Nine Dots Development Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

p.1

Inspection of Nine Dots Development Limited

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

Information about this provider

Nine Dots Development Limited (Nine Dots) offers training courses in leadership and management to employers. Leaders began offering apprenticeships in 2019. Apprentices attend workshops and one-to-one sessions either online or at work. At the time of the inspection, there were 432 apprentices studying business and professional standards-based apprenticeships at levels 3 to 5. Around three quarters of apprentices study the operations and departmental manager programme at level 5 or the team leader supervisor apprenticeship at level 3. The remainder study apprenticeships in human resources, sales, administration or customer services. 10 to 13 May 2022

p.1

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

Apprentices benefit from high-quality workshops that trainers teach skilfully. Trainers apply management and sales theories to different scenarios and apprentices’ work. This helps apprentices understand and apply a range of practical management techniques. For example, team leaders confidently use the ‘GROW’ coaching model to develop their teams. Apprentices almost always attend workshop sessions because they find them so beneficial.

p.2

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

Apprentices rightly value the support they receive from their skills coaches and employers. One-to-one sessions with skills coaches are frequent and helpful. Employers consistently attend and actively participate in apprentices’ progress reviews. During reviews, apprentices, skills coaches and employers carefully consider apprentices’ progress and agree on their development priorities. This helps apprentices to make quick progress at work and to perform their roles better.

p.2

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

Staff develop a calm and inclusive environment for apprentices. Apprentices’ behaviour during workshops and their attitudes to learning are positive. They participate in discussions and have the confidence to share their ideas, thoughts and experiences freely. Apprentices broaden their knowledge as a result of what they hear from their peers.

p.2

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

Apprentices feel safe and understand how to report any concerns for themselves or their colleagues. They are aware of how to stay safe when working online and in their workplace.

p.2

better?

Leaders and managers select and develop an appropriate curriculum to upskill apprentices in business services. Leaders carefully consider employers’ needs and work closely with them to plan apprentices’ studies. Employers are right to value the time leaders take to understand their sectors. Leaders use this information to personalise apprentices’ curriculum and learning materials. For example, sales executives who work in financial services learn different sales techniques from those who work in retail.

p.2

better?

Most apprentices benefit from a blend of expert workshops, reviews, self-directed learning activities and one-to-one sessions. These activities are well structured to allow apprentices to build their knowledge, skills and behaviours in a logical order. For example, operations and departmental managers begin their studies with personal development and change management. This leads well to high-performing teams and strategic management.

p.2

better?

In workshops, trainers teach key topics and concepts skilfully. They revisit topics frequently, which helps apprentices to remember them over time. Skills coaches undertake effective post-workshop activities to further check apprentices’ understanding. As a result, most apprentices quickly grasp management or sales 10 to 13 May 2022

p.2

3

techniques. A small minority of team leader and business administration apprentices do not benefit from the same quality of training and support.

p.3

3

Trainers and skills coaches design learning materials that are thorough and pitched at an appropriate level. Trainers work with employers to develop useful workbooks for apprentices to complete. The activities and notes gathered help apprentices to reflect on what they have learned well.

p.3

3

Most apprentices produce a good standard of work and receive useful spoken or written feedback from skills coaches. In a few cases, feedback does not challenge apprentices to improve their written skills. For example, team leader apprentices do not receive enough feedback on referencing and academic writing standards.

p.3

3

A minority of apprentices who study English and mathematics qualifications do not receive enough training and support. Leaders have taken recent action to address this and there are now dedicated trainers in these subjects. It is too soon for inspectors to judge the impact of these changes.

p.3

3

Leaders, trainers and skills coaches make suitable adjustments to support apprentices with special educational needs/and or disabilities.

p.3

3

Leaders know that too many apprentices leave their course before they finish it. Most left due to unavoidable reasons relating to COVID-19. Leaders take appropriate action where there are areas of concern that are in their control. All the apprentices who have joined courses recently are still enrolled.

p.3

3

Around 10% of apprentices fell significantly behind during COVID-19 restrictions. Most now have suitable plans in place to help them to catch up. The small number of apprentices who have completed their apprenticeship achieve well and most gain distinction grades.

p.3

3

Skills coaches support apprentices effectively to plan for their next steps and careers. Apprentices have useful personal development plans that skills coaches discuss with them in progress reviews. Apprentices know what their next steps are and the careers that are available to them.

p.3

3

Leaders and managers have suitable quality assurance procedures in place. They monitor workshop activities frequently to support trainers’ development and aid future improvements to courses. However, leaders do not use this information well enough to inform the development of teaching, learning and assessment strategies for trainers and skills coaches.

p.3

3

A well-documented, succinct quality improvement plan helps leaders prioritise appropriately and establish the right actions to improve. Systems to monitor apprentices’ progress are in transition. Information is in too many places, which slows effective analysis. This means that leaders are not always able to identify and target interventions as well as they could. 10 to 13 May 2022

p.3

4

Governance arrangements are in their infancy. Leaders recognise that the organisation will benefit from external scrutiny and they have identified and recruited suitable governors to support them. These governors understand Nine Dots, the sector and apprenticeships.

p.4

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.4

Safeguarding

Leaders have effective policies and processes in place to keep apprentices safe. Staff, including the designated safeguarding lead, complete appropriate training. The ‘Prevent’ duty strategy and action plan are well considered and leaders review, action and update it four times a year.

p.4

Safeguarding

Leaders maintain accurate records of any concerns about apprentices. Leaders take appropriate actions that are supportive and are revisited. Leaders, managers and skills coaches work in an age-appropriate way with their apprentices to give them the right tools to deal with their anxieties. As a result, struggling apprentices get back on track with their studies quickly.

p.4

What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should broaden the training and development for trainers and skills coaches to focus more on pedagogy, so that all apprentices benefit from high- quality training and support.  Skills coaches should ensure that feedback helps apprentices to develop their academic writing skills so they are prepared for the next level of study.  Leaders should closely monitor the plans for apprentices to catch up with their studies and the changes to English and mathematics teaching to help apprentices to achieve.  Leaders should continue to streamline the systems that monitor apprentices’ progress so they are able to identify and resolve areas of concern quickly. 10 to 13 May 2022

p.4

Provider details

Address Gleneagles House Vernon Gate Derby DE1 1UP

p.5

Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

p.5

Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Provider details

Main subcontractors None 10 to 13 May 2022

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the company director, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous monitoring visit 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.

p.6

Inspection team

Emma Woods, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Georgina Ager Ofsted Inspector Gavin Murray Ofsted Inspector Stuart Allen Ofsted Inspector Ralph Brompton Ofsted Inspector Julie Ashton Her Majesty’s Inspector 10 to 13 May 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

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

p.7