Management Training and Development Ltd

Management Training and Development Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Richard Deane, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 5 Orchard Court Harry Weston Road Binley Business Park Coventry CV3 2TQ Monitoring visit: Management Training and Development Limited 13 and 14 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

Management Training and Development Limited started delivery of business administration and management standards-based apprenticeships in April 2021. At the time of the visit, there were 51 apprentices, 27 were on level 3 team leader, 10 were on level 5 operations manager, two were on level 4 associate project management, and 12 were on level 2 customer service apprenticeships. All apprentices were aged 19 and over.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have strong links with their employers, many of whom are previous customers of their commercial management training. They identify thoroughly employers’ skills needs and plan a curriculum that best meets employers’ and their apprentices’ needs. In a very few cases, the curriculum is not sufficiently challenging for apprentices. For example, on customer service programmes, apprentices who have significant prior experience in retail and have high-level qualifications do not develop substantive new skills and knowledge.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have devised a curriculum with their employers that broadly meets the requirements of an apprenticeship, including appropriate arrangements for end-point assessment (EPA). However, leaders have not ensured that all employers give all apprentices sufficient time off the job to complete their studies. Also, in a few cases, they have not made sure that managers contribute to apprentices’ reviews so that they receive sufficiently helpful feedback and targets for improvement. As a result, not all apprentices make the progress of which they are capable.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have invested significantly in the essential resources for apprentices to receive the teaching and support necessary for them to achieve their apprenticeship. Monitoring visit: Management Training and Development Limited 13 and 14 April 2022 Leaders have very recently recruited an English and mathematics specialist, but it is too soon to judge their effectiveness in improving apprentices’ skills in these subjects.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders scrutinise the quality of their provision and use information from teaching observations and apprentices’ views to identify areas for improvement. As a result, leaders know their strengths and weaknesses and have identified appropriate actions to rectify identified weaknesses.

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Reasonable progress

Although apprentices know the benefits of their programme for their current role, leaders have not ensured that apprentices know well enough information about their next steps outside of their current employment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders are currently identifying individuals who have the appropriate experience to take on the role of governance. In the interim, they have identified an external consultant who has provided them with helpful support and challenge to improve.

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Reasonable progress

Managers and coaches carefully consider their curriculum and plan learning to help apprentices to develop new knowledge over time. As a result, apprentices improve their performance at work and add value to their employers’ business. For example, team leader apprentices use new knowledge about ‘unconscious bias’ and leadership styles to motivate their teams and improve their communication with colleagues and customers.

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Reasonable progress

At the start of apprentices’ programmes, coaches assess appropriately what apprentices know and understand, including in English and mathematics. Leaders accept that coaches do not use this information thoroughly to help learners who require English and mathematics at level 2 to make progress in these subjects quickly enough. Coaches do not ensure that apprentices close knowledge gaps in these subjects beyond level 2.

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Reasonable progress

During group and one-to-one sessions, coaches build on apprentices’ previous knowledge effectively, correcting any misconceptions. They encourage apprentices to explore new ways of working, for example, exploring their employers’ strengths and weaknesses. As a result, apprentices develop a better understanding of concepts such as ‘SWOT’ and ‘PESTLE’ analysis and can apply them effectively at work.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from a range of high-quality learning resources to help them extend and consolidate what they know and can do. They use online ‘knowledge builder’ activities and ‘masterclasses’ on a variety of topics that enable apprentices to share good practice and integrate new ideas at work. However, not all apprentices are able to attend these sessions, limiting their potential. Monitoring visit: Management Training and Development Limited 13 and 14 April 2022 Apprentices receive helpful oral feedback to help them improve their work and to achieve high grades in their assessments. However, coaches’ feedback on their written work is not always sufficiently helpful for them to know what they need to do to improve.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices know about the requirements of EPA. Coaches do not ensure that apprentices are sufficiently well aware of how new topics and skills link to these assessments so that apprentices are fully prepared for their EPA.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders take safeguarding very seriously. They have devised a comprehensive safeguarding policy that is clear and informs staff about the organisation’s expectations of safeguarding and health and safety. The policy clarifies the reporting process for any potential safeguarding disclosure. The provider has yet to have had a concern reported.

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Reasonable progress

During induction, apprentices are provided with appropriate information to develop their understanding of safeguarding, the ‘Prevent’ duty and health and safety, including cybersecurity. Most apprentices work in industrial settings and implement health and safety practices in the workplace with their staff. Although apprentices have an appropriate understanding of safeguarding and know who to contact if needed, they do not know well enough the potential threats from extremist activity in their local communities.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders follow an appropriate safer recruitment process and ensure that all appropriate staff hold the disclosures necessary to work with apprentices. The designated safeguarding lead and deputy have received the training necessary for their roles. Monitoring visit: Management Training and Development Limited 13 and 14 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 and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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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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