Waverley Training Services

Further education and skills inspection report

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Waverley Training Services Local Authority

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Overall effectiveness Good Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good

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Apprenticeships Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings

 Leaders and managers have dealt effectively with the vast majority of weaknesses identified at the previous inspection, and learners’ experiences and the quality of provision are now good.  Leaders and managers now use data well to manage the performance of subcontractors and to hold them to account.  Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have made changes that have improved the standards of teaching and learning so that a much higher proportion is good.  Soccer Coaching Limited’s (SCL’s) sports programmes give learners and apprentices specific coaching and performance skills to prepare them well for progression to the sports industry.  Staff at Waverley Training Services (WTS) support employability learners well to remain on their courses and overcome problems that have prevented them from achieving in the past.  Current learners and apprentices are making good progress, improving their knowledge and

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Summary of key findings

gaining good skills for work.  Leaders and managers have improved the quality of study programmes, and the quality of apprenticeships has been sustained. Both are now good.  Learners and apprentices exemplify British values through their conduct and attitudes. They are confident, well behaved and respectful of each other and enjoy their learning in a safe environment.  The quality of target setting and feedback to learners and apprentices is not high enough to help them to develop higher thinking skills and to achieve their full potential.  Borough council officers and councillors acting as governors do not support and challenge managers effectively enough to improve provision.  Not enough learners achieve their GCSE qualifications in mathematics and English at grades 9 to 4.

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Information about the provider

 WTS is a division of Waverley Borough Council and has been delivering training services since 1981. The organisation operates from its training centre in Farnham, Surrey. Four subcontractors provide the very large majority of training and education.  WTS provides for study programmes and apprenticeships, covering a range of subjects, including employability, sport, business administration and early years. At the time of the inspection, around 950 learners were enrolled at WTS.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Governors must make sure that they support leaders and managers more effectively and hold them to account to further improve learners’ and apprentices’ progress and achievement.  Managers should make sure that tutors and assessors improve the quality of targets being set for learners and apprentices so that these support learning and challenge them to achieve their full potential.  Managers should improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in English and mathematics by: – better preparing learners for a higher level of education and training, and clearly showing them how they can improve the standards of their writing to include referencing, evaluating and analysis – ensuring that tutors and assessors emphasise the importance of developing good English and mathematics skills for success in the workplace – ensuring that tutors and assessors give learners strategies to improve their spelling

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

and punctuation so that they do not continue to repeat mistakes.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders and managers have dealt successfully with almost all areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. They have made particularly good progress in improving the management of subcontracted work. Performance management processes are clear and thorough, helping the subcontractors to provide good quality training and education for learners and apprentices.  Arrangements for assuring the quality of subcontracted provision are effective. WTS managers hold monthly performance review meetings with subcontractor managers to monitor current learners’ and apprentices’ progress. Where improvement is poor or too slow, WTS managers support subcontractors to improve, or they cease working with them. However, contract agreements with subcontractors do not reflect the thoroughness of practical arrangements, nor do they contain appropriate sanctions to ensure compliance.  Leaders and managers have made improvements to the quality of teaching, learning and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

assessment through improved performance management. Detailed, timely and helpful feedback from observations supports tutors with individualised development. Learners and apprentices now benefit from improved teaching, learning and assessment. Managers in subcontracted provision have also been supported to help their tutors to improve. For example, training to deliver ‘hot topics’, based on recent items in the media, has been provided to all tutors to give them the confidence to facilitate discussions. As a result, they are now able to work with learners to improve their understanding of the ‘Prevent’ duty and British values.  Managers use data well to monitor performance in learning, to identify achievement gaps and to analyse performance of groups of learners. However, more work is required to fully understand trends in all learners’ performance over time.  Leaders and managers know the strengths and weaknesses of their provision well. They

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

have improved the self-assessment process since the previous inspection and it now includes all subcontracted provision. However, the self-assessment report remains overly descriptive and fails to identify clearly what needs to be done to improve. The quality improvement plan linked to the report focuses on processes and not on improving the experience for learners and apprentices.  Leaders and managers have very good links with local employers. They use these effectively to develop and expand their curriculum appropriately. They pay good attention to providing training and education that meets local, national and regional needs in, for example, sport, care and business administration. They make sure learners and apprentices are filling skills gaps and can secure jobs.  Leaders and managers plan a curriculum that raises the aspirations of learners and those in the community. It helps learners who have low-level or no qualifications, and those

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

seeking to improve their qualifications or skills, to gain employment.  Leaders and managers demonstrate a clear commitment to providing equality of opportunity for disadvantaged learners in their community. They work successfully to provide programmes suitable for all learners, regardless of ability or previous learning.

