London Ambulance Service NHS Trust

The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust Monitoring visit report

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

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Inspection date(s): 14 to 15 August 2019

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Address:

Ambulance Station 220 Waterloo Road London SE1 8SD Monitoring visit: London Ambulance Service, 14 to 15 August 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

The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust recruits and trains apprentices to a range of emergency services roles. Apprenticeships are funded through the apprenticeship levy. The first cohort of apprentices began their training in March 2018. There are currently 248 apprentices on the level 4 associate ambulance practitioner apprenticeship and 12 on level 3 emergency contact handler. All apprentices are on standards-based apprenticeships. Functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics are delivered through one subcontracted provider.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that apprentices benefit from effective training and are well prepared for their role as ambulance crew members. The training programme enthuses apprentices, who become highly motivated to serve the community.

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Reasonable progress

Managers maintain a good overview of apprentices’ progress at each stage of their training. Staff put in place additional support for those apprentices who need it to ensure that they keep on track in their learning.

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Reasonable progress

In light of their experience, leaders and managers make changes to the way that training is delivered. For example, they ensure that early on in their training apprentices gain experience through observing qualified staff working on shift.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that tutors have very good subject knowledge and previous experience that they use well to support the progress of apprentices. Managers ensure effective support for tutors who are new to their role.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders have sufficient oversight of the apprenticeship programme and receive monthly performance information. However, this information does not provide senior Monitoring visit: London Ambulance Service, 14 to 15 August 2019 leaders with a thorough enough overview of the performance of the apprenticeship programme so that they can fully scrutinise the training.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have been slow to put in place effective arrangements to provide tuition to those apprentices who need to improve their English and mathematics. As a result, apprentices do not make enough progress in these subjects.

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Reasonable progress

All ambulance crew apprentices receive more than their entitlement to off-the-job training. Apprentices are suitably prepared for the end-point assessment. However, managers do not monitor well enough whether the small number of emergency contact apprentices are in receipt of this entitlement.

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Reasonable progress

Processes to assure the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are underdeveloped. This inhibits managers from identifying all of the strengths and weaknesses of the programme and planning improvements.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from training that is well-planned and taught. Tutors use imaginative and engaging learning activities and, as a result, apprentices quickly acquire new knowledge and skills. The standards of apprentices’ practical and theoretical work are high.

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Reasonable progress

During training sessions, tutors use a range of effective training techniques. For example, trainers use role plays to test apprentices’ readiness to deal with unpredictable trauma scenarios. This helps apprentices learn to apply their skills and knowledge under pressure.

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Reasonable progress

As a result of the training, a high proportion of apprentices successfully complete the classroom-based phase of their training and progress to the next phase. The large majority pass their tests first time.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors ensure that the prior learning and experiences of apprentices are used well in training sessions, and they encourage apprentices to contribute to training sessions. Consequently, apprentices learn quickly and develop a good understanding of the topics they are studying.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors make good use of high-quality learning materials and presentations. This helps reinforce apprentices’ knowledge and understanding of key medical and biological principles. Monitoring visit: London Ambulance Service, 14 to 15 August 2019 Tutors ensure that apprentices understand the importance of professional behaviours in the job. Apprentices’ behaviours and attitudes to learning are excellent. They dress smartly and comply with professional standards. Apprentices understand and value the ethical expectations and requirements of them as emergency service professionals.

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Reasonable progress

In training sessions that cover theoretical content, tutors do not check effectively that apprentices’ knowledge and understanding are secure. Tutors do not always consider learning activities to ensure that apprentices participate fully in learning and, as a result, a few apprentices become disengaged.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices do not receive sufficient training on how to complete the documentation they have to use when on the job. Consequently, they are unsure about whether they do this correctly.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that apprentices feel safe and are safe during their training. They ensure that a suitable range of policies and procedures are in place to safeguard apprentices. All staff receive suitable safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training annually.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors ensure that apprentices develop a sound understanding of British values. They use imaginative group learning activities that require apprentices to consider the importance of communication, ethics, privacy and dignity in their interactions with patients.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices have a wide range of options to turn to should they have a safeguarding concern. The large majority know of the support available to them. However, a few apprentices do not know how to contact the safeguarding lead as this is not covered effectively during apprentices’ induction.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors do not provide sufficient training on the dangers of radicalisation to apprentices early enough in their programme. Consequently, apprentices’ understanding of the risks of radicalisation is underdeveloped. Monitoring visit: London Ambulance Service, 14 to 15 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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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 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

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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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