Performance Learning Group Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Performance Learning Group Ltd

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Performance Learning Group Ltd (PLG) is based in Sawbridgeworth, Essex. PLG was established in 2015 and has held a direct contract for funding since 2017. At the time of inspection, PLG had 194 apprentices on programmes with 40 employers. Of these, 81 apprentices study standards in hospitality, including hospitality team member at level 2, hospitality supervisor at level 3 and hospitality manager at level 4. There are 65 apprentices learning to become chefs, including production chefs and commis chefs at level 2, and senior production chefs at level 3. The remaining apprentices study standards, including customer service at level 2, security first line manager at level 3 and operations/departmental manager at level 5. Fourteen apprentices study level 3 business administration. Thirteen apprentices have declared learning needs. PLG does not work with any subcontractors. 16–19 November 2021

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

Apprentices are motivated to achieve their apprenticeships and are valued by their employers. Apprentices have frequent, productive meetings with their employers and trainers to ensure that they develop skills that match both their own and their employers’ needs. Apprentices studying hospitality develop menus for different types of functions, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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

Apprentices learn in a positive working environment, where there is respect between apprentices, staff and employers. Apprentices are well supported by PLG staff who know them well. They benefit from the excellent relationship that exists between PLG and their managers at work. Apprentices become adept at working under pressure in their hospitality roles. They balance their studies effectively with demanding work roles. Apprentices who experienced extreme anxiety during the pandemic have regained their confidence and now serve in restaurants. As a result of their training, those who felt too intimidated to supervise others previously now do so with confidence.

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

Apprentices have a keen focus on becoming responsible citizens. They understand the importance of respecting the values, ideas and beliefs of others and the benefits of promoting diversity. As a result of their apprenticeship, apprentices have a good understanding of life in modern Britain. They frequently review the behaviours that represent British values and apply these in their workplaces.

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

Apprentices feel safe and know who to share their concerns with. Apprentices quickly develop their understanding of how to keep themselves, their colleagues and their customers safe and act appropriately. They are alert to the news reports of terrorist attacks and understand well how to deal with similar circumstances in their own workplaces. Apprentices working in restaurants describe how they use code words to alert colleagues to customers who are behaving suspiciously. They have a good understanding about cyber security and the dangers of sharing information on social media.

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better?

Leaders have developed a very clear vision for what their curriculum must provide. Staff work closely with employers to ensure that the content and arrangement of apprentices’ training is tailored fully to meet employers’ business needs. Hospitality supervisor and manager apprenticeships have been developed in response to employers’ requests for training in these skills. Curriculum leaders provide training for a national bakery employer that supports the bakery’s internal certification. Learning modules are scheduled to facilitate apprentices attending workshops as a group, so that apprentices benefit from sharing their different experiences. As a 16–19 November 2021 result, apprentices on the supervisor and manager programmes progress quickly to become assistant managers and general managers.

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better?

Apprentices develop new knowledge and skills quickly. They progress well in their understanding of how their sectors work. Apprentices with significant work experience can describe how their training is having a positive impact on their job roles. Apprentices studying hospitality promote and market their business effectively. As a result, they plan events to maximise profit, know how to measure the events’ success, and use that information to plan future events. Apprentices studying business can identify and apply different methods of communication, both informal and formal, and become highly effective communicators. They understand how Belbin team roles, mission statements, organisational structures, and political and environmental factors affect business operations. Apprentices critically analyse these to identify how to apply them effectively in their workplaces.

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better?

Apprentices develop good English skills. Trainers use spelling error strategies, such as practising the spelling of a word in different sentences, to help apprentices embed this learning. Apprentices’ work shows clear improvement over time. In the early stages of their apprenticeship, apprentices’ written work is short and uses basic language with poor sentence structure. After a few months, their work shows significant improvement, being more detailed, with data examples, analysis, and reflections on outcomes. Apprentices studying hospitality at level 4 are given useful feedback by their trainer to ensure they can correctly reference their written projects.

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better?

Apprentices receive excellent support for their mental health and well-being. They benefit from the close involvement of leaders in a national project to support mental health and well-being in the hospitality sector. This project is a trusted partner to which apprentices and employers can be referred. As a result of these referrals, apprentices discuss their mental health more openly, and gain the confidence to seek medical advice and remain in learning. Apprentices model this behaviour when supervising their teams.

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better?

Apprentices continued to develop their knowledge and skills during the national lockdown caused by the pandemic. Trainers ensured that apprentices continued to develop the underpinning knowledge related to their work. Apprentices studying to become chefs completed practical work at home. They created cooking videos and prepared family meals. While these activities did not replicate a commercial kitchen, it enabled apprentices to practise their cooking skills. Hospitality apprentices learnt techniques for conflict management to support them to deal with customers challenging their application of the NHS Track and Trace criteria.

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better?

Leaders have not ensured that trainers have the specific skills they need to help apprentices with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia or ADHD, make good progress in their learning. While trainers spend more time with apprentices, and adapt assessment strategies to help them cope, apprentices do not get the help specific to their needs to ensure that they develop long-term strategies for improving. Apprentices with dyslexia, for example, who are studying at level 3 with 16–19 November 2021 management responsibilities, do not get the appropriate help they require to develop the quality of their report-writing skills.

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better?

Leaders do not ensure that apprentices have a good understanding of their longer- term career opportunities. Apprentices are prompted to seek careers advice, but their programme does not include structured, impartial advice and guidance on the next phase of their careers. They are not helped to understand how their transferable skills enable them to explore other potential careers.

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better?

Governors provide effective support and challenge to improve the quality of the provision. They have a good understanding of their role and the provider’s strengths and areas for improvement. The board draws on the valuable experience of the educational sector from both outside and within the organisation. Their monitoring of apprentices’ progress has been improved and is now more effective. As a result, governors and senior leaders can identify and support apprentices who make slow progress towards their learning outcomes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices are safe because leaders and managers have established a strong culture of safeguarding and trust. Communications from leaders and managers are open and transparent. There are clear reporting structures for apprentices, staff and employers. Leaders and managers respond quickly and effectively to any safeguarding referrals.

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Safeguarding

Hospitality apprentices have a detailed understanding of the dangers of terrorism and share their emergency procedures with each other. They can clearly articulate safeguarding issues and know who to approach with concerns. The small proportion of apprentices studying chef standards have a good understanding of safeguarding issues. They struggle to articulate how they apply these to their professional and personal lives by the end of their programmes.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders need to ensure that apprentices with identified additional learning requirements develop the long-term strategies they need to make good progress in their learning.  Leaders need to ensure that apprentices receive good ongoing careers advice and guidance to enable them to make informed choices about their next steps and future careers, and to understand how the many skills they have are transferable to other career pathways.  Leaders need to ensure that apprentices studying chef standards have a good understanding of safeguarding and apply these to their professional and personal lives. 16–19 November 2021

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Contact number

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Contact number

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Contact number

Main subcontractors None 16–19 November 2021

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the quality 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 Linnia Khemdoudi Her Majesty’s Inspector Claire Griffin Ofsted Inspector 16–19 November 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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