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The governance of the provider

 Borough council managers and councillors have more recently started to monitor the performance of the training provided by WTS.  Newly appointed board members have improved the skills of the group so that they are now more able to analyse the quality of the provision effectively.  Governors receive detailed reports from leaders and managers, but they do not always use the information sufficiently well to challenge performance.  The management board is not yet operating effectively. As a result, the support and challenge required to support WTS managers to improve is weak.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders, managers and staff at all levels place learners’ and apprentices’ safety as a high priority. They ensure that learners are well informed about how to keep themselves safe, including from the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism on social media and when working online.  Procedures for recruiting staff are effective in ensuring that learners and apprentices are safe from harm.  All staff, including those at subcontractors, receive frequent training in safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. They have a thorough understanding of the potential risks to learners and apprentices and the actions needed to keep them safe. Staff respond rapidly and appropriately to any concerns raised. Concerns are investigated and resolved quickly, and staff involve external agencies when needed. They keep accurate records and monitor and review concerns thoroughly. Subcontractor managers report all concerns to WTS

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers, tutors and assessors have high aspirations for their learners and apprentices. They use their industry and vocational experience well to help learners and apprentices to develop new skills and knowledge. Apprentices and learners make good progress as a result. They enjoy their learning and they develop in confidence because of the support and guidance that they receive from staff. Apprentices secure additional responsibilities and promotions because of their learning. For example, several level 3 apprentices who previously completed a level 2 apprenticeship now mentor new level 2 apprentices in their workplaces.  Apprentices and learners benefit from learning in high-quality environments and using up- to-date equipment and resources. For example, a group of SCL level 3 sport learners, based at Hampshire County Cricket Club, use the training facilities used by professional cricketers and train with the first team, which raises their skill levels, ambitions and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

aspirations. Apprentices in child nurseries apply their learning by devising activities for young children. They are supported in this process by experienced childcare professionals.  Staff make good use of the information that they gather at the start of the course about apprentices’ and learners’ skills in English and mathematics. They use this well to plan and implement further learning that helps learners and apprentices to improve their skills. Most apprentices and learners who need to achieve functional skills qualifications do so at their first attempt. However, those learners who are working towards GCSE qualifications in English or mathematics at grades 9 to 4 are less successful.  Apprentices and learners produce high standards of work in most cases. Their work reflects well the level of the course that they are on and the standards expected in their industry. For example, WTS study programme learners on employability courses, many of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

whom do not have high levels of previous achievement or success, rapidly develop good skills for work. Staff set them demanding and beneficial challenges for attendance and punctuality at training and for their conduct in lessons and tutorial sessions. SCL learners on sport courses develop high levels of sporting excellence.  Assessors are particularly adept at using probing and challenging questioning to help apprentices to develop their learning beyond the level required for their qualification. Assessors link questioning well to the apprentices’ job roles and work settings. They also develop well apprentices use of relevant mathematics in learning sessions. For example, apprentices learn to use complex mathematical operations to calculate value-added tax (VAT) in spreadsheets.  In a small minority of cases, assessors and teachers do not make it clear to apprentices and learners what they have done well in their assignments and practical work, and what

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

it is they need to improve. They confirm what apprentices and learners have achieved for their qualification, but, particularly at level 3, where apprentices might be aspiring to higher education, staff do not identify how they could improve the standards of their writing, referencing or presentation of their work.  Teachers and assessors are not sufficiently effective in improving learners’ and apprentices’ English skills where they have already achieved level 2 qualifications in the subject. For example, staff indicate that apprentices and learners may have used incorrect spelling or grammar in their work, but they do not give them strategies to help them avoid errors in future.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

 Learners and apprentices are well behaved, confident, respectful and courteous. They demonstrate good attitudes to their studies and are enthusiastic and keen to acquire new skills and knowledge. Learners develop high levels of confidence and self-esteem.  Learners at WTS benefit from the excellent pastoral support that staff provide. This enables learners, especially those who have achieved less well at school, to remain on their courses and to overcome problems that have prevented them from achieving in the past.  A large proportion of learners benefit from meaningful and high-quality work experience and work-related activities linked to their programmes of study.  Learners benefit from individualised initial advice and guidance. Staff discuss course options in depth with learners to ensure that they are placed on the right programme for their needs and aspirations. The proportion of learners who have remained on their

