apprentices, most aged 19 or over. TEAM deliver apprenticeships across England, although most apprentices live and work in the North East. The majority of apprentices follow programmes at intermediate or advanced level. TEAM have recently started to deliver a small number of higher apprenticeships in business management and health and social care.  The proportion of young people who achieve five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics, in Sunderland is lower than the national average. The unemployment rate in Sunderland is higher than the national average.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Leaders and managers should raise achievement rates on the majority of apprenticeship programmes where these have declined to around the national rate, and increase the proportion who complete within the planned time.  Strengthen significantly the leadership and management of traineeships so that trainees’ programmes meet their individual needs and planned next steps. Leaders of the traineeship programme should improve their monitoring of individual trainees across all aspects of their programmes. They should ensure that a higher proportion of trainees improve their English and mathematics skills, and significantly improve the proportion who progress to apprenticeships or other positive destinations.  Training consultants should use the information about the prior skills of apprentices and trainees more effectively and develop clear and detailed plans at the start of learners’ programmes that will enable

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

them to make the progress of which they are capable.  Ensure that training consultants improve their skills at setting specific and detailed targets for all learners so that they can improve and develop their learning and understanding between sessions.  Trustees should be provided with more detailed information about the strategic and operational performance of the organisation, particularly relating to the quality of provision and outcomes for learners, so that they are more able to challenge leaders and hold them to account.  Leaders and managers should speed up the implementation of strategies to improve the quality of provision by; – ensuring that development and improvement plans set clear and measurable targets and identify managers and staff with the responsibility for implementing them – setting clear performance targets for training consultants which hold them to account for the quality

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

of their delivery and the outcomes their apprentices or trainees achieve – improving the analysis of data by all staff about the progress and achievements of learners to identify rapidly where action is required to address poor performance.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The leadership and management of apprenticeships, which account for the vast majority of TEAM’s provision, require improvement. The operational management and delivery of the apprenticeship curriculum is generally effective, ensuring that apprentices have regular contact with their training consultants. However, training consultants do not plan training and assessment sufficiently well to ensure that all learners make the progress of which they are capable.  Leadership and management of the traineeship programme are weak. Managers do not use management information systems sufficiently well to record or analyse data in relation to trainees’ progress and performance. This prevents them from identifying and responding quickly enough to areas of concern.  The most recent self-assessment report overstates TEAM’s strengths and does not accurately identify areas of development required to improve the quality of teaching and learning at TEAM. The self-

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

assessment report fails to identify managers’ lack of oversight of the performance of the organisation through insufficiently detailed or accurate management information; insufficiently rigorous planning for both on-and off-the-job learning; or the insufficient challenge that senior managers receive from trustees to improve the quality of provision.  Development planning requires improvement. Managers have failed to ensure that improvement plans set specific or time-bound targets or identify managers and staff responsible for implementing them. Consequently, the pace of improvement is too slow.  The use of data by leaders and trustees to inform improvement planning and accurately monitor the performance of managers and training consultants requires improvement. Information about the performance of the organisation is too imprecise and leaders do not routinely review the performance of individual or groups of learners. Consequently, they are not sufficiently aware when performance declines

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

nor are they in a position to intervene quickly enough. For example, although apprenticeship achievement rates have remained above national averages, leaders have not acted quickly enough to address the declines from the very high achievement rates apprentices were attaining two years ago. During the inspection, managers were unable to provide inspectors with accurate achievement and progression data for traineeship programmes.  Performance management requires improvement. Managers do not use the appraisal system effectively to set specific and measurable targets for training consultants to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment identified through the observations of teaching and learning.  In spite of the quality of provision declining since the previous inspection, leaders and trustees are passionate and committed to the vision of TEAM being a centre of excellence. In recent months, the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

board of trustees has acted decisively to appoint a new chief executive officer designate and senior manager for curriculum delivery and development with the aim of improving the quality of teaching and learning. The new chief executive officer and her managers are well aware of the challenges they face. They have recently implemented a significant number of changes to improve the quality of teaching and learning. These have resulted in recent, although modest, improvements.  The senior manager responsible for monitoring and improving the quality of teaching and learning has worked tirelessly to bring about improvements. Managers who carry out observations of teaching, learning and assessment accurately identify the strengths and weaknesses of sessions and use their findings to plan and deliver a substantial programme of continuous professional development, which has been a catalyst for recent improvements.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 TEAM’s managers and training consultants maintain good links with a range of employers and use these to provide a curriculum that is informed well by employers’ needs. The traineeship programme engages successfully with young people in Sunderland who are at risk of dropping out of education, employment and training.  Managers have successfully prioritised the promotion of equality and diversity at TEAM since the previous inspection. All staff receive well-planned and good training on the principles of equality and diversity and the promotion of modern British values. As a result, they integrate these subjects well into their activities with apprentices and trainees. Consequently, the vast majority of learners have a good understanding of equality and diversity and apply this in their learning and work.  The governance of the provider – Although committed to the goals and values of TEAM, the small governing body of trustees do not

