University of Exeter

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 Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

The University of Exeter is a higher education institution. It has two campuses in Exeter, and two in Cornwall. At the time of inspection, the university had approximately 30,000 students, of whom 1,520 were following apprenticeship programmes in scope for this inspection. The university offers apprenticeship standards at levels 4 to 7. During the inspection, 408 apprentices were studying the senior leader standard at level 7; 238 apprentices were studying the digital and technology solutions professional (integrated degree) standard at level 6; 161 apprentices were studying the diagnostic radiographer (integrated degree) standard at level 6; 154 apprentices were studying the financial services practitioner standard at level 6; and 146 apprentices were studying the research scientist standard at level 7. The remaining 413 apprentices were studying 11 different standards in areas including accounting and finance, business management, engineering, teaching and

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Information about this provider

lecturing, and health. All apprentices were 19 years of age or over. 17 to 20 May 2022

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

Apprentices’ attitudes to their education at the university and their training at work are positive. Apprentices enjoy their apprenticeship and are highly motivated to succeed. They are resilient and cope well with the pressures of work and study at this level. Academic mentors liaise with employers to ensure that apprentices have a manageable workload and are able to make sustained progress throughout their programme.

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

Working relationships between apprentices and staff reflect a culture of mutual respect. Mentors provide apprentices with effective support. Apprentices appreciate the opportunity to study at the university, and describe how its academic culture has a positive impact on their approach to their apprenticeship.

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

Apprentices develop substantial new skills and knowledge over time. They relate their new learning well to their workplaces and add value to their employers, who appreciate the contribution they make. Most apprentices take on additional workplace responsibilities, and many achieve promotion during their studies.

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

Lecturers and mentors expect apprentices to go beyond their ‘comfort zones’ and expand on their current thinking. This is instrumental in building apprentices’ confidence and resilience, including those working in challenging environments.

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

Apprentices learn in a positive environment where lecturers and mentors do not tolerate bullying and harassment. Apprentices learn about conflict at work, how to manage behaviours effectively and how to become role models in the workplace.

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

Apprentices feel safe and know whom to contact at work and at the university if they need support.

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better?

Leaders have selected a curriculum for each apprenticeship which aligns well with the overall strategic priorities of the university, as set out in its institutional vision. These priorities include widening participation in higher education, addressing local and regional employment and skills priorities and fostering an increase in engagement with under-represented groups.

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better?

Leaders demonstrate high aspirations for their apprenticeship programmes. They have been successful in ensuring that apprenticeships are recognised across the institution as a core part of the university’s academic offer. Consequently, leaders have been able to put specific actions in place to support their apprenticeship programme to grow. These include effective arrangements which allow for a rapid response to deal with changes or developments to their apprenticeship programmes.

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better?

Leaders and managers ensure that the curriculum apprentices follow includes the wider, institution-led research into the skills needs of local, regional and national 17 to 20 May 2022 industry. They articulate well the opportunity the curriculum provides to improve productivity and the skill levels of relevant industry workforces. For example, the curriculum for chartered manager level 6 apprentices includes teaching beyond apprenticeship standard. Apprentices complete a mental health first-aid qualification so that they can better support their teams in response to the impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic on mental health and the challenges this presents managers in the workplace.

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better?

Leaders have developed robust quality assurance arrangements for apprenticeships. These arrangements have been designed to allow leaders to monitor closely the quality of apprenticeships directly, while drawing on other internal quality assurance processes in the university. As a result, leaders and managers are clear on the areas of their programmes which they need to develop, and have already begun to implement changes. However, for some of these developments - such as implementing a more standardised approach to ensure that all apprentices have the same quality of learning experience - it is too soon in their implementation to judge their impact.

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better?

Leaders and managers ensure that all staff involved in their apprenticeship programmes have relevant teaching qualifications and significant specialist vocational knowledge. Staff are well supported to develop both their teaching and vocational skills through a variety of programmes of professional development, both apprenticeship-specific and as part of the broader development opportunities available to all teaching staff across the university.

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better?

The large majority of apprentices receive their entitlement to both on- and off-the- job training, and additional time to complete their studies. The approach taken to ensuring apprentices receive this time varies between apprenticeship standards to reflect closely the needs of employers and apprentices. However, in a small minority of cases, apprentices following the senior leader level 7 programme have difficulty in finding the time they need to complete their studies alongside their work. Nevertheless, they receive useful support from their academic mentors to ensure they can continue to make progress.

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better?

Academic mentors use online sessions well to help most apprentices reflect on the new skills and knowledge they have developed. They discuss how apprentices can apply learning to the workplace, and identify useful opportunities for apprentices to add value to their job roles. For example, one apprentice was able to apply their learning on operational strategies when leading an organisational meeting on ‘lived values’. They helped colleagues reflect on the company’s values and what these meant in practice for their day-to-day operations. Apprentices are using their new skills and knowledge to support their employers. However, in a small minority of cases, staff do not always use effective strategies to ensure all apprentices are engaged in online sessions.

