The Headmasters Partnership Limited

The Headmasters Partnership Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Address:

1 Tolworth Broadway Surbiton Surrey KT6 7DQ Monitoring visit: The Headmasters Partnership Limited, 21 November 2018

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Context and focus of visit

The Headmasters Partnership Limited was inspected in January 2018. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit is to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in addressing the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

Headmasters started as a single salon in London, and now has nearly 60 salons, mostly in the South East and Greater London area. The company owns most of the salons but 24 are franchised. Headmasters offers intermediate and advanced hairdressing apprenticeships through their training academy in Richmond, and through in-salon educators. Apprentices, who are all employed in the company’s salons, can start at any time during the year.

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Reasonable progress

Directors and managers are taking effective action to improve the outcomes that learners achieve. They have introduced a probationary period for prospective apprentices so that they increase their understanding of the expectations of the apprenticeship programme. They only accept apprentices who attend well and demonstrate the right attitude and aptitude on the apprenticeship programme. As a result of close monitoring of prospective apprentices, the number who leave the programme early is reducing considerably. Since the previous inspection, a greater proportion of apprentices complete their apprenticeship. On completing their programme, apprentices have the motivation to pursue a career in hairdressing. Most remain with the company or continue their hairdressing career elsewhere. A few choose to study at a higher level. Managers maintain effective oversight of teaching, learning and assessment. They

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Reasonable progress

ensure that they observe all assessors regularly. Managers record what assessors need to do to improve, and they put in place training and development activities to meet these needs. Assessors benefit from regular practical training sessions so that they remain up to date with the latest industry techniques in, for example, perming, cutting and colouring. Although improved since the inspection, managers do not use a sufficient range of information to provide directors with a full picture of the apprenticeship programme. For example, managers do not provide directors with enough information on the Monitoring visit: The Headmasters Partnership Limited, 21 November 2018 progress of apprentices, or their findings from observations of teaching, learning and assessment. As a result, directors do not receive full information about the quality of the education that apprentices receive. Directors and managers work closely together and have a shared desire to make

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Reasonable progress

improvements to the provision. Since the previous inspection, directors have a greater awareness of the requirements of the apprenticeship programme. The head of the apprenticeship programme attends each board meeting, and one director attends apprenticeship management team meetings. However, directors do not set targets to measure the progress being made with the quality of the provision. Managers’ coordination of apprentices’ on- and off-the-job training requires improvement. Learning in salons does not take full account of the knowledge and skills that apprentices gain through their off-the-job training. As a result, managers do not know whether on- and off-the-job training are complementary in supporting the progress that learners make.

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Significant progress

In the current academic year, a high proportion of apprentices have achieved qualifications in functional skills English and mathematics, which is over twice as many as during the previous autumn term. Since the inspection, managers have appointed a new English and mathematics tutor and teaching assistant. They use assessments well to identify the gaps in learners’ knowledge and to inform teaching. The use of tests helps build the confidence of apprentices and identifies where they need to make improvements. Apprentices attend and enjoy their English and mathematics classes. Learners develop and practise their English and mathematics skills in the workplace. They develop a good awareness of cutting angles and how these influence the final style of cut. They use ratios accurately when mixing products for colouring hair. Apprentices make good use of their verbal English skills in theory and practical classes through presentation and debate, and in talking to, and advising, clients.

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Significant progress

Assessors take part in training so that they are more able to support learners to develop their English and mathematical skills. However, they do not routinely identify apprentices’ spelling errors in their written work. As a result, learners repeat errors in their writing.

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Reasonable progress

Managers ensure that staff frequently review the progress that apprentices make. The reviews are comprehensive and include all aspects of the apprenticeship programme. Reviews include how well apprentices perform in the workplace, as well Monitoring visit: The Headmasters Partnership Limited, 21 November 2018 as the skills and knowledge that they develop off the job, and the extent to which they achieve their goals. Apprentices’ targets and the timescale within which they need to complete them are clear. Through these reviews, apprentices know what they need to do to achieve their goals. Apprentices appreciate the support that they receive both in the workplace and at training sessions. Assessors know their apprentices well. Apprentices and assessors make good use of the electronic portfolio system. Learners reflect on their work through weekly journals, and assessors provide ongoing feedback to promote

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Reasonable progress

learners’ progress. However, assessors do not set apprentices targets for the achievement of their apprenticeships at either pass or distinction level. As a result, apprentices do not know what level they are working towards. Monitoring visit: The Headmasters Partnership Limited, 21 November 2018 the 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 . 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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Reasonable progress

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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