HOB Salons Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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HOB Salons Independent learning provider

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Inspection dates 31 October–3 November 2017

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement 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 Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings

This is a provider that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings

 The proportion of apprentices who achieve their hairdressing qualifications and complete them in time is low.  Managers and staff do not support apprentices well to ensure that they have enough clients to practise their skills on. As a result, assessments are delayed, and too many apprentices on apprenticeship frameworks make slow progress and do not achieve within their planned end date.  Leaders and managers do not use the data available to them effectively to evaluate and improve quality of the apprenticeship programme and apprentices’ achievements.  The feedback which apprentices receive following assessment and progress reviews lacks detail and clarity and does not identify what they need to do to improve their assessment practice or theory work.  Staff do not manage the link between apprentices’ workplace and classroom training well enough. Salon staff are not well informed of what their apprentices need to do at work to

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Summary of key findings

enable them to make good progress.  Staff do not provide enough help to apprentices to improve their writing skills. The majority of apprentices do not develop good skills in written English to support them in higher levels of study or employment.  Apprentices do not have a good enough understanding of British values or of the risks associated with extremism and radicalisation. The provider has the following strengths

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Summary of key findings

 Directors provide very good facilities, resources and opportunities, such as competitions, that enable apprentices to develop high standards of practical hairdressing skills.  Experienced and well-qualified tutors plan and teach hairdressing practical sessions very well.  Almost all apprentices who achieve their programme remain employed and go onto the HOB graduate academy programme.  Apprentices gain and use well the expected behaviours in the hairdressing industry. They have excellent customer care skills and communicate confidently with their clients.

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Information about the provider

 Founded in 1983 in Mill Hill, North West London, HOB Salons is co-owned by three directors. Currently, HOB consists of 25 salons, eight of which have franchise arrangements. Locations include London, Essex, Hertfordshire, Middlesex and Buckinghamshire. In 2014/15 the company received a direct contract from the Skills Funding Agency to deliver training to their own apprentices. This was the first inspection of the apprenticeship programme at HOB salons.  The directors set up an apprenticeship training academy under the name of HOB Education. The academy offers intermediate and advanced apprenticeships in hairdressing and barbering, and very recently introduced a small traineeship programme. All of the apprentices are employed by the HOB salon group. In May 2017, the academy introduced the new hairdressing standards for apprentices. All new recruits now start on a standards programme. Approximately a third of the current apprentices are on the new

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that apprentices make good progress and achieve their qualifications in the planned time, by: – providing adequate access to clients for apprentices to work on and prepare for regular assessment – ensuring that assessors and tutors give apprentices clear and detailed feedback to inform them what they need to do to improve, and to support them to make good progress – improving the targets that assessors and tutors set for apprentices to ensure that they meet apprentices’ individual skills development needs – ensuring that tutors and assessors work closely with salon staff to coordinate the workplace and classroom training, in order to close any gaps in apprentices’ skills development and knowledge.  Develop tutors’ and assessors’ skills and confidence in mathematics and English to help apprentices improve their writing skills and extend the skills and knowledge of apprentices who already have qualifications in these subjects.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Identify, and put in place, better arrangements for directors to use data to evaluate and improve the quality of programmes.  Build further the knowledge and understanding that apprentices have of fundamental British values and the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders and managers have not focused enough on providing a good standard of teaching, learning and assessment to ensure high outcomes for apprentices. Although leaders focus very well on the development of apprentices’ hairdressing skills, teaching, learning and assessment and outcomes for apprentices require improvement.  Leaders and managers acknowledge the decline in achievement rates and recently appointed an experienced apprenticeship manager to lead on improvements. The manager has re-evaluated all aspects of the apprenticeship programme, and with the directors has taken positive actions. For example, managers have introduced a new recruitment process and implemented a traineeship programme to reduce the number of apprentices who leave their programme early. Although there are signs of improvement, it is too early to see the full impact of these actions.  Leaders and managers do not check the quality of the apprenticeship programme

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

effectively. They do not use and analyse the data available to them, such as observations of learning and the progress apprentices make, to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the programme accurately. As a result, they overstate the strengths and have insufficient understanding of the areas for improvement.  Leaders and managers share a clear vision to support their apprentices to be the industry professionals of the future. They have very high expectations and standards for apprentices. This is well-communicated to staff, who in turn reflect the same expectations. As a result, apprentices develop very high levels of competence in hairdressing technical skills and knowledge.  Leaders and managers plan the curriculum well to meet the skills needed in the hairdressing industry. They have successfully introduced the new hairdressing standards and there is a clear progression route for apprentices. All apprentices who achieve their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

