Doncaster Conferences, Catering and Events Limited

Doncaster Conferences, Catering and Events Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Pat Hornsby, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: DCLT Training Academy Bond Street Rossington Doncaster DN11 0BZ Monitoring visit: Doncaster Conferences, Catering and Events Limited, 19–20 February 2020

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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

Doncaster Conferences, Catering and Events Limited (DCCE Ltd) is a subsidiary of Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust (DCLT), a registered charity. DCCE Ltd began to deliver apprenticeships for DCLT’s employees directly in September 2018. Currently, 28 apprentices are on standards-based programmes. Of these, 16 are on the customer service practitioner programme at level 2. A further eight are on team leader/supervisor, leisure duty manager and customer service specialist programmes at level 3. Four apprentices are on the operations/departmental manager programme at level 5. Apprentices are employed in three leisure centres in Doncaster.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not enrol apprentices onto programmes that are sufficiently challenging. They require employees to complete specific apprenticeships, based on their job roles, irrespective of employees’ prior experience. Many apprentices have been in their roles for many years and are already competent, especially those on the customer service practitioner programme. Although some improve their theoretical knowledge, they do not become more proficient in their jobs.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not plan programmes effectively. Plans are not in place to specify apprentices’ on- and off-the-job learning, individual milestones or progress- review dates. Workplace managers are not sufficiently informed about programme details or involved in the delivery. Apprentices are unsure about what they have to do. They make slow progress in completing assignments and in producing evidence of their competence in preparation for end-point assessments.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers do not manage the performance of tutor-assessors effectively. They do not monitor whether tutor-assessors contact apprentices frequently enough, or whether they complete records of their meetings to an Monitoring visit: Doncaster Conferences, Catering and Events Limited, 19–20 February 2020 acceptable standard. Leaders and managers do not hold accurate information on apprentices’ progress.

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Insufficient progress

DCLT’s board of trustees provides strategic oversight of DCCE Ltd as part of its broader responsibilities. However, the board focuses its attention mainly on financial performance rather than quality issues. It provides insufficient challenge or support in relation to the quality of apprenticeship programmes.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers are committed to delivering apprenticeships as part of the DCLT’s workforce development plan. They view the programmes as an important way of providing career pathways for staff and as opportunities for them to develop a broad set of skills to meet business needs. They have restricted the pilot of standards-based programmes to one cohort of apprentices in order to evaluate and improve delivery before rolling it out more extensively.

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Insufficient progress

Tutor-assessors do not plan a curriculum that provides a structure for learning. They do not ensure that apprentices acquire substantial new vocational knowledge, skills and behaviours. Apprentices are not aware of the programme content, sequence of learning or end-point assessment arrangements.

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Insufficient progress

Tutor-assessors do not assess apprentices’ prior knowledge and experience effectively to ensure that programmes provide sufficient challenge. Many apprentices, particularly those on the customer service practitioner programme, have significant experience and higher-level qualifications that are not taken into account. Programmes refresh apprentices’ existing knowledge and skills but do not develop them further.

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Insufficient progress

Apprentices do not complete enough off-the-job learning. In some roles, especially where apprentices are dealing with the public, they have no time for learning during working hours, so they complete written work at home. Tutor-assessors and apprentices are not sufficiently clear on what constitutes off-the-job learning and do not maintain accurate records of completed learning.

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Insufficient progress

Tutor-assessors do not visit apprentices in the workplace frequently enough, resulting in apprentices making slow progress. Too often, tutor-assessors do not record support visits, so apprentices do not subsequently recall what they covered or any actions that they have agreed to complete. Occasionally, tutor-assessors record meetings, but they do not provide apprentices with a copy of the record.

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Insufficient progress

When apprentices produce written work, tutor-assessors do not assess it or provide feedback to help apprentices improve. Customer service practitioner apprentices are Monitoring visit: Doncaster Conferences, Catering and Events Limited, 19–20 February 2020 approaching the end date of their programme but have not yet completed any written work.

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Insufficient progress

Tutor-assessors have extensive knowledge and experience of the sport and leisure sector. They provide good personal support and practical guidance. Apprentices on the operations/departmental manager programme develop new knowledge, skills and confidence, such as the ability to present business ideas to colleagues and contribute to business planning.

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Insufficient progress

Most apprentices are clear about the opportunities for further learning and career progression available within their workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe. They know how to report any concerns and to whom they should report them. The designated safeguarding leads have completed specialist training for their roles. They record and respond to safeguarding concerns appropriately, involving specialist agencies where necessary.

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Reasonable progress

All staff, including apprentices, complete a comprehensive range of training on safeguarding. For example, staff at one leisure centre have completed training in counter-terrorism to help them understand and respond to threats in public buildings. Apprentices have a good understanding of local risks such as in relation to county lines.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers meet their statutory requirements under the ‘Prevent’ duty and have recently completed a risk assessment and action plan. As a result, they identified the need to monitor room bookings at leisure venues more closely and are developing a rigorous system to do so.

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Reasonable progress

The board of trustees monitors health and safety across DCLT closely. However, it does not monitor safeguarding routinely. Monitoring visit: Doncaster Conferences, Catering and Events Limited, 19–20 February 2020 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

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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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