Care First Training Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Care First Training Limited

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Adult learning programmes Good Apprenticeships Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Care First Training Limited (CFTL) is an independent learning provider. It started to provide training in 2003 as a not-for-profit organisation. CFTL gained a direct contract to provide apprenticeship training in September 2016. CFTL received extra funding and started to provide adult training programmes in September 2021.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 859 apprentices and 70 adult learners in training. Most apprentices work in employers based in London, the South East and East of England. Around three quarters of apprentices study adult care and early years apprenticeships. These include standards-based apprenticeship programmes at levels 2 to 5. Most apprentices study mathematics and English functional skills qualifications. There are no learners in receipt of high-needs funding. CFTL has no subcontractors. 14 to 17 June 2022

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

Apprentices do not get effective direct teaching and support from their trainers. Consequently, too many struggle to make good progress in their learning. Apprentices do not receive good support from trainers to access online learning effectively. This hampers their ability to gain new knowledge and skills that they can apply at work, so many are not motivated to complete their programmes.

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

Adult learners value the wide variety of training available. They gain new digital, team working and communication skills. This builds their self-esteem to be able to apply for jobs. Adult learners receive effective support from trainers. They feel the support they receive is specific to their individual needs and aspirations. Adult learners are motivated to learn and feel they are treated with respect. They take pride in their studies and maintain good attendance at taught sessions.

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

Apprentices and adult learners feel safe. They know how to report safeguarding and welfare concerns. They have a good knowledge of appropriate safeguarding practices in the workplace. Young apprentices have a good understanding of healthy relationships and consent.

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better?

Leaders have not designed and implemented an appropriate apprenticeship curriculum. They do not work effectively with employers to ensure that apprentices receive their entitlement to off-the-job training. For example, leaders have failed to ensure that apprentices receive high-quality online learning. Most apprentices do not receive good training and support from their trainers to help them with their studies. As a result, apprentices are often too overwhelmed and fall behind in their studies. Most apprentices make very slow progress. Only around half of the apprentices remain on their apprenticeship.

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better?

Leaders do not provide suitable staff development for trainers to enable them to support apprentices. For example, trainers do not receive training to develop their skills in identifying and supporting apprentices who require extra help with their studies. As a result, trainers do not know which apprentices need support and so are unable to help them should they need it.

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better?

Leaders have failed to ensure that trainers develop their teaching and assessment skills. Trainers do not provide enough guidance and teaching to apprentices about new concepts. Trainers rely too much on apprentices learning topics on their own. As a result, most apprentices struggle to complete their work within set deadlines.

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better?

Most apprentices do not build on their existing knowledge and skills quickly enough. Too few teachers check the prior learning of apprentices in sufficient detail. Teachers do not plan an effective individualised programme for apprentices. This hampers apprentices in gaining the essential skills they need in their job roles. A few apprentices gain appropriate skills at work, mainly through the activities they 14 to 17 June 2022

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undertake with their employer. For example, level 2 early years practitioner apprentices can plan activities for the children in their care. They plan activities that are relevant to the children’s stage of development and their individual needs. This enables apprentices to provide appropriate support to children with autism spectrum disorder and other special educational needs and disabilities.

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Trainers do not routinely carry out effective reviews of apprentices’ progress. They do not make appropriate checks on what knowledge and skills apprentices have acquired over time. Trainers do not ensure that employers are routinely part of the review process. As a result, trainers do not identify gaps in apprentices’ learning on and off the job.

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Trainers do not provide effective feedback to apprentices on their work. They do not give adequate guidance to apprentices on how to develop their work further. Therefore, apprentices are unable to improve the quality of their written work over time. As a result, apprentices repeat their mistakes. They do not make swift progress to develop their knowledge and academic skills.

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Many apprentices need to improve their English and mathematics skills, but leaders do not ensure that provision is effective, so few make the progress required. Most level 2 apprentices cannot access the online support sessions for English and mathematics. As a result, they lack the confidence and ability to produce high- quality written work.

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Leaders have developed effective new adult learning programmes. They have designed a curriculum that meets the needs of unemployed and employed learners who need further training. For example, leaders have worked effectively with local employers to plan training to meet the high demand for suitably trained care workers. As a result, most adult learners receive appropriate training to secure jobs in the care sector.

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Adult learners develop essential knowledge and skills that build on their prior learning. For example, trainers teach learners enhanced skills in handling and moving clients. They teach learners how to further adapt various techniques to meet each client’s needs. As a result, learners develop the essential skills needed to produce effective individualised care plans. Adult learners make good progress through their planned learning and gain confidence in their work. They make valuable contributions to the teams in which they work.

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Most apprentices develop appropriate professional behaviours. For example, adult care apprentices demonstrate a high degree of care and compassion for their clients. They are respectful and understand the importance of client confidentiality. They can work effectively in a team. However, apprentices’ attendance at training sessions is too low. Leaders are taking action to deal with this issue, but it is too early to see the full impact.

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Leaders have not ensured that apprentices and adult learners receive effective, ongoing careers education, information, advice and guidance. Apprentices and adult 14 to 17 June 2022

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learners do not have a good understanding of the wider career routes open to them beyond the sectors in which they currently work. This hampers their preparation for future success in education, training and employment.

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Governance arrangements are weak. Governors have sufficient awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum. However, governors do not provide sufficient challenge to leaders or hold them to account to make the necessary improvements. This has contributed to the quality of education and training for the apprentices remaining poor over the last four years.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have developed a suitable culture of safeguarding within the organisation. The designated safeguarding officers (DSOs) are well trained. The DSOs monitor effectively and deal with safeguarding and welfare concerns promptly. They make appropriate referrals to external agencies when needed. Leaders ensure that staff are recruited with integrity. They follow safer recruitment practices.

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Safeguarding

Leaders do not ensure that apprentices and adult learners know about the local risks that can affect them at work and in their personal lives. Leaders are taking effective steps to deal with this issue, although it is too early to see the full impact.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders must ensure that they work effectively with apprenticeship employers to plan off-the-job training. Apprentices must receive their entitled off-the-job time to study and learn.  Leaders must ensure that apprentices remain on the programme and complete their apprenticeship on time.  Governors must provide effective scrutiny. They must hold leaders to account to improve the quality of education and training for apprentices.  Leaders must ensure that trainers receive effective training to be able to teach and assess apprentices. This includes trainers developing the skills required to identify and support apprentices who need extra help to complete their studies.  Leaders must ensure that trainers provide effective ongoing careers advice and guidance to enable apprentices and adult learners to understand the career opportunities available to them. 14 to 17 June 2022

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Provider details

Address 3 The Drive Jubilee House Great Warley Brentwood CM13 3FR

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Provider details

Provider type Independent Learning Provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 17 and 18 April 2019

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 14 to 17 June 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director, 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

Michael Worgs, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Shane Langthorne Her Majesty’s Inspector Jo-Ann Henderson Her Majesty’s Inspector Caroline Williams Ofsted Inspector Alice Giles Ofsted Inspector Jaswant Mann Ofsted Inspector Christine Leeding Ofsted Inspector 14 to 17 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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