Quality Transport Training

Further education and skills inspection report

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Quality Transport Training Ltd 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

 Tutors do not prepare learners sufficiently well to enter employment, and the proportion of learners securing jobs is too low.  Learners do not develop sufficiently high-level and relevant skills in English, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT), and this restricts their ability to work more effectively or to move on to further learning.  Tutors do not deepen learners’ vocational knowledge and understanding beyond that required to pass qualifications. As a result, many learners do not reach their potential.  Staff do not offer useful careers information, advice and guidance to learners before they complete their programmes.  Learners do not have a sufficiently in-depth understanding of British values, e-safety and safeguarding.  Leaders and managers have not established sound management functions to help them drive up the quality of the learners’ experience.  Leaders do not know what learners do after they

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Summary of key findings

have completed their courses. As a result, they are unable to evaluate their success or use this information to inform future planning.  Governance arrangements are not sufficiently well established or formalised to enable appropriate support and challenge for the improvement of the provision.  Tutors do not accurately identify the starting points and support needs of learners, which prevents them from planning learning to challenge learners to make the progress of which they are capable.

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Summary of key findings

The provider has the following strengths  Most learners stay on their programmes, attend regularly, enjoy learning and gain qualifications.  Staff have good vocational knowledge and experience. They are well qualified and develop learners’ practical skills effectively.  One-to-one support for learners is effective in helping them to achieve their qualifications.  Collaboration with referral agencies and partners is strong, and this helps learners with a range of barriers to access valuable training.  The courses on offer meet local skills shortages.

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Information about the provider

 Quality Transport Training Ltd (QTT) is based in Lichfield, Staffordshire. The company was established in 2007 and has worked as a subcontractor for further education colleges and prison education. It secured a publicly funded contract to provide learning through advanced learning loans in 2016 and for adult learning programmes in August 2017. The company delivers learning to unemployed learners in Birmingham from its academy in Erdington and from a leisure centre.  QTT has delivered level 2 qualifications in warehousing, forklift truck operations and fitness instructing for the past two years. It now also offers a level 1 qualification in construction. In the current year to date, 214 learners have been funded through adult education and 14 through advanced learning loans. Due to the way the funding is allocated, only five level 3 learners with advanced learning loans were in learning during the inspection week.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that tutors: – identify learners’ starting points accurately, including their prior knowledge and skills, personal barriers to learning, and support needs – plan and provide learning that challenges and deepens learners’ knowledge and enhances their skills – offer constructive feedback to learners on their written work that helps them to improve the standard of their work and achieve their potential.  Ensure learners are better prepared for, and gain, employment by: – reviving previously good links with employers to which learners might be referred – working closely with agencies such as Jobcentre Plus and drug and alcohol advisory services to offer work coaching and information on the next steps learners take once they complete their qualifications – offering helpful information, advice and guidance to learners before they leave their

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

programmes so that they continue into jobs or further study.  Tutors should consolidate and extend learners’ skills in English, mathematics and ICT so that they develop the skills required for their job roles and produce a good standard of written work.  Leaders and managers should: – provide high-quality staff training, coaching and support to tutors to enhance their skills in teaching, learning and assessment – focus on measuring the impact of teaching on learners’ skills development during lesson observations – devise an effective quality-improvement plan to improve the learners’ experience.  Strengthen and formalise governance arrangements to ensure that leaders and managers have access to appropriate support and challenge in their efforts to improve the quality of provision.  Ensure learners’ knowledge of British values and e-safety is more secure and that they can apply this learning more reliably to their daily lives.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 The arrangements to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment require improvement to be effective. Managers carry out an observation of teaching, learning and assessment for every tutor at least once a year but do not evaluate sufficiently their impact on the learners’ experience. The focus of their observations is on measuring the tutors’ input rather than on the progress learners make and on what they learn during the lessons. In the action points from the lesson observations, managers do not clearly identify what and how the tutors need to improve.  Performance management is not good enough because managers do not set themselves or tutors clear, measurable targets to improve the quality of learning or job outcomes. Staff development is not focused sufficiently on improving classroom practice and the skills of the tutors.  Staff are well qualified and experienced and have good knowledge of the industries in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

