Skill Centre Ltd

Skill Centre Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Alex Lang, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 1 Willow House Ashton Road Woodlands Park Newton-Le-Willows WA12 0HF Monitoring visit: Skill Centre Limited, 23–24 March 2021

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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.

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Context and focus of visit

Skill Centre Limited received a contract to deliver apprenticeship provision in January 2019. At the time of the monitoring visit, 134 apprentices participate in standards- based apprenticeships. Skill Centre Limited offer level 2 hospitality, level 2 and level 3 customer services, level 3 team leading and level 5 operational management. All apprentices are adults. The largest provision is in level 2 customer services and practice, with 78 apprentices. Apprentices are employed by the parent company who provide security and cleaning services in the North, the Midlands and the South of England.

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Context and focus of visit

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

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not meet the principals or minimum requirements of an apprenticeship. Too many apprentices do not have the opportunity to learn in the workplace and are expected to complete their work in their own time, contrary to apprenticeship funding rules. Due to leaders’ lack of planning and coordination of on- and off-the job training with employers, apprentices do not develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours as a result of their apprenticeship.

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Insufficient progress

Governance arrangements are not fit for purpose. Leaders place a disproportionate focus on financial performance and compliance targets at the expense of not improving the quality of training that apprentices receive. This means that leaders do not identify or deal with the poor quality of training.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not have a sufficient oversight of the quality of apprenticeship programmes. Their arrangements for quality improvement are ineffective. Leaders do not evaluate or know how to improve the quality of apprentices’ training. Leaders have started to introduce more rigorous quality improvement procedures. At the time Monitoring visit: Skill Centre Limited, 23–24 March 2021 of the visit, there was no evidence that these changes have a positive effect on apprentices’ learning experiences.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not plan for or provide an ambitious curriculum. Trainers teach modules in the same order to all apprentices, regardless of their previous knowledge and experiences. Apprentices have lost interest in their programme due to uninspiring resources; too many apprentices have not completed their apprenticeship on time.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have not arranged any professional updating or relevant training to develop and hone trainers’ teaching skills. While leaders ensure that staff are appropriately qualified and experienced in their teaching areas, staff lack the confidence to provide an ambitious curriculum to help apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours.

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Insufficient progress

Trainers do not identify what apprentices already know and can do at the start of the programme. They do not plan or teach a personalised curriculum. Apprentices are taught modules in the same order without regard to apprentices’ learning needs, prior experience or existing knowledge and skills. Apprentices do not gain new or occupationally specific knowledge, skills and behaviours.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not provide sufficient training or support to apprentices who require English and mathematics. Apprentices work through online resources at their own pace and are not adequately prepared for their final examinations. Leaders recognise that this is an area for improvement and have invested in a new online resource. At the time of the visit, the resource was not having a positive effect on apprentices’ learning.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not have a clear oversight of apprentices’ progress. They do not sufficiently track apprentices’ progress or provide them with the required level of support. Trainers do not provide adequate training to help apprentices who have fallen behind to catch up. Most apprentices make slow progress.

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Insufficient progress

Trainers do not prepare apprentices for their final assessment. Apprentices are unclear about what they will be assessed on or how they will be assessed. Employers are equally unaware, and therefore they are unable to provide support and guidance to their apprentices.

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Insufficient progress

Trainers do not provide apprentices with feedback that details what they need to do to improve their work further. Mistakes are not identified and corrected. Apprentices make the same errors in subsequent pieces of work. Monitoring visit: Skill Centre Limited, 23–24 March 2021

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a thorough process to verify that staff are suitable to work with apprentices. Staff and apprentices have security checks to register with the Security Industry Authority. Apprentices feel safe and know who to report safeguarding concerns to.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have introduced a detailed sign-up process for new apprentices. Apprentices now complete online training which includes safeguarding and health and safety. This helps them prepare for the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have appointed a designated safeguarding lead and deputy. They hold senior posts, and are appropriately qualified and experienced to carry out their roles. While staff receive training in safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty, they do not feel confident to hold discussions with, or train, apprentices about the risks posed by radicalisation and extremism. Monitoring visit: Skill Centre Limited, 23–24 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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