Activ8 Learning

Further education and skills inspection report

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Activ8 Learning Independent learning provider

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate Adult learning 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 Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings

 Governance arrangements are ineffective. Directors do not provide effective challenge to managers to ensure that the quality of provision funded through advanced learner loans is of a sufficiently high standard.  Managers do not use information about learners’ achievements to ensure that they have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the training that they provide.  Staff do not assess or record learners’ starting points effectively to enable assessors to use this information to meet learners’ individual training needs.  Managers have not ensured that all assessors are suitably qualified and experienced.  Managers do not ensure that learners receive effective information, advice and careers guidance.  Assessors do not develop learners’ written English skills well enough.  The proportion of learners who achieve their qualification is too low.  Managers’ monitoring of the progress that

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Summary of key findings

The provider has the following strengths

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Summary of key findings

 Most learners are committed to their learning and take pride in their work.  Learners on playwork programmes make good progress and use their learning in their workplace.

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Information about the provider

 Activ8 Learning is based in York. Since 2015, it has provided programmes in early years education for adult learners who fund their course through an advanced learner loan. The vast majority of learners are based in York and North Yorkshire.  At the time of the inspection, there were 56 learners on courses at level 3 and above, the largest programme being leadership for the children and young people’s workforce at level 5. The other programmes include level 3 early years educator, level 3 playwork, level 3 management and level 3 customer service .

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Leaders should urgently strengthen the arrangements for governance and ensure that directors receive sufficient information to hold managers to account for the quality of the courses for which Activ8 Learning receives funding from advanced learner loans.  Managers should ensure that they have accurate information about learners’ achievements and progress, and that they use this information to: – ensure that learners who fall behind are supported to catch up – evaluate the quality of the training that they provide and use this to inform plans for improvement – increase the number of learners who achieve their qualification.  Managers must ensure that assessors are appropriately qualified and experienced to assess learning.  Staff must plan assessment effectively to ensure that they set learners clear and realistic targets following assessment so that learners fully understand the progress that they are

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

making.  Managers should improve the quality of information, advice and guidance to ensure that: – learners receive correct guidance about the academic requirements of the job roles to which they aspire – all learners have an appropriate job role and vocational experience to enable them to use their learning in the workplace and complete the assessments required for their course – learners have access to ongoing careers advice and guidance to enable them to make informed plans for their future career and progression.  Managers should monitor the progression of their learners to evaluate the effectiveness of the training that they provide.  Managers should ensure that training provides opportunities for learners to develop their English skills and to receive useful and precise feedback about the quality of their work so that they do not continue to make the same errors.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Managers do not collect and use information about the achievements of their learners to evaluate the quality of the education and training that they provide. Consequently, they are unable to identify appropriate actions to improve the quality of the training. Managers do not have a clear understanding of which courses are performing well and where achievements are not good enough.  Managers do not have sufficient oversight of the progress that learners make. They do not have an appropriate mechanism to identify which learners are making slow progress and are at risk of not completing their course on time. Managers are unable to monitor whether assessors provide effective support to learners who are struggling or falling behind.  The feedback that managers give to assessors following observations of their practice does not focus enough on what needs to improve. Managers observe assessors annually

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

during sessions with individual learners. However, when managers identify areas for improvement, they do not articulate expected actions clearly and do not ensure that assessors act on the feedback they receive.  Managers have been slow to adjust curriculum delivery for courses where learners are making slow progress. For example, too many learners are unable to complete the early years educator programme in a year. Managers recognise that learners need longer to complete their course, but they have been too slow to increase the planned timescale for new learners.  Managers do not place a high enough priority on the development of learners’ English skills. Although written communication is particularly important in early years education, managers do not ensure that assessors help learners to improve their skills to a high enough standard.  Managers do not ensure that the assessment of learners’ existing skills and vocational

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

experience, prior to beginning a course, results in accurate guidance about the most appropriate course of study. In a minority of cases, this results in learners being enrolled on courses that are inappropriate for their needs.  Managers do not ensure that all learners receive thorough and impartial careers advice and guidance. They do not routinely collect information about learners’ planned next steps; consequently, they do not know if learners are successful in achieving their career goals as a result of their training.  Managers lack understanding of their obligations in running courses funded directly by advanced learning loans. They have been slow to implement quality assurance arrangements to ensure that they are providing learners with a comprehensive and high- quality training programme.  Managers have a clear strategic plan to provide early years education to learners who want to study by distance learning, but they have yet to realise this vision.

