Training Skills UK Ltd

Training Skills UK Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Lynda Brown, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

22 Bruton Street London W1J 6QE Monitoring visit: Training Skills UK, 11–12 July 2019

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Context and focus of visit

From March 2019, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision which began to be funded from August 2017 or after by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. 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 ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly funded to deliver adult learning 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

Training Skills UK (TSUK) started its newly funded adult learning provision in November 2017. It provides courses in plumbing, electrical installations, hair and beauty at levels 2 and 3. It also provides courses in functional skills English and mathematics from entry level to level 2. Most learners are studying functional skills programmes at entry level.

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Context and focus of visit

In 2018/19, 401 learners studied with TSUK. Currently 122 learners are on adult learning programmes. The majority of learners live in the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest and Newham.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have an ambitious vision to support adult learners in the local community to secure employment or improve their promotion prospects. They have established a curriculum that enables learners to develop their basic skills in English and mathematics. Many learners gain qualifications that lead to careers in the construction, hair or beauty industries.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have established effective relationships with relevant employers. They use these well to support learners to understand future employment opportunities and to gain industrial experience. For example, a hair and beauty employer provides work experience for trainees and allows qualified learners, who are not yet employed, to treat clients to gain realistic experiences of work. Employers appreciate the new skills that learners gain during their courses.

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Reasonable progress

Staff recruit learners appropriately. They ensure that learners have a clear understanding of the rigours and demands of the courses and that they select the most appropriate one to support their career aims and ambitions.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers focus well on quality improvement and meeting the needs of individual learners. They have invested appropriately in additional staff, including Monitoring visit: Training Skills UK, 11–12 July 2019 external specialists, to support the business as it has grown. Leaders respond positively and swiftly to advice and recommendations for improvement.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders assess their own performance annually and know the main strengths and weaknesses in the organisation. Leaders have started to put systems into place to gain a more frequent oversight of their performance, but these are not yet fully effective. As a result, managers are not able to use these effectively to monitor their own progress frequently and identify weaknesses as they arise. For example, they do not have a clear enough overview of the quality of teaching and learning.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have structured the curriculum well so that learners can study while they are in employment. For example, they teach plumbing and electrical courses at weekends so that learners can continue to work full time. Learners use this opportunity well to apply their new knowledge in the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Staff assess learners’ skills well at the start of the programme. Where learners need to develop their skills in English and mathematics, staff guide them well to take suitable qualifications.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors on vocational courses are appropriately qualified and have recent commercial experience, which they use well to help learners develop their knowledge and skills. Staff challenge learners constructively to improve and learners speak highly of the support and challenge that they are given. Learners benefit from high-quality resources which reflect the industries in which they plan to work.

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Reasonable progress

Staff provide learners with good opportunities to develop their skills above those required for their main qualification. For example, they provide one-to-one coaching for learners to gain the additional qualifications they need to work on construction sites. Staff provide very good support to help learners to apply for jobs, for example they provide guidance on writing curriculum vitae and job applications. Staff also give good support to learners who apply for higher education courses or set up their own businesses.

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Reasonable progress

Vocational tutors develop learners’ English skills effectively, particularly for those students who speak English as an additional language. Tutors encourage learners to use relevant technical language so that they are well prepared to enter employment.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors monitor learners’ progress frequently and have a good understanding of what students need to do to complete their qualifications. However, leaders do not collate this information effectively to ensure that they have a clear overview of the progress of all learners. Monitoring visit: Training Skills UK, 11–12 July 2019

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Reasonable progress

Managers and staff place a high priority on keeping learners safe. They have put in place relevant policies and procedures, including those related to the ‘Prevent’ duty. Leaders and managers check thoroughly that staff are safe to work with learners prior to them commencing employment.

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Reasonable progress

Learners feel safe and are safe within the learning environment, including in practical workshops. Learners have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe and they understand the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism. Leaders have completed a ‘Prevent’ risk assessment and they recognise the need to complete the associated actions swiftly.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have put appropriate training in place for staff. The designated safeguarding lead has received training that is relevant to their role. Most staff have taken online safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ training. Managers do not, however, routinely record where staff have acquired safeguarding qualifications outside the organisation. Monitoring visit: Training Skills UK, 11–12 July 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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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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the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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