Reed Specialist Recruitment Limited

Reed Specialist Recruitment Limited Progress monitoring report

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Name of lead inspector: Rebecca Jennings, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address:

94 Chancery Lane London WC2A 1DT Monitoring visit: Reed Specialist Recruitment Limited, 24–25 February 2021

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Context and focus of visit

Reed Specialist Recruitment Limited received a new provider monitoring visit in October 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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Reasonable progress

Since the previous monitoring visit, leaders have focused on improving the monitoring of apprentices’ progress, line manager involvement and teaching English and mathematics. They have made improvements through reviewing their strategic intent and focus. Leaders have raised the profile of apprenticeships. They use the programme as the main route for hiring new, inexperienced employees. Most of the changes made have had a positive impact and apprentices perform well in their jobs. The outbreak of COVID-19 disrupted the employment of many apprentices and staff. Leaders responded by placing all apprentices on a break in learning and ceased face- to-face teaching. Monitoring visit: Reed Specialist Recruitment Limited, 24–25 February 2021 Leaders carefully initiated a phased return to learning for apprentices from September 2020. Assessors supported each returning apprentice on a one-to-one basis online. As a result of this focused support, most apprentices who restarted

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers appropriately review the quality of the apprenticeship programmes. They have started to put in place suitable changes. For example, they have recently amended the review process. Leaders also recognise the need to raise the standard of teaching of functional skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders rightly recognise that line manager involvement has resurfaced as a challenge since the break in apprentices’ programmes. Line managers’ input is not consistently recorded in reviews. There is a demand on apprentices to build up their workload. As a result, apprentices are struggling to keep up with their apprenticeship work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have developed a well-sequenced off-the-job curriculum. The content meets the needs of apprentices and the business. Apprentices learn useful fundamentals at the start of their course before progressing to more complex techniques. For example, apprentices learn at the start of their course to assess clients’ commitment levels. Later in the programme, they learn techniques to retain clients, which helps them to gain repeat business.

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Reasonable progress

Line managers help apprentices develop sound knowledge and skills through on-the- job coaching. For example, they observe apprentices making calls, and guide apprentices on how to identify and respond to buying signals. Line managers’ coaching enables apprentices to discuss their training and support needs.

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Reasonable progress

Managers deliver frequent ‘lunch and learn’ sessions, covering a range of topics. Some help apprentices improve workplace performance, for example in gaining more online client meetings. Others focus on improving well-being, such as managing mindset and stress. Apprentices can access an employee assistance programme if they need support. Managers identified trends in the types of support requested. They introduced topics such as financial health to a well-being calendar of activities. As a result, apprentices feel valued and well supported.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers skilfully consider the needs of apprentices to help them gain from online training workshops. They include preparation and debrief sessions to ensure apprentices’ knowledge is embedded. Trainers use appropriate methods to check apprentices’ understanding. Where apprentices’ learning has been disrupted due to being on furlough, assessors guide them to watch video recordings of training. As a result, apprentices remember key concepts and models.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors’ feedback to apprentices on assessments does not set clear enough targets or expectations. As a result, apprentices do not fully understand what they need to do to achieve higher grades. While managers and assessors recognise the need to give more helpful feedback, most apprentices have not submitted written work since returning on programme. Monitoring visit: Reed Specialist Recruitment Limited, 24–25 February 2021 Apprentices have access to logical career progression opportunities within the organisation. They have gained promotions and moved into specialised consultant roles. They take on extra responsibilities as a result of learning and development through their apprenticeship, and remain in employment during a turbulent time in the market.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are aware of how to stay safe online. At the start of their apprenticeship, they complete relevant safeguarding training. Staff provide appropriate support to apprentices, such as through weekly check-in calls. To ensure apprentices remained feeling part of the team, managers invited apprentices to socialise via quizzes with their peers and delivered food parcels.

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Reasonable progress

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

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Reasonable progress

 apprentices’ progress is accurately recorded with enough detail at reviews of progress, with input from managers and assessors, so that apprentices understand how to improve  managers make allowances in apprentices’ workloads as they return to learning, so that they can redress the current imbalance between training and work. Monitoring visit: Reed Specialist Recruitment Limited, 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

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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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