Involve Selection Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Involve Selection Limited joined the register of apprenticeship training providers in July 2019. It delivers apprenticeships in digital marketing, business, recruitment and sales across Sussex and the wider south-coast region. Involve Selection Limited is currently delivering training to 45 apprentices. Of these, 11 apprentices are studying business-related apprenticeships in recruitment at level 2 and business and administration at level 3, 16 are studying the level 3 digital marketing standard, and 18 are studying a range of level 3 and level 4 software- and hardware-related apprenticeships. Involve Selection Limited does not work with any subcontractors. 25 to 27 May 2022

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

Apprentices demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and take pride in their work. They are keen to develop new skills and further their careers. Skills coaches set clear expectations of the professional behaviours they expect of apprentices. Employers value working with apprentices who are passionate about their apprenticeships and are hard working. They recognise how the skills that apprentices develop have improved their performance in the workplace.

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

Apprentices improve the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need in order to be successful at work. For example, level 2 recruitment resourcers learn how to analyse potential candidates’ CVs and match their skills to clients’ specifications. They understand why they must keep personal information confidential and link this to legislations such as the General Data Protection Regulation.

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

Apprentices feel safe and cared for. Skills coaches support apprentices to develop a good understanding of the risks associated with radicalisation. Apprentices understand what this means in their wider lives, and how it applies to their place of work.

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

Not all learners and apprentices receive effective advice and guidance that help them to understand the wider career opportunities available to them.

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better?

Senior leaders have a clear strategy to meet the skills requirements of the employers they serve and those needed in the region. They have designed a curriculum that allows most apprentices to progressively develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours. However, leaders have not ensured that all apprentices receive consistently high-quality training. This is because leaders do not have sufficient oversight of the quality of education.

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better?

Skills coaches have the appropriate skills and experience to carry out their roles. They receive industry updates through their professional networks and complete training to maintain the currency of their knowledge. For example, digital marketing skills coaches continue to work with marketing agencies. They explain trends and software developments, such as changes to search engine optimisation in preparation for the introduction of tighter privacy restrictions in 2023, with apprentices.

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better?

Leaders do not focus quality assurance activities enough on what skills coaches and trainers need to do to improve their teaching and assessment skills. Consequently, staff do not receive sufficiently personalised training to help them to improve their teaching and assessment practice. As a result, not all apprentices benefit from a high-quality learning experience. 25 to 27 May 2022

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Leaders and skills coaches do not clearly identify what apprentices already know and can do when they start the apprenticeship. Apprentices complete a skills scan, including assessment of their levels of English and mathematics, but this is not sufficiently thorough. Leaders and skills coaches do not use the information they gain from skills scans to plan learning. Where apprentices already have experience of working in marketing, skills coaches do not support these apprentices to make more rapid progress.

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Skills coaches do not use assessment well enough to check that learning is taking place. Apprentices complete assignments and develop a portfolio of work as they move through their apprenticeship. However, skills coaches do not use assessment to check that apprentices remember new learning long term. Apprentices do not get sufficient opportunities to revisit and recall new knowledge, skills and behaviours they have learned so that they develop fluency in these over time.

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Leaders and skills coaches do not effectively coordinate on- and off-the-job training. Workplace mentors are unaware of the order or content of the topics that apprentices are studying. This results in apprentices not being able to reinforce learning in the workplace in a timely manner.

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Leaders and skills coaches do not have sufficient oversight of the progress that apprentices make. This is because the information on the e-portfolio system is insufficient, and leaders do not have any other systems in place to monitor apprentices’ progress.

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Apprentices participate in employer-led initiatives and community activities. For example, digital marketing apprentices participate in Earth Day. They use their newly acquired digital marketing skills to promote their employers’ involvement and showcase activities such as woodland litter-picks. Recruitment resourcer apprentices support charities that promote mental health awareness and homelessness. Apprentices develop into responsible, respectful and active citizens.

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The arrangements for governance require improvement. Actions taken since the new provider monitoring visit to put in place external scrutiny and support are not yet effective. Leaders have engaged a critical friend; however, this arrangement is not adequate as the critical friend has taken up the post of functional skills tutor. Consequently, leaders are not held to account for the quality of education they provide.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures are in place, and they meet the requirements of the ‘Prevent’ duty. The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) is appropriately trained and experienced to carry out the role. The DSL receives useful information from the regional ‘Prevent’ duty coordinator and has a good awareness of local risks. Staff receive up-to-date training in the ‘Prevent’ duty 25 to 27 May 2022

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and communicate information from this training to apprentices as appropriate. The DSL understands the urgent need to broaden safeguarding training in order that skills coaches, trainers and apprentices are equipped with the knowledge to understand, spot and report potential safeguarding issues.

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Leaders and managers have put in place effective safe recruitment procedures and policies to ensure that staff are appropriate to work with young people and vulnerable adults. They collect references and Disclosure and Barring Service checks prior to the start of employment. However, leaders and managers do not keep thorough records of the checks they have completed.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should take actions to rapidly improve the governance arrangements, to ensure that they are held to account for the quality of apprentices’ education and that actions are put in place to rapidly improve the quality of apprentices’ training where required.  Leaders must ensure that all skills coaches plan and sequence the curriculum in a way that supports apprentices to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours over time.  Leaders must make sure that trainers and skills coaches have clear oversight of the progress apprentices are making, so that they can quickly identify any issues and put measures in place for any apprentices who fall behind.  Leaders need to ensure that tutors assess what learners know and can do at the start of their programme, including their English and mathematical skills, so they can develop a personalised programme that effectively builds on apprentices’ existing skills and knowledge.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should take swift actions to ensure that apprentices have a wider understanding of safeguarding and are provided with relevant information linked to topics including bullying, sexual harassment and consent. 25 to 27 May 2022

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Provider details

Address 1–2 Middle Street Shoreham-by-Sea West Sussex BN43 5DP

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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 25 to 27 May 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the delivery 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.

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Inspection team

Carolyn Brownsea, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Karen Bill Ofsted Inspector 25 to 27 May 2022

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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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