Acacia Training and Development Ltd

Acacia Training and Development Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Helen Flint, HMI

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

10 Sawrey Street Millbay Plymouth PL1 3LA Monitoring visit: Acacia Training and Development Ltd, 2 May 2019

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Context and focus of visit

Acacia Training and Development Limited (ATD) was inspected in March 2018. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in addressing the main areas for improvement identified at the time of the last full inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

ATD remains a wholly owned subsidiary of Somerset Care Limited and has learners across the south-west, mostly in Devon and Somerset. There are training centres in Plymouth and Taunton. Most learners are apprentices, the large majority of which are working in health and social care or childcare. There are a small number of apprentices working in business administration, management, hairdressing and accountancy. ATD subcontracts a small proportion of apprenticeship provision in health and social care, childcare, refrigeration and hairdressing. Most apprentices study either at level 2 or level 3, and a small number at level 4 or level 5.

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Context and focus of visit

ATD provides courses for adults in Plymouth. These are mostly short courses in subjects such as business and health and social care, or functional skills. ATD also offers courses to help people who are unemployed to gain skills or find work.

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Reasonable progress

The comprehensive improvement strategy introduced by senior managers after the previous inspection is having a positive impact on the quality of provision. A series of working groups is now addressing the main areas for improvement effectively. The groups are also contributing well to the self-assessment process by identifying further actions required for improvement.

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Reasonable progress

Senior managers have successfully implemented revised quality assurance systems. They have ensured that these are better understood and used more effectively by managers and staff. As a result, all staff have an improved and more realistic understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their provision. They also better understand the part they play in driving improvement. For example, assessors of health and social care standards apprenticeships have improved their understanding of new apprenticeship standards because of carefully focused training. Managers have also purchased additional resources to improve the administration of programmes and support apprentices’ learning. Monitoring visit: Acacia Training and Development Ltd, 2 May 2019 Managers, including ATD’s board, regularly monitor the action plans they receive. These plans are useful in informing senior managers of the progress being made, but

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Reasonable progress

senior managers do not link these actions plans together or identify the impact of ongoing actions sufficiently well to fully inform their decision making. They do not use their self-assessment process report to evaluate their provision critically enough.

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Reasonable progress

Managers now meet regularly to monitor the progress made in each adult and apprenticeship programme at each level. They have a full awareness of the achievement and attendance of learners.

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Reasonable progress

Learners, apprentices and employers are clear about the new skills and knowledge developed as a result of ATD courses. Adult learners gain confidence in contributing in the classroom and finding employment.

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Reasonable progress

Staff now provide apprentices with more useful and individual off-the-job training which apprentices and employers value. For example, level 5 health and social care apprentices attend workshops at the Taunton centre which successfully improve and extend their skills and knowledge. They gain a deeper knowledge of policies and procedures which they apply effectively in care homes. The challenging off-the-job training provided for level 3 accountancy apprentices at the Plymouth centre successfully stimulates their interest in the subjects they study. They develop their technical vocabulary and their understanding of taxation, which they use well in the workplace. Level 2 refrigeration apprentices undertake complex tasks which prepare them well for moving on to level 3.

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Reasonable progress

ATD staff provide a large proportion of off-the-job training for apprentices in the workplace. Staff now visit apprentices more frequently than in the past. They set and assess apprentices’ work frequently and monitor apprentices’ completion of tasks effectively. As a result, apprentices gain new knowledge, skills and behaviours which they use well at work. For example, level 2 health and social care apprentices gain a detailed awareness of the personal needs of residents. These apprentices are well equipped with the right skills to manage clients with different behavioural challenges. Level 2 hairdressing apprentices develop their skills in colouring, perming and blow- drying hair to salon standard; level 4 business management apprentices produce high standards of written work, evaluating different business communication theories.

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Reasonable progress

Not all assessors or tutors set apprentices or adult learners work which challenges them to think more deeply, and some tasks are too easy. Assessors do not always make effective use of their real work experience to enliven and enrich discussions Monitoring visit: Acacia Training and Development Ltd, 2 May 2019 with apprentices. As a result, not all apprentices are yet producing work at the standard of which they are capable.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, staff have developed useful resources for English and mathematics functional skills which more closely reflect the knowledge and skills needed by apprentices in their workplaces. For example, an English activity for childcare apprentices was themed around World Book Day. Functional skills tutors now visit apprentices in the workplace to assess their progress in English and mathematics and set them carefully chosen work to improve their skills. Additionally, tutors provide individual tuition in the centres, which now focuses effectively on the specific skills needed by apprentices, for example writing care plans.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors now capture apprentices’ development in English and mathematics in more useful and detailed action plans, which they use to set appropriate targets to help apprentices make progress towards their qualifications. Assessors’ feedback on written work now identifies more effectively how apprentices can improve their writing skills.

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Reasonable progress

More apprentices are developing important communications skills than previously, which employers value. These include giving business presentations, dealing with clients and producing written reports. However, assessors are yet to involve employers regularly in detailed discussions on the progress of apprentices’ English and mathematics skills.

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Reasonable progress

Staff do not always make clear to new apprentices how their skills in English and mathematics will be developed. Managers have invested recently in new software to assess apprentices’ English and mathematics knowledge at the start of their apprenticeships. Managers plan to use this system to determine what help apprentices need to improve their knowledge.

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Reasonable progress

Staff are not yet developing the wider skills and knowledge of apprentices who have already attained the qualifications they need. However, a small proportion of apprentices who have achieved level 1 functional skills qualifications go on to study at level 2, even if it is not a requirement of their apprenticeship. Monitoring visit: Acacia Training and Development Ltd, 2 May 2019

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Reasonable progress

Managers now monitor the progress apprentices make through their qualifications effectively. They identify apprentices who are falling behind or taking too long to complete their apprenticeships. They put appropriate interventions in place to help these apprentices to catch up. As a result, managers are successfully reducing the numbers of apprentices who have not completed their apprenticeship within the time they are allowed.

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Reasonable progress

A higher proportion of apprentices have achieved their apprenticeship so far this year than at the same point last year. The first small cohort of accountancy apprentices on standards-based apprenticeships have now completed, two-thirds of whom achieved distinctions.

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Reasonable progress

A large majority of apprentices have completed their functional skills in English and mathematics. Managers are aware of individual apprentices’ achievements in these subjects. However, they do not yet routinely monitor or analyse the overall performance of apprentices at different levels to help them determine further areas for improvement.

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Reasonable progress

Senior managers have successfully reduced the large number of apprentices who are taking a break in learning from their apprenticeships. They are now more stringent in applying the criteria for agreeing such suspensions. Although around a tenth of apprentices are currently on a break in learning, many of these are on maternity leave.

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Insufficient progress

Managers have recently introduced a process for capturing what happens to learners and apprentices once they have completed their courses at ATD. This is effective for adult learners on employability programmes but is not yet embedded for apprentices or adults on other courses. Managers do not routinely gather and analyse information on what apprentices go on to do next and so are not able to evaluate the success of their apprenticeships.

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Insufficient progress

Staff gather useful feedback from apprentices and employers on the impact of training for current apprentices. Managers use this information effectively to make appropriate changes to their courses or to provide better support for apprentices in the workplace. Monitoring visit: Acacia Training and Development Ltd, 2 May 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 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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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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