Hoople Ltd

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:

Churchill House Venns Lane Hereford HR1 1DE Monitoring visit: Hoople Ltd, 10–11 March 2021

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Context and focus of visit

Hoople Ltd was last inspected in January 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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Reasonable progress

Since the last inspection, leaders have taken reasonable steps to restructure the arrangements for governance, appointing a new chief operating officer and external governor with significant educational experience. The newly formed board has begun to hold leaders to account for the ongoing development of the curriculum they provide – study programmes to learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) – and offer valuable critical advice to senior leaders and managers. Monitoring visit: Hoople Ltd, 10–11 March 2021 Leaders have developed new enrolment and induction processes which enable learners, parents and the provider to ensure the course and provider environment are suitable for the learner. Learners are invited to the provider’s premises to meet with staff, view the facilities, and participate in a lesson before their place is confirmed. As a result, leaders are assured that the programmes they offer are

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Reasonable progress

Since the last inspection, leaders and managers identified specific additional training needed to ensure the safety of learners with specific behavioural challenges and the staff who teach them. They ensured all staff received this training quickly, and were well prepared when the provider re-opened for face-to-face teaching.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers understand the challenges that working online may present for learners with SEND. Tutors worked with parents and carers to ensure regular attendance at online sessions, and focused learning on areas which were most accessible to this group of learners when working remotely. They used quizzes, games and physical activities as part of their sessions to keep learners engaged and learning. As a result, attendance at online sessions remained high during the periods of national restrictions.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors help learners to understand gaps in their knowledge and identify inappropriate behaviours in a safe and supportive way. For example, helping learners to realise how their behaviours impact negatively on providing good customer service, if they interrupt others or overly criticise different opinions. Consequently, learners can make positive changes to their behaviours and improve their social interaction, awareness and skills.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors ensure that learners understand what they are learning during face-to-face sessions. They provide learners with clear explanations about topics, such as teamwork and customer service. Tutors help them to remember knowledge and apply it to their vocational studies through projects, such as running the provider’s tuck shop, and renovating a post box.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors review learners’ progress against headline education, health and care plans (EHCP) and employability targets. However, too often, tutors do not identify sufficiently specific targets that are based on learners’ individual starting points – including in English and mathematics – to ensure that learners close gaps in their knowledge in these subjects swiftly.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and those responsible for governance are not yet fully informed of the progress learners are making. Since the last inspection, leaders have developed processes to give them a greater understanding of learners’ progress. However, the impact of the pandemic and the subsequent challenges learners have faced when learning online have resulted in slow progress. Consequently, the impact of these changes cannot yet be seen.

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Reasonable progress

Since the last inspection, leaders have identified the need to develop the skills of tutors in providing realistic careers information, advice and guidance to learners. Monitoring visit: Hoople Ltd, 10–11 March 2021 They enrolled all teaching staff on a level 3 qualification, and tutors use their skills to manage appropriately the career aspirations of learners based on their capabilities, while still encouraging them to reach for their goals. For example, one learner aspires to be a teacher, so the provider has arranged work experience as a teaching assistant prior to exploring enrolment on a teaching assistant apprenticeship at level 2.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have developed links with local enforcement agencies and attend regular meetings to be updated on local and national issues. They use this information to inform teaching on topics, such as radicalisation and extremism, and equality and diversity. As a result, learners receive specific and relevant information on the issues they may encounter in their daily lives. For example, one learner was able to identify an incident of bullying at a social club they attend, and felt confident to report this appropriately.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors plan and deliver remote learning safely, setting out rules and guidelines carefully so that that both parents and learners know the correct protocols, including the use of hand icons. Tutors ensure that learners are safe online, including using college devices that have the appropriate software to block inappropriate use or access, and that learners understand how to stay safe online, including when using social media.

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Reasonable progress

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

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Reasonable progress

 ensure that tutors set sufficiently challenging targets for learners based on their starting points, to encourage learners to swiftly make the progress they are capable of  ensure that those responsible for governance receive timely information on the progress learners are making, to allow them to hold leaders to account effectively. Monitoring visit: Hoople Ltd, 10–11 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

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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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