Bottle Green Training Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Bottle Green Training Limited

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Inspection dates: 20 to 23 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Bottle Green Training Limited was formed in 1999 to deliver training for veterinary nurses. They gained a contract to deliver apprenticeships in September 2018. Before this, they solely operated as a subcontractor. At the time of the inspection, 243 apprentices were training to be veterinary nurses and almost all were adults. Most apprentices study level 3 veterinary nursing apprenticeship. There are two pathways, small animals and equine. Twenty-five apprentices study level 2 animal care and welfare assistant apprenticeship as a precursor to level 3. Apprentices attend training at purpose-built facilities in Melbourne, Derbyshire. 20 to 23 September 2022

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

Staff work together effectively to train and develop apprentices. Tutors teach theory and practical lessons, student liaison officers visit every 10 weeks, and clinical coaches support apprentices at work. This approach provides apprentices with high- quality training so that they become successful veterinary assistants or nurses.

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

Apprentices thoroughly enjoy attending their classes. They benefit from learning in small groups where they feel confident to ask questions and share experiences. This is useful to apprentices as they learn from each other. Apprentices almost always attend classes as they understandably value them.

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

Apprentices have useful discussions that help them to learn about different values and beliefs relevant to their work. They are articulate about the tensions between their duty to advocate for animals and cultural and religious differences. As a result, they can handle these sensitive situations well.

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

Leaders understand the emotional demands of apprentices’ roles. They invest in an on-site welfare and counselling service for apprentices and staff. Apprentices rightly value the access they have to this specialist support. It assists apprentices to develop their resilience and continue their studies even when they experience personal difficulties.

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

Apprentices readily raise any concerns they have for themselves or their peers. They receive helpful support and guidance from staff when they need it.

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better?

Leaders are determined to contribute to meeting the substantial national need for veterinary nurses. They use their significant experience and expertise to develop a curriculum that provides apprentices with the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to be successful in the sector.

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better?

Tutors are highly experienced clinicians. Most still work in the sector and frequently use this experience in lessons. They develop relevant real-life case studies to broaden apprentices’ understanding of what they encounter at work. Tutors teach subjects in a logical order, which helps apprentices build their knowledge of difficult topics. For example, apprentices learn the core principles of anatomy and physiology before more complex topics about digestion.

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better?

Leaders, working with tutors, produce a standardised set of lesson plans, assessment tasks and materials that can be adapted. They are mostly well designed, pitched at the right level and help apprentices to develop their theoretical knowledge well. However, a few teachers lack the skills they need to adapt or adjust the in- class assessments. For example, a few tutors consistently use gapped handouts that do not challenge apprentices enough. 20 to 23 September 2022

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Student liaison officers visit apprentices every 10 weeks. They liaise effectively with tutors and clinical coaches to review apprentices’ progress. They use this information to set relevant targets that keep apprentices on track with their studies. At the reviews, student liaison officers plan apprentices’ on- and off-the-job training. This ensures apprentices get high-quality opportunities to apply and practice what they learn. For example, apprentices set up additional clinics to support animal development, such as confidence training for anxious dogs.

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Apprentices who have a consistent clinical coach at work benefit from the continuity of their support and feedback. However, on too many occasions coaches change for operational reasons. This means there are brief periods where the pace of apprentices’ learning slows down. Leaders intervene swiftly, they appoint and train new coaches who quickly ensure apprentices catch up.

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Staff prepare apprentices well for their final practical assessments. They complete challenging simulated practical tests throughout their studies. As a result, apprentices know what to expect from these tests and perform well in them. Almost all apprentices who start the course complete it and pass. However, only a few apprentices gain distinction grades. Tutors could better prepare apprentices for the demands of the professional discussion, as most apprentices gain a pass and not a distinction.

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Staff make suitable adjustments to support apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Apprentices have conversations about their next steps and career progression at appropriate points in their studies. They receive helpful independent guidance when they ask for it. However, leaders do not plan a broad enough careers programme that develops apprentices’ understanding of the opportunities available to them once they complete their studies.

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Leaders meet formally at least monthly. They review a wide range of information about how apprentices are doing with their studies. They use this well to intervene quickly where there are any concerns. As a result, swift action is taken and almost all apprentices who start their studies complete them.

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Leaders monitor the quality of teaching and learning through annual lesson observation and peer reviews. The focus of these observations is narrow. They do not ensure managers identify precisely enough what development tutors need.

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Leaders use a skills matrix to ensure they have a governance panel with a good range of experience and skills. Leaders produce useful termly reports and information about academic and pastoral matters. This helps governors to challenge and give good guidance to leaders. Governors take a keen interest in safeguarding and know how individual cases are managed. 20 to 23 September 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders understand their roles and responsibilities for safeguarding. They set out relevant safeguarding policies and procedures and undertake appropriate recruitment checks. The designated safeguarding lead and staff undertake appropriate training. Staff readily report anything that causes them any concern with their apprentices.

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Safeguarding

Most safeguarding cases relate to apprentices’ circumstances or mental health. Leaders and tutors document and monitor these situations carefully. They provide apprentices with appropriate support and guidance and increase the number of welfare checks they make to these apprentices.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should support tutors to develop their use of assessment so they are able to adapt their approaches to meet the needs of their apprentices.  Leaders should try to reduce the number of changes to clinical coaches so apprentices benefit from the continuity of one person supporting them.  Leaders should broaden their approaches to evaluating the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so they can identify tutors’ development needs more precisely and act on them.  Leaders should broaden their careers programme so that apprentices understand the range of opportunities available to them once they complete their courses. 20 to 23 September 2022

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Provider details

Address 1A Offices and Unit 7 Station Yard Station Road Melbourne Derby DE73 8HJ

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Provider details

Directors Sarah Parkhouse and Judith Parry

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 20 to 23 September 2022

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Information about this inspection

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

Emma Woods, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Jackie Rossa Ofsted Inspector Shona Green Ofsted Inspector Janet Cannon Ofsted Inspector 20 to 23 September 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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