Gordon Franks Training Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Gordon Franks 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 Education programmes for young people Requires improvement Apprenticeships Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Gordon Franks Training, now known as GFT, is an independent learning provider based in the West Midlands. It was acquired by PQMS Ltd in February 2018, which itself was bought by the Hexatronic Group. In the last two months, GFT has started delivering level 2 dual-fuel smart metering and highway maintenance apprenticeship standards as part of their offer.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, GFT had a total of 336 learners in learning. Education programmes for young people have 34% of all learners, all of whom have been excluded from schools or colleges. In the apprenticeship provision, almost half of all apprentices are working at level 2 in early years programmes, followed closely by the business programmes. While 74% of all apprentices are on frameworks, 26% are following apprenticeship standards at level 3 in the business sector. At the start of their programmes, nearly 80% of all apprentices do not have the required level of mathematics and/or English. Some 25% of all learners across both programmes have a self-declared disability. Around 60% of all learners are aged 16 to 18, 71% are female, and 54% are from minority ethnic groups. GFT works with 129 small and medium-sized businesses, and three-levy paying employers, for whom it recruits apprentices.

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

Many apprentices gain new skills that they use in their workplaces to benefit themselves and their employers. Apprentices’ knowledge of key theories is not as good because staff are not sufficiently skilled at reinforcing theoretical knowledge. This limits their future employment prospects.

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

Although many apprentices begin to earn a living at a young age, too many apprentices do not take up positions after completing their apprenticeship. A few employers do not give the apprentices their entitlement to time off for completing off-the-job training.

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

Learners benefit from largely well-designed education programmes for young people. This develops their confidence, personal and social skills and resilience; however, they do not gain high-quality work experience, and too many of them fail to enter education, employment or training at the end of their programmes.

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

Apprentices and learners do not receive careers guidance towards the end of their programmes. Staff do not help them to look for other options or consider sectors where they can use their skills.

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

Learners feel safe. They enjoy re-engaging in learning in the centre, which many rightly describe as a ‘safe haven’. They develop self-confidence and improve their self-esteem. Learners and apprentices value learning in small classes and the highly effective support from staff. They feel confident to declare their disabilities and appreciate the support from staff and other help agencies.

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better?

Leaders and managers are clear about the vision for the programmes. They are less clear about implementing this as a well-planned curriculum which is having the desired impact on learners’ and apprentices’ development.

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better?

Managers have not planned the content of the curriculum for apprentices well enough at the start of the programme. Apprentices and employers do not have a clear enough understanding of the apprenticeship structure and its components. The teaching of functional skills is left until late in the programme due to staff shortages. Too many apprentices do not have enough time to study in the workplace. As a result, these apprentices make slow progress.

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better?

Too few business apprentices at level 2 gain new knowledge and skills that build on what they already know and can do. Consequently, these apprentices are not challenged sufficiently, and the standard of their work is not high enough. Development coaches are not sufficiently skilled at teaching level 3 business theory. As a result, these apprentices lack confidence in explaining the knowledge which underpins their practical skills. 4–7 February 2020

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Development coaches identify the starting points of the apprentices with regards to their knowledge, skills and behaviours. However, they do not use this information routinely to build on these to ensure that apprentices make good progress. Managers and development coaches measure progress only against the achievement of qualifications and not in terms of apprentices’ acquisition of knowledge and skills. Too often, apprentices complete tasks to achieve only the minimum standard.

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Too few learners benefit from meaningful work experience. The range and nature of available work placements is narrow and restricted to a few sectors. Too many learners at the end of the programme fail to enter further education, training or employment.

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Careers guidance for learners and apprentices towards the end of their programmes is not good enough. Too few learners move on into education and employment, and this figure has declined from the previous year. Too few apprentices stay in their employment at the end of their apprenticeship programme. Leaders and managers do not provide enough high-quality guidance to these apprentices to help them find alternative sectors or employers where they can use their skills. Staff provide detailed and impartial careers information, advice and guidance to apprentices and learners at the beginning of their journey and place them on the right programmes.

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GFT managers have a clear rationale for providing apprenticeships to meet the needs of employers in early years’ settings and businesses that face skill shortages in the locality. Apprentices are prepared well for employment at entry-level roles in these sectors.

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Staff have planned the education programmes carefully to meet the needs of young people who have been excluded from schools or colleges. The three tiers of the programme incrementally prepare learners to develop their personal and social skills, so that they are ready to seek and secure employment.

