Talented Training Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Talented Training Limited is an independent learning provider based in the centre of Leeds. Since August 2021, the provider has been funded through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority adult education budget to provide adult education. Talented Training Limited provides courses aimed at getting unemployed adults back into work. All learners are aged 19 and over and are mostly unemployed, lone parents or adults from disadvantaged communities. So far in this academic year, 172 learners have completed short courses ranging from two to seven weeks duration in construction, security, public services, administration, hospitality and catering, accounting and finance and warehouse and storage. At the time of inspection, there were seven learners enrolled on a warehouse and storage programme. 4 to 6 May 2022

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

Teachers have high expectations of behaviour and conduct. As a result, learners have high attendance, come prepared to learn and participate in lessons well. They improve their understanding of acceptable behaviours in their lives and future work, such as understanding the impact of bullying and harassment in their intended workplaces. Learners are respectful and courteous; they value the opinions of others and they benefit from learning in a calm and inclusive environment.

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

Teachers create a caring and supportive culture, which learners value. Learners fully appreciate the help they receive for personal or academic issues from approachable staff in and between their lessons. They fulfil their potential and make good progress in developing the skills, knowledge and behaviours they need for work.

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

Learners successfully improve their confidence and the resilience they need to find employment in the local area.

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

Learners feel safe in the provider’s premises and when in outreach centres. They know whom to go to if they have any concerns about their safety. They develop a basic grasp of the dangers associated with radicalisation and extremism. However, a few learners are not aware of local risks in the communities in which they study, live and will potentially work.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear rationale and vision to provide a range of ambitious programmes to get unemployed adults back into work. They have strong links with stakeholders, such as the local enterprise partnership and employers, to ensure they understand local priorities and skills gaps. They design programmes to meet employers’ needs which incrementally develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that learners need to prepare them for their next steps. Learners start by gaining skills for employment such as self-management, interpersonal skills and decision-making skills, before moving on to learn about their intended vocation. For example, those aiming to work as healthcare cleaners learn about causes and spread of infection in the workplace before learning about their responsibilities in infection prevention and control.

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better?

Leaders ensure that learners benefit from additional activities and training to enhance and extend learning. They work with external training companies to provide learners with opportunities to gain additional qualifications, such as licences to work in security, forklift truck licences for warehouse operators and Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards. Gaining these qualifications greatly increases the potential for learners to gain employment.

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better?

Teachers support learners to develop the wider knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to work successfully in a range of industries, such as effective teamworking and problem-solving skills. They help learners craft a curriculum vitae, 4 to 6 May 2022 and they prepare them for interviews through well-thought-out role plays which enable learners to reflect on their attitudes, behaviours and work readiness. As a result, many learners gain employment in sectors such as construction, security, warehousing and catering, or as healthcare cleaners for the NHS.

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better?

Managers and teachers work well with partners, such as Jobcentre Plus, to assess learners’ prior knowledge and experience. Teachers use their assessment of learners’ starting points well to ensure that learners are on appropriate programmes and to plan and sequence learning and assessment logically for each learner. As a result, learners are on the right programmes and quickly achieve their qualifications.

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better?

Teachers are well qualified and use their skills and experience to carefully plan and teach lively and engaging lessons which motivate learners and incrementally build their knowledge over time. Teachers present information clearly in lessons through a range of suitable and well-prepared activities and resources. They use a range of assessment strategies effectively to identify how well learners have understood key learning points. For example, they ask targeted questions, use interesting quizzes and mark learners’ work accurately in lessons. They provide frequent and useful feedback which helps learners to improve their work swiftly.

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better?

Learners benefit from comprehensive and impartial careers advice and guidance. Teachers provide beneficial careers information in lessons and work closely with employers, who frequently provide input to help learners make decisions about their employment opportunities.

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better?

Teachers support learners to improve their English skills effectively. They routinely correct spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors in learners’ workbooks, helping learners to improve their writing skills over time. However, teachers do not develop learners’ digital and mathematical skills well enough. As a result, a few learners are not able to access online resources to help search for jobs and access further careers advice. For example, during the period of COVID-19 restrictions, learners did not have the digital skills to access careers advice from the National Careers Service, which had moved online.

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better?

Leaders and managers have clear oversight of their provision and take deliberate steps to improve the quality of their programmes. They carry out suitable checks on the quality of learning through lesson visits to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning and, in most instances, they set clear and sensible actions to help teachers improve their practice. Managers conduct monthly performance reviews and annual appraisals, to evaluate performance and identify actions for improvement. In a few instances, however, managers do not identify accurately the actions that teachers need to take to improve their practice. As a result, it is not clear what a few teachers need to do to develop their teaching skills and improve learners’ experience.

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better?

Leaders are considerate of the well-being of staff and learners. They support staff with their workloads by keeping class sizes small and encouraging staff to conduct 4 to 6 May 2022 immediate marking in lessons, so they are not overloaded. As a result, staff enjoy their work and feel well supported by leaders.

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better?

Governors understand the organisation well. Leaders provide detailed reports to governors on learners’ progress and actions that they take to make further improvements. Governors use the information they receive to challenge and support leaders to make improvements. For example, governors use their expertise of local skills gaps to help leaders plan programmes to meet employer needs.

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better?

Leaders and managers do not routinely use information about learners’ destinations to enable them to understand and assure themselves that the curriculum is successfully meeting needs and to adapt and improve the curriculum if necessary.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers have clear and sensible policies and processes which help to keep learners safe. They recruit staff safely. The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy safeguarding officer are appropriately qualified and experienced in their roles. They keep themselves well informed about local risks and safeguarding issues from the local authority and the regional ‘Prevent’ coordinator. They frequently share this information through newsletters to keep everyone at the provider well informed. The DSL records safeguarding incidents well, follows up concerns appropriately and liaises effectively with external agencies to help learners when needed.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Provide learners with sufficient opportunities to develop their digital and mathematical skills.  Use data about learners’ destinations to ensure that the curriculum is successfully meeting learners’ needs and to adapt and improve the curriculum if necessary.  Identify accurate actions for improvement for all teachers, so they are clear about what they need to do to improve their practice and the experience for learners.  Ensure that learners are fully aware of the local risks in the communities in which they live, study and will potentially work. 4 to 6 May 2022

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Provider details

Website https://www.talentedtraining.co.uk

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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 4 to 6 May 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the operations support manager, 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

Philippa Firth, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Bev Cross Ofsted Inspector 4 to 6 May 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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