Penshaw View Training Limited

Inspection of Penshaw View Training Limited

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

Information about this provider

Penshaw View Training is a national training provider specialising in health and safety and business operations training. The company was established in 2011 to deliver commercial training alongside provision for adults and apprentices as a subcontractor for other providers. In 2017, the company began to deliver apprenticeships through a direct contract.

p.1

Information about this provider

At the time of inspection, there were 155 apprentices on programme, almost all of whom were following standards-based apprenticeships. There were 94 apprentices on the level 3 safety, health and environment (SHE) technician apprenticeship, 20 on human resources (HR) related apprenticeships at level 3 or 5, nine on business administration apprenticeships at level 3, 13 on learning and development apprenticeships at level 3 or 5, 15 on business management apprenticeships from level 3 to 5, and a further four apprentices in retail at level 2 or 4. 27–30 July 2021

p.1

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

Apprentices benefit from well-planned and taught apprenticeship programmes. They quickly gain substantial new knowledge and skills, which makes them effective and confident employees. They enjoy their training, are enthusiastic and motivated, and attend well.

p.2

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

Apprentices receive training and support that meets their needs and work circumstances well. Trainers actively involve apprentices’ workplace supervisors in planning the training for apprentices. This provides apprentices with access to the specific work opportunities that they need to develop skills in the workplace, and most apprentices excel in their work as a result.

p.2

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

Apprentices work collaboratively with colleagues and clients. They show respect for others and have learned to value and appreciate people’s differences. Learning and development apprentices are mindful of cultural differences when planning events, for example by including time for delegates to pray and by considering specific dietary requirements.

p.2

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

Trainers support apprentices to be more resilient when facing challenges at work. Apprentices learn about different techniques and strategies that they can use to tackle problems and, as a result, they develop their confidence in managing difficult situations.

p.2

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

Apprentices feel safe and know how to stay safe. Trainers provide effective guidance to ensure that apprentices can recognise the risks they may encounter in the workplace and in the communities where they live. Trainers provide helpful training on topics, such as online safety, mental health awareness, and health and safety in the workplace.

p.2

better?

Leaders and managers are ambitious for their apprentices. They carefully select programmes that enable apprentices to develop a successful career. Managers support employers to upskill their workforce successfully or to recruit new apprentices. Most apprentices remain in employment, with many going on to further training with their employers on completion of their apprenticeship.

p.2

better?

Leaders and those responsible for governance focus effectively on the continuous improvement of the apprenticeship curriculum. They have a clear oversight of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. Leaders take effective action to improve the quality of training by reorganising the sequence of delivery or ceasing to offer programmes where they do not consider themselves to be specialists.

p.2

better?

Leaders and managers recruit well-qualified and vocationally experienced staff. They provide staff with effective training to develop their teaching practice and plentiful opportunities to improve their vocational knowledge. Trainers complete teaching and 27–30 July 2021

p.2

3

training qualifications and managers fund trainers’ membership of professional bodies to enable trainers to access useful industry updates, which they make good use of in their teaching.

p.3

3

Managers and trainers take good account of employers’ needs and individual apprentices’ starting points when planning the curriculum. Staff ensure that apprentices understand how the knowledge that they acquire can be applied to their own organisations. For example, SHE technician apprentices are taught using their companies’ own policies, procedures and documentation. As a result, when they learn how to carry out tasks such as risk assessments, they are quickly able to complete these activities accurately in the workplace.

p.3

3

Trainers use their skills and experience well to plan learning activities. They successfully support apprentices to develop, practise, improve and apply their knowledge, skills and behaviours. For example, SHE technician apprentices learn how to carry out risk assessments and to identify hazards before applying this knowledge to develop risk management and control systems. As a result, they can conduct more complex work-based projects, such as planning for emergencies and conducting accident investigations. Most apprentices make good progress in developing the new knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to be successful at work.

