Lynwood Vets Limited

Lynwood Vets Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Steven Tucker Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Hampton Farm Higher Bockhampton Dorchester DT2 8QH Monitoring visit: Lynwood Vets Limited, 31 July–1 August 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

Lynwood Vets Limited is part of the VetPartners Group Limited. Until 2017, Lynwood Vets Limited delivered the veterinary nursing diploma at level 3 as a subcontractor to a college. Since 2017, it has held a contract to deliver apprenticeships in veterinary nursing at level 3. Currently, 10 apprentices are on framework apprenticeships and 19 are on standards-based apprenticeships. All apprentices are 19 years of age and over. Apprentices are recruited from veterinary practices in Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Hampshire.

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Reasonable progress

The apprenticeship programme meets the needs of employers very successfully. Employers place a high value on the training provided by Lynwood Vets Limited and many have used it to train their veterinary nurses over a long period.

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Reasonable progress

Managers and employers work closely together to ensure that they recruit apprentices with integrity. The apprenticeships enable employees to move from unqualified roles in veterinary practices to better-paid jobs requiring qualifications. Employers invest heavily in their apprentices. They provide time for them to attend relevant training, as well as allocating a senior clinical practitioner to coach apprentices. However, managers have not tackled fully the variations in the quality of the support provided by coaches in different practices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders design the apprenticeship programme carefully to ensure that apprentices develop knowledge, skills and behaviours in an appropriate sequence. For example, apprentices completed their study of anatomy and physiology before taking responsibility for catheterising animals at work. The links between the on- and off- the-job training are a particular strength. Tutors ensure that the off-the-job training provides apprentices with the knowledge and skills they need to understand why things happen in the veterinary clinics. For example, apprentices knew how to apply Monitoring visit: Lynwood Vets Limited, 31 July–1 August 2019 a bandage, but it was not until they studied theatre practices that they understood the reasons for choosing different bandages.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have developed an apprenticeship programme that improves more than just apprentices’ clinical practice. A senior nurse in a practice explained to inspectors how sensitively apprentices discussed the cost of treatment with clients as a result of their training.

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Reasonable progress

Managers do not receive sufficient external scrutiny to check the quality of the apprenticeships they provide. They recognise correctly that they rely too heavily on informal feedback from apprentices and employers. They do not set and review key performance indicators of quality with the parent company, employers and other stakeholders.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. They use these to improve quickly their practice in the workplace. As a result, they develop high levels of confidence and are rightly valued by their employers.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors plan assessments of apprentices’ knowledge and skills very carefully. They check their apprentices’ progress systematically through weekly knowledge tests, regular tutorials and practice examinations. Tutors provide the detailed feedback apprentices need to understand their areas for improvement. For example, a tutor highlighted that apprentices needed to supplement their answer to a question about dosage levels by providing details of how to administer medication.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors work closely with employers to ensure that any apprentices who fall behind receive the support they need to catch up. This includes providing relevant additional coaching or tutorial sessions.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors place a high priority on teaching apprentices the English and mathematics they need for their work. For example, they teach them how to identify and use prefixes and suffixes. This ensures that apprentices learn quickly how to decipher and use complex veterinary terminology accurately.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors have extensive expertise and are suitably qualified. They set high standards which lead to apprentices producing high-quality work and being thoroughly prepared for their examinations. Apprentices appreciate that tutors extend their knowledge by teaching them more detail than they need for their qualification. Monitoring visit: Lynwood Vets Limited, 31 July–1 August 2019 Tutors recruit apprentices onto the correct level of apprenticeship, but they do not identify apprentices’ prior knowledge, skills and behaviours in sufficient detail. This slows the progress of a small number of apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have established appropriate links with the local safeguarding board and other agencies. As a result, they know how to obtain support or refer learners to an appropriate organisation when necessary. Apprentices feel safe and are safe, and are confident in the support and guidance their tutors provide.

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Reasonable progress

Two managers are trained as designated safeguarding leads. They obtain the necessary confirmation that each member of staff is safe to work with young or vulnerable apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have ensured that all staff have been trained on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. During induction, tutors provide apprentices with useful information about radicalisation and extremism. However, they do not teach apprentices enough about the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism in the rural areas where they work or the risks they face online. Monitoring visit: Lynwood Vets Limited, 31 July–1 August 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

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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