SYTG Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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SYTG Limited Independent learning provider

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate 16 to 19 study programmes Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings

 Too few learners achieve functional skills English and mathematics qualifications at levels 1 and 2.  Teachers do not define learners’ starting points accurately, and do not match learning activities correctly to learners’ abilities.  Learners’ attendance and punctuality, although improving, are still too low.  Teaching, learning and assessment are poor. Learners lose interest, become bored and make inadequate progress.  Teachers lack the specialist knowledge and skills needed to manage learning and assessment effectively.  Teachers provide poor learning resources. They are often out of date, inappropriate for the age group and do not reflect cultural diversity.  Teachers do not identify consistently the spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors in learners’ work.  The provision of information, advice and guidance is weak.  Too few learners have work-shadowing opportunities or work experience to prepare

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Summary of key findings

them to enter employment.  Learners do not have sufficient knowledge of British values and the threats presented by radicalisation and extremism.  Too few learners progress into further training or employment when they complete their study programme.  Leadership of the 16 to 19 study programme is weak and managers have not implemented the principles of the study programme fully.  The self-assessment process is insufficiently rigorous; the self-assessment report is incomplete and does not identify accurately the major weaknesses.  The process for observing teaching, learning and assessment is weak.  Performance management of tutors and managers is inadequate.  Arrangements for governance are inadequate.

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Summary of key findings

The provider has the following strengths

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Summary of key findings

 Learners derive considerable benefit from the provider’s open and caring culture and the way in which their social and welfare needs are met.  Managers have developed very good working relationships with many organisations dealing with homelessness and other problems. These partnerships are of great benefit to learners.

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Information about the provider

 Sheffield is the third largest metropolitan district in England with a population of 653,750. The percentage of people in employment is 71.4% compared to 73.8% nationally. The proportion of 16- to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training is 5.2%, compared with an average for England of 4.2%.  SYTG Limited (SYTG) currently delivers a study programme under a direct contract from the Education Funding Agency. The provider also offers alternative provision training for school pupils in years 9, 10 and 11 but this was not in scope for the inspection. Most of SYTG’s learners live in Arbouthorne, Burngreave, Darnall and Manor Castle, which are areas of high deprivation and unemployment. SYTG has recently moved to the Darnall area of the city. This move will enable managers to bring together on one site the employability provision, uniformed services provision, and the sound studio.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Increase learners’ achievement in functional skills English and mathematics at levels 1 and 2, and ensure that learners make good progress towards completing their functional skills courses successfully.  Define learners’ starting points in English, mathematics, information and communication technology and vocational studies accurately, and ensure that all learners have an individual learning programme that takes into account their prior qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience.  Monitor learners’ attendance and punctuality very closely and ensure that they continue to improve as quickly as possible.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that lessons are highly effective, stimulating and enjoyable, and learners make rapid progress.  Ensure teachers’ specialist knowledge is refreshed and extended so that they have the competencies required to manage learning and assessment effectively.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Invest in a wide range of up-to-date learning resources to add variety and enjoyment to learning activities.  Ensure that teachers identify learners’ spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors as soon as possible so that repeated errors are avoided and learners’ written work improves considerably.  Increase the number of learners who have work-shadowing opportunities and work experience placements that familiarise them with the world of work and prepare them to enter paid employment.  Strengthen teachers’ promotion of British values so that learners develop and can demonstrate knowledge, understanding and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in, and contribute positively to, life in modern Britain.  Ensure that managers and teachers: – inform learners about the threats presented by radicalisation and extremism – identify learners at risk of being drawn into terrorism – challenge extremist views and ideas.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Develop the provision of information, advice and guidance by ensuring that: – skilled and appropriately qualified staff provide information, advice and guidance – advice and guidance are a planned part of each learner’s study programme and available when required – independent careers advice and guidance from qualified careers advisers are also available to learners when needed.  Increase the number of learners who progress into further training or employment when they complete their study programme.  Strengthen the leadership of the 16 to 19 study programme and ensure that all the principles of the study programme are implemented fully.  Improve the rigour and accuracy of self-assessment; ensure that evaluation is accurate and supported by substantial evidence, and that the findings are validated thoroughly.  Strengthen the arrangements for evaluating and reporting on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by:

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

– focusing on learning, the topics that learners are studying, and learners’ progress in lessons – identifying specific strengths and weaknesses in teaching, learning and assessment – producing clear action plans for teachers following evaluation of their practice that are monitored for completion and linked to performance management – encouraging teachers to be more self-evaluative by reflecting on the way in which they plan and manage learners’ progress.  Strengthen the rigour of the performance management process so that performance throughout the company is improved.  Introduce comprehensive arrangements for governing the company and its training provision and hold managers to account for their actions and for the quality of the provision.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leadership of the 16 to 19 study programme is weak. Managers do not implement the principles of the study programme fully. They do not plan and manage the study programme so that learners participate in individualised and challenging learning that builds on their prior attainment. Managers have not taken sufficient action to implement all the recommendations identified at the previous inspection in 2014.  The self-assessment process is insufficiently rigorous, with too little formal involvement of teachers, learners, employers and other stakeholders. The most recent self-assessment report is very weak. It does not identify major weaknesses in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and outcomes for learners. Many of the judgements that managers make in the report are inaccurate and the overall evaluation is too positive.  Managers do not monitor the quality of training sufficiently to ensure that it equips

