Phemagrace Ltd

Name of lead inspector: Ian Higgins, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

3 Park Street Lye Stourbridge DY9 8SS Monitoring visit: Phemagrace Ltd, 28 and 29 July 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

Phemagrace Ltd are an independent training provider based in the West Midlands. They provide apprenticeships in business and management to employers within the health and social care sector. At the time of the visit, 71 apprentices were in learning. Exactly 60 apprentices were enrolled on the level 3 team leader standard. A further seven apprentices were studying on the level 3 business administrator standard. There were two apprentices enrolled on the level 5 children, young people and families manager standard, with the remaining two apprentices enrolled on the level 5 leader in adult care standard. All apprentices are aged 19 and above. The provider does not work with any subcontractors.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders do not ensure that the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship are met. Too many apprentices do not receive their off-the-job training entitlement. Too frequently, apprentices complete their work in their own time. They do not receive sufficient support in the workplace to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to be successful.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders have not put in place a clear staff structure. Too many staff do not know well enough their roles and responsibilities in ensuring apprentices receive a good learning experience. The reporting responsibilities for staff are not clear. As a result, where staff are underperforming, senior leaders do not hold staff to account quickly enough.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders do not systematically track the progress that apprentices are making. The majority of assessors are not aware of how to access information on the progress apprentices are making. As a result, where apprentices are falling behind, assessors do not take action to support apprentices to catch up swiftly enough. Monitoring visit: Phemagrace Ltd, 28 and 29 July 2022 Senior leaders have recently invested in a new e-portfolio and tracking system. However, it is too early to see the impact of this investment.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders do not prioritise the development of apprentices’ English and mathematics skills early enough in the apprenticeship. There is no clear plan to support apprentices to improve their English and mathematics skills over time.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders have not yet taken sufficient steps to ensure that they benefit from governance arrangements, although senior leaders have recently started to work with individuals who have skills and expertise in areas such as finance and quality. Senior leaders have failed to clearly define the function and intended impact of governance, nor have they set out clear roles and responsibilities for governors.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders and assessors do not identify well enough what apprentices already know and can do when they start their programme. For example, the initial assessments used for English and mathematics are not at an appropriate level. In too many cases, assessors’ marking of these assessments is inaccurate. As a result, assessors do not know well enough the gaps in apprentices’ knowledge.

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Insufficient progress

Assessors do not provide frequent and high-quality feedback to apprentices on their work. Most apprentices, who have been on programme for a significant period of time, have received only limited and cursory feedback on their work. As a result, apprentices do not know what they need to do to improve the quality of their work overtime.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders and assessors do not teach the curriculum in a logical way. The content of the curriculum is taught unit by unit. Assessors do not provide enough opportunities for apprentices to recap and revisit their learning, so that that they remember what they have been taught long-term. The resources that assessors use are uninspiring, which reduces apprentices’ motivation to learn. Apprentices complete workbooks where they ‘tick off’ assessment criteria. Consequently, apprentices are not able to recall what they now know and can do as a result of their apprenticeship.

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Insufficient progress

Assessors do not set sufficiently precise targets for apprentices at formal progress reviews. Formal progress reviews do not reflect well enough on the progress that apprentices are making over time. Where assessors set targets, they are too vague and task specific. Assessors do not make clear the knowledge, skills or behaviours that apprentices need to improve. As a result, apprentices are not being prepared well enough for their final assessments. Too few employers are involved in apprentices’ reviews and do not know the progress that apprentices are making sufficiently well. Monitoring visit: Phemagrace Ltd, 28 and 29 July 2022

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders do not understand their roles and responsibilities clearly enough to ensure that apprentices are safeguarded. Senior leaders have not familiarised themselves with the external safeguarding agencies that they may need to report safeguarding concerns to. For example, senior leaders do not have a sufficient understanding of ‘Channel’.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders have not put in place a clear safeguarding policy and procedure. The policy identifies arrangements for reporting safeguarding concerns in geographical areas where the provider does not work. Senior leaders have not established a clear process for how a safeguarding concern should be reported. As a result, a minority of apprentices do not know well enough how to raise a safeguarding concern should they wish to.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders do not understand the key risks to apprentices in the areas in which they live and work. Senior leaders do not have any established relationships with key safeguarding agencies to support their understanding of such risks. As a result, senior leaders and assessors do not support apprentices to improve their understanding of safeguarding and the associated risks. For example, too many apprentices do not understand well enough risks such as radicalisation and extremism.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders have in place a process to support the recruitment of staff who are safe to work with apprentices. However, senior leaders do not take the required steps to make sure staff adhere to such procedures. For example, not all staff have the required number of suitable references.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders and assessors undertake ‘well-being’ interviews with apprentices so that they understand apprentices’ vulnerabilities. However, this information is not systematically recorded, tracked or followed up. As a result, most apprentices do not receive follow-up meetings to support their well-being. Monitoring visit: Phemagrace Ltd, 28 and 29 July 2022 Ofsted .

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Insufficient progress

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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Insufficient progress

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Insufficient progress

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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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