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better?

Lecturers provide useful written feedback for apprentices which identifies areas for improvement and opportunities to deepen their understanding, linking well to their workplace experiences. For example, advanced clinical practice apprentices receive 17 to 20 May 2022 detailed feedback on both their written work and examinations which clearly identifies areas that need further development in preparing for their Objective Structured Clinical Examinations. These exams are a key element of their end-point assessment. As a result, apprentices understand how to improve the quality of their work and how to fill gaps in their learning.

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better?

In most cases, lecturers address the development of literacy and academic writing in useful feedback on assignments. Additional support, such as the ‘study zone’, offers bespoke teaching on topics such as referencing, library skills and elements of academic writing. Academic mentors and lecturers work effectively to develop the quality of apprentices’ written work and their understanding of writing conventions, such as the differences between academic writing and business reports. As a result, learners demonstrate improvement in their writing over time and develop valuable literacy skills which relate to their work. However, in a few cases, the planning and delivery for the development of apprentices’ English and mathematical skills are not yet fully embedded in all apprenticeships, and it is too early to judge the impact of actions which have begun to be implemented by leaders to rectify this.

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better?

Academic mentors establish most apprentices’ vocational starting points well through initial assessment of their existing knowledge, skills and behaviours. They set challenging targets based on these starting points and monitor progress during reviews. As a result, most apprentices rapidly develop significant new skills and knowledge at an expected pace. However, in a small minority of instances, such as apprentices studying the systems thinking standard, staff do not plan early enough in their programmes any adaptations based on learners’ support needs or prior knowledge.

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better?

Leaders rightly recognise the importance of widening participation in apprenticeships and have carefully considered the relaxation of entry requirements for degree apprenticeships compared to their full-time degrees. This approach provides access opportunities to a broader group of apprentices, including those without formal prior qualifications or who have not been in education for some time. As a result, an increasing number of degree-level apprentices enrol through non-traditional entry routes.

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better?

Leaders have placed considerable focus on ensuring that appropriate governance arrangements are in place for apprenticeships, which align well with the existing university governance structure. Those responsible for governance in apprenticeship programmes are selected from a variety of relevant, university-wide quality and strategic groups, and they understand their role well in challenging leaders on the improvement of the quality of apprenticeships. They are clear on the strengths and areas for improvement, and articulate well the plans in place to tackle these.

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better?

Mentors discuss equality, diversity and inclusion with apprentices during reviews of learning. Leadership and management apprentices have to consider carefully their strategies and actions and the impact these have on individuals and groups. As a result, apprentices demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of individual needs, 17 to 20 May 2022 beliefs and values and of how to develop a positive working culture that promotes respect, responsibility, integrity and accountability.

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better?

The standard of work which apprentices produce is high, and apprentices achieve well, with a significant number achieving high grades. Lecturers work with academic mentors to develop a coherent approach to skills development over time, which results in apprentices developing significant new skills and knowledge in line with their curricular goals. Apprentices with additional support needs achieve at least as well as their peers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders place significant emphasis on safeguarding learners throughout the university. They have created a culture of safeguarding which extends well to their apprenticeship programmes.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have appointed appropriately qualified and experienced designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) to lead on safeguarding in their apprenticeship programmes and are increasing the number of DSLs to ensure consistent levels of support. Staff involved in the teaching of apprenticeship programmes are trained in topics such as safeguarding, the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism, and sexual misconduct.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers maintain appropriate records for all staff involved in the delivery of apprenticeships. The appropriate checks are made when staff start at the university, following a thorough process.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices know how to keep themselves and their colleagues safe at work and in their local communities. As a result of training at work and additional information from the university, they know well the local threats from extremist groups. They know the risks while working online and take the appropriate precautions to protect themselves. Most apprentices receive useful information about the risks in their local areas; however, a few apprentices do not recall well enough some of the key topics which have been covered in the curriculum. 17 to 20 May 2022

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders must ensure that the starting points of apprentices in English and mathematics are used by lecturers to inform the planning of teaching and development of these skills throughout apprentices’ programmes, to ensure apprentices develop the skills they need to be successful in their next steps.  Leaders must ensure that the newly implemented strategies to standardise the university’s approach to the design of all apprenticeships are closely monitored, to maximise the impact for all apprentices.  Leaders must ensure that apprentices develop and retain their knowledge of key topics in the curriculum, such as the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism, life in modern Britain and online safety. 17 to 20 May 2022

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Provider details

Address Northcote House The Queen’s Drive Exeter Devon EX4 4QJ

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Provider details

Provider type Higher education institution

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 17 to 20 May 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of degree apprenticeships, 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

Stuart Collett, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Paul James Her Majesty’s Inspector Daisy Agathine-Louise Ofsted Inspector Clare Mills Ofsted Inspector Gerri Nevin Ofsted Inspector Roger Pilgrim Ofsted Inspector Richard Deane Her Majesty’s Inspector 17 to 20 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

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