UK Training & Development Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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UK Training & Development Limited Independent Learning Provider

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement Apprenticeships 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 Inadequate

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Summary of key findings

This is a provider that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings

 Leaders have yet to ensure that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good.  Not enough apprentices achieve their qualifications or achieve high grades.  Managers do not provide prompt help for those apprentices who have specific learning difficulties.  Tutors do not do enough to help apprentices improve their written English skills.  Tutors often do not provide effective ongoing careers advice and guidance to apprentices. Consequently, apprentices are unclear about the range of opportunities available to them once they have completed their learning.

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Summary of key findings

The provider has the following strengths

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Summary of key findings

 Leaders have ensured that the arrangements for safeguarding apprentices are now effective.  Leaders and staff work highly effectively in partnership with employers. As a result, the tasks and activities learners undertake while at work successfully complement the training they complete.  Leaders have greatly improved the rigour with which they monitor the quality of provision.  Apprentices rapidly develop good practical hairdressing and barbering skills that meet the high standards of the industry.  Apprentices are confident and self-assured at work. They develop excellent working relationships with colleagues and clients.

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Information about the provider

UK Training and Development Limited (UKTD) is based in Hemel Hempstead and was established in 1998. UKTD predominantly offer apprenticeships in hairdressing and barbering, with a very small number of apprentices on business or customer services apprenticeships. At the time of inspection, 198 were on intermediate standards-based apprenticeships and 111 on higher apprenticeship frameworks. Almost two thirds of apprentices with UKTD are 16 to 18 years old. Apprentices are based across the UK: the largest proportion are in the East of England.

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Rapidly increase the proportion of apprentices who achieve their qualifications.  Leaders should swiftly improve the quality of teaching and learning, by: – focusing on learners and the quality of their learning when observing training – accurately identifying and providing the specific training required for individual tutors to improve their teaching skills – ensuring that tutors share existing best practice in teaching and learning.  Ensure that apprentices are provided with ongoing impartial careers guidance about the full range of options available to them when they complete their studies.  Provide further training for tutors to enable them to help apprentices quickly improve their skills in written English.  Use more challenging activities to enable apprentices to make more rapid progress towards achieving high grades.  Identify apprentices’ specific learning needs more promptly and provide effective, timely

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What does the provider need to do to improve further?

support to enable them to make good progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Although leaders have dealt effectively with many of the weaknesses from the previous inspection, there remain aspects which require further improvement for provision to be good.  Leaders have not established a clear and consistent approach to quality improvement. For example, they do not set measurable success criteria or target completion dates for their improvement actions. Staff are not effectively involved in improvement planning. Leaders do not ensure that staff are clear about their targets or how they contribute to the overall improvement process.  Leaders’ actions have not improved the quality of teaching, learning and assessment rapidly enough. Leaders have made improvements in how they monitor quality. For example, they use a wide range of performance data to identify areas for development. However, their actions have not yet had enough impact for teaching, learning and assessment to be consistently good.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders have put in place effective staff training and coaching to remedy the weaknesses inspectors identified at the previous inspection. Staff benefit from this training and value the opportunity to develop their skills as trainers. However, when observing training, managers do not focus sufficiently on learning. As a result, they often do not set specific or useful improvement actions for tutors or use this information to inform future staff training.  Leaders’ actions to improve apprentices’ understanding of life in modern Britain have had limited impact. While leaders have ensured that staff have an adequate understanding, they have yet to ensure that apprentices’ understanding is good.  Leaders and staff work very effectively with employers to provide programmes that meet apprentices’ and employers’ training needs fully. Salon owners and managers are well informed about their apprentices’ progress. They know the knowledge and skills their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

apprentices are working towards developing, and the requirements of the apprenticeship programme. As a result of leaders’ interventions, employers provide good-quality training in the workplace.  Leaders effectively monitor the progress that apprentices make. Senior leaders hold staff at all levels to account and expect them to intervene quickly and help apprentices at risk of not achieving to catch up with their learning. Consequently, current apprentices are making better progress than they were at the previous inspection.

