Hair Academy South West Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

p.1

Inspection of Hair Academy South West Limited

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Apprenticeships Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

p.1

Information about this provider

Hair Academy Southwest Limited (HASWL) is a training provider based in Somerset. Apprentices take part in training in one of six learning centres, with the majority attending at the Taunton centre. Of the 98 apprentices studying hairdressing or beauty therapy courses, 28 work in salons in Bracknell Forrest, Leamington Spa and Reading.

p.1

Information about this provider

Most apprentices study hairdressing apprenticeship at level 2. A very small proportion of apprentices study beauty therapy at levels 2 and 3.

p.1

Information about this provider

HASWL works with two subcontractors: Master Cutters Limited which specialise in hairdressing and Sarah Hallaran which specialises in beauty therapy. 21 to 23 June 2022

p.1

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

Apprentices securely develop the knowledge and behaviours they need to succeed in their industry. At work, apprentices develop a wide range of practical skills and improve the speed and accuracy of their work effectively. However, not all apprentices are challenged sufficiently during their learning sessions at the Hair Academy South West training centres. This is because tutors do not use the information they have on what apprentices can already do to plan the apprentices’ programme appropriately.

p.2

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

Apprentices are supported well by their employers to develop their understanding of the requirements of the hair and beauty sector. For example, apprentices spend most of their time working in a commercial salon and meeting the needs of their customers skilfully. They quickly improve their industrial timings. As a result, the vast majority of apprentices increase in confidence and have good attitudes towards their work and learning.

p.2

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

Apprentices feel safe when working in commercial salons and when attending training centres. They know how to keep themselves and their clients safe. For example, apprentices identify and remove common hazards, such as trailing wires and wet cut hair from the salon floor. However, tutors do not include sufficient content in the curriculum to enable apprentices to develop a deeper understanding of the risks that might apply to their daily lives. For example, tutors do not discuss with apprentices topics such as the importance of developing healthy relationships and keeping physically and mentally healthy.

p.2

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

Apprentices know and understand the opportunities that exist within their workplace once they have completed their apprenticeship. However, tutors do not provide apprentices with sufficient information, advice and guidance to help them to make well-informed choices about their next steps. Consequently, around one in ten apprentices do not progress to a higher level of training and almost one fifth become unemployed.

p.2

better?

Leaders and managers do not ensure that apprentices study a curriculum that meets the expectations of employers and the industry. It is not ambitious or challenging enough for all apprentices. For example, apprentices studying level 2 hairdressing often lose concentration because teachers spend too much time teaching skills that they have already developed at work, such as shampooing and styling hair. Apprentices are not challenged by learning how to undertake more difficult skills such as cutting short hairstyles and to develop and improve these skills quickly enough. Tutors do not take account of apprentices’ current abilities. Therefore, some learning sessions are taught at a slow pace, and apprentices become bored. The curriculum is too basic and during learning sessions, tutors do not teach appropriate content that enthuses and inspires apprentices to achieve their qualifications quickly. 21 to 23 June 2022

p.2

3

Apprentices that need to study and complete their qualification in English do not receive the support that they need from skilled tutors to prepare them well enough for their assessments.

p.3

3

Although tutors have relevant vocational qualifications and industry experience, leaders and managers do not ensure that they develop their knowledge of teaching. Often, tutors do not consider what the apprentices already know and use this to inform their planning. Tutors do not always use assessment strategies well enough to help apprentices to gain and use new knowledge fluently to develop further their understanding of topics and extend and improve their skills. As a result, they do not provide apprentices with high-quality and interesting teaching and learning sessions. These shortfalls in the quality of tutors’ teaching contribute to too many apprentices not being prepared well enough to pass their end-point assessment the first time.

p.3

3

Leaders and managers have not identified the areas for improvement or improved the quality of the apprenticeships. As a result, the quality of the training has declined since the previous inspection. For example, leaders have not ensured that tutors provide apprentices with clear and helpful feedback that provides guidance on what and how to improve their work. As a result, apprentices are not always clear about how to continually produce work of a higher standard.

p.3

3

Tutors do not ensure that apprentices develop and improve their English skills sufficiently. This is because often tutors do not have the knowledge and skills to enable them to identify and correct errors in apprentices’ work. Often, teaching resources produced by tutors contain errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. As a result, apprentices do not learn the correct knowledge that they need to improve their skills.

p.3

3

Apprentices are supported well by their employers to undertake more complex tasks at work and make them more productive employees. They have good opportunities to develop their professional and practical skills in commercial salons. For example, apprentices studying level 2 beauty therapy perform massage treatments on clients while working alongside more experienced staff. These experiences help apprentices to learn and develop a well-informed understanding of how to apply competently their new skills and become commercially viable as a stylist or therapist.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have established strong links with external agencies and use these contacts and knowledge well to support apprentices effectively. Leaders record well any concerns about their apprentices’ safety and welfare and pass concerns swiftly to the appropriate external agencies. The staff responsible for safeguarding apprentices deal with incidents and issues sensitively, swiftly and effectively to ensure that their apprentices remain safe. 21 to 23 June 2022

p.3

4

Apprentices feel safe in training centres and at work. They are well cared for by staff. They know how to keep themselves and their clients safe in the hairdressing and beauty therapy salons.

p.4

What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Those responsible for governance must ensure that they hold HASWL leaders and managers to account for the high quality of education and training that is provided to apprentices.  Leaders and managers must ensure that all apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. They must monitor rigorously the apprenticeship provision and identify and quickly rectify the shortfalls in the quality of education and training those apprentices receive.  Leaders and managers must take robust action to ensure that the curriculum content and the quality of education meet the needs of all apprentices.  Leaders and managers must ensure that apprentices receive highly effective information, advice and guidance so that they understand fully the opportunities available to them upon the completion of their course.  Leaders and managers must ensure that tutors improve significantly their English knowledge and skills and the quality of their teaching resources so that they can

p.4

What does the provider need to do to improve?

teach and enable apprentices to improve their spelling, punctuation and grammar skills, and they understand the importance of developing these skills for use in the hair or beauty industry. 21 to 23 June 2022

p.4

Provider details

Provider type Independent training provider

p.5

Provider details

Date of previous inspection 3 and 4 March 2016

p.5

Provider details

Main subcontractors Master Cutters Limited Sarah Hallaran 21 to 23 June 2022

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of education, 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.

p.6

Inspection team

Matt Hann, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Tracey Zimmerman Her Majesty’s Inspector Joanne Stork Her Majesty’s Inspector Gemma Hart Ofsted Inspector 21 to 23 June 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