Tempest Management Training Limited

Tempest Management Training Limited Monitoring visit report

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Mansfield I Centre Hamilton Way Mansfield Nottinghamshire NG18 5BR Monitoring visit: Tempest Management Training Limited, 29-30 November 2018

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Context and focus of visit

From October 2018, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision which began to be funded from April 2017 or after by ESFA and/or the apprenticeship levy. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the Further education and skills inspection handbook, especially the sections entitled ‘Providers newly directly funded to deliver apprenticeship training provision’ and ‘Monitoring visits’. The focus of these visits is on the three themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Tempest Management Training Limited’s (Tempest) managing director established the company in 2000 to provide commercial government-funded work-based training, mostly in health and social care, initially for other providers through subcontracting arrangements. At the time of inspection, Tempest was providing a small amount of subcontracted apprenticeship training for Lincoln College and for an independent learning provider, Deere Apprenticeships.

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Context and focus of visit

Tempest currently has 41 apprentices enrolled under its prime contract and funded through the employer levy. Almost all these apprentices are on new standards apprenticeships. Twenty-six apprentices work in the domiciliary care sector and have enrolled on apprenticeships at levels 2, 3 and 5 in health and social care. Twelve apprentices employed by a high-profile luxury fashion house are on apprenticeship programmes at levels 3 and 5 in operations management and team leading. Three learners work for a bus operator based in Derbyshire and are on a level 2 apprenticeship for supply chain warehouse operatives.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have worked hard to plan and deliver a well-organised programme of training that meets Institute for Apprenticeship requirements. They are diligent in ensuring that employers and apprentices are fully aware of the requirements of an apprenticeship. Leaders use their considerable prior experience as a subcontractor to provide high-quality apprenticeship provision that meets regional skills needs, particularly in domiciliary care and leadership and management. Links with employers are good. Leaders have collaborated successfully with employers in the East Midlands for many years. However, they are not afraid to hold employers to task if they fail to meet in full the requirements of an apprenticeship programme. They have, in the past, declined to continue working with employers who were unable or unwilling to meet Tempest’s high standards. Employers value Monitoring visit: Tempest Management Training Limited, 29-30 November 2018

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Reasonable progress

highly the calibre, professionalism and integrity of Tempest’s assessors and managers. Employers are committed to delivering all aspects of the standards-based apprenticeships to a suitably high standard. Most provide a wide range of relevant in-house development programmes and on-the-job training that support apprentices’ progress. They provide most apprentices with sufficient time during their contracted working hours to pursue their apprenticeship studies. Staff at all levels provide effective information, advice and guidance that ensure that apprentices are on a suitable programme that will develop new vocational skills, knowledge and behaviours. Assessors have significant occupational experience in their vocational area. They are aware of the end-point assessment arrangements for standards- based programmes and have adapted their practice to prepare learners for these changes. Apprentices are recruited with integrity. Leaders and managers work well with

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Reasonable progress

employers to tailor apprenticeship programmes to meet employers’ specific needs and workforce requirements. Managers liaise with employers and apprentices to ensure that apprentices are suitable for their job roles and can confidently gain new skills, knowledge and behaviours on their programmes. Leaders’ and managers’ evaluation of the quality of their provision is mostly accurate and identifies the few key areas for improvement. They have a strong commitment to continually improving the quality of the provision, as demonstrated by the promptness with which they respond constructively to any identified weaknesses. They combine this commitment with a determination to ensure that the quality of the apprenticeship provision is secure before they make any significant expansion to the business. Leaders rightly acknowledge the benefit to the company of appointing a board of directors to provide external scrutiny and challenge. They have recently established a

