Advanced Personnel Management Group (UK) Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Advanced Personnel Management Group (UK) Limited Independent learning provider

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement Adult learning programmes Good

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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 Good

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Summary of key findings

This is a provider that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings

 Leaders’ and managers’ plans to secure improvements, after the loss of half of the staff since the company changed hands, have not yet had sufficient impact on raising quality and performance levels to good standards.  Directors in the governance role do not seek evaluative reports on the performance of programmes and their impact on learners; this limits their ability to scrutinise, challenge and support managers to raise standards rapidly.  Staff and managers do not routinely collect and use management information on learners’ performance to set targets for improvement and to give an accurate account of the impact of training on learners.  Progression of apprentices from intermediate to advanced levels is low and a minority of apprentices do not complete their training in the planned period.  Learners do not develop the levels of skills in English and mathematics skills they are capable of.  Information, advice and guidance during and

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Summary of key findings

towards the end of learners’ programmes do not prepare them well enough for their next steps in learning or into employment.  Tutors do not challenge all learners to achieve their full potential through teaching, learning and assessment.

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Summary of key findings

The provider has the following strengths

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Summary of key findings

 Partnerships with Jobcentre Plus and other agencies are strong; this enables staff to engage with adult learners who are very hard to reach due to poor health or long-term unemployment.  Programmes are flexibly delivered in local venues where learners feel safe; learners are able to attend classes to suit their other commitments.  Learners have a sound understanding of British values and the dangers of radicalisation; this prepares them well for living and working harmoniously in modern Britain.  Support for adult learners who face a range of barriers to learning is very good at engaging them and helping them to succeed.

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Information about the provider

 APM UK (APM) was established in 2015 when an Australian company, Advanced Personnel Management Pty (founded 1994), purchased Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG). With its head office located in Newtown, Birmingham, it is responsible for the management and delivery of adult learning, study programmes and apprenticeships. APM also provides programmes for a range of other customers, including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service and local authorities. These contracts were out of scope for this inspection.  Of the three contracts held by APM with the Education and Skills Funding agency, Ofsted inspected that for study programmes in November 2016. On the contract covered by this inspection, 223 learners currently attend adult learning programmes, undertaking accredited qualifications in employability skills, and English and mathematics, in centres

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Information about the provider

across the North of England; 221 learners are following apprenticeship programmes. Since the acquisition of PPDG, the company had a major restructure and lost over half of its staff. Nine of the 10 training and assessment staff and managers have been employed in the past 12 months.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Implement fully the changes already planned, adapting them to incorporate inspection findings, to ensure that: – staff roles and job descriptions fully reflect the range of duties they undertake in teaching, learning and assessment – reviews of staff performance against set targets contribute to the improvement of outcomes for learners – leaders and managers refine the collection and use of data on key aspects such as progress, progression and the destination of learners to inform a comprehensive and self-critical evaluation of the provision – leaders and managers clearly define the contract and quality management requirements to the subcontractor and support them well to raise standards – managers plan apprenticeship provision better by exploring alternative ways of delivering learning in groups to enhance their skills, including learners’ written skills in English and mathematics, leading to improved outcomes for apprentices.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Refine governance arrangements by ensuring that: – directors in the governance role identify fully the performance expectations of all provision types – senior managers seek evaluative reports at set intervals on the performance of each programme, including qualification achievement rates, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, the difference the programmes are making to the lives of learners, and the impact on the businesses – directors provide an appropriately high level of scrutiny, support and challenge to secure success and progression for all learners.  Improve the skills and competence of tutors further so that they: – challenge all learners appropriately to help them achieve their full potential – continue to develop learners’ skills in English and mathematics so that they are well prepared for the next career or promotion.  Ensure that all learners are provided with detailed, ongoing information, advice and

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

guidance that help them to raise their aspirations and plan their next steps in learning and careers.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Weak management of staff turnover has affected apprentices’ assessment, progress and withdrawals as well as communications with employers. Over half of the staff from the previous owner, PPDG, including the apprenticeship manager, who transferred to the contractor, left the jobs either through retirement, redundancy or voluntary exit. A senior manager appointed to oversee the transition of the contract also left after a short period. This meant that apprentices did not get the necessary support, training and assessment until January this year when the new team started establishing itself. Managers did not communicate these changes to the employers and apprentices. Outcomes declined significantly in the contract years 2014/15 and 2015/16. However, managers have taken constructive steps to stabilise and improve the situation.  Leaders and senior managers have high ambitions and a clear vision for the adult learning

