Asset Training & Consultancy Limited

Inspection of Asset Training & Consultancy Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Education programmes for young people Requires improvement Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Asset Training and Consultancy Limited (ATC) is a small independent training provider, which has been delivering training for over 25 years. ATC are based in Sefton, Merseyside and deliver training mainly across the Liverpool City Region.

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Information about this provider

ATC deliver non-levy and levy funded apprenticeship standards across a range of subjects and levels, including level 5 operations or departmental manager, level 3 business administrator, levels 2 and 3 customer service, level 3 team leader or supervisor, level 3 teaching assistant and level 3 junior content producer.

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Information about this provider

In addition to apprenticeships, ATC delivers traineeships to young people aged 16 to 18. At the time of inspection, there were 229 apprentices enrolled across a range of programmes. Nearly one third of apprentices were enrolled on the level 3 business administrator standard. There were 20 learners enrolled on the traineeship programme. 5 to 8 July 2022

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

Apprentices and learners are set clear expectations at the start of their programme. They demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and their attendance at sessions is high. Apprentices and learners enjoy their training with ATC. They greatly value the support they receive from their tutors which they say helps them develop and grow in confidence to gain new knowledge and skills, which they can apply in the workplace. Apprentices and learners feel safe. They learn in a safe and secure environment.

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

In addition to their vocational training, apprentices and learners benefit from a broad range of online and face-to-face learning to develop them personally. They learn about nutrition and hydration, and mental health awareness to support their well-being.

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

Apprentices benefit from additional training in topics, such as emotional intelligence, which helps them in their roles in the workplace. Learners on teaching assistant traineeships learn about the early years foundation stage, which helps them in their placements in schools.

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

Learners on traineeships are prepared well for interviews. They learn about the importance of preparing in advance and the techniques for successful interviews. However, these sessions are too late in the programme for some learners, who have already been interviewed for apprenticeship positions.

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

Learners on the traineeship programme are not well prepared for life in modern Britain. They do not have a deep enough understanding of fundamental British values or risks associated with extremist ideologies.

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better?

Leaders at ATC use local skills plans to develop a curriculum that meets the skills priorities of the Liverpool City Region. They work effectively with a range of employers, including local authorities and private sector organisations, to identify training that will address the skills gaps within the local region. For example, meeting the needs of local primary and secondary schools to recruit high-quality teaching assistants. The traineeship programme has been developed to provide learners with a clear progression pathway to the apprenticeship programmes offered by ATC.

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better?

Tutors work closely with employers to design a personalised programme for apprentices based on their job roles, so they can progressively build their knowledge, skills and behaviours over time. Management apprentices learn effective communication skills and how to build positive relationships before moving on to leading teams and running projects. Teaching assistant apprentices, who work in primary schools, learn about safeguarding, legislation and professional behaviours at the start of their programme before developing skills in the teaching of phonics. 5 to 8 July 2022

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Managers do not plan a sufficiently ambitious curriculum for learners on traineeships. Learners’ learning does not become incrementally more challenging to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours in preparation for the transition to apprenticeship programmes that they aspire to progress onto.

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Tutors are well qualified and have relevant knowledge and skills. Most tutors use the results of what apprentices and learners already know and can do to plan learning. Tutors use a wide range of learning materials and resources to engage apprentices during training sessions. They make effective use of presentation software slides, short videos and professional discussion to help apprentices understand and apply their technical knowledge and skills in the workplace. For example, level 3 business administrator apprentices develop skills in how to diffuse angry callers on the telephone.

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A few tutors do not focus sufficiently on the development of knowledge, skills and behaviours in the review process. This results in a lack of challenging targets for apprentices. Consequently, a few apprentices on level 5 operations or departmental manager and level 3 team leader or supervisor apprenticeships make slow progress.

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Tutors use a range of assessment methods effectively to check what apprentices have learned over time. They carry out workplace observations, mock tests and professional discussions. This helps prepare apprentices for their final assessments. The majority of apprentices, including those with additional support needs, are successful in achieving their apprenticeship and many achieve with high grades.

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Learners on the junior content producer traineeship develop research skills in topics, such as filmmaking, sound and vision. Learners are able to apply this learning and independently identify directive styles. However, teaching is not carefully planned enough to the meet the individual needs of learners on the business administration and teaching assistant traineeships. Activities do not build on what learners already know and can do. Consequently, they make slow progress in developing their knowledge and skills in preparation for their next steps.

