The White Rose School Of Beauty And Complementary Therapies Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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The White Rose School of Beauty and Complementary Therapies Limited Independent learning provider

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding Adult learning programmes Outstanding

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Apprenticeships Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings

 The principal and her team have successfully implemented an ambitious strategic vision to provide outstanding training in beauty and complementary therapies that meets the needs of local and national industries.  Well-qualified tutors have extensive industry experience. They benefit from regular and effective training to keep their vocational skills and knowledge relevant and up to date.  Leaders and managers develop and maintain excellent links with local and regional employers. They use these links very effectively to plan a curriculum that is responsive to the ever-changing demands of the beauty industry.  Learners develop a very thorough understanding of the technical and vocational knowledge required to be successful in the workplace.  Learners and apprentices develop a very thorough understanding of diversity through their client care and communication training. They demonstrate high levels of respect and

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Summary of key findings

tolerance to their peers and client groups.  Learners make very rapid progress in the development of their vocational skills; the very large majority go on to achieve their qualifications.  Apprentices benefit from employment in well- resourced, high-quality salons and spas. Employers value the contribution that apprentices make to their business as a result of their apprenticeship training.  Tutors provide very clear and constructive feedback to learners and apprentices on their written work that helps them to improve their work rapidly.  Learners and apprentices receive very effective careers advice and guidance that support them to progress to their next steps. As a result, a very high proportion of learners go on to get jobs, work for themselves or continue with their education.  Learners develop excellent skills for work that support them to gain employment or start their own businesses.  A small minority of learners and apprentices do

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Summary of key findings

not develop their English and mathematics skills well enough. Limited, 12–15 February 2019

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Information about the provider

 White Rose School of Beauty and Complementary Therapies was established in 1996 and has held a direct funded contract for adult learning and apprenticeship provision since 2016. The provider has eight training centres located in Barnsley, Derby, Doncaster, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield. The provider specialises in beauty and complementary therapy training, and offers a wide range of courses up to level 4.  The large majority of apprenticeships are delivered in Leeds and Manchester. The largest centres for adult provision are Huddersfield, Barnsley, Manchester and Harrogate. Six of the local authorities in which the provider operates fall into the category of most deprived areas nationally.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Support the small minority of learners and apprentices who do not develop their English and mathematics skills sufficiently by: - ensuring that tutors receive high-quality training and development to improve their own English and mathematics skills, so they are better able to support learners - improving the attendance of apprentices at their English and mathematics lessons. Limited, 12–15 February 2019

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The principal and her team have successfully implemented an ambitious strategic vision to provide outstanding training in beauty and complementary therapies. The curriculum is very closely aligned to employer needs and to local and national industry requirements. When developing the provision, leaders ensure that the employers with whom they work are committed to providing a very high standard of training. This results in excellent vocational skills development for learners and apprentices.  Senior leaders’ very effective strategic planning ensures that the curriculum is highly response to the ever-changing demands of the sector. Leaders use their incisive knowledge of the industry to provide courses in new and emerging beauty treatments. They prioritise the development of additional knowledge and skills to improve learners’ chances of successfully gaining employment. For example, learners achieve certification in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

length, volume and lift lashes, hot stone massage and pregnancy massage.  The principal works tirelessly with awarding bodies and industry professionals to raise standards in the education and practice of beauty and complementary therapies. Senior leaders make very positive contributions to their local communities by providing scholarships to therapists in charities to promote the benefit of complementary therapies.  Leaders strive for excellence and invest in high-quality resources. They operate in welcoming and very well-equipped centres across Manchester, Yorkshire and the East Midlands. These centres are open seven days per week, including in the evenings, to provide very accessible training. Learners and apprentices develop a very good standard of professional behaviour through access to the provider’s high-quality commercial salons.  Leaders and managers have created a culture of exceptionally high standards and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

expectations of staff and learners. Managers ensure that all learners and apprentices show tolerance and respect to clients, staff and peers from all backgrounds. Learners and apprentices are very well prepared to work in high-calibre salons and spas.  Leaders hold centre managers to account for their performance very effectively. Managers have clearly defined roles that focus on quality and financial sustainability. Leaders use performance management processes well to support managers and staff to meet challenging targets. The principal personally intervenes and works with managers when centre managers fall behind in their targets. As a result, learners benefit from high-quality teaching and a very high proportion progress to positive destinations.  Managers in each centre assess the strengths and weaknesses of their programmes accurately and implement appropriate actions that rapidly tackle weaknesses. They

