Vogal Group Limited

Vogal Group Limited Progress monitoring report

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Name of lead inspector: Michael Worgs, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent Learning Provider

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Address:

Helpston Road Ailsworth Peterborough PE5 7AE Monitoring visit: Vogal Group Limited, 22–23 February 2021

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Context and focus of visit

Vogal Group Limited received a new provider monitoring visit in February 2019. At that time, inspectors made progress judgements under three themes. A follow-up safeguarding monitoring visit was conducted in July 2019.

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Context and focus of visit

This monitoring visit focused on the extent to which leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action to provide education in the current circumstances. It was undertaken as outlined in the operational note on visits carried out from January 2021 and with reference to the further education and skills handbook.

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Context and focus of visit

These visits are to help learners, parents, employers and government understand how providers are meeting the needs of learners in this period, including those with high needs and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Context and focus of visit

Following changes to government guidance and the imposition of COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown restrictions, inspectors carried out this monitoring activity remotely. As a result, the range of evidence available to inspectors was narrower than would be the case during an on-site inspection. Therefore, this report provides a more limited level of assurance.

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Context and focus of visit

The impact of COVID-19 has been taken into account in the findings and progress judgement below. Inspectors did not evaluate leaders’ response to COVID-19 during the spring and summer of 2020, when the provider was not open to all learners and there were no national expectations regarding remote education.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have made effective progress to improve the quality of the curriculum. They have taken the strategic decision to tackle poor performance by doing a full restructure of the organisation. As a result, they have recruited a new team to drive improvements forward. The new teaching team has started to develop standards- based apprenticeship programmes that better meet the needs of apprentices and local employers.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have put in place a good training and development plan to help new inexperienced tutors develop their teaching skills quickly. For example, all new tutors are completing the level 3 award in education and teaching or the level 3 certificate Monitoring visit: Vogal Group Limited, 22–23 February 2021 in assessing vocational achievement. As a result, tutors are more confident in their ability to teach sessions and assess their apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have improved their quality assurance processes. They have introduced new operational activities and quality monitoring strategies. They ensure that tutors use the new review process to monitor apprentices’ progress and the development of their skills over time. However, a few of these new quality processes, such as analysing feedback from employers and apprentices, are not yet fully established and this has delayed the implementation of their quality improvement plan. Leaders are taking action to deal with this issue, but it is too early to see any impact.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have not yet developed effective governance arrangements. While they have strengthened their governance arrangements for safeguarding, arrangements to scrutinise the quality of the curriculum are not in place. Leaders do not have sufficient external support and challenge to rapidly evaluate the impact of their action on improving the provision.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices make swift progress in developing their trade skills throughout their apprenticeship programme. They benefit from good-quality one-to-one and small- group tuition. As a result, engineering apprentices quickly develop their skills from simple fixing of pumps to doing more complicated tasks such as finding faults and the electrical maintenance of pumps. They are more confident to apply these skills in the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors have improved the assessment of apprentices’ prior learning before they start their programme. For example, they have introduced initial assessments for English and mathematics which are used to plan an individualised functional skills programme for each apprentice. As a result, apprentices are making better progress in completing their functional skills qualification.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use their industry knowledge to develop the vocational English skills of apprentices. For example, they reinforce the use of technical language in written feedback and practical sessions. However, they do not assess the prior core knowledge and skills of apprentices effectively to identify how apprentices could make better progress from their starting points.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors have developed effective curriculum plans that are sequenced to ensure that apprentices develop core skills at specific points in their programme. For example, in the level 3 metal fabrication apprenticeship, apprentices learn about health and safety and basic engineering mathematics before moving on to material properties and sheet metal work. As a result, apprentices have a good foundation knowledge and are able to build on this.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have ensured that a high proportion of apprentices complete their apprenticeships successfully in a timely manner despite the challenges faced due to the pandemic. As a result, the vast majority of apprentices gain sustainable full-time employment. Monitoring visit: Vogal Group Limited, 22–23 February 2021 Employers’ understanding of the requirements of the apprenticeship and their role in safeguarding has improved. They are heavily involved in the planning and delivery of the training for their apprentices. Employers use the regular feedback on their apprentices to help them to manage the training they provide in the workplace. As a result, apprentices benefit from a well-planned programme and are supported to make rapid progress.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices do not receive sufficient impartial careers advice and guidance. Tutors provide careers advice to apprentices at the start and end of their apprenticeship. However, there are limited wider employment-related opportunities discussed during their apprenticeship to enable apprentices to plan their next steps effectively.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and those responsible for governance should take further action to:

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Reasonable progress

 establish governance arrangements, including external scrutiny for the full range of responsibilities needed to further improve the quality of the provision  ensure that prior learning is assessed, and the information used to enable apprentices to make better progress in their learning  ensure that apprentices benefit from impartial careers advice and guidance throughout their apprenticeship. Monitoring visit: Vogal Group Limited, 22–23 February 2021 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

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Reasonable progress

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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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