1st 2 Achieve Training Limited

1 st 2 Achieve Training Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Alison Humphreys, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 October 2021

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 4 Paddock Road Skelmersdale West Lancashire WN8 9PL Monitoring visit: 1 st 2 achieve training limited, 26 and 27 October 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

1st 2 Achieve Training Limited is a national training provider that is based in Skelmersdale. The provider received its own directly funded contract in July 2018. At the time of the visit, there were 37 apprentices on apprenticeship programmes at levels 2, 3 and 5. Twenty-seven apprentices follow standards-based provision in level 3 business administration. The remaining apprentices study apprenticeships in customer service, team leader and operations management.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear vision to provide high-quality training to young people who have recently left school and adults who are retraining as a result of redundancy. They focus on recruiting apprentices to work in business support due to a local skills shortage. Leaders provide apprenticeship training to support employers to fill vacancies and build new knowledge, skills and behaviours in their workforce.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recruit apprentices with integrity. All apprentices are new to their job role and develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Apprentices increase in confidence when talking to customers on the telephone. Tenant management apprentices sensitively discuss housing needs with new customers. They carry out calls independently and ask appropriate questions.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders use quality processes effectively to monitor and improve the quality of education that apprentices receive. For example, leaders continuously review the amount of off-the-job training apprentices receive. Leaders stop working with employers that fail to give apprentices the time required to complete their training. Leaders recruit staff with appropriate skills and expertise to teach apprentices. Tutors receive regular training, such as effective questioning skills, and work with mentors Monitoring visit: 1 st 2 achieve training limited, 26 and 27 October 2021 to improve their craft of teaching. Tutors skilfully use questions to assess apprentices’ knowledge.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders do not ensure the curriculum is ambitious enough for a few apprentices. Tutors do not provide more challenging activities to enable these apprentices to make rapid progress. Consequently, these apprentices do not make the progress of which they are capable.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have effective governance arrangements in place. Governors are suitably experienced to carry out their roles. At board meetings, they carefully monitor the progress leaders make in improving the quality of the training that apprentices receive.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors teach topics in a logical order to enable apprentices to incrementally build their knowledge, skills and behaviours. This supports apprentices to apply what they learn at work. For example, apprentices learn about the organisation they work in before moving on to learning about stakeholders.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use information about apprentices’ prior knowledge and skills to sequence their learning programme. They plan training so apprentices can apply this in their job role. For example, apprentices working in general practitioner surgeries learn the importance of client confidentiality to support their communications with patients.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors skilfully support apprentices to further develop their English skills. Apprentices use professional language when writing letters, carefully checking their spelling and grammar.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices use their new knowledge effectively in the workplace. Apprentices learn how to order stock and use systems to check stock levels. They carry out projects at work and develop processes that benefit the business. For example, apprentices worked with colleagues to develop a stock checking system. As a result, the business has accurate information on stock levels.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices produce work of the expected standard for their programme. Tutors provide effective feedback that tells apprentices what they have done well and what they need to do to improve. Apprentices improve explanations in their written work and use appropriate technical language when discussing legislation.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices receive training in the workplace that skilfully develops their knowledge, skills and behaviours. For example, apprentices learn about software packages used Monitoring visit: 1 st 2 achieve training limited, 26 and 27 October 2021 for invoicing and ordering prescriptions. Apprentices now prepare invoices and order prescriptions independently.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors carefully monitor apprentices’ progress through frequent review and mentor sessions. They put action plans in place and provide individual support to those apprentices that fall behind. However, for a minority of apprentices, these actions are not effective. As a result, these apprentices are not making rapid progress.

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Reasonable progress

The three designated safeguarding leads (DSL) receive training to carry out their roles successfully. They make swift referrals to external agencies to support apprentices. For example, the DSLs refer apprentices who are suffering from anxiety to specialist counselling services. As a result, these apprentices remain on their apprenticeship and make progress.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe and know who to talk to if they have any worries or concerns. They talk confidently about how safeguarding impacts on their job roles. Apprentices who speak to customers that are victims of domestic violence use appropriate questions and signpost them to external agencies. As a result, apprentices provide correct guidance to tenants.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have completed an appropriate ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment and action plan. Although apprentices receive training on potential risks of radicalisation and extremism, they do not understand how these concepts relate to their personal and working lives. Monitoring visit: 1 st 2 achieve training limited, 26 and 27 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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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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