Averee Ltd

Name of lead inspector: Christine Leeding, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Titan Court 2nd Floor 3 Bishops Square Hatfield Hertfordshire AL10 9NE Monitoring visit: Averee Ltd, 5 and 6 May 2022 2

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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

Averee Ltd (Averee) is an independent learning provider based in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Averee offers standards-based apprenticeships in facilities management, health and social care, team leading and operational management. Apprentices work for employers based within travelling distance of Averee’s head office. Leaders moved to remote facilitation of programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic and plan to revert to face-to-face learning from August 2022.

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Context and focus of visit

Averee offers the adult care worker apprenticeship at levels 2 and 3, the level 4 adult practitioner in adult care, the level 3 facilities management supervisor, the level 3 business administrator, the level 3 team leader/supervisor and the level 5 operations/department manager. Two thirds of apprentices are on level 3 programmes, with nearly half of these on the level 3 adult care worker apprenticeships and most others on the level 3 team leading and facilities management apprenticeships.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the visit there were 77 apprentices, with one aged between 16 and 18 years old, seven aged between 19 and 24 years old and the remaining 69 aged over 24 years old. There are no learners in receipt of high needs funding and the provider has no subcontractors.

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Context and focus of visit

The impact of COVID-19 has been taken into account in the findings and progress judgements below.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that the requirements of successful apprenticeships are met. Apprentices are in permanent employment and receive the required off-the-job Monitoring visit: Averee Ltd, 5 and 6 May 2022 3 training time. Leaders ensure that apprentices and their employers are told about assessment arrangements when they join their programme. Apprentices are appropriately prepared for their final assessments.

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Reasonable progress

Too few apprentices make good progress in completing their apprenticeship. The employer for whom a significant proportion of apprentices worked was subject to a company takeover, resulting in redundancies to apprentices. This resulted in the disruption to learning of those apprentices who remained. Tutors have provided extensive help to enable apprentices to catch up on their learning. These apprentices are now about to take their final assessment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that the apprenticeship programmes offer apprentices appropriate progression pathways from levels 2 to 5. For example, one apprentice is about to progress from the level 3 facilities management supervisor apprenticeship to the level 5 operations/departmental manager apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders work effectively with employers to remedy skills gaps. For example, they work with health care providers to attract and train health care assistants. However, leaders do not always ensure that tutors tailor programmes to optimally meet the needs of individual employers.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have not ensured that tutors take account of their initial assessment of apprentices’ mathematical and English skills in planning learning. For example, if apprentices need to achieve functional skills qualifications, tutors cover the entire syllabus rather than focusing on developing the few skills apprentices are deficient in. Leaders have ensured that apprentices have opportunities to further develop their mathematical and English skills through activities in teaching sessions.

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Reasonable progress

Governance arrangements are effective. They ensure that leaders are supported in their strategic decision-making and are suitably challenged in their oversight of the quality of education and training they provide to apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors do not ensure that programmes for apprentices are sufficiently challenging. Tutors’ assessment of apprentices’ experience does not always take sufficient account of their prior knowledge and experience. Consequently, a few apprentices cover topics unnecessarily or repeat topics that they are already familiar with.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors communicate frequently and effectively with employers. Tutors send employers reports on the progress of their apprentices and liaise with employers to ensure that any issues preventing apprentices from making expected progress, such as high workloads, are resolved. Tutors plan activities with employers to ensure that apprentices apply their off-the-job training in their workplace effectively. Monitoring visit: Averee Ltd, 5 and 6 May 2022 4 Apprentices benefit from high-quality resources, such as videos and podcasts, which they access flexibly on the online platform. Workbooks are available for those not confident with information technology. Highly qualified and experienced tutors provide apprentices with well-planned and stimulating individual learning sessions. Tutors and line managers support apprentices in their learning very well.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours and apply them usefully in their workplace. Employers recognise the improved contribution that apprentices make. For example, level 5 operational management apprentices build their confidence in managing people and in dealing effectively with challenging situations.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide appropriate, ongoing careers information and guidance to apprentices, who discuss their career aspirations during induction. Tutors revisit these with apprentices throughout the programme and discuss wider opportunities. For example, they discuss the opportunity to progress to nursing degree programmes with adult care apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed a positive culture of safeguarding apprentices and staff. They ensure that effective safeguarding processes are in place. Safeguarding concerns with apprentices are dealt with effectively.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe and follow safe working practices. They know how to report safeguarding concerns. They regularly explore their understanding of safeguarding with tutors in teaching sessions and reviews, when tutors check on their well-being. Apprentices discuss how safeguarding relates to their everyday lives and work activities. For example, apprentices in adult care know how to use appropriate signposting to external agencies. As a result, apprentices provide correct guidance to clients and other staff.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices understand the threats posed by extremism, radicalisation and terrorism. They can talk confidently of the relevance of these issues to their job roles. For example, facilities management apprentices explain the relevance in keeping their teams and building safe. Monitoring visit: Averee Ltd, 5 and 6 May 2022 5 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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Reasonable progress

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