Training Assessment & Consultancy Services Limited

Training Assessment and Consultancy Services Limited Monitoring visit 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:

Novus Business Centre Judson Road North West Industrial Estate Peterlee County Durham SR8 2QJ Monitoring visit: Training Assessment and Consultancy Services Limited, 16–17 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

Training Assessment and Consultancy Services Limited is an independent learning provider that has its head office in Peterlee. It provides training to apprentices across the country, but predominantly in Liverpool, Leeds and Newton Aycliffe. The provider received funding in January 2018 to deliver apprenticeships and it currently has 75 apprentices enrolled on framework and standards-based programmes in manufacturing and logistics, trade and wholesale, and housing and property. The majority of apprentices are enrolled on standards-based programmes. Most apprentices are over 19 years of age.

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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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Reasonable progress

Leaders work closely with employers to implement a curriculum that meets business needs. They respond positively to requests from employers to include topics not included in the qualifications. Leaders provide a programme that enables apprentices to progress from level 2 through to level 4, where appropriate given their job roles.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders provide appropriate resources to deliver apprenticeships. They ensure that the number of apprentices that tutors are responsible for enables them to provide effective support. They have recently introduced an online learning platform so that apprentices can access online learning and resources and learn remotely when unable to attend sessions due to the pandemic.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recruit tutors who have valuable industrial experience, which tutors use effectively to support apprentices. Tutors skilfully link on- and off-the-job training to Monitoring visit: Training Assessment and Consultancy Services Limited, 16–17 March 2021 enable apprentices to develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours that they are able to use in their job roles. However, a small number of apprentices have to complete their off-the-job training in their own time and do not fully benefit from the support that tutors provide.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that end-point assessments are in place for apprentices and that arrangements are effectively communicated to staff, apprentices and employers. Apprentices benefit from completing mock observations and discussions. They receive useful support from tutors to prepare them effectively for end-point assessment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have appropriate arrangements in place to monitor the quality of the provision. They complete audits and observations of training. They identify areas for improvement and, in monthly meetings, monitor progress towards rectifying them. Leaders use effective systems to track the progress of apprentices and to ensure that tutors intervene quickly to provide additional support to apprentices who have fallen behind.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors recruit most apprentices onto appropriate programmes that support them to progress in their chosen careers. However, a small number of apprentices on the level 2 improving operational performance (IOP) programme already have the skills, knowledge and behaviours expected in their job roles and therefore the programme does not support them to improve further.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors structure the curriculum in a logical way to enable apprentices to gain secure knowledge, skills and behaviours. This enables apprentices to learn basic knowledge and skills at the start of the programme and then to progress to more complex ones.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors review apprentices’ written work, and most provide helpful guidance that gives apprentices a better understanding of the subject and helps them to improve the standard of their work. However, in a few cases, feedback focuses too much on the completion of tasks and qualification units and not sufficiently on the development of the knowledge and skills that apprentices need to complete those tasks.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use a range of assessment strategies to check apprentices’ understanding. They ask challenging questions in lessons and when observing apprentices in the workplace. This enables them to maintain a good understanding of what apprentices have learned and understood. Monitoring visit: Training Assessment and Consultancy Services Limited, 16–17 March 2021 Tutors support apprentices effectively to improve their English and mathematical skills. They identify opportunities in vocational sessions for apprentices to work on these skills. Apprentices are able to use their English skills to improve their written work by, for example, using accurate punctuation and grammar.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices benefit from useful careers advice and guidance, which enables them to make informed decisions about their next steps. Tutors provide apprentices with helpful information in progress reviews. For example, when promoted to team leader roles, a number of apprentices progressed from the level 2 IOP apprenticeship to a level 3 programme, following advice from tutors.

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Reasonable progress

Too often, tutors do not take sufficient account of the knowledge and skills that apprentices have when they join their programme. This means that, in a few cases, apprentices do not progress as quickly as they could.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) has appropriate training to be effective. A trained deputy provides good support to the DSL. Leaders take effective action to ensure that staff are recruited who are appropriate to work with apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

As part of the programme, tutors provide apprentices with a range of information on safeguarding and on extremism and radicalisation. This enables apprentices to get a basic understanding of these topics and to learn whom to contact if they have a concern. However, apprentices are not sufficiently aware of local issues and how these might have an impact on the workplace and the community in which they live.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have implemented appropriate safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty policies and procedures, which outline a clear reporting process. They have very recently introduced an appropriate ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment and action plan, but it is too early to evaluate its impact. Monitoring visit: Training Assessment and Consultancy Services Limited, 16–17 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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