Somerset Council

Somerset County Council Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Tracey Zimmerman, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address:

Somerset Centre for Integrated Learning Dillington House Ilminster Somerset TA19 9DT Monitoring visit: Somerset County Council, 24-25 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

Somerset Centre for Integrated Learning (SCIL) is a subsidiary of Somerset County Council and began apprenticeship delivery in November 2018. SCIL provide apprenticeships in early years practitioners, teaching assistants, team leader and supervisors, business administration and outdoor activities. At the time of inspection, of the 82 apprentices enrolled, most were studying at level 3, 13 apprentices at level 2, and 14 were under 19 years of age.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the inspection the providers’ premises were being used as a vaccination centre, therefore, all teaching took place online.

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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 have carefully designed their apprenticeship around the needs of Somerset County Council, who are the main employer of apprentices. SCIL staff have recent occupational knowledge of the apprenticeships they teach. They use this knowledge effectively to ensure learning is relevant for apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Managers and teachers have planned their courses well. Apprentices start by learning the essential knowledge and skills they need for their jobs and how to keep themselves and others safe. For example, in early years, apprentices first learn how to communicate with their peers and the children they are working with, gain basic health and safety knowledge and understand relevant safeguarding practices. Monitoring visit: Somerset County Council, 24-25 March 2021 Employers, apprentices and SCIL staff meet frequently to review the opportunities for apprentices to practise their new skills and assess how well they apply their new knowledge in the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have embedded successfully most aspects of the apprenticeship. However, they do not plan formal careers and guidance sessions for apprentices. Staff provide apprentices with informal guidance, including information about the courses they can progress onto. However, staff do not help apprentices to explore and make plans to achieve their long-term career goals.

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Reasonable progress

Although leaders ensure apprentice commitment statements include most of the information required, staff do not always use these to check that all apprentices receive their full apprenticeship entitlement. For example, apprentices who already have English and mathematics qualifications are not taught how to further improve their skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders at SCIL are supported well by senior leaders from Somerset County Council. Council leaders understand the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. However, due to other work commitments, their challenge to leaders is often reactive, and not proactive. Leaders have plans to recruit additional governors with specialist knowledge of education and safeguarding.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices develop rapidly new occupational skills, knowledge and behaviours. Those apprentices who have been working in their roles for some time, benefit from a wide range of learning activities that stretch and develop their knowledge. For example, team leader apprentices regularly learn from guest speakers, including council leaders, who share experiences from their roles. This helps apprentices become more confident and effective employees.

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Reasonable progress

Employers are extremely supportive of the apprenticeship programme and rightly value the new knowledge and skills that their apprentices develop. All apprentices receive their full entitlement to off-the-job training, despite the challenges that COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has presented for many businesses.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors are quick to intervene to support apprentices whose progress stalls. They provide additional sessions for apprentices to recap their learning. As a result of this prompt and focused support for learning retention is good.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices produce work of a very high standard. Feedback from assessors varies, however, and while some encourage apprentices to further develop their written work, others offer limited advice about how apprentices can improve. Monitoring visit: Somerset County Council, 24-25 March 2021 Staff assess apprentices’ starting points, including in English and mathematics, at the beginning of their apprenticeship. However, staff do not always use this information sufficiently well to inform their teaching.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices, who need to gain qualifications in mathematics and English to achieve their apprenticeship, receive good support from their tutors. Team leader apprentices develop their mathematical knowledge in study sessions and then learn how to apply this through attending council budget and finance meetings.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have not ensured that apprentices and employers are fully aware of the requirements of the compulsory end-of-training assessment. Apprentices do not understand that the final assessment is graded and, therefore, do not strive to achieve higher grades. However, managers recognise this and have plans to communicate this more clearly.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders keep their staff well informed about current safeguarding issues through regular updates from external organisations, such as the Somerset Children’s Partnership Board. Leaders have designed useful safeguarding policies and procedures which clearly define staffs’ roles and responsibilities. As a result, staff are confident about how to deal with safeguarding incidents.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel well supported by staff and are confident that any concerns they may have will be taken seriously and acted upon.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders use their extensive knowledge of local radicalisation and extremism issues to ensure their training for staff and apprentices is relevant and current. However, although staff routinely teach apprentices about these issues, they do not check whether apprentices fully understand the potential risks they face. As a result, apprentices’ knowledge varies significantly. Monitoring visit: Somerset County Council, 24-25 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

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Reasonable progress

children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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