Train with Pride Limited

Train with Pride Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Alex Lang, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 5 Market Parade Kings Square Gloucester GL1 1RL Monitoring visit: Train with Pride, 19 and 20 January 2022

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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

Training with Pride Limited (TWP) is a specialist training provider for the hairdressing and barbering industries. TWP initially operated as a subcontractor providing apprenticeships from 2011. It started to receive public funding to train apprentices on its own account in August 2020. TWP offers standards-based apprenticeships at level 2 in hairdressing and barbering. It is based in Gloucestershire and works with employers in Cirencester, Cheltenham, the Forest of Dean and Worcester. At the time of this visit there were 19 apprentices, the vast majority between 16 and 18 years of age. Five apprentices were studying the barbering apprenticeship and 14 studying the apprenticeship in hairdressing. TWP works with one subcontractor: the Skills Network.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure the curriculum meets the needs of employers and individualise the curriculum where needed for apprentices. For example, traditional barbering apprentices develop skills in customer care and wet cuts before they study shampooing. As a result, apprentices quickly become productive employees and contribute financially to their employer’s business.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers are well qualified and experienced in the industry. They use this commercial experience effectively to enhance apprentices’ training. For example, teachers who have worked overseas use the knowledge and experience gained to teach apprentices the effects of different temperature climates on hair styles and hair types. In turn, apprentices use this knowledge well to plan different hair styles for their clients. Monitoring visit: Train with Pride, 19 and 20 January 2022 Leaders ensure all apprentices benefit from studying the curriculum. At the start of the apprenticeship, staff complete a detailed check of each apprentice’s existing knowledge and practical skills. Teachers use this information well to plan individual teaching and training sessions.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed highly effective working relationships with employers and together carefully plan the curriculum. Leaders have established useful systems to monitor the progress made by apprentices in developing new skills and to record the amount and type of on- and off-the-job training. This helps to ensure that apprentices get their entitlement of time to study and practise their new skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders use appropriate quality improvement systems well which enable them to assess and monitor the quality of education closely. They ask apprentices and employers to complete feedback surveys, staff scrutinise apprentices’ work and standardise assessment practice. Although leaders know the strengths and areas for improvement in the quality of provision, they have not yet established external oversight of the effectiveness of the apprenticeships.

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Reasonable progress

Employers are well informed about the curriculum content. Leaders provide employers with a detailed plan of what apprentices need to learn and the skills they need to develop. This ensures that apprentices benefit from linked and highly effective on- and off-the-job training. Apprentices enjoy their training. They know what they need to achieve and what they will be learning next. They study their curriculum with pride.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers plan the hairdressing and barbering curriculum so that apprentices build their knowledge and skills sequentially over time. This sequencing dovetails well with the practical tasks that apprentices undertake in their salons. Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge and skills and the behaviours they need at work as a result of studying the hairdressing or barbering apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Salon trainers and TWP assessors provide apprentices with accurate and constructive feedback on their practical and written work. Apprentices identify and resolve any weaknesses in their professional practice and quickly become valuable members of their salon’s team.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices develop highly professional customer care skills. They also improve their teamwork and communication skills when dealing with a wide range of clients in TWP’s city centre salon. At work, apprentices shadow experienced stylists to learn consultation skills before they practise these on salon clients. Apprentices demonstrate high levels of professionalism and courtesy when conversing with peers and clients. Monitoring visit: Train with Pride, 19 and 20 January 2022 TWP staff communicate frequently and effectively with employers regarding apprentices’ training, assessment, achievements, and progress. Assessors frequently share before and after photographs of apprentices’ practical work with employers using digital technology. Employers have a clear and thorough understanding of the progress made by each of their apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have not ensured apprentices have a good understanding of wider curriculum topics. For example, apprentices’ knowledge of the range of career opportunities available to them, or how to apply their health and well-being knowledge at work is superficial.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established a culture of care and support at TWP. Leaders and staff model best working practices and apprentices replicate these behaviours at work. Apprentices care for each other and their work colleagues.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders place a high importance on ensuring apprentices know how to keep themselves safe at work and when travelling and socialising. They promote relevant safety awareness campaigns. Apprentices feel safe and are confident about contacting TWP’s designated safeguarding lead (DSL).

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Reasonable progress

The DSL is appropriately qualified. TWP staff members also receive appropriate training, such as in safeguarding and how to avoid the risks of radicalisation. The DSL shares information with staff about local issues, for example county lines. All staff and apprentices have completed specialist training in aspects of mental health specific to the barbering industry. Monitoring visit: Train with Pride, 19 and 20 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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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