Always Consult LTD

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Always Consult LTD is an independent training provider based near Shrewsbury, in Shropshire. They teach apprentices across England. The company was initially formed in 2009 to develop commercially funded courses. These were primarily leadership and management programmes. In May 2017, they gained a contract to teach apprentices, which they started to teach in December 2017. At the time of the inspection, they had 299 apprentices studying level 3 team leader or supervisor, eight apprentices studying level 4 employability practitioner, 121 apprentices studying level 5 operations or departmental manager and 69 apprentices studying level 6 career development professional standards-based apprenticeships. Their largest provision is in the health and social care sector. All apprentices are over the age of 19. 9 to 12 August 2022

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

Apprentices study a curriculum that helps them to learn the knowledge and skills they need for the workplace. For example, apprentices on level 3 team leader or supervisor standards become more confident in their ability to lead teams. Apprentices on level 4 employability standards develop listening skills and become more reflective practitioners. Apprentices studying level 5 operations or departmental manager standards develop self-awareness and are better able to communicate at differing levels across their organisation.

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

Apprentices attend sessions regularly and are punctual. Their attitude to learning is very positive. They take pride in their work and apply their learning to their work environments well. They value the support they receive from their tutors and benefit from a respectful and caring culture among apprentices and staff. For example, they enjoy regular ‘how are you’ conversations at the start of each session with tutors or skills coaches.

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

Apprentices feel safe in their work environment and appreciate the support they receive. Many apprentices work in well-resourced healthcare settings with good access to a range of welfare services. They know who and where to go should the need arise. They recognise the responsiveness of skills coaches and tutors when appointments need to change. They benefit from a respectful and caring relationship between apprentices and staff. As a result, most apprentices enjoy their learning.

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

Too many apprentices do not receive the support they need from employers to enable them to succeed in their apprenticeship. Employers do not routinely attend reviews, and apprentices do not get the time they need away from work to complete the learning they need. As a result, too many leave the course early.

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better?

Leaders work closely with the health and care sector to understand their skills gaps. Their initial focus was to provide leadership and management apprenticeships for clinicians. Employers identified that newly qualified clinicians, although highly qualified in their chosen clinical pathway, lack the leadership skills needed to be effective in their roles. Leaders initially aligned the level 3 team leader or supervisor apprenticeship to the leadership aspect of the doctor’s foundation program. This resulted in apprentices gaining the skills and resilience needed to be more effective in their job roles.

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better?

Leaders have created a well-constructed curriculum that teaches apprentices new knowledge and skills. It is logically sequenced and helps apprentices to develop the skills they need to be effective at work. For example, apprentices on level 6 career development professional standards learn about different sources of career-related information. They are then able to direct their students to these resources and provide a better service. Apprentices on level 5 operations or departmental manager standards start with understanding essential personal leadership characteristics. 9 to 12 August 2022

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They then move on to a more formal analysis of leadership theories and their application of these in the workplace. As a result, apprentices learn over time and gain a deeper understanding of the topics that they study.

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Too many apprentices leave their apprenticeship early. The majority of these apprentices are on management programmes within clinical settings. Foundation doctors, nurses and midwives have historically started the level 3 team leader or supervisor apprenticeship directly after completing their clinical studies. Although a few apprentices left the programme due to the significant pressure of working in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, others do not consistently receive the support they need from their employers. Clinicians often are not able to take the time they need to study. Leaders have worked with employers to plan the apprenticeship to now start in the second or third year of the foundation doctors, nurses and midwives job role. This allows apprentices time to settle into their employment prior to undertaking an additional qualification. However, it is too early to see the impact of this change.

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Tutors do not continue to develop apprentices’ English and mathematical skills throughout their apprenticeship. Apprentices completing functional skills examinations access support from a dedicated functional skills coach. They attend workshops and have resources available to help them learn.

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Managers and tutors have recently identified opportunities for English and mathematics development within the curriculum. However, apprentices who do not need to undertake examinations do not get the support they need to continue to make improvements in these skills.

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Tutors use assessment well to identify gaps in apprentices learning. Apprentices complete an assessment of their knowledge, skills and behaviours at the start of their programme. Skills coaches revisit this regularly. They identify any gaps in learning and set goals to challenge and meet apprentices’ individual needs.

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Too few skills coaches provide developmental feedback to apprentices that helps them to improve their skills. As a result, the majority of apprentices do not know what they need to do to progress or gain high grades. Where skills coaches do provide developmental feedback, such as on the level 6 career professional apprenticeship, apprentices extend their understanding and improve their work throughout their apprenticeship.

