Absolute HR Solutions Ltd

Absolute HR Solutions Ltd Monitoring visit report

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Harmesh Manghra HMI

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

34–36 The Square Kenilworth Warwickshire CV8 1EB Monitoring visit: Absolute HR Solutions Ltd, 09–10 January 2019

p.1

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.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

Absolute HR Solutions Ltd (Absolute Works) is a private limited company based in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. The company became an approved apprenticeship training provider in May 2017. The company has two strands to its work: Absolute Apprentices and Absolute Works. The latter is an outsourced human resources (HR) consultancy incorporated in 2011. It provides a range of services such as recruitment of staff, payroll, legal and HR support to over 80 small- and medium- sized companies nationally. Of the 31 apprentices on programmes during the monitoring visit, 25 are levy-funded by a UK employer that is in partnership of the Scandinavian group. Six apprentices are non-levy funded and deployed with small employers. Six apprentices are in level 5 operational and departmental management, 20 in level 3 team leading/supervision, four on level 3 business administration, and one apprentice is on a level 2 customer service programme. All apprentices are on

p.2

Context and focus of visit

standards-based apprenticeship programmes.

p.2

Reasonable progress

The chief operating officer (CEO) has substantial experience and knowledge of the HR field. She has identified a gap in the market where small and medium-sized employers struggle to find suitable employees and provide all HR-related functions. While Absolute Works provides the HR support, staff at Absolute Apprentices find suitable candidates and train them for roles with the employers. Absolute Works are new to providing publicly funded learning. The CEO has decided to start by providing training to only a small cohort of apprentices in retail, to establish her company’s credibility and to ‘get things right before growing the provision’. Leaders and managers have made significant investment in the company. They have employed experts from industry and training to establish their own support infrastructure to provide high-quality learning. Monitoring visit: Absolute HR Solutions Ltd, 09–10 January 2019

p.2

Reasonable progress

Performance management is robust. Senior leaders swiftly removed a manager who was underperforming. The current incumbent is a highly experienced apprenticeship manager. She has diligently moved the organisation forward to delivering key components of standards-based apprenticeships. The focus of programmes is on developing apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours, and refining all processes to improve the provision. Not all of these are fully effective yet. For example, staff have not completed the required six-weekly reviews for all apprentices accurately to the required standard. Senior leaders have purchased additional laptops and tablets to enable apprentices to undertake online learning. In addition, the company has secured particularly effective software for developing apprentices’ English and mathematics skills. This identifies gaps in apprentices’ knowledge in these subjects and sends them links to

p.3

Reasonable progress

relevant learning materials. Apprentices use an intuitive and user-friendly electronic portfolio effectively as they follow guidelines on how to learn new knowledge, upload their assignments and receive feedback from their tutors. This makes it easier for apprentices to access learning resources, learn from them and upload their assignments to demonstrate their progress and skills development. Senior leaders have employed specialist services to identify apprentices’ additional learning needs, such as dyslexia. Senior leaders provide additional qualifications to the apprentices at each level at a considerable expense to the company. Apprentices value these highly as they enhance their employment prospects. Managers have strong links with employers, many of these developed over several years. Staff and senior managers seek to understand the employers’ business fully before they deploy apprentices there. This enables staff to provide bespoke training

p.3

Reasonable progress

to the apprentices and for the employers. Communications are very good. Employers can readily identify how their apprentices have acquired new skills and are increasing the value they bring to their businesses. Managers ensure that programmes meet the principles of apprenticeships. Along with the employers and apprentices, managers identify and record a minimum of 20% off-the-job training that apprentices undertake. On- and off-the-job-training are seamlessly integrated. The recruitment of apprentices is thorough. Staff work very closely with employers to recruit only those apprentices who will benefit from learning and will add value to the employer’s business. Apprentices are fully aware of the different sectors in which their skills could be used. Many of the apprentices have graduate-level qualifications; they are developing new knowledge, skills and behaviours in management and customer services. These experiences prepare them for management roles and give

p.3

Reasonable progress

them more options for their next steps when they finish their training. Managers have a strong and detailed oversight of the provision. At present, a consultant and the director of the levy-paying employer provide appropriate challenge and support to leaders. However, the current arrangements do not give the leaders a broader perspective on growing the provision while maintaining and improving the quality of training. Senior leaders recognise the need for revised governance arrangements to enable them to seek independent scrutiny, support and challenge for the company. They plan to improve this by seeking experts from the Monitoring visit: Absolute HR Solutions Ltd, 09–10 January 2019 field, who would hold the company’s leaders and managers to account and help to raise the standards of performance and learning to the highest levels.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Apprentices across all programmes make expected or better progress. Most are expected to achieve their apprenticeship in the planned period. The apprenticeship manager and assessors review apprentices’ progress routinely to ensure that all of them are on track. They produce a detailed monthly report to the levy-paying employer outlining the progress of each apprentice. Staff plan progress reviews well in conjunction with employers, who fully understand the progress their apprentices are making. They quickly intervene, if an apprentice is likely to fall behind their progress targets, by providing supportive and creative solutions that help to get apprentices back on track.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Apprentices enjoy learning in workshops and from their peers. They learn to manage themselves and others. Their time management skills improve, and they become competent workers who enjoy a good work-life balance. They apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills to provide extensive benefits to the company. As a result of training, the levy-paying employer has managed to open new stores and increase sales. Apprentices stay with the company and develop rapidly through the ranks.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Apprentices acquire new knowledge, skills and behaviours during their training. Management apprentices are better able to plan their work programme by applying theories of planning. They use their improved communication skills to get the best out of their teams by providing helpful briefings and by directing people under their supervision. Apprentices use their initiative to design and deliver work-based projects that result in commercial efficiencies. For example, a level 5 apprentice is considering how to improve the stock-taking process. Apprentices use telephoning skills sensitively to deal with the customers’ complaints and queries. In another example, a level 3 apprentice is now more confident in handling conflicts, having understood the diversity of personality types and views in the workforce. Apprentices understand their employer’s business culture and adopt their working style to ‘think like a customer, and act like an owner’.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Apprentices show that they fully understand the customer service and management theories when they carry out practical skills. In close consultation with their employers, apprentices undertake work-based projects to improve productivity, boost teamwork, and deliver efficiencies to their employers’ business. Managers and employers recognise that they have not been able to release staff during the busy Christmas period and have plans to recoup the lost hours. Monitoring visit: Absolute HR Solutions Ltd, 09–10 January 2019 Staff provide helpful information, advice and guidance to apprentices at the start of, and throughout, their programmes. This enables apprentices to understand current and future career pathways within and outside of the retail sector.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Apprentices on level 3 programmes with the largest numbers benefit from a comprehensive off-the-job training plan. This includes all training sessions and their location, for example specialist workshops on finance and soft skills such as communication, body language and tone of voice. This enables employers and managers to prepare in advance for absences. Staff are designing a similar plan for a smaller number of level 2 and level 5 apprenticeships. Apprentices take great care in recording off-the-job training that takes place during work hours and includes the project work or completion of assignments.