which they work. All have teaching and assessing qualifications. Most have qualifications in advice and guidance. However, QTT does not have enough suitably experienced staff to teach English and mathematics.  Employer engagement requires improvement as the proportion of learners securing employment remains low. Although the company has strong links with some major employers in warehousing and logistics, managers have not used them well enough to enable learners to secure jobs. Managers do not make sufficient use of their links with their referral partners, work coaches and staff at the Jobcentre Plus offices to obtain accurate information on the learners’ backgrounds, support needs and the job outcomes they achieve at the end of their training.  Managers have established strong mechanisms to support learners to complete their qualifications. They offer them valuable additional one-to-one tuition and provide for their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

licences at a cost to the company. This improves learners’ chances of gaining employment.  Managers have identified all areas for improvement in their self-assessment report. However, they were generous in their grading as they claimed that all key judgements were good.  Managers do not collect data on the participation of learners from various ethnic groups and age groups, and period of unemployment. As a result, they are unable to determine if there are any gaps in achievement or progression into work for any groups of learners.  Quality improvement is neither systematic nor precise. The quality improvement plan is focused on improving processes and completing actions. Managers do not clearly state with precise targets which aspects of the learners’ experience they wish to improve.  As a result of feedback from partners, managers have run briefing and taster sessions on their programmes at several job centres. Staff make changes to the provision in response

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

to requests from learners.  Leaders and managers promote equality and diversity well. For example, learners are respectful of each other in classes and work well in diverse groups.  Leaders and managers use detailed labour market information from agencies such as the West Midlands Combined Authority and Jobcentre Plus to design vocational training programmes that meet the needs of learners and employers in the greater Birmingham area. Most learners are undertaking training courses in forklift truck driving, warehousing, construction, fitness and personal training. Programmes prepare learners to seek jobs in areas such as construction, and as fitness instructors or personal trainers in preparation for the Commonwealth Games 2022.  Leaders and managers have designed the level 1 construction programme well in conjunction with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) in order to prepare learners for labouring work on construction sites.

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The governance of the provider

 Current governance arrangements are not well established or sufficiently formalised. They do not enable senior leaders to receive independent scrutiny, support or challenge in order to improve the quality of learning. Although senior managers have sought and benefited from advice and support from colleagues from the colleges from which they subcontract, they have not fully appreciated the requirements of becoming a prime contractor. As a result, several aspects of leadership and management are not fully established.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  QTT has an appropriate safeguarding policy and procedures which are regularly updated, including an effective ‘Prevent’ duty action plan. All staff have gained the necessary awareness of safeguarding and ‘Prevent’.  Leaders and managers undertake rigorous background checks on staff to ensure that they are suitable. Managers have clear procedures to deal with any safeguarding incident.  Managers have appropriate contacts with external agencies and the local ‘Prevent’ officer to make referrals, if required.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The initial assessment of learners’ skills and experience is superficial. Tutors focus only on prior attainment of accredited qualifications and do not take account of learners’ previous experience, skills and knowledge. This means that tutors are not able to design individual learning programmes that sufficiently challenge learners and provide support in good time.  Tutors do not reinforce the English, mathematics and ICT skills of learners systematically. They do not stress the importance of these skills to learners for their current and future roles. For example, a few tutors encourage learners to identify situations where they might use English and mathematics in their workplace, but they fail to check that learners have done what was required of them. Learners are required to take online tests but are not confident at taking the tests. Learners do not have access to ICT to research or create

