Crosby Management Training Ltd

Crosby Management Training Ltd Progress monitoring report

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Name of lead inspector: Stuart Collett, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

University of Wolverhampton Science Park Creative Industries Centre Glaisher Drive Wolverhampton WV10 9TG Monitoring visit: Crosby Management Training Ltd, 24–25 February 2021

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Context and focus of visit

Crosby Management Training Ltd received a new provider monitoring visit in November 2018. At that time, inspectors made progress judgements under three themes.

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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

Following the last monitoring visit, leaders quickly appointed a suitably experienced non-executive director to chair the governance board, also appointing representatives from their apprentices and employers. The board meets regularly, challenging leaders appropriately on the quality of the education apprentices receive.

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Significant progress

The size of the provider allows senior leaders to be operationally active across all apprenticeship programmes. As a result, they have a clear understanding of the actions needed to ensure quality improvement. For example, senior leaders have Monitoring visit: Crosby Management Training Ltd, 24–25 February 2021 been working closely with managers to improve the standard of feedback being provided to apprentices. In the large majority of cases, apprentices receive detailed feedback that helps them improve the standard of their work. However, in a very few cases, feedback is not clear in telling apprentices what they need to do to improve.

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Significant progress

Since the monitoring visit, there has been greater emphasis on apprentices developing their English and mathematical skills. Apprentices are well supported to improve these skills and can access specialist support if needed. However, in very few cases, where apprentices already have the required level of qualifications for their apprenticeship, there is not enough focus on improving apprentices’ English and mathematical skills.

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Significant progress

Leaders have developed strong working relationships with employers. They have created resources to develop employers’ understanding of their role in the apprenticeship and provide regular, detailed feedback on apprentices’ progress through reports and meetings. They also identify barriers to learning, such as apprentices not having time to complete their studies, and work with the employer to remove these. As a result, apprentices receive the support and development opportunities they need in the workplace to complete their apprenticeship.

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Significant progress

Leaders swiftly implemented their plan to move some of their provision online, to ensure that learning could continue during the pandemic. They selected a platform best suited to their needs and continued to offer both one-to-one and group coaching sessions remotely. They provided training to those staff who needed extra support to teach online, and through their observation process continue to develop trainers’ online teaching skills.

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Significant progress

Curriculum leaders have revisited their delivery plans to ensure these are suitable for teaching online. For example in butchery, trainers have created videos demonstrating practical skills as a way of replacing on-site visits and demonstrations. This has allowed apprentices to continue to develop their practical skills.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have ensured that on-site learning can still take place for those apprentices whose apprenticeship includes a licence to practise. For example, face-to-face delivery of butchery apprenticeships continued with adherence to government guidelines. As a result, apprentices were able to maintain their progress in areas of their apprenticeship that could not be managed online.

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Significant progress

Curriculum leaders have ensured that there is a clear link between on- and off-the- job activity. For example, butchery apprentices study pork butchery in taught sessions, and are then able to practise these skills on the job when they receive deliveries and prepare carcasses to be shop-ready. As a result, apprentices are rapidly developing commercial fluency in their skills.

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Significant progress

Apprentices complete a detailed assessment of their starting points. Trainers verify and discuss the results of these assessments with line managers to ensure that these are a true reflection of the apprentices’ skills, knowledge and behaviours when they start their programme and include the identification of learning needs. For example, Monitoring visit: Crosby Management Training Ltd, 24–25 February 2021 apprentices are asked to rate themselves against several potential barriers to learning, for example home circumstances, health issues and personal study skills. Trainers use this information to provide appropriate support for apprentices. As a result, trainers set appropriately challenging targets to ensure that apprentices can reach their potential.

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Significant progress

Curriculum leaders have ensured that apprentices have regular opportunities to revisit and recall their learning. For example, human resources apprentices have access to edited slides from group activities so that they can revisit this information. Apprentices told us how this is helping them to remember the information they learn.

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Significant progress

Since the monitoring visit, leaders have developed an online well-being library that is offered to all apprentices and consists of 12 modules designed to develop apprentices’ understanding of well-being. Topics include mental health, work–life balance, career planning and financial management. These modules are linked to monthly hot topics that are shared on the provider’s new online learning system and discussed with apprentices during their monthly reviews.

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Significant progress

Leaders have ensured that all teaching staff are trained to help them develop apprentices’ understanding of the risks in society, including those associated with radicalisation. As a result, apprentices’ understanding of these topics has improved.

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Significant progress

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

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Significant progress

 ensure that all apprentices, regardless of their starting points, receive support to develop their English and mathematical skills throughout their programme. Monitoring visit: Crosby Management Training Ltd, 24–25 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 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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