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The governance of the provider

 Current governance arrangements are ineffective. As a result of the ill health of key members of the board, there has been a period of instability. Managers have identified new board members but they are yet to gain a close understanding of the provision.  Directors do not have a clear oversight of the quality of the training that Activ8 Learning provides for learners funded by advanced learner loans. They do not hold managers to account for the progress that learners make.  Directors have a sound understanding of the strategic direction of the business, particularly with regard to securing income streams, and they support managers effectively in this aspect of their work. They have a clear view of the financial position of Activ8 Learning.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Managers ensure that relevant checks are completed when recruiting staff, and these are recorded appropriately. All assessors have received training in safeguarding appropriate to their role. The designated safeguarding lead has recently completed comprehensive training with colleagues from a local school.  Managers have produced a ‘Prevent’ duty action plan which clearly identifies how managers will ensure that they meet their legal obligations.  The early years curriculum places significant emphasis on safeguarding and ensures that learners understand the dangers of extremism and radicalisation in their particular vocational settings. Learners are less able to discuss risks that relate to their personal lives.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 Not all assessors hold appropriate qualifications or have sufficient experience to assess progress and learning skilfully and effectively on the early years educator programme at level 3 and the children and young people’s workforce programme at level 5. They are unable to provide adequate teaching and assessment for learners as they do not have the skills necessary to support and extend learning. Learners struggle to complete their work; consequently, they make slow progress towards their qualifications.  Information, advice and guidance are ineffective. Managers recruit learners onto programmes that do not meet their individual learning or career needs. They do not provide adequate guidance on the requirements of programmes, such as the need for licensed early years educators to have level 2 functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics. Managers do not provide learners with sufficient information, advice

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

and guidance about alternative education and training options such as apprenticeships, which may better meet their needs.  Managers do not assess or record learners’ starting points well enough, including in English and mathematics. Learners are required to apply for and receive their advanced learner loan before they enrol onto a programme. Assessors do not adequately assess if learners’ existing qualifications, knowledge, understanding, skills or job role are suitable for their chosen course.  Assessment practice is weak. Planned assessments focus on the achievement of units of the qualification and not the skills that learners need to develop in the workplace. Targets that assessors set for learners following assessment are often unrealistic. For example, learners are set 10 or more actions, often without sufficient detail on how to complete these actions. Learners have difficulty in completing the work in the time

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

allocated. As a result, too many learners, particularly those on the level 3 early years educator programme, do not make the progress expected of them and fail to achieve their qualification in the planned timeframe.  Assessors do not have clear oversight of the progress that learners make because they do not have an adequate monitoring system to identify when learners are falling behind with their work. Learners are unable to identify their progress or the work that they have still to complete. As a result, too many learners make slow progress.  Feedback following assessment is too vague and does not check or extend learners’ understanding sufficiently. It does not help learners to improve the quality of their work.  Almost all learners have additional learning needs. However, managers and assessors do not record effectively learners’ specific needs, the support they require, the duration of support or review points. Assessors provide support through frequent sessions with

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

individual learners but, for too many learners, these sessions do not accelerate their progress. Managers do not review the effectiveness of support or if it enables learners to achieve their qualifications in the planned timeframe.  Most learners on playwork programmes make good progress and apply their learning to their workplace.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

 Although the standard of learners’ work is appropriate for the level of study, learners do not develop their skills sufficiently as they focus on merely meeting the minimum requirements of the qualification. Assessors do not challenge learners to extend their learning. Learners complete work that relates to what they already know rather than developing new skills. Consequently, the quality of learners’ work shows little improvement over time.  Learners’ written work contains frequent spelling and grammatical errors which assessors fail to identify. Learners are unaware of their errors and continue to repeat their mistakes. Assessors fail to provide learners with support to improve their English skills, which is an important aspect of learners’ work with children.  Assessors do not support learners well enough in making informed decisions about the next steps in their learning or meeting career aspirations. Learners receive limited

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

careers guidance, often far too late in their courses. Assessors have limited knowledge of alternative education and training options for learners other than those which Activ8 Learning provides.  Although assessors provide an induction to new learners, it does not explore sufficiently learners’ understanding of key themes such as living in a modern British society, or the threats of radicalisation and extremism and how this affects them outside the workplace.  Learners have a good understanding of safeguarding children, the promotion of equality and celebration of diversity, and the promotion of fundamental British values in childcare settings. They develop this understanding because these issues are essential curriculum requirements on the courses that learners follow.  Most learners are committed to their learning, attend regular one-to-one training sessions and take pride in their work.

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Outcomes for learners Inadequate

 The proportion of learners who achieved their qualifications in 2016/17 improved from the previous year but is still too low.  Too many learners on the level 3 early years educator and management programmes do not complete their course within the planned timescale.  Too many current learners on the level 5 leadership of the children and young people’s workforce are making slow progress. These account for around a third of current learners.  Managers do not routinely record and monitor the impact of the qualifications on learners’ career and progression plans.  Achievement of learners on the level 3 playwork course is high. Current learners on this course are making good progress.

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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 Michaela Shaw

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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

- - - - - 38 - 18 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 -

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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

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 quality manager, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment 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

Rachel Angus, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Anita Pyrkotsch-Jones Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Louise Roberts 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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