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Reasonable progress

governing board comprising two senior company leaders and one external consultant. Leaders are in the process of recruiting additional board members. At the time of inspection, the board had met only once, and it is therefore too soon to judge fully its effectiveness.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from high-quality off-the-job training including workshops, one- to-one support sessions, coaching, work shadowing, project work and independent study. Tempest’s assessors work collaboratively with employers to plan and deliver training. This helps to develop apprentices’ understanding of their own organisation and how they can use their newly acquired skills and behaviours to contribute to their employer’s business. Apprentices receive regular and effective teaching, assessment and progress review sessions from their assessors. At these sessions, assessors make good use of Monitoring visit: Tempest Management Training Limited, 29-30 November 2018 learning resources, including information and communication technology, to support and motivate apprentices. Assessors use apprentices’ electronic portfolios effectively to enhance their progress and responsibility for learning. Apprentices develop skills and knowledge that they quickly apply in the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Those in new roles take on additional responsibilities. One apprentice took on responsibility for mentoring and coaching two younger employees, supporting their training in the workplace. Apprentices benefit from the enhanced behaviours and increased confidence that the apprenticeship programme nurtures. This makes them more effective and credible in their roles, particularly with their more experienced colleagues. Assessors monitor apprentices’ progress from their starting points well. They record apprentices’ achievement and set suitably challenging targets during regular and frequent workplace visits to ensure that apprentices are progressing. Assessors have high expectations of apprentices regardless of their starting point or barriers to learning. As a result, the very large majority are on track to complete within the planned period of study. Assessors have the specialisms required to enable them to provide apprentices with

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Reasonable progress

the greatest opportunities to make good progress. Managers hold assessors to account effectively through regular progress and performance review meetings and through observations of teaching, learning and assessment. Apprentices receive clear information, advice and guidance to enable them to make informed decisions about their training and next steps. Assessors make good use of information on apprentices’ existing skills, knowledge and aptitudes to plan training that meets the needs of apprentices and employers. As a result, most apprentices stay on programme and achieve. Assessors provide good support to help apprentices develop their skills in English and mathematics. Those studying functional skills qualifications are very positive about their learning experience and the support they receive from assessors to develop their knowledge and build their confidence. Almost all apprentices pass their functional skills qualifications at the first attempt.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors work closely with workplace supervisors to appoint an appropriate end- point assessment organisation and prepare apprentices for the assessment. Most apprentices are suitably prepared for their end-point assessment. However, a small number of apprentices have only a rudimentary understanding of the assessment arrangements for their apprenticeship. Assessors provide apprentices with constructive verbal feedback that helps them to improve their written work and develop the practical skills and behaviours necessary in their job roles. However, where assessors provide written feedback, they do not always include sufficiently detailed guidance on how apprentices could improve their work beyond the requirements of the apprenticeship standard. Monitoring visit: Tempest Management Training Limited, 29-30 November 2018

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Reasonable progress

Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Leaders and managers give high priority to the welfare of apprentices and staff, particularly those pertinent to apprentices working in the care sector. Staff participate in a suitable range of relevant update training that enhances their professional competence to safeguard apprentices. The company has three designated safeguarding officers, all of whom have received appropriate training to undertake the role effectively. They use relevant links with local safeguarding boards and support agencies to improve safeguarding arrangements, including the identification and sharing of best practice. Assessors know how to refer and to deal with safeguarding concerns. They can articulate what they would do if they had to make a referral. Managers respond promptly to the very small number of concerns raised by apprentices. Learners say that they feel safe at their place of work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that all staff are subject to relevant pre-employment checks and vetting procedures before their employment begins. A comprehensive safeguarding policy and associated procedures are in place and subject to appropriate review. Apprentices have an appropriate understanding of how to stay safe in their workplace and when undertaking training. Those working in the health and care sector have a particularly good understanding of their responsibility for safeguarding the service users for whom they are responsible. Staff work effectively with apprentices during their induction to cover the full range of topics related to safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. However, apprentices’ understanding of British values and their relevance in the context of social care or retailing and warehousing lacks sufficient depth. Monitoring visit: Tempest Management Training Limited, 29-30 November 2018

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Reasonable progress

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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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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regulates and inspects to achieve 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. 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 . 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

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the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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