Be Wiser Insurance Services

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement Apprenticeships Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings

This is a provider that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings

 Too many apprentices leave their employment without achieving the full qualification.  Managers are not planning and coordinating learning and assessment for the qualification effectively enough to ensure that all apprentices make good progress and achieve.  When completing self-assessment and planning for improvements, managers do not use data sufficiently well or evaluate all aspects of the apprentices’ experience effectively enough.  Target setting is not sufficiently effective. Too many apprentices make slow progress towards the achievement of their qualifications.  Too many group learning sessions are dull and do not sufficiently inspire or challenge apprentices.

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Summary of key findings

The provider has the following strengths

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Summary of key findings

 Leaders promote a strong vision to create a professionally qualified workforce and design the curriculum well to meet company and industry needs.  Apprentices become much more confident, work to a high professional standard and contribute well to the business.  Apprentices benefit from working in a range of departments, gaining broad experience, and developing their job skills and knowledge well.  Apprentices receive good, constructive feedback from performance coaches that helps them understand what they need to do to improve in their jobs.  Apprentices who work towards functional skills qualifications benefit from well-planned learning activities that develop their English and mathematics skills very effectively.  Apprentices benefit from good promotion of organisational values that link closely to British values.

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Information about the provider

 Be Wiser Insurance is an independent insurance broker. It has approximately 700 members of staff, mostly based at offices in Andover, Hampshire, with a small number at new premises in Swindon, Wiltshire.  Be Wiser Insurance received its own Skills Funding Agency contract in 2014, and commenced delivery of the apprenticeship programme in February 2015.  To date the company has enrolled 475 employees onto an apprenticeship. There are currently 229 apprentices on the programme, with the majority undertaking an advanced financial services qualification. A minority are on an intermediate financial services apprenticeship or an Institute of Leadership and Management advanced apprenticeship.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Plan learning and assessment on the apprenticeship programme more effectively by: – better coordination of job-related training with the requirements of the apprenticeship – ensuring that performance coaches have more understanding of the apprenticeship provision and can contribute better to apprentices’ progress – ensuring that each apprentice has a learning and assessment plan that reflects their individual needs with realistic timescales for achievement.  Improve self-assessment and quality improvement planning by making better use of data and paying closer attention to learners’ experiences at all stages of the programme when evaluating the provision.  Maintain and secure improvements in retention by ensuring that initial information, advice and guidance prepares apprentices for their jobs and training effectively, and by further developing the new support structures of mentoring, careers progression advice and

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

retention meetings.  Improve learners’ rate of progress in their qualifications by more effective target setting and encouraging apprentices to take more responsibility for their learning and assessment between assessors’ visits.  Provide more interesting and challenging group training sessions by improving the range and use of resources and by improving the support for trainers to plan and deliver sessions more effectively.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Managers have been slow to take action to reduce the high number of apprentices who leave early without completing their qualification, as well as the poor completion within planned timescales of others. Although much recent action is beginning to have a positive effect, this has not yet had sufficient impact and the apprenticeship provision requires improvement.  Managers do not coordinate the wide range of job-related training they offer with the apprenticeship sufficiently well. They have not mapped the company’s training to the apprenticeships and do not plan sufficiently individualised learning programmes for apprentices. Performance coaches have insufficient information on the requirements of the apprenticeship and of learners’ progress in their studies. Managers do not ensure that apprentices always use the time that is allocated to them for their learning productively.  Managers’ self-assessment of their provision pays insufficient attention to apprentices’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