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

and apprenticeship programme within the skills division of the company. After the inspection of their contract for the study programmes in November 2016, they re- structured the management of the provision to improve performance. Many of the changes implemented, such as the collection of employers’ and learners’ views, data collection, and revisions to the job roles and appraisal, are either still in the planning phase, or it is too soon to evaluate the impact of improvements made on the quality of learners’ experiences.  Senior managers have a very good understanding that the programmes need to improve. They are clear how they are going to achieve this. For example, senior managers have invested significant additional resources to develop and enhance management information systems that will be operational from the start of the 2017/18 contract year. This management information system is designed to include tracking of learners’ progress as

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

well as the production of key performance indicators. These features should enable senior managers to monitor performance more closely and better support and challenge delivery staff to improve the quality of programmes.  Although managers have chosen the subcontractor very carefully, the management of subcontracting requires strengthening so that managers can understand fully the effectiveness of the subcontractor. The subcontractor is attracting single parents’ groups in Leeds successfully and is helping them develop skills. However, management oversight is limited to collecting data on learners’ starts and achievement and is therefore not comprehensive enough. For example, managers do not review the attendance, punctuality, progression, or destinations of learners with the subcontractor. Their view of the quality of provision is based on the observations of teaching and learning from a year ago. As a result, managers are not able to evaluate fully the quality of the subcontractor’s

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

work and bring about any necessary improvements.  Managers have established a sound strategy to develop learners’ English and mathematics skills. While this is working well in developing and consolidating learners’ skills on adult learning programmes, tutors in apprenticeship programmes do not follow the steps defined in the strategy. Apprentices are not supported to develop these skills on an ongoing basis. This puts them at a disadvantage when considering their progression into future careers.  Managers undertake frequent one-to-one performance management reviews with staff to hold them to account. In addition they use a rigorous capability process to tackle swiftly underperformance among staff. Managers have introduced a ‘mutual development review’ which provides a good appraisal of staff competence and identifies the training and development needs of staff. However, most staff have not had a formal appraisal, as

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

many of the staff are new in post, and so have not had the benefit of this review process.  Observers conduct frequent observations of tutors to evaluate the impact of teaching, learning and assessment and to provide training and support to help staff improve their quality. The observation reports are broadly accurate, and inspectors agreed with most of the findings. After standardisation, observers report the findings to the board members every quarter. Subsequent action planning is effective and links closely to the monthly staff review process.  Senior managers have located the learning centres in areas of significant deprivation. Adult learners agree the programmes are developing the skills of their local community effectively and are helping them to compete for jobs. As a result, local residents attend well and feel safe and comfortable in the surroundings.  Managers and staff have created a strong culture of tolerance and mutual respect in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

centres and classes. Learners provide each other with particularly effective peer support. Staff pay very good attention to the needs of learners with disabilities, for example by providing adaptive technologies and specialist equipment. Managers have established an inclusive culture and introduced programmes that attract learners with different abilities, ethnic heritage, and gender. All learners achieve equally well as a result of strong support provided for the learners.  Managers have made sound changes to the adult curriculum offered to learners. This is well aligned and flexibly delivered to meet the priority sectors and skills shortages of the local enterprise partnership (LEP) areas in which APM operates. These changes are enabling learners to improve their skills effectively, and compete for employment locally, thus reducing unemployment.  Managers have established very positive working relationships with partners in adult

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

programmes with Jobcentre Plus, the Prince’s Trust and a wide variety of support agencies. Consequently, a high percentage of learners with significant barriers, such as long-term sickness, unemployment and poor experiences at school, engage in learning to achieve their objectives or learning aims.  Senior managers have worked diligently to improve the self-assessment process and subsequent quality improvement plan. The report is not comprehensive enough. It does not evaluate the quality of programmes against the range of key expectations, or the impact of changes on learners.  Leaders and managers widened the scope of the quality improvement plan by building on discussions held with the ‘support and challenge’ inspector for the study programme inspection. Quality improvement planning is sound, with clear and detailed plans to improve weaker aspects. The executive board review the plan on a quarterly basis and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

current actions are broadly on target to be achieved within planned timescales. However, the plan does not include consideration of key performance data on many aspects, such as progress, progression and destinations of learners, to give a comprehensive account of the difference the training makes to the lives of learners.

