UK Training & Development Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

p.1

UK Training and Development Limited Independent learning provider

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate Apprenticeships Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

p.1

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

p.1

Summary of key findings

 Arrangements for safeguarding remain ineffective. Leaders and managers do not ensure that safeguarding arrangements are implemented and that staff follow statutory guidance to ensure that apprentices are safe.  Governance arrangements are inadequate. Leaders and managers are not challenged rigorously or held to account for all aspects of the provision.  Leaders have not rectified most of the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection.  Leaders and managers do not focus sufficiently on improving teaching, learning and assessment.  Too many apprentices do not make the progress, from their starting points, of which they are capable.  Assessors do not set targets and actions that motivate apprentices to make substantial progress.  Too often, assessors focus solely on the completion of qualification units and pay scant attention to extending apprentices’ knowledge and understanding of theory relevant to their

p.1

Summary of key findings

work.  Leaders do not monitor and evaluate effectively the destinations of apprentices leaving their programmes. As a result, leaders do not have a clear understanding of the impact of their provision.  The observation process lacks rigour. Consequently, trainers and assessors do not know how to improve their practices.  Too few apprentices improve their English and mathematics skills sufficiently.

p.1

Summary of key findings

The provider has the following strengths

p.1

Summary of key findings

 Most assessors use their extensive industrial experience to enable hairdressing apprentices to improve their practical skills and apply them adeptly in the workplace.  A greater proportion of adult apprentices following advanced programmes complete their programmes successfully than apprentices with other similar providers nationally.  Most apprentices demonstrate effective teamworking skills and provide good customer care. These are attributes that are valued highly by their employers.

p.1

Information about the provider

 UK Training and Development Limited (UKTD) is a private company based in Hemel Hempstead. The company works with over 400 small employers located in London, the southeast of England, Birmingham, Cheshire, Liverpool and Gloucestershire. Most apprentices are enrolled on hairdressing and barbering programmes, with a few apprentices following customer service and business administration programmes. Around half of the apprentices are aged 16 to 18. Just under two thirds of apprentices study at intermediate level, with the remainder at advanced level.

p.2

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Urgently ensure that comprehensive safeguarding arrangements are implemented fully by staff so that steps are taken to secure the safety and well-being of apprentices.  Improve governance arrangements so that leaders and managers are challenged rigorously and held to account for all aspects of the provision.  Improve teaching, learning and assessment so that apprentices make good progress from their starting points.  Monitor accurately the progress that different groups of apprentices make, and put in place specific actions to make sure that apprentices are challenged to excel.  Ensure that observations focus on the impact of teaching, learning and assessment, recording what apprentices are learning and the progress they are making, to inform how to improve assessors’ and trainers’ practices.  Ensure that assessors and trainers set suitably ambitious targets and actions for apprentices that enable them to rapidly develop their knowledge, skills and

p.2

What does the provider need to do to improve further?

understanding.  Upskill assessors and trainers so that they are competent, confident and able to ensure that apprentices improve their English and mathematical skills.  Monitor and evaluate thoroughly the destinations of apprentices leaving their programmes in order to secure a fuller understanding of the impact of the provision.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have not taken swift action to ensure that safeguarding arrangements are effective and that all apprentices are safe.  There has been insufficient progress in improving the provision since the last inspection. Leaders and managers have not taken urgent steps to ensure that the weaknesses identified in the previous report have been eliminated.  Leaders and managers do not focus sufficiently on improving teaching, learning and assessment. Observations of trainers’ and assessors’ practices concentrate on assessment and do not focus on the impact of teaching or on the progress that apprentices are making. Observers do not routinely record strengths and weaknesses and, consequently, trainers and assessors do not know how to improve their practices. The observation process lacks rigour and, as a result, leaders’ and managers’ view of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is overly positive.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leaders do not ensure that performance management processes improve teaching, learning and assessment. Appraisals are rarely conducted in an objective manner, and evaluations of staff performance often ignore available evidence. Leaders and managers do not develop sufficiently trainers’ and assessors’ knowledge and skills through relevant training or set targets to improve their practice.  Leaders and managers do not focus sufficiently on monitoring and improving apprentices’ progress. They have not put in place actions to ensure that apprentices make swift progress. As a result, too many apprentices do not make the progress of which they are capable.  Leaders are aware that male apprentices and apprentices who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities do not achieve as well as their peers. However, they do not implement actions to ensure that a greater proportion of these apprentices make at least good

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

progress and achieve.  Leaders and managers ensure that the provision meets the requirements of apprenticeships. However, their planning of on- and off-the-job training is poor. As a result, too many apprentices do not develop new knowledge and skills during their time on their apprenticeship programme.  Leaders do not prioritise the development of apprentices’ English and mathematical skills. Managers have not ensured that trainers and assessors have the required confidence and competence to enable them to help apprentices improve these essential employability skills. Apprentices studying functional-skills English and mathematics are not provided with enough time to practise their skills. Leaders and managers do not ensure that all employers help their apprentices to improve these skills.  Leaders and managers do not ensure that apprentices receive thorough and impartial information, advice and guidance to inform their next steps. Too many apprentices do not

