The Side By Side Partnership Limited

The Side by Side Partnership Limited Monitoring visit report

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Steven Tucker, Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

SbS Training Centre Middle Farm Barns Middle Farm Way Poundbury Dorset DT1 3WA Monitoring visit: The Side by Side Partnership Limited, 30 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

The Side by Side Partnership Limited (SbS) is a small training provider that offers training to the early years, care and school sectors. Sixteen apprentices’ study on early years and teaching assistant apprenticeships at levels 2 and 3. Most are over the age of 18. All apprentices are employed in nurseries, schools or pre-school settings in Dorset.

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 ensure that the programmes they offer meet the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship. They have planned the apprenticeships well. Leaders work closely with employers to ensure that most apprentices’ jobs provide the opportunities apprentices need to practise the skills required to be useful employees. They have carefully considered the content of the training to ensure it provides opportunities for apprentices to develop the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in their jobs. Leaders keep employers and apprentices informed about apprentices’ completion of assignments, and whether apprentices are up to date with their work. Employers understand their role in supporting their apprentice and are positive about the training SbS provides.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders closely track the coursework their apprentices complete and know how much work apprentices have finished and what is overdue. They have paid particular attention to accurately tracking apprentices’ work during the period when apprentices were working remotely and being taught online. Monitoring visit: The Side by Side Partnership Limited, 30 March 2021 Leaders evaluate the quality of their apprenticeships through a thoughtful and insightful self-evaluation. As a result, they have introduced useful systems to monitor their apprentices’ experience and provide their tutors with clear policies and guidance on running effective apprenticeships. They are taking steps to ensure tutors follow these, but have yet to ensure that tutors are using the policies and guidance to provide training that is of sufficiently high quality.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders have recognised that the curriculum for a small number of apprentices was not appropriate. They have taken steps to ensure that all apprentices in the future are recruited into an apprenticeship that builds on their prior experience.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Too many apprentices do not receive training that is of a high enough quality. Tutors do not adequately assess the knowledge and skills apprentices have when they start the course. Instead, they rely on apprentices assessing themselves. Therefore, they cannot ensure the curriculum is suited to the apprentices’ needs. This led to some apprentices studying an apprenticeship in which the curriculum was too challenging.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Too many apprentices are not making the progress of which they are capable despite leaders carefully tracking this. This is because tutors do not take the steps needed to ensure apprentices complete work and do not fall behind. As a result, a small number of apprentices who have been on their apprenticeship for several months have spent too long working on assignments or have not yet completed an assignment.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Tutors do not work with all employers to ensure that each apprentice’s training links to the work they do in their job. However, in some cases, apprentices apply what they learned during their training very well. For example, after learning about nappy changing, an apprentice improved the posters in a nappy changing area in their nursery and advised the nursery manager on improvements to the nappy changing policy.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Employers provide very good support for their apprentices and involve them in the day-to-day work of their organisation. Employers work with apprentices to identify additional qualifications and training that will help them in their work. For example, one apprentice is studying British sign language, and another has used the knowledge from a course in music to design new activities for the children. Monitoring visit: The Side by Side Partnership Limited, 30 March 2021

p.3

Reasonable progress

Apprentices have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, and how to work safely with very young children, as a result of the information and training they have received. They are able to explain some of the risks they face online and understand the risks posed by extremists.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders and tutors have responded well to the increased pressures on their apprentices’ mental health during the pandemic. Tutors respond promptly to concerns that apprentices raise, although they do not always keep records that are thorough enough. Leaders provide apprentices with useful newsletters on how to improve well-being. Where relevant, these are linked to national initiatives such as Mental Health Awareness Week.

p.4

Reasonable progress

The senior leaders who are responsible for safeguarding are appropriately trained and have extensive experience of working in early years settings. Staff have completed safeguarding training, but leaders’ records of this are not kept up to date. Monitoring visit: The Side by Side Partnership Limited, 30 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 and child protection.

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