Careerwise Consultancy Ltd

Careerwise Consultancy 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:

9 Enfield Road Hackney N1 5EN Monitoring visit: Careerwise Consultancy Limited, 4–5 May 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

Careerwise Consultancy Limited (Careerwise) is an independent training provider based in the London Borough of Hackney. Careerwise received direct funding for apprenticeship provision in January 2020. Very small numbers of apprentices were enrolled at that time. Careerwise ceased recruitment due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and began recruiting again in September 2020. Currently, Careerwise has 17 apprentices enrolled on apprenticeship standards at level 3. The vast majority are enrolled on child development and well-being, with a very small number on business administration. Approximately half of apprentices are studying functional skills qualifications in English and/or 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

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders and managers have made substantial changes to the programmes that they teach. They have recruited to new roles within the organisation, including assessors. As a result, they are at the early stages of developing the apprenticeship programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have focused wisely on apprenticeships in the early years sector where they have expertise. They have introduced business administration apprenticeships to reflect the employment needs in the local area. Leaders work effectively with early years employers to recruit new apprentices into the workplace. During the pandemic, a high proportion of apprentices withdrew from the programmes, many due to redundancy. Monitoring visit: Careerwise Consultancy Limited, 4–5 May 2021 Leaders make clear the expectations that they have of employers and apprentices through detailed written agreements. For example, employers understand the requirement for on- and off-the-job training and provide suitable training time for the apprentices. Newly appointed staff are establishing improved procedures for communicating with employers, but these have not yet had time to be effective with all employers.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders accurately assess apprentices’ skills at the beginning of the apprenticeship programme, including their knowledge and use of English and mathematics. Assessors, all of whom have been appointed very recently to the organisation, use this information successfully to plan apprentices’ learning and to align off-the-job training with the tasks apprentices do at work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders know the main strengths and weaknesses of the provision. They assess their own performance frequently and have put in place an appropriate action plan to monitor their progress against realistic targets.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recognise that they have not yet established systems that allow them to access information about apprentices’ performance swiftly. They have started to move from a paper-based system to an electronic system of recording information, but this is not sufficiently well established for leaders to have key information readily available to them.

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Reasonable progress

At the start of the pandemic, leaders swiftly developed a virtual learning environment and supported assessors to teach online so that apprentices could continue with their learning.

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Reasonable progress

The COVID-19 pandemic and changes in staffing resulted in disrupted teaching for apprentices at the start of their programmes. Newly appointed staff now provide a more consistent approach, and apprentices are making good progress. Apprentices are revising completed units to secure their knowledge and understanding so that they are prepared well for their end-point assessment. Owing to the disruption caused by COVID-19, assessors are focusing on supporting apprentices to complete their qualifications within the planned timescales.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors are well qualified and experienced in the vocational areas that they teach. They use their knowledge well to provide apprentices with good support and guidance. New assessors have reviewed the progress that apprentices have made and have revised the curriculum accordingly.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors ensure that work is marked promptly, and that helpful feedback is provided to apprentices so that they know how to improve. Apprentices receive Monitoring visit: Careerwise Consultancy Limited, 4–5 May 2021 frequent reviews, but assessors do not consistently upload these to the e-portfolio for apprentices to access.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours on their apprenticeship. Child development apprentices learn about the importance of a healthy diet and then plan appropriate activities, such as getting children to feed a teddy bear ‘good’ and ‘bad’ food. Apprentices on business administration learn how to use formal communication when working with external clients. Apprentices grow in confidence in their job roles and employers value the contribution that they make to the businesses.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established safeguarding as a high priority. The designated safeguarding lead has ensured that information is readily available to staff, apprentices and employers through a detailed and informative handbook. Leaders have worked closely with the local borough to put appropriate policies and procedures in place and, where appropriate, to refer apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Lead safeguarding staff are appropriately qualified, and all staff are required to take safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training at the start of their employment. Leaders provide update training for staff frequently. Leaders keep an accurate record of staff details at recruitment, which they keep updated.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices understand how to keep themselves safe at work and know how to report any concerns. They understand the risks associated with working online. Apprentices gain good knowledge of safeguarding within the context of their working environment. For example, business administration apprentices understand how to apply data protection to their job role. Monitoring visit: Careerwise Consultancy Limited, 4–5 May 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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