National Training & Skills Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of National Training & Skills Ltd

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate 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

National Training and Skills Limited is an independent training provider based in North West London. It has held a direct contract to teach apprenticeships since May 2018. At the time of the inspection, 44 apprentices aged over 19 were studying standards-based apprenticeships.

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Information about this provider

Most apprentices study lead adult care worker at level 3 and a small number of apprentices study adult care worker at level 2. Four apprentices study the leader in adult care apprenticeship at level 5. Leaders have introduced a new apprenticeship programme in the building and construction sector. Sixteen apprentices have recently started studying the safety, health and environment technician apprenticeship at level 3. 14–16 September 2021

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

Apprentices do not receive a high-quality learning experience on adult care apprenticeships. Too many apprentices who inspectors spoke with do not understand the components of their apprenticeships or what they need to do to achieve their qualifications.

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

Apprentices do not receive enough support from their tutors. Tutors do not provide apprentices with timely feedback on their assignments and do not carry out progress reviews frequently enough. Tutors do not involve employers in apprentices’ training sufficiently. As a result, apprentices and employers do not know the progress that apprentices make.

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

Apprentices do not have enough guidance on the career opportunities available to them on completion of their apprenticeship. They do not understand the careers available in their own organisations or in the sectors they work in. They do not have high aspirations for their future careers.

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

Apprentices are taught by appropriately qualified tutors, who provide them with a good understanding of the jobs that they currently work in. Learners and staff are respectful to each other and demonstrate positive working relationships.

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better?

Leaders have been too slow to rectify the weaknesses identified at the previous monitoring visit. They have not ensured that all apprenticeships meet the requirements of apprenticeship programmes. Most employers do not understand their obligation to the apprenticeship programmes. For example, adult social care apprentices do not receive the required time to complete their off-the-job training or take relevant English and mathematics qualifications.

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better?

Managers and tutors do not consider the sequence in which they teach subjects to make sure that apprentices understand basic concepts before they progress onto new and more complex topics. Leaders do not work effectively with employers to plan, teach or assess the apprenticeship programmes. Most apprentices do not understand how their off-the-job training supports them to perform their role at work better. Employers do not attend apprentices’ reviews often enough, and they do not contribute to apprentices’ understanding of what they need to do improve. As a result, employers do not know what apprentices are studying or the progress that they make.

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better?

Managers and tutors do not assess what apprentices know and can do at the start of their apprenticeship programme. For example, apprentices on the safety, health and environment technician standard who have extensive experience in their roles, follow the same curriculum plans and content as those who are new to their job roles. As a result, these apprentices do not learn new knowledge and skills or make good progress. 14–16 September 2021 Leaders and managers do not ensure that apprentices improve their knowledge and use of English and mathematics swiftly enough. Although leaders identify apprentices’ knowledge of these subjects at the beginning of their programmes, they do not then teach them what they need to know to bridge these gaps. Too many apprentices do not know if they need to achieve qualifications in English and mathematics as a part of their apprenticeships and do not attend lessons to improve

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better?

Leaders, managers and tutors in adult care apprenticeships do not ensure that apprentices routinely attend taught sessions. Apprentices frequently miss lessons. As a result, apprentices do not learn new concepts, practise new skills and do not make good progress. Too many apprentices on adult care apprenticeships fall behind with their work and most do not achieve their qualifications within the planned timescales.

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better?

Apprentices do not complete and submit work in the required deadlines. When apprentices do complete work, tutors do not provide feedback swiftly enough so apprentices do not know how to improve future work. Too often, tutors’ feedback is brief and does not inform apprentices about what they need to do to improve their work.

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better?

Managers and tutors do not promote activities that broaden apprentices’ experiences. They do not offer a curriculum that helps apprentices to develop personal attributes that support them in their careers and in everyday life. For example, apprentices on adult care apprenticeships do not develop an understanding of the needs of diverse communities that they may encounter in their job roles, or how to communicate with different groups of people.

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better?

Managers have begun to introduce new processes to monitor apprentices’ progress and identify weaknesses in the quality of education. They do not use the information they gather well enough to make improvements swiftly. For example, tutors record apprentices’ work and reviews on an electronic system, but leaders do not analyse the information so that they know when apprentices are falling behind with their work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have put in place appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures which they use to keep apprentices safe. The designated safeguarding lead is trained and provides training for staff at induction and through frequent update training at team meetings.

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Safeguarding

Leaders carry out relevant checks on staff at recruitment to ensure that they are appropriate to work with apprentices. 14–16 September 2021 Apprentices feel safe at work and while studying online. Apprentices do not understand in detail how radicalisation or extremist behaviours are relevant in their job roles.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders must rapidly review the apprenticeships they teach, to ensure that they meet the requirements of apprenticeship programmes. They must check that apprentices receive the required time for their off-the-job training and functional skills teaching.  Managers should support tutors to plan and teach a curriculum that is meaningful and helpful to apprentices in their workplace. They must make sure that apprentices understand basic concepts before progressing onto more complex topics.  Leaders, managers and tutors should work collaboratively with employers to plan and teach apprenticeship programmes. They must ensure that employers commit to apprenticeship programmes and support apprentices by contributing to their planned activities.  Leaders must make sure that apprentices understand the progress that they make. Tutors must provide apprentices with helpful feedback on their work. Tutors should carry out reviews with apprentices so that apprentices are clear

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

about what they need to do improve their work and achieve their apprenticeship.  Leaders should provide apprentices with information, advice and guidance that enables them to understand fully the job roles available to them when they complete their apprenticeship and have high aspirations for their future careers.  Leaders should use the management information that they gather effectively to ensure that they understand the strengths and weaknesses of the quality of education and put in place actions to secure improvements swiftly. 14–16 September 2021

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Provider details

Address 205-207 Crown House North Circular Road London NW10 7PN

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Provider details

Website www.nationaltrainingandskills.co.uk

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Provider details

Provider type Independent training provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 14–16 September 2021

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the business development and lead tutor, 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 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

Lynda Brown, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Saher Nijabat Her Majesty’s Inspector Christina Christou Ofsted Inspector 14–16 September 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

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

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