Anderson Stockley Accredited Training Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Anderson Stockley Accredited Training Ltd 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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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings

 Apprentices develop high levels of practical skills and behaviours that they apply very well in the workplace.  Information about apprentices’ abilities and aptitudes is used well to plan individual learning that supports their progress well.  A very high proportion of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship remain in employment.  Leaders and managers have ensured that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved since the last inspection and is now good.  Vocational tutors are knowledgeable and experienced and provide very good support for apprentices in the workplace.  Collaboration with local employers to align the range and content of provision to meet their needs and priorities is good and allows apprentices to develop valuable workplace skills.  The planning of on- and off-the-job learning with employers is highly effective and focused on meeting apprentices’ needs and minimising

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Summary of key findings

disruption to patients.  Overall achievement and achievement within agreed timescales requires improvement.  The use of data is not effective in setting targets for staff and fails to provide them with detailed information to monitor the progress of individuals and different groups of apprentices.  The feedback to apprentices on written work does not make it clear what they need to do to improve and the correction of their English and spelling is not systematic.  Apprentices do not set their own targets; the targets set by assessors focus on unit completion and not on the skills and behaviours apprentices need to develop.

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Information about the provider

 Anderson Stockley Accredited Training Limited, established in early 2000 as an additional division of Anderson Stockley Telemarketing Associates, has been trading since 1993 as a commercial training, telemarketing and recruitment organisation. It became a limited company in 2007; the head office is in Northampton. It has held a contract with the Skills Funding Agency since July 2013. The vast majority of its learners are apprentices in dental nursing employed in workplaces across the country, with the majority being in the East of England and the Midlands.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that senior managers set staff challenging targets to improve outcomes for all apprentices and monitor them systematically.  Ensure that data is used to produce reports that provide assessors and apprentices with more detailed information to maximise overall achievement, and achievement within agreed timescales, and to monitor gaps in the performance of groups of apprentices.  Ensure that apprentices become more involved in setting their own targets and that the targets focus not only on unit completion but also on the skills and behaviours they need to develop to make good progress.  Ensure that assessors correct apprentices’ English when marking written work and that their feedback clearly identifies what apprentices need to do to improve.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Since the previous inspection, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and outcomes for apprentices have improved. A more rigorous approach to observations of teaching, learning and assessment has been introduced that is linked clearly to continuous professional development and effective action planning to ensure improvement.  Performance management of staff is good. Managers use monthly meetings with assessors well to review performance. Support for underperformance is prompt. Leaders take robust action where staff performance continues to fall below the company’s expectations.  Leaders and managers have a very good relationship with employers, particularly with dentists in dental practices and hospital settings. They have a good understanding of the local and regional skills priorities, particularly those aligned to the local enterprise partnership. Planning assessment visits to meet employers’ and apprentices’ work

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

commitments is strong as is partnership working to meet local skills gaps.  Staff benefit from focused staff development activities that help consolidate their skills and confidence in supporting apprentices. For example, all staff have recently attended training workshops to develop and extend their knowledge of the ‘Prevent’ duty and safeguarding. This has led to assessors becoming more confident in supporting and challenging apprentices’ understanding of life in modern Britain and the importance of values such as tolerance, treating others with respect and valuing differences in society.  Since the last inspection, managers have improved the quality of provision for English and mathematics. Consequently, apprentices have become more confident in applying these skills in the workplace.  Managers and staff promote fair treatment of individuals and respect for differences well. Apprentices have access to a good range of learning materials on equality and diversity

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

themes, e-safety, the ‘Prevent’ duty and more recently modern British values. Staff use these resources well to help raise awareness and as a consequence, apprentices are able to apply their increased understanding of these themes to the workplace and in other settings.  Managers do not routinely monitor the performance of different groups of learners effectively and consequently they do not plan effectively to eliminate achievement gaps.  The self-assessment process benefits from the involvement of staff and uses the views of apprentices and employers well. Inspectors agreed with the grades proposed in the self- assessment report. However, the report and quality improvement plan do not use data to monitor and evaluate the provision in sufficient depth. Consequently, the quality improvement plan does not focus sufficiently on the use of data to set key performance indicators for staff and to provide suitable reports that monitor the progress of individuals

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

and different groups of apprentices. Consequently, some apprentices are not clear about the progress they make.

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The governance of the provider

 Directors were slow to implement the recommendations of the previous inspection report. However, recent changes to staff and their roles and responsibilities have resulted in a significant increase in the rate of improvements.  The new management team works closely together and has introduced much-needed changes to strengthen internal systems and processes. Leaders and managers have an ambitious vision that all learners and apprentices will complete their qualifications to a high standard. However, leaders do not set staff sufficiently challenging and specific targets to ensure that they achieve these high standards.  Directors have ensured that the curriculum continues to evolve to meet the differing needs of learners and employers, and regional and local priorities well.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Learners feel safe and have a sound awareness of what to do if they have concerns.  Health and safety in the workplace have a very high priority. Members of staff carry out risk assessments with employers in all workplaces. Managers and staff closely monitor employers’ approach to health and safety.  Suitable safeguarding policies and procedures are in place and include reference to radicalisation and extremism. An appropriately trained and experienced safeguarding officer is in place.  Staff are aware of the need to protect learners against radicalisation and have received ‘Prevent’ duty training.  Managers and staff take effective actions to counter incidents of bullying and harassment.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Apprentices in health, dental nursing, business administration, customer service and management receive good teaching, learning and assessment in predominantly health sector settings: mainly dental practices, with apprentices also in doctors’ surgeries and hospitals . Assessors are enthusiastic, well qualified and experienced practitioners who share well their up-to-date knowledge, particularly of dentistry. As a result, all apprentices develop high levels of practical skills and are confident about their ability to learn. They develop good communication skills and dental apprentices demonstrate the excellent personal skills they develop during interactions with patients.  All apprentices have a thorough assessment of their skills at the start of their programmes. Assessment of apprentices’ knowledge and practical skills development is thorough. Assessors use this assessment information well to plan appropriate learning

