Kent School of Veterinary Nursing Limited

Kent School of Veterinary Nursing Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Peter Cox, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Ground floor Unit 13 Jubilee Way Faversham ME13 8GD Monitoring visit: Kent School of Veterinary Nursing Limited, 27 and 28 June 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

Kent School of Veterinary Nursing Limited (KSVN) is based in Faversham, Kent. Since successfully registering as an independent learning provider in 2018, KSVN provides training to veterinary nurses across Kent and London. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 53 apprentices in learning, all of whom studied the level 3 veterinary nurse standard. This qualification gives apprentices a licence to practice and so is closely regulated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. KSVN does not work with any subcontractors.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have designed the curriculum carefully to support the demand for nurses within the veterinary sector. Leaders work with employers successfully to ensure that the programme meets their specific business needs. For example, in collaboration with employers, leaders adapted the curriculum so that complex skills including phlebotomy and radiography are now taught later in the course. This allows apprentices more time to master essential nursing skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders make sure that the programme meets the requirements of apprenticeships. They check that apprentices receive their entitlement to off-the-job training, which supports apprentices to make good progress in their studies and become better nurses. Staff recruit apprentices appropriately.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure staff are well qualified and experienced. Staff benefit from useful continuous professional development which helps them to become more competent and confident trainers. Teaching staff are qualified veterinary nurses who continue to practice in order to maintain their registered status. As a result, they remain vocationally up to date and use their experience to support apprentices well. Monitoring visit: Kent School of Veterinary Nursing Limited, 27 and 28 June 2022 Leaders have a reasonable understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of training. They have developed suitable processes which allow them to check that apprentices receive good-quality training. Leaders take appropriate action to resolve areas for improvement. For example, leaders worked with the awarding body successfully to change how they prepared apprentices for their formal assessments. As a result, apprentices performed better in these examinations. Leaders are

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Reasonable progress

developing new systems to better monitor apprentices’ development of literacy and numeracy. However, these are yet to be realised.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have recently appointed a new governing body. However, it is too early to see the impact of this group on the quality of training.

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Reasonable progress

Staff have high expectations for apprentices to become increasingly skilled and confident veterinary nurses, which they do. Apprentices become more adept at a range of essential nursing techniques before progressing to more complex skills, such as surgical and post-operative care.

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Reasonable progress

Employers value the positive impact that apprentices have on their businesses. For example, apprentices use their training to change surgical procedures, reduce the risk of infection and so improve patient outcomes. Staff communicate with employers effectively to help them understand and support apprentices’ progress.

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Reasonable progress

Skilled and experienced staff identify apprentices’ prior experience and qualifications appropriately. They teach lessons carefully and in a logical order so that apprentices build knowledge and skills quickly. They use their experience of industry well to explain key concepts and illustrate theories. For example, staff use their experience to help apprentices improve their communication with clients to better triage patients. Staff use industry-standard equipment, facilities, and life-like animal models so that apprentices can practise and master skills safely. Staff provide useful feedback that enables apprentices to improve their work.

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Reasonable progress

Staff support apprentices with additional learning needs successfully so that they make as good progress as their peers, and some even better. They provide useful support to apprentices to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. For example, they teach apprentices to use academic texts in their research. Staff help apprentices improve their calculation of medication. As a result, apprentices develop these essential skills needed for their roles.

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Reasonable progress

Staff help apprentices understand their next steps well. For example, they invite guest speakers to discuss career pathways, such as animal physiotherapy. Consequently, apprentices have a reasonable understanding of their career opportunities. However, staff do not sufficiently support a small minority of Monitoring visit: Kent School of Veterinary Nursing Limited, 27 and 28 June 2022 apprentices to pass their examinations on the first attempt, which slows their progress.

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Reasonable

The suitably qualified designated safeguarding team use effective policies and procedures to help keep apprentices safe. Where issues occur, they intervene swiftly to put in place support so that apprentices receive the help they need.

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Reasonable

Apprentices feel safe and know how to report concerns. Staff prioritise training that helps apprentices with their mental health and emotional well-being. For example, staff teach apprentices about compassion fatigue and stress management which helps them in highly-pressured work environments. Staff teach apprentices how to keep safe from local and sector threats, including animal rights extremism. Apprentices understand how to keep safe from sexual harassment and violence.

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Reasonable

The safeguarding team collaborate with employers so that apprentices are safe in the workplace. Staff complete safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training. Leaders are taking appropriate steps to monitor how well staff understand this training, but this have yet to be realised. Monitoring visit: Kent School of Veterinary Nursing Limited, 27 and 28 June 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

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Reasonable

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

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