Cogent Skills Training Limited

Cogent Skills Training Limited Monitoring visit report

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Type of provider: Not for profit organisation

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Address:

5 Mandarin Court Warrington WA1 1GG Monitoring visit: Cogent Skills Training Limited, 20–21 March 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 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 themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Cogent Skills Training Limited (CST) began to receive public funding for training apprentices through the apprenticeship levy in August 2017. Previously, CST trained apprentices for other training organisations as a subcontractor. CST offers apprenticeship training in three vocational areas. These areas are life and industrial sciences, business management, engineering and manufacturing. Apprenticeships are offered at levels 2 to 5. The company currently has 106 levy-funded apprentices on standards-based apprenticeships. Around half of the current apprentices are enrolled on science and laboratory technician apprenticeships. The provider works with employers across England.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not ensure that they meet all the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship. The amount of off-the-job training is insufficient for too many apprentices. Leaders and managers have not ensured that all employers are fully committed to ensuring that employees receive enough time to enable them to take part in high-quality training and development activities. Employers frequently cancel training sessions. Consequently, too many apprentices make slow progress. A small minority of apprentices do not realise they are enrolled on an apprenticeship.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not ensure that all apprentices develop sufficient new skills, knowledge or behaviours. They have been slow to address weaknesses in arrangements to gather information about employees’ prior skills and vocational experience. As a result, the information that trainers collect on apprentices’ starting points is not always used to ensure that they enrol on the right programme. Apprentices have often been in their current job role for many years and too many are accomplishing little more than accrediting their pre-existing skills. Monitoring visit: Cogent Skills Training Limited, 20–21 March 2019 Governance is not yet effective. The governing body do not receive enough information on the progress that apprentices make in order to challenge senior managers effectively. The reports that senior leaders provide to governors do not focus on the quality of training and learning. Consequently, the governing body do

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Insufficient progress

not have a good understanding of apprenticeship programmes, the quality of them or whether they fully meet the principles and requirements of apprenticeships. Very recently, senior managers have introduced additional checks and processes to improve their understanding of the quality of apprenticeships and to start to rectify weaknesses. However, it is too early to assess the impact of these measures.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders have effective working relationships with employers across the science industries. They have developed a curriculum and delivery models that reflect the needs of many employers. For example, apprentice laboratory technicians benefit from interactive and convenient online training sessions.

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Insufficient progress

Managers do not ensure that all apprentices benefit from well planned on- and off- the-job training that meets their specific development and employment needs. Managers do not ensure that all employers are sufficiently involved in planning training for their employees. Where employers do provide time for off-the-job training, this often lacks structure and clarity. Trainers do not always plan sessions with employers to ensure that apprentices are able to engage in interesting and meaningful activities that develop the new skills and knowledge they need to gain.

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Insufficient progress

Too many apprentices make less than expected progress in developing new vocational skills, knowledge and behaviours. Managers have only recently identified that arrangements to assess apprentices’ starting points have been ineffective. As a result, trainers and assessors do not plan learning that builds on apprentices’ existing skills, experience and understanding of topics.

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Insufficient progress

Managers arrangements to check apprentices’ progress are weak. They do not ensure that all employers have a clear understanding of the progress that their employees make. Targets set for apprentices, by trainers, do not help them to make substantial progress. Targets are often limited to completing assignments rather than helping apprentices to develop the specific knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to develop to become more competent, effective and professional in their work role.

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Insufficient progress

Most apprentice laboratory technicians benefit from training that develops their understanding of chemicals, testing, contamination and specialised equipment. For example, apprentices can use specialist laboratory equipment in order to determine if Monitoring visit: Cogent Skills Training Limited, 20–21 March 2019 samples of used cooking oil are suitable to be reprocessed into bio-diesel fuel. Most apprentices understand the assessment requirements at the end of their programme.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers take the necessary steps to ensure that apprentices are safe. They ensure that there are safe recruitment procedures in place and carry out the appropriate checks on staff who work on the apprenticeship programme. The designated safeguarding officer is qualified at the appropriate level. Managers responsible for safeguarding understand they need to work with external agencies when necessary. Staff benefit from training in safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers implement appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures. They ensure that staff and apprentices know how to report any concerns. Managers have rigorous processes in place to record and investigate any safeguarding incidents. They have a clear policy which does not tolerate bullying in the workplace. In the very small number of instances this occurred they worked swiftly with the employer to resolve the issues effectively.

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Reasonable progress

There are stringent health and safety processes in place in the workplace which apprentices follow closely. Most apprentices have a good understanding of radicalisation and extremism and how it applies to them in the science industries. Apprentices benefit from support from CST and their employer. For example, CST and employers organise counselling and medical support for apprentices with mental health needs. Monitoring visit: Cogent Skills Training Limited, 20–21 March 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

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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 .

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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

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Reasonable progress

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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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