Croydon School of Accountancy and Management Limited

Croydon School of Accountancy & Management Ltd Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Philida Schellekens, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

37 Tamworth Road Croydon CR0 1XT Monitoring visit: Croydon School of Accountancy & Management Ltd, 19 and 20 May 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

Croydon School of Accountancy & Management Ltd (CroydonSAM) provides training to the healthcare sector. The company recruited its first apprentices in January 2021. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were nine apprentices across four apprenticeship standards: level 2 early years practitioner, level 2 recruitment resourcer, level 3 early years educator and level 3 team leader or supervisor. The provider had fewer than five apprentices enrolled on each of these training programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have an appropriate rationale for the apprenticeships offered and the choice of qualifications meet the needs of local health care employers and apprentices well.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have ensured that the provision meets the apprenticeship requirements. For example, all apprentices are employed and have access to appropriate training. Apprentices have a good understanding of the requirements of the apprenticeship, their training, and work responsibilities.

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Reasonable progress

Provider staff and employers work well together to coordinate training activity. They create good opportunities for apprentices to put newly learned theory into practice in the workplace. They ensure that apprentices receive a balanced and coordinated programme of on- and off-the-job training. Leaders have devised a particularly effective process to get feedback from employers and apprentices. This enables them to address issues, such as adjustments to training delivery and individual support, promptly. Monitoring visit: Croydon School of Accountancy & Management Ltd, 19 and 20 May 2022 A high proportion of apprentices have dropped out at an early stage. This has been largely due to external factors, such as changes in apprentices’ personal circumstances. In addition, some apprentices were very new to the care sector and decided against a career in it once they started work. The provider is taking good

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Reasonable progress

steps to remedy this by exploring with employers the potential for work trials before apprentices sign up.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have recruited appropriately qualified and knowledgeable teaching staff who have the necessary expertise to train and mentor apprentices. Staff development has resulted in an improvement in the delivery of online learning.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have an appropriate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their provision. They track apprentices’ progress over time effectively. However, their arrangements to monitor the quality of teaching is less well established. Observation reports pay insufficient attention to the quality of teaching and the progress that apprentices make. Leaders are not clear on areas for development and the steps that tutors need to take to improve.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors make effective use of their vocational expertise to teach apprentices new and valuable skills that closely meet their employers’ needs. Tutors have created a coherent curriculum sequence, lessons are well planned, and learners use pre- session activities effectively to prepare for taught sessions. As a result, apprentices gain the professional knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to become qualified health care practitioners, supervisors and managers. Tutors provide constructive feedback on apprentices’ written assignments which tells apprentices how they can improve their work. This includes signposting apprentices to sources of information, for example, on healthy lifestyles for children. As a result, the standard of apprentices’ work is good, both in terms of content and the use of English. In reviews of learners’ progress, tutors focus too much on unit completion and meeting off-the-job training requirements. They do not pay sufficient attention to the

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Reasonable progress

development of apprentices’ skills and knowledge, to areas for improvement, and next steps to improve. Leaders have put in place appropriate support for the few apprentices who need to pass examinations in English and mathematics. Apprentices and employers value the training and support that tutors provide, including a broad range of additional and pastoral support. Monitoring visit: Croydon School of Accountancy & Management Ltd, 19 and 20 May 2022 Staff provide apprentices with appropriate information about their programme when they start their apprenticeship. They ensure that apprentices and most employers are fully aware of how apprentices will be assessed at the end of their programme. However, staff do not assess in sufficient detail apprentices’ existing knowledge and skills at the start of their programme. Staff do not share assessment outcomes with apprentices or use them to set sufficiently specific targets and plan learning

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Reasonable progress

Leaders conduct appropriate checks to ensure employers’ premises are safe places for apprentices to work. Leaders ensure that staff with responsibility for safeguarding have the training they need to do their job well. Tutors and employers work effectively to ensure that apprentices adopt high standards of behaviour and conduct in training and in the workplace. Tutors teach apprentices the legal and professional standards they need to meet while at work. For example, apprentices learn about the importance of recognising signs of abuse in young children and how to report it. Managers ensure that apprentices have an appropriate understanding of how to keep themselves safe, the risks of radicalisation and extremism and the importance of the fundamental British values. Apprentices feel safe and know who to contact if they have any concerns. Monitoring visit: Croydon School of Accountancy & Management Ltd, 19 and 20 May 2022

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Reasonable progress

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

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 .

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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