The NVQ Training Centre Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of NVQ Training Centre Limited

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Overall effectiveness Requires Improvement

The quality of education Requires Improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires Improvement Apprenticeships Requires Improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

The NVQ Training Centre Limited was established in January 2009. The directors founded the company to deliver vocational training covering a wide range of sectors, including warehousing and storage, business administration and leadership. The provider has held a contract for apprenticeships since March 2017. During the inspection, there were 194 apprentices on programmes ranging from level 2 to 5, of which 192 were on standards-based apprenticeships. The provider works with approximately 70 employers. The large majority of apprentices are in the West Midlands, East Midlands and Staffordshire. 6–9 July 2021

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices describe how their course has helped them to become more confident in their job roles. Most are able to apply and practise their new knowledge while working with a wide range of customers and organisations. They widen their experience of working with others, and their ability to interpret non-verbal communication effectively. As a result, most apprentices become more effective and influential in their roles, improving business outcomes for their employers.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Most apprentices develop new knowledge and skills. For example, level 3 team leading apprentices are able to reflect on the effect of their own actions, such as leading by example and keeping to the standard set by their company. They now recognise how their standard impacts on their teams and the overall culture of the company.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices are motivated to achieve. They recognise what they have learned so far and identify the need to do well on the course. However, in a few cases, apprentices do not feel sufficiently invested in their qualification and either fail to complete their apprenticeship or leave their employer.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices understand how to keep themselves safe, both online and in their communities. Level 5 management apprentices confidently articulate their safeguarding responsibilities in the workplace, such as applying safer working practices.

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better?

Leaders have developed a range of strategies to bring about improvements in teaching and learning, including a revised curriculum planning process. Although there are early indications that these are having a positive impact on apprentices’ development of new knowledge, skills and behaviours, it is too soon to see the full impact of these changes.

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better?

Leaders meet frequently with assessors to identify actions to support apprentices’ achievement. Managers’ feedback to assessors on the quality of their teaching has improved and links to how apprentices develop new knowledge and skills. For example, improved target-setting has led to apprentices gaining a greater understanding of the skills they are developing linked to the knowledge sessions.

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better?

Assessors are qualified in their subject and in their role. Through a comprehensive induction, managers identify assessors’ training needs to inform their training. Leaders provide training, but this is largely linked to compliance, apprenticeship standards and the end-point assessment requirements. Managers do not yet ensure that continuing professional development and training are sufficiently focused on developing assessors’ teaching skills. As a result, assessors do not improve their skills in teaching over time.

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better?

Managers have developed plans for the teaching of functional skills for those apprentices that require these qualifications. They use initial and diagnostic assessments 6–9 July 2021

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to identify apprentices’ starting points, and then devise personalised plans to enable apprentices to achieve their functional skills. However, the support for apprentices is not systematically planned and is based on a more informal arrangement between assessors. As a result, some apprentices do not receive structured support to complete their qualifications and do not swiftly make the progress of which they are capable.

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For apprentices who are not required to study functional skills, assessors do not routinely develop apprentices’ English and mathematics skills in a planned and consistent manner. Consequently, not all apprentices receive planned and ongoing support to improve their English and mathematics skills in their workplace context.

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Assessors plan assessment effectively and use identified milestones. The assessment helps to identify areas for further development. Assessors use a variety of workbooks, presentations and face-to-face coaching and discussions. However, targets are too generic and imprecise, focusing on the completion of qualification tasks rather than on apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours.

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Managers work closely with employers to identify apprentices who require support in their studies. They carefully develop support plans for apprentices who are struggling on their apprenticeship due to their additional learning or mental health needs. Assessors support apprentices to access the assessments they need and put in place appropriate and effective strategies to enable apprentices to succeed. For example, the few apprentices who have been identified as having dyslexia are provided with coloured overlays and paper to improve their reading skills, and assessors break teaching down into small chunks of information. As a result, the small number of apprentices with additional learning needs are supported well to improve their confidence at work and on their apprenticeship.