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

receive any guidance to help them decide on their future careers.  Most employers value the practical skills that apprentices develop throughout their apprenticeship. Where partnership working between UKTD staff and employers is effective, apprentices improve their practical work-related skills. However, too many employers do not receive any support from managers, trainers and assessors and too much partnership working is poor.  Leaders and managers ensure that assessors and trainers have good industrial experience. Trainers and assessors motivate apprentices to improve their practical skills in the workplace. Leaders work effectively with the local enterprise partnership and review the provision to ensure that the qualifications they offer meet industry standards.  Leaders and managers ensure that most apprentices understand the importance of equality in the workplace. Employers regularly involve their apprentices in learning about and

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

celebrating the diverse needs of their customers and, as a result, apprentices broaden their understanding of working and living in modern Britain.

p.4

The governance of the provider

 Governance arrangements are inadequate. They operate through the managing director chairing a managers’ meeting and, separately, an operational meeting each month. There is insufficient external scrutiny, and leaders and managers are not challenged rigorously and held to account for the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and other aspects of the provision.  Leaders’ arrangements for assuring and improving the quality of provision lack rigour. Leaders and managers do not collect and use sufficient information and data to enable them to understand accurately the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. They do not record actions from meetings in enough detail. Consequently, they are not able to prioritise actions to effectively tackle the weaknesses in teaching, learning and assessment. Leaders and managers do not monitor and evaluate routinely the impact of any actions intended to eliminate the weaknesses.

p.4

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective.  Too many staff do not adhere to the agreed processes detailed in the revised safeguarding policy and procedures. Consequently, the designated safeguarding lead and managing director are not aware of, and do not record, all safeguarding incidents.  Employers’ understanding of safeguarding arrangements and of their responsibilities for their apprentices is poor. Leaders provide a handbook for all employers, which clearly details procedures for safeguarding. However, too many employers are not aware of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding, including the ‘Prevent’ duty. They informed inspectors that they would not report a safeguarding concern to UKTD staff.  Assessors promote safeguarding during apprentices’ induction. However, leaders and managers do not check whether apprentices know how to keep themselves safe. Too many apprentices do not have a basic understanding of the dangers of radicalisation and

p.4

Safeguarding

extremism.  Leaders have not followed up the weakness identified at the previous inspection regarding the reporting of young apprentices’ absences. Many employers still do not routinely inform UKTD staff when apprentices aged 16 to 18 fail to attend work and training. They do not understand why they need to do so. Too many employers are not aware of how to report absenteeism. Leaders and managers do not track and record apprentices’ attendance and, as a result, they do not know, and fail to react quickly, when apprentices are absent.  Leaders do not conduct safer recruitment practices. Some references for staff are either missing or not evidenced. Requests from UKTD for staff references do not enquire about safeguarding. Leaders and managers do not ensure that employees see, read and understand the company’s safeguarding policies and procedures.  Since the previous inspection, leaders have revised the safeguarding processes and

p.4

Safeguarding

appointed new safeguarding officers. These staff have received appropriate training to enable them to conduct their roles.

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Staff do not use information on apprentices’ individual starting points to tailor teaching, learning and assessment to meet their identified needs and to ensure that they make the progress of which they are capable.  Target-setting is weak. Staff set new apprentices the same targets at the start of their programme, irrespective of their needs, prior attainment and abilities. During apprentices’ programmes, assessors often set targets and plan actions that fail to challenge apprentices to excel. Too often, assessors focus solely on the completion of qualification units and pay little or no attention to extending apprentices’ knowledge, skills and understanding. Apprentices are not challenged sufficiently to produce written work of a high standard.  At times, assessors’ assessments are too generous. Apprentices’ work is judged to meet national standards when it does not, for example when they have rollers tangled in

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

customers’ hair or have dried customers’ hair straight instead of curling it when performing round-brush curly blow-dry techniques.  Assessors often provide feedback that is too general and imprecise such as ‘well done’ and ‘good observation’. Feedback is often cursory and fails to inform apprentices what they need to do specifically to improve their work.  Assessors do not ensure that apprentices master and confidently apply underpinning theory. Assessors and trainers often adopt a one-size-fits-all approach that results in all apprentices working on the same task at the same level. They make insufficient demands on the most able apprentices to deepen their knowledge and understanding. Too few trainers and assessors enable apprentices to extend their answers and develop their writing. Consequently, too many apprentices do not develop their higher-level thinking skills and make the rapid progress of which they are capable.