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

have the appropriate skills to challenge sufficiently senior managers to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Senior managers are not held to account by trustees for the declining outcomes for learners in recent years. – Trustees do not have a sufficient oversight of the strategic or operational management of the organisation. They neither request nor receive sufficiently detailed management information about the performance of TEAM, resulting in them not having an accurate understanding of the organisation’s strengths or areas for improvement.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective – Managers have developed an appropriate set of policies and procedures and all employees have received training in them. Appropriate processes are in place to ensure that prompt referrals take place when concerns are reported. These are promptly dealt with by the trained designated safeguarding officers.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

– Managers ensure that staff and trustees receive relevant and appropriate training on safeguarding and the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism. This has led to learners having a good understanding of the process they must follow should they have any concerns or worries.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Training consultants do not plan the delivery of teaching and learning sufficiently well to ensure that all learners make the progress of which they are capable. Consequently, not enough apprentices complete within the planned timescale and the proportion of trainees who progress to positive destinations is too low.  Apprentices’ and trainees’ initial starting points are accurately identified during well-planned inductions. However, training consultants do not use this information sufficiently well to carry out a training needs analysis or to develop detailed plans for on- and off-the-job training for learners beyond identifying appropriate units of study.  Target setting for learners across all programmes generally lacks precision and does not always assist learners to develop and extend their learning between sessions.  Learners receive good and helpful verbal feedback from their training consultants. However, training

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

consultants do not always provide sufficient written feedback to learners. Spelling and grammatical errors sometimes remain uncorrected and there is insufficient written commentary to ensure that learners know how to improve.  Training consultants embed the development of English and mathematics functional skills into their teaching well, although they do not pay enough attention to further developing the English and mathematics skills of apprentices who have already acquired the minimum required qualification level in these subjects. The teaching of functional skills for trainees is poor and does not sufficiently assist them to develop the communication skills they need to gain and sustain employment.  Staff make effective use of questioning to check and develop learning for both apprentices and trainees and help to develop their confidence. However, the range and depth of questions they ask does not

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

stretch and challenge the most-able learners sufficiently.  Training consultants have high levels of relevant vocational experience and make good use of professional development opportunities to enhance and improve their teaching. They establish good working relationships with learners and employers and use a range of interesting and varied activities well to support and develop learning. For example, in a one-to-one session an apprentice, in a residential centre setting for adults with autism, viewed a short video on person-centred care with her training consultant and was able to make good links from this to her own work setting and life experiences.  Progress reviews for apprentices take place regularly and both apprentices and trainees receive good levels of support from training consultants. Employers are engaged well in the planning and monitoring of apprentices’ programmes. They receive regular feedback on the progress made by apprentices and make

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

encouraging comments relating to their progress.  Staff promote equality and diversity well in their teaching. They make good use of naturally occurring opportunities to integrate these topics into learning activities and ensure that learners develop a good understanding of modern British values. In one session, the importance of freedom of speech was identified in relation to an apprentice who had been reluctant to voice her opinions at a workplace staff meeting. As a result, she now feels more confident to speak up in meetings. The recent appointment of an equality and diversity champion has helped to generate a good range of shared teaching resources that staff use well in their training and assessment activities.  Training consultants are adept and flexible in making the best use of available settings for conducting one-to-one reviews and teaching sessions. However, in a few instances, the space they use for these

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

activities is unsuitable and lacks sufficient privacy for conducting progress reviews or offering support to learners.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare requires improvement

 Trainees value the work experience they gain on their programme and through this, and well-delivered employability classes, many are developing the skills they need to obtain employment. However, the proportion of trainees that progress to apprenticeships or employment remains low. Workplace mentors are not sufficiently aware of how they could support trainees to improve their skills.  Apprentices take pride in their increased knowledge and understanding and in the new skills they develop. However, a large minority do not develop these quickly enough to complete their apprenticeship within planned timescales.  Apprentices develop good levels of confidence, are well motivated and behave well. Many progress to supervisory roles and gain promotion. They have good attitudes to their work, which their employers value. Trainees behave and apply themselves well and demonstrate good attitudes when undertaking

