Learning Into Employment Academy Ltd

Learning into Employment Academy Limited (LiEA) Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Ian Higgins, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 September 2022

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

72A Lombard Street Birmingham B12 0QR Monitoring visit: Learning into Employment Academy Limited, 22 and 23 September 2022

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Context and focus of visit

From March 2019, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision which began to be funded from August 2017 or after by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Learning into Employment Academy Limited (LiEA) is an independent learning provider based in Birmingham. The provider was awarded a direct contract in May 2021 by the West Midlands Combined Authority to provide training in construction. At the time of the visit, 16 learners were in training. To date, 113 learners have completed their training. Learners work towards qualifications in health and safety, as well as completing assessments in the construction skills certificate scheme (CSCS). LiEA also offers a range of other training which was out of scope for this visit. LiEA does not work with any subcontractors.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders have a clear focus for the curriculum they offer. They provide pre- employment training to support learners to move into the workplace. The majority of learners receive their CSCS card and move into employment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have nurtured effective relationships with employers. They have developed a curriculum that meets employers’ needs. Learners have the opportunity to undertake additional certificates linked to wider sector regulations, such as asbestos management, which employers greatly value. However, senior leaders do not always ensure that they listen to employers’ needs so that their curriculum is as responsive as it could be.

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Reasonable progress

Staff know their local community very well. Leaders have developed key partnerships with the local Job Centre Plus. They have effective referral processes to make sure that those learners who would most benefit access the learning they need. Where learners are not ready to move into learning, the staff work with those individuals to find alternative training that better meets their needs. Monitoring visit: Learning into Employment Academy Limited, 22 and 23 September 2022 Leaders have taken vital steps to ensure they have the staff resources they need. They acknowledge previous challenges they had with freelance and self-employed tutors who were not reliable enough. The level of staff turnover did not provide consistency for learners. Leaders have recruited full-time permanent tutors who are now established in their roles. They have a good understanding of the sectors in which they teach.

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Reasonable progress

Governance is not effective. Senior leaders have not recruited the appropriate personnel to hold them to account sufficiently for the quality of education that apprentices receive. Leaders do not yet have any plans in place to address this.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders have in place processes to allow them to gain an understanding of the quality of education that learners receive. These processes include observations of learning and scrutiny of learners’ work. However, leaders do not always ensure that there are plans in place that are implemented quickly to swiftly improve the quality of education that learners receive.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and tutors have developed a clear curriculum. They teach the curriculum in a logical way, building learners’ knowledge, skills and behaviours over time. Learners develop their understanding of key health and safety signs, symbols and legislation. Tutors provide frequent opportunities for learners to revisit and recall their learning. As a result, learners know and remember more over time.

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Reasonable progress

Learners receive an appropriate assessment of their learning needs prior to starting their course. Leaders and tutors use this information to quickly put in place any support that learners need. Tutors clearly identify learners’ current level of English and mathematics skills and knowledge when they start their programme. However, tutors do not use this information to help learners to develop their English and mathematics skills as well as they could.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use assessment appropriately to check learners’ understanding. Tutors routinely use quizzes and multiple-choice questioning. This supports learners to develop their familiarity with multiple-choice assessments and prepares them well for their CSCS card assessment. However, tutors do not track the progress that learners are making sufficiently well. As a result, learners are not supported as well as they could be to close any gaps in knowledge rapidly.

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Reasonable progress

Learners develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours as part of their programme. They become fluent in identifying key health and safety signs and symbols. Learners develop their understanding of key health and safety legislation. Employers talk Monitoring visit: Learning into Employment Academy Limited, 22 and 23 September 2022 positively about learners’ ability to apply the knowledge they have learned when at work.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors do not ensure that learners benefit from sufficiently detailed feedback on their work. Too often, feedback does not challenge learners to improve the quality of their work. As a result, learners are not always sure of how they can improve the quality of their work or develop their understanding of key topics further.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have in place a designated safeguarding lead, who has the relevant experience and training to execute their role effectively. Leaders provide staff with update training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. They recognise the need for staff to update this training on a regular basis so they are fully aware of any changes to guidance, legislation or new risks in the locality.

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Reasonable progress

While leaders have put in place clear safeguarding policies and procedures, they have failed to communicate these clearly to their staff and ultimately their learners. As a result, not all apprentices know who they could report any concerns to, other than their tutor.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders do not always ensure that recruitment practices are carried out in line with their policies. Leaders list clearly in their policies the checks that are completed to make sure that all staff are safe to work with vulnerable adults. While leaders do carry out some of these safer recruitment checks, these are not always fully in line with what it states in their policies.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders support learners well to develop their understanding of safe working practices. Learners have a good awareness of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations. Learners correctly apply these regulations in the workplace. Monitoring visit: Learning into Employment Academy Limited, 22 and 23 September 2022 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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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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