Citroen UK Limited

Citroen UK Limited Re-inspection monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: William Baidoe-Ansah HMI

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Address:

The Academy 280 Hunter Road Coventry CV3 1BH

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Address:

Publication date: 3 August 2016 Inspection number: 10018992 Monitoring visit: Citroen UK Limited, 21 July 2016

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Context and focus of visit

This is the first re-inspection monitoring visit to Citroen UK Limited following publication of the inspection report on 27 May 2016, which found the provider to be inadequate for overall effectiveness and for leadership and management. In the other key judgements: the quality of teaching, learning and assessment; personal development, behaviour and welfare; and outcomes for learners, the provider was judged to require improvement. The apprenticeship provision required improvement.

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weaknesses identified in the inspection

Leaders and managers have produced a post-inspection action plan that captures the majority of the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. Managers have rightly given much focus to safeguarding, which inspectors judged as ineffective at the inspection. Managers have identified detailed and appropriate actions, many of which they have implemented. However, the action plan does not cover all key areas for improvement which inspectors identified. For instance, there are no specific actions against the management of subcontractors, the self- assessment process or improving the quality of feedback learners receive.

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weaknesses identified in the inspection

Senior managers monitor the post-inspection action plan regularly and use colour coding to indicate completion levels. The plan identifies the priority of each action and who is responsible for it. However, there are elements of the plan that managers could improve further. A few actions could be usefully broken down into more detail. Most would benefit from being quantified and measurable. The plan has a column for ‘actions required / expected outcomes’ but managers do not use it consistently throughout the plan, which is confusing. Managers could usefully separate the expected outcomes column with a clear focus on the impact on learners. Too many actions have ‘ongoing’ under the achievement date. The plan could usefully include milestones for completion for parts of an improvement action.

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Priorities for improvement

 Ensure that the post-inspection action plan has actions against all the key areas for improvement identified in the inspection report.  Make clear the difference between the actions required and the expected outcomes for each action. Wherever possible, ensure a consistent focus on the impact on learners.  Ensure that the intended outcomes are detailed, quantified and measurable.  Use milestones to allow managers to monitor progress towards the completion of actions rather than using the term ‘ongoing’. Monitoring visit: Citroen UK Limited, 21 July 2016

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The management and quality assurance of the subcontractor

At the previous inspection, managers focused on financial targets at the expense of targets to improve the quality and performance of the programme. The academy manager now receives weekly reports from the subcontractor on the progress that learners are making, which highlights those that are making less than expected progress. The academy manager requires detailed information from the subcontractor in order to identify the assessors responsible for apprentices who are making slow progress, and the reasons for the slow progress.

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The management and quality assurance of the subcontractor

Managers are aware of the need to have more robust key performance indicators (KPIs) to hold the subcontractor to account. Since the previous inspection, managers and the subcontractor have a shared understanding of a success rate target of 10% points above the national average. However, this is not formalised or clearly articulated in any document such as the post-inspection action plan. As yet, managers do not have clear performance targets for timely success rates, the positive progression of apprentices, positive learner and employer feedback, or any indicators around the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. These are not currently part of the contract with the subcontractor or reflected in the post- inspection action plan.

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The management and quality assurance of the subcontractor

The reporting and monitoring of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment require improvement. The outcomes of the observation of teaching, learning and assessment are not collated or analysed sufficiently to drive forward improvements. It is not clear how staff training or development relate to the observation process. At the time of the previous inspection, the academy manager and subcontractor manager wrote the self-assessment report. Managers are aware of the need to broaden the base of those involved in the self-assessment process to include all subcontracted staff, including assessors and trainers.

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Priorities for improvement

 Ensure that clear performance indicators are included in the subcontractor contracts and properly reflected in the post-inspection action plan, and ensure that senior leaders and managers monitor these performance indicators closely.  Ensure that senior leaders and managers receive regular reports on the outcomes of observations so that they can hold the subcontractor to account for improving teaching and learning.  Ensure that self-assessment draws on the views of all key stakeholders, including assessors, trainers, learners and employers. Monitoring visit: Citroen UK Limited, 21 July 2016

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The governance and strategic oversight of the apprenticeship programme

At the previous inspection, governance arrangements were ineffective, and leaders did not receive regular and clear reports on the performance of the apprenticeship programme. Since the inspection, the two board members who have a direct oversight of the apprenticeship programme have had more frequent meetings with the academy manager. However, senior leaders have not yet devised a set of robust KPIs to monitor the provision and hold managers and the subcontractor to account.

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The governance and strategic oversight of the apprenticeship programme

Senior leaders are in the early stages of developing a supervisory board to oversee the apprenticeship provision and to provide support, challenge and scrutiny. This will include the two board members, a member with safeguarding responsibilities and other key stakeholders within the company. Managers are in the process of finalising their proposals and have not yet completed the terms of reference for the group.

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Priorities for improvement

 Senior leaders should approve the members and terms of reference for the supervisory board and implement the new arrangements speedily.  Senior leaders need to ensure that there are clear KPIs to enable the monitoring of the performance of managers and the subcontractor.

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and online safety

At the previous inspection, leaders and managers at all levels had failed to foster a culture of vigilance and scrutiny to satisfy themselves that they were taking appropriate precautions to help keep apprentices safe.