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

provide very effective staff development, coaching and mentoring to support staff whose teaching practice falls below managers’ high expectations. As a result, teaching for the large majority of learners and apprentices is of a very high quality, enabling them to make rapid progress.  Managers ensure that teaching staff attend helpful professional development activities that enable them to keep their teaching practice and vocational skills up to date. Limited, 12–15 February 2019 Employers value the considerable expertise of the staff, as it enables them to support learners and apprentices to develop very good knowledge and understanding.  Leaders and managers form highly effective partnerships with a range of prestigious employers and stakeholders. These partners deliver careers education sessions to learners and apprentices to provide useful insight into industry requirements and expectations. Learners and apprentices use this advice to make well-informed choices about their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

chosen therapies. As a result, they are very well prepared for work and a large majority are successful in gaining employment or taking on extra responsibility in their current jobs.  Senior leaders effectively monitor the achievement, retention and progression of learners and apprentices at each centre. However, leaders and managers do not consistently identify gaps in achievement for different groups of learners and apprentices.

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The governance of the provider

 Governance is very effective. Leaders have created a board of highly skilled governors to provide robust challenge to the senior leadership and managers. External board members are very well qualified and have considerable experience of teaching, learning and assessment, and quality improvement. They use their expertise very well to steer the strategic direction that managers pursue.  Board members examine a range of increasingly helpful reports about learners’ and apprentices’ performance. They use this information effectively to hold senior leaders to account and set recommendations for improvement.  The chair of the board is trained in safeguarding and uses his experience to provide assurance to the board that safeguarding procedures and policies are fit for purpose and that learners and apprentices are safe.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Managers ensure that all staff are suitably vetted and complete the appropriate pre- employment checks. Managers conduct risk assessments for all staff due to commence work prior to satisfactory receipt of the required employment checks.  Managers have effective systems in place to ensure that all staff are up to date with their training. All staff are trained in safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty, and this training is updated annually.  Each centre has a safeguarding lead and a deputy to respond to safeguarding issues in the locality and liaise with local external agencies. Incidents are recorded fully, and appropriate action is taken to support learners and apprentices.  The `Prevent’ duty risk assessment identifies appropriate risks and actions to mitigate risks. It has been scrutinised by a local `Prevent’ duty coordinator to ensure that it is

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Safeguarding

comprehensive and details the risks faced by a multi-site provider. Limited, 12–15 February 2019

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Tutors have high aspirations for their learners and apprentices and are excellent role models. They use their high-level occupational skills and expertise to deliver very well- planned sessions. Learners and apprentices successfully develop, consolidate and deepen their knowledge and skills. For example, they research polymerisation processes and learn about catalysts, activators, initiators, and viscosity of fluids and enamels used during nail service application. They use this knowledge to develop technical skills that they apply expertly in nail salons, demonstrating the high professional standards that their tutors and employers expect.  Tutors provide exceptionally good support to develop learners’ understanding of subject- specific technical concepts and terminology. Learners develop a high standard of knowledge that they use when completing beauty therapy, nail and media make-up treatments. For example, learners have a very good command of the complex range of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

anatomy and physiology terms used in complementary therapies. They can clearly explain the definitions of terms and are acutely aware of how these terms relate to their treatments.  Tutors use the results of the assessment of each learner’s and apprentice’s starting point exceptionally well to plan and provide learning activities that deepen learners’ and apprentices’ knowledge and skills. Tutors skilfully promote independent learning skills by supporting learners and apprentices to set their own targets for improvement. Learners and apprentices routinely check their learning during lessons and this supports their rapid progress in developing their skills and underpinning their knowledge.  Managers and tutors monitor closely the progress that learners and apprentices make and provide them with regular and helpful reviews of their progress. Managers ensure that employers are provided with useful information about the progress of their apprentices.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

Almost all employers are involved in the planning of apprentices’ development needs. Employers greatly value the skills that apprentices develop. Their clients and businesses benefit from the additional treatments that apprentices are able to perform in the workplace.  Teaching of the practical curriculum for learners and apprentices is of a very high quality and closely aligns to workplace roles and responsibilities. For example, in reiki lessons tutors teach learners about the seven chakra points and the corresponding crystals to enable learners and apprentices to perform treatments that meet their clients’ individual needs.  Tutors carefully plan equality and diversity topics and make them specifically relevant to learners’ and apprentices’ programmes. Learners and apprentices develop an excellent understanding of equality and diversity and they are clear about how this applies to their chosen therapies. For example, learners on a level 3 complementary therapy course,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

many of whom are working in care settings, understand the importance of age-related consent when carrying out treatments for young people. In addition, they understand the importance of gaining medical or carers’ consent if they are treating adults who are unable to communicate for themselves.  Tutors provide very clear and constructive feedback that helps learners and apprentices to improve their work rapidly. Their feedback is extremely helpful to learners and Limited, 12–15 February 2019 apprentices, who use it to correct mistakes and expand on their answers. As a result, they produce work that is of a very high standard and make very rapid progress towards achieving their qualifications.  Tutors’ assessment is very effective. Tutors expertly assess learners’ and apprentices’ understanding during practical lessons. The assessment encourages learners and skilfully extends their knowledge. However, in a small minority of apprenticeship theory lessons,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

tutors’ assessment is insufficiently rigorous. In these sessions, tutors use superficial questioning that does not deepen apprentices’ technical understanding sufficiently.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

