Paddington Development Trust

Further education and skills inspection report

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Paddington Development Trust Independent learning provider

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement Adult learning programmes Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings

This is a provider that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings

 Trustees and senior leaders do not have a secure enough oversight of the quality of provision and do not use the data available to them well enough to bring about improvement where needed.  Not enough level 3 learners studying childcare achieve the high grades of which they are capable.  Managers and tutors do not ensure that learners on vocational courses develop the English and mathematical skills that they need for their working and personal lives.  Staff provide insufficient support to learners who speak English as an additional language. As a result, a minority of learners struggle with communication in lessons and at work.  Tutors do not ensure that learners retain new information and concepts well enough, and that they can apply these in work contexts.  Tutors take insufficient account of learners’ prior attainment, particularly for learners who have been previously educated overseas. They do not challenge learners to raise the standard

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Summary of key findings

of their work and consequently too few learners achieve high grades.

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Summary of key findings

The provider has the following strengths

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Summary of key findings

 The large majority of learners who complete their course do so successfully, and many move on to further learning, volunteering and employment, when they complete their studies.  Managers and staff promote a positive and caring culture that supports learners well to improve their lives.  Many learners enjoy their courses and become increasingly confident in lessons and in the workplace. They take pride in their work.  Staff are well qualified and have extensive industry experience which benefits learners.  Childcare courses help learners develop valuable new work skills and knowledge, such as a good understanding of safeguarding in the childcare sector, which improve their employment prospects.

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Information about the provider

 Paddington Development Trust (PDT) supports social and economic regeneration in deprived areas, mainly in West London. PDT is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. A board of trustees governs the charity and the training that it delivers.  Paddington Development Trust Training (PDTT) is the training branch of the charity. PDTT provides training in childcare. All learners take childcare courses at levels 2 and 3. Around a third take functional skills English and information and communications technology (ICT). PDTT offers training to disadvantaged adults, including many who are unemployed adults. Most learners speak English as a second language and most arrive in the UK with few qualifications. Venues exist in six local community settings in west and north London. The large majority of learners are from minority ethnic communities.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that governance arrangements are reviewed so that they provide effective accountability and scrutiny of the training provided.  Enable leaders and managers to use data better to inform their analysis, review and planning of the provision.  Develop plans for improvement that include clear targets and identify who is responsible for implementing the actions outlined.  Ensure that the curriculum places sufficient emphasis on developing learners’ vocational mathematical skills.  Ensure that tutors: – develop strategies that enable the more able learners to make the progress of which they are capable and to achieve high grades – develop learners’ English and mathematical skills in classes – provide effective support for learners who speak English as an additional language so that they can communicate effectively in class and at work – adopt approaches that enable learners to retain new information and concepts.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders’ and managers’ oversight of the quality of provision is not detailed or comprehensive enough. The data they use to monitor the quality of provision and performance of learners is not helpful enough to them, and leaders and managers are not skilled enough at formulating improvement plans and raising standards quickly enough. As a result, despite leaders and managers knowing broadly what the strengths and weaknesses are in the provision, overall it requires improvement.  The strategy to ensure that learners develop their English and mathematical skills is underdeveloped. Managers recognise the need to develop learners’ English and mathematical skills and knowledge. However, their plans to redesign the curriculum to meet learners’ needs are in the early stages of development.  Managers did not consider the availability of work-experience placements, when expanding the curriculum into a new area of London. As a result, a few learners do not

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

access work experience in a timely way. This results in them taking longer than necessary to achieve their qualifications.  Managers and staff promote a culture of compassion and care. Leaders, managers and staff have a passion to support and train local residents, many of whom are migrants and unemployed. They aim to improve their lives and make positive change for them and their families.  Managers and staff promote equality and diversity well and foster respect between learners from different countries, cultures and backgrounds. In classes, learners work cooperatively together and show mutual respect.  Managers are effective in supporting tutors in their role. Managers ensure that observations of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are frequent and accurately identify the improvements to be made. Through a peer observation scheme, where less experienced tutors observe more experienced colleagues teaching, managers

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

ensure that good support is in place that helps tutors to improve their teaching.  Managers ensure that the childcare curriculum meets the needs of local people and employers. They involve employers effectively in shaping the curriculum. Managers respond to employers’ requests for additional training in areas such as health and safety, food hygiene and paediatric first aid. This equips learners well for jobs in the childcare sector.  Managers ensure that learners have good opportunities to take additional qualifications that complement well their studies in childcare. For example, around half of the learners take ICT courses at levels 1 and 2. They learn how to use the internet to complete research and prepare resources to support children’s learning.

