Kingswood Learning and Leisure Group Limited

Kingswood Learning and Leisure Group Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sambit Sen, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address:

Alkmaar Way Norwich NR6 6BF Monitoring visit: Kingswood Learning and Leisure Group Limited, 7–8 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

Kingswood Learning and Leisure Group Limited is an employer provider which operates across nine centres in UK. It also has a centre in France. Its core business is to provide outdoor learning experiences to school children. It started providing directly funded apprenticeships in May 2017. Currently, 100 apprentices on framework and standard apprenticeships work towards activity leadership level 2 and outdoor activity instructor level 3 programmes.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not satisfy all the principles and requirements of the apprenticeship. For example, although the apprentices learn skills that are relevant to their job roles, they do not get sufficient off-the-job training. Furthermore, apprentices are expected to be on unpaid leave for two months during the business shutdown, while they are still on the apprenticeship programme.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not plan the curriculum effectively to ensure that apprentices quickly gain significant knowledge and skills. For example, during the business’s peak season, apprentices do not get sufficient time to continue their training. This leads to most apprentices falling behind with their training.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not manage staff performance effectively. Although they recruit staff who have relevant industry-specific qualifications and experience, they do not ensure that staff train apprentices in all elements of the apprenticeship.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not maintain up-to-date information on apprentices’ progress. They do not have adequate oversight of all apprentices’ progress. They do not know that a large majority of apprentices are behind in their training and may not complete their training by their planned end-date. Monitoring visit: Kingswood Learning and Leisure Group Limited, 7–8 August 2019 Leaders and managers do not provide apprentices and their centre managers with detailed knowledge of the requirements of the end-point assessment. As a result, apprentices do not know how to achieve high grades.

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Insufficient progress

Currently, the provider has no structured external governance to support and challenge the quality of the training provision.

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Insufficient progress

Apprentices benefit from good-quality on-the-job learning provided by centre managers. This encourages and enables them to quickly develop practical job-related skills. Apprentices develop the knowledge and skills that enable them to facilitate safely and independently a wide range of activities such as abseiling, fencing and team sports.

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Insufficient progress

Assessors do not assess the starting points of their apprentices adequately. Apprentices’ prior knowledge, experience or additional learning needs are not considered. Training plans are not personalised for the apprentices. As a result, many apprentices do not see why the training is relevant to them, and their subsequent progress is slow.

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Insufficient progress

Assessors do not plan apprenticeship training effectively. They do not liaise closely with the centre managers to ensure that apprentices make good progress to complete their apprenticeship by the planned date.

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Insufficient progress

Apprentices do not receive sufficient off-the-job teaching and support to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours in order to complete their apprenticeship programme. Consequently, apprentices are demotivated and fall behind on their training.

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Insufficient progress

Apprentices do not receive high-quality support to develop their English and mathematical knowledge. Too few apprentices improve their skills to a sufficiently good standard to pass their external tests. Assessors do not always highlight to apprentices the areas of their skills that need further development. In the few instances where they do, apprentices do not re-submit their improved work. Too few apprentices attend their English and mathematics sessions.

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Insufficient progress

Assessors do not monitor apprentices’ progress adequately. Where apprentices fall behind with their training, intervention measures are not planned in a timely manner. Consequently, a significant number of apprentices are currently not on track to finish their apprenticeship.

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Insufficient progress

Apprentices do not have good knowledge and understanding of British values. Assessors do not discuss this in any detail with the apprentices. Assessors do not ensure that Monitoring visit: Kingswood Learning and Leisure Group Limited, 7–8 August 2019 apprentices understand how respect, tolerance and individual liberty relate to themselves, their peers and the children in their charge.

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Insufficient progress

Risk assessments for vulnerable adults are ineffective. Managers and assessors often do not identify risks at an early stage. Furthermore, where risks are identified, assessors or managers do not put adequate support measures in place to mitigate that risk. No specialist support exists for apprentices who demonstrate complex emotional and behavioural needs.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders’ management of apprentices’ welfare and well-being is ineffective. Although apprentices are taught about how to keep themselves safe in their working life at their induction, assessors do not discuss this in detail at subsequent sessions.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not identify and coordinate safeguarding adequately. As a result, apprentices at some of the centres do not feel safe. For example, when apprentices return to work from injuries, they are not sufficiently risk assessed to determine whether they are fit to carry out certain activities. Monitoring visit: Kingswood Learning and Leisure Group Limited, 7–8 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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Insufficient 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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Insufficient progress

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Insufficient progress

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Insufficient progress

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

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