 Learners develop excellent skills for employment that support them to get a job and progress to further studies. For example, learners in level 2 make-up artistry develop excellent communication skills by presenting their research findings about client contraindications to their peers. They present confidently with professionalism and respond very well to peer challenge and questioning.  Learners and apprentices are very motivated to learn. They quickly develop their confidence and take pride in their practical work. Learners and apprentices are very well organised and prepare effectively for their treatments. They demonstrate an excellent understanding of industry-specific practice. For example, level 2 learners complete client consultation forms with external clients. They confidently discuss contraindications and provide relevant skin care advice for their clients.  Learners develop very good vocational skills and demonstrate high-level professional

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

behaviours required for work. For example, in the early stages of their course, learners on level 3 complementary therapies have developed the fundamental reflexology skills and have begun to use these skills with clients in the commercial salons. Learners and apprentices develop the very effective social skills that are required to hold conversations with their clients during treatments.  Learners and apprentices receive very effective careers advice and guidance that support them to make informed choices about their next steps. A very high proportion of learners go on to get jobs, work for themselves or continue with their education. Learners in level 3 complementary therapies receive good support to write a business plan. They also benefit from support with insurance, spreadsheets and basic book keeping to enable them to gain the necessary skills required for self-employment.  Learners and apprentices take part in high-quality enrichment activities and work-related

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

courses that support the development of the vocationally relevant skills that they need to be successful employees. Employers and their businesses benefit greatly from the specialist skills that learners and apprentices develop on their programme. For example, learners on level 3 make-up courses were responsible for the make-up of the cast at the local theatre production of `Cats’.  Learners and apprentices feel safe and are safe. They understand how to respond to any immediate danger posed by acts of terrorism using the `run, hide, tell’ technique. Most learners have a good awareness of the wider risks associated with radicalisation and extremism. However, a small minority of apprentices are unclear on the implications of radicalisation and extremism on their working lives. Limited, 12–15 February 2019  Learners and apprentices attend well and arrive at their lessons ready to learn. In a small minority of lessons, attendance is low. However, when learners and apprentices miss a

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

lesson, they attend additional evening or weekend sessions to catch up on the work.

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Outcomes for learners Outstanding

 Learners make excellent progress from their starting points and in the development of their vocational knowledge and skills. Almost all learners stay to the end of their course and achieve their qualifications.  A very high proportion of learners progress to employment or self-employment on completion of their course. In the current academic year, two thirds of learners who have progressed into employment have done so to industry-relevant destinations.  Of the learners who do not enter employment, a high proportion progress to the next level of study. In 2017/18, almost a fifth of learners progressed to further study in beauty and complementary therapies.  The standard of learners’ and apprentices’ work is excellent. Learners and apprentices take pride in both their practical and portfolio work. They conduct high-quality treatments, are very professional and demonstrate strong industry practice.

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Outcomes for learners Outstanding

 A high proportion of the small number of apprentices who have completed their apprenticeships in the current year have achieved their qualifications. The very large majority of apprentices make positive contributions to their workplace and retain their jobs.  A small minority of learners on level 2 courses in 2017/18 did not achieve their qualifications. Leaders and managers have taken successful action to improve information, advice and guidance and the curriculum on level 2 courses. Retention on these courses has improved and is now high.

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Adult learning programmes Outstanding

 At the time of inspection, 303 learners were studying level 2 courses in beauty therapy, complementary therapies or media and make-up. A further 289 were studying level 3 courses in these subjects and five learners were taking higher-level qualifications.  Leaders and managers develop and maintain excellent relationships with prestigious local and regional employers to inform curriculum development. They use these relationships to enhance and adapt the curriculum to meet changing industry demands. Learners very successfully develop the knowledge and skills needed to work in the beauty industry and, as a result, a high proportion are successful in gaining employment.  Learners are enthusiastic and keen to learn. They meet the very high expectations of personal presentation and professionalism required in lessons and work. Learners develop excellent communication skills for work and rapidly improve their confidence working