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The governance of the provider

 The directors of the executive board of APM provide the governance of the provision.  The executive board has recently established a useful reporting dashboard which is used on a weekly basis. This gives a clear idea of the current performance of the study programme contract. However, senior managers have not defined the key performance expectations for the adult learning programmes or apprenticeship provision. They monitor learner starts and the achievement of qualifications because of financial considerations, but do not seek reports on the quality of provision, the progress and progression of the learners, or on the difference they are making to learners’ personal lives or to their employers’ businesses.  Senior managers are not holding managers effectively to account, as they do not have a clear measure of the quality of provision. This limits their ability to effectively scrutinise, support and challenge staff and operational managers. For example, they do not ask

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The governance of the provider

questions about which programmes are most or least successful and why, in order for them to make important strategic decisions concerning the continuation, refreshment and refinement of programmes.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Senior managers have established consistently good recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with adult and apprenticeship learners; learning centres are suitably risk assessed and safe. Learners have a good understanding of how to protect themselves from the risks of working with electronic equipment and are well aware of e- safety and the quality and reliability of websites for effective and reliable research.  Staff fully understand the safeguarding procedures and referral processes. The designated safeguarding lead and the local leads for safeguarding thoroughly monitor all referral cases and concerns to identify trends and take swift action to improve safeguarding further. For example, managers have planned training for staff to improve their understanding of mental health issues, as the most common theme emerging from

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Safeguarding

the referrals, with a view to protecting learners from harm and providing them with appropriate support.  Senior managers, including those in a governance role, receive comprehensive information on safeguarding on a monthly basis. They have a detailed understanding of safeguarding as it affects all their learners across centres. Managers conduct safety and well-being reviews to ensure that safeguarding measures are continually effective.  Staff and managers are justifiably proud of their track record in swiftly implementing the ‘Prevent’ duty and British values strategy. Staff have undertaken a wide-ranging programme of development to improve their understanding of topics such as extremism, bullying, sexual exploitation, abuse, and radicalisation. This development has raised staff understanding and confidence to weave these topics routinely into their teaching sessions.  Learners have a thorough understanding of these topics, as tutors discuss current affairs

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Safeguarding

such as the recent general election and terrorist attacks. Learners are fully aware of how to protect themselves and detect any signs of abuse among their peers. Learners’ understanding of the British values of democracy, respect and tolerance is good, and they apply these principles in their daily lives, workplaces and in classes. Staff learn from each other, finding innovative ways to engage learners in such topics within the curriculum. Learners feel safe, work safely, and are confident to report concerns appropriately.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Too much teaching is focused on helping learners to achieve their qualifications or units of qualification, rather than on enabling learners to develop their wider skills such as critical evaluation and relating theory to practice effectively. Many learners are not encouraged sufficiently to extend and apply these skills, such as report writing, producing accounts and minutes of meetings or writing emails, while seeking a job or higher-level positions.  The planning of training for apprentices requires improvement. Too many tutors have continued to deliver training as an extension to the previous work-based training programme, validating existing skills with limited stretch and challenge for apprentices. Managers have not evaluated the effectiveness or efficiency of this method of delivery and have not provided any alternative and better models of training. Apprentices complete the workbooks and independent study activities in isolation and independently

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

without exploring the relevance of that learning to their workplace or relating knowledge sufficiently to their workplace. Apprentices do not have sufficient opportunities to learn in groups, and do not benefit from learning from their peers, by supporting or challenging each other to do better.  Tutors and assessors do not always check learners’ level of understanding and use questioning effectively to ensure that good learning and progress take place. They do not check learning well enough to establish whether learners have consolidated their skills, or to challenge the most able learners to do better. Where questioning is more effective, tutors and assessors encourage learners to explain in detail what they have learned and how they can use this knowledge or skill in their lives or at work.  Tutors and assessors provide effective verbal feedback to learners to support them to improve further. However, written feedback is less constructive and tutors do not

