DV8 Education & Training Community Interest Company

DV8 Training (Brighton) Limited Progress monitoring report

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Name of lead inspector: Emma Barrett-Peel, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address:

12 Queen Square Brighton East Sussex BN1 3FD Monitoring visit: DV8 Training (Brighton) Limited, 3–4 March 2021

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Context and focus of visit

DV8 Training (Brighton) Limited was last inspected in March 2020. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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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 and training 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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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision and use this to bring about improvements. Leaders and managers have dealt successfully with all the actions from the previous inspection. Leaders have set measurable targets that they review progress against frequently. They use information well to drive rapid and sustainable improvements for students.

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Significant progress

Board members are highly experienced. They challenge leaders and hold them to account on the actions they take to improve the provision. The board is clear on the progress made since the previous inspection, the key strengths, and the areas that still need to improve. They use data and reports well to measure progress against improvement actions, and to challenge leaders to meet time-bound targets. As a result, there have been rapid improvements in the quality of education for students. Monitoring visit: DV8 Training (Brighton) Limited, 3–4 March 2021 Leaders and managers have revised the support and training they provide for tutors to make sure that students benefit from high-quality teaching. Leaders have successfully implemented new quality assurance procedures that include learning walks, staff mentoring and weekly meetings with targeted actions. Leaders and managers have made sure that they train staff well to teach remotely. Staff benefit

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Significant progress

from extensive training to help them move from face-to-face teaching to teaching online. As a result, students continue to make good progress when working remotely.

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Significant progress

Staff have reviewed and improved the curriculum so that students continue to make progress when working remotely. Tutors make sure that students have a good understanding of their course, their assessment activities and the criteria to achieve high grades. Students receive useful feedback from tutors that helps them to improve their work. Tutors use assessment effectively to identify gaps in students’ knowledge. For example, gaming students create an asset pack for a two- dimensional game design. Staff use the work to identify key areas that students need to improve before they create a graphic design portfolio for their game. As a result, the proportion of students that improve their grade is high.

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Significant progress

Students develop valuable English and mathematics skills on their course that help them with their studies and future goals. Staff provide detailed feedback and support that helps students improve their skills regardless of whether they are taking a qualification as part of their programme. For example, students improve their use of wider language in creative writing and reduce the use of repetitive text. As a result, they improve the features of their writing and they consider carefully the audience they are writing for.

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Significant progress

Leaders have revised the process for tracking student attendance. They now collate better information so that staff intervene quickly when there are issues. Managers use the data well to analyse and compare trends between attendance and achievement. They use information effectively to continue to improve the attendance of students. Despite the improvements, leaders and managers recognise that attendance and punctuality to lessons remains an area of focus so that all students benefit from high-quality lessons.

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Significant progress

Leaders have made swift improvements to the information, advice and guidance that students receive. Managers have designed and implemented a new strategy successfully. Students benefit from well-planned sessions that give them helpful advice and support on their next steps and future goals. Leaders have responded well to making sure that students can still attend remote sessions. Students take part in interactive sessions with industry professionals. For example, media students attend sessions with a film director. As a result, students have a good understanding of the industry they want to work in. Students who want to progress to university or employment are well supported with applications.

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Significant progress

Leaders use effective safeguarding policies to help keep students safe. Students benefit from detailed training which includes raising their awareness of the risks associated with working online. Students know how to keep safe when working Monitoring visit: DV8 Training (Brighton) Limited, 3–4 March 2021 online. They know to whom and how they should report any concerns. Leaders have provided students with the necessary equipment to study effectively and safely at home. For example, gaming students benefit from specialist equipment to support their studies that also has safeguarding software installed to help them stay safe.

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Significant progress

Staff know their students very well and use this knowledge to quickly identify support needs and deal with concerns of individual students. Learning support staff work well with tutors to provide vocational and pastoral support to reduce the risk of students leaving their course early. Staff intervene swiftly with students to provide bespoke support. For example, students benefit from additional one-to-one sessions and external counselling.

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Significant progress

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

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Significant progress

 make sure that they continue to focus on improving attendance so that all students benefit from lessons that help them achieve their qualifications. Monitoring visit: DV8 Training (Brighton) Limited, 3–4 March 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 children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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

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