Education Goals Ltd

Education Goals Ltd Monitoring visit report

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Russ Henry, Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

Oathall House 70 Oathall Road Haywards Heath RH16 3EN Monitoring visit: Education Goals Ltd, 18-19 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

Education Goals Ltd (EGL) works with employers in the security services sector to improve the skills of their existing staff. EGL provides training in standards apprenticeships. They train customer services practitioners and facilities services operatives at level 2, and facilities management supervisors and security first line managers at level 3. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 95 apprentices working for three different employers.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

During COVID-19 restrictions, most of the sites at which apprentices work have been closed to visitors. As a result, EGL tutors, who are known as ‘training specialists’, have taught apprentices remotely. This teaching has been provided through a combination of live, online one-to-one training sessions using videoconferencing, and independent study activities.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

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

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers work well with employers to develop programmes that meet the requirements of apprenticeships and reflect employers’ needs. Employers are committed to the development of their apprentices and provide enough time for them to complete their studies. Apprentices make substantial improvements to their skills and knowledge. They make increasingly valuable contributions to their workplaces, which include business centres, hospitals, shopping centres, airports, national museums, and art galleries.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders have been careful to focus on apprenticeships in the vocational areas within which they have particular expertise. Although leaders plan to develop the range of Monitoring visit: Education Goals Ltd, 18-19 March 2021 apprenticeships that they offer, they intend to restrict additions to their portfolio to ancillary roles within the security industry.

p.2

Reasonable progress

EGL staff carefully assess the existing knowledge and skills of potential apprentices to ensure that they will benefit considerably from training. Most apprentices are existing employees who need to develop their expertise as they move into new roles or adapt their skills to meet the changing demands of the security industry. For example, security staff who become facilities management supervisors develop their skills in risk management, disaster planning, and sustainability.

p.3

Reasonable progress

The training team as a whole has appropriate skills and experience to teach the apprenticeships offered. However, a few training specialists lack professional experience of security services and facilities management. Although these training specialists usually teach the more general aspects of apprenticeships, on occasion they are required to teach topics in which their expertise is limited.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Managers have made suitable arrangements for the governance of apprenticeships. An external governor provides mentoring and support for the managing director on a formal and informal basis. A second governor has also been recruited but has not yet been able to contribute fully to the arrangements.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Training specialists provide lively and enjoyable online lessons. They frequently check that apprentices understand topics during lessons, and provide clear and concise feedback and support when they do not. They provide apprentices with suitable materials for independent study. As a result of their training, apprentices develop substantial new knowledge and skills. For example, facilities management supervisors develop an understanding of the concept of the triple bottom line of profit, people and planet. However, apprentices do not always make best use of their time between lessons and do not always record well enough the actual learning activities that they undertake.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Apprentices have only a limited understanding of how they might attain higher grades in their final assessments. Although apprentices are aware of the nature of these assessments, training specialists do not explain how they can gain more than a pass grade. Training specialists do not provide clear guidance either in discussions or through feedback on written work.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Training specialists and a functional skills tutor provide effective support for those apprentices who need to complete functional skills qualifications in English or mathematics. However, training specialists do not systematically plan for the development of these skills in vocational training activities. Monitoring visit: Education Goals Ltd, 18-19 March 2021 Managers have developed adequate quality assurance processes. They ensure that apprentices make good progress in their studies and take action when this is not the case. They invite feedback from apprentices and use monthly standardisation meetings to review the quality, structure and content of training programmes.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Managers observe lessons, but records of these observations do not provide a clear overview of strengths and weaknesses. Improvement actions arising from these observations are often unhelpful.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Training specialists provide employers with frequent information about the progress that apprentices make. This helps employers to provide mentoring and advice for apprentices, and guidance to help them to apply the knowledge that they have gained. However, apprentices’ line managers do not provide enough well-planned on-the-job training that complements what apprentices learn in lessons.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Managers take their safeguarding duties seriously. The designated safeguarding lead has undertaken appropriate training, is clear about his role and responsibilities, and has a satisfactory understanding of potential safeguarding risks to apprentices.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Managers have developed appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures, and these are understood by staff and apprentices. There have not been any recent safeguarding matters raised by training specialists, employers or apprentices.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Apprentices receive health and safety and safeguarding training at the start of their apprenticeships. Training specialists, several of whom have extensive experience within the security sector, provide detailed and relevant examples of, for example, radicalisation, extremism and the threats and consequences of county lines activity.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Managers follow safer recruitment procedures, including the use of Disclosure and Barring Service checks for training specialists. However, they do not maintain a central record of information about staff and find it difficult to locate evidence of all the necessary pre-employment checks. Monitoring visit: Education Goals Ltd, 18-19 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

p.4

Reasonable 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.5

Reasonable 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.5

Reasonable progress

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

p.5

Reasonable progress

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

p.5