dip

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 15 to 17 February 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Good Adult learning programmes Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

dip is an independent learning provider that provides training for adults at centres in Batley and Huddersfield. Most learners are from the Kirklees and south Leeds areas. The provider began offering adult learning provision in November 2017. Prior to this, it delivered adult education as a subcontractor. Since August 2021, the provider has been funded through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) adult education budget. At the time of the inspection, there were 212 learners on a range of programmes, with 24 learners on entry-level programmes, 80 on level 1 programmes and 108 on level 2 programmes. Learners were on courses in business administration, customer service, counselling, digital skills, employability, functional skills English and mathematics, managing money, retail, safeguarding and Prevent, warehousing, equality and diversity, information advice and guidance, and data protection. 15 to 17 February 2022

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

Learners are highly respectful of staff and each other. They study in a welcoming centre where they are very quickly made to feel comfortable when they attend. Learners benefit from a quiet and calm environment. They work quietly and diligently at the centre and in online sessions. They ask questions respectfully when they need to and respond well to questions asked of them.

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

Learners are enthusiastic, positive and keen to learn, which helps them to make good progress. They strive to produce work of a good standard. Learners rightly value the training provided and the opportunity to gain new skills and qualifications. They are proud of their achievements, their improved skills and knowledge and their increased confidence.

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

Learners feel well supported in their one-to-one training sessions with their tutors. Many learners have few or no previous qualifications or have had poor previous experience of education. They increase their aspirations and many progress to courses at a higher level or into employment.

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

Learners feel safe in the centre. They know how to report concerns about their safety and are confident that any concerns would be dealt with quickly should they arise.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear curriculum rationale. They provide courses to support members of the local community to develop the skills that they need to gain employment. Leaders and managers have selected a relevant curriculum for their courses and have widened their course offer to address local skills shortages.

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better?

Leaders and managers work very effectively with external stakeholders, such as WYCA, the Department for Work and Pensions and Jobcentre Plus, to recruit learners from one of the most deprived communities in the region. Stakeholders are enthusiastic about the training that their clients receive. They explain how positive their clients are about the courses and how their clients benefit from improved confidence and becoming more competitive in the labour market.

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better?

Most learners follow courses that meet their needs and enable them to make good progress towards their personal goals. Following completion of their course, many learners go onto further courses at a higher level or into employment. However, in a few instances, leaders and managers do not collect useful information at the start of programmes to select appropriate courses for learners. Therefore, a few learners do not progress as quickly as expected to the next level of course or into employment. Leaders and managers recognise this and are reviewing their process for ensuring learners are always placed on the right course. 15 to 17 February 2022

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Tutors are suitably knowledgeable and skilled in their subjects and their roles. Leaders place a high value on the development of their staff and provide good support to help tutors develop their skills and knowledge. Tutors achieve useful teaching and counselling qualifications and update required essential qualifications frequently.

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Tutors select relevant curriculum content that enables learners to progress to their next steps. Customers service learners start by researching and reporting on the principles of customer service. They then progress to more in-depth learning such as dealing with challenging customers and developing good working relationships. Learners benefit from their courses and can apply their learning well in their lives and work roles.

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Tutors effectively monitor learners’ progress and the work that learners produce. They provide bespoke, intensive support that helps to keep learners engaged and to make progress. They spend a significant amount of time working remotely with learners to ensure that they have a sound understanding of the topics that they are covering. In mathematics, this support helps learners to grasp concepts that they did not previously understand, such as how to carry out a range of mathematical calculations. As a result, learners improve their accuracy and speed when making calculations.

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Learners on English courses successfully improve their understanding of how to use adjectives, how to write persuasively or descriptively and the difference between factual text and writing about an opinion. As a result of their courses, learners now enjoy reading, and they read more complex and challenging texts, such as news articles on world affairs. However, a few learners studying remotely do not receive the same level of support and resources as their peers and, as a result, they take longer to complete their course and achieve.

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Learners develop useful new knowledge and skills as a result of their courses. In digital skills courses, learners who have never used computers learn how to change fonts and add bullet points to their text, and how to navigate programmes using a mouse. Learners who have only previously used smartphones gain a good understanding of computer applications and screen layouts. Tutors provide useful information on internet shopping and online safety. Their new skills and knowledge provide learners with useful skills for working digitally and for use in their personal lives.

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Tutors provide learners with useful information on staying safe at the start of their course. They cover topics such as online safety, safe use of computer screens, safeguarding, keeping healthy and the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism. However, these topics are not revisited frequently enough during courses to develop and deepen learners’ understanding.

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Tutors use positive, real-life examples well in progress reviews to put into context fundamental British values. They promote useful discussions and develop learning with monthly themed topics, such as social justice. However, leaders rely too much 15 to 17 February 2022

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on the ability of individual members of staff to integrate this learning successfully into learners’ reviews. As a result, too often, learners’ knowledge about how British values affect their lives is not developed sufficiently.

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Learners receive appropriate careers information, advice and guidance about their next steps in education or employment. This is provided at the beginning of the programmes and revisited at the exit. Learners meet with a careers adviser when they have completed their training to update their curriculums vitae and set up job accounts. However, learners are not sufficiently encouraged to explore opportunities and pathways towards their career goals while on their programmes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers have put effective safe recruitment policies and procedures in place to ensure that staff are appropriate to work with learners. They have clear processes for the collection of references, and they ensure that staff complete a wide range of training prior to starting work.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers ensure that staff receive useful training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. This helps staff to recognise learners who may be at risk. Staff raise any causes for concern and make referrals to external agencies promptly.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers effectively monitor the mandatory training carried out by members of staff and their Disclosure and Barring Service checks to ensure that they are current and up to date.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead is appropriately qualified and experienced to carry out the role effectively. He understands the role and responsibilities well.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that information about learners’ knowledge and skills at the beginning of courses is used to inform and plan training so that learners can make rapid progress in developing new knowledge and skills.  Ensure that all learners who are taught remotely benefit from high-quality support and resources to develop their skills and knowledge.  Ensure that all learners fully understand the local risks posed by radicalisation and extremism and the potential effect on their lives and the wider community.  Ensure that the curriculum is structured to include British values, so learners develop their understanding of these values.  Ensure that tutors support learners to explore opportunities and pathways towards their career goals during their programmes. 15 to 17 February 2022

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Provider details

Address Bankfoot Square Bankfoot Street Batley West Yorkshire WF17 5LH

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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 15 to 17 February 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the chief executive officer, 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

Joanne Stork, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Glenise Burrell Her Majesty’s Inspector Gareth Luke Ofsted Inspector 15 to 17 February 2022

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

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