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Too many assessors and trainers do not demonstrate sufficient confidence and expertise to be able to help apprentices to improve their English and mathematical skills. Too few staff and employers promote the value of these essential skills to apprentices in their job roles and workplaces. Too few staff use assessment information to plan how apprentices can improve their English and mathematics skills throughout their programmes. Apprentices have insufficient opportunities to develop and practise these skills.  Staff do not provide apprentices with useful written feedback to enable them to improve the structure, formation, spelling and grammar of their writing. Assessors and trainers place insufficient emphasis on ensuring that apprentices can proficiently solve relevant mathematical problems.  Assessors have a poor awareness of the quality of the training that is provided by employers. Too many assessors do not routinely plan apprentices’ on- and off-the-job

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

learning with employers and do not accurately record the on- and off-the-job training that takes place. As a result, too many apprentices do not make good progress because their employers do not know how best to support them to reach their potential.  Not enough staff routinely identify apprentices’ support needs and implement appropriate interventions to enable apprentices who require help with their studies to excel.  Most assessors and trainers use their extensive industry experience to enable hairdressing apprentices to improve their practical skills and apply them adeptly in the workplace. Most of them deploy good questioning techniques to effectively check apprentices’ understanding and adherence to industry-specific standards. For example, some hairdressing apprentices following advanced programmes demonstrated deftly how to apply a range of advanced colouring of customers’ hair, including ombre and balayage

p.6

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

techniques. Other apprentices articulated the correct massage terminology when shampooing clients’ hair and performing good effleurage and petrissage techniques.  Most employers provide appropriate and plentiful opportunities for apprentices to hone their practical skills in the workplace. As a result, most apprentices improve their communication skills and develop a good understanding of the need to meet their employers’ expectations and commercial deadlines.  Hairdressing apprentices benefit from a range of additional opportunities provided by their employers that extend their industrial skills. These include visits to trade fairs and specialist-product seminars in hairdressing that improve apprentices’ teamworking and customer-care skills and add value to their employers’ businesses.

p.6

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

 Apprentices’ safety and welfare are not protected because safeguarding arrangements are ineffective.  Apprentices do not receive appropriate information, advice and guidance at the start of their programmes. As a result, they do not understand the demands of the apprenticeship fully and, consequently, too many apprentices leave their programme early. The advice and guidance at the end of their programmes are not impartial. Apprentices do not understand the full range of career pathways available to them. Insufficient help is given to enable them to develop challenging and realistic plans for their future careers.  Most apprentices develop their vocational skills in the workplace and achieve good standards of practical work. However, too few apprentices understand fully the relevance of underpinning theory. They do not produce good standards of written work. Not enough apprentices improve their English and mathematics skills sufficiently and appreciate the

p.6

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

importance of these skills in the context of their progression and career aims.  Too many apprentices do not have a good understanding of the risks posed by radicalisation and extremism. Consequently, they do not always know how to protect themselves, for example when online or using social media.  Apprentices demonstrate a good awareness of health and safety in the workplace. For example, hairdressing apprentices understand the importance of the safe use of chemicals in the salon. Most are aware of occupational health issues, for example back problems associated with poor posture when cutting hair. As a result, they handle colourants and bleach substances carefully and maintain appropriate body positioning, poise and balance when working.  Apprentices enjoy their learning and take pride in the practical skills they develop in the workplace. Most apprentices display effective teamworking skills and demonstrate good

p.6

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

customer care that is valued highly by their employers. For example, apprentices enrolled on customer service programmes and employed in a large hospital learn effectively how to communicate sensitively and purposefully with a broad range of patients and staff.  The majority of hairdressing apprentices improve their industry-specific skills through participating in enrichment events provided by their employers. These include trade fairs, fashion shows, seminars on colouring techniques, photo shoots and product-awareness courses. UKTD does not provide any enrichment opportunities for apprentices.

p.7

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

 Too many apprentices do not make the rapid progress from their starting points of which they are capable.  Apprentices who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities make less progress than their peers. A smaller proportion of male apprentices complete their barbering programmes successfully than apprentices with similar providers across the country.  Published data for 2015/16 shows that far fewer apprentices aged 16 to 18 achieved when compared with similar providers or nationally, particularly at intermediate level. However, leaders’ data indicates that a greater proportion of apprentices aged 16 to 18 completed their programmes in 2016/17, to just above the national rate.  Most apprentices make good progress in developing their practical skills to meet the demands of their workplaces. However, few apprentices extend their knowledge and understanding of theory relevant to their work. Too few improve their English and

p.7

Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

mathematics skills sufficiently.  A greater proportion of adult apprentices following advanced programmes achieve, and by their planned end dates, when compared with apprentices studying with similar providers nationally.

p.7

Provider details

Type of provider Independent learning provider

p.8

Provider details

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year Principal/CEO Theresa Wisniewski

p.8

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+

p.8

Provider information at the time of the inspection

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

p.8

Provider information at the time of the inspection

16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 16–18 19+ 151 73 27 110 - - Number of traineeships 16–19 19+ Total - - - Number of learners aged 14 to -

p.8

Provider information at the time of the inspection

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

p.8

Provider information at the time of the inspection

At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors: -

p.8

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the managing director 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.

p.9

Inspection team

Matt Vaughan, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.9

Inspection team

Alison Cameron Brandwood Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.9

Inspection team

Marinette Bazin 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 .

p.9

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 .

p.10

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 .

p.10

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.

p.10

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.10

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspection team

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

p.10