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

learners with the knowledge, skills and understanding that they need to develop personally and vocationally. Managers are not sufficiently aware of, and are not taking action to reverse, the significant decline in the quality of provision that has occurred since the previous inspection in 2014.  The process for evaluating the quality of teaching, learning and assessment through lesson observations is ineffective. Observations place too much emphasis on teaching, with insufficient emphasis on how well learners are acquiring the skills and knowledge that they need, how effectively they are being assessed, or on how well they are progressing. There is no evidence that managers monitor the implementation of recommended actions following observations.  Performance management is inadequate. Managers do not monitor the performance of teachers sufficiently. Teachers lack opportunities for, and career development through,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

professional development. Teachers are insufficiently qualified. Staff appraisal is very weak and has little, if any, impact on raising the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.  Learners receive too little information, advice and guidance throughout the time they are on the study programme. Managers do not ensure that impartial careers advice and guidance are regularly available to all learners to enable them to develop clear, ambitious and realistic plans for their future. Managers give insufficient attention to ensuring that there are teachers who are skilled and appropriately qualified in providing information, advice and guidance.  Managers do not have high enough expectations for what learners can achieve in their study programme. Nevertheless, they are highly committed to providing pastoral and personal support to learners, many of whom are vulnerable. A high proportion of learners have personal and social difficulties, and learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Managers

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

show total dedication in their commitment to improving the quality of learners’ lives.  Managers place a high priority on equality and diversity. Managers and teachers work together to protect learners from bullying, discrimination, harassment and unfair treatment. However, staff do not promote British values actively enough.  Managers have developed very good working relationships with a large number of organisations dealing with homelessness, drug misuse and other personal problems. Learners are referred to these organisations when necessary and they benefit considerably from the specialist advice they receive.  Managers have developed very good relationships with a wide range of employers who are very cooperative and provide excellent support to learners. However, too few learners have access to work-shadowing opportunities or work experience to prepare them to enter the world of work and paid employment.

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The governance of the provider

 Arrangements for governance are inadequate.  In addition to the managing director, SYTG has two managers with defined managerial responsibilities within the company. Although there are regular formal staff meetings and informal discussions, there are no specific activities that can be described as governance. Managers do not challenge each other sufficiently to ensure that they focus their attention on areas where improvements are needed urgently in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and in outcomes for learners. Managers do not have a detailed and accurate understanding of SYTG’s weaknesses. They have taken inadequate action to ensure that the recommendations identified by inspectors in 2014 have been implemented.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Managers assess risk appropriately. They take action to prevent harm and report any safeguarding concerns immediately. Two lead safeguarding officers and other staff have been trained appropriately. All staff have received enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks.  Lead safeguarding officers have mobile telephones switched on permanently so that they can be contacted if a potential safeguarding issue arises. Effective links have been established with the local safeguarding children board and with the city council safeguarding staff. Learners feel safe and know how to raise concerns.  While the provider has only been in its current premises for a short period, managers have not yet ensured that safeguarding posters are prominently displayed to remind learners of the names and contact details of safeguarding officers.  Managers do not make learners sufficiently aware of the dangers of radicalisation and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 All current learners attend the study programme. At the time of the inspection 68 were enrolled. Approximately 63% are on the employability programme, 20% are on courses in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), and 7% are on the uniformed services programme designed for learners who wish to join, for example, the armed services, police force, fire service or prison service.  Teachers do not ensure that learners’ programmes are sufficiently individualised or challenging. They give too little attention to identifying learners’ prior attainment and to building on learners’ existing knowledge, skills and understanding. A significant number of learners do not realise their potential and are not prepared adequately for further study or future employment.  Teachers do not plan learning sessions and assessments effectively to meet the needs of individual learners. Insufficient attention is given to the knowledge, skills and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

understanding that learners need to acquire. Teachers’ expectations of what learners can achieve are too low.  Teachers lack the specialist knowledge, skills and understanding to motivate and engage learners, and to manage their learning effectively. Many learning activities lack interest, and learners are bored as a result of uninspiring learning. Too few learners make substantial and sustained progress.  Teachers do not set challenging, but achievable, targets for learners. Too few learners work at a level higher than they previously attained, as required by study programme principles.  Teachers do not define clearly learners’ starting points in English, mathematics, ESOL and vocational studies. They do not match learning carefully enough to learners’ needs, with the result that it is unrealistically challenging for some learners and too easy for others.  Learning resources are inadequate. The range of resources is very limited and learning

