Davidson Training UK Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Davidson Training UK Limited

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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 Outstanding

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Information about this provider

Davidson Training UK Limited (DTUK) is based in Chafford Hundred, Essex. It was established in 1997 and has had a direct contract for funding since March 2000.

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Information about this provider

At the time of inspection, DTUK had 121 apprentices on level 3 standards-based business administration apprenticeship. In addition, at level 2, there were eight apprentices on the supply chain and warehouse distribution apprenticeship, seven on the recruitment apprenticeship and five on the team leader apprenticeship. One apprentice has high needs.

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Information about this provider

Apprentices work in a wide range of businesses. These include working in the financial services sector, logistics, town planning and recruitment.

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Information about this provider

DTUK was previously inspected in 2011, when inspectors judged it to be outstanding. 26–29 October 2021

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

Apprentices develop knowledge, skills and behaviours that are highly relevant to their job roles. They become valued team members for their employers. Apprentices working in sales develop and manage sales ‘pitches’ to clients. They understand and respond to non-verbal signals from potential buyers very effectively. Apprentices working in the financial services sector achieve success in finding new clients from early in their training. Apprentices in business are given additional responsibilities, such as managing the logistics department.

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

Apprentices know that staff will respond quickly and effectively should they raise concerns about their work or well-being. They learn to manage their workloads to reduce stress and cultivate positive mental health.

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

Apprentices enjoy their learning and are highly motivated. They acquire new knowledge and techniques at the right stage of their learning, gain confidence and progress in their job roles. Apprentices in recruitment who work in town planning develop a detailed knowledge of specific planning obligations. They provide very good guidance and information to internal and external clients.

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

Apprentices feel safe. They are confident in seeking guidance from their trainers and employers. Apprentices working in event management often encounter clients who are frustrated or emotional. Apprentices understand how to keep themselves safe in this environment and manage clients’ behaviour effectively. Apprentices know not to disclose personal information.

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better?

Leaders and managers have established a clear and ambitious curriculum. This meets employers’ priorities well while supporting apprentices to improve their skills and abilities significantly. Apprentices gain knowledge of key concepts before they apply them in their job roles, giving them the confidence to develop meaningful workplace projects. They progress swiftly to more complex project management techniques, enabling them to plan effectively for the later stages of their training.

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better?

Apprentices develop good work-related skills. Apprentices studying recruitment who work in the construction sector confidently articulate the regulatory requirements for job candidates and have a detailed knowledge of how these are met. They ensure that the candidates they select meet the criteria fully. Those recruiting for the offshore power industry respond quickly to international clients seeking specialist engineers from across the world. Most apprentices develop good skills in English and mathematics. First-time pass rates for functional skills examinations are high.

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better?

Employers value apprentices’ ability to use the skills they develop through their training while in the workplace. Apprentices who have responsibility for social media postings in their department undertake the role professionally, in line with employment protocols. Apprentices on the business administration programme use 26–29 October 2021

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their good organisational skills to provide one-stop solutions for enquiries, rather than referring these to colleagues. Employers and trainers work closely together to ensure that the training apprentices receive at work and from DTUK trainers is highly effective.

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Apprentices benefit from individual, well-managed training. Trainers consider carefully apprentices’ starting points and provide appropriately tailored programmes. Trainers use assessment techniques effectively. They are thoughtful in the way they provide feedback, guiding apprentices to enhance and improve their work. As a result, apprentices are confident and articulate. They take great pride in producing work of a high standard.

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Apprentices have a good understanding of how external factors affect the businesses they work in. Trainers skilfully use relevant topics in current affairs to enrich learning. They facilitate purposeful discussions about a wide range of topics, including the rise in the National Minimum Wage and the effects of the pandemic. As a result, apprentices regularly update their understanding and analyse usefully what appropriate steps they and their employer may need to take.

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Apprentices are motivated to do well and strive to continually improve their practice. Trainers monitor apprentices’ self-esteem closely and use praise successfully to develop their confidence. As a result, apprentices respond positively to feedback from clients and colleagues. Apprentices on business administration programmes respond professionally to clients’ requests for changes to their design work and do not interpret this as personal criticism.

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Ongoing careers advice and guidance to apprentices are insufficient. Trainers do not explore apprentices’ interests or wider career ambitions. Trainers do not discuss apprentices longer-term career goals. As a result, apprentices are unclear about the range of options available to them beyond their current employment.

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Governance arrangements are insufficient to enable the training to remain outstanding. Leaders lack effective support and challenge to ensure that training programmes meet apprentices’ wider curriculum needs. Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. They have appropriate actions in place to remedy the weaknesses identified.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff provide a safe and supportive learning environment. Apprentices know how to stay safe online, such as remaining anonymous on social media. Leaders and managers identified how apprentices became more vulnerable during the pandemic. They acted swiftly to increase the availability and accessibility of staff to apprentices.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices understand the dangers of radicalisation and can link this to their work. Apprentices on business administration programmes understand how to identify 26–29 October 2021

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unusual activity on a client’s account and how this could potentially link to money laundering.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders need to ensure governance arrangements provide effective support and challenge to ensure that training programmes meet apprentices’ wider curriculum needs appropriately.  Leaders need to ensure that apprentices receive ongoing careers advice and guidance so that they can make informed choices about their immediate next steps and future careers. 26–29 October 2021

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Provider details

Address Unit 1 Ascension Business Park Fleming Road Chafford Hundred Essex RM16 6HH

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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 26–29 October 2021

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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 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

Chris Bealey, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Penny Fawcus Her Majesty’s Inspector Rebecca Jennings Her Majesty’s Inspector 26–29 October 2021

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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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