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and online safety

Senior leaders and managers have taken appropriately robust and urgent action to deal with these serious concerns. A newly appointed and appropriately trained safeguarding designated officer (SDO) has initiated regular webinar broadcasts through the virtual academy to individual or groups of apprentices to introduce himself and his role. The content of each webinar covers most safeguarding themes, including the ‘Prevent’ duty and online safety, as well as fundamental British values. A rolling display on TV screens around the training centre reinforces these concepts and contact details of the SDO. Apprentices are encouraged to ask questions during the webinars, although there is no systematic recording or analysis of the questions to identify any possible common concerns. Managers have improved the format of the webinar broadcasts following feedback. While other staff have received training to support the SDO, there is no formally designated deputy to provide cover when

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and online safety

Managers now survey apprentices more regularly to judge the impact of actions to raise their understanding of safeguarding. One of the questions asks learners whether they are under 18 years of age so that managers can identify those who are Monitoring visit: Citroen UK Limited, 21 July 2016 more vulnerable and respond swiftly to individual concerns. The surveys suggest that following the introduction of the new SDO, almost all apprentices now know whom to contact with any concerns, although other staff who deputise for the SDO are less well known.

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and online safety

Since the previous inspection, managers have introduced a safeguarding register and have logged five incidents, which they have dealt with appropriately. One of the incidents involved hotel accommodation which resulted in managers taking robust follow-up action and revising their procedures. They have worked closely with the hotel management team to ensure that they know how and when to contact the safeguarding designated officer should they have any concerns about apprentices during their weekly residence. Managers rightly recognise the importance of ensuring that young apprentices in particular are aware of common hazards and the simple precautions they can take to keep themselves and their possessions safe when living away from home.

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and online safety

All assessors have undergone online safeguarding training, supplemented by discussion at standardisation meetings. Progress reviews now include prompts to remind assessors to include safeguarding, which is leading to more detailed discussion with their apprentices during reviews.

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Priorities for improvement

 Develop a method of recording and analysing questions raised during webinars so that managers can use any commonly raised questions to refine the broadcasts and inform discussions during assessment visits and progress reviews.  Ensure that enough managers undergo appropriate training to enable them to provide cover for the SDO and that arrangements ensure that they can direct calls or emails appropriately.

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and clear feedback to help apprentices improve rapidly

At the time of the previous inspection, trainers and assessors were not using the results of initial assessment to identify apprentices’ support needs or to set targets that encouraged apprentices to make rapid progress.

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and clear feedback to help apprentices improve rapidly

Managers now make use of weekly reports from the electronic portfolio system to monitor the progress apprentices are making. They use the reports to hold assessors to account for ensuring that their apprentices are on track to complete within the planned timescale. Assessors monitor the progress of their own apprentices in the tripartite review meetings with the employer or supervisor and set urgent actions for those at risk of falling behind. Assessors point toward the delays in arranging functional skills examinations or assessments as the main barrier to apprentices completing within the planned timescale. Monitoring visit: Citroen UK Limited, 21 July 2016 Managers have revised the progress review documents to encourage both apprentices and employers to capture the broader skills that apprentices develop as a result of the programme. However, a few assessors are still not commenting on the range of skills apprentices are developing. Managers are considering inviting

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and clear feedback to help apprentices improve rapidly

apprentices to keep a diary of their skills development to inform their progress reviews.

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and clear feedback to help apprentices improve rapidly

At the time of the previous inspection, only the few learners lacking GCSE in mathematics and/or English at grade C or above completed the full initial and diagnostic assessment used by the provider. Managers recognise that not all apprentices who start with these grades are confident and sufficiently skilled in these subjects to support their learning. From September 2016, all new apprentices will complete the full diagnostic assessment. In the current year, existing apprentices will also complete a full diagnostic assessment to ensure that they can also benefit from the new approach. Assessors will set and monitor action plans resulting from the assessment outcomes and work with their apprentices and employers to ensure the assessments and action plans support rapid progress.

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Priorities for improvement

 Ensure that managers implement the new initial and diagnostic assessment arrangements in full and that the resulting action plans include specific, measurable targets to support rapid progress, and ensure that managers monitor the impact of the new arrangements.  Reinforce with assessors the importance of recognising and recording apprentices’ skills development as well as qualification progress in their reviews, so that assessors incorporate and build on employers’ feedback about apprentices’ progress at work.  Ensure that assessors arrange functional skills assessments as soon as they consider their apprentices are ready, and monitor the functional skills entries and pass rates as part of the new weekly reports.

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The development of apprentices’ English and mathematical skills

At the previous inspection, the large majority of apprentices who join the programme with high prior attainment in mathematics and/or English were not encouraged or challenged to improve their skills to a higher level. Those who had lower prior attainment and were working towards functional skills qualifications were making slow progress. Trainers were not routinely identifying errors in apprentices’ written work to help them improve their spelling and grammar.

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The development of apprentices’ English and mathematical skills

Managers are implementing new guidance cover sheets to accompany assignment briefs that highlight where trainers will include and assess mathematics and English. Assessors will also include discussions on the development of apprentices’ mathematical and English skills in progress reviews. Apprentices who need to pass functional skills examinations are entered when they are considered ready, to avoid the potential demotivating effects of sitting the examinations too early. The first-time Monitoring visit: Citroen UK Limited, 21 July 2016 pass rate is good, but this approach has led to some delays in signing off this element of the apprenticeship programme.

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The development of apprentices’ English and mathematical skills

Managers are currently seeking to appoint a mathematics and English tutor to work intensively with apprentices where the initial and diagnostic assessment shows that they have gaps in their understanding of either subject. Managers are still clarifying the role of the new tutor but it is likely to include helping to increase the skills of trainer/assessors. Managers understand the importance of supporting these assessors to give good-quality developmental feedback on apprentices’ written work.

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Priorities for improvement

 Ensure that the new cover sheets provide apprentices with clear guidance on the standards of English and mathematics expected when submitting reports on their projects or practical tasks.  Fully establish the proposed arrangements for assessors to provide developmental feedback to apprentices to ensure that the reports they produce meet the expected professional standards. 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.

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Priorities for improvement

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Priorities for improvement

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