Apprenticeship Recruitment Service Ltd

Apprenticeship Recruitment Service Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Steve Ingle, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

No. 1 Clock Tower Park Longmoor Lane Liverpool L10 1LD Monitoring visit: Apprenticeship Recruitment Service Limited, 20–21 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 the Education and Skills Funding Agency (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

Apprenticeship Recruitment Service Limited began trading in 2015. The company received a contract to deliver apprenticeships in March 2018. Currently, 84 levy- funded apprentices are on standards-based apprenticeship programmes, ranging from level 2 to level 5. Just over half of current apprentices are on the team leader/ supervisor apprenticeship. The remaining apprentices follow programmes in business administration, business improvement techniques, customer service, human resources support and project management.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have an appropriate apprenticeship strategy. They work well with a small number of employers to develop a curriculum around the individual needs of each business and its workforce. For example, apprenticeships in supply chain management have been developed to better support the needs of employers and provide a leadership pathway for employees.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers foster effective working relationships with employers to ensure that apprentices are recruited on to apprenticeship programmes where they develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Leaders and employers liaise successfully to ensure that the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship are met. Employers provide the support that apprentices require to successfully progress through their training. For example, managers work productively to resolve operational matters so that apprentices’ duties and responsibilities at work do not impact adversely on their learning. This ensures that apprentices receive the on- and off-the-job training they need to develop the vocational skills that employers need. Monitoring visit: Apprenticeship Recruitment Service Limited, 20–21 November 2019 Tutors are appropriately qualified and experienced to support apprentices and to develop and assess their knowledge and skills. Leaders and managers ensure that

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Reasonable progress

tutors reflect on their teaching practices and use their professional development to improve their practice.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their provision and have an appropriate understanding of the areas that require further improvement. For example, leaders have rightly identified the need to improve the effectiveness of existing information management systems to ensure that apprentices’ progress is consistently and accurately recorded and shared with managers.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have very recently established a governance function to provide support and challenge to senior leaders to further improve the quality of apprenticeships. Leaders have rightly identified that current arrangements are underdeveloped and recognise the need to recruit more governors to provide appropriate external scrutiny, monitor improvements and hold leaders to account.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are recruited on to programmes that enable them to gain new skills and progress in their job roles or move to higher positions. Tutors make good use of the business needs of employers, and their understanding of apprentices’ starting points, to design a curriculum that allows apprentices to develop the skills that employers require. For example, business administration apprentices are involved in designing quality systems that improve efficiency within their departments.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from the support of experienced and knowledgeable tutors who are passionate about what they teach. Apprentices receive meaningful on- and off- the-job training that helps them to develop the knowledge and behaviours needed to progress at work. For example, team leader apprentices lead projects developing the processes to dispatch goods to clients in a cost effective way. Customer service apprentices can confidently communicate to a range of stakeholders and use their knowledge and skills to better meet the needs of their clients.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel well supported by their tutors who respond quickly to their queries. Most tutors meet frequently with apprentices and their managers and provide feedback on progress that informs the apprentices’ next steps. Tutors provide prompt and useful feedback on apprentices’ work. Most apprentices use this feedback to improve the quality and standard of their written work.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors and employer managers provide effective support to apprentices to ensure that they have a good understanding of the requirements of their endpoint Monitoring visit: Apprenticeship Recruitment Service Limited, 20–21 November 2019 assessments. For example, apprentices undertake mock interviews and presentations to build their confidence and understanding of assessment requirements.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers do not ensure that apprentices are consistently supported to develop their English writing skills beyond the qualifications being completed. In a small minority of cases, assessors do not sufficiently plan the curriculum to challenge the most experienced apprentices to extend their skills further.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers implement appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure that apprentices are safe. The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) has been trained to an appropriate standard. Tutors and managers receive regular safeguarding training and updates about the ‘Prevent’ duty. Tutors carry out health and safety checks on employer premises to ensure the suitability and safety of training venues used for workshops and reviews with apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

A clear process is in place for recording, reporting and monitoring any safeguarding concerns. Safeguarding issues are regularly considered by senior leaders at management and governance meetings. Leaders and managers follow appropriate recruitment processes including relevant pre-employment checks.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are safe and feel safe. They understand who to contact if they have any safeguarding questions or concerns. However, not all apprentices demonstrate a secure understanding of the dangers of extremism and radicalisation. Monitoring visit: Apprenticeship Recruitment Service Limited, 20–21 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 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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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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