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Adult learning programmes Outstanding

alongside their peers and with clients. Limited, 12–15 February 2019  Tutors and assessors are very well qualified. They use their knowledge and experience well and make very effective use of the very well-resourced centres to ensure that learners develop beauty and complementary therapy skills to a high standard. For example, in make-up artistry, learners use high-quality make-up products to produce day, evening and occasion looks for clients. Learners carefully take into consideration client contraindications and select products that are appropriate to their clients’ skin type.  Leaders and managers have a very well-developed strategy to provide training to disadvantaged and unemployed learners. Tutors provide very effective support to remove barriers to learning. They improve learners’ motivation and support learners to develop a sense of purpose. Tutors champion ambitious outcomes for these learners and, as a

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Adult learning programmes Outstanding

result, the very large majority progress into work or further study on completion of their course.  Tutors use their up-to-date industry knowledge and expertise to develop high-quality teaching and learning activities. As a result, learners develop the skills and behaviours that they need to work in the industry. For example, in practical massage sessions learners discuss client expectations and use their knowledge of oils to make recommendations to clients about which are the most suitable based on the outcome they require from their treatment.  Leaders and managers engage effectively with the local community through work with local charities, including women’s groups, mental health charities, hospices and a local school for the blind. They use their partnerships with these agencies to provide a good range of opportunities for learners to practise their beauty therapy skills while supporting those in need. As a result, learners make very positive contributions to their local

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Adult learning programmes Outstanding

community.  Tutors use detailed information about learners’ starting points very effectively to provide learning that meets learners’ individual needs. They use this information to set challenging individual targets, so that all learners make the progress of which they are capable and go on to achieve their aspirations.  Tutors provide learners with very comprehensive and effective reviews of their progress. Their feedback challenges and motivates learners to improve their skills. As a result, learners develop their confidence and self-belief and make outstanding progress towards achieving their qualifications.  A small minority of learners with a previously poor educational experience do not make fast enough progress in improving their English and mathematics skills. A minority of tutors lack the skills and experience needed to integrate the development of English and mathematics skills effectively into the learning programmes.

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Apprenticeships Good

 At the time of inspection, 68 apprentices were studying on framework apprenticeships, 25 at level 2 and 43 at level 3. Most apprentices are employed by local businesses and a few by national companies. All apprentices are working in the beauty and complementary therapies industry and attend the training centre for their off-the-job training.  The provision fully meets the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship programme. Leaders and managers work effectively with employers to recruit new Limited, 12–15 February 2019 apprentices and plan the programme of study to meet their business needs. For example, managers at a local health spa have worked with centre managers at the provider to recruit new apprentices to meet an increasing demand for body massage.  Apprentices benefit from being employed by high-quality employers, many with very well- resourced salons and health spas. Employers value the contribution that apprentices

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Apprenticeships Good

make to their business and the very professional behaviours that they develop as a result of their apprenticeship.  Well-qualified and experienced assessors use their skills to set high expectations of apprentices and deliver high-quality learning activities. Staff benefit from regular professional development that supports the currency of their own practice in a fast- moving industry. Tutors use their own learning to teach apprentices up-to-date and relevant industry skills in new treatments and techniques to prepare them well for the workplace.  Tutors use interesting and stimulating learning activities that enable apprentices to make good progress in the development of skills and knowledge. Tutors train apprentices to a high industry standard, which enables apprentices to contribute positively to the workplace. For example, apprentices build a client base in the provider’s commercial salons to practise their skills until they are qualified as therapists and can perform full

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Apprenticeships Good

treatments in work.  The large majority of assessors plan timely assessments in the salon that enable apprentices to demonstrate their new knowledge and skills. For example, on level 2 beauty therapy, apprentices develop new vocational skills in manicure, pedicure and nail art and use these in the workplace to provide high-quality nail services to clients.  Apprentices demonstrate safe working practices and high standards of health, safety and hygiene when working in the salons. They know how to keep themselves safe when working alone with clients.  Tutors inform employers of the progress that apprentices make through their involvement in progress reviews. Tutors ensure that employers use this information to provide apprentices with opportunities to apply their new skills at work. As a result, most apprentices make good progress. For a small minority of apprentices in nail care, the sequencing of in-salon practical skills development occurs before the off-the-job

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Apprenticeships Good

theoretical knowledge has been taught. This leads to short delays in apprentices’ ability to practise their skills in the workplace.  Apprentices benefit from opportunities to apply their English and mathematics skills in their off-the-job training. However, the small number of apprentices taking qualifications in English and mathematics do not attend well enough. Limited, 12–15 February 2019

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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 Principal/CEO Karen Lee Cooke

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Provider details

Website www.whiterosebeautycolleges.co.uk

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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

- - - 303 - 289 - 5 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+ 23 2 36 7 - - 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: - Limited, 12–15 February 2019

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the assistant principal 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, assessments and progress reviews and adopted a case- study approach to measure learner progress. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

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Inspection team

Sarah Stabler, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Margaret Garai Ofsted Inspector Limited, 12–15 February 2019 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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