Tempus Training Limited

Tempus Training Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Charles Searle, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

6th Floor Victoria House 125 Queens Road Brighton East Sussex BN1 3WB Monitoring visit: Tempus Training Limited, 30–31 July 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

Tempus Training Limited (Tempus) received its first directly funded contracts for apprenticeships and adult education in 2017/18. Before then, Tempus had 14 years’ experience delivering as a subcontractor for other providers. Currently, Tempus has 16 apprentices on the customer service practitioner standard at level 2 and three apprentices on the team leader/supervisor standard at level 3. In the current academic year, there have been 295 learners on adult education programmes. There were no programmes running at the time of the visit. Adult education programmes combine qualifications in skills for employment, personal and social development, equality and diversity, and warehousing at levels 1 and 2.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have designed the apprenticeship programmes successfully. These address effectively the needs of small- to medium-sized enterprises to develop the knowledge and skills of their customer service and business administration staff. Leaders and managers have followed a measured approach in the recruitment of apprentices as they want to ensure that the quality of delivery is high. As a result, the number of apprentices on programmes is low.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that the programmes meet the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship. Employers recruit apprentices into substantive posts with appropriate terms and conditions. The great majority of employers provide sustainable employment once apprentices complete their programmes. All apprentices receive their full entitlement to off-the-job training during working hours. They all develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers plan successfully the delivery of the new standards-based programmes. They ensure that tutors have the relevant vocational experience and professional qualifications to teach and assess the subjects they deliver. Monitoring visit: Tempus Training Limited, 30–31 July 2019 Leaders and managers establish clear milestones through which to measure the progress of apprentices. They ensure that tutors prepare apprentices well for their end-point assessments. They have high aspirations for the achievement of their apprentices. As a result, of the small number of apprentices who have completed their programmes, the great majority have achieved distinctions.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers do not have an accurate picture of the quality of the teaching and assessment that apprentices receive. Observations focus too much on what tutors do and not on the impact they have on the development of apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours. As a result, leaders and managers place insufficient emphasis on what tutors need to improve in the self-assessment review and quality improvement plan.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide good guidance to apprentices before they start their apprenticeship to ensure that they are on the correct programme and that it meets their career aspirations. Tutors identify apprentices’ starting points accurately. They plan programmes carefully to address the development of individual apprentices’ specific knowledge, skills and behaviours. As a result, tutors enable apprentices on the same programmes to progress as rapidly as possible, depending on their prior experience and qualifications.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors and employers work together effectively to link the different components of on- and off-the-job training. Tutors ensure that they have a good understanding of the operating context of each business and what employers want their apprentices to achieve. The great majority of employers attend reviews so they can plan tasks at work that enable apprentices to develop relevant knowledge, skills and behaviours and fulfil the requirements of the standards.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices add value to their employers’ businesses. For example, apprentices update their companies’ induction procedures, using knowledge they have gained on employment law and policies. Other apprentices successfully mentor junior colleagues, applying the skills they have learned on the team supervisor programme.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide constructive feedback to apprentices at reviews and on written assignments. As a result, apprentices know clearly what they need to do to make progress towards their milestones and to prepare for their end-point assessments. Tutors set challenging targets at reviews. Consequently, the great majority of apprentices aim to work at distinction level rather than settle for a pass.

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Reasonable progress

Although most apprentices do not require a functional skills qualification to meet the apprenticeship standard, tutors provide good support to develop these skills further. Tutors insist that apprentices correct errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Monitoring visit: Tempus Training Limited, 30–31 July 2019 They support apprentices effectively to develop the digital skills they need in modern office environments.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have designed successfully programmes that meet the demand of the local construction industry for labourers in a range of building trades. The programmes enable mainly unemployed and low-skilled adults to develop a good understanding of the health and safety regulations and practices needed to work in the construction industry.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have recently added a relevant qualification on equality and diversity to the programme at the request of employers, who want learners to apply these values at work. Critically, the programme also gives learners an opportunity to take the test for the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide learners with effective information, advice and guidance at the beginning and towards the end of the programme. They invite specialist recruitment agencies to each programme to offer learners employment opportunities in construction. Tutors signpost learners effectively to other local providers who deliver training in a range of technical construction skills.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors support learners effectively with the development of their practical English and mathematical skills. For example, learners calculate the angles they need to make a ladder safe to work on. Tutors provide learners with useful information on local providers of functional skills if they need to gain a qualification.

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Reasonable progress

A very high proportion of learners achieve their qualifications and pass the test for their CSCS card. Local partners, such as Jobcentre Plus and the local authority, report that a significant number of learners on the programme secure work as labourers in the construction industry.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers do not collect and analyse comprehensive information to enable them to evaluate the impact of the adult learning programmes. For example, they have only just started to survey learners about whether they obtained employment or started further training after the programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Apprentices and adult learners feel and are safe. Monitoring visit: Tempus Training Limited, 30–31 July 2019 The appropriately trained and experienced designated safeguarding lead and deputy lead ensure that all safeguarding policies and procedures are up to date and implemented fully. Leaders and managers base the ‘Prevent’ duty action plan on a thorough risk assessment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers follow safe recruitment procedures when they employ staff. All staff, irrespective of role, have current Disclosure and Barring Service checks. They receive regular refresher training on current safeguarding issues.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices and learners know how to report any safeguarding concerns. Effective action in response to recent concerns ensured that apprentices could remain on their programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Staff ensure that apprentices and learners know how to stay safe online, particularly when using social media. Apprentices have a good awareness of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism. Monitoring visit: Tempus Training Limited, 30–31 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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Reasonable progress

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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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Reasonable progress

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

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