experience on the programme, and its impact on their progress and attainment. Managers make insufficient use of data and information to monitor the effectiveness of policies or the performance of different groups. The quality improvement plan has too few success criteria or targets to help managers and directors monitor progress in its implementation.  Managers carry out observations of trainers and assessors and provide useful feedback to improve their performance, but do not take sufficient action to improve the effectiveness of learning or the quality and use of classroom resources.  Leaders and managers are zealous in the pursuit of a professionally qualified workforce for their business and the financial services sector, and are committed to the training and accreditation of their staff. Managers have a sound and convincing rationale for the introduction of apprenticeships in the pursuit of their aspirations for the sector.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Managers have been particularly careful to match the financial services training they provide to meet the needs and interests of the company and the financial sector locally and nationally. The training includes qualifications from level 2 to degree level and provides good opportunities for promotion and progression within the company and to other employers in the industry. Managers use partnerships with local schools and colleges well to promote careers in the financial sector.  The company’s values are a close match with British values and the principles associated with equality and diversity. These values are modelled well by staff and learners. Trainers and assessors promote these values well at induction and during training sessions.  Managers create a very supportive culture in the workplace where apprentices demonstrate high levels of respect and an understanding of diversity. There is zero

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

tolerance for bullying and swift and effective responses to any such instances. Apprentices can give good examples of the ways in which they apply the principles of equality and diversity in their job roles – for example, ensuring that customers whose first language is not English understand the terms and conditions of the purchases they make.

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The governance of the provider

 The board of directors receives regular reports at monthly board meetings and investigates these carefully. Directors provide effective challenge to improve training, including the provision of two hours per week learning and support for each employee. However, they do not make sufficient use of specific information on the progress and achievement of apprentices to challenge and support managers.  The board of directors provides sound oversight and support of the provision and the strategic plan to achieve a professionally qualified workforce in the financial services sector.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Managers and training staff receive good training in safeguarding, including the prevention of radicalisation and extremism. They understand their roles and responsibilities well and take suitable and remedial action when apprentices report concerns.  Managers promote learners’ well-being and safety at work well – for example, providing guidance on dealing with abusive phone calls and coping with work in a high-pressured sales environment.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The planning of individual learning is not effective enough to enable apprentices to make good progress. Staff do not coordinate job-related learning and assessment activities with that of the apprenticeship sufficiently well, nor set realistic timescales for achievement that sufficiently reflect apprentices’ starting points and the demands of the job role and qualification.  Target setting for learning and assessment for the qualification is not specific or effective enough. Targets do not focus sufficiently on the skills and knowledge that apprentices need for their qualification. Subsequently, apprentices do not always understand what they need to do to make progress in their qualification. Assessors do not always set targets for evidence collection and assessment effectively enough to ensure that apprentices take more responsibility for their learning and make better progress between their visits.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The majority of job-related group training sessions are dull and trainers do not plan sessions well enough to make them sufficiently inspiring and interesting and take account of apprentices’ individual needs and preferred learning styles. They fail to link topics with qualification units to increase apprentices’ understanding of the link between the two. Resources in training rooms are not always sufficient or used effectively enough. For example, computers are often slow to respond and trainers’ demonstrations on a screen cannot always be seen by all the apprentices in the group.  Apprentices use feedback from coaches and mentors well to improve their skills and performance at work. For example, performance coaches observe apprentices in the workplace during live calls and give constructive feedback on good performance and areas for development. For example, if apprentices are spending too long on calls,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

coaches will work with them to devise an action plan to improve performance and meet job targets.  Apprentices receive good support during individual assessment sessions. Assessors make good use of their skills, experience and up-to-date industry knowledge to ensure that apprentices improve their knowledge and can demonstrate competence for assessment. This enables the majority of apprentices to make good progress within the session.  Apprentices with additional learning needs receive good support through extra individual and small-group sessions. Reasonable adjustments are made to ensure that apprentices are not disadvantaged. For example, assessors increase the use of professional discussion and voice recording to reduce the amount of written work for apprentices with dyslexia.  Teaching and learning for those apprentices working towards functional skills qualifications are well planned and clearly based on apprentices’ starting points.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

Apprentices use well a good range of learning materials that make learning interesting and stimulating, enabling the large majority to pass the tests at the first attempt.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

