Temp Dent Dental Agency Limited

Inspection of Tempdent Dental Agency Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Tempdent Dental Agency Limited (Tempdent) has provided training since 1999. Tempdent was awarded direct contracts for levy-funded apprenticeships from May 2017 and ESFA non-levy-funded apprenticeships from January 2018. This is the first full inspection under the current contractual arrangement. At the time of this inspection, there were 766 apprentices working towards the level 3 dental nurse standard. Tempdent started delivering level 4 dental practice manager apprenticeships in 2019. At the time of this inspection, there were 24 apprentices working towards the level 4 dental practice manager standard. In total, 62 apprentices were on a break in learning. Tempdent started teaching 19–24 traineeships in February 2021 to help prepare learners for the level 3 apprenticeship. There were 33 learners on the traineeship programme at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this provider

Tempdent’s head office is in based in Barnet, north London. Apprentices and trainees are based across England.

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

Learners at Tempdent take pride in their professional responsibilities. They have risen to the increased challenges of the work pressures caused by the pandemic. Apprentices respect and adhere to General Dental Council (GDC) working practices. Most apprentices and trainees find their jobs and training challenging and fulfilling.

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

Apprentices and learners benefit from attending webinars and use high-quality online learning resources to complete their learning. Apprentices and trainees appreciate the one-to-one support from their tutors, and that tutors respond to any queries quickly.

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

Apprentices and learners value the quality of their work placements. Many apprentices are placed in new roles and appreciate the opportunity to gain employment and training in a reputable sector. Apprentices conduct work in the surgery to a high standard. They quickly become valuable members of their surgery team because of the quality of the training and support that they receive. They work and study in safe environments.

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

Apprentices and learners like the fact that they take on responsibilities early on in their training, such as testing and preparing sterilised equipment. Trainees get a comprehensive insight into dental nursing.

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

Apprentices do not always receive sufficient careers guidance on completion of the course. A small number of traineeship learners are on programmes that are below their capability.

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better?

Leaders and managers ensure that apprentices and trainees receive a good standard of training. Managers have thoughtfully devised a timetable of weekly online webinars, recordings of webinars, and a rich online resource base, which learners can access easily. Apprentices develop a good understanding of the anatomy of the face, including the bones, muscles, blood supply and nerves to the mouth and jaw area. A high proportion of apprentices successfully achieve their qualifications. All apprentices remain in employment when they complete their final assessments.

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better?

Tutors teach a curriculum that helps apprentices and trainees develop new knowledge and skills in a logical order. Level 3 dental nurses start with learning GDC requirements, such as professionalism and behaviours in the surgery, before learning about decontamination. They then learn how to support different procedures, such as examinations, restorative work and periodontal work. Consequently, learners quickly become confident in working with different dentists, patients and equipment.

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better?

Leaders and managers work effectively with employers to teach a curriculum that enables learners to be GDC registered and to complete valuable and meaningful work in surgeries. Tutors teach level 3 dental nursing apprentices clearly how to use instruments correctly and safely. Tutors of level 4 dental practice managers skilfully encourage apprentices to reflect on techniques to manage staff performance. On a few occasions, tutors do not sufficiently consider the knowledge and experience of level 4 apprentices to plan individualised learning programmes.

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better?

Tutors and assessors are well qualified and are experienced dental nurses. They share their professional insight skilfully with apprentices and trainees as they know the demands of the role. Tutors are approachable, supportive and responsive to learners’ queries.

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better?

Tutors and assessors use effective assessment techniques to help apprentices learn and retain their knowledge. During webinars, apprentices frequently contribute to discussions. Tutors ask challenging questions to help prepare apprentices for their final assessments. Apprentices produce assignments that become progressively more complex over the period of the programme. As a result, apprentices develop a deep understanding of topics. However, too many apprentices are unsure of the structure and format of their final assessments. Many apprentices are unaware that they can gain a distinction, or what they would need to do to achieve this standard.

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better?

Assessors do not give sufficiently structured, impartial careers advice and guidance from the start and throughout level 3 apprentices’ programmes. While many apprentices are ambitious to progress to further study once they have completed their apprenticeship, a few are uncertain about the career opportunities open to them, or what further study they need to do to achieve their career aspirations. For newer groups of apprentices, leaders have put in place plans to strengthen careers guidance.

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better?

Tutors promote British values well and these underpin component parts of the dental nursing role. For example, apprentices know the importance of being respectful in a public-facing role and when working in a highly regulated profession. As a result, trainees and apprentices are clear about what is expected of them in lessons and when in the workplace.

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better?

Managers have put in place a sound support infrastructure for apprentices. For example, tutors teach apprentices with dyslexia on a one-to-one basis to prepare them for exams. Where apprentices fall behind with their learning or work, managers put suitable action plans in place to make sure that apprentices can achieve their programmes.

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better?

Apprentices improve their communication skills and speak to patients knowledgeably when advising them about oral health. They recognise the need to speak with confidence to help reduce patients’ anxiety. Where apprentices need to achieve English and mathematics qualifications, they achieve well in English. However, too many apprentices do not achieve mathematics qualifications on their first attempt. Tutors run additional revision sessions, which have improved pass rates in recent months. Governance arrangements are underdeveloped. Leaders have joined an experienced group of peers who helpfully review and guide the development of the provision. However, this group does not hold leaders to account sufficiently to help them improve the quality of teaching further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers provide a framework of safe practice to safeguard apprentices and promote learners’ welfare. Leaders have suitable policies and procedures in place, including a suitable ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment, action plan and safeguarding policy. Leaders follow appropriate recruitment processes to check that staff are suitable to work with their learners. Staff are suitably trained. Learners and apprentices know whom to go to if they have concerns about their or others’ well-being.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have enhanced their focus on online safety since the outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus). For example, staff monitor whether apprentices do not respond to weekly welfare calls or do not attend webinars. These are referred to the designated safeguarding lead, who follows up with learners appropriately.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that apprentices understand the requirements of their final assessments, including the structure of each part of the assessment, so that they are fully prepared for these and know how to achieve high grades.  Develop more rigorous governance arrangements to challenge leaders effectively and further improve the quality of teaching.  Ensure that apprentices receive comprehensive and impartial careers information, advice and guidance.

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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 managing director, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous progress monitoring 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 online 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

Rebecca Jennings, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Peter Nelson Her Majesty’s Inspector Jon Bowman Her Majesty’s Inspector Mike Finn Her Majesty’s Inspector Jane Hughes Her Majesty’s Inspector Rosy Belton Ofsted Inspector 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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