Antrec Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

p.1

Inspection dates: 13 to 16 September 2022

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Adult learning programmes Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.1

Information about this provider

Antrec Limited is a national independent learning provider with headquarters in County Durham. It has been a subsidiary of the Learning Curve Group since 2021. At the time of inspection, there were 354 learners attending online, flexible learning programmes on a range of 60 different courses. The largest cohort of 116 learners are studying level 2 understanding mental health first aid and mental health advocacy in the workplace. The level 2 understanding children’s and young people’s mental health certificate has 44 learners. There were also 40 learners enrolled on a level 2 certificate in counselling skills, 32 in a level 2 certificate in understanding autism, 21 learners on the level 3 diploma in counselling skills and four learners enrolled on the level 2 certificate in understanding tenant support in social housing. 13 to 16 September 2022

p.1

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

Learners value the highly professional and easy-to-follow online learning programmes that enable them to study at times convenient to their lifestyles. They clearly benefit, both personally and professionally, from the diverse range of high- quality courses available to them.

p.2

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

Staff set high expectations of learner behaviour, such as submitting work on time, providing written answers to a high standard and producing unique work. As a result, learners are clear about the expectations and requirements to be successful on the programme.

p.2

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

Learners take ownership of their learning and progress well. They engage fully with their learning programmes, and most enjoy their learning greatly and achieve on time. For the very few learners who do not participate fully on the course and fall behind, tutors and learning support staff swiftly provide the required support to enable them to catch up.

p.2

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

Learners develop a very good understanding of how to keep healthy, both physically and mentally. They learn about emotional and physical well-being as an integral part of their courses.

p.2

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

Learners greatly benefit from a dedicated customer care team that supports and guides them very well throughout their programme. The service includes a support line that is open seven days a week through which learners can access staff via web chat, email and telephone should they require help, advice or information. Learners feel comfortable communicating with their tutors and the customer care team when necessary. Staff are very responsive to requests for additional support received from learners who appreciate the expert advice and guidance that they receive on their work.

p.2

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

Learners rapidly increase their confidence, resilience and motivation while studying. They clearly improve their time management and organisational skills during the courses due to the support of their tutors and the caring relationships that tutors develop with them. Learners, many of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds and have family and caring responsibilities, feel a great sense of accomplishment, often overcoming challenging personal circumstances to achieve their qualifications. Learners often progress to further qualifications or training as a result.

p.2

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

Learners develop well their understanding of safeguarding and their responsibilities in their professional and personal lives. Tutors very skilfully encourage learners to explore how they apply what they learn about safeguarding to their own practice. For example, on the certificate in understanding children and young people’s mental health course, tutors reinforce the need to stay safe online with reference to safe working practices online at work and home. 13 to 16 September 2022

p.2

better?

Leaders and managers have a clear vision for the provision that they offer. They provide flexible, online learning programmes to employed and unemployed adults to help with their career aspirations and personal circumstances. For example, line managers learn how to provide more effective support to their teams in the workplace and unemployed adults improve their prospects of gaining employment.

p.3

better?

Leaders and managers have constructed a rich curriculum that is relevant to local, regional and national employment priorities. They work closely with stakeholders, including colleges and awarding bodies, to design and review the curriculum and to ensure that it includes relevant courses that meet learners’ needs, such as courses in mental health, tenant support, autism awareness and domestic violence.

p.3

better?

Leaders have very coherently planned and sequenced the curriculum across the range of flexible programmes that they offer. For example, the curriculum for the certificate in understanding tenant support in social housing begins with the history of social housing in general and then focuses on the physical and mental health needs of tenants and reasons for problematic behaviour. This prepares learners exceptionally well for roles working with tenants in social housing contexts. Learners build their knowledge and understanding as they progress through the learning materials. Their understanding is reinforced frequently to ensure that it is retained and, as a result, learners progress quickly.

p.3

better?