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare requires improvement

learning activities at TEAM’s centre and when on work placements.  Apprentices and trainees receive sufficient information advice and guidance from training consultants about career options and the next steps available to them. Trainees are aware of the future options available to them, but too few receive sufficient support or challenge to progress on to these options.  Learners receive good personal support from their training consultants. Training consultants are easy to contact and responsive to learners’ needs.  Arrangements for providing additional support for learners identified as requiring it are promptly implemented and generally effective. However, training consultants and managers do not systematically review or evaluate the effectiveness of the support provided to apprentices and trainees to improve the provision.  TEAM’s staff ensure that learners feel and are safe. Learners have a good understanding of health and

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare requires improvement

safety and apply the knowledge they gain to stay safe in learning and at work. They display a good awareness of equality and diversity in relation to the workplace and understand the dangers posed by extremism and radicalisation. Learners feel able to discuss these topics confidently and know how to report any concerns they may have.

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Outcomes for learners require improvement

 The proportion of apprentices who complete their qualifications has been in decline for two consecutive years. From a high starting point in 2013/14, the proportion who have completed successfully in the current year is now around the national average.  The proportion of apprentices who complete within the planned time has also declined from a high level in 2013/14. Although apprentices develop good practical skills in their workplaces because of the training provided by their workplace supervisors and TEAM’s training consultants, an increasing number of apprentices do not make sufficiently good progress in completing their apprenticeship in the planned timescales based on their starting points.  The decline in outcomes for apprentices is reflected at both intermediate and advanced levels and for all age groups other than the small cohort of 16- to 18-year-olds. The only difference in the performance of

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Outcomes for learners require improvement

groups of apprentices is between subject areas. In a few subjects such as business management and health and social care, achievement rates have remained high. In the majority of subjects, achievement rates are close to the national rate, but in sustainable resources management, catering and professional chefs and hospitality they are now low.  The proportion of trainees who achieved English and mathematics functional skills qualifications in 2014/15 was low. Although there are indications that this has improved in the current year, the scale of the improvement cannot be determined accurately due to the unreliability of TEAM’s management information about trainees’ progress and achievements.  Although specific classes delivered to trainees enable them to make good improvements in their employability skills, the proportion of trainees who progress to positive destinations is declining. Too many leave the programme early. Only just over a half of all trainees who have left the programme in the

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Outcomes for learners require improvement

current year have progressed into employment, further education at a higher level or apprenticeships. The proportion progressing to apprenticeships has been particularly low.  Apprentices who need to improve their skills in English and mathematics to achieve functional skills qualifications receive appropriate training and support to do this. However, training consultants do not plan sufficient activities to enable apprentices to improve their skills in English and mathematics above the levels required to meet the minimum requirements of their programmes. Apprentices who lack confidence do not receive sufficient support to enable them to improve their information and communication technology (ICT) skills.  Almost all apprentices who complete their apprenticeship remain in employment. A good proportion receive a pay increase, gain more responsibility and in a few cases achieve promotion at work. A few

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Outcomes for learners require improvement

apprentices enrol onto higher-level qualifications or higher apprenticeships.

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Apprenticeships require improvement

 Around 470 apprentices of all ages are on programmes with TEAM. Approximately two thirds of apprentices are on intermediate apprenticeships, just under a third are on advanced apprenticeships and the remainder are on higher-level programmes. Apprentices follow programmes in are: business and administration; health and social care; customers service; retail; hairdressing and beauty therapy; hospitality and catering; waste management and ICT.  Although the majority of apprentices achieve their qualifications, a minority leave early and of those who stay on their courses, too many do not complete within the planned timescale.  Although training consultants meet the expectations of individual apprenticeship frameworks, they do not plan or record well enough apprentices’ on-and off-the-job training. Managers do not monitor the quality of consultants’ planning and recording of training sufficiently well.

