Momentum Training and Consultancy

Further education and skills inspection report

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Momentum Training and Consultancy Independent learning provider

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Overall effectiveness Good Effectiveness of leadership and management Good Apprenticeships Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings

 A very high proportion of apprentices and trainees gain their qualifications and enjoy their courses as a result of effective teaching, learning and assessment.  Apprentices gain good all-round hairdressing skills and relevant expertise that prepare them well for their careers and next steps. They make positive contributions to their employers’ businesses as a result of being trained to high commercial standards.  Apprentices acquire and practise excellent customer care skills in the salons where they work.  The vast majority of apprentices make good progress as a result of careful supervision by tutors and managers.  Directors and managers provide excellent resources, facilities and opportunities that enable apprentices to develop specialisms such as colouring and to improve their own capabilities and career prospects.  Managers establish high professional standards and expectations that motivate and encourage

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Information about the provider

 Momentum Training and Consultancy is the training arm of Group Momentum based in the south-east and south-west of England. The parent company owns several well-known salon chains and three hairdressing academies: the Falltricks Hairdressing Academy in Romford, the John Michael Hairdressing Academy in Ipswich and the Graham Webb Hairdressing Academy in Eltham. Barbering is carried out in partnership with a nationally known academy in London.  The academies offer apprenticeships and traineeships in both ladies hairdressing and barbering and national vocational qualifications (NVQs) to level 3. The majority of apprentices, funded by the Skills Funding Agency, are employed in salons in London and south-east England.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Make sure that activities in taught lessons enable the most able apprentices to make the progress they are capable of and develop their knowledge and understanding to the full.  Ensure that tutors in taught lessons pay closer and more regular attention to helping apprentices improve their English skills. Reinforce this priority by giving more attention to assessing the progress apprentices make in improving their English when observing training and teaching.  Provide further training for tutors to improve their confidence and capability to teach fundamental British values and understanding of equality and diversity.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Managers and tutors provide good training for apprentices and trainees and have ensured good outcomes for them. They are firmly committed to achieving the best outcomes for apprentices and, through creating a family atmosphere, they encourage and push apprentices to achieve to the best of their abilities.  Managers have maintained the quality of training while increasing the numbers of apprentices. Through effective planning they have demonstrated high ambitions for apprentices and trainees. They work effectively with the local authority to help younger learners who do not attend school to gain hairdressing skills and progress into further education or training.  Managers keep a careful and watchful check on the progress of apprentices. They take swift and effective actions as a result of the weekly review of their performance at work and in training.  Apprentices receive good advice and guidance before they begin and during their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

apprenticeships and many young apprentices commence their apprenticeship as soon as they complete their GCSEs, enabling them to get a good head start to their career.  Managers know the strengths of Momentum Training and Consultancy and the areas that they need to improve. They use up-to-date and relevant information appropriately and act on the results promptly in making improvements for apprentices. However, they do not use apprentices’ views when evaluating the impact and planning improvements through their self-assessment process.  Managers provide good support and challenge to tutors that enables tutors to improve. Managers regularly review tutors’ performance and provide the necessary support and resources to develop their tutoring and teaching skills. Good information learning technology contributes significantly to improving their capabilities to give apprentices high-quality training and learning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Observations of teaching and assessment clearly identify what tutors do well and what they need to do to improve. Tutors improve their assessment practices as a result of good, well-planned continuous professional development that results from these observations. However, their teaching in lessons, particularly of theory, does not take account of the needs of the most able apprentices.  Observations do not make effective use of apprentices’ views when assessing teaching and learning, and do not pay sufficient attention to helping tutors to improve the English skills of apprentices routinely.  The conduct and behaviour of managers and tutors create a harmonious environment in which apprentices flourish and where bullying and harassment are not tolerated.

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The governance of the provider

 Directors provide very good oversight by regularly scrutinising the performance of managers, tutors and apprentices. As a result, they have an accurate view of the strengths and areas for improvement.  The directors offer good support to managers and tutors. They ensure that managers and tutors have the right resources to continue to make improvements.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Directors and managers maintain a good oversight of safeguarding, health and safety, and any incidents that arise. They regularly update tutors.  Apprentices report feeling safe and know whom to contact if they have concerns about their own or others’ well-being.  Managers have good understanding of the ‘Prevent’ duty and ensure that tutors receive well-planned training covering extremism and grooming. However, tutors do not have sufficient confidence and skills to raise apprentices’ awareness of the rule of law, value of democracy and the risks of radicalisation effectively and as appropriately during their training.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The vast majority of apprentices make sustained and substantial progress, and are well supported in safe and friendly training environments. Tutors and assessors have high expectations of apprentices, who develop their knowledge and skills to industry standards.  Tutors and assessors have good practical expertise and knowledge; they provide insightful and valuable advice and tips that help apprentices improve their practical hairdressing and barbering skills. They learn to work independently and thrive due to the encouragement of tutors.  Apprentices make positive starts to their programmes as a result of completing work experience or work trials before formally joining the apprenticeship. This experience gives them a good understanding of what will be expected of them and the environments in which they will be working.  Apprentices benefit from effective individual support and regular, constructive reviews of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

their progress when they are assessed in their salons. They keep well-organised portfolios and become more reflective of how they can improve in the different facets of the trade due to helpful, hairdressing-specific goals set by their assessors.  Apprentices receive constructive feedback on their practical assessments. Assessors monitor apprentices’ completion of units well, a practice that helps the large majority of apprentices to complete their framework on time. In their assessments, they demonstrate good understanding of health and safety, and rights and responsibilities at work.  Enthusiastic and expert demonstrations of hairdressing and barbering techniques by tutors motivate apprentices to develop their own techniques and be imaginative while still under the careful guidance of tutors.  The induction of apprentices and trainees is effective. Tutors assess the capabilities and aptitudes of new apprentices and trainees well; they also accurately identify areas they

