Empentis Limited

Empentis Limited Monitoring visit report

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Chloe Rendall, Her Majesty's Inspector

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

38 Collingwood Street Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1JF Monitoring visit: Empentis Limited, 9–10 June 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

Empentis Limited began to deliver apprenticeships in July 2020. There are currently 29 apprentices, of whom 15 are on the level 3 team leader/supervisor apprenticeship and six on the level 5 operations/departmental manager apprenticeship. The remaining apprentices are on level 4 sales executive, level 3 junior content producer, and level 3 digital marketer apprenticeships. All apprentices are aged over 19.

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

Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have not responded quickly enough to tackle concerns about the quality of teaching that they have identified in the level 3 team leader/supervisor and level 5 operations/departmental manager apprenticeships. As a result of insufficient and weak teaching, too many apprentices have made slow progress from the start of their programme.

p.2

Insufficient progress

Leaders have recently recruited well-qualified members of staff to improve the quality of teaching that apprentices receive. The new tutors have identified the significant gaps in apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours, and have developed sensible plans to fill those gaps. It is too soon to identify any discernible impact of these recent changes.

p.2

Insufficient progress

Leaders lack sufficient oversight of apprentices’ progress. They have acted too slowly to ensure that all apprentices have access to informative reviews of their progress. Consequently, too many apprentices do not know what they need to do to improve their knowledge, skills and behaviours to the required level. Monitoring visit: Empentis Limited, 9–10 June 2021 Leaders use well-qualified external advisers to provide advice about how to improve apprenticeship quality. However, leaders take this advice on an ad-hoc and informal basis and they do not provide these external advisors with sufficient information on the progress that apprentices make. As a result, the external advisors are not able to hold leaders to account to make rapid improvements to the quality of training that apprentices receive.

p.2

Insufficient progress

Leaders work closely with employers to select the content of the curriculum. They have responded well to employers’ changing needs and now provide apprenticeships, such as digital marketing and junior content producer to meet these needs.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Leaders ensure that apprentices are recruited appropriately. They assess apprentices’ prior knowledge before enrolment to confirm that apprentices are suitable for the apprenticeship and can develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours relevant to their job roles.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Tutors and managers do not use the information that they have about apprentices’ starting points to help apprentices recognise the gaps in their knowledge, skills and behaviours and what they need to do to fill those gaps.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Most apprentices have received little off-the-job training since the start of their course. Changes to teaching staff have meant that the intended curriculum has not been taught as leaders originally planned. This has impeded apprentices’ development of new knowledge, skills and behaviours.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Staff have provided very few assessment opportunities for team leader/supervisor and operations/department manager apprentices to demonstrate and receive feedback on the new knowledge and skills that they are learning. This means that most apprentices have made little progress since the start of their course. Staff have encouraged team leading apprentices to reflect on their own management style, but they have not taught apprentices how to manage differently or more effectively.

p.3

Insufficient progress

Staff work closely with employers of the small number of apprentices on level 4 sales executive and level 3 digital marketer apprenticeships. These employers understand their responsibilities, and the apprentices receive useful on- and off-the job training, which enables them to apply their knowledge and skills in the workplace. Digital marketer apprentices design and manage employer websites and increase search engine optimisation to increase customer traffic. Monitoring visit: Empentis Limited, 9–10 June 2021 Tutors of apprentices on level 4 sales executive and level 3 digital marketer prioritise the content they teach to meet employers’ expectations of apprentices in the workplace. They teach sales executive apprentices different sales techniques and strategies. Tutors then teach apprentices how to set sales goals and targets and how to undertake research about clients. This enables apprentices to understand fully

p.3

Insufficient progress

their customers’ needs and reach their sales goals.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders follow safe recruitment processes. They ensure that all staff have appropriate checks and references before joining the organisation and they have appointed experienced designated safeguarding lead staff. Apprentices and staff receive regular and helpful communications about safeguarding topics.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Apprentices know how to keep themselves and others safe. They receive basic safeguarding training at the start of their apprenticeship to ensure that they are familiar with risks and threats they may face in and outside the workplace.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed useful internal training materials that develop a positive culture of safeguarding and protection. Apprentices access helpful safeguarding materials online if they need to refresh their knowledge about cyber-bullying and internet crime. Apprentices know who they would approach if they had a concern relating to safeguarding and are confident that appropriate actions would be taken to support them. Monitoring visit: Empentis Limited, 9–10 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

p.4

Reasonable progress

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

p.5

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