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The governance of the provider

 Governance arrangements are effective. Leaders have made clear improvements in governance since the previous inspection. They hold senior leaders to account in improving the quality of provision and use external scrutiny usefully to reflect on further improvements required.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders have made clear and demonstrable improvements in safeguarding arrangements. As a result, apprentices are safe and feel safe. Leaders provide useful, clear and detailed guidance to staff, employers and apprentices on safeguarding arrangements, and ensure that their guidance is acted upon. Tutors work well with apprentices to help them understand the importance of safeguarding.  Leaders have introduced a very informative apprentices’ handbook. This contains a range of exercises that help apprentices improve their understanding of wider aspects of personal safety. For example, how to keep safe on a night out, safe use of social media and general e-safety. Tutors routinely plan these activities into the apprenticeship programmes and apprentices have a good understanding of these aspects.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Tutors often do not have high enough expectations of what apprentices can achieve. Tutors do not promote the achievement of high grades to apprentices on standards-based apprenticeships, for example by setting more challenging tasks and activities for apprentices. Apprentices who are most able are not pushed to strive for excellence.  Tutors do not use the range of information available on apprentices’ starting points to make sure they make rapid progress on all aspects of their programme. While apprentices gain excellent practical skills in hairdressing, they do not deepen their understanding of the underpinning theory or make good progress towards achieving functional skills English and mathematics qualifications where relevant.  Tutors often do not correct apprentices’ written work when errors are made in their use of English. Apprentices produce written work over time that contains repeated spelling and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

grammatical mistakes. Too much written feedback from tutors contains similar errors.  Managers do not act quickly to provide help for those apprentices with specific and additional learning requirements. As a result, these apprentices do not make rapid progress, particularly in English and mathematics qualifications. Staff have had training in how to recognise specific learning needs, such as dyslexia. However, the help they provide is often too slow to ensure that apprentices achieve their potential.  Tutors’ advice to apprentices on the skills and knowledge they are developing does not provide the specific detail needed by apprentices to reach high grades. In a few cases, grades awarded by tutors are too high for the standard of work assessed. Tutors do not always help apprentices develop reflective skills. Apprentices describe the work they have completed within their salons in daily learning journals, but do not evaluate their learning

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

from these activities. Consequently, too many apprentices do not accurately identify the skills and knowledge that they need to develop further.  Apprentices develop good skills in hairdressing in high-quality salon environments. Apprentices progress steadily towards their learning goals and future careers within the hairdressing industry. Tutors use a variety of activities which maintain apprentices’ interest. For example, apprentices develop a good understanding of high texture in relation to colouring theory by handling different types of colour products.  Tutors apply their vocational expertise very successfully to enable apprentices to develop technical understanding about the craft of hairdressing. As a result, apprentices link theory appropriately to their practical activities. For example, during client consultations, apprentices accurately carry out the elasticity and porosity tests that they learned in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

theory lessons. They confidently test the suitability of hair for different colouring techniques and products. They know how the different sizes of colour molecules in hair colourants influence the permanence of the hair colour.  Tutors work in effective partnerships with employers. Employers plan their in-house training to best meet apprentices’ needs. For example, changes to training plans ensure that apprentices focus on specific aspects of cutting that require development. Employers and tutors work closely together to plan assessments that match a wide variety of clients’ needs. Assessors in the salon now carry out additional assessments in the work place. Consequently, apprentices are motivated to continue and succeed in their hairdressing qualification.  Apprentices improve their speaking and listening skills and vocational mathematics. Tutors explicitly focus apprentices on their use of technical language and vocational

