Pendersons Ltd

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

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

Unit 2 Pleasant Street Burslem Stoke-on-Trent ST6 3DL Monitoring visit: Pendersons Ltd, 17–18 March 2021

p.1

Context and focus of visit

From October 2018, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision which began to be funded from April 2017 or after by ESFA and/or the apprenticeship levy. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the Further education and skills inspection handbook, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

Pendersons Ltd is an independent learning provider based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. The provider has held a contract to offer apprenticeships since 2017. At the time of the visit, there were 95 apprentices in learning, 14 of whom were being taught by the provider directly. Of these 14, eight were studying apprenticeships in hairdressing at levels 2 and 3, five were studying rail engineering at level 4 and one apprentice was studying business administration at level 2. The remaining 81 apprenticeships were being delivered through subcontracting arrangements with four other providers. These apprenticeships were between level 2 and level 5 in health and social care, business administration, customer service, management, engineering, furniture making, sign making, warehousing, and teaching. Apprentices following the level 5 learning and skills teacher apprenticeship were not in scope for this visit and will be inspected separately under the initial

p.2

Context and focus of visit

teacher education framework, bringing the number of learners in scope of this visit to 91.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, leaders moved apprentices’ learning to an online delivery model. Apprentices’ programmes were restructured to enable practical activities to take place when it was safe to do so following government guidance.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

The impact of COVID-19 has been taken into account in the findings and progress judgements below.

p.2

Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have not taken sufficient steps to develop an apprenticeship provision which meets the needs of learners or employers. After recognising the Monitoring visit: Pendersons Ltd, 17–18 March 2021 difficulties in recruiting apprentices to their areas of expertise – the rail sector – leaders sought to subcontract their funding to other providers. However, leaders failed to appoint suitably qualified and experienced staff to enable them to manage and monitor effectively the quality of the apprenticeships being delivered by their subcontractors. As a result, leaders do not have oversight of any aspect of the apprenticeship provision their subcontractors provide.

p.2

Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers are not sufficiently aware of apprentices’ progress. For example, the large majority of apprentices learning with subcontractors are beyond their planned end of learning. Leaders do not have a clear understanding of the progress this group of apprentices are making, or the actions subcontractors are taking to help them to catch up.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Leaders have not ensured that there are sufficient resources in place to deliver all aspects of a successful apprenticeship provision. For example, they do not employ staff with the expertise to develop the English and mathematical skills of apprentices, and the provider instead directs learners to study the functional skills components of their apprenticeships online. Leaders are aware that apprentices’ feedback indicates that they would prefer face-to-face teaching for English and mathematics, and they have noted a lack of engagement with the online courses. However, they have not taken steps to rectify this.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have not ensured that those apprenticeships they offer directly meet all the requirements of an apprenticeship. For example, commitment statements do not provide the learner or the employer with sufficient details of the planned programme of learning for the apprentice. As a result, learners and employers are not always clear on the learning apprentices will undertake during their apprenticeship.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Leaders have taken some steps to rectify the problems surrounding the delivery of their apprenticeships, and in the past year have seconded an external quality manager and data compliance manager from another provider within the group. However, they recognise that due to the breadth and severity of the issues, the impact of this cannot yet be seen.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Trainers do not establish apprentices’ starting points effectively. For example, they do not explore prior vocational knowledge or experience apprentices may have beyond a self-graded diagnostic which the apprentice completes. As a result, trainers do not plan learning for apprentices which builds effectively upon their existing skills and knowledge throughout their apprenticeship. Monitoring visit: Pendersons Ltd, 17–18 March 2021 Too few apprentices receive sufficient off-the-job learning to support their development of knowledge, skills and behaviours. Apprentices studying hairdressing regularly attend the hair academy to undertake structured teaching away from the workplace; however, rail technician apprentices are often required to use their own time to attend their monthly three-day workshops.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Trainers do not ensure that apprentices have a plan which outlines the learning they will undertake during their apprenticeship, or the key milestones they will need to achieve to complete their apprenticeship on time. As a result, a high proportion of apprentices – particularly those studying with subcontractors – have passed the planned end of their programme, and do not have a clear understanding of how they will catch up or when they will achieve this.

p.4

Insufficient progress

Managers do not challenge effectively the quality of teaching, learning and assessment of apprenticeships provided by subcontractors. They have recently taken steps to implement a level of quality assurance, but this is not yet consistent across all subcontractors and is not rigorous enough to assure leaders that standards are being met.

p.4

Insufficient progress

Trainers teaching hairdressing apprenticeships do not provide sufficiently developmental feedback to apprentices to enable them to develop their English and mathematical skills. They do not consistently highlight steps apprentices need to take to reach or exceed the required standard of work. As a result, learners are not encouraged to develop to reach their full potential.

p.4

Insufficient progress

Trainers ensure that apprentices studying the level 4 rail engineering apprenticeship receive feedback on their assignments that tells them clearly what they need to do to improve to meet their potential. Learners use this information to develop their work, and there is clear evidence of these improvements in their work over time. As a result, some apprentices’ work exceeds the requirements of their apprenticeship.

p.4

Insufficient progress

Leaders have not ensured that that the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) has sufficient oversight of safeguarding within the subcontractors the provider manages. For example, the DSL does not routinely monitor safeguarding arrangements – including suitable staff checks within these providers. As a result, leaders are not able to assure themselves of the safety of the apprentices learning with subcontractors.

p.4

Insufficient progress

Leaders have not ensured that apprentices learning with subcontractors receive appropriately specific information to help them keep themselves safe. For example, leaders do not monitor subcontractors’ arrangements for developing apprentices’ knowledge of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism or risks specific Monitoring visit: Pendersons Ltd, 17–18 March 2021 to the areas in which they live. As a result, leaders are not assured that learners are receiving relevant information that will help them in their daily lives.

p.4

Insufficient progress

Leaders have appointed a suitably qualified and experienced DSL who focuses on safeguarding apprentices learning directly with the provider. The DSL has developed policies and procedures to safeguard apprentices and has ensured that the provider’s staff are appropriately trained. Learners can identify being taught topics such as safeguarding, and the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism at induction. However, staff do not revisit these often enough throughout the apprentices’ programme to ensure apprentices have developed an understanding of these topics. As a result, too few apprentices can clearly explain these risks or how they might affect their daily lives. Monitoring visit: Pendersons Ltd, 17–18 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

p.5

Insufficient progress

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.

p.6

Insufficient progress

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Insufficient progress

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Insufficient progress

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Insufficient progress

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

p.6