Business Training Ventures Limited

Business Training Ventures Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Jonny Wright, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection date(s): 31 July to 1 August 2019

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

2nd Floor – Regents Orthodontics 87 Manningham Lane Bradford BD1 3BN Monitoring visit: Business Training Ventures Limited, 31 July to 1 August 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

Business Training Ventures, trading as Potential 4 Skills (P4S), began to deliver adult learning provision in August 2017. Currently, 66 learners are on adult learning programmes, often taking more than one qualification. These include work skills and customer service at entry level and level 1, mathematics at entry level and level 1, information and communications technology (ICT) at entry level to level 2, hair and beauty at level 1 and personal and social development at entry level and level 1. P4S delivers learning from a training centre in Bradford and most learners live in the Bradford area. P4S does not use subcontractors.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not design programmes of learning that meet the needs of learners. Too often learners follow courses leading to qualifications not appropriate to their aspirations and this impedes their potential for gaining and sustaining work.

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Insufficient progress

Most learners do not benefit from programmes or support to develop their English skills or to gain a qualification, despite needing to improve their skills in order to enhance their career opportunities.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not develop sufficiently effective partnerships with agencies who refer learners to P4S. They do not make partners aware of the requirements for adult learning courses. As a result, partners often refer learners who do not need the support provided by P4S.

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Insufficient progress

Managers do not have sufficient information about the destination of learners once they leave their programmes. This means they cannot evaluate the impact of the provision in supporting learners into work or further learning.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not identify the strengths and weaknesses of the provision accurately. As a result, they do not take actions to address weaknesses. This has a Monitoring visit: Business Training Ventures Limited, 31 July to 1 August 2019 negative impact on the quality of provision that learners experience and on the progress that they make.

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Insufficient progress

Learners do not receive helpful careers advice and guidance. Managers host advisers from the National Careers Service, but they do not ensure that learners access this support. Many learners do not understand what they need to do to take their next steps in learning or applying for work.

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Insufficient progress

Tutors are appropriately experienced and qualified for their role. Leaders and managers provide tutors with useful training and development appropriate to their role.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders provide learners with opportunities to benefit from additional training. For example, learners access training to work on building sites, fork-lift truck training and food hygiene training, and beauty learners are provided with nail kits.

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Insufficient progress

Tutors on most courses do not use information about learners’ prior knowledge and skills to identify learners’ training needs. They do not plan learning that effectively addresses gaps in skills and knowledge or takes account of what learners can already do. As a result, too often learners are not challenged to make good progress, while others take longer than planned to complete their programme and achieve their qualification.

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Insufficient progress

Too many learners are enrolled on an inappropriate level of programme. As a result, too often learners do not learn new skills and knowledge. For example, learners who already have significant experience working with customers are still required to complete customer service courses.

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Insufficient progress

Learners have insufficient opportunity to develop their work-related skills on the work skills course. Learners spend too long recording in their assessment booklets the skills and attributes that they need to demonstrate rather than developing these skills.

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Insufficient progress

Too often tutors do not assess learners’ work quickly enough to enable them to improve. Feedback to learners is not helpful in enabling them to identify their mistakes and to build on their knowledge and skills. However, in mathematics, learners benefit from work that is carefully assessed, and they receive helpful feedback that helps them to improve. Monitoring visit: Business Training Ventures Limited, 31 July to 1 August 2019 Most learners who complete their programme achieve their qualifications. Learners benefit from a well-structured ICT programme, which helps them to develop useful skills and knowledge and to achieve an ICT qualification.

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Insufficient progress

Learners gain in confidence as a result of their programme and are well motivated to achieve and gain employment. Most learners are positive about their programmes and about the support they receive.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers and tutors promote a positive culture of safeguarding in the training centre. Managers and tutors provide helpful information on safeguarding to learners at induction and through posters and leaflets in the centre. Consequently, learners feel safe and know how to report any concerns.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure up-to-date policies and procedures are in place relating to safeguarding and to meet the requirements of the ‘Prevent’ duty. When issues occur, managers follow procedures closely and put appropriate support in place for learners. Tutors do not sufficiently reinforce with learners the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism in order to improve learners’ understanding.

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Reasonable progress

The designated safeguarding lead is appropriately qualified and experienced. They liaise effectively with relevant safeguarding links agencies.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers check that staff are safe to work with learners. They provide staff with useful training in safeguarding and in the ‘Prevent’ duty. Monitoring visit: Business Training Ventures Limited, 31 July to 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 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

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 looked after children, 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 the Information Policy Team,

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Reasonable progress

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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