GHQ Training Limited

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

GHQ Training Limited (GHQ) is a training provider based in Devon. It trains adult learners at three learning centres, with the majority attending its centre in Plymouth. The remainder of learners study at its training centres in Torbay or St Austell.

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Information about this provider

At the time of inspection, a total of 109 learners were enrolled with GHQ and all were aged 19 and over. The majority of learners study hairdressing or barbering at level 3. A small proportion of learners study supporting teaching and learning in schools, early years education, assessing vocational achievement, and beauty therapy at level 3. 5 to 7 July 2022

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

Learners improve their prospects for employment or enhance their careers as a result of studying their courses. This happens because of the effective support that trainers provide.

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

Learners studying hairdressing appreciate the opportunities that their trainers provide to improve their personal development. As a result, learners grow in confidence in using their communication skills to interact with their clients. For example, trainers encourage learners to discuss the professional challenges that they are experiencing and then provide helpful feedback to their learners.

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

Over one quarter of learners go on extended breaks from their training and do not achieve their qualifications. These learners do not understand fully the demands their courses will make on them. This is because leaders have not provided learners with sufficiently good advice and guidance at the start of their courses.

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

Learners studying hairdressing and barbering courses acquire good industry- standard practical skills in areas, such as cutting, colouring and styling. These new skills equip them well for their future careers.

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

Trainers develop respectful and positive relationships with their learners. Learners feel safe when working in the training centres. The vast majority of learners feel confident that they can speak to their trainers should they have a problem that relates to safeguarding and well-being.

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better?

Leaders and managers have overseen a decline in the quality of training in vocational areas, such as early years education and assessing vocational achievement, since the previous inspection. In these areas, they do not identify and take appropriate action to improve learning quickly enough. Leaders and managers have not ensured that all trainers receive the professional development that they need to improve their teaching.

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better?

Leaders and managers do not have sufficiently high expectations of their learners. They often identify learners who disengage or take a break from their courses as lacking motivation. However, they do not respond with effective strategies to increase learners’ aspirations to learn and achieve their qualifications. As a result, around one quarter of learners make slow progress in developing the skills they need to be successful, and the proportion who do not complete their courses, around one third, is too high.

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better?

Leaders do not follow up closely enough what happens to learners after they achieve their qualification and leave GHQ. They do not analyse thoroughly whether, after their training, learners take up a job related to the vocational area in which 5 to 7 July 2022

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they have studied. As a result, they are not clear on whether the quality of training enables learners to move into their chosen careers.

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Learners studying hairdressing and barbering benefit from a logically planned and carefully considered curriculum. The curriculum builds well from basic elements of knowledge, which then combine to provide them with the more complex and composite skills they need to succeed in their work. Their trainers plan and sequence teaching effectively to ensure learners develop the new knowledge and skills they need. For example, learners make good use of scientific theory when applying colour to clients’ hair.

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Leaders and managers do not ensure that all curriculums are planned well enough. At times, trainers focus too narrowly on assessment criteria rather than ensuring that learners fully understand the subject matter. For example, trainers in early years education do not plan their teaching to enable their learners to secure a deep enough level of knowledge for them to be successful.

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Leaders and managers do not ensure that the quality of careers information and advice that their learners receive is consistently good enough across the different subjects. As a result, not all learners receive the guidance that they need to help them to plan their next steps once they leave their training course. However, most learners studying hairdressing, benefit from the expertise of their trainers to help them to plan for their future careers.

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Leaders are passionate about meeting the needs of the local communities GHQ serves. They have carefully selected locations for their training centres and scheduled training at times which suit their learners’ often challenging personal circumstances. For example, a large proportion of hairdressing and barbering learners attend lessons in the evening.

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Leaders recognise the importance of governance and the support and challenge it contributes to improving the quality of education. However, leaders do not provide those responsible for governance with enough information on the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. This hampers those with governance roles from fully holding leaders to account and having a significant impact on improvements to the quality of provision.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Learners feel safe. They feel able and know how to contact their trainer should they have a safeguarding concern. Leaders have ensured appropriate policies and procedures for safeguarding are in place.

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Safeguarding

Most learners complete online modules at the beginning of their course that usefully relate to keeping themselves safe. However, trainers do not revisit this content 5 to 7 July 2022

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frequently enough to develop learners’ understanding further and secure their knowledge

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders must provide those responsible for governance with a greater level of depth of information to hold leaders and managers rigorously to account for the quality of education.  Leaders and managers must routinely identify what learners do on leaving GHQ to establish the effectiveness of their training in enabling learners to work in their chosen vocational area.  Leaders and managers must take effective action to improve the content of the curriculum and their trainers’ teaching in vocational areas, such as assessing vocational achievement and early years education.  Leaders and managers must put in place effective strategies to raise learners’ aspirations and ensure that learners make swift progress in learning the content of the curriculum.  Leaders and managers must ensure that learners receive highly effective information and guidance on their future careers. 5 to 7 July 2022

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Provider details

Address 2 Elizabeth Court Whimple Street City Centre Plymouth PL1 2DH

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Provider details

Provider type Independent training provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 28 – 29 November 2017 5 to 7 July 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the centre manager, 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.

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Inspection team

Matt Hann, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector Paul James Her Majesty's Inspector Steve Battersby Her Majesty's Inspector Emma Barrett-Peel Ofsted Inspector 5 to 7 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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