Compass Skills Training Limited

Compass Skills Training Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Kim Bleasdale, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Compass House Cowling Business Park Canalside Chorley Lancashire PR6 0QL Monitoring visit: Compass Skills Training Limited, 6 and 7 April 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

Compass Skills Training Limited is an independent learning provider based in Chorley, Lancashire. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 41 apprentices studying apprenticeship standards. Twenty-two study level 7 risk and safety management professional (degree), 13 study level 4 engineer surveyor and six are on the level 3 safety, health and environment technician apprenticeship.

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Context and focus of visit

The provider works with two subcontractors. Heriot Watt University teaches the level 7 masters’ degree in risk and safety management to apprentices studying the level 7 risk and safety management professional (degree) apprenticeship. The Engineers Academy teaches the higher national certificate in mechanical engineering to apprentices studying the level 4 engineer surveyor apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers offer a small number of apprenticeships to meet industry needs. They work closely with employers to include additional qualifications and courses in occupational safety and health for apprentices. This extends apprentices’ knowledge beyond the minimum requirements of the apprenticeship standard and meets the exacting requirements of their employers’ businesses.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders routinely review the curriculum to ensure it meets regional and national needs. They recently introduced the level 4 fire safety inspector apprenticeship. This meets national priorities to inspect fire safety measures in buildings, following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors have the appropriate experience and qualifications to teach their subjects. Leaders ensure that tutors receive industry updates to inform their training. For example, through professional memberships such as the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Monitoring visit: Compass Skills Training Limited, 6 and 7 April 2022 However, leaders do not provide training that helps tutors to develop their teaching skills further. As a result, tutors do not know what they need to do to improve their teaching skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders routinely track the progress that apprentices make towards the development of their theoretical knowledge. However, leaders do not track the progress apprentices make towards the development of their skills and behaviours well enough. Leaders have very recently introduced an improved tracking system. This is beginning to provide leaders with accurate information about the progress that apprentices make.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have effective processes to monitor the quality of their provision and staff performance. They carry out a range of activities to assure themselves of the quality of the apprenticeship programme, for example carrying out observations of training, and reviewing the quality of tutors’ feedback to apprentices. As a result, most apprentices make at least their expected progress towards developing substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours.

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Reasonable progress

Those responsible for governance are suitably experienced to carry out their roles. They carefully monitor the progress that leaders make in improving the quality of education for apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Curriculum leaders and tutors plan the curriculum in a logical way to build apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours over time. This helps apprentices to recall their learning and apply it at work. Level 7 risk and safety management professional apprentices first learn about specialist human factor techniques and how to apply them at work. They then learn about concepts of value and risk management so that they can apply this to strategic and tactical problems. As a result, most apprentices swiftly develop the skills they need to be successful at work.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours as a result of their apprenticeships. Employers say that apprentices are trusted team members who bring energy, enthusiasm and skills to the workplace. For example, level 3 engineer surveyor apprentices confidently and competently carry out work to check local exhaust ventilation systems in buildings.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices take pride in their work and produce work that is of a high standard. This is because tutors provide helpful feedback to apprentices that tells them what they have done well and what they need to do to improve.

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Reasonable progress

Managers and tutors need to strengthen the process for collecting, recording and using information about what apprentices already know and can do. Tutors do not use this information well enough to individualise apprentices’ learning. Monitoring visit: Compass Skills Training Limited, 6 and 7 April 2022 Tutors do not provide enough information or training on the requirements of apprentices’ end-point assessments early enough in their programmes. As a result, most apprentices do not know what they need to do in their final assessments, or what grades they could achieve, until later in their programmes.

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Reasonable progress

A few apprentices have fallen behind in their learning. Leaders have appropriate plans in place to ensure apprentices swiftly catch up. For example, attending additional classes and one-to-one coaching sessions with tutors.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders ensure that all members of the safeguarding team are suitably qualified. They ensure that there are appropriate safeguarding policies and processes in place to keep apprentices safe. Leaders complete a range of appropriate checks when appointing new staff to make sure they are suitable to work with apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

All staff, including subcontractor staff, the designated safeguarding lead and their deputy, receive appropriate training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. However, leaders do not track and monitor subcontractor staff’s training well enough.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders carefully consider the well-being and workload of staff. They have a strong focus on the well-being of their staff. They provide wellness lunches and weekly exercise classes. Staff appreciate this.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe. They receive information during their induction about safeguarding, online safety and the dangers of radicalisation and extremism. However, this information is not routinely reinforced throughout the programme. Consequently, apprentices are not able to readily recall this information. Monitoring visit: Compass Skills Training Limited, 6 and 7 April 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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