 Apprentices, particularly those on advanced-level qualifications, do not take sufficient responsibility for their own progress by planning their study time and learning how tasks fit within their programme. Not all apprentices are able to attend the planned two-hour monthly assessment and support sessions, often because of business pressures. Too many are not completing the work for their qualifications on time.  Assessors do not promote the development of apprentices’ independent study skills sufficiently well. They do not set targets for these as part of the learning programme to develop apprentices’ individual attitudes and personal qualities. For example, apprentices falling behind with work are not set targets for time management.  Apprentices enjoy learning and significantly improve their confidence and employability skills. They demonstrate high standards of behaviour and professionalism and become

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

much more confident in their job roles – for example, in dealing with customers on the telephone, and improving their teamwork skills.  Apprentices contribute very well to business success. Financial services apprentices support achievement of overall business performance targets well. Management apprentices lead projects to improve income or reduce costs. For example, they lead teams to create ideas to reduce call queue times and improve cross-selling of products.  Apprentices receive good information, advice and guidance and significantly improve their understanding of the many job progression opportunities, both within the employer and the financial services sector more broadly.  Apprentices who work towards functional skills qualifications make good progress in developing their English and mathematics skills, and the large majority pass their tests at the first attempt. For example, apprentices have improved their ability to calculate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

insurance premiums and also their speaking and listening skills when on the telephone to customers. However, those exempt from these qualifications do not always further improve their skills effectively. For example, assessors correct spelling and grammatical errors but do not always provide learners with the strategies to improve these skills themselves.  Apprentices feel safe and value the supportive culture and effective working relationships with colleagues, team leaders, mentors and coaches. They understand what to do if they have any concerns, and are confident to share personal issues with their managers. However, they do not take part in sufficient discussions or other learning activities to confirm their understanding of aspects such as radicalisation and safe use of the internet.  Managers celebrate apprentices’ successes well, with monthly company awards recognising individuals who achieve beyond expectation.

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

 From the start of the apprenticeship programme in February 2015, particularly during the first 12 months, too many learners left their employment, and consequently their apprenticeship programme, early without achieving their full qualifications.  Managers are now successfully implementing actions to improve staff retention, and in recent months the number of apprentices who leave early has significantly declined. Apprentices currently on programme are benefiting from good and improved mentoring, support, careers advice and retention meetings to help ensure that they remain on programme.  Apprentices are often late in completing their qualification because of unrealistic and ineffective target setting. Managers routinely place all apprentices, including those on advanced qualifications, on a 12-month programme, rather than considering individual needs and the demands of the qualification and the job role.

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

 Apprentices make good progress in their job roles and gain financial services skills and knowledge well. They benefit from working in different departments, and work efficiently and to a good standard. For example, they communicate clearly and accurately to customers when providing relevant information regarding different insurance policies.  Apprentices benefit from being permanently employed from the start of their apprenticeship and most of those who complete their apprenticeship remain in employment at Be Wiser, with the remainder gaining employment elsewhere. Many apprentices gain promotions to senior consultant, team leader or technical roles, or progress to higher-level qualifications.  Apprentices improve their employability by gaining an additional qualification in the form of an industry-recognised home or motor insurance certificate.  Managers do not routinely analyse data to identify any achievement gaps and a few small

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

gaps do exist. For example, the proportion of females who successfully achieve is higher than male learners, and the proportion of apprentices who achieve at level 2 is much lower than the proportion who achieve at level 3.

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Provider details

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year Principal/CEO Mr Crescens George, Training Director

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Main course or learning programme level Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 or above Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Number of apprentices by apprenticeship level and age Intermediate Advanced Higher

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 54 13 0 162 0 0 Number of traineeships 16–19 19+ Total 0 0 229 Number of learners aged 14 to None

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Number of learners for which the provider receives high- needs funding None

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Funding received from: Skills Funding Agency

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors: None

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the operations manager, 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 and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners 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.

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Inspection team

Gary Adkins, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Attfield Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-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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Inspection team

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

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Inspection team

Employer View Employer View is a 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. To find out more go to www.employerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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