WDR Limited

Name of lead inspector: Andy Fitt, Her Majesty's Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

60 London Road Horsham West Sussex RH12 1AY Monitoring visit: WDR Limited, 12 June 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 this second monitoring visit to the provider was on theme 3 only, as inspectors, during their first visit, judged that leaders and managers had made insufficient progress on this theme.

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Context and focus of visit

WDR Limited is a commercial training organisation that started operating about 45 years ago, initially delivering technical training and latterly delivering leadership and management training. It began to receive public funding for apprenticeships in August 2017. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were just under 60 apprentices on programmes. All current apprentices are over 19 years old and are enrolled on standards-based apprenticeships. Just under half of the current apprentices are on a team-leading level 3 apprenticeship. The remainder of the apprentices are enrolled on apprenticeships in business administration at level 3, data analyst, software developer or associate project manager at level 4 and operational and departmental manager at level 5.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers acted quickly and effectively to improve safeguarding procedures after the previous monitoring visit. Senior staff reviewed all policies and procedures to make sure that apprentices stay safe. They have an effective ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment action plan and review this frequently. All staff have undergone recent training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Managers record and track staff training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty in detail. They have recently started requiring employers to take ‘Prevent’ duty awareness training; however, it is too early to judge the effectiveness of this.

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Reasonable progress

The designated safeguarding staff are well trained. They record safeguarding concerns in detail and keep the records of these concerns securely. They deal with safeguarding concerns appropriately and know who to contact outside the organisation if they need further help. Leaders and managers discuss safeguarding in detail in monthly meetings. They contact employers frequently to check on the safety of their apprentices. They carry out appropriate risk assessments when needed. Leaders and managers have recently revised and improved their safer recruitment policies. They recruit staff safely and check their knowledge of safeguarding during Monitoring visit: WDR Limited, 12 June 2019 interviews. Managers make sure that all staff working with apprentices are suitable to work in education and training.

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Reasonable progress

Safeguarding staff have improved both the quality and frequency of information about safeguarding that they give to staff and apprentices. Staff and apprentices complete useful safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty workbooks. These give them detailed information on how to stay safe. Leaders and managers use questions at the end of the booklet to check staff and apprentices’ knowledge. Safeguarding staff have recently started to give apprentices further information each month to improve their knowledge of safeguarding topics. It is too early to judge the impact of this information.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices and coaches discuss safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty in detail during coaching sessions. Coaches contextualise discussions effectively and use recent news stories to elicit information from, and encourage discussions with, apprentices. Coaches check apprentices’ knowledge of British values, the ‘Prevent’ duty and health and safety in detail. However, staff and apprentices do not know in enough detail about the local threats of extremism or radicalisation for their learners in the South East.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe and know who to contact if they have any safeguarding concerns. They remember the discussions they have had with learning coaches on safeguarding, British values and the ‘Prevent’ duty, although their understanding of these topics varies. Staff have well-developed plans in place to make sure that all new apprentices complete online safeguarding learning before they start their apprenticeships. Monitoring visit: WDR Limited, 12 June 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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