The Ashridge (Bonar Law Memorial) Trust

Inspection of The Ashridge (Bonar Law Memorial) Trust

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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 Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

The Ashridge Trust is an independent learning provider offering standards-based business and management degree and higher apprenticeships across England. It offers a range of apprenticeships from level 4 to level 7. Apprenticeship qualifications offered include level 4 associate project manager, level 5 operations or departmental manager, level 6 chartered manager (degree) and level 7 senior leader.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 668 apprentices in training. Nearly three quarters of the apprentices study level 7 senior leader apprenticeship. More than two thirds of apprentices work in the healthcare services sector. The provider works with one subcontractor. At the time of the inspection, there were no apprentices in receipt of high-needs funding. 5 to 8 July 2022

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

Chartered manager (degree) and senior leader apprentices are frustrated with the organisation and level of communication with staff at The Ashridge Trust. Managers and lecturers are slow to respond to their queries. Furthermore, apprentices say that the communication they receive is confusing and unhelpful.

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

Apprentices benefit from the theoretical knowledge they gain through their qualifications. However, a significant minority of apprentices struggle to articulate the skills gained and how the learning applies to their job roles.

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

Apprentices on the level 7 senior leader course, highly value the learning and support they receive from their peers. They benefit from networking with apprentices who work in different business sectors. This helps them to improve their knowledge and understanding of good practices beyond the sectors they currently work in.

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

Apprentices do not fully understand the requirements of their end-of-course assessments and what grades they can achieve.

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

Apprentices who need extra help with their studies would value receiving their course materials in advance of their sessions. They feel that this would enable them to ask for any help from their lecturers and would reduce their workload stress.

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

Apprentices are safe and know who to report any concerns to. They are confident that staff will action any concerns swiftly and take the necessary steps.

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better?

Leaders and managers have introduced several new initiatives since Ofsted’s monitoring visit to meet the requirements of an apprenticeship. However, these initiatives have not led to rapid improvement to help apprentices make good progress. For example, managers have started collecting information about the starting points of the apprentices. They do not use this information effectively to personalise the curriculum for the apprentices. As a result, apprentices must study topics they have considerable prior knowledge of.

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better?

Staff do not effectively review the progress that apprentices make. They do not set meaningful targets to help apprentices link the theory they learn to their workplace practices. As a result, apprentices make slow progress through their qualifications. In addition, employers are unaware of how they can support apprentices in the workplace.

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better?

Leaders do not ensure that lecturers provide consistent information about the requirements of the written assessments. For example, chartered manager (degree) and senior leader apprentices are unsure of the structure and content of their 5 to 8 July 2022

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assignments. As a result, apprentices do not understand what they need to do to achieve high grades in their subjects.

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Staff do not identify and support apprentices with additional learning needs effectively. They do not help apprentices to develop their study skills or independent learning skills. For example, apprentices are expected to submit their written work earlier to receive help with proofreading. This disadvantages the apprentices as they do not get the same amount of time to complete their assignments.

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Staff do not provide planned, independent and unbiased career advice and guidance. Apprentices do not get the right opportunities to discuss how they can utilise their skills outside their current job roles. Leaders have recognised this and have recently implemented a structured career education. However, it is too soon to see the benefit of this.

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Leaders and managers do not monitor the progress apprentices make on their qualifications effectively. For example, staff do not work effectively with employers to help senior leader apprentices manage the pressures of coursework and workplace priorities. As a result, a significant number of apprentices continue to study their courses beyond their end dates.

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Apprentices benefit from the highly motivating teaching techniques and resources that lecturers use. Lecturers help apprentices deepen their understanding using techniques, such as online quizzes, case study analysis and seminar days. Furthermore, lecturers make good use of multimedia to keep apprentices enthused in their learning. As a result, apprentices are motivated to attend their sessions and learn new and complex concepts.

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Apprentices receive detailed and helpful developmental feedback on their written work. This helps them to improve their academic writing to a high standard. For example, apprentices know how to make effective use of graphs, charts and information to reinforce their arguments. As a result, apprentices feel that they have grown in confidence and that their academic writing skills have improved because of the course.

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Staff do not ensure that apprentices who need to complete their English and mathematics qualifications do so successfully. A significant minority of apprentices have not started their training. However, apprentices who attempt their examination, pass successfully.

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Apprentices develop good professional behaviours. They have high expectations for themselves and the teams that they lead. For example, chartered manager (degree) and senior leader apprentices develop their confidence and self-awareness to successfully lead complex workplace projects. This helps apprentices to become highly effective leaders and managers in their organisations.

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Governance arrangements are effective. The board of trustees offer appropriate support and challenge to improve the quality of education and training. They rightly 5 to 8 July 2022

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identify that leaders have not made sufficient improvements to the apprentices' learning experience. They have set challenging targets for leaders to make rapid improvements. However, it is too early to see the impact of these targets.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices receive appropriate training from their employers to keep themselves safe. Apprentices who are studying to be managers and leaders are responsible for embedding a culture of safeguarding where they work. They set high standards for themselves and their teams.

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Safeguarding

Staff benefit from relevant and up-to-date safeguarding training to keep apprentices safe. They take timely and appropriate actions on any welfare and well-being concerns raised by the apprentices. Staff benefit from specialist training that they receive from external partners. For example, they have appropriate knowledge of the local risks associated with radicalisation and extremism. However, leaders do not ensure that apprentices gain a deeper understanding of these risks. As a result, apprentices do not see the relevance to their personal and professional lives.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders and managers need to ensure that they make effective use of the starting points of the apprentices to personalise learning. This would allow apprentices to gain significant new knowledge and skills and improve their own practice.  Leaders and managers need to ensure that they work effectively with employers to help apprentices practise their learning at the workplace. Leaders need to ensure that employers understand and agree to the training plan to link on- and off-the-job training.  Leaders and managers need to ensure that apprentices are clear about what they need to do to achieve high grades in their assessments. They need to ensure that lecturers provide guidance that is consistent and clear to the apprentices.  Leaders and managers need to ensure that apprentices make swift progress through their qualifications. Leaders need to ensure that they support apprentices and remove any barriers to their learning and achievement.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders and managers need to ensure that tutors identify and offer appropriate help to apprentices with additional learning needs. Leaders need to ensure that these apprentices achieve as well as their peers.  Leaders and managers need to ensure that apprentices make rapid progress to achieve their English and mathematics qualifications. This will enable apprentices to complete their apprenticeship and fulfil their career aspirations. 5 to 8 July 2022

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Provider details

Address Ashridge House, Ashridge Berkhamsted Hertfordshire HP4 1NS

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Website

https://www.hult.edu/en/ashridge/hult- ashridge-qualifications-and- apprenticeships/

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Website

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Website

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Website

Main subcontractors Runway Apprenticeships Limited 5 to 8 July 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the programme director for apprenticeships, 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

Sambit Sen, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector Penny Fawcus Her Majesty's Inspector Kelley Malthouse Ofsted Inspector Jaswant Mann Ofsted Inspector Liz Gormley-Fleming 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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