Education and Skills Training & Development Limited

Inspection of Education and Skills Training and Development Limited

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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

Education and Skills Training and Development Limited was established in 2015 as a specialist training provider in education and childcare. It has offered apprenticeships to levy-paying employers since 2017. Currently, there are 377 apprentices, with the large majority on apprenticeship standards at levels 2 to 4 for teaching assistants, early years educators and school business professionals. Apprentices are employed in schools and nurseries throughout England. 5 to 8 July 2022

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

Apprentices enjoy their learning and develop new knowledge and skills. They grow in confidence and independence, and their employers recognise that they are becoming valuable members of the workforce. Apprentices talk confidently about how they respond to issues that arise in the workplace in relation to pupil behaviour. They understand how attention-seeking behaviour can be exhibited during difficult times for children, such as changing year groups or when there are problems at home, and respond appropriately.

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

In too many cases, apprentices do not have an allocated tutor for extended periods of time due to staff changes. As a result, apprentices often fall behind with their learning and do not make the progress that they could.

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

Apprentices studying mathematics do not consistently develop their knowledge and skills. Too many make slow progress and, as a result, fail their functional skills examinations. Apprentices studying English develop their knowledge and skills effectively, and a high proportion achieve their qualifications.

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

Apprentices have good attendance at scheduled sessions and monthly progress reviews. Tutors provide good support for apprentices who miss a session, which helps them to catch up on what they missed.

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

Tutors create calm and orderly environments, where apprentices have ample opportunity to speak about their experiences and demonstrate their knowledge. Apprentices reflect well on their learning and apply new learning and skills to their roles in the workplace. They develop a deeper understanding of sector regulatory requirements and an increased awareness of their own personal and professional behaviours.

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

Apprentices have mutually respectful and professional relationships with their tutors. Tutors consider the workload and well-being of their apprentices and take this into account when planning learning. They have frequent discussions with apprentices about staying healthy and dealing with issues, such as stress and work/life balance. This culture means that apprentices are confident to speak to their tutors about sensitive personal issues or concerns.

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

Apprentices feel safe and are confident to report safeguarding issues, including any concerns about bullying and harassment. They are confident that their line manager or tutor would take swift and supportive action to address their concerns. However, too few apprentices are aware of local risks, such as county lines activity, knife crime and drink spiking. This means that they do not understand what to look out for or actions that they may need to take should they face these risks. 5 to 8 July 2022

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear intent to provide apprenticeships in the education and early years sector that help schools, nurseries and local authorities to have appropriately trained staff supporting children. Programmes provide apprentices with the opportunity to pursue professional careers in education and early years and to work in a sector which has numerous vacancies.

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better?

On too many programmes, tutors do not tailor the curriculum to meet the needs of individual apprentices. Too often, tutors do not consider, when planning for learning, apprentices’ starting points or the skills and knowledge that apprentices already have. Although tutors on the early years practitioner apprenticeship adjust the order of topics to take into account the point in the academic year when each apprentice starts, too many apprentices are still not making progress as rapidly as they could towards their end-point assessment.

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better?

Leaders and managers have effective partnerships with local authorities and multi- academy trusts. Employers value the support and training provided by staff and the consequent improvement in apprentices’ skills, knowledge and behaviours.

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better?

Leaders manage subcontracted provision well. They work effectively with a subcontractor with a similar vision and values to themselves. They have a clear and relevant rationale for this part of their provision to meet the demand for early years and education apprenticeships, specifically in West Yorkshire. Leaders and managers at the provider and the subcontractor work together effectively to monitor apprentices' progress and welfare.

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better?

Leaders recruit tutors with relevant experience in the sector, and most tutors have appropriate assessor qualifications. Leaders ensure that tutors maintain their sector competency through discussions with employers, reading about topical issues and sharing relevant articles. However, they do not ensure tutors adequately develop their skills in teaching English and mathematics.

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better?

Too many apprentices are past their planned end date and are not making expected progress on their apprenticeship. In too many instances, tutors do not monitor the progress of apprentices and, therefore, do not have enough information about aspects of their work that apprentices need to improve. This means that too many apprentices fall behind on their programmes. Leaders and managers have recognised this and have introduced new systems, but these are yet to have an impact.

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better?

Tutors use a range of assessment methods effectively, so apprentices can demonstrate their knowledge, skills and behaviours. These include observations, professional discussions and written assignments. Tutors make appropriate adaptations for apprentices with special educational needs and/r disabilities. For example, they assess apprentices with dyslexia through carrying out additional observations rather than requiring apprentices to submit written assignments for 5 to 8 July 2022

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assessment. However, tutors do not provide sufficient challenge for the most skilled apprentices who feel unchallenged, as the only adaptation to their programme is to shorten deadlines for submission of work.

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Apprentices do not benefit from effective or impartial careers advice. Although most apprentices know about their immediate next steps from their programme, they do not receive unbiased advice and guidance about their longer-term and wider career options. This means that they are not well enough informed about the wide range of opportunities that are available to them.

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Leaders have put in place new governance arrangements by engaging with an external specialist to provide them with support and challenge. However, there is currently not enough effective challenge to leaders on important key performance indicators, such as apprentices’ progress, destinations and safeguarding.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers have in place and make appropriate use of a relevant ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment and action plan. They link with the local ‘Prevent’ coordinator to ensure that they receive current information on risks affecting the areas in which they work. However, this information is not consistently used to ensure apprentices are aware of the local risks to them.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers have safe recruitment policies and procedures in place which they follow well and which ensure that staff employed are suitable to work with apprentices.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers have appointed an appropriately trained designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and two deputies. They have in place a range of safeguarding policies and procedures which they review and update annually or when there are changes in policy or legislation. The DSL provides updates to staff using newsletters and hot topics.

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Safeguarding

Staff take appropriate action to respond to any safeguarding concerns they receive. They ensure that apprentices who may be at risk remain safe, and they record the actions that they take. However, management oversight of the actions that staff take to safeguard apprentices is not thorough enough, and leaders rightly recognise the need to put in place more stringent and organised reporting and recording arrangements. 5 to 8 July 2022

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that apprentices receive the high-quality teaching that they need to prepare them to pass their functional skills mathematics examinations.  Ensure that apprentices receive impartial careers advice and guidance to enable them to make informed decisions regarding their long-term career goals and aspirations.  Strengthen the oversight of the actions that staff take to safeguard apprentices.  Ensure that all apprentices are aware of local risks and threats, such as county lines activity, knife crime and drink spiking.  Ensure that tutors tailor the curriculum to meet the needs of individual apprentices and consider the skills and knowledge identified at starting points.

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Provider details

Address Room 5c, Oxford House Sixth Avenue Robin Hood Airport Doncaster DN9 3GG

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Provider details

Website http://www.education-and-skills.com

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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 Aire Vocational Training Limited 5 to 8 July 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider's most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous new provider monitoring visit. 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

Glenise Burrell, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector Karen Anderson Her Majesty’s Inspector Matthew Newbould Ofsted Inspector Alison Gray Ofsted Inspector Mary Ramsden Ofsted Inspector 5 to 8 July 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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