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The majority of apprentices who complete their apprenticeship achieve their qualifications. On a few occasions, apprentices gain a promotion following the completion of their apprenticeship. However, managers do not routinely track the destinations of apprentices. They do not know if the curriculum prepares apprentices well enough for their next steps.

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Skills coaches and tutors set clear expectations for attendance and behaviour. They proactively encourage apprentices to attend and participate in online sessions. Apprentices take responsibility for their learning. They access additional resources 9 to 12 August 2022

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along with one-to-one coaching sessions to close any gaps in knowledge. They learn valuable skills such as listening and become more reflective practitioners. Consequently, most apprentices demonstrate positive changes in their behaviours since starting their apprenticeship.

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Skills coaches help apprentices carefully consider how fundamental British values relate to the context of working in a healthcare setting. They make good use of current affairs topics during progress reviews. For example, discussions about law and individual liberty focus on a well-known sports personality’s recent disclosure. Consequently, apprentices speak confidently about British values. They can provide examples of the threats posed to these values by extremist ideologies and the related threats to democracy.

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Apprentices learn, as part of the study in the ‘My Organisation’ module, about indirect and direct discrimination, as well as the significance of the nine protected characteristics. They also learn about workplace harassment and bullying as part of their training. They consider how leaders can ensure that the organisational culture reflects equality and celebrates diversity. This results in apprentices positively recognising workplace diversity. They become better able to cope with workplace conflicts.

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Leaders’ approach to careers information, advice and guidance is inconsistent. Many apprentices are career professionals. Most have completed several years of training. A small minority have a clear idea of the wider healthcare landscape. They recognise opportunities for further study and advancement that the apprenticeship offers. In a few cases, skills coaches do not encourage apprentices to discuss progression pathways or their next steps. As a result, some apprentices do not know what employment or educational pathways are available to them.

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Leaders have recruited tutors and coaches that are well qualified and experienced. They are experts in their specialist area of teaching. They have relevant teaching, training and coaching qualifications. They attend regular continual professional development. This includes access to resources such as journals that help them to stay up to date with their subject knowledge.

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Leaders and managers use a range of activities to understand the quality of the curriculum. However, they do not ensure that while conducting these activities, they identify and focus on areas for improvement. Monthly reports provided to leaders do not identify the impact of actions from the quality improvement plan. The reports do not discuss or evaluate the reasons why apprentices have left the programme. As a result, leaders are not clear on the progress they are making to improve the quality of training for apprentices.

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Leaders ensure that governors have the knowledge and experience of clinical settings and the further education sector. They are able to use their skills and experience to hold challenging discussions with leaders. Governors articulate effectively their concerns around employer support and recognise the impact this has on apprentices. 9 to 12 August 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have appointed an experienced designated safeguarding lead (DSL). They have put in place effective processes for the reporting and tracking of safeguarding concerns which are used effectively by staff.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that they carry out appropriate checks in line with their safer recruitment policies. All senior leaders have completed safer recruitment training. They track and monitor mandatory staff training, to ensure staff are up to date with safeguarding topics to enable them to support apprentices.

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Safeguarding

The DSL attends quarterly meetings with the local safeguarding partnerships and attends a local ‘Prevent’ duty agenda conference. They provide updates to staff regularly. Apprentices undergo training around safeguarding which is revisited. Consequently, staff and apprentices have a good understanding of safeguarding topics.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should ensure that all apprentices routinely get the time they need away from work to study. Line managers should attend progress review meetings to ensure apprentices receive the support they need to do well.  Leaders and managers should ensure that they monitor their areas for improvement so that they are rectified swiftly.  Leaders should ensure that the feedback apprentices receive is developmental and helps them to know what they need to do to improve or gain high grades.  Leaders and managers should ensure that tutors develop apprentices’ English and mathematical skills effectively so that they can be successful in their future job roles or their next steps in education or life.  Leaders and managers should ensure that apprentices consistently receive effective careers advice and guidance so that apprentices are aware of the choices they have available to them.  Leaders should ensure they track the destinations of apprentices so that they are

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

confident the curriculum is preparing apprentices well enough to meet their personal aspirations, achieve a promotion or prepare them for their next steps. 9 to 12 August 2022

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Provider details

Address Lunesdale C Upton Magna Business Park Shrewsbury SY4 4TT

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Provider details

Contact number 07714766860 or 03334 442467

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Provider details

Provider type Independent training provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 9 to 12 August 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of 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

Bev Ramsell, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Karen Bill Ofsted Inspector Jai Sharda Ofsted Inspector Nicky Witton Ofsted Inspector Pamela Wallace Ofsted Inspector Kay Hedges Ofsted Inspector Rachel Clark Her Majesty’s Inspector 9 to 12 August 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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