p.5

Reasonable progress

During the recruitment stage, staff ensure that they identify apprentices’ starting points accurately in each element of the apprenticeship standards. These include knowledge, skills and behaviours, as well as gaps in apprentices’ knowledge of English and mathematics. Having identified gaps in apprentices’ English and mathematics, assessors set apprentices individualised online learning modules to improve these areas. Although apprentices develop appropriate or better skills in English and mathematics, staff do not encourage apprentices to integrate these throughout the whole of their apprenticeship programme. Leaders and managers do not formally assess apprentices’ digital skills and do not promote them well enough to ensure that apprentices are fully competent in using information technology effectively and safely.

p.5

Reasonable progress

Staff are well qualified and have extensive vocational and industrial experience, which they use effectively to develop apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours. Apprentices enjoy learning from experts in fields such as finance and soft skills through additional workshops. As a result, apprentices make at least the expected progress.

p.5

Reasonable progress

Additional support for dyslexia and for an apprentice on an education, health and care plan is extensive and highly effective. These apprentices are making excellent progress in their job roles.

p.5

Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers work closely with their two end-point assessment providers. The first cohort of level 2 apprentices who stayed on the programme have advanced in their job roles. Apprentices have good awareness of the requirements of the end- point assessment and are prepared well for it from the very beginning of the programmes. This helps apprentices greatly in their pursuit of high grades and to understand what they need to do to achieve these grades. Leaders and managers know their provision well and have devised a detailed action plan to improve the provision. Quality improvement arrangements are effective. Staff stay focused on the apprentices’ experience and make changes swiftly to the weaker aspects of training. In so doing, they improve the provision. Leaders and managers – including the director of the levy-funded employer – routinely observe teaching, learning and assessment and suggest improvements. Leaders and managers plan to

p.5

Reasonable progress

Monitoring visit: Absolute HR Solutions Ltd, 09–10 January 2019 refine the process to ensure a much clearer focus on learning and reinforcement, better to prepare apprentices for their assessments. Audits of the progress reviews and feedback to apprentices are weak. As a result, managers have failed to identify the variable quality of feedback to apprentices on their marked work. Apprentices are not routinely encouraged to relate their assignment to their workplace to demonstrate how their understanding of theory applies to practical work. Although apprentices are ambitious and wish to gain distinction, staff do not give sufficiently clear guidance on what the apprentices could do to produce written work of a distinction standard.

p.6

Reasonable progress

The quality of assessors’ recording and review of apprentices’ progress from their starting points requires further improvement to be fully effective. For example, assessors do not always routinely develop sufficiently precise targets, or review targets frequently enough.

p.6

Reasonable progress

Safeguarding is effective. The designated safeguarding officer and deputy are suitably qualified and knowledgeable. Leaders and managers carry out appropriate vetting on all staff to ensure their suitability for the role. All members of staff complete regular training to refresh their understanding of safeguarding, the ‘Prevent’ duty, British values, and equality and diversity. Staff reinforce these topics with apprentices during training sessions and reviews. Safeguarding is a key component of apprentices’ induction, and this focus is maintained throughout apprenticeship programmes. As a result, all apprentices have a good understanding of the ‘Prevent’ duty and what to do if they have concerns. For example, an apprentice is well aware of safeguarding in her own line of business through the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. Management apprentices become aware of bullying and harassment. They adjust their behaviour accordingly and become

p.6

Reasonable progress

assertive rather than intimidating. Health and safety have a high priority. Apprentices have a keen awareness of how to keep themselves and others safe in the workplace. For example, staff conduct regular health and safety checks at employers’ premises. This has raised apprentices’ awareness in a most tangible and practical way, leading to improvements in fire and safety maintenance.

p.6

Reasonable progress

Most apprentices have a good understanding of British values and equality and diversity. They demonstrate this through their behaviour in the workplace, for example, when supervising staff and interacting with customers in stores, and during learning sessions.

p.6

Reasonable progress

Apprentices have a basic awareness of online safety. However, apprentices are not made aware of ways in which they can keep themselves safe online and when using social media to protect themselves from harm. Monitoring visit: Absolute HR Solutions Ltd, 09–10 January 2019 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 .

p.6

Reasonable progress

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.7

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 .

p.7

Reasonable progress

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

p.7

Reasonable progress

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

p.7

Reasonable progress

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

p.7

Reasonable progress

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

p.7