Emma Wright (trading as Certs4Care)

Angela Smith (trading as Certs4Care) Monitoring visit report

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Ian Higgins, Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address: 17 Fernhill Lane Oswestry SY11 3PP Monitoring visit: Angela Smith (trading as Certs4Care), 22–23 July 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 the Education and Skills Funding Agency 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

At the time of the visit, 114 apprentices were on a programme. The vast majority of apprentices were enrolled on standards-based apprenticeship programmes in the health and social care sector. Exactly 41 apprentices were enrolled on the level 3 lead adult care worker standard. A further 21 apprentices were enrolled on the level 3 senior healthcare support work standard. Apprentices on these standards work within hospital theatres and on hospital wards. The provider works with several employers, with the main employer being a local hospital. Angela Smith (trading as Certs4Care) also offers additional apprenticeships in catering, customer service, team leading and cleaning. Almost all these apprentices are based in a hospital setting. Four apprentices have very recently enrolled on the level 3 early years educator standard.

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

Reasonable progress

Senior leaders have a clear rationale for the apprenticeships that they offer. The owner of the business has significant experience of working within the care sector. The provider offers apprenticeships in a specialist area to support apprentices in developing new knowledge, skills and behaviours in hospital theatres and hospital wards. Apprentices provide front-line hospital services and care for patients.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders have recently recruited additional assessors to respond to a growth in the number of apprentices. Assessors have significant vocational experience of the sectors in which they work. Leaders ensure that new assessors complete their assessor qualifications to support their work. However, leaders are clear on the need Monitoring visit: Angela Smith (trading as Certs4Care), 22–23 July 2021 for new assessors to develop their teaching skills. Plans are in place for new assessors to complete teaching qualifications.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Senior leaders provide a range of useful training for staff to help them in their role. For example, all staff have completed safeguarding officer training and have completed a qualification in understanding the ‘Prevent’ duty guidelines.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders have excellent relationships with the employers with which they work. Employers are involved in agreeing what apprentices need to learn. As a result, apprentices are on the right course. Courses are aligned closely to the apprentices’ job role. Employers comment positively on how the knowledge, skills and behaviours apprentices learn help them to perform their job role better. For example, apprentices working in care are better able to work safely with patients who have epilepsy because of the training that they receive.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders have put in place a number of quality assurance processes to check the quality of teaching for apprentices. Leaders have rightly identified the need to strengthen the support for apprentices to improve their English and mathematics skills. However, senior leaders do not routinely review the quality of teaching apprentices receive. Leaders recognise the need to review routinely the quality of teaching, as the number of assessors they have recruited has recently increased.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders and assessors plan well the courses that apprentices follow. Leaders plan learning in a logical way. They prioritise the knowledge, skills and behaviours apprentices need to support them better in their job role. For example, where apprentices work with medication, they receive training for this at the beginning of their programme. Where apprentices have to use specialist equipment, such as hoists, they learn early in their programme how to use equipment safely.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Assessors know their learners well. They review the progress that apprentices make frequently. Assessors identify what apprentices know and need to learn when they start their programme. However, they do not use this information consistently well to plan learning in areas such as early years. In a few cases, apprentices are not developing new knowledge and skills above what they already know and can do.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Most apprentices benefit from well-coordinated, on- and off-the-job training. Leaders make sure that apprentices have access to a wide range of useful resources. For example, almost all employers have their own professional resources that apprentices access to help them learn new knowledge. In most cases, assessors make sure that apprentices can apply their knowledge in the workplace to develop fluency in their skills. However, in a few cases, assessors do not make sure on- and off-the-job training are linked sufficiently well. Where this is the case, apprentices do Monitoring visit: Angela Smith (trading as Certs4Care), 22–23 July 2021 not get the opportunity to apply their knowledge in the workplace and do not remember new learning long term.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders and assessors inform apprentices of the end-point assessment process. Apprentices understand clearly the different grades they can achieve. However, assessors do not provide regular opportunities for apprentices to practise assessments. For example, apprentices do not routinely practise presentations or professional discussions, which apprentices will undertake at the end-point assessment.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Where apprentices need to develop their English and mathematics skills to achieve the required level for their apprenticeship, assessors support them well to develop these skills. For example, apprentices benefit from teaching sessions on mathematics topics that they find difficult, such as fractions, decimals and percentages. However, where apprentices already have the required level of English and mathematics skills, they are not supported routinely well to develop these skills further.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders have in place two designated safeguarding officers. They have the relevant training and experience to carry out this role. All staff have recently completed safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders have implemented a clear process for the reporting of any safeguarding disclosures. Where any safeguarding disclosures are made, those responsible for safeguarding follow these up in a timely manner. They refer apprentices to external support where needed. Leaders have recently put in place a 24-hour safeguarding line that apprentices can ring.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Senior leaders have established relationships with key external safeguarding links. For example, leaders benefit from a relationship with the local ‘Prevent’ duty lead. They receive useful updates on related issues in the local area. Leaders are aware that they are in an area with a high number of county lines incidents. They make sure that apprentices are aware of this.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Senior leaders make sure that apprentices under the age of 18 are safeguarded. For example, they complete a young person’s risk assessment to identify and minimise risks, such as the risk of lone working. They make sure that apprentices are supervised where this is the case. Monitoring visit: Angela Smith (trading as Certs4Care), 22–23 July 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

p.4

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