Mercia College Limited

Mercia College Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Nigel Bragg, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Unit 9 Kedleston House Prime Business Centre Aspen Drive Derby DE21 7SS Monitoring visit: Mercia College Limited, 12–13 November 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 ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Mercia College Limited (MCL) is based in Derby. It started to deliver apprenticeship training in January 2018. MCL has 185 standards-based and 42 framework apprentices. It offers programmes at levels 2 to 5. The large majority of apprentices are working towards adult care-related apprenticeships. Most of the remaining apprenticeships are in business administration, team leader/supervisor, digital marketer and recruitment. The employer levy funds 140 apprentices. MCL does not subcontract any of the apprenticeship provision.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders exploit their organisation’s experience of training development successfully to implement programmes that develop apprentices’ new skills, knowledge and behaviours. Programme planning is suitably individualised. This includes appropriate consideration of apprentices’ skills levels, educational attainment and career goals. Leaders work very effectively with employers to meet their training needs. Consequently, only employees who will benefit fully from the training start an apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that skills coaches help apprentices to develop their English and mathematical skills effectively. Prior to their commencing the programme, apprentices with low levels of English and mathematical knowledge receive good- quality support and therefore improve rapidly. A high proportion of current apprentices are studying at a level above that required by the apprenticeship. Managers have yet to implement a strategy for the improvement of apprentices’ digital skills.

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Reasonable progress

The governing board uses an appropriate range and variety of data to provide effective scrutiny of leaders’ and managers’ performance. This has helped to improve the provision. For example, in response to governors’ queries, senior leaders now Monitoring visit: Mercia College Limited, 12–13 November 2019 gather more detailed apprentices’ and employers’ feedback. They have started to use this to raise training quality.

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Reasonable progress

Quality assurance arrangements are effective in improving programmes. Self- assessment processes are evaluative and lead to raised standards. Observations of taught sessions do not give a full enough assessment of apprentices’ progress from their starting points.

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Reasonable progress

Apprenticeship programmes meet the relevant principles and requirements. Apprentices receive their entitlement to good-quality off-the-job training within paid work time. However, for a small minority of apprentices there is a delay in updating participation records. This limits managers’ effectiveness in providing a swift response to identified performance shortfalls.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices receive a thorough assessment at the start of their programme that ensures that they are on the right programme. Knowledgeable and vocationally experienced skills coaches plan learning effectively, so that it promotes apprentices’ achievement.

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Reasonable progress

Skills coaches provide apprentices with good-quality training and support during the frequent workplace visits. Apprentices receive appropriately demanding tasks to complete between these sessions. When not at the workplace, skills coaches make relevant use of information technology to coach apprentices. Skills coaches usually give apprentices clear and constructive feedback that helps them to improve. Most apprentices are progressing at the expected or better rate.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices develop new skills, knowledge and behaviours that employers value. Consequently, apprentices quickly become competent in completing more responsible and complex tasks. They make a positive contribution to their employers’ businesses. For example, care providers have found that client satisfaction has increased as a result of the better-quality care that apprentices provide.

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Reasonable progress

Employers and skills coaches work closely to ensure that apprentices receive their training entitlement, such as through the provision of study time in paid time. Skills coaches liaise effectively with employers to link on- and off-the-job training so that they promote and reinforce apprentices’ learning.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices receive effective individual training to develop their English and mathematical skills. Skills coaches usually make appropriate use of vocationally contextualised learning materials to raise apprentices’ skills levels. Skills coaches do Monitoring visit: Mercia College Limited, 12–13 November 2019 not develop all the apprentices’ digital skills at an appropriately quick pace or to a high enough level.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices know the progress they are making. Skills coaches routinely identify and provide prompt help to apprentices who do not meet their learning targets. Too many standards-based apprentices are unaware of what they must do to meet the EPA requirements.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers give a high priority to the welfare of all apprentices. Management of safeguarding is good and protects apprentices while they are working and undertaking training. Leaders and managers take suitable actions to address the requirements of the ‘Prevent’ duty. Skills trainers raise apprentices’ awareness of the risks associated with extreme ideologies effectively.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe. They have an adequate or better understanding of how to protect themselves from harm. Apprentices in the care sector demonstrate a fittingly high appreciation of how to ensure their clients’ well-being.

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Reasonable progress

The designated safeguarding officer is appropriately knowledgeable and experienced to undertake the role. Recruitment procedures include thorough vetting of staff prior to commencing their duties with apprentices. Staff record all safeguarding incidents, including those judged to be minor. Managers have yet to analyse this information to identify trends that inform actions to improve the safeguarding processes. Monitoring visit: Mercia College Limited, 12–13 November 2019 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

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Reasonable progress

children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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 .

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Reasonable progress

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

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