Rapid Improvement Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Rapid Improvement Limited was founded in 2007 as a health and social care agency service and accredited training provider. In 2019, Rapid Improvement Limited gained a contract from the Greater London Authority for learners funded by the Adult Education Budget.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 330 adult learners. They often take more than one qualification to support their career goals. The largest number of learners study English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), functional skills English and mathematics, supporting teaching and learning and health and social care. ESOL is taught face to face, and all other courses are taught online. 2 to 4 March 2022

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

Learners benefit from positive and supportive relationships with their tutors, who are responsive to their needs. Tutors provide additional sessions in the evenings and at weekends that allow learners the opportunity to catch up on missed sessions should they need it.

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

Tutors ensure that lessons take place in a purposeful and respectful environment. They set clear boundaries for learners’ behaviour online. As a result, learners are respectful of each other and work well together in classes.

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

Learners display a very positive attitude to their learning. They are motivated to achieve and enjoy their studies. They would recommend studying at Rapid Improvement to others.

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

Learners do not get the advice and guidance they need to prepare them for their next steps and to achieve their career goals. Many learners have long-term aspirations that require a significant amount of training. Staff do not provide them with enough information so that they have a good understanding of what they need to do to achieve these goals.

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

Tutors follow up with learners and encourage them to attend their lessons regularly. However, learners do not always understand the importance of attending classes regularly and the impact that this has on the progress they make and their chances of achieving their goals.

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

Learners feel safe. They are confident that if they needed any additional support, staff would provide it in a timely way.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear rationale for the curriculum they offer. For example, vocational subjects are in areas where there are job vacancies such as adult care and childcare. Leaders work effectively with Jobcentre Plus to achieve their mission for education to support the social mobility of those learners who are new to the United Kingdom.

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better?

Leaders and managers do not ensure that all courses are taught in a way that ensures that learners remember what they have been taught. For example, ESOL is taught in mixed ability groups. This means that the content of lessons is too easy for a few learners and too advanced for others. As a result, learners do not make the progress of which they are capable.

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better?

Leaders and managers have tackled the weaknesses in the adult provision identified at the previous monitoring visit. For example, they have improved how they recruit learners and no longer use a third-party recruitment company for this. As a result, most learners are on the right course. They better monitor the progress that 2 to 4 March 2022

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learners make and support those who fall behind with their studies. However, these actions are not always fully effective. For example, a few learners on ESOL courses are not placed on the right level of study relative to their ability.

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Tutors have good, relevant subject knowledge and experience. Most use this well to provide detailed and helpful explanations of key concepts to learners. However, not enough tutors check effectively that learners remember what they have been taught. For example, tutors do not always give learners enough time to explain fully what they have been taught so teachers do not check that they have grasped concepts fully.

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Learners produce work of a good standard. They are rightly proud of the work they complete. In most cases, teachers provide helpful and detailed written and verbal feedback on the quality of learners’ work. This clearly identifies what they need to do to improve. However, in a few subjects, teachers give written feedback in which they do not adequately identify spelling, punctuation and referencing mistakes or identify other areas for improvement.

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Most learners attend well. However, there are inconsistencies in attendance across different subjects. In health and social care and early years, learners’ attendance is good. They understand the importance of attendance to their achievement and in preparing them for employment. However, in ESOL attendance is too low.

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Tutors prepare learners well for life in modern Britain because tutors incorporate relevant topics in their classes. For example, they teach ESOL learners about accessing health services by learning about medicines and collecting prescriptions from chemists.

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Through their courses, learners develop their confidence well because of the new skills and knowledge they learn. This benefits them in their daily lives. For example, employed health and social care learners carry out their jobs with greater confidence. ESOL learners are able to help their children with their schoolwork.

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Leaders and managers broadly understand the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. However, they are sometimes too slow to identify and address these weaknesses. This is because they do not use data effectively, such as learners’ attendance, to assess the quality of education that learners receive.

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Leaders and managers have successfully recruited two external board members to the new governing body. They bring valuable sector experience at a senior level. As a result, the board provides effective scrutiny of the quality of the provision. However, data, such as progress in meeting key performance indicators, is not always presented in a helpful way so that senior leaders can easily challenge leaders and managers to make the improvements needed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 2 to 4 March 2022

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Leaders and managers have effective arrangements to oversee safeguarding practice. The safeguarding team meets each month and reports to governors on safeguarding matters.

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Leaders and managers ensure a suitable set of policies underpin safeguarding practice, including a safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ risk assessment and action plan. They follow safe recruitment practice that ensures new recruits are suitable for their roles.

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When staff need to act to support learners’ welfare, they do so effectively. Incidents and concerns are well recorded. Where referrals to outside agencies are needed, staff make these appropriately.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

Leaders and managers should ensure that:  tutors are well equipped to teach learners so that they remember what they have learned  the ESOL curriculum is taught in ways that support the progress of learners with very different abilities  learners receive the advice and guidance they need for their next steps in learning and employment and to achieve their long-term career goals  they use data, including on attendance and progress against key performance indicators, more effectively to help them analyse and improve the quality of education that learners receive. 2 to 4 March 2022

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Provider details

Address 34-38 Upper Green East Mitcham Surrey CR4 2PB

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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 2 to 4 March 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of operations, 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

Jon Bowman, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Paul Manning Ofsted Inspector Agnes Joseph Ofsted Inspector Alison Muggridge Ofsted Inspector 2 to 4 March 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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