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

highlight spelling and grammatical errors and do not insist on the correction of these. This means that tutors accept a mediocre standard of work from learners, and learners do not improve the standards of their written English sufficiently.  Initial induction and assessment of learners’ starting points are thorough, and they start on programmes at the appropriate level. Tutors on adult programmes use assessment well to support learners to progress. However, many apprentices have had a poor experience. Due to significant changes in the assessor team, apprentices have had assessments delayed, causing a serious impact on the start and completion of their programmes within the planned period. The new assessor team members are now supporting apprentices to complete their qualifications in the planned period. As the system to track learners’ progress is under development and trial, it is too early to judge

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

how successful this support will be.  In adult learning programmes, tutors plan and prepare lessons with a range of learning activities which lead to learners making good progress. Tutors devise group profiles which inform well their planning for sessions and ensure that resources and activities meet closely the needs of learners. Planning for learning sessions for apprentices is not as effective. New assessors have provided stability and continuity, establishing good relationships with employers. They work closely with employers to reinforce and support the apprentices’ development as well-rounded employees.  Tutors and assessors have good vocational skills and experience, although their skills in the teaching of English and mathematics as well as IT are not sufficiently strong. The company has an extensive programme of on-going training to improve teaching for all staff including the new team of assessors. The managers have provided a comprehensive

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

online learning resource bank that staff can use to sharpen their teaching skills and adapt ready-made lesson plans to enrich their teaching sessions. Managers do not monitor the use of these resources, and so do not know how well they are supporting the development of teaching, learning and assessment.  Tutors and assessors provide good levels of support to enable adult learners to overcome barriers, such as their limited previous experience of learning, to access learning opportunities successfully. Attendance is flexible to accommodate learners’ caring commitments, and bespoke training is given to prepare learners on employability courses for job interviews, CV writing and functional skills tests.  Most learners develop good communication and IT skills in making presentations, enhancing their confidence in speaking to broader audiences. This enhances their chances of getting jobs or studying at a higher level. For example, learners in an employability

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

class prepared group presentations to identify the ‘top 10 tips’ for interviews. A business administration apprentice was preparing to deliver a presentation to colleagues on mental health in the workplace, sharing information, questioning perceptions and stimulating debate.  Resources for learning are effective. Tutors and assessors use IT well to support learning to enable learners to be more confident and use the internet more safely. Most learners access online resources to support skills development and they understand the importance of checking websites to ensure that information is accurate and reliable. However, in a few centres, IT facilities were located in small rooms and some of the learners were working on computers outside of the classes, where the tutor could not support them appropriately. This restricted learners’ experience and skills development.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

 Learners do not develop their English and mathematics skills sufficiently to enable them to explore opportunities for employment or further training. Too few apprentices develop their English and mathematics skills beyond the minimum required for their programme. Those apprentices who previously have achieved the minimum requirements of the apprenticeship framework are not routinely challenged to develop their skills further. Adult learners do not routinely improve their spelling and grammar to enable them to consolidate good written skills and meet their future aspirations.  A third of apprentices do not develop their technical skills quickly enough. Too many apprentices make slow progress towards achieving their technical qualifications. This leads to delays in their completion and progression. Progress is particularly poor for apprentices on employment-related services that work in the recruitment sector and

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

warehousing programmes.  Learners on adult learning programmes have too few opportunities to benefit from planned work experience. Most adult learners have been out of work for many years. They are not routinely offered opportunities to experience real work, including voluntary work, to demonstrate their ability to attend regularly and punctually, work successfully in teams and solve problems. This limits their chances to put learning into action and gain employment.  The standards of learners’ work are appropriate to the level of study and the requirements of the workplace, but are not as good as stated by managers. Most adult learners work well in teams and demonstrate effective problem-solving skills. Most apprentices contribute well to the business objectives of their employer and frequently play valuable roles within the workplace.  Pre-course information, advice and guidance are effective in placing learners onto the

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

appropriate programme. Adult learners, whose expectations are raised during pre-course advice, do not receive sufficient follow-up guidance, should they be forced to leave the course early. A small minority of learners on mandatory programmes leave when they gain employment, often midway through their programmes. Tutors do not explore alternative ways for the learners to complete their qualifications. Adult learners who complete their programme receive good progression advice which enables them to make realistic decisions about their next steps. However, apprentices do not routinely receive sufficient information to support progression opportunities. This has led to too many apprentices not progressing to the next level or gaining full-time employment or progression in their careers.  Learners are punctual and ready to learn. Attendance at lessons was good during the week of inspection.  Learners behave well both within lessons and in the workplace. Learners show mutual