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The governance of the provider

 The board of trustees’ and chief executive officer’s (CEO) oversight of the quality of the provision is insufficient. The board has not yet received information on the effectiveness of the training. The CEO and head of skills training meet frequently, but do not review sufficient performance information to help them scrutinise the effectiveness of training and give direction to managers. The chief executive officer and head of skills training identify the need for more robust governance arrangements, but these are not yet in place.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Managers ensure that staff receive suitable training to safeguard learners. Staff understand what action to take should they identify any learners who are vulnerable, or when they have concerns about their welfare. They respond appropriately when they have concerns about learners’ welfare. However, managers do not record these concerns, making it hard for them to identify any emerging trends in safeguarding matters or where staff might need further training.  Managers ensure that learners develop a satisfactory understanding of the dangers of extremism and radicalisation. Learners know whom to turn to should they be concerned about their or others’ welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Tutors provide insufficient challenge to ensure that learners who can achieve high grades do so. This includes those who have a high level of education from their country of origin. Those who are capable of making more rapid progress complete the work quickly in lessons and do not receive additional or more complex tasks. As a result, they make less progress than they should.  Tutors are not sufficiently skilled at ensuring that learners retain knowledge taught. They do not check adequately that learners can apply their learning when completing tasks and activities.  Too often in lessons, tutors allow more confident and capable learners to dominate and respond to their questions. This results in too many learners remaining quiet and not engaging in activities until tutors prompt them. This results in the less confident learners not being given a chance to practise giving answers or to receive feedback, and the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

teacher being unable to assess what the learners can and cannot do.  Most tutors enable learners to develop new skills and build their understanding of how to work effectively in the early years sector. They learn about the support available to families and children, and how to access these services for children in their care if needed.  Staff are well qualified, and the majority have extensive industry experience. Staff use their experience well to plan and deliver training. This ensures that learners develop a good awareness of what employers expect from early years practitioners on work placements and in their future job roles.  Tutors assess learners’ progress frequently and provide thorough and detailed feedback to them on what they need to do to improve. This helps learners identify how to improve their assignment work and meet the requirements of the qualification.  Staff use the findings from observations of learners in the workplace to help learners

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

develop the skills they need in their job roles. For example, they learn how to communicate and prepare reports for managers and parents on children’s learning and development.  Learners develop a good understanding of equality and diversity and how they relate to their workplace practice. Learners consider cultural and religious differences when planning for children’s care and learning.  Staff provide good support to learners outside classes. This helps learners to catch up on their work, consolidate their learning and meet the demands of the training. As a result, nearly all learners successfully complete their courses.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

 Tutors do not provide learners on vocational courses with the support they need to develop their English and mathematical skills. Tutors often do not make clear to learners the importance of these skills in the workplace. For example, learners are not sufficiently aware of the importance of the use of formal English when writing reports.  A high proportion of learners speak English as a second language and staff provide ineffective feedback to them on how to improve their language skills. Many learners find it hard to write accurately. A minority of learners’ spoken English is poor and has a negative impact on their ability to communicate in lessons and at work. A few learners struggle to follow the lesson content because of the poor English skills.  Most learners have access to good work placements. However, a few learners, particularly in Edmonton, experience delays in accessing a suitable work-experience placement. This

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

reduces the number of observations that can be completed in the workplace and places undue pressure on learners to complete more days to achieve the qualification outcome.  The large majority of learners attend lessons regularly. However, a small number of learners do not attend classes on a regular basis, and as a result they fall behind in their work.  Learners enjoy their courses and become increasingly confident in lessons and in the workplace. They take pride in their work and prepare well for their assignments. Learners become motivated to progress to further learning, and many are keen to set up their own nurseries.  The childcare courses help learners develop valuable new work skills which increase their employment prospects. They learn to observe children using a wide range of evidence. They understand how to use the findings from observations to plan a good variety of learning activities. In addition, most learners have families of their own and use their new

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

understanding of child development to support their children at home.  Learners develop their childcare skills to the expected standard. At level 2, they design activities which help children develop their hand-to-eye coordination through play. Learners develop their understanding of key concepts, such as fine motor skills.  Learners develop a good understanding of safeguarding in the childcare sector. Many are from countries where female genital mutilation is common, but, through training, they become advocates against this practice. Learners develop a good understanding of British values and their application in the workplace. They develop good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe, including how to stay safe online.  Learners benefit from effective advice and guidance before they begin their course. Tutors who are subject specialists provide learners with effective advice throughout their course. Specialist advisers support individual learners to find employment, as well as to

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

access additional training and volunteering opportunities. As a result of effective advice and guidance, learners are clear about how to achieve their ambitions.

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

 The proportion of learners who achieve their qualifications is too low on the L3 diploma early years workforce and on the early years practitioner diploma.  Too few learners on level 3 childcare courses who are capable of achieving high grades do so.  Current learners on entry level, level 1 and level 2 programmes make reasonable progress in their studies, and the standard of their work meets the requirements of the course. Too many learners on level 3 programmes do not make good progress relative to their prior educational attainment.  In 2017/18, learners achieved well in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), ICT and basic English and mathematics.  The differences in the achievement rates of different groups of learners are insignificant.  Many learners progress well once they complete their course. They participate in further learning at a higher level and take up employment or volunteer roles.

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Provider details

Type of provider Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year CEO Neil Johnston

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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

- 29 - 42 - 65 - - 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+ - - - - - - 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: -

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of skills training, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans. Inspectors used group and individual interviews, telephone calls and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners and employers; these views are reflected within the report. They observed learning sessions. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

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Inspection team

Jon Bowman, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kanwaljit Dhillon 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

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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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

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.

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Inspection team

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 .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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