p.3

3

Trainers use assessment well to identify and address gaps in apprentices’ knowledge and understanding. They challenge apprentices to improve their work and to apply their knowledge and skills in a range of contexts at work. For example, trainers task apprentices in business administration with preparing presentations to stakeholders, which helps apprentices to improve their oral communication skills. Trainers also test apprentices’ recall through the use of multiple-choice questions. Both of these activities help to prepare apprentices well for their end-point assessment. However, a very small number of apprentices do not respond quickly enough to feedback provided by trainers and do not make the required improvements to their work, consequently, they do not make as rapid progress as they could.

p.3

3

Trainers involve employers effectively in planning on-the-job activities, which reinforces what apprentices learn in their off-the-job training. For example, HR apprentices learn about legislative changes introduced post-Brexit. They successfully take these into account when conducting employment checks, such as the right to work in the United Kingdom, to ensure that their organisation is compliant with the new rules and regulations.

p.3

3

Staff effectively identify apprentices’ additional support needs prior to enrolment. They use this information well to plan support and to make adjustments to assessment, such as providing additional time for end-point assessment. Trainers use information about apprentices’ progress to identify successfully those apprentices who require further help with their work. As a result, most apprentices receive the support that they need to be successful on their apprenticeship. 27–30 July 2021

p.3

4

The large majority of apprentices who do not require functional skills qualifications benefit from English and mathematics training that is relevant to their work. Apprentices find activities that directly link to their job roles, such as applying mean, mode and median analysis to report safety statistics, very useful in supporting them to develop and apply work-related knowledge.

p.4

4

Leaders and managers have sensibly ensured that the teaching of English and mathematics takes place early in the programme for the small number of apprentices who need to achieve qualifications in these subjects. However, managers do not have sufficient oversight of the quality of training that staff provide. They do not monitor closely enough the quality of work that trainers set for apprentices or that apprentices complete. Therefore, managers do not identify accurately the progress that apprentices make in developing the English and mathematics skills that they need to prepare them for their examinations.

p.4

4

Trainers do not provide a broad enough overview of the career options available to apprentices. Consequently, a few apprentices do not feel well enough informed about their next steps after they have completed their apprenticeship.

p.4

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.4

Safeguarding

Leaders and managers conduct appropriate recruitment checks to ensure that staff are safe to work with young people and vulnerable adults. Designated safeguarding staff carry out their roles effectively. They have recently enhanced their approach to the reporting of safeguarding incidents to ensure that their response is rigorous.

p.4

Safeguarding

Staff receive appropriate training on safeguarding and the `Prevent’ duty at the start of their employment and managers provide staff with regular updates. Staff have recently benefited from a local safeguarding conference to develop their understanding of the impact of current issues facing apprentices, such as county lines.

p.4

Safeguarding

Apprentices feel safe and know how to report concerns. Leaders and managers provide helpful opportunities for apprentices to gain a qualification in mental health awareness. This supports apprentices to consider their own well-being and that of their colleagues and peers in the workplace. Apprentices value the training and resources to which they have access, which help to broaden their understanding of issues, such as risks posed by extremist groups.

p.4

What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that managers and trainers review the quality of training and apprentices’ work for those apprentices who require English and mathematics functional skills 27–30 July 2021

p.4

5

qualifications, so that these apprentices, develop the appropriate knowledge and skills to enable them to fully prepare for the examinations.  Provide clear and specific careers education, information, advice and guidance to all apprentices to help inform them about the full range of career options in the sectors in which they work. 27–30 July 2021

p.5

Address

Provider type Independent learning provider

p.6

Address

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.6

Address

Main subcontractors None 27–30 July 2021

p.6

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of operations, 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.

p.7

Inspection team

Sarah Lonsdale, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Malcolm Fraser Her Majesty’s Inspector Charles Searle Her Majesty’s Inspector Chloe Rendall Her Majesty’s Inspector Neil Clark Ofsted Inspector 27–30 July 2021

p.7

8

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.

p.8

8

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.8

8

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.8

8

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

8

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8