Excelsis Training Limited

Excelsis Training Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Lynda Brown, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

4 th Floor 64 Broadway London E15 1NT Monitoring visit: Excelsis Training Limited, 21–22 April 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

Excelsis Training Limited (Excelsis) is a private training provider based in the London borough of Newham. In April 2020, Excelsis received funding for new levy-funded apprenticeship provision. A very small number of apprentices were enrolled at that time due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and Excelsis began to enrol more apprentices in September 2020 as restrictions eased. Currently, Excelsis has 57 apprentices enrolled on apprenticeship standards. Most apprentices are on health- related programmes, including adult care worker at levels 2 and 3 and children, young people and families practitioner at level 4. A small number of apprentices study business and team leading apprenticeships at level 3. A small number of apprentices study functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics at level 2.

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Context and focus of visit

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

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Reasonable progress

As a result of the disruption caused to the business by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders and managers are at the early stages of developing the apprenticeship programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a focus on apprenticeships in the care sector and in business administration, to reflect their areas of expertise. They work closely with employers to recruit apprentices who will benefit from the programmes that they offer. Employers are positive about the good communication that they have with leaders and assessors in planning and developing the apprenticeships. Monitoring visit: Excelsis Training Limited, 21–22 April 2021 Leaders make clear the expectations of the apprenticeships through detailed written agreements and ensure that the programmes they offer meet all the requirements of an apprenticeship. They have worked closely with employers to plan programmes so that the training apprentices do off the job complements what they learn at work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders accurately assess apprentices’ skills and knowledge at the start of their programmes, including in English and mathematics. Assessors use this information to plan apprentices’ learning on an individual basis to meet the needs of the businesses in which they work. For example, assessors work with employers to ensure that the topics they teach are relevant to apprentices’ roles within the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders know the main strengths and weaknesses of their provision. They recognise that they have not yet established systems that enable them to access information swiftly in a growing organisation. They are now putting relevant systems in place to meet their needs and those of the employers. For example, they are in the early stages of establishing processes for evaluating the quality of teaching and for assessing the quality of apprenticeship programmes they have recently introduced.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices swiftly learn new skills, knowledge and behaviours. For example, in business administration, apprentices are taught to deal with general enquiries from customers at the start of their programme. Apprentices then develop their communication skills through their off-the-job training and shadow their manager when dealing with complaints. As a result, they can manage more complex customer enquiries independently. Employers speak positively about the benefit that apprentices bring to their businesses.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors and assessors are appropriately qualified and have relevant vocational experience so that they can provide apprentices with helpful examples from their own practice. Tutors have adapted well to teaching online and know how to use videoconferencing platforms and different strategies to check apprentices’ learning.

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Reasonable progress

At frequent reviews, assessors explain clearly to apprentices what they have achieved, and what more they need to do. Most employers attend and contribute to the reviews. If employers do not attend, assessors contact them to discuss apprentices’ progress. Apprentices receive detailed and helpful feedback from their assessors on their practical work. Assessors’ feedback on written work is not sufficiently detailed to help apprentices to understand what they need to do to improve their work. Assessors do not support apprentices sufficiently well to develop their spelling, grammar and punctuation. Monitoring visit: Excelsis Training Limited, 21–22 April 2021 Apprentices and assessors have a very good understanding of the components of the apprenticeship programmes. Apprentices understand how they are going to be assessed. Assessors help apprentices to develop the skills that they need for their end-point assessment. For example, they use professional discussions to prepare

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Reasonable progress

apprentices for interviews with external examiners. Employers provide apprentices with enough time to complete their off-the-job training and, where appropriate, their functional skills qualifications. For example, in adult care level 2, apprentices learn about their duty of care to clients and then develop more complex skills, such as moving patients safely.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have created a positive culture of safeguarding. They have put in place appropriate policies and procedures. Leaders are aware of the impact of COVID-19 on their apprentices and have remained in contact with them during the pandemic to confirm their well-being.

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Reasonable progress

The safeguarding lead is knowledgeable and appropriately qualified. All staff are required to take safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training early in their employment and they receive appropriate training updates. As a result, staff know how to help apprentices to stay safe. Leaders work closely with the local borough to develop their procedures and to refer apprentices for any help that they may require.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices know how to keep themselves safe at work and know how to report any concerns that they might have. A few apprentices do not have an in-depth understanding of how to stay safe online. Leaders are aware that a few assessors who have very recently started their employment have not completed their safeguarding training. Monitoring visit: Excelsis Training Limited, 21–22 April 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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