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

need to develop to succeed in gaining their qualification. Apprentices understand what is expected from them and how they can get help to resolve issues; they receive appropriate support for personal issues or assistance with transport, for example.  Apprentices benefit from modern, high-quality and well-maintained resources in many of the salons, enabling them to get ahead of their peers. They enjoy the use of good information learning technology in well-equipped classrooms, which reinforces their practical training on, for example, different hair types that they may not come across regularly.  Tutors and assessors develop apprentices’ mathematical capabilities well by integrating appropriate, relevant activities adeptly into the practical and theoretical training. For example, they increase apprentices’ understanding of angles when making graduated cuts and make them more proficient in using fractions and ratios when preparing dyes.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The assessment of apprentices’ English and mathematics skills at the start of their courses identifies their strengths and weaknesses clearly and accurately. However, a few apprentices who require additional help to improve their English or develop higher-level English skills do not receive the necessary help quickly enough in the early stages of their courses. When assessing written work, tutors do not routinely correct spelling and the use of English.  Activities in taught theory lessons do not extend the capabilities or knowledge of the most able apprentices sufficiently, although they have ready access to up-to-date information learning technology.  Tutors and assessors do not check how well apprentices understand information covered in induction about equality and fundamental British values because they do not routinely follow up these aspects with apprentices during their training.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

 Apprentices take pride in their work and make sure that they give clients the best possible service. They enjoy being busy in the salons and work well with other apprentices. More proficient apprentices help less experienced colleagues, for example, by demonstrating how to use small rods and wrapping techniques to complete a full body wave on long hair.  Apprentices have high aspirations and expect to progress to the next level of their qualification. Many have longer-term career ambitions, such as aiming to work as a theatrical hairdresser, becoming a specialist stylist on cruise ships or on television or becoming a teacher.  Nearly all apprentices develop good practical and technical skills to a high professional standard. They have positive attitudes and embrace all aspects of the training that include doing the mundane tasks that give them a sense of realism and a firm grounding to become good hairdressers.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

 The encouragement of tutors helps apprentices to grow in confidence quickly. The special attention given to having good client and customer service skills builds their capabilities in communicating clearly and with assurance. They adhere closely and attentively to the professional standards expected in relation to attendance and dress.  Many apprentices broaden their skills and horizons by completing additional units beyond the requirement of their qualifications, such as perming and men’s styling. Their participation in enrichment activities such as masterclasses and competitions, enhances their employability and prospects for career progression. Many are motivated by external speakers and participating in photo shoots.  Taking part in artistic teamwork events at national competitions is a highlight for many barbering apprentices and boosts their confidence.  Apprentices feel safe at work and in training. They know whom to contact if they have an

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

issue or experience harassment or bullying. They are respectful of each other, of staff and clients.  Most apprentices are aware of the risks of grooming in relation to extremism and sexual exploitation, but do not have a broader understanding of the ‘Prevent’ duty in relation to liberty, rule of law and the value of democracy.

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Outcomes for learners Good

 Almost all the first cohort of apprentices gained their qualifications. A very large majority of apprentices were similarly successful the following year and a very high proportion of the current cohort of apprentices are making good progress towards acquiring their qualification.  All learners in the first group on the traineeship programme were successful in progressing onto an apprenticeship or gaining employment. The progression of learners to the next level on the hairdressing programmes is high. On completing their apprenticeships, many apprentices take a ‘graduate’ programme specially designed by Momentum Training and Consultancy that develops higher-level skills and expertise.  A large majority of apprentices achieve their functional skills mathematics or English qualifications, although they do not start these subjects early enough in their programme. However, they have a positive attitude to improving their English and numeracy skills and

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Outcomes for learners Good

qualifications and consequently make good progress.  The training received by the vast majority of apprentices who are employed in the salons of the Momentum group results in them becoming more valued at work, where they are given additional professional responsibilities and rewards. Some former apprentices have become managers.  Very many apprentices enjoy the practical and theoretical aspects of the qualification. They work to very high standards in the salons and demonstrate excellent technical and professional skills; a few who have demonstrated the ability and aptitudes to go further take up the very prestigious colour degree that enhances their career prospects greatly.  Many apprentices also take up the opportunities to gain additional qualifications, such as plaiting, which enables them to operate a cut above their peers. Barbering apprentices benefit from the expertise of a renowned and highly respected industry expert, whose

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Outcomes for learners Good

tuition gives them an advantage in a highly competitive field.

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Provider details

Type of provider Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year Principal/CEO Simon Watts

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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

0 0 1 7 1 4 0 0 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+ 27 61 18 34 0 1 Number of traineeships 16–19 19+ Total 15 1 157 Number of learners aged 14 to

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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: Education Funding Agency and 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: –

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of education, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, and telephone calls 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

Peter Green, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jackie Moores 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

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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Inspection team

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 .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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