Xtol Development Services Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Xtol Development Services Limited

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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

Xtol Development Services Limited (Xtol) is an independent learning provider based in Rotherham. It is one of three training providers that are owned by the Phoenix Training Group. At the time of the inspection, there were 39 apprentices, all of whom work for employers based in West Yorkshire or the Humber region and 15 of whom are aged 16 to 18. Eleven apprentices are enrolled on the business administration level 3 standard, five study the learning mentor at level 3 and seven are enrolled on the customer service practitioner standard at level 2. The remaining 16 apprentices are enrolled on the regulatory compliance officer standard at level 4, the employability practitioner officer standard at level 4, the associate project management standard at level 4, the team leader/supervisor standard at level 3, the insurance practitioner standard at level 3 and the supply chain warehouse operative standard at level 2.

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

Apprentices value the regular contact that they have with their tutors, who treat them with a high degree of respect. They feel valued as individuals and appreciate that the well-planned training and support enable them to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to become successful employees.

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

Through well-planned learning activities that link closely to the experience that they gain at work during their time on the programme, apprentices gain and consolidate well the knowledge and skills that they need and improve the fluency of their skills. As a result, they are well prepared to be successful when they progress to the end- point assessment.

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

Leaders and tutors have created an inclusive culture and promote respectful and tolerant behaviours and attitudes. Tutors work closely with employers to create a learning and working environment where apprentices feel safe. As a result, apprentices work and learn in environments that are conducive to supporting them to make good progress towards their apprenticeship goals.

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better?

Leaders are ambitious that the apprenticeship programmes that they provide will support apprentices to gain and be successful in new roles with their employers. Leaders work proactively with a range of partners and employers to expand the provision to ensure that it is sustainable and to meet the workforce development needs of employers. For example, leaders are working with local council departments to increase the number of apprentices on the regulatory compliance officer standard to meet both an identified business need and to secure the ongoing viability of Xtol’s apprenticeship provision.

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better?

Well-qualified and experienced tutors plan and teach the curriculum effectively across the range of apprenticeship standards that Xtol provides. As a result, apprentices make good progress in gaining and consolidating the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to be successful in their job.

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better?

Tutors adapt specific parts of the curriculum for individual apprentices to meet the individual work context of apprentices and the needs of employers. This ensures that training is relevant to apprentices and helps them to become valued employees. For example, in business administration, apprentices have been successful in taking on responsibility for their companies’ marketing and social media presence. Other apprentices have learned how to use the Sage accounting, payroll and payment systems to support the needs of their employers.

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better?

Tutors reinforce apprentices’ acquisition of knowledge and skills well through assessment. Effective simulated professional discussions prepare apprentices to aim for high grades in their end-point assessment. Following assessments in the workplace, tutors provide apprentices with helpful feedback about how well they 11–13 January 2022 have performed against the industry-required standards. However, in a few instances, they do not provide guidance about what apprentices could do to improve their work.

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better?

Tutors ensure that apprentices develop and extend their skills in English and mathematics and that they successfully apply these skills in their work. For example, in business administration, apprentices develop their mathematical skills through reviewing customer accounts. Learning mentor apprentices apply their English skills when helping learners whom they support to improve their written work. Tutors closely monitor the progress that apprentices make in improving their skills in English and mathematics and provide effective additional support for those who need it.

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better?

Apprentices attend and participate well in off-and on-the-job training activities. They have a positive attitude to learning and work, enjoy their time on the programme and develop their professionalism. For example, learning mentor apprentices demonstrate a very high awareness of the professional behaviours that they need to model when working with young learners.

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better?

Tutors support apprentices’ personal development well during their time on the programme. Apprentices routinely take additional, short courses and participate in activities that raise their awareness about life in modern Britain and increase their understanding of the importance of respecting diversity and promoting equality. They gain an understanding of how they can apply this knowledge in their lives and at work. For example, learning mentor apprentices develop a good understanding about how to recognise any signs of abuse and exploitation that the young people whom they support may experience.

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better?

Leaders and tutors ensure that apprentices receive comprehensive careers information, advice and guidance at the start of and during their time on the apprenticeship. This helps apprentices to make well-informed decisions about their next steps in learning and in their careers.

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better?

Tutors include learning activities during apprentices’ induction to raise their awareness about the risks of radicalisation and extremism. However, this is not revisited or reinforced well enough throughout apprentices’ programmes. As a result, apprentices have a limited awareness of both the national and local risks that they might experience or observe. This limits their awareness of the steps that they could take to protect themselves and others.

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better?

Leaders and group directors for the Phoenix Training Group have a good understanding of the strengths of Xtol’s provision and the areas that they need to improve. They identify a range of appropriate priorities and actions to improve and expand the provision. However, leaders’ plans for improvement are not supported sufficiently by clearly defined targets for improvement. This impedes their ability to monitor closely the impact of their actions. 11–13 January 2022 Leaders now ensure that all apprentices are recruited in line with the principles of an apprenticeship. In previous years, this was not always the case and a very small number of apprentices were recruited inappropriately to apprenticeships. Managers recognised this through their own self-assessment process and have put measures in place to ensure that it will not be repeated.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff responsible for overseeing safeguarding are appropriately qualified. They ensure that all necessary checks are completed on members of staff. Leaders ensure that all staff complete regular mandatory safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training. In addition, they provide staff with a wide range of additional safeguarding and well-being training, in subjects such as mental health first aid, online safety, female genital mutilation, child sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, suicide prevention and modern slavery.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices feel safe. Staff and apprentices understand the procedure for raising any safeguarding concerns.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that tutors continue to develop apprentices’ awareness of the national and local risks related to radicalisation and extremism throughout their time on the apprenticeship so that they understand the steps that they can take to protect themselves and others from these risks.  Ensure that arrangements are in place to enable leaders to monitor the impact of their actions to make improvements to the provision.  Ensure that the procedures that leaders have put in place for recruiting apprentices are adhered to so that recruitment continues to meet the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship. 11–13 January 2022

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Provider details

Address Rise House First Floor 18 High Street Rotherham S60 1PP

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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 11–13 January 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by one of the three directors of Xtol, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous 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 visiting learning sessions, scrutinising apprentices’ work, seeking the views of apprentices, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Malcolm Fraser, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Debra Forsythe-Conroy Ofsted Inspector Bev Cross Ofsted Inspector 11–13 January 2022 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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