Agility People Services Limited

Agility People Services Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sarah Lonsdale, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Brunel House Brunel Road Middlesbrough TS6 6JA Monitoring visit: Agility People Services Ltd, 3 June 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 focused on safeguarding arrangements and was undertaken as outlined in the operational note on visits carried out from January 2021 and with reference to the ‘Further education and skills handbook’. It was a follow-up safeguarding monitoring visit carried out as a consequence of the provider being found to be making insufficient progress with respect to safeguarding at its previous monitoring visit.

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Context and focus of visit

At the provider’s first monitoring visit in March 2021, inspectors judged that leaders and managers had made insufficient progress in ensuring that effective safeguarding arrangements were in place. The focus of this visit was on the safeguarding theme below.

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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 judgement below.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have changed the approach to governance since the last monitoring visit to provide greater oversight of apprenticeship provision, including safeguarding arrangements. Managers provide frequent reports to those with governance responsibilities about the progress that they have made in developing safeguarding systems and procedures, and about the welfare of apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Safeguarding staff have improved the approach to reporting safeguarding and health and safety concerns. Since the last visit, two health and safety incidents have been reported, in response to which staff used the revised procedure effectively to record concerns, involve employers and take appropriate follow-up action. There have been no safeguarding referrals since the introduction of the revised approach.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have updated and reissued the induction handbook to provide apprentices with clearer information about the support available for their well-being. Tutors use the handbook to provide helpful guidance on what could constitute bullying and harassment. Consequently, apprentices know what action to take if they witness any inappropriate behaviour. Monitoring visit: Agility People Services Ltd, 3 June 2021 Staff have recently updated their knowledge of the ‘Prevent’ duty and completed training in how to spot the signs of apprentices being drawn into radicalisation and extremism. Tutors use their knowledge to ensure that apprentices gain an understanding of these terms. As a result, apprentices can discuss the signs to look out for if someone is being radicalised or displaying extremist behaviour.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have an appropriate ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment in place. However, they do not include specific issues or risks in relation to the local area to help contextualise the risks for apprentices. As a result, apprentices are unable to articulate how local issues might affect them at work or in the community in which they live.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors deliver useful training to apprentices on safeguarding topics. Most apprentices have a reasonable understanding of safeguarding issues. For example, apprentices can talk knowledgeably about county lines, human trafficking and modern slavery.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe and know whom to contact if they have a safeguarding concern. Tutors use reviews to check frequently on the welfare of apprentices, and to discuss any concerns. However, too often discussions are focused on whether safeguarding training has been completed, rather than testing apprentices’ understanding of risks to determine whether they can remember what they have learned. Monitoring visit: Agility People Services Ltd, 3 June 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

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 .

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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 .

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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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