Fit UK Training & Education Ltd

Fit UK Training and Education Limited Progress monitoring report

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Name of lead inspector: Jacquie Brown, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Titan Business Centre Bradford Road Birstall Batley WF17 9PH Monitoring visit: Fit UK Training and Education Limited, 4–5 March 2021

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Context and focus of visit

Fit UK Training and Education Limited received a new provider monitoring visit in January 2019. 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

Tutors plan and design a suitable curriculum that meets the needs of apprentices and employers. They structure the curriculum in a logical way to enable apprentices to acquire secure knowledge, skills and behaviours. For example, they ensure that apprentices on the personal training programme understand how muscles work and how to operate safely in fitness settings. Once apprentices have mastered these topics, tutors move on to teach them how to work with personal clients on the design of fitness programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have taken effective action to ensure that tutors and assessors accurately identify apprentices’ starting points and plan programmes that meet their individual Monitoring visit: Fit UK Training and Education Limited, 4–5 March 2021 needs . For example, elite rugby players on fitness programmes are used to working in gym environments but are less familiar with theoretical knowledge on anatomy and physiology. Consequently, they spend more time studying these subjects than they do on the more practical parts of the programme.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that tutors use their vocational expertise effectively to develop the knowledge of apprentices on fitness programmes. As result, most apprentices make expected progress in developing their understanding. For example, tutors use their expertise in personal fitness to support apprentices to learn about nutrition. Apprentices use this information to design diet plans for their clients.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices have not been able to practise their practical skills or demonstrate appropriate behaviours in the workplace due to COVID-19 restrictions. In response, tutors planned activities to enable apprentice to practise and develop their skills at home. However, these have not worked as well as intended because, too often, apprentices have not been able to access necessary specialist equipment or been able to demonstrate their new skills to tutors.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors and assessors provide appropriate support to apprentices to improve their mathematical skills by identifying opportunities to practise these skills in vocational sessions. For example, apprentices on the level 3 personal training programme learn to use formulas to calculate heart rates, calculate a client’s body mass index, and work out safe ratios for weight sessions.

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Reasonable progress

Too many apprentices do not make rapid enough progress in improving their English skills. Tutors do not provide sufficient opportunities for apprentices to practise these skills in vocational sessions. They do not provide helpful enough feedback to apprentices on how to improve the quality of their written work. Too many apprentices submit written work that is poorly presented and contains spelling and grammatical errors. Leaders have appointed a quality manager who is providing training to tutors about giving developmental feedback, but it is too early to see the impact of this.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have provided useful support to apprentices during the COVID-19 restrictions. They quickly implemented an online curriculum to enable apprentices to continue with their studies. Leaders have trained tutors effectively to use online learning platforms so that apprentices benefit from online learning.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors intervene quickly to provide additional support to apprentices who need extra help. For example, apprentices identified with dyslexia who were not making expected progress received a range of support including one-to-one tuition, the use of coloured overlays, and additional time to complete assessments. As a result, these apprentices were able to catch up and successfully completed their programmes.

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Reasonable progress

A very small number of apprentices do not have the length of their programmes extended to reflect the part-time hours that they work. This means that they do not receive the full level of training and support that they need. Monitoring visit: Fit UK Training and Education Limited, 4–5 March 2021 Leaders have updated the ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment and action plan appropriately to reflect local and regional risks. Most apprentices have a good understanding of the broad risks of radicalisation and extremism. However, a few apprentices are not aware of the risks in the areas in which they live and work.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide helpful careers advice and guidance to apprentices. Tutors discuss where apprentices can progress to and make apprentices aware of a range of pathways, including setting up their own business. As a result, apprentices have a clear view of what their next steps will be. For example, some apprentices plan to become self-employed personal trainers and others want to become strength and conditioning coaches in rugby.

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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 all apprentices have sufficient opportunity to continue to develop and demonstrate their practical skills  ensure that apprentices receive appropriate support from tutors to improve their English skills  ensure that part-time apprentices have the length of their programme extended so they can benefit fully from their training. Monitoring visit: Fit UK Training and Education Limited, 4–5 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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