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

mathematics in the workplace. Apprentices develop a good knowledge and use of industry-specific language and vocabulary over time. They become more effective in their work role and work independently in their salons. For example, apprentices confidently meet and greet clients at reception and have responsibility to take client payments for services. Business administration apprentices calculate profit from sales orders using a blend of manual and electronic calculations.  Apprentices and employers are clear about the preparation and requirements for apprentices’ end point assessments. This means that apprentices can prepare thoroughly and have the support of their employer in the lead up to the assessment. In addition, employers make sure that apprentices receive their full entitlement to useful off-the-job training.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

 Tutors do not ensure that apprentices have good understanding about the risks posed by radicalisation and extremism. In addition, they do not ensure that apprentices develop a good understanding of British values. Tutors deliver sessions to apprentices as generic topics. Apprentices do not understand their relevance in the wider contexts of work and everyday life.  Staff do not provide ongoing impartial careers guidance to help apprentices decide their next steps. Apprentices have a limited understanding of the full range of employment opportunities within the hairdressing industry or how their skills can be applied elsewhere. However, staff do provide appropriate advice and guidance at the start of the programmes. As a result, apprentices are on the right programme at the right level.  Most apprentices regularly attend their learning sessions. Tutors and employers report absences immediately. However, for the small minority of apprentices with poor

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

attendance to work, tutors do not act to ensure they attend more often or consider the effect of attendance on apprentices’ progress.  Apprentices quickly develop good practical skills. For example, apprentices carry out long layered cuts with precision and commercial speed. They section hair neatly and handle hair and tools with confidence. Apprentices have good commercial insight and recommend appropriate additional products to clients. Employers set high standards and ensure that the standard of apprentices’ practical hairdressing skills is good.  Apprentices acquire effective verbal communication, interpersonal and customer care skills. They improve their professional behaviours quickly by observing successful peers in salons. They are confident, self-assured at work, and develop excellent working relationships with colleagues and clients.  Apprentices quickly improve their digital and vocationally relevant mathematical skills. For

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

example, they accurately calculate appointment times, use angles for cutting and ratios for colour mixing. Apprentices benefit from bespoke software in salons to book appointments, take payments, and review clients’ previous services and product purchases.  Apprentices further improve their industry-specific skills through good-quality enrichment activities and useful off-the-job training. Apprentices attend specialist trade seminars, compete in styling competitions and complete a wide range of additional, specialist training. For example, they receive training on bonded hair extensions from an external hair supplier to successfully provide volume or length to clients’ natural hair.  Tutors challenge level three hairdressing apprentices to identify local volunteering opportunities where they can offer hairdressing skills. This enables them to practise their skills in a variety of different contexts outside of the salon.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

 Apprentices feel safe and are safe in their work environments. Online safety is reinforced regularly. For example, apprentices are supported to promote their work using social media whilst understanding the importance of online security and privacy settings.

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

 Not enough apprentices achieve their qualifications, and many younger apprentices leave their programmes early. The proportion of apprentices who achieve their functional skills qualifications has improved since the previous inspection but still requires improvement for mathematics and English at level 2.  Different groups of apprentices do not achieve equally well. Leaders have ensured that gaps in achievement between different groups have narrowed since the previous inspection. However, there still exists a notable difference between the achievement of different age groups, levels and genders.  Too few apprentices, particularly the most able, make rapid progress towards achieving high grades. However, the majority of current apprentices are now making better progress than at the previous inspection. Tutors intervene quickly when apprentices fall behind to help them catch up.  The standard of apprentices’ practical work is high. Their hairdressing skills develop

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Outcomes for learners Requires improvement

quickly to at least meet the commercial standards expected of the profession. Apprentices are able to apply their newly learned skills to real clients confidently. However, the standards of apprentices’ written work are often weak and do not reflect apprentices’ higher-level practical skills.  Apprentices remain in employment when they complete their studies. Often, apprentices quickly gain extra responsibilities in their salons during their learning programmes. Most apprentices remain within the industry long term as a result of completing their studies.

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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 Theresa Wisniewski

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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

- - - - - - - - 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+ 163 35 30 81 0 0 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 At the time of inspection, the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors: N/A

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the managing director, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. 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. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Perry, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Claire Griffin 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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