Well Associates Limited

Well Associates Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Richard Deane, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Express & Star Building 51–53 Queen St Wolverhampton WV1 1ES Monitoring visit: Well Associates Limited, 12-13 February 2019

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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 the Education and Skills Funding Agency 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 themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Founded in 2010, Well Associates Limited is an independent training provider based in the West Midlands. The provider began apprenticeship delivery in May 2017. The apprenticeships are at mostly level 3 and level 5 in leadership and management and are standards-based apprenticeships. At the time of the visit there were 11 apprentices, mostly following level 3 apprenticeships in team leading. The provider does not subcontract any elements of apprenticeship provision.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear strategic intent to extend their apprenticeship provision and to become the preferred provider for organisations in the leisure and education sectors in the region. They aim to help businesses thrive by improving their employees’ leadership and management and customer service skills. Leaders have planned their curriculum carefully to ensure that apprentices develop the specific skills employers expect. Consequently, apprentices improve the productivity of the visitor attractions and education services that they manage. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum enables apprentices to meet in full the requirements of the apprenticeship standards. They have included a range of additional qualifications, including coaching, neurolinguistic programming and a management diploma, to develop apprentices’ skills further. However, leaders accept that they have been slow to ensure that apprentices are fully aware of all aspects of

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Reasonable progress

the apprenticeship end-point assessment. As a result, a minority of apprentices do not have sufficiently specific targets to help them achieve higher grades. Leaders developed the apprenticeship provision cautiously to ensure that all systems and processes were in place before increasing apprenticeship numbers. They monitor closely apprentices’ progress towards completing the main elements of the apprenticeship. Consequently, leaders have sufficient oversight of apprentices’ overall achievement and progress. They use this information to identify quickly Monitoring visit: Well Associates Limited, 12-13 February 2019 apprentices who are falling behind in their studies and provide them with the appropriate support to help them get back on track with their studies. However, they do not monitor sufficiently apprentices’ progress from their starting points to ensure that all apprentices achieve their potential. Additionally, the line managers of a few

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Reasonable progress

apprentices do not contribute routinely to their progress reviews, limiting the scope and detail of the feedback they receive on their performance. Senior leaders and employers have a clear understanding of the requirements of on- and off-the-job training and ensure that most apprentices receive their entitlement. However, in a few cases, due to staff shortages, apprentices are not always able to complete their studies at work. They study in their own time. Senior leaders intervene with employers swiftly to ensure that they provide apprentices with their off-the-job training. Senior leaders ensure that trainers are appropriately qualified and experienced to support apprentices well. This includes relevant careers information, advice, and guidance (CIAG) qualifications. The senior leader responsible for CIAG is currently undertaking a level 6 qualification in this area. Senior leaders monitor carefully the

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Reasonable progress

guidance apprentices receive to ensure that they are clear about their next steps and future careers. Leaders work closely with their existing employers to help them identify the most appropriate candidates for their apprenticeship vacancies. Apprentices receive the appropriate guidance and initial skills assessment to ensure that they are on the right course at the right level. Consequently, apprentices develop new skills that benefit them in their role and help them to move on in their careers. Leaders survey apprentices’ career intentions and monitor closely their next steps. They use this information well to improve their provision and the advice and guidance given to new candidates. Leaders’ self-assessment of their provision is broadly accurate, identifying key strengths and areas for improvement. Their actions to improve the quality of provision are appropriate. However, leaders have yet to summarise and assess fully

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Reasonable progress

the impact of these actions. Additionally, managers’ actions to improve teaching and learning are not sufficiently precise to ensure that all apprentices make the progress of which they are capable. Employers benefit from the contribution apprentices make to their businesses, and in particular the management skills necessary to operate attractions efficiently and successfully. Most apprentices who complete their courses achieve in the time allocated and move on into full-time employment. For the few apprentices leaving their course early, most continue in their current role. Most apprentices develop their English and mathematics skills. However, those apprentices who already hold the requisite qualifications in these subjects do not receive a sufficiently detailed initial assessment of their skills. As a result, trainers do not have sufficient information of apprentices’ starting points to set specific targets

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Reasonable progress

to help apprentices improve identified weaknesses. Leaders accept that governance arrangements are not sufficiently well-developed. They have recently formed an independent board to scrutinise their actions and Monitoring visit: Well Associates Limited, 12-13 February 2019 provide them with the appropriate challenge to hold them to account. It is too soon to judge the impact of the new board.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and trainers structure and plan the curriculum effectively to ensure that apprentices develop substantial new knowledge and skills in their employers’ business. As a result, most apprentices have developed their management skills and improved the performance of their teams. For example, training manager apprentices have increased the proportion of their trainees completing and achieving their training courses. Leaders ensure that apprentices’ off-the-job training relates well to the workplace. Trainers ensure that sessions are well-planned and include an engaging variety of teaching and learning activities, such as case studies, role play and peer review. Apprentices enjoy their learning and can apply theory into practice. For example, apprentices on team-leading apprenticeships successfully applied neurolinguistic programming and coaching skills in their role, improving the communication within

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Reasonable progress

their team. Apprentices demonstrate clearly how their apprenticeship programme has improved their workplace behaviours. For example, apprentices explain changes in their demeanour and becoming more professional in their presentation and their communications with colleagues and customers. However, trainers do not use information about apprentices’ starting points, especially in relation to their behaviours. As a result, trainers do not set apprentices sufficiently specific targets to ensure that they are able to achieve the highest grades during their end-point assessment. Trainers monitor apprentices’ progress effectively. Apprentices benefit greatly from one-to-one coaching sessions where they discuss the application of their new skills in the workplace and their progress overall. Apprentices welcome the feedback from trainers that helps them improve the quality of written assignments and devise new

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Reasonable progress

management strategies at work. Expert trainers provide apprentices with good advice and practical tips to help them understand key management theories, such as Myers Briggs personality tests. As a result, the quality of apprentices’ work is of a high standard and clearly illustrates their ability to apply theory into practice. Apprentices develop their English, mathematics, and digital skills well. Apprentices improve their report writing for different purposes. They also become more confident and able to give instructions more clearly to their teams. Apprentices extend their mathematics skills through applying financial measures during project management activities. They also hone their digital skills by using online shared folders and electronic communication tools to complete their work with their coach. Leaders and trainers provide apprentices with appropriate support for their end-point assessment. Apprentices benefit from ‘coaching days’ that help them to revise for

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Reasonable progress

Monitoring visit: Well Associates Limited, 12-13 February 2019 external tests, presentations and discussions. They receive effective one-to-one support following mock assessments to help improve their performance. However, feedback from a few apprentices’ line managers is not sufficiently specific to help them to achieve the grades of which they are capable.

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Reasonable progress

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders have developed a positive safeguarding culture and have developed good links with the local Wolverhampton safeguarding board, multi-agency safeguarding hub and the police. The provider’s staff, including the designated safeguarding lead, hold appropriate safeguarding qualifications. Trainers receive the appropriate training to understand current threats in the local community. This includes update training on the ‘Prevent’ duty, and topics such as county lines and the activity of gangs. Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and their responsibility to safeguard their apprentices. Leaders monitor routinely safeguarding concerns and ensure that apprentices have received the appropriate training to protect themselves from potential harm. Safeguarding policies describe well the expectations of the provider and refer to the most recent government legislation. Managers ensure that all apprentices work in

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Reasonable progress

safe and secure environments and routinely monitor their safety. Apprentices benefit from access to a range of agencies to support their individual needs, including mental health services. Monitoring visit: Well Associates Limited, 12-13 February 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 . 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 looked after children, 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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