Assist Knowledge Development Limited

Assist Knowledge Development Limited Monitoring visit report

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Jon Bowman Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

The Sanderum Centre 30A Upper High Street Thame Oxfordshire OX9 3EX Monitoring visit: Assist Knowledge Development Limited, 22–23 July 2019

p.1

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.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

Assist Knowledge Development Limited is a training and consultancy company. Apprenticeship training is delivered to employees of, in the main, existing clients of the company. In September 2017, it received funding directly from ESFA to deliver apprenticeships. It currently has 36 apprentices on the level 4 information services business analyst apprenticeship. All apprentices are on standards-based apprenticeships. Training is delivered through classroom training courses, self-study and online learning.

p.2

Significant progress

Leaders and managers have taken effective action to introduce and deliver a well- organised apprenticeship programme. They are building the training well using their existing expertise in business analysis.

p.2

Significant progress

Leaders, managers, staff and employers have a strong ambition that the training is a launchpad for apprentices to embark on a successful career as information technology business analysts.

p.2

Significant progress

Leaders’ and managers’ own assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision provides a sound foundation on which to make improvements to the training. They have a clear and effective focus on continuous improvement. They visit training frequently so that they have first-hand evidence to inform themselves of the quality of the training provided. They use information well, such as feedback from apprentices and employers, to make changes to the curriculum structure and content to improve the quality of the training.

p.2

Significant progress

Leaders, managers and mentors maintain an effective overview of the progress that apprentices make through regular reviews of their learning. Managers track the progress of apprentices well and maintain effective records of visits. Regular reports Monitoring visit: Assist Knowledge Development Limited, 22–23 July 2019 and meetings with the managing director ensure that they are fully aware of how effectively the apprenticeship programme is being delivered.

p.2

Significant progress

Leaders and managers ensure that employers are clear about their responsibilities towards apprentices. They allocate a mentor from their company to provide support with projects and building apprentices’ portfolio of evidence. All apprentices receive their entitlement to off-the-job training, often supplemented by in-house learning opportunities.

p.3

Significant progress

Leaders and managers have taken effective action to prepare apprentices for their assessment at the end of their training. As a result, apprentices are aware of the requirements of the end-point assessment.

p.3

Significant progress

Apprentices enjoy their training, through which they develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Young apprentices, often in their first full-time job, develop good skills for work, such as time management, communicating with groups and delivering presentations. They become confident in using different models to analyse business needs.

p.3

Significant progress

Nearly all apprentices who started their training remain on the programme. All but one of the small number of those who have completed their training have done so successfully. Apprentices produce work that is of a good standard and demonstrates their learning well.

p.3

Significant progress

Apprentices understand the expectations of the training programme, the progress that they are making and how to improve the standard of their work. Apprentices express high levels of satisfaction with their apprenticeship and benefit from the support that they receive from their mentors.

p.3

Significant progress

Mentors identify the individual needs of apprentices effectively and tailor the support that they offer them accordingly. The support that apprentices receive at work is coordinated well with that delivered by the provider.

p.3

Significant progress

The large majority of apprentices have the required standards of English and mathematics when they start their training. Mentors provide effective additional support to those few apprentices who need it.

p.3

Significant progress

Managers ensure that the curriculum is well thought through and supported by regular visits by a mentor. Reviews of apprentices’ progress are thorough. Mentors use their significant experience in the sector to support the learning of apprentices. Monitoring visit: Assist Knowledge Development Limited, 22–23 July 2019 Effective liaison between managers and employers ensures that apprentices get the opportunities that they need to develop their skills, knowledge and behaviours in their workplace.

p.3

Significant progress

Managers produce useful online materials aimed at developing the wider employability skills of apprentices, such as teamwork and problem-solving. Apprentices benefit from good-quality resources which continue to be used by them in employment beyond the completion of their training.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe and know who to turn to should they have a concern about their own safety or welfare.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have put in place suitable policies and procedures to safeguard apprentices. These include checks to make sure that staff are suitable for their role and a ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment and action plan.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Safeguarding officers and mentors are suitably experienced and trained in safeguarding. They understand the reporting and recording procedures they need to follow should they have any concerns about apprentices’ welfare or safety. When they identify any concerns and need to act to support apprentices, they do so effectively.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Apprentices do not develop their understanding of the dangers of radicalisation and extremism well enough because these topics do not feature prominently enough in the training that apprentices receive. Leaders and managers have appropriate plans in place to improve their response to the ‘Prevent’ duty, but it is too early to judge the impact of these. Monitoring visit: Assist Knowledge Development Limited, 22–23 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

p.4

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 .

p.5

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

p.5

Reasonable progress

the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Reasonable progress

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.5

Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.5