Think Employment Limited

Think Employment Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Steve Hunsley, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

140 Victoria Street Grimsby DN31 1NX Monitoring visit: Think Employment Limited, 28 to 29 May 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

Think Employment Limited (Think Employment) was formed in 2000 and is based in Grimsby. It began the direct delivery of adult learning programmes in the autumn of 2017 and apprenticeships in August 2018. The company offers standards-based apprenticeships in digital marketing. It also offers English, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT) courses for unemployed learners, and courses in business administration, care, customer service, hospitality, and retail at level 1. Think Employment currently has eight apprentices and around 250 adult learners based in its centres in Grimsby, Hull, Leeds and Stockport.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders and managers ensure that apprenticeships are planned effectively and meet the requirements and principles of an apprenticeship. They ensure that employers understand fully the on- and off-the-job training requirements of an apprenticeship. This training includes useful classroom sessions, master classes with industrial experts and work-related projects. Apprentices gain substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to work in the digital marketing sector.

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Reasonable progress

Managers recruit apprentices with integrity. They match apprenticeships with employers’ needs and job roles effectively. Assessors liaise appropriately with employers, who ensure that apprentices gain the required work-related knowledge, skills and behaviours expected in their job roles.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have a good overview of the progress that apprentices make. They work closely with assessors and employers to ensure that apprentices are on target to achieve by their planned end date.

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Reasonable progress

Managers ensure that tutors and assessors have the specialisms that they require to support apprentices to make good progress. Tutors and assessors are appropriately Monitoring visit: Think Employment Limited, 28 to 29 May 2019 qualified. They use their experience and expertise effectively in order to support apprentices to improve their work and develop their knowledge, skills, understanding and behaviours.

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Reasonable progress

As a consequence of a recent company restructure, managers now hold tutors and assessors to account more rigorously for the performance of their apprentices. Their knowledge of the provision is good. They have identified quickly and accurately the areas that need to improve. For example, they have introduced higher expectations of apprentices’ attendance and behaviour. This has resulted in a more supportive learning culture and has had a positive impact on apprentices’ progress.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders and managers work effectively with employers to provide good opportunities for apprentices to gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected in the busy environment of a digital marketing office. Apprentices become valuable members of the workforce quickly and gain the specialisms that contribute to employers’ businesses.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors identify apprentices’ starting points effectively. They make good use of this information to plan carefully programmes that are achievable by the planned end dates. Assessors work efficiently to support apprentices to prepare for end-point assessment and to complete their project work.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices make at least the progress expected of them and complete their work on time. Effective teaching and industrial specialist master classes provide apprentices with up-to-date information on the effectiveness and importance of high- quality digital marketing techniques. Apprentices understand and swiftly acquire the behaviours that they are expected to demonstrate in a working environment designed for the use of information technology.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors monitor closely apprentices’ progress and achievements. They hold valuable discussions with apprentices to support their progress. However, a minority of employers are not involved sufficiently in planning and reviewing the work that apprentices complete and in identifying what apprentices need to do next.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders and managers ensure that adult learning programmes are well planned. They focus effectively on helping unemployed adults to develop the Monitoring visit: Think Employment Limited, 28 to 29 May 2019 knowledge, skills and understanding that they need to gain employment or progress to further training. Learners improve their self-confidence and are able to communicate and work as part of a team.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors have a good understanding of their learners’ needs. They provide effective support and challenge to meet the needs of most learners. Tutors take great care to understand the personal goals and career aspirations that learners have at the start of their course. They make sure that learning programmes are meaningful and worthwhile in preparing learners for employment.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have developed effective relationships with external agencies and partners, for example Jobcentre Plus. They provide courses that meet the needs of local communities and employers in Grimsby, Hull, Leeds and Greater Manchester. They ensure that courses are available at all the centres, which makes them easily accessible for learners. For example, managers started vocational courses in customer service to meet the demand for new staff at an expanding international airport. Managers’ close working with partners in Greater Manchester has enabled adult learners to gain relevant knowledge, skills and employment in the care sector.

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Reasonable progress

Adult learners who have not been in education for some time make good progress with the development of their English, mathematics and ICT knowledge and skills. As a result, learners are more confident in producing their curriculum vitae and searching and applying for jobs online. Tutors’ support is highly effective and helps learners understand how they can improve the standard of their work.

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Reasonable progress

In a very few lessons, tutors do not correct learners’ mistakes swiftly enough. For example, learners in these lessons who work through English and mathematics workbooks are often unaware of the mistakes that they make when working individually. Too often, feedback in these lessons does not help learners to develop the specific knowledge and skills that they need to make good progress.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders and managers ensure that effective safeguarding arrangements are in place. The safeguarding lead and designated officer implement Think Employment’s policies and procedures effectively to keep apprentices and learners safe.

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Reasonable progress

Managers ensure that safe recruitment processes are followed efficiently when they appoint new staff. Staff receive regular updates about the ‘Prevent’ duty and about keeping young people and vulnerable adults safe. Tutors who teach on adult learning programmes demonstrate a very effective understanding of their learners’ diverse backgrounds and the issues that they may face in their daily lives.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices and adult learners know how and to whom they should report any safeguarding concerns. They learn in very safe and secure environments and feel Monitoring visit: Think Employment Limited, 28 to 29 May 2019 safe in the learning centres. Adult learners benefit from the recently introduced opportunity to attend weekly workshops where learners from different courses discuss relevant aspects of the ‘Prevent’ duty and how these can affect their daily lives. Monitoring visit: Think Employment Limited, 28 to 29 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

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Reasonable progress

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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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 looked after children, 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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Reasonable progress

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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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