Best Choice Training Ltd

Best Choice Training Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sharon Dowling, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider Address: Quadrant Court 48 Calthorpe Rd Birmingham B15 1TH Monitoring visit: Best Choice Training Limited, 11–12 August 2021

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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.

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Context and focus of visit

Best Choice Training Limited is an independent training provider based in Birmingham and has held a contract to deliver apprenticeships since January 2018. At the time of the visit, there were 60 apprentices, 46 of whom were following a business administration level 3 apprenticeship, with the remainder following apprenticeships ranging from customer service to health and social care at levels 2 to 5. All apprentices are undertaking standards-based apprenticeships. The provider also has a contract for the delivery of traineeships. However, at the time of the visit, there were no learners on this programme.

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Context and focus of visit

The impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) has been taken into account in the findings and progress judgements below.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have not implemented suitable curriculum plans. Consequently, employers and apprentices do not have a clear understanding of the requirements of the apprenticeship they are studying.

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Insufficient progress

Too few apprentices receive their entitlement to time away from the workplace to complete their learning. This is often because the provider has not ensured that there are enough opportunities for apprentices to engage in off-the-job training, such as workshops or independent study. As a result, apprentices are not able to make clear links between theory and the workplace.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not closely monitor the progress of all apprentices. As a result, the training provided is less effective, and the majority of apprentices are not supported to reach their full potential. Monitoring visit: Best Choice Training Limited, 11–12 August 2021 Leaders have not yet fully implemented newly revised quality assurance procedures. As such, assessors do not fully understand and implement the requirements of the apprenticeship standard. Consequently, too many assessors accept apprentices’ work which is below the level required of the apprenticeship. As a result, too many apprentices have to revisit their work at a later date to enable them to meet the standard required to achieve.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have not ensured that the arrangements for end-point assessment have been effectively communicated to employers and apprentices. As a result, neither demonstrate an understanding of what they will need to do in order for apprentices to complete this component of their apprenticeship.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have recognised the need to bring about improvements and have recently recruited new staff to support this. However, it is too soon to see the impact this is having on apprentices’ progress and achievement.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have not sought any independent external scrutiny to hold them to account for the quality of education they provide. As a result, they do not benefit from appropriate support and challenge to help them improve the apprenticeships they offer.

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Insufficient progress

Managers have not developed a clear plan for delivery of the apprenticeship curriculum that ensures apprentices are able to develop their skills in a logical and planned manner. They place too much emphasis on apprentices generating evidence of competence, rather than the development and assessment of new skills, knowledge and behaviours.

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Insufficient progress

Apprentices are developing new skills and knowledge. For example, business administration apprentices working in doctors’ surgeries develop customer service and clinical administration skills specific to their workplace. This enables them to make valuable contributions to the workplace. However, most apprentices and employers identify this as being a result of the training and support they receive from their workplace mentors. As a result, off-the-job training does not sufficiently contribute to the development of these new skills and knowledge.

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Insufficient progress

Assessors do not use apprentices’ starting points to effectively plan learning which enables apprentices to develop significant new knowledge, skills or behaviours. Some training is made available to apprentices. However, the planned sequence of this training, or where this training fits into apprentices’ intended programme of study, is not clear. Consequently, apprentices do not understand the relevance of these training sessions to their apprenticeship. Monitoring visit: Best Choice Training Limited, 11–12 August 2021 Assessors do not encourage apprentices to achieve as well as they are capable. Instead, they focus too heavily on meeting the criteria of the apprenticeship standards, which, in too many cases, they have not adequately prepared apprentices to do. As a result, too many apprentices have to revisit their work at a later date to enable them to meet the requirements of the standard.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have not developed a curriculum which supports all apprentices to continue to improve their English and mathematics skills. Tutors have recently begun to offer workshops to support apprentices who require functional skills qualifications. However, these are very new and, as such, attendance at these sessions, and the impact of them, cannot yet be judged.

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Reasonable progress

The provider has an appropriately qualified designated safeguarding lead. Staff receive annual safeguarding update training.

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Reasonable progress

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the provider conducted well-being checks with apprentices to check on their current working patterns, how they are coping and their knowledge of safeguarding. As a result, apprentices demonstrate an understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They are able to recall information, including the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism, how to keep themselves safe, the risks of working online and who to go to within the provider if they need help.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have most of the required safeguarding policies in place, which include a referral process for safeguarding concerns. However, at the time of the visit, they did not have a ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment.

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Reasonable progress

The provider has an appropriate recruitment policy and applies the principles of safer recruitment during the appointment of staff. Monitoring visit: Best Choice Training Limited, 11–12 August 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 and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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