Business Training Ventures Limited

Business Training Ventures Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Steve Hunsley, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection date(s): 10 to 11 November 2020

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 2nd Floor Regents Orthodontics 87 Manningham Lane Bradford BD1 3BN Monitoring visit: Business Training Ventures Limited, 10 to 11 November 2020

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Context and focus of visit

From March 2019, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision which began to be funded from August 2017 or after by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. This provider received a monitoring visit under these arrangements and was found to be making insufficient progress against one or more themes.

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Context and focus of visit

On 17 March 2020, all routine inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. As part of our phased return to routine inspections, we are carrying out additional monitoring visits to new providers that were judged to be making insufficient progress against one or more themes at their previous monitoring visit and would have been due their full inspection up to or during the interim phase but have not received it because of the suspension of routine inspections. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements as outlined in the interim phase operational note for further education and skills and with reference to the further education and skills handbook and is focused on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Business Training Ventures, trading as Potential 4 Skills (P4S), began to deliver adult learning provision in August 2017. Currently, 122 learners are on adult learning programmes, often taking more than one qualification. Programmes include work skills with a focus on customer service, construction, warehousing and logistics at entry level and level 1, English, mathematics and information and communications technology (ICT) at entry level to level 2, and personal and social development at entry level and level 1. P4S delivers learning from a training centre in Bradford, and most learners live in the local community.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous monitoring visit, senior leaders have ensured that the programmes that they offer better meet the needs of the local community. Managers have successfully revamped the content and structure of the curriculum. They have focused the vocational curriculum on the largest employment sectors in the area, which are construction, warehousing and logistics, and customer service. Managers have added English provision up to level 2 as part of the curriculum offer.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders work effectively with their partners to provide a range of courses to develop the skills and behaviours that learners need to re-enter the job market. Managers and advisers at Jobcentre Plus and the local authority value the flexible and swift Monitoring visit: Business Training Ventures Limited, 10 to 11 November 2020 manner in which staff at P4S respond to their customers’ needs. For example, leaders have ensured that learners have the relevant information that they need to apply for job roles in the construction and warehousing sectors.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers make sure that their tutors and staff are well qualified and have appropriate experience in their subject. Learners value the expertise and support that tutors provide in helping them to put their learning into practice. For example, with the introduction of higher-level English courses, learners feel more confident in applying for jobs and in attending interviews.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders are self-critical and have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their operation and provision. This enables them to identify and enhance aspects that require improvement. Since the previous monitoring visit, leaders have strengthened their governance arrangements by establishing a well- informed board of directors. They have ensured that managers and tutors are more accountable through the introduction of effective methods to assure the quality of teaching.

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Reasonable progress

Managers routinely monitor the progress that learners make on their courses and track their destinations once they have left their course. This enables leaders to evaluate how effective the curriculum is in supporting learners into employment or further training, and in helping them in their daily lives.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors organise the curriculum in a way that enables learners to begin by gaining an understanding of how their behaviours and attitudes are central to performing well at work. Learners then develop their skills and knowledge in health and safety, team work and communication. Each area of skill and knowledge is grounded in the specific vocational pathway that the learner wants to follow. For example, learners research the behaviour and attitudes that major logistics companies seek in their employees.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have redesigned taught sessions so that there is more direct contact time and less reliance on learners completing work books on their own to meet awarding body criteria. They have added enrichment workshops that help learners to develop their wider life skills, such as in money management.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors incorporate English and mathematics in vocational subjects in a way that makes them relevant to learners. For example, learners on the warehousing course learn how to calculate weights for loading pallets. Monitoring visit: Business Training Ventures Limited, 10 to 11 November 2020 Staff provide effective information, advice and guidance to learners. Before the beginning of each course, staff identify the prior employment histories, qualifications and work goals of learners. They use this information well to put learners on the right type and level of programme. They support learners towards the end of their programme to apply for jobs or progress on to a higher-level qualification.

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Reasonable progress

Learners develop new skills and knowledge on their courses. Learners on English courses improve the standard of their essay writing and become much more confident communicators. Learners who have become unemployed during the COVID-19 pandemic, after working for many years in the same job, gain an understanding about how best to present themselves to potential new employers.

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Reasonable progress

In vocational subjects, feedback on learners’ work is too generic and overly positive. Teachers do not give enough personal feedback to learners about how they could excel at what they do. Teachers of English, mathematics and ICT provide helpful feedback that enables learners to improve their work and learn from their errors.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that appropriate policies, procedures and arrangements are in place to keep learners safe and to meet the ‘Prevent’ duty. All staff encourage a positive culture of safeguarding in the training centre. Staff offer helpful information on safeguarding to learners through posters and leaflets in the training centre and in learners’ course induction. As a result, learners feel safe and know how to report any concerns.

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Reasonable progress

All staff are suitably trained and qualified, and they receive regular updates about safeguarding. The designated safeguarding lead is appropriately qualified and liaises effectively with relevant external safeguarding agencies. Leaders and managers ensure, through their recruitment process, that staff are safe to work with learners.

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Reasonable progress

Learners do not understand the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism in the area. Tutors do not reinforce learners’ knowledge of these risks throughout the courses, so learners forget what they have been told at induction. Monitoring visit: Business Training Ventures Limited, 10 to 11 November 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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