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Most tutors provide useful feedback that helps apprentices improve. They tackle misconceptions and provide clear signposting to useful learning resources to help them improve their work. However, a few management and customer service apprentices and learners do not receive useful feedback on their work. As a result, these apprentices and learners repeat the same errors and do not routinely improve the quality of their work.

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Apprentices and learners learn useful English and mathematical skills, such as budgeting and writing formal letters to help them in their everyday lives and in their jobs. Level 5 operations or departmental manager apprentices develop skills that help them manage projects using limited budgets. Learners on the teaching assistant traineeship develop skills ,such as using number lines with children to help the children develop skills in addition and subtraction. 5 to 8 July 2022

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Tutors do not use apprentices’ starting points in English and mathematics to plan the functional skills curriculum effectively. They do not monitor the progress of apprentices working towards achieving qualifications in functional skills. As a result, too many apprentices make slow progress towards achieving their functional skills qualifications, which delays the achievement of the apprenticeship. Leaders have recently identified this. However, it is too soon to measure the impact of the actions they have put in place to rectify this.

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As a result of their training, apprentices develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours that they apply in the workplace. Employers value the increased knowledge and skills apprentices bring to the workplace. For example, junior content producer apprentices develop a good understanding and a range of highly technical web-related design and content production skills, which they carefully apply in the workplace.

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Most apprentices and learners know what they want to do after their programme. However, apprentices and learners do not benefit from a well-designed careers programme. As a result, apprentices and learners do not have sufficient insight into the wider career and training opportunities available to them outside of their current job role or placement.

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Leaders and managers have a range of quality assurance processes in place to monitor the quality of education that apprentices and learners receive. They use the findings from these processes to inform relevant and meaningful staff development to further improve tutors’ practice.

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Leaders and managers do not use data effectively to help identify how they can improve the quality of education further. For example, they do not routinely collect or analyse destination data for all apprentices to help them further develop the apprenticeship curriculum.

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The directors of the company meet frequently to maintain oversight of the provision and provide strategic support to the managing director. Leaders are considerate of the staff’s well-being and carefully monitor their workloads. Staff surveys demonstrate staff value the support they receive from their managers and are proud to work for ATC.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have put in place a comprehensive safeguarding policy and other related policies to support staff in keeping apprentices and learners safe.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have appointed appropriately trained designated safeguarding leads (DSLs). The DSLs have effective links with a range of partners, so they have an up-to-date awareness of local safeguarding issues that may affect apprentices and learners, such as knife crime and domestic abuse. The DSLs track and monitor carefully all 5 to 8 July 2022

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concerns raised. They ensure any safeguarding concerns are referred to appropriate agencies, such as the local authority, local police or mental health support groups.

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All staff receive training in safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Tutors use their training to teach apprentices and learners how to keep themselves safe. They discuss topics with apprentices and learners on how to recognise the signs of sexual harassment and online abuse.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders and managers should plan an effective traineeship curriculum, so that all learners make strong progress in developing knowledge, skills and behaviours that prepare them for their next steps.  Leaders and managers should ensure that learners on traineeship programmes have a deep understanding of fundamental British values and the risks associated with extremist views, so they are prepared for life in modern Britain.  Leaders and managers should implement an effective careers programme, so that apprentices and learners can make informed choices and plan for their career aspirations.  Leaders and managers should ensure that the functional skills curriculum is planned and delivered, so that apprentices can achieve their qualifications in order to complete their apprenticeships within the planned time.  Ensure tutors provide all apprentices and learners with useful feedback on their work, so that they know how they can improve their work further.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure all apprentices are set challenging targets in their progress reviews, so that they can make swift progress towards achieving their apprenticeships with high grades.  Leaders and managers should collect and analyse data more effectively, so they can continuously improve the curriculum. 5 to 8 July 2022

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Provider details

Address First Floor St. Hughs House Stanley Precinct Liverpool L20 3QQ

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 2 to 5 February 2016

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Provider details

Main subcontractors n/a 5 to 8 July 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of quality 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

Elaine Price, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Alison Humphreys Her Majesty's Inspector Dilys Taylor Ofsted Inspector Jai Sharda Ofsted Inspector Anita Pyrkotsch-Jones Her Majesty's 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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