L&F Training Ltd.

L & F Training Ltd Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Lyn Bourne, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Enterprise Centre Bennett Close Bennett Road Highbridge Somerset TA9 4PW Monitoring visit: L&F Training Ltd, 29 and 30 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

L & F Training Ltd (L&F) is based in Somerset and specialises in work-based training in London and the South West region. L&F started offering behaviour support and vocational courses to local schools in 2008. L&F became an approved apprenticeship training provider in December 2019. At the time of the visit, there were 80 apprentices studying on standards-based apprenticeships. 48 apprentices study adult care at levels 2 to 5, 21 study hairdressing and beauty at levels 2 and 3 and a further 11 study business administrator, early years, junior content producer and team leader apprenticeships.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear mission to respond to local skills shortages. They provide apprenticeships specifically to meet local employer needs. For example, they have introduced adult care standard apprenticeships across all levels in response to employers’ increasing demand for care workers. Leaders work effectively to ensure that employers fully understand and undertake their responsibilities to support and develop their apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established a tailored programme of careers advice and guidance for apprentices. Staff assess apprentices at the start of their programme to check their knowledge of apprenticeship requirements and identify their career goals. Tutors use this information effectively to help apprentices understand their rights and responsibilities and the range of career options available once they have completed their programme.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders do not always plan a curriculum which meets the apprentice’s individual needs. A few apprentices are studying a curriculum and working towards a mathematics exam which is not sufficiently challenging as it is at a lower level than Monitoring visit: L&F Training Ltd, 29 and 30 June 2022 their starting point. A small number of hairdressing apprentices are studying curriculum content which includes the knowledge and skills that they have already acquired. As a result, these apprentices do not develop sufficient new knowledge and skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have recently established an advisory board to provide additional expertise, support and challenge to leaders. Leaders recognise that in their willingness to respond to employer needs to offer apprenticeship training, they have too few apprentices studying some standards and levels. This has resulted in resources being strained, such as setting up information systems and recruiting specialist staff. However, leaders plan to discontinue a small number of apprenticeships after apprentices have completed their studies. This will enable leaders to establish effective quality assurance procedures and practices to reduce the number of apprentices that leave the programme early before they develop provision in other occupational areas.

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Reasonable progress

Around a third of apprentices have left their programme without completing and achieving their apprenticeship. Leaders and managers are carefully working with former apprentices to identify the reasons and rectify the issues which caused them to leave the apprenticeship early.

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Reasonable progress

The majority of apprentices make good progress in developing new knowledge, skills and behaviours because they receive effective and expert training from relevantly skilled and qualified tutors. Tutors plan lessons well. They know which practical skills are most complex, difficult to master and require additional time for apprentices to learn and remember. Tutors dedicate sufficient time to these topics so that apprentices can practise and refine these new skills.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors ensure that knowledge and practical skills that apprentices learn in training sessions and at work are linked effectively. Tutors use industry-relevant examples to help apprentices quickly use the new knowledge gained from training sessions at work.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors check regularly whether apprentices fully understand the new knowledge they are taught. Tutors question apprentices about previous learning to help them recall it more fluently and secure their understanding. For example, hairdressing tutors use extended questioning to deepen and test apprentices’ knowledge. As a result, apprentices remember complex technical information and can quickly recall it when required. Apprentices rightly value their training sessions with tutors and participate enthusiastically.

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Reasonable progress

Employers support apprentices well at work and recognise how their training directly benefits their business. For example, adult care apprentices quickly develop a wider and deeper understanding of their tasks and duties which improves the quality of their work and their attitudes towards clients and colleagues. Employers support former apprentices Monitoring visit: L&F Training Ltd, 29 and 30 June 2022 to develop further their careers within the business. They recognise the value of apprenticeship training and use it to help recruit and retain key staff.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors recognise when apprentices require additional support and provide it sensitively and effectively. For example, tutors support apprentices who are balancing competing family and study demands. They provide apprentices with helpful information and adjust deadline dates so that they have additional time to complete their work.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors support apprentices to prepare an evidence portfolio that showcases their practical work. They undertake practice timed assessments and conduct professional discussions. However, a few apprentices do not know when they should complete their apprenticeship or what to expect so that they can prepare sufficiently for the assessment at the end of the programme.

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Reasonable progress

Tutor reviews do not evaluate fully and record accurately the progress apprentices make in learning the curriculum. They do not identify the knowledge, skills and behaviours apprentices have learned from their starting points or whether they have improved further their English and mathematics skills. As a result, apprentices do not know how much progress they are making across all aspects of their apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Staff have developed a positive culture of safeguarding practice within the organisation. The designated safeguarding lead and deputies have the appropriate knowledge and understanding. They know how to identify, report and review safeguarding or welfare issues. All staff complete annual safeguarding training, which has led to them being confident about when to make referrals about apprentices to their seniors. Leaders have developed appropriate policies, procedures and risk assessments and update and review them regularly. Staff have reported, swiftly acted upon and resolved the few previous safeguarding incidents.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders check whether new staff are suitable to work with the apprentices. Leaders rightly recognised that the central records did not always reflect the full range of training and checks which had been undertaken on staff. They have plans in place to ensure the administration of these records is improved and checked regularly.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices have an appropriate understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe. They know who and how to report safeguarding issues and concerns. The majority of tutors recap safeguarding topics at the start of learning sessions. However, a few do not dedicate enough time to revisit these important topics to ensure that apprentices know and understand the content. As a result, although apprentices have a thorough understanding of the relevant health and safety practices required at work, they do not recognise or understand fully topics such as the potential threats of radicalisation and/or extremist views. Monitoring visit: L&F Training Ltd, 29 and 30 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

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Reasonable progress

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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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