HOB Salons Limited

HOB Apprenticeship Academy Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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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:

HOB Apprenticeship Academy Unit 3b 28 Jamestown Road Camden London NW1 7BY Monitoring visit: HOB Apprenticeship Academy, 15-16 June 2021

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Context and focus of visit

HOB Apprenticeship Academy (HOB) was inspected in December 2019. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in addressing the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

Leaders at HOB Apprenticeship Academy recognise that the apprenticeship programmes they run have been affected negatively by the pandemic. As a result of the restrictions due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, all apprentices were furloughed and put on breaks in learning. Consequentially, there has been a significant reduction in the amount of teaching and training that has taken place since March 2020.

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Context and focus of visit

HOB Apprenticeship Academy is made up of 23 hairdressing salons, mainly in London and the home counties. Eight of the salons operate as franchises. HOB Apprenticeship Academy is based in the London borough of Camden. At the time of the visit there were 90 apprentices studying level 2 hair professional apprenticeship standard.

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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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frequent reviews, so that they make good

progress towards achieving their qualifications.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors and employers provide apprentices with very good feedback on their practical work in salons. During off-the-job training, assessors discuss areas for development and main learning points with apprentices and record these so that apprentices can review them. As a result, apprentices have a good understanding of what they do well and what they need to do to improve their practical skills. Apprentices record in detail the work that they do. They identify the areas that they have completed well and those areas that they need to practise more. Tutors provide helpful feedback on apprentices’ self-assessments. For example, they encourage apprentices to use technical language. Monitoring visit: HOB Apprenticeship Academy, 15-16 June 2021 In theory lessons, tutors use effective strategies to keep apprentices focused on the topics being discussed. They check the extent of apprentices’ knowledge and understanding by asking probing questions.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors carry out reviews with apprentices frequently. All apprentices had a review prior to returning to work after national restrictions eased. As a result, they had targets to work towards immediately on their return to work. Tutors ensure that reviews are thorough and detailed, covering all aspects of the apprenticeship programme. Assessors and salon managers work collaboratively together to support apprentices to succeed on their apprenticeship programme. Salon managers attend reviews, they contribute to feedback on apprentices’ performance and to the targets they are set. For example, a manager made clear to an apprentice the importance of timekeeping as an employability skill and working as a part of a team. As a result, apprentices are clear about the professional standards that they are expected to attain so that they can achieve their qualifications.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have ensured that information, advice and guidance (IAG) at the start of the apprenticeship is thorough. Apprentices understand the components of the apprenticeship and how they will be assessed. Most apprentices aspire to work in careers aligned to the hairdressing industry, for example in salons, on cruise ships or in product development. They have a good understanding of different career paths available to them, including at other hairdressing salons. Most apprentices are offered permanent jobs at HOB on the completion of their apprenticeship. Apprentices who wish to leave their apprenticeship prior to completing it are supported well to consider options available to them. Where appropriate, tutors and employers help apprentices to overcome barriers to completing the apprenticeship. The manager responsible for IAG supports apprentices, when appropriate, to apply to other providers, including local colleges, or to transfer to other salons. Staff help

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Reasonable progress

apprentices to complete curriculum vitae and application forms at HOB if they require guidance or access to computers. Managers have established good links with careers advisers in the local borough so that they can refer apprentices for advice. Apprentices understand the importance of the transferable skills, such as teamwork and communication skills, that they gain during their apprenticeship. They know that they can use these skills to move into careers in retail, customer service or front of house roles. Leaders and managers do not make clear enough to apprentices the support that is available to them. As a result, not all apprentices know how to access support if they wish to change careers. Those that request advice receive it swiftly. Monitoring visit: HOB Apprenticeship Academy, 15-16 June 2021 Staff contact apprentices that leave the apprenticeship programme to offer support and to track their destinations. Staff do not routinely follow up on leavers’

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Reasonable progress

destinations within a specified timescale to ensure that the support they offer is helpful in securing a new career path.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not have high enough expectations of apprentices in English and mathematics functional skills. Managers have not designed an effective curriculum for these subjects. As a result, apprentices do not develop their understanding of basic concepts first so that they can progress successfully onto more complex topics. For example, in mathematics apprentices being taught cumulative interest had not mastered how to calculate percentages sufficiently well. In mathematics, too many apprentices do not complete work that is set for them. Consequentially, tutors are not able to use assessment to understand what apprentices know or can do. Tutors are not able to plan well enough for apprentices’ future learning. In English, the work apprentices complete is not sufficiently challenging. Apprentices do not complete enough written work for tutors to know whether they are making good progress. Where written work is assessed, tutors do not provide helpful

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Insufficient progress

feedback so that apprentices know what they need to do to improve. Vocational tutors correct spelling and grammar in written consultations and apprentices’ self- assessments. They encourage apprentices to use technical language and to spell technical terms correctly. Apprentices demonstrate a good understanding of how they use mathematics in hairdressing. They can discuss, for example, how they use ratios to mix up colours and calculations to estimate appointment times to meet professional standards. Managers have started to track apprentices’ performance in English and mathematics, but this is not sufficiently well developed for tutors to assess apprentices’ progress in these subjects.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders acknowledge the challenges presented by COVID-19 in teaching functional skills online and have increased the hours allocated so that apprentices can improve their skills and knowledge more swiftly. Leaders have put in place relevant training to support tutors to teach online. Monitoring visit: HOB Apprenticeship Academy, 15-16 June 2021 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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Insufficient progress

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Insufficient progress

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Insufficient progress

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Insufficient progress

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