Academy for Project Management Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Academy for Project Management Ltd

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

The Academy for Project Management limited (A4PM) is a small training provider based in Neath, South Wales. All its apprentices live and work in England.

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Information about this provider

A4PM was established as a training provider in 2013 and gained its first contract to provide apprenticeships in 2017. At the time of the inspection, A4PM had 70 levy- funded apprentices studying the level 4 standards-based apprenticeship: associate project manager. Most apprentices are employed by Network Rail with a small number employed by Kuehne-Nagel. All apprentices are age 19 and over. Each apprentice is part of a single cohort of apprentices from the same company who started their apprenticeship at the same time.

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Information about this provider

During the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders initially moved all training online. Since September 2021, they have returned to a mixture of face-to-face training for Network Rail’s apprentices. Leaders have continued to provide online training for apprentices at Kuehne-Nagel. 20–22 October 2021

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

Leaders have developed an apprenticeship programme that is extremely well suited to ambitious and aspiring project managers. They do this by working with only two companies and tailoring the curriculum to the specific processes, systems and needs of each company.

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

Apprentices learn how to be effective and competent project managers and are prepared well for the next steps in their careers. Newly employed project managers are able to start their career with a good level of underpinning knowledge. This helps them to manage projects well. Those that are already project managers develop their skills by learning the principles and theories that underpin their work and extend their knowledge of project management by collaborating with other apprentices. Apprentices who are already assistant project managers are well prepared to lead projects in the future.

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

Trainers are highly experienced project managers who use their knowledge well to teach the principles of project management. They plan training activities that closely reflect the work that apprentices do for their employer. For example, a trainer arranged a collaboration between apprentices that helped an experienced project manager understand how theory and practice were linked. At the same time, less- experienced apprentices broadened their knowledge by working alongside a more experienced colleague.

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

The provider and employer do not ensure that all apprentices have the time to assimilate the information they have been taught. Some apprentices do not get the teaching they need to develop their written skills or their exam technique, and do not receive constructive feedback on what to do to further improve their work.

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better?

Leaders have established a high-quality apprenticeship that is tailored to the very specific needs of employers. The apprenticeship also meets the needs of apprentices well. All are employed in roles where they can apply the knowledge they learn. Trainers use their knowledge of project management roles to inform apprentices about career opportunities and successfully encourage apprentices to plan the next steps in their career. A high number move on to more senior roles with their current employer or secure project management jobs with another employer.

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better?

Leaders have a very good knowledge of project management gained through experience and strong links with professional organisations and employers. By working with only two employers, leaders have been able to incorporate specific references to the processes and practices for each company into the curriculum. For example, Network Rail uses a project management methodology called GRIP to which trainers refer when teaching groups of Network Rail apprentices. 20–22 October 2021 Leaders have carefully planned the order in which they teach the curriculum content. They use their knowledge of the different stages of a project to build apprentices’ understanding of how a project is run from start to finish and how each stage relates to the next.

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better?

Apprentices are able to apply the knowledge they acquire during their training when at work. For example, early in the apprenticeship, apprentices learn about using software and techniques to analyse risks on projects they manage. They apply this knowledge at work before moving on to learn about more-complex aspects of project management.

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better?

Leaders use a wide range of information to evaluate the quality of their apprenticeships. For example, they decide whether the curriculum could better prepare apprentices for their examinations by looking at the questions they choose to answer and the scores they achieve. As a result, leaders have amended the curriculum for non-graduates to improve their examination technique.

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better?

Most apprentices achieve their professional qualification at the first attempt, and many achieve high grades. Following the apprenticeship, most apprentices apply to become a chartered project management professional.

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better?

Trainers uses a wide range of teaching strategies to help apprentices learn. These include providing apprentices with clear explanations and testing their knowledge through quizzes, practice-exam questions, discussions and group activities. However, in a small number of cases of online training, trainers rely too heavily on long presentations and do not check that apprentices have learned all the content. A minority of line managers do not provide apprentices who are well established in their job with the time they need to study.

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better?

Trainers collect a lot of useful information about their apprentices at the start of the apprenticeship, including their job role, career aims, and previous knowledge and experience. For the most part, they use this well to understand what learners already know and can do. However, trainers do not find out enough about apprentices’ personal and professional skills, such as confidence, communication and leadership; or apprentices’ knowledge of wider topics, such as equality of opportunity, English and mathematics. As a result, they do not adapt the curriculum to improve such skills and knowledge or provide apprentices with feedback on their progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders carry out the necessary checks on their staff to ensure that they can work safely with apprentices. They brief their staff well on safeguarding matters, such as how learners can stay safe online and the risks they may face from radicalisation and extremism. 20–22 October 2021 Leaders record their safeguarding concerns and follow up concerns about apprentices’ welfare well. Apprentices know how to raise a concern and what support A4PM staff will provide. Leaders liaise closely with employers and check whether apprentices have responded to the advice or support they have been given. In a very small number of cases, they have provided advice and a referral to the employer but not subsequently checked that this has been effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Make sure trainers present new information to apprentices in a way that ensures apprentices learn any new knowledge securely.  Ensure that employers provide all apprentices with the time they need to learn.  Establish apprentices’ prior personal and professional, and English and mathematical skills. Use this information to inform the curriculum content and how best to teach it.  Provide all apprentices with useful feedback on their personal and professional, and English and mathematical skills so that they understand fully what they can do to improve them. 20–22 October 2021

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Provider details

Address 3 Alfred Street Neath, South Wales SA11 1EF

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Website

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Website

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 20–22 October 2021

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Information about this inspection

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

Steven Tucker, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Mark Wardle Ofsted Inspector Clive Blanchette Ofsted Inspector Jon Bowman Her Majesty’s Inspector 20–22 October 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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