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

course and achieved their qualification during the current year is high.  Learners develop effective employability skills. Employers visit lessons to talk about skills that learners need in the workplace. Guest speakers include professional cricketers, representatives from the premier league and the Metropolitan Police.  Learners and apprentices know how to stay safe and who to contact if they have any concerns about safety. They have a good practical understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe from the dangers of radicalisation and extremism. The extensive tutorial programme and daily news discussions help them to understand how these matters relate to their lives and give them the opportunity to discuss them in depth.  Managers make sure that learners and apprentices receive good careers advice and guidance during their programmes. As a result, learners and apprentices make informed

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

choices about their next steps. For example, a sports student who has changed his ambitions is commencing an apprenticeship in construction.  Learners who may be vulnerable benefit strongly from a comprehensive range of support services. Consequently, they are able to complete their studies. The extensive support for learners’ well-being and mental health helps them stay healthy and develops their mental resilience.  Learners and apprentices discuss British values with confidence. For example, groups of learners confidently discussed cultural difference, gender pay gaps and equality. One group at SCL highlighted the role of women in sport, discussing the topic of Manchester United Football Club not having a female team until recently.  Teachers’ and assessors’ support for learners and apprentices to develop and improve their skills in English is not good enough. Assessors and teachers do not emphasise the

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

importance of this subject sufficiently well. As a result, learners and apprentices are not always supported well enough to improve their skills, to prepare for employment or to meet employers’ needs.  SCL learners’ attendance is low in the majority of subject areas and particularly low in English and mathematics. Managers recognise that this is an area that requires improvement, but interventions have not had any impact this academic year.

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Outcomes for learners Good

 Learners and apprentices make good progress. They develop confidence and gain new skills and knowledge that enhance their current job roles and increase their chances of promotion.  Achievement rates for learners on study programmes have improved steadily and are now higher than similar providers nationally. The proportion of learners who have completed their courses and achieved their qualifications in the current year has improved from 2016/17 and is high. In 2016/17, the number of learners passing the level 2 qualification in fitness instructing was low. However, leaders and managers have introduced changes to this course, and achievement rates in the current year have improved significantly.  The proportion of apprentices who achieve their qualifications in the planned timescale has increased and remains good. Leaders and managers have successfully tackled the few areas of poor achievement. They have rightly identified that late starters at SCL were

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Outcomes for learners Good

reducing timely achievement.  The proportion of learners and apprentices who achieve their functional skills qualifications in mathematics and English is high. The proportion of learners achieving grades 9 to 4 in GCSE English and mathematics has improved but remains low.  The large majority of learners who complete a WTS employability study programme successfully progress to further education or employment.  Leaders and managers have been successful in reducing achievement gaps for the majority of groups of learners. However, progress for disadvantaged learners who once received free school meals remains low and requires further interventions to support them to achieve in line with their peers.  Leaders and managers do not track and monitor well enough the progression and destinations of learners and apprentices after they leave their programmes. They do not know how learners and apprentices use the skills and knowledge gained from their

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Outcomes for learners Good

courses in their job roles. As a result, they are unable to evaluate fully the effectiveness of provision to inform the development of learning programmes.

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16 to 19 study programmes Good

 WTS has around 545 learners on 16 to 19 study programmes, with the very large majority participating in vocational sports programmes delivered by the subcontractor SCL. The other learners attend courses in employability skills, English and mathematics, delivered directly by WTS.  Leaders and managers ensure that the principles of the study programme are fully met and well managed to meet the needs of learners. They carefully consider learners’ prior skills, knowledge, experience and careers aspirations to ensure that they are placed on the right course.  Most learners make good progress. Learners on employability programmes who start with low prior achievement receive effective support to achieve. Their programme is structured to clearly develop attitudes, behaviours and skills that will help them to get jobs. The very large majority progress into employment and further education.  Learners on employability programmes are polite and well behaved in lessons. Learners

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16 to 19 study programmes Good

on SCL programmes are respectful and supportive of each other in lessons and demonstrate good teamwork. Learners feel safe to discuss sensitive topics and to discuss personal feelings and opinions.  Teachers in subcontracted provision coach learners well and provide effective feedback in lessons to make sure that they make the progress that they should. Teachers use skilful questioning to check learners’ understanding and to develop independent thinking skills.  Learners benefit from high-quality, meaningful, work-experience placements. These help them to develop valuable skills for work that are related to their career intentions. SCL learners carefully record their work experience activities and identify the new skills that they have developed and their areas for further improvement. Employers also support learners’ progress with detailed feedback on their achievements in the workplace.  Learners benefit from a wide range of enrichment opportunities to improve their