intermediate apprenticeship programme progress onto the HOB in-house graduate programme and develop further specialist skills in colouring and cutting.  Leaders and managers provide excellent resources and facilities which enable apprentices to develop well the foundation hairdressing skills they need to be successful. Training salons are well equipped, professional and reflect well a realistic working environment.  Staff are very well qualified and experienced in hairdressing. Leaders place a very strong focus on staff attending training courses to develop their technical hairdressing skills and keep up to date with industry trends and practices. However, the development of tutors’ teaching skills to support them to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, including that of mathematics and English, is underdeveloped.  Leaders and managers develop good and effective partnerships with employers,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

hairdressing industry groups, local schools, charities and hairdressing suppliers. As a result, apprentices have access to high-quality workplaces, excellent products and exposure to very up-to-date hairdressing techniques. Apprentices receive comprehensive information about the career opportunities available to them on completion of their programme.  Managers focus appropriately on the importance of developing apprentices’ skills in English and mathematics. Managers and staff work well together, encouraging apprentices to attend lessons and make clear to them where they are developing these skills in salon classes. Functional skills achievement rates in mathematics and English are high. However, tutors do not develop apprentices’ writing skills well enough.

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The governance of the provider

 HOB salons is owned by three directors who ensure the financial viability and the capacity to make improvements. The directors have extensive experience within the hairdressing industry, have successfully won many awards and achieved various accolades, which inspires apprentices.  Directors do not scrutinise the performance of the apprenticeship programme sufficiently and, as a result, they have an incomplete picture of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Directors do not regularly review the individual performance of staff, which reduces their capacity to hold managers to account and to support them to improve.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Apprentices and staff have a good understanding of safe working practices. Training salons are secure and offer a safe working environment. Apprentices feel safe and are aware of who to report issues to if they have any concerns.  Staff and salon managers receive appropriate training in the various aspects of safeguarding, including online safety, bullying, harassment and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Policies and processes in place are effective and the dedicated safeguarding officer has established effect links with referral agencies.  Leaders have met their obligations under the ‘Prevent’ duty effectively and ensure that staff and apprentices receive the appropriate training. Tutors provide frequent opportunities at induction for apprentices to discuss current issues around radicalisation and extremism. The majority of apprentices have a clear awareness of the potential risks;

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Safeguarding

however, they do not fully understand how this relates to their personal lives and work.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Tutors and assessors do not provide apprentices with enough opportunities to practise their hairdressing skills on clients in preparation for assessments. In training sessions, academy staff rely too much on apprentices working on artificial block heads. Delayed assessments result in too many apprentices on apprenticeship frameworks being behind target and failing to achieve in the planned time.  Tutors and assessors do not coordinate workplace and classroom training with salon staff effectively. Areas for development in apprentices’ progress are not identified early enough and salon staff are not quickly informed of what their apprentices need to do at work to enable them to make the progress expected of them. Managers have recently implemented a new role at the academy to improve the coordination of on- and off-the- job training but it is too soon to measure the impact of this.  Assessors do not provide apprentices with detailed feedback, after assessment and during

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

progress reviews, in order to enable them to understand what they need to do to improve. Feedback given to apprentices does not provide clear information on the steps they need to take to prepare for successful assessment and improve specific skills, behaviours and professional standards.  Tutors do not use the information they have on apprentices’ starting points well to plan individualised programmes and theory lessons. Although tutors do teach a variety of activities to meet the different needs of apprentices, all apprentices have the same short- term targets set, regardless of their ability. Apprentices on the new standards are not clear on whether they are working towards a pass or a distinction grade.  Tutors and assessors do not set apprentices work that supports them to develop their writing skills. Apprentices’ files contain very little written work and the marking of completed homework lacks accuracy and correction. As a result, apprentices’ written

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

work, in folders, on client consultation sheets and in training sessions, contains errors and is not of the high standard expected.  Tutors and salon trainers use their excellent technical hairdressing skills and experience very well to demonstrate, and teach, the very latest techniques to apprentices. For example, they teach apprentices the use of precise angles of elevation on hair sections to gain a sharp and eye-catching finish to hairstyles. As a result, apprentices gain high-level practical skills, such as applying the correct tension to hair.  Tutors use questioning techniques in practical training sessions very well to check apprentices’ understanding and challenge them to give detailed answers. Training sessions are lively and very interactive and apprentices show respect and tolerance of each other and their tutor.  Tutors and assessors give apprentices and trainees good support inside and outside of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

training sessions. Apprentices feel very well supported and comfortable to ask when they need extra help with their practical or theory work. As a result, more of the current groups of apprentices remain on programme than in previous years.  Apprentices have a very good understanding of the importance of valuing and respecting clients from all walks of life and the benefits this brings to their working relationships. Apprentices adapt their techniques appropriately when dealing with clients. For example, apprentices understand well the difference in hair texture when dealing with particular ethnic groups and what techniques are most effective to use.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