Leaders recruit tutors who are experienced and very well qualified to teach the programmes that they offer, and have expert knowledge of their subjects. For example, counselling tutors are highly qualified in their field, holding both workplace and academic credentials. Learners appreciate the expertise of their tutors and how this helps them to quickly gain new knowledge and skills.

p.3

better?

Leaders and managers support staff well and ensure that they maintain a healthy work–life balance. They carefully consider staff’s workload. Staff are appreciative of the flexibility and rewards of their working environment. They take an active part in initiatives that the organisation has in place, such as nominating each other for awards and recognition.

p.3

better?

Leaders and managers have created a very strong working culture that promotes a range of useful, relevant and high-quality development opportunities. These include annual mandatory training for all staff, as well as support to improve the teaching practice of tutors. Tutors benefit from a teaching excellence programme to ensure that their teaching practice is continually improving. Leaders and managers have in place very rigorous arrangements to oversee the quality of the curriculum and to make improvements where needed.

p.3

better?

Tutors use appropriate and effective assessment methods. Assessment informs useful feedback to learners that indicates how they can improve their work, including their spelling and grammar. Learners swiftly improve their work following 13 to 16 September 2022

p.3

4

feedback. As a result, they produce high-quality work at least at and often above the level of their courses.

p.4

4

Leaders and managers have in place a proactive and highly effective governance board which provides useful challenge from people who have a strong understanding of the provision and the sectors to which it relates. The board is comprised of members who ensure that teaching and learning, support for learners and safeguarding are prioritised.

p.4

4

Learners benefit significantly from impartial careers guidance from their tutors. Staff use their established relationships with colleges and other providers throughout the country very effectively to direct learners to appropriate progression opportunities. In the feedback that tutors provide to learners on completion of their course, tutors include guidance on possible next steps. Tutors use their professional backgrounds to highlight employment opportunities and other relevant courses, as well as volunteering opportunities. As a result, learners are clear about the options open to them and how they can progress.

p.4

4

Learners benefit from exceptionally high-quality resources. These resources include workbooks and assessment booklets as well as interactive online learning packages which enable learners to develop the knowledge and skills that they need to progress. The resources on all courses are constantly reviewed in liaison with subject experts and key stakeholders, such as service users, awarding bodies and national organisations, including the National Autistic Society. This ensures that the resources that learners use are relevant and up to date.

p.4

4

Leaders and managers promote a culture of inclusivity very effectively and value diversity. They have recently reviewed the curriculum to ensure that inclusive language and imagery are used. As a result, appropriate terminology is used on all courses, and learners use this terminology in their work.

p.4

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.4

Safeguarding

Leaders promote a safeguarding culture which is consistent with the policies and procedures in place. Learners feel safe and know who to contact should they have any concerns.

p.4

Safeguarding

Leaders recruit staff who are safe to work with learners. Members of the recruitment team are qualified in safer recruitment. All teaching and coaching staff have enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks, and a useful single central record is in place to record and monitor safeguarding training and required checks.

p.4

Safeguarding

Staff and board members receive relevant safeguarding training. Those with safeguarding responsibilities are trained to level 3 and take specialist training courses relevant to their personal experiences. Individuals have lead roles which include mental health, cybercrime, training and child protection. 13 to 16 September 2022

p.4

5

Leaders and managers ensure that learners and apprentices are safe. Learners have access to a range of resources and support to help them keep safe. This includes an app which alerts the leadership team at any time if a learner feels unsafe. 13 to 16 September 2022

p.5

Provider details

Address Dunelm Rise Durham Gate Spennymoor Durham DL16 6FS

p.6

Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Brenda McLeish OBE

p.6

Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

p.6

Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.6

Provider details

Main subcontractors None 13 to 16 September 2022

p.6

Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of excellence, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous monitoring 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.

p.7

Inspection team

Glenise Burrell, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Cath Jackson His Majesty’s Inspector Jacquie Brown His Majesty’s Inspector Mark Keen Ofsted Inspector Gareth Luke Ofsted Inspector Victoria Telford Ofsted Inspector 13 to 16 September 2022

p.7

8

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.

p.8

8

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

8

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

8

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

8

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8