Learning and Development Bureau Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Learning and Development Bureau Ltd

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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

Learning and Development Bureau (LDB) is an independent learning provider. The company provides the vast majority of its training to the healthcare sector. Prior to gaining approval to deliver levy-funded apprenticeships, Learning and Development Bureau had experience as a private training provider. At the time of this inspection, 134 apprentices were working towards a standards-based apprenticeship. The majority of apprentices study an adult care qualification, with 43 apprentices working towards the level 2 adult care worker, 10 the level 3 lead adult care workers, seven the level 4 lead practitioner in adult care and 30 the level 5 leader in adult care. LDB does not work with any subcontractors. 21 to 23 June 2022

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

Apprentices are not sufficiently able to practice the skills they have learned in the workplace. Employers are not sufficiently well involved in the apprenticeship. Too often, employers are not present at reviews and so do not know what apprentices have learned and what they will be learning.

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

Apprentices rightly value the expertise and experience of their tutors and how tutors use real-life examples in their teaching. Apprentices gain the knowledge and skills they need to work in the healthcare sector.

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

Apprentices have a good understanding of fundamental British values. They correctly recall the values of the rule of law, democracy and treating everyone equally and fairly. They model these values well in the workplace and their interactions with clients and service users.

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

Tutors do not ensure that apprentices and employers are fully aware of the arrangements for end-point assessment. As a result, some apprentices lack the necessary understanding and knowledge of what they need to know to pass the end-point assessment.

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

Leaders do not clearly establish what apprentices already know and can do before they start their apprenticeship, which impedes their ability to make rapid progress from the start of their apprenticeship. No apprentices have achieved distinction grades.

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

Apprentices are not able to make informed decisions about future career choices. Staff do not ensure apprentices benefit from helpful careers advice and guidance or match this to apprentices’ aspirations well at the start of, and during, their apprenticeship.

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better?

Leaders have developed and implemented an effective curriculum where apprentices gain essential care industry skills, knowledge and behaviours. Most apprentices are mature learners returning to education, many with little or no formal qualifications. The curriculum provides progression opportunities from level 2 adult care worker to level 5 leader in adult care for those in senior positions.

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better?

Trainers do not develop the English and mathematics skills of apprentices who are not required to study functional skills in a planned and consistent manner. Consequently, not all apprentices receive the support they need to improve their English and mathematics skills in their workplace context.

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better?

Leaders and managers have appointed staff who are well qualified and experienced and have appropriate vocational skills to deliver the programmes that they offer. Managers encourage tutors to regularly update their technical knowledge and 21 to 23 June 2022

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teaching skills. Trainers use their skills and expertise well, such as working as qualified nurses or care home managers, to promote apprentices’ application of their newly acquired knowledge.

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Leaders’ procedures for the assurance and improvement of the quality of apprenticeships are not rigorous enough. They do not enable leaders to check the quality of teaching or the relevance of apprentices’ off-the-job activities. Leaders and managers do not identify accurately areas for improvement or actions to improve apprentices’ experience.

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Too much teaching, all of which is online, is not yet good. Trainers are not effective in ensuring all apprentices take part in lessons. Cameras are not used by the tutor or apprentices during sessions. Only a small number of apprentices participate in discussion. Trainers do not monitor the poor punctuality of too many apprentices. This negatively impacts the pace of learning and progress for those who are punctual. Apprentices who are consistently late are not building the key employability skill of punctuality.

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Most tutors establish apprentices’ starting points and prior knowledge. However, they do not use these well enough to plan individual programmes of learning. Care apprentices who have achieved A-level health and social care and business analyst apprentices who have achieved a master’s degree in business administration complete the same programme of study as those who are new to the sector. Consequently, not all apprentices make progress as swiftly as they could.

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Trainers use their subject expertise to teach appropriate topics. They structure sessions well and use case studies to bring theory to life. For example, apprentices understand their duty of care to promote the safety and well-being of individuals and prevent them from coming to harm. However, employers do not reinforce learning in the workplace. Consequently, apprentices struggle to retain key information over time.

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Apprentices describe how their course has helped them to become more confident in their job roles. As a result, they are able to work independently, supporting clients with increasingly complex needs. For example, apprentices escort their clients to the swimming pool as part of their mobility therapy. Employers report improvements in apprentices’ writing skills, which has improved the legibility and quality of reports and handover notes.

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Governance is not yet effective. Governors are supportive of leaders. They use their knowledge as educators to support managers and tutors to interpret funding rules and put in place documents such as commitment statements. They do not have sufficient and current knowledge of apprenticeship policy and practice. Governors do not review actions in the quality improvement plan or challenge leaders about the quality of teaching. Consequently, leaders make slow or no progress in implementing changes that improve the quality of apprenticeships. 21 to 23 June 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have undertaken safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training. However, the designated safeguarding lead has yet to undertake an appropriate level of training.

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Safeguarding

Leaders recognise rightly that they need to strengthen further the culture of safeguarding and improve the administrative processes to be effective in the monitoring of staff’s recruitment and training so that they can be assured that appropriate safeguarding checks and actions have been taken to safeguard apprentices.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide a range of useful information to apprentices to help develop their understanding of safeguarding risks. Apprentices’ induction includes training on safeguarding and the types of abuse, which enables them to recognise potential risks to their clients.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Trainers should make better use of information about what apprentices know and can do to plan a curriculum that is ambitious for all apprentices and targeted to their individual goals.  Leaders should ensure sure that employers are sufficiently well involved in the apprenticeship so that they can support apprentices to apply their new learning in the workplace.  Leaders must make sure that apprentices receive ongoing, impartial careers advice and guidance so that apprentices are fully aware of their options to make choices about their next steps.  Leaders must ensure that apprentices have access to a well-planned, age- appropriate personal development curriculum, including risks in their local areas and the danger of radicalisation.  Leaders must develop a clear oversight of the quality of education and take actions that have a positive impact on improving quality, including support for tutors to improve the craft of teaching.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders must rapidly improve governance arrangements, ensuring that information provided to governors is detailed and focused on holding leaders and managers to account for the quality of education. 21 to 23 June 2022

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Provider details

Address Suite 15 105 Hopewell Business Centre Hopewell Drive Chatham ME5 7DX

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Website

www.learninganddevelopmentbureau.org. uk/

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Website

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Website

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 21 to 23 June 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of quality and partnership, 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

Carolyn Brownsea, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Viki Faulkner Her Majesty’s Inspector Errol Ince Ofsted Inspector 21 to 23 June 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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