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

documents and develop these skills.  Staff do not have sufficiently high-level teaching skills, expertise and qualifications to challenge learners to develop a deeper understanding of the topics discussed. They do not question learners closely enough to check that their knowledge and skills are consolidated, and that they are able to apply this learning to their workplaces.  Feedback on learners’ written work requires further improvement. Tutors often give feedback to learners on the completion of units and not on the development of their skills, knowledge and competence. This feedback enables learners to meet the minimum standards of achieving a qualification but does not challenge them to excel at their work.  Practical resources are appropriate for learners in warehousing and forklift truck driving in order for them to develop their skills. Learners on the personal trainer programme and fitness training access a working gym and develop skills in a real working environment.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

They understand the working relationships that they are developing with clients.  Tutors provide good one-to-one support to achieve their qualifications. Many learners receive additional tuition, particularly if they are struggling, to help them achieve. As a result, the standard of learners’ work is at least at the level expected for the qualification. However, tutors do too little to challenge learners to exceed the requirements of their qualifications if they have the potential to do so.  Learners develop valuable practical skills. They demonstrate a good knowledge of their chosen vocation. Learners in warehousing demonstrate a good understanding of positioning goods in such a way as to minimise any risk of damage or injury to personnel. They can explain the purpose of stock control well. Learners in forklift truck driving know how to check that the vehicle has sufficient energy to complete the tasks arranged.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

Fitness instructors demonstrate a good understanding of planning gym-based exercises based on the needs of different clients . Consequently, learners feel confident and are prepared to seek employment or further training.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

 Learners do not receive encouragement to develop English, mathematics and ICT skills. They do not recognise the importance of these skills. Consequently, they do not make enough progress from their starting points to improve these skills in preparation for future employment.  Learners do not receive sufficient information about relevant career pathways, and so they are not well enough prepared for the next steps. For example, too few learners move into work or into apprenticeships. There are too few productive links with employers to develop further opportunities for employment.  Learners do not have good enough knowledge of e-safety or of the risk of radicalisation. For example, learners cannot describe how they stay safe online, or the risks posed to them or their families.  Learners enjoy their learning. They are keen to achieve their qualifications, and they want to develop their knowledge and skills. Learners have a positive attitude to learning. They

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

attend regularly and are punctual to lessons.  The standard of learners’ practical work is high. Learners enjoy their studies, particularly the practical aspects. They are inspired and are proud of their achievements. They develop skills in forklift truck driving, fitness training, construction and warehousing. They demonstrate good knowledge of their chosen vocation.  Learners feel safe and are aware of how to report any concerns. They understand and deploy safe working practices in their workplaces.

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

 Too few learners progress into employment. Although almost all learners achieve their intended qualifications, managers are not aware of how many gain jobs.  Managers are not aware of the number of learners who have moved from the basic to more advanced forklift truck driving qualifications, which restricts learners’ opportunities to secure jobs.  Learners with prior knowledge and experience in the areas of construction and fitness extend their skills and work to industry standards required for future employment in the sector. For example, construction learners learn how to deal with discarded needles on site and with exposure to asbestos. In fitness, learners who already know about using the gym and about general fitness learn about the impact that nutrition has on fitness.  Learners stay on their programmes and almost all achieve qualifications in all programmes, including forklift truck driving, construction, warehousing and retail, and

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

fitness and personal training. The achievement of qualifications for the personal trainer award at level 3 is not as high as in the other industry sectors. A few learners have found the programmes too difficult and have not been able to manage the financial implication of loans.  The standard of learners’ practical work, particularly on fitness programmes, is high. Learners demonstrate a good awareness of health and safety issues relating to them and their chosen vocation. They know how to keep themselves fit and healthy and the impact of poor lifestyle choices. For example, learners work safely with weights and understand the impact of nutrition and exercise on bone density in fitness and personal training.

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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 David Vaughan

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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

- - - - - 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+ - - - - - -- 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 quality manager, 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, and they examined assessments and progress reviews documents. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

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Inspection team

Harmesh Manghra, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kay Hedges 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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