Icon Vocational Training Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Icon Vocational Training Limited

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Apprenticeships Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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Information about this provider

Icon Vocational Training Limited (Icon) is based in Newport, Wales. It mainly specialises in apprenticeships for the leisure and sport industry across England. Leaders and managers work with approximately 118 employers within the leisure and sport industry, along with a small number of employers within the customer service industry.

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Information about this provider

Icon offers apprenticeships in a variety of subjects, such as sport and physical activity, leadership and management, and business support services.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 309 apprentices, with approximately one third completing apprenticeship frameworks and the remainder on standards-based apprenticeships. Levels range from level 2 through to level 5, with the majority of the apprentices studying at level 2. 10–13 December 2019

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

The majority of apprentices develop confidence which helps them to perform better in their job roles. Most are motivated and have positive attitudes which help them keep on track with their learning. In a few instances, apprentices lose motivation due to the infrequent visits from teaching coaches.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

On too many occasions, leaders and managers do not plan and sequence the curriculum to take into account the previous experiences of apprentices. For example, due to their previous employment experiences, some apprentices need longer to study subjects such as anatomy and physiology and less time to study how to support clients. As a result, these apprentices do not develop significant new knowledge for their vocational areas rapidly enough.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Most apprentices benefit from the frequent verbal feedback they receive from their teaching coaches. This helps apprentices understand the strengths of their work and the areas they need to improve. For a minority of apprentices, feedback is limited and provides little opportunity for them to make the improvements they need.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

A significant number of apprentices with large employers in the leisure industry gain promotion due to their participation in the apprenticeship programme.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices gain a good understanding of how to work with customers and colleagues from diverse backgrounds.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices feel safe and know how to report any issues or concerns.

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better?

Leaders and managers are clear in their aim to develop the workforce within the leisure industry through apprenticeship programmes. However, the engagement with smaller employers to develop ambitious programmes is not as successful as it is with the large employers. Too often, the curriculum is not tailored to individual apprentices. This results in all apprentices following the same curriculum, regardless of their starting points.

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better?

Leaders, managers and teaching coaches do not plan off-the-job training well enough. A few teaching coaches are not clear about what activities contribute to off- the-job training. As a result, they do not encourage apprentices to pursue opportunities that broaden and extend their theoretical knowledge.

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better?

Leaders and managers do not effectively plan apprentices’ on-the-job programmes with the smaller employers. They do not plan work tasks and the units studied logically so that apprentices make good progress. For example, apprentices do not develop new work skills and knowledge to further their performance and contributions to the workplace. However, large employers provide on-the-job learning for apprentices that enables them to build on their previous skills. As a 10–13 December 2019

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result, sports apprentices learn how to design programmes to promote the physical health and well-being of their customers.

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Most teaching coaches provide apprentices with helpful feedback on their assessed work. This helps apprentices to understand the strengths of their work and the areas that they need to improve. However, when assessing work, teaching coaches do not prioritise the development of apprentices’ English and mathematical skills. They do not routinely comment on English or mathematical skills and how to enhance them. This results in a lack of challenge for some apprentices to develop these skills, which has a negative impact on their longer-term learning and progression opportunities.

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Most apprentices have a good understanding of how they are assessed during their apprenticeship. They have an appropriate awareness and focus on their end-point assessment. Teaching coaches provide adequate guidance to apprentices on how to structure and organise evidence. For those apprentices on standards-based apprenticeships, teaching coaches explain the standard of work that is required to achieve a distinction grade. For example, they provide apprentices with mock professional discussions in preparation for end-point assessments, which enhances apprentices’ skills and confidence.

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Too many apprentices do not develop new behaviours because many of them have acquired these through previous roles at work within associated industries, such as retail. Those apprentices who are new to the industry do develop appropriate behaviours. For example, apprentices on level 2 customer service apprenticeships improve their self-confidence, particularly with regards to delivering presentations to the public or to people they do not know.

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Leaders and managers have not yet implemented a staff development programme that provides teaching coaches with sufficient opportunities to develop their pedagogical skills and subject knowledge. As a result, teaching coaches do not consistently deliver high-quality training to apprentices. For example, in some instances, apprentices do not have substantive face-to-face vocational subject learning time with teaching coaches and rely on their own research to complete assignments.

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Not all apprentices receive impartial careers advice and guidance. In particular, this is less effective for apprentices with smaller employers. Apprentices do not receive clear enough information about their programme and where it sits in the wider training and education pathways. As a result, apprentices are not always supported well enough to explore the wider career options open to them.

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Leaders and managers have only recently identified that there has been a long-term decline in the quality of the provision. They have started to put in place improvement actions to address these issues and these are only just beginning to have a positive impact. 10–13 December 2019

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Most apprentices have a sound understanding of safeguarding. Designated safeguarding leads are appropriately trained. Staff and apprentices know how to report any safeguarding concerns they may have. Designated safeguarding leads have appropriate systems in place to manage any disclosures thoroughly. Apprentices know how to keep themselves safe in the workplace, including from the risks of radicalisation and extremism.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders and managers must improve the quality of education across all apprenticeship programmes to enable apprentices to develop significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours.  Leaders and managers must involve employers to ensure that on- and off-the-job activities are coordinated more effectively in order to develop and implement a comprehensive training plan for apprentices.  Leaders and managers must ensure that apprentices receive high-quality, timely visits and reviews so that apprentices are kept on track with their learning.  Leaders and managers must ensure that teaching coaches are provided with opportunities to develop their pedagogical skills and subject expertise.  Leaders and managers must ensure that all apprentices receive impartial careers advice and guidance to enable them to have a better understanding of the full range of progression opportunities available to them. 10–13 December 2019

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Provider details

Address 61 Newport Road Caldicot NP26 4BR

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 24 February 2012

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Provider details

Main subcontractors none 10–13 December 2019

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the managing director, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements, including observing learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Joanna Walters, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ann Monaghan Her Majesty’s Inspector Terri Williams Ofsted Inspector Gavin Murray Ofsted Inspector Christina Christou Ofsted Inspector Emma Barrett-Peel Her Majesty’s Inspector 10–13 December 2019

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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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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