University of Huddersfield

University of Huddersfield Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Rachel Angus, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Higher education institution

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Address:

Queensgate Huddersfield HD1 3DH Monitoring visit: University of Huddersfield, 22 and 23 March 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

University of Huddersfield has been training apprentices since 2018. Around 500 apprenticeships are offered in two schools within the university. The School of Human and Health Sciences is where most of the apprentices are based, and Huddersfield Business School (HBS) has around 60 apprentices. The largest programme is the level 5 nursing associate (TNA) with 266 apprentices. At level 6, the university teaches apprentices on the paramedic, operating department practitioner, registered nurse, podiatrist, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and the chartered manager degree apprenticeships. At level 7, there are just under 100 apprentices following the advanced clinical practitioner and senior leader apprenticeships.

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Significant progress

Leaders have ensured that oversight of the quality of apprenticeships is thoroughly embedded in the university’s governance and management structures, resulting in effective quality assurance and improvement arrangements. Consequently, managers are held to account well to meet the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers place a high priority on offering apprenticeships that meet the needs of local and regional employers. Managers have developed a level 5 nursing associate apprenticeship in response to a shortage of nurses. This programme very successfully helps local employers such as National Health Service trusts, general practice and private healthcare providers to recruit and train staff to fill vacant posts.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have recruited well-qualified staff with the clinical experience and knowledge to teach and manage the nursing associate programme. Lecturers are experienced in all the four fields of nursing, which enables them to support apprentices to develop the knowledge and skills that they need to work in a wide Monitoring visit: University of Huddersfield, 22 and 23 March 2022 range of clinical settings. The staff that teach on apprenticeships in HBS are also very well qualified, and they engage in research and scholarly activity to keep their knowledge current.

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Significant progress

Managers structure the programmes so that apprentices get their full entitlement to high-quality off-the-job training. On the chartered manager degree apprenticeship (CMDA), apprentices benefit from attending specialist lectures one day each week and complete assessments that apply management theory to their workplace. The nursing associates receive protected time in which they practise their clinical skills in a range of settings. Staff ensure that apprentices who need clinical time in an area outside their own work area are able to access suitable placements.

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Significant progress

The useful induction to the university that staff provide to new apprentices helps them to understand the wider facilities and support that they have access to as an apprentice. All apprentices have access to the university library and receive regular communication from university staff about how to access independent careers advice.

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Significant progress

Lecturers ensure that TNA apprentices develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours to enhance patient care. These apprentices take on more complex caseloads of patients and, as a result, become more autonomous practitioners. Apprentices who have worked as healthcare support workers prior to becoming an apprentice extend their knowledge and skills well from their starting points.

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Significant progress

Teaching staff develop TNA apprentices’ academic writing skills very effectively. This is particularly important for those who have been out of education for some time. Initially, apprentices are taught to develop their skills in producing bibliographies and academic referencing, and then staff support them to produce literature reviews. A few TNA apprentices produce literature reviews of such a high standard that staff have plans to encourage publication.

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Significant progress

On the CMDA, lecturers identify apprentices’ starting points as managers at the beginning of their programme. Apprentices reflect on their progress as they complete work for the degree, such as the need to practise leading meetings and making effective presentations. As a result, they are able to complete these tasks more competently. Apprentices increase their confidence and many gain promoted posts.

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Significant progress

Lecturers provide very helpful feedback to apprentices about the quality of the work that they produce and what they need to do to improve. For example, when CMDA apprentices complete work about recruitment, they may consider how they fill vacancies in their own part of their organisation but, with guidance, they are able to Monitoring visit: University of Huddersfield, 22 and 23 March 2022 analyse the more strategic aspects of workforce planning. Apprentices produce work of a very high standard.

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Significant progress

Staff ensure that employers have an accurate understanding of the progress that apprentices are making. They conduct regular meetings, which include the employers, to help apprentices understand what they need to do to improve. For a few CMDA apprentices nearing the end of the course, the final review meetings are too late to help them to prepare fully to complete their programme.

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Reasonable progress

The designated safeguarding officer and the school-based safeguarding champions are well trained in a variety of safeguarding topics. Training content includes dealing with bullying and harassment, mental health first aid, county lines and working with victims of domestic abuse.

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Reasonable progress

The university has a range of support services to promote well-being and address welfare concerns. The safeguarding champions frequently send apprentices information about these services.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices receive training and information at the start of their apprenticeship about safeguarding, the ‘Prevent’ duty, and health and safety. However, apprentices cannot remember the content of the training or why it is important.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have revised university recruitment processes to ensure that safe recruitment practices are implemented in both schools that offer apprenticeships. Staff in each school produce an appropriate safeguarding assessment and action plan to ensure that the safeguarding of apprentices is a high priority. Monitoring visit: University of Huddersfield, 22 and 23 March 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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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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