All Spring Media Limited

All Spring Media Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Ann Monaghan, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Old Drill Hall Bellingdon Road Chesham HP5 2HF Monitoring visit: All Spring Media Limited 17-18 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

All Spring Media Limited has offered apprenticeship provision since September 2017. There are currently 43 apprentices on level 3 standards-based apprenticeships in broadcast production assistant and junior content producer. All Spring Media Limited works with a small number of large media businesses in London and across England.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders use their very strong links with the industry to plan and deliver successful apprenticeship programmes. They work closely with employers to develop effective on- and off-the-job learning so that apprentices make good progress.

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Reasonable progress

The majority of apprentices begin their studies with a range of prior experiences and they quickly develop significant new knowledge and skills. However, a minority of apprentices start their programmes already having a level 3 media-related qualification. Although they do develop new skills, these are not always substantial.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders carefully review and evaluate the apprenticeship programme. They are fully involved in the national development of a new curriculum for this specialism and use their industry links to design and strengthen their current programmes. They frequently seek feedback from both employers and apprentices and use this feedback to make further improvements.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have recruited very well qualified trainers and assessors who have extensive and current industry experience, and apprentices benefit from this. However, leaders do not yet provide the same focus on the review or further development of the teaching skills of their staff, and performance review processes are at an early stage of implementation. Monitoring visit: All Spring Media Limited 17-18 July 2019 Assessors and employers work closely together to support the learning experiences and progress of apprentices. They closely monitor apprentices’ progress, and apprentices benefit from individualised support. Employers and apprentices discuss new learning following off-the-job training and agree how this can be applied.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and staff are ambitious for their learners. They plan learning to help apprentices achieve at the highest level. However, individual apprentices are not always aware of their own target grade for their final assessment. They want to achieve at distinction level, but do not always know how to reach this grade. Leaders recognise this and have included this as an immediate developmental objective.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are enthusiastic about their learning. They produce a good standard of work. They contribute confidently and knowledgeably to professional discussions about film-making and production, including the use of lighting and sound to create different effects. The majority of assessors provide constructive and detailed feedback on apprentices’ work, including feedback on English skills.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers and assessors are very knowledgeable about the apprenticeship programmes and the skills and behaviours expected within the sector. They draw on a wide range of industry examples to enthuse learners and illustrate specific points. For example, apprentices develop their understanding of ethics through learning about different industry approaches to marketing and potential ethical conflicts. However, sometimes the pace of sessions is too fast, and assessors do not always allow enough time for apprentices to consider their responses before providing the answer themselves.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices enthusiastically summarise the many new skills and the knowledge that they have gained. They can relate their learning to the workplace through detailed and effective examples. Their off-the-job training introduces them to new topics that are beneficial to their career aspirations by giving them a broader understanding of the industry. Apprentices learn how to use industry-standard equipment such as cameras and microphones. They develop their understanding of complex industry terminology and use it with accuracy and confidence.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from a wide range of on-the-job learning in the workplace. For example, they learn about expected professional behaviour as well as how to develop an appropriate social media presence in preparation for job applications and interviews. Apprentices plan their next steps as a result of effective and very frequent advice and guidance relevant to the media industry. Most of the apprentices Monitoring visit: All Spring Media Limited 17-18 July 2019 are planning additional work experience or further study once they have completed their apprenticeship in order to strengthen their career prospects.

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Reasonable progress

Safeguarding is effective. All staff have training so that they are aware of their responsibilities. Two senior staff have more extensive training and are developing good links with relevant local agencies.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices demonstrate a very sound knowledge and understanding of safeguarding, and are equipped with a good range of strategies to keep themselves safe at work. For example, they know about the safeguarding implications of working with young children and the need to carry out risk assessments. They are also knowledgeable about working in a commercial and high-profile sector that could possibly be a target for extremists and gave examples, such as working with a ‘backwatcher’ when carrying out filming of live news events.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have introduced an action plan as part of their responsibilities under the ‘Prevent’ duty, but this is not yet specific enough to the local context. Monitoring visit: All Spring Media Limited 17-18 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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