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

respect to each other and to staff. Their language is courteous. Learners are sympathetic and show support to their colleagues.  Learners grow significantly in self-confidence, which motivates them to continue learning to improve their prospects. Learners believe that they can achieve what they previously doubted they could achieve. Adult learners, many of whom have had poor previous experience of education, overcome their barriers to learning so that the majority make good progress. For example, a learner on an IT programme had no previous experience and a fear of working with computers. Following tentative initial steps the learner has now become self-assured and is able to use the internet, produce and send emails, and draft simple word-processed text. They now plan to progress to the next level. An advanced apprentice, who is working in health and social care, has been promoted and is more confident to manage staff, take the initiative and respond quickly and professionally

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

to challenges.  Learners have a good understanding of British values and how to protect themselves and others from the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism. Learners are aware of the dangers of the improper use of the internet. Learners feel safe and are aware of what action they should take if they have any concerns for themselves or others.

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

 Most apprentices make expected progress from their starting point. Managers are not able to provide an accurate account of the current apprentices’ progress as the data is not reliable. A minority of apprentices still make slow progress in achieving their technical qualifications.  Progression for apprentices from intermediate to advanced levels is low. Managers are unable to give a convincing explanation of the difference the apprenticeship has made to the apprentices’ careers, such as gaining more responsibility at work, securing promotion or pay rises. It is not clear how many adult learners have progressed to the next level of learning.  The provider is performing above the low national averages, mainly due to the good performance of apprenticeships in health and social care, which has the largest number of apprentices. Performance of programmes dipped significantly in 2014/15 and has now begun to improve in the past and current year. Pass rates for IT functional skills are low

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

and declining. First-time pass rates for the functional skills of literacy and numeracy for apprentices are high.  Progression of adult learners into employment is low, although learners move from one publicly funded contract to another. Managers are not able to provide an accurate account of job outcomes on an individual learner basis over a specified period.  Managers claim good improvements in self-confidence among adult learners, without clarifying what difference this makes to learners’ lives, their chances to gain employment or to lead fulfilling lives. As the starting points for the personal, social and employability skills of learners are not accurately identified, it is difficult for leaders and managers to substantiate this claim.  The achievement rates for learners on short qualifications and learning aims are high and have been high consistently high for the past three years. The number of entries and

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

achievement of the next level of qualifications is high; however, this information is aggregated and not available at individual learner level. This makes it difficult to measure the progress and achievement of individual learners.  Adult learners, mainly in the north of the country where unemployment rates are relatively high, achieve well in IT qualifications. Although the numbers progressing from entry levels to level 1, and in a few cases to level 2, are high, this cannot be attributed to individual learners, as the managers do not collect data on an individual level. Achievement rates for the recently introduced short employability qualifications are high.  The achievement rates for the functional skills of literacy and numeracy on adult learning programmes are high. However, the learner numbers are proportionally very low and declining when compared to the overall number of learners starting these programmes.

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

 All learners from different groups achieve equally well, and there are no significant differences in achievement of qualifications.  Higher apprentices, enrolled in October 2016, are still in learning and have not completed their qualifications as yet. They are making expected progress.

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Adult learning programmes Good

 The number of learners starting on adult learning programmes has declined from 1,986 in 2014/15 to 1,330 in 2015/16 and to 688 in the current year. The learner group has changed from ‘Work programme’, a DWP programme for the long-term unemployed, to referrals mainly from Jobcentre Plus. The aim of these courses is to improve the confidence and skill level of learners so that they can obtain jobs. The short courses on offer include the construction skills certification scheme and employability training, alongside some specific vocational units, as well as functional skills.  The adult learning programme offer is effective in meeting the needs of the unemployed and those who are more difficult to reach in the local area. However, there are insufficient opportunities for work experience, and insufficient wider arrangements, such as working with local employers to deliver courses leading to guaranteed interviews.

