Ashley Hunter Ltd

Ashley Hunter Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Steve Ingle, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

318 Oldham Road Oldham OL2 5AS Monitoring visit: Ashley Hunter Limited, 13–14 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 these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Ashley Hunter Limited (AHL) began to receive public funding for training apprentices in January 2018. Previously, AHL trained apprentices for other training organisations as a subcontractor. AHL offers apprenticeship training in the health and social care sector. At the time of the monitoring visit, the company provides training for 146 apprentices on level 2 and 3 standards-based apprenticeships for adult care workers and 29 apprentices follow the level 5 apprenticeship framework in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services. AHL works with employers across England.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not ensure that apprenticeship programmes are planned appropriately to meet the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship. They do not ensure that apprentices’ starting points are fully identified. Planning of learning to build on apprentices’ individual starting points is weak and inconsistent across the trainer workforce. Consequently, too many apprentices do not develop substantial new skills, behaviours or knowledge.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and mangers do not ensure that apprentices receive enough high-quality training. They do not ensure that all apprentices benefit from well-planned on- and off-the-job training that meets their specific development needs. They do not ensure that all employers are sufficiently involved in planning training for their employees or have a clear understanding of the progress that their employees make.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders’ and managers’ arrangements for quality assurance are ineffective. There are insufficient checks in place to ensure that apprentices have been placed on the correct programme. Leaders and managers do not have access to reliable data to monitor the progress that all apprentices are making or to ensure that all apprentices are receiving their entitlement to high-quality off-the-job training. Monitoring visit: Ashley Hunter Limited, 13–14 June 2019 Leaders and managers have very recently introduced additional checks, systems and processes to rectify identified weaknesses in the quality of education and training. They have identified that staff turnover is too high and this impacts on the consistency of support to apprentices. However, it is too early to see the impact of these new measures. Too many apprentices are making slow progress and almost one in five leave their apprenticeship programme early.

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Insufficient progress

Too many apprentices are making slow progress on their programmes due to poor planning of learning and ineffective assessment of their skills at the start of, and during, their learning programme. Trainers do not plan on- and off-the-job training sufficiently well to meet all apprentices’ individual progression needs. They do not ensure that apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours needed in the health and care sector. A few apprentices are very experienced in their role and have worked in the sector for several years. There is a lack of evidence that the apprenticeship programme is having a positive impact on further developing their existing skills and competencies.

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Insufficient progress

Trainers often do not 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. Trainers place a disproportionate focus on the assessment of units and completion of tasks. They do not provide apprentices with enough useful feedback to support their progression and to improve the standard of their work. Where apprentices make slow progress, trainers too often fail to put in appropriate intervention strategies to help apprentices to catch up quickly.

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Insufficient progress

Trainers do not sufficiently challenge all apprentices to extend and deepen their knowledge and understanding of the health and care sector. The standard of work apprentices produce is often too basic for their level of study. Inaccuracies in apprentices’ written work are not often highlighted or corrected by trainers. Apprentices are not well supported to address common spelling and punctuation errors. Consequently, many continue to make the same errors throughout their work.

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Reasonable progress

Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Appropriate staff have designated responsibility for safeguarding and receive appropriate training to carry out their role effectively. Safeguarding responsibilities and reporting processes are outlined in a clear and appropriate policy. Staff and apprentices understand how to report any safeguarding concerns. Monitoring visit: Ashley Hunter Limited, 13–14 June 2019 There are effective processes in place for the management and monitoring of safeguarding concerns. Designated staff take swift action where required to complete safeguarding records and make appropriate referrals where necessary, including with relevant external agencies, where required. Safeguarding issues are regularly considered and monitored by senior managers and at board level.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers carry out appropriate staff recruitment and vetting checks. They ensure that all staff receive regular safeguarding updates and participate in appropriate training activities to maintain their knowledge of key safeguarding issues, including the risks associated with extremism and radicalisation. Monitoring visit: Ashley Hunter Limited, 13–14 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 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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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