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

sessions. They use a variety of methods that support apprentices’ differing abilities well in order to check that they can explain and demonstrate their learning in the workplace.  Assessors are vigilant in ensuring apprentices maintain high standards of health and safety in the workplace. Employers value this and, in one dental practice, apprentices share their up-to-date knowledge and understanding of health and safety with more experienced colleagues to ensure that they maintain the highest standards.  Assessors plan their visits effectively with employers. For example, they plan visits to dental settings well in advance to minimise the impact on patients and to ensure that apprentices make the best use of both on- and off-the-job learning opportunities. Employers value this and the thorough feedback they receive with their apprentices at the end of every visit.  Assessors promote equality and diversity well and have raised effectively apprentices’

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

awareness of the dangers associated with radicalisation and extremism and the dangers and benefits associated with using the internet. All apprentices take an online course that reinforces the issues around radicalisation and extremism and obtain an additional useful certificate at the beginning of their programme. One dental practice found this a highly informative way of raising awareness and was planning to adopt this training for all staff. Most apprentices are aware of modern British values.  Apprentices are encouraged to be reflective and draw upon their experiences in the workplace in order to extend their learning and link theory to their practice. In a small minority of sessions, assessors do not challenge apprentices sufficiently to develop their understanding of theory to higher levels.  All apprentices are encouraged to learn the meaning and spelling of technical terms; they receive regular lists of terms to learn ready for small tests. However, assessors do not

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

systematically check the spellings of everyday words and grammar on written work. Additional support for mathematics is available to apprentices who require it, however, the large majority of dental nurses have GCSE mathematics at grade C or above or an equivalent on entry.  Assessors provide very detailed and helpful verbal feedback to apprentices to reinforce learning and understanding. However, their written comments are often too brief and do not contain sufficient information as to how apprentices might improve their work.  Assessors focus targets for apprentices on unit completion and not on setting their own learning targets and action plans or identifying the skills and behaviours they need to develop.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

 Apprentices enjoy their training and are well motivated; they have positive attitudes to learning. Most apprentices develop their study and personal, learning and thinking skills well during training with assessors who challenge them to reflect and comment on their training. They are prepared well for their training and have a good understanding of the expectations of their chosen apprenticeship.  Employers value the range of workplace skills that apprentices develop. For example, hospital technicians perform routine electrocardiograph (ECG) procedures competently. Customer service apprentices provide reliable services, such as telephone and email support to customers and deal quickly with queries and concerns.  Assessors understand apprentices’ individual needs well and are able to give sensitive support. Assessors work well with employers to provide effective support to apprentices with additional support needs, such as giving them extra time to complete their training

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

at work, which ensures that they stay in training and successfully complete their qualifications.  Apprentices are able to assess accurately potential health and safety hazards at work. For example, they know to take regular breaks to rest the eyes when working at a display screen or how to reduce the risk of cross-infection by applying effective hygiene practice such as changing gloves when dealing with patients.  Most apprentices are skilled in using their mathematics skills in the workplace. For example, ward clerks are able to analyse patient satisfaction surveys and bed occupancy rates and produce reports for management. Dental nurses use proportions to mix amalgams correctly. Most apprentices are able to write clear accounts of the work they do, using medical and dentist vocabulary well.  Apprentices adapt their approach appropriately when dealing with customers and colleagues; for example, when assisting patients who have difficulty in writing or

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

undertaking medical history checks for hepatitis B and HIV and ensuring they follow cross-contamination infection control procedures effectively.  Apprentices feel safe and produce a useful written piece of work on British values. They understand the importance of democracy and respect for their own and other cultures. Additional tasks reinforce their understanding, such as finding out about the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah.

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

 Data given by the provider indicates that the overall achievement rate has improved in 2015/16 but from a very low base and is still below the national rate. The rate for apprentices completing their programmes in agreed timescales is now close to the national rate. Both achievement rates require improvement.  Current apprentices on all programmes make at least the progress expected of them and some are making good progress from their starting points. The majority remain in sustained employment at the completion of their apprenticeship.  A few apprentices in business administration and customer service make progress to higher levels of study. However, the vast majority of apprentices are on the level 3 in dental nursing and do not have the opportunity to progress further as dental nurses unless they train as a dental hygienist; this is the current position nationally.  The few apprentices undertaking functional skills, mainly in mathematics, are on target to

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

achieve and understand the benefit of these skills in furthering their career opportunities.

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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 CEO Ms Janice Fitch

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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+ 3 25 55 73 - - Number of traineeships 16–19 19+ Total

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Number of learners for which the provider receives high- needs funding -

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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: -

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the lead for internal quality assurance, 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 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

Bob Hamp, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Steve Nelson 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

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

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