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Adult learning programmes Good

 A very large majority of learners make good progress and acquire the skills and qualifications they need for employment. Learners are better equipped in understanding their strengths and weaknesses, how to boost their CVs, communicate well, work as a team and understand better the expectations of employers. Employability sessions include effective small-group activities that develop learners’ communication and team-working skills.  Learners benefit from the challenge posed by tutors. This helps learners to improve their performance. Tutors give very clear verbal and written feedback including how to improve spelling and grammar. Tutors encourage and inspire learners to achieve their full potential by reinforcing the distance they have travelled. Tutors question learners effectively to help them develop their thinking and problem-solving skills.  Tutors employ a range of effective approaches to teaching and learning that engage and

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Adult learning programmes Good

motivate learners very well. Good planning of sessions and individual support meet learners’ needs well. For example, a session about meeting employer expectations used video clips of humorous communication scenarios and pre-prepared group tasks. In IT courses learners work independently, at a pace to suit their needs, and they enjoy the freedom of organising their learning at home and in the classroom. A few of the IT rooms are ill-equipped and this restricts learners’ experience.  Tutors use learners’ starting points well to plan learning and support. Learners are on the right level of programme and can learn at a pace that matches their needs but still challenges and stretches them appropriately. Tutors compile and use group profiles to plan the strategies for those who may have a disability, specific learning need or any other barrier to learning. Tutors ensure that learners benefit from each other’s experience

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Adult learning programmes Good

and support each other effectively, particularly in IT sessions. Learners are well equipped with the learning skills required for their next steps into further learning or employment. Learners acquire a range of skills such as note-taking and independent research skills using IT, as well as understanding better the different ways to learn similar skills or knowledge. Tutors skilfully guide learners so they repeat, practise and consolidate their skills both in the classroom and independently.  Progress reviews do not give a true account of how well learners are meeting their individual goals identified at the beginning of their course. Reviews focus mainly on the learners’ progress towards their qualification, but not on gains in their personal and social skills because staff do not identify accurately the starting points of learners for these skills.  Learners’ aims are taken from a list of options such as ‘applying for jobs’ or ‘do voluntary

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Adult learning programmes Good

work’. They may also include aspects such as ‘be in more control’, ‘improve my health’, ‘improve motivation’, ‘do something more worthwhile’. These aims are not quantified in any way or followed through in progress reviews. Staff do not identify and set out sufficiently detailed interim and incremental steps that a learner needs to take to reach their stated aims. This makes it difficult to demonstrate objectively the true progress learners have made.

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Apprenticeships Requires improvement

 During the course of the current year 311 apprentices have been in learning. Of the 220 in learning during the inspection week, 20 apprentices are undertaking the higher apprenticeship in health and social care and management, 58 apprentices are on advanced level and 142 apprentices are on intermediate apprenticeship programmes. Seven apprentices are aged 16 to 18. They are training to work in sectors such as health and social care, business administration and management, employment-related services, and warehousing.  Apprenticeships are not well planned and therefore do not meet fully the requirements of an apprenticeship. Due to staff leaving the organisation, apprentices faced long delays in receiving training and progress reviews. Apprentices are not fully clear whether they have had their full entitlement to the off-the-job training. These factors have contributed to slow progress for many of the current apprentices.

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Apprenticeships Requires improvement

 Due to the loss of most training staff, the engagement with apprentices and the quality of training and support has been too variable to be good. Communications with employers suffered as they were not fully informed about the changes and their impact on apprentices. The quality of training was not consistently good. Although the situation has improved markedly, a minority of apprentices are still making slow progress.  Apprentices do not develop English and mathematics skills to higher levels than the minimal requirement. Assessors take little account of the skills that apprentices use in the workplace to encourage them to aim higher preparing for their next step in learning. Apprentices achieve only the minimum framework requirements and those who already have the required qualifications are not guided sufficiently well to consolidate and improve these skills further.  Current staff are well qualified, experienced and vocationally competent. A few of them

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Apprenticeships Requires improvement

currently work in a voluntary capacity, for example in health and social care sector. They use this up-to-date knowledge well to develop the high-level vocational skills of the apprentices.  Apprentices develop good workplace skills and a strong work ethic which meet the requirements of their job. The large majority complete their framework successfully and make a good contribution to their employer’s business.

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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 1,471

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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

- 190 - 33 - - - - 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+ 7 136 - 58 - 20 Number of traineeships 16–19 19+ Total - - - 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 -

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Funding received from: Education 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: Blue Apple

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of quality and compliance, 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 covered by this contract at the provider.

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Inspection team

Harmesh Manghra, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Allan Shaw 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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