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16 to 19 study programmes Good

knowledge, skills and employment options. Employability learners, the vast majority of whom are from areas of significant deprivation, learn how to shop and cook on a budget. They also learn to assess the nutritional value of items bought. Learners benefit from support on public-transport journeys to develop confidence in travelling independently. A few learners complete a residential programme to develop self-reliance and team building through doing activities outdoors.  SCL learners complete a minimum of six hours per week taking sports coaching and training sessions to further support their specialist skills development and knowledge. Those on soccer programmes, and those who aspire to be coaches, take the Football Association (FA) level 1 coaching award, which also includes an FA first aid course and FA child protection award. Cricketers take a level 2 coaching award in cricket. They also play

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16 to 19 study programmes Good

sport competitions weekly.  The progress that learners make in lessons is not consistently good. For example, learners do not always work well to the end of lessons and some groups are too large to fully involve all learners in a group activity.  Tutors, especially those teaching learners at level 3, do not pay enough attention in lessons to learners’ spelling, English or academic skills. For example, learners use technical terms correctly orally, but are unable to spell them in written work. Learners’ skills in comprehension, analysis and evaluation are not of a consistently high standard. As a result, they are not practising the skills that they need to be successful at the next level of education, especially those who are intending to go to university.

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Apprenticeships Good

 WTS managers provide apprenticeships across a wide range of subjects through direct and subcontracted provision. Of the current 290 apprentices, eight are on new standards- based apprenticeships, with the remainder on frameworks. Subcontractors provide the large majority of apprenticeships, primarily in business administration, management, physical education and school sport. Just under half of the apprentices are studying at level 2, and seventeen are following higher level apprenticeships. Three-quarters of apprentices are adults.  Apprentices develop high levels of knowledge and the behaviours and skills that employers recognise as being beneficial in the workplace. Apprentices swiftly take up increasingly complex duties and responsibilities. Apprentices know that the knowledge and skills that they gain will help them in their current job and in progressing in their chosen career.  Assessors are well qualified. They use their vocational knowledge to contextualise

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Apprenticeships Good

learning and skills to the workplace and to probe apprentices’ understanding. Assessors work closely with employers and use workplace examples to illustrate learning points and extend learning for apprentices through research activities.  The vast majority of apprentices benefit from frequent visits and reviews from their assessors and they make good progress. When apprentices fall behind, tutors support them to get back on track. Apprentices value the support that they receive from their tutors and they gain in confidence. However, a minority of assessors and tutors do not emphasise the importance of good English skills in the workplace, nor do they set any targets on how to develop them.  Apprentices develop good mathematics skills, which they apply well to their work. Examples include calculating rents and VAT charges to tenants, using payroll spreadsheets and calculating the sleep needs of children of different ages in a child care

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Apprenticeships Good

setting. Apprentices benefit from useful exam tips to ensure that they achieve the best marks possible in assessments.  Apprentices have a good appreciation of diversity in their work place. For example, a business apprentice is adapting their company’s recruitment strategy to focus on under- represented groups in their workforce.  The vast majority of apprentices go into sustained employment at the end of their programme. Apprentices have high aspirations to progress to the next level of apprenticeship, and they have a good understanding of the possible career pathways available to them. For example, a level 3 hospitality and management apprentice aspires to move on to a level 4 or 5 management qualification in order to advance his career in the hospitality sector.  Employers value highly the contribution their apprentices make to their organisations. They report a significant development in the confidence and the ability of their employees

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Apprenticeships Good

as a result of their learning. They are swift to give them additional responsibilities to reflect their newly-acquired skills. For example, a level 2 team-leading apprentice is now chairing parent meetings in their childcare setting.  Assessors are not setting sufficiently challenging targets. They fail to set and record detailed and useful learning and skills development targets for apprentices that will help them to achieve their full potential.

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Provider details

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year Principal/CEO Adele O’Sullivan

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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

21 – 46 1 475 2 – – 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+ 34 77 44 120 – 17 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: 144 Consultancy Limited Professional Beauty Training Limited Reach4Skills Training Limited SCL Education and Training Limited

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the centre manager, 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, and 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

Kate Hill, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Carolyn Brownsea 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

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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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