 Assessors and tutors do not set clear expectations or encourage apprentices to apply themselves to prepare for and complete regular assessments. As a result, apprentices do not understand the importance of finding clients to support their assessment, and the achievement of individual units for the majority of apprentices on apprenticeship frameworks is too slow.  Attendance rates at classroom training sessions are not consistently good. While apprentices on the new standards attend well the majority of the time, those apprentices on apprenticeship frameworks attend less well and make slow progress towards the achievement of their qualifications.  Managers and tutors do not provide apprentices and trainees with enough information on how to stay fit and healthy, both physically and emotionally, or how to take part fully in life in modern Britain and embrace British values. As a result, apprentices and trainees

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

have an underdeveloped understanding of these topics and of the benefits they bring.  Apprentices and trainees enjoy purposeful and relevant on-the-job training in high-quality salons. Apprentices and trainees gain very good practical hairdressing skills and develop well the behaviours expected in the industry. For example, apprentices on the new standards are able to complete salon duties, such as working on reception, when required.  Apprentices are respectful, confident and well behaved. Apprentices speak highly of the training and opportunities they have to develop their hairdressing skills. Ambitious to do well, apprentices are very proud to work at their HOB salon. The majority of apprentices want to progress onto the HOB graduate programme and become stylists of the future.  Apprentices enjoy the broad variety of activities outside of their main qualification and work which develops their employment-related skills well. They attend extra training

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

courses in colouring, cutting and barbering, and external events, such as trade shows, photo shoots and competitions. As a result, apprentices aspire to do well and have a very good understanding of the varied opportunities available to them.  Apprentices develop and use mathematical techniques effectively during theory lessons and at work. Apprentices give good examples of how they work out cutting angles and the impact they have on haircuts. Advanced level apprentices use complex calculations in volume and percentages confidently when mixing colouring products and developer.  Tutors and assessors support apprentices and trainees very well to develop their verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and the correct use of technical vocabulary. At work, apprentices successfully take part in mature conversations with clients and confidently advise customers on products and services they could use.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

 Apprentices and trainees have a good understanding of health and safety at work and know to whom they should report any concerns. Apprentices and trainees feel safe and have a good awareness of how to stay safe online.  Apprentices receive good information at the start of their programme which gives them a thorough understanding of what to expect in the hairdressing industry. Apprentices on the new standards attend trial and open days, taking part in activities related to hairdressing. Academy staff give apprentices ongoing careers guidance. As a result, apprentices are fully aware of the options available to them on completion of their qualifications.

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

 The number of apprentices in 2016/17 who achieved their qualifications and within in the planned time is very low. Although current apprentices on the new hairdressing standards make good progress, too many apprentices on apprenticeship frameworks have passed their planned time and do not make the progress of which they are capable.  The number of apprentices who started an apprenticeship framework in the previous two years and remained on their programme is too low. Managers’ evaluation of why so many apprentices left is incomplete. The do not have a full understanding of the reasons, or where apprentices moved on to. The recently introduced new recruitment process for apprentices has been successful in ensuring that more apprentices who start on the new standards remain on their programme, but it is too early to see the full impact of this.  Directors and managers do not regularly track the progress of different groups of

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

apprentices. No significant achievement gaps currently exist between groups of apprentices; however, managers do not routinely collect and check this information to identify and understand where gaps may occur.  The vast majority of apprentices who take examinations in mathematics and English functional skills achieve their qualifications. A high proportion of these apprentices pass on their first attempt.  Almost all apprentices who complete their apprenticeship framework remain in employment and progress onto the HOB in-house graduate programme. Apprentices gain extra responsibilities in their salons, such as applying toners and reordering stock. Apprentices develop good commercial awareness through initiatives such as ‘the top five retail sales’ and the ‘Christmas bonus scheme’. Salon managers readily identify the positive impact apprentices make within their businesses.  Apprentices make very good progress in developing their practical hairdressing skills. The

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

standard of practical work is very high. Apprentices work well to produce work that is of a standard considerably over and above the requirement of their qualification.  The small number of learners on traineeships make good progress. Trainees develop in confidence and learn quickly some of the basic hairdressing techniques, such as shampooing and blow-drying. As a result, the majority gain an apprenticeship within the HOB group salons.

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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 Director Paul Simbler

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

Main course or learning programme level Level 1 or below Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 or above Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships) 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Number of apprentices by apprenticeship level and age Intermediate Advanced Higher

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 52 2 7 12 0 0 Number of traineeships 16–19 19+ Total 4 0 0 Number of learners aged 14 to N/A

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Provider information at the time of the inspection

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

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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: N/A

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the apprenticeship manager, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans. 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, and visited salons. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

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Inspection team

Jane Hughes, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cathie Prest 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

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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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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