Cedars Training Academy Limited

Cedars Health and Beauty Centres Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Lyn Bourne, Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 September 2022

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

26 Station Road Gloucester GL1 1EW Monitoring visit: Cedars Health & Beