Wales England Care Ltd

Wales England Care Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sara Hunter, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Coach House Workshop Phillip Street Risca Caerphilly NP11 6DF Monitoring visit: Wales England Care Limited, 8–9 December 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

Wales England Care Ltd (WECL) is an independent learning provider based in Wales. It began providing apprenticeships in the health and social care sector in the Bristol area and Gloucestershire in September 2019. At the time of the monitoring visit, 137 apprentices were enrolled on health and social care programmes. Most of these programmes are designed for adult care workers and children, young people and family practitioners. At the time of inspection, 47 apprentices were studying at level 2; 41 apprentices were studying at level 3; 23 apprentices were studying at level 4; and 26 apprentices were studying at level 5.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed an ambitious strategy to respond to the skills shortage within health and social care. Their strategy sets out how WECL plans to provide apprenticeships to improve the career opportunities, professionalism and status of staff working in the sector.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have developed strong and effective relationships with employers. Employers value the support that the provider has offered them throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, WECL managers have worked shifts in employers’ care settings during times of staff shortages. Leaders have established useful groups for employers in which they share good practice and suggestions for improving apprentices’ training.

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Reasonable progress

WECL’s directors have put in place good governance arrangements that are effective in holding leaders and managers to account for their actions. Managers feel confident to challenge each other and speak openly. Leaders sensibly plan to Monitoring visit: Wales England Care Limited, 8–9 December 2021 increase their apprentice numbers slowly to ensure that they can sustain the quality of their apprenticeship provision.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors have good vocational experience and qualifications. They maintain their expertise within the health and social care sector through regular and relevant continuous professional development. As a result, apprentices highly value assessors’ professional knowledge and experience.

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Reasonable progress

Managers regularly conduct observations of teaching and learning sessions. Following observations, they provide detailed feedback to assessors, which clearly indicates strengths and areas for improvements. However, leaders identify rightly that too many assessors do not yet provide consistently high quality learning sessions for their apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Managers recruit apprentices to the programme carefully considering each apprentice’s previous knowledge and experience when planning their programmes. Managers ensure that apprentices receive, and record accurately, their entitlement to off-the-job training.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers quickly adapted to challenges within the care sector caused by the pandemic. They developed appropriate digital resources for apprentices and employers. These resources were effective in enabling apprentices to continue their learning. As a result, all apprentices are making good progress.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors use the results of assessments at the start of programmes effectively to plan a curriculum that meets apprentices’ individual needs. The resulting curriculum enables apprentices to develop their confidence at work and build professional competence. Consequently, apprentices are quickly able to make a positive contribution to their employers’ businesses. For example, an employer described how an apprentice’s understanding of data protection helped their care home manager avert a potential risk.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel well supported by their assessors, who regularly review their progress. The reviews help the apprentices to understand what they have achieved in their programme and what they need to do next. However, when assessors ask apprentices to undertake independent study, they do not always check apprentices’ understanding of what they have studied before moving on to the next topic.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors have worked tirelessly during the pandemic to offer pastoral support for apprentices working in care settings. This has made a valuable contribution to Monitoring visit: Wales England Care Limited, 8–9 December 2021 ensuring that apprentices have remained motivated to continue their studies. Employers have appreciated assessors’ support during this time, and it has strengthened employers’ involvement in their apprentices’ programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Specialist staff assess apprentices’ skills in English and mathematics accurately at the start of their apprenticeship. They use the results of the assessments suitably to identify what the apprentices need to learn and then plan an appropriate programme of study. This includes one-to-one taught sessions, both in person and online. As a result, most apprentices complete their functional skills qualifications in a timely way and improve their skills in English and mathematics.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices’ written work is at the standard expected for their apprenticeship. However, assessors’ feedback on apprentices’ assignments is not sufficiently effective in helping apprentices to improve their work further.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices receive helpful advice about working in the healthcare sector at the start of their programmes. However, they do not receive sufficient impartial careers information, advice and guidance throughout their programme to inform them of the wider career opportunities available to them.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders place a strong emphasis on safeguarding and apprentices’ employers reinforce this in the workplace. Managers have introduced useful initiatives to develop apprentices’ understanding of the wider safeguarding issues that may affect them. For example, they have produced a monthly newsletter which includes relevant topics, such as knife crime and ‘sexting’.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders carry out the necessary checks on staff to ensure their suitability to work with apprentices. All apprentices receive mandatory training in safeguarding, both from their employer and WECL. This includes ‘Prevent’ training during induction. However, apprentices do not have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the threats of radicalisation.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established effective links with local external agencies to ensure that staff remain up to date with new dangers in communities where apprentices work. They helpfully inform staff and apprentices of these through the monthly newsletter.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe in their everyday lives. They know whom to contact if they have any concerns or worries. Monitoring visit: Wales England Care Limited, 8–9 December 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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Reasonable progress

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

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