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Apprenticeships require improvement

 Training consultants visit apprentices regularly and the majority provide effective teaching in apprentices’ workplaces. The majority of apprentices make good progress in one-to-one sessions with training consultants. However, training consultants do not consistently plan learning that is sufficiently challenging. Consequently, a minority of apprentices, particularly the most able, do not make the progress they are capable of given their starting points.  The environments where apprentices undertake learning and assessment activities are not always suitably private. Apprentices are often distracted by colleagues, customers or members of the general public, which slows their progress.  Training consultants provide good supportive and effective verbal feedback to apprentices during and after reviews and assessments that enables apprentices to recognise how they can make instant improvements in their practical work. However, the majority of training consultants do not provide written

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Apprenticeships require improvement

feedback to apprentices that is sufficiently detailed or helpful. As a result, apprentices are vague about the steps they could take between planned training and assessment activities to develop further their skills and knowledge.  Training consultants do not routinely reinforce and extend English and mathematics skills for apprentices who have attained the required minimum level for their apprenticeship. Consequently, apprentices do not further improve their skills or apply them sufficiently in their work.  Apprentices are routinely encouraged to access and use online portfolios, and learning and assessment activities. However, a minority of apprentices have low levels of skills in using ICT when they start their apprenticeship. Training consultants do not always help them to improve these skills sufficiently, which slows their progress as they struggle to master the technology.  Apprentices develop good practical skills in their workplaces. For example, an apprentice taking an

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Apprenticeships require improvement

information technology user qualification created a video to promote a community centre to a high standard. Customer service apprentices demonstrate high levels of communication skills and product knowledge when talking to customers.  Training consultants involve employers well in the planning of apprenticeships and in the review of apprentices’ progress. Employers value the contribution apprentices make to their businesses.  Training consultants promote equality and diversity, modern British values and the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism well through their teaching, learning and assessment activities with apprentices. Apprentices gain a good understanding of these topics and talk confidently and knowledgably about life in modern Britain. Apprentices feel safe at work, including when online, and know whom to contact if they have any concerns.

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Traineeships are inadequate

 At the time of the inspection, there were 33 learners on traineeships with TEAM. Trainees attend English, mathematics and employability training lessons at TEAM’s centre in Sunderland. Trainees are placed with employers in the local area to gain work experience.  Leadership and management of the traineeship programme are weak. Managers do not plan trainees’ programmes sufficiently well. As a result, trainees make slow progress in improving their English and mathematical skills. The proportion that progress to an apprenticeship, sustained employment or further study is low.  Managers of the traineeship do not maintain a sufficiently comprehensive oversight of trainees’ progress and achievements. Management information held about traineeships is not accurate. Consequently, managers are unable to provide reliable current data relating to attainment or achievement, particularly in English and mathematics. Due to their lack of awareness of the extent of declining performance,

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Traineeships are inadequate

managers have not developed relevant improvement strategies or action plans.  Managers have not done enough to ensure that training consultants are adequately prepared to meet the demands of English delivery for traineeship programmes. The teaching of English does not sufficiently help trainees to develop necessary employability skills such as speaking, listening and discussion skills. Training consultants lack the confidence to tailor functional skills development to trainees’ work placements and do not have sufficient experience to deliver GCSE English to the very small number of trainees who require it.  Teachers do not use the results of assessments of trainees’ starting points well enough to plan learning and provide specific targets for trainees based on identified need in English and mathematics lessons. Training consultants do not monitor and record incremental steps in the achievement of trainees

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Traineeships are inadequate

sufficiently. Trainees are not encouraged sufficiently to reflect on their own progress in improving their mathematical and English skills.  Employability training is thoroughly planned, interesting and meets the needs of trainees well. Employability lessons provide good opportunities for trainees to improve their mathematical and English skills. Employability lessons contextualise these subjects far more effectively than specific functional skills lessons. For example, trainees use mathematics to work out tax and other deductions on payslips, and improve their English communication skills through well-managed discussions. Training consultants plan for and exploit naturally occurring opportunities to explore equality, diversity and British values well in employability sessions.  Trainees’ inductions to work placements are well planned and thorough. Consequently, trainees have a good understanding of attitudes and behaviours expected of them. Trainees on work placements value

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Traineeships are inadequate

the support they receive from their workplace mentors and the regular visits from their training consultant, which help to improve their confidence. Training consultants who visit trainees in their work placements carry out effective reviews of progress. They use skilful questioning techniques to engage trainees in reflecting on their progress.

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Provider details

Type of provider Independent learning provider

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full contract year

Principal/CEO Joanne Mounter Website address www.team-wearside.co.uk

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Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 30 278 2 143 N/A 19 Number of traineeships 16-19 19+ Total 33 N/A 33 Number of learners aged 14–16 N/A

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Intermediate Advanced Higher

Funding received from Skills Funding Agency

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Inspection team

Malcolm Fraser, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Paul Cocker Her Majesty’s Inspector Philip Pullen Ofsted Inspector Jonny Wright Ofsted Inspector Bev Cross Ofsted Inspector Cath Jackson Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

The above team was assisted by the chief executive officer, 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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