YMCA Heart of England

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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Information about this provider

YMCA Heart of England is a not-for-profit organisation based in the West Midlands. YMCA Heart of England was formed following the amalgamation of YMCA Birmingham and YMCA Coventry & Warwickshire. In 2017, YMCA Birmingham began training apprentices through the apprenticeship levy. The provider currently offers standards-based apprenticeships within the housing and property sector at levels 2, 3 and 4. Apprentices work within housing associations or within local council housing departments. Most apprentices work in Eastleigh, Hampshire. A minority of apprentices work in the West Midlands, with a few apprentices based in South Somerset and Bristol. YMCA Heart of England is a housing provider itself.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, five apprentices were enrolled on the level 2 housing and property management assistant standard. A further 33 apprentices were enrolled on the level 3 housing and property management standard. The remaining 12 apprentices were enrolled on the level 4 senior housing and property standard. The provider does not work with any subcontractors. 17–20 August 2021

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

Leaders provide the opportunity for apprentices to work towards a Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) qualification as part of their apprenticeship. Apprentices rightly value this opportunity and the way this can better prepare them for their next steps.

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

Leaders do not clearly establish what apprentices already know and can do before they start their apprenticeship. Therefore, leaders do not consider sufficiently well what each apprentice would most benefit from learning early on in their programme. Instead, apprentices join the course on the next unit to be taught.

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

Apprentices are motivated when they first start their apprenticeship. However, as a result of a poorly planned programme, many apprentices become frustrated and lose enthusiasm for their studies. Consequently, too many apprentices are making slow progress. Leaders are too slow to support apprentices to catch up when they fall behind in their studies.

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

Although apprentices gain new knowledge from completing their CIH qualification, leaders do not ensure that apprentices develop their skills and behaviours sufficiently well.

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

Apprentices feel safe and cared for. Apprentices comment positively on the support they have received from assessors and teachers during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The welfare of apprentices is a priority for leaders.

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better?

Senior leaders have a clear rationale for the apprenticeships they offer. They have developed good partnerships with the employers with whom they work. They work well with employers before apprentices start their programme to agree what apprentices will learn.

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better?

However, apprentices start their programme on the next available unit that is due to be taught. Leaders do not clearly identify what apprentices already know when they start their programme. Leaders do not plan learning in a logical way. They do not prioritise what apprentices most need to know to help them in their job. Consequently, apprentices do not receive key learning that they need early on in their apprenticeship. In too many cases, teachers ask apprentices to contribute during sessions on topics that apprentices have not yet been taught.

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better?

Apprentices benefit from working towards a CIH qualification in addition to the apprenticeship standard. This qualification is taught by teachers who have significant experience in the housing sector. As a result, apprentices develop new knowledge, such as understanding the legalities of dealing with rent arrears and tenancy evictions. This helps apprentices in their job roles. Assessor/mentors are the first point of contact for apprentices and they spend a significant amount of time 17–20 August 2021 meeting and supporting them. However, assessor/mentors are not occupationally competent. As a result, apprentices do not develop the required skills and behaviours sufficiently well. Apprentices rightly become frustrated, because they have to wait too long for information when they have specific questions about the housing sector.

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better?

Leaders do not plan the on- and off-the-job learning well enough. They do not make sure that apprentices can apply their off-the-job learning in their day-to-day job. When apprentices learn new knowledge, they are not supported well enough to apply this in their role at work.

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better?

In response to the pandemic, leaders changed the way they teach apprentices from in-person teaching to online teaching. Leaders and teachers have not ensured that apprentices benefit from high-quality teaching. Sessions are too often focused on what apprentices need to do to pass assignments. Teachers do not use assessment well enough to check that apprentices know and understand the new information they have been taught. Leaders have not ensured that teachers have undertaken the appropriate training to support them in the move to online teaching.

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better?

Senior leaders do not set and reinforce clear expectations to the apprentices and employers with whom they work. Many apprentices are not aware of the high grades they can achieve in their final assessments. In too many cases, apprentices wait too long for their final project briefs to be approved by their assessor/mentor. As a result, apprentices lower their expectations of the grade they want to aim for because they have a reduced timeframe in which to complete their project. Employers are not involved routinely in the reviews apprentices have with their assessor/mentor to evaluate their progress. Consequently, employers are not clear about what apprentices are learning. They do not support apprentices well enough to apply new learning in their job.

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better?

Leaders and assessor/mentors do not prioritise the further development of apprentices’ English and mathematical skills early enough in their apprenticeship. Leaders do not monitor apprentices’ progress with their functional skills sufficiently well. They only check whether apprentices are registered for an examination. Leaders do not monitor sufficiently well what apprentices have learned and what they need to learn next.

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better?

Those responsible for governance do not take the steps required to reassure themselves about the quality of teaching apprentices receive. Senior leaders provide reports to the board on a bi-monthly basis. However, these reports focus too narrowly on information such as how many apprentices are on programme and how many have completed. Board members do not request sufficient information that allows them to challenge senior leaders about the quality of teaching apprentices receive.

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better?

Apprentices have positive attitudes towards their learning. Apprentices appreciate the value of completing their apprenticeship, and how this can benefit them in their careers. However, too many apprentices become less motivated as a result of poor- 17–20 August 2021 quality teaching and training. In too many cases, apprentices focus only on achieving the CIH qualification. They lose interest in working towards the wider apprenticeship.

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better?

Leaders do not ensure that apprentices have access to high-quality careers advice and guidance. Apprentices only receive information on careers when they request this. As a result, apprentices are not clear about the full range of options available to them for their next steps. Leaders do not have a clear plan for how they will support apprentices to improve their personal development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a clear safeguarding policy and procedure for the reporting of any safeguarding concerns. Staff know their apprentices well. They are quick to report any well-being concerns apprentices may have. Those responsible for safeguarding receive useful training. The provider has established links with several safeguarding agencies within the areas in which they work. For example, leaders have links with several local ‘Prevent’ duty leads. Leaders take the steps they need to in order to ensure the safer recruitment of staff. They complete appropriate background checks on all staff. A member of the board oversees safeguarding. The board receives a useful report from leaders, which it uses to identify any trends relating to the well-being of apprentices. It takes swift action where required to make sure that apprentices feel safe.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders must identify apprentices’ starting points and review the order in which they teach the content of the apprenticeship, so that apprentices build the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours in a logical way.  Leaders must make sure that apprentices have access to subject experts more frequently, so that apprentices can be challenged to make the progress of which they are capable.  Leaders need to prioritise the development of apprentices’ English and mathematical skills, in order that apprentices start to develop these skills from the beginning of their programme.  Leaders should improve the monitoring of the quality of teaching apprentices receive, so that they can better identify training that will support teachers to improve the craft of teaching, including online teaching.  Ensure that those with responsibility for governance are well informed when challenging senior leaders, holding them to account for the quality of education.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Improve the information apprentices receive in relation to careers, so that apprentices are aware of the full range of options available to them for their next steps. 17–20 August 2021

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Provider details

Address 300 Reservoir Road Erdington Birmingham B23 6DB

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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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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 17–20 August 2021

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the conference and events manager, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the new provider monitoring visit 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 visiting 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

Ian Higgins, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Emma Barrett-Peel Her Majesty’s Inspector Maggie Fobister Ofsted Inspector 17–20 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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