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In early years development, coaches – including freelance staff – are appropriately qualified, skilled and experienced. Most coaches deliver effective coaching sessions for apprentices in the early years’ settings. They help apprentices to know and remember more through practice over time. Consequently, the majority of these apprentices gain the new knowledge and skills that they need to be successful at work. For example, the theory of the play cycle is used well to deepen early years apprentices’ knowledge of the stages of play, such as play cues and play frames. A handful of management apprentices understand different ways of managing people to get the best from them by considering their needs and aspirations.

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Staff support many learners and apprentices well with their additional learning needs, including a few learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and education, health and care plans, to achieve their qualifications. They provide necessary support to develop their English and mathematics skills needed for their vocational programmes.

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Most apprentices gain new knowledge, skills and behaviours. They become valuable employees and provide a good service to their customers. Apprentices on early years’ programmes care well for young children in the early stages of their development. 4–7 February 2020

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Business apprentices on Level 3 standards improve their skills in time management, project management and working in teams. They also gain greater responsibilities and are often promoted to more senior roles. Apprentices research, analyse, implement and evaluate improvement projects to reduce waste, improve sustainability and improve service to customers. The standard of their work is good.

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A large majority of apprentices achieve their qualification within the planned timescale. Learners improve their reading and comprehension skills and produce informative curriculum vitae. They learn the correct use of fractions and percentages, for example, to work out discounts when shopping online. However, learners do not gain mathematics qualifications at a higher level than they started from.

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Apprentices and learners develop a positive attitude to life, become mature and start taking an active role in society. They become adept at taking responsibility for their mental health and well-being, by learning to overcome their anxiety. They learn to ‘live in the moment’ and become mindful in their daily lives through imaginative and interactive teaching in workshops.

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Learners are treated like adults and with respect. They make friends with different groups of learners, respecting others’ viewpoint and understanding their rights and responsibilities. They become aware of dangers in society, including extremism, and take steps to protect themselves from harm. Learners attend their classes regularly and arrive on time, ready to learn.

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The chief executive officer has delegated all strategic and operational decisions to the managing director, while focusing on underpinning the foundation of the company by making it sustainable. He has made significant investment in learning resources, which staff, learners and apprentices use well. However, this approach has left the managing director short of resource to manage operations and the curriculum, and this has contributed to a quality of curriculum that requires improvement.

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Leaders and managers have not provided staff with training to improve their teaching skills. They have limited understanding of the use of assessment as a learning tool; therefore, their input is mostly about validating skills and competences.

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The managing director has revised governance arrangements since the change in ownership. Two knowledgeable and experienced professionals act as critical friends, who have helped her to focus on matters such as the monitoring of destinations, careers guidance, and improvements to learners’ and apprentices’ completion in the planned timescales. However senior leaders have not agreed clearly the role of the governors in holding them to account, and in scrutinising the quality of education, and challenging managers to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 4–7 February 2020

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The culture of safeguarding at operational level is strong. Staff have an up-to-date knowledge of a wide range of safeguarding risks in the area, including the ‘Prevent’ duty. Staff know their learners well, including those at risk. They spot signs of changes in learners’ behaviour and take swift action to protect learners. For example, staff dealt with cases of forced marriage and ‘Prevent’-related matters effectively. Managers use their well-established and strong links with the external agencies to seek advice and make referrals. Leaders and managers have not revised the inherited policy and processes supporting the safeguarding arrangements to meet the requirements of the new organisation. This includes appropriate and regular background checks on all staff, assessing risks and establishing suitable procedures to mitigate risks. The provider rectified this during the inspection week.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Provide detailed career guidance to learners and apprentices towards the end of their programme, so that they have a clear idea of what steps they can take to undertake further training and/or secure employment in alternative sectors.  Plan, structure and order the curriculum for each programme to enable learners and apprentices to have a more productive and better learning experience.  Strengthen the management team to provide more effective leadership of curriculum and quality.  Ensure that employers are fully involved in the planning of apprenticeships, so that all apprentices get their entitlement to off-the-job training.  Focus staff development on improving the teaching skills of staff so that they provide high-quality tuition, helping learners to learn and remember more, consolidating their skills and behaviour, based on sound knowledge.  Clarify the role of governors so that they provide appropriate challenge to the

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

senior leaders, holding leaders to account for the quality of education. 4–7 February 2020

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Provider details

Address St. James House St. James Place Birmingham West Midlands B7 4JE

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Provider details

Website https://gordonfrankstraining.co.uk/

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 16–17 August and 12–13 September 2017

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 4–7 February 2020

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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

Harmesh Manghra, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Maria Navarro Her Majesty’s Inspector Barbara Hughes Ofsted Inspector Martin Ward Her Majesty’s Inspector Jaswant Mann Ofsted Inspector Maggie Fobister Ofsted Inspector 4–7 February 2020

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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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