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

lacks variety. Teachers place too much reliance on the completion of handouts by learners and insufficient emphasis on the use of other learning resources. In ESOL lessons, learning resources are often out of date, inappropriate for the age and level of learners and lacking in cultural diversity.  Teachers do not check learning and understanding effectively in lessons. Their oral questioning techniques are poorly developed. They allow the most able learners to dominate question-and-answer sessions and do not always give sufficient time for the less articulate learners to answer.  Teachers record learners’ progress superficially and poorly. They place too little emphasis on learners’ potential and on the progress they could make. Teachers do not inform learners effectively about their next steps and how their training can help them to progress in their chosen career.  Learners do not receive clear and constructive feedback on the accuracy and quality of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

their written work. They do not receive enough helpful information about what they need to do to improve their work. Too few learners know what they have to do to improve their knowledge, skills and understanding and achieve their full potential.  Learners make repeated spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors which teachers do not identify consistently. This results in errors recurring. Too many learners do not understand the need for accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar, thus impeding the development of good English skills. Teachers also have poor spelling, punctuation and grammatical skills that reduce their ability to identify learners’ errors confidently and competently.  Teachers do not meet fully the needs of learners with identified learning support needs, which inhibits their learning and progress. Teachers pay too little attention to the importance of planning, implementing and monitoring support to enable learners who

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

require learning support to learn effectively and progress speedily.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

 Too many learners lack enthusiasm and motivation for their study programme, which has an adverse impact on their learning and progress. Their personal and vocational development is slower than it otherwise could be.  Too few learners use the opportunities they have on their programme to improve their self-confidence and self-assurance. However, learners in the uniformed services provision improve their self-confidence, develop their interpersonal skills and improve their fitness levels.  Teachers’ expectations of learners’ attendance and punctuality are too low. Managers have taken recent action to improve learners’ attendance and punctuality; although there have been improvements, attendance and punctuality are still too low. Teachers allow learners to have breaks in lessons that are too long, thus reducing learning time.  Information, advice and guidance are weak. Staff do not ensure that learners are placed

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

on the study programme at the correct level. Learners receive insufficient information, advice and guidance during and at the end of their programme to ensure they are prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment.  Most learners lack sufficient awareness of their own starting points and personal targets, and they are also unsure about the different elements of their study programme. Too few learners undertake work shadowing or work experience in preparation for employment.  Teachers’ promotion of British values is poor. Too few learners develop and demonstrate knowledge, understanding and attitudes that enable them to participate fully in, and contribute positively to, life in modern Britain.  Teachers’ promotion of the ‘Prevent’ duty is poor. Teachers do not inform learners sufficiently about the threats presented by radicalisation and extremism or warn them about the dangers of being drawn into terrorism. Too few learners know how to protect

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

themselves from the risks associated with radicalisation, extremism and terrorism.  Many learners are polite and well behaved. Teachers provide good support to keep learners identified as at-risk attending the programme. They offer, alone or in conjunction with external organisations, good bespoke support to help all those learners who are at risk of offending or who have health problems. Managers are highly committed to ensuring that learners’ welfare needs are identified and met successfully.

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Outcomes for learners Inadequate

 The proportion of learners who achieve functional skills English and mathematics qualifications at levels 1 and 2 is too low. Too few learners develop their English and mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding quickly enough in lessons.  Learners do not make substantial and sustained progress from their different starting points. Teachers do not prepare all learners sufficiently for the next stage of their education, training or employment.  The progress of many learners is too slow and this increases the time they spend on the study programme before moving into training at a higher level or employment. Many learners have difficulty in explaining what they have learned and how they have developed since joining the study programme. In ESOL lessons, teachers do not challenge learners when using their first language at times when they should be practising their English skills. This hinders the development of their speaking, listening, reading and writing in English.

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Outcomes for learners Inadequate

 Learners’ written work is of a poor standard. Learners receive insufficient encouragement to produce work of a much higher standard and to ensure that it meets or exceeds the standards expected for the level of their course and, where appropriate, relevant industries. Too many learners are easily distracted and their work output is generally too low.  Although most learners remain on their programme, too few learners progress into training at a higher level, apprenticeships or employment. Differences in progression between males, females, minority ethnic learners and learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are significant. Managers do not take sufficient action to eliminate these gaps in progression.  Learners on entry to uniform services courses at level 1 and employability and personal development courses at entry-level 3 make good progress and achieve well. However, a significant number of learners are capable of working at higher levels and these

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Outcomes for learners Inadequate

qualifications do not motivate, stretch and challenge all learners sufficiently.

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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 Mr Stuart Depledge

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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

67 1 - - - - - - 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+ - - - - - - Number of traineeships 16–19 19+ Total - - - Number of learners aged 14 to 16 0 Number of learners for which the provider receives high- needs funding 0 Funding received from: Education 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 programmes manager, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and the previous inspection report. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners, employers and external organisations; these views are reflected within the report. They observed learning sessions and assessments. They also visited employers, evaluated learners’ written work and inspected learners’ course files. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

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Inspection team

Ken Fisher, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonny Wright 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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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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