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Assessors work well with highly experienced employer mentors to ensure that apprentices are able to undertake the activities and experiences necessary to apply theory into practice. For example, level 2 warehousing apprentices work closely with their mentors to develop high levels of proficiency. Consequently, apprentices commit new learning to their long-term memory. However, the planning of on-the-job activities to embed apprentices’ new knowledge and skills is not well enough developed to ensure that these take place in a timely manner. As a result, apprentices to not have sufficient opportunity at the right time to practise their new skills in the workplace.

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Apprentices value highly the support they receive. Assessors work with mentors to identify gaps in learning and arrange individual support sessions with apprentices which help them to catch up if they fall behind. Apprentices appreciate the context in which assessors relate their learning to their workplace. As a result, they are more able to understand their learning fully, which enables them to remember more long term.

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Too often, apprentices’ preparation for end-point assessment starts too late in the programme for apprentices to be sufficiently prepared for this. 6–9 July 2021

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Leaders continue to develop and improve the structure of governance, and now have a board of governors who understand the role and level of challenge required to support leaders to improve their apprenticeship programmes.

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Apprentices receive the appropriate support to help them prepare for their next steps. Assessors and employers help them to strengthen their skills in areas such as working with people and communication by providing opportunities for them to experience different business operations. As a result, apprentices routinely move on to new roles as they become more familiar and confident in their current role and the opportunities open to them.

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Most apprentices receive suitable careers advice and guidance, particularly in relation to their current employment. Apprentices know how their qualification will support their progression within the company. Apprentices are also aware of how their course and experience will help them achieve their future ambitions in areas such as team leading, coaching and management. However, in a few cases, apprentices do not receive sufficient careers advice to help them identify opportunities outside of their current employment.

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Safeguarding

Senior leaders with responsibilities for safeguarding have put in place the appropriate policies to manage the safeguarding of apprentices. Leaders take into consideration current guidance and legislation when writing their policies.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers with responsibility for safeguarding have completed appropriate training to carry out their role as designated safeguarding leads. In addition, they have completed training in the ‘Prevent’ duty, and mental health first-aid training.

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Safeguarding

Managers and assessors provide safeguarding training for apprentices early on in their programme. Assessors review these topics with apprentices during reviews. However, in a small minority of cases, these discussions do not evaluate apprentices’ understanding of these topics well enough.

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Safeguarding

Most apprentices demonstrate an understanding of the safeguarding topics they have been taught at their induction. Apprentices understand how these topics relate to them at work. For example, apprentices who are lone workers and who work on their own, driving for most of the day, recognise the risks involved with this. They ensure that they take regular breaks and have enough sleep to comply with driving within the limits of the law. 6–9 July 2021

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 ensure that assessors provide a consistently high-quality teaching and learning experience, both online and face to face.  ensure that assessors use feedback to identify clearly what apprentices need to do to improve their work and set challenging targets to support apprentices to meet their full potential.  identify apprentices’ English and mathematics skill levels promptly and provide relevant training to support their continued development.  refine the monitoring of apprentices’ progress to ensure that all apprentices make good progress towards completing their apprenticeship by the expected completion date.  improve the planning of on-the-job activities to ensure that apprentices have sufficient and timely opportunities to practise and embed their new skills in the workplace. 6–9 July 2021

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Provider details

Address Hastingwood Industrial Park Wood Lane Erdington Birmingham B24 9QR

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Provider details

Provider type Independent Learning Provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of business development and quality as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self- assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements, including observing learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Sharon Dowling, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Richard Deane Her Majesty’s Inspector Andrea Dill-Russell Her Majesty’s Inspector Maggie Fobister Ofsted Inspector Bev Ramsell Her Majesty’s Inspector Russell Shobrook Her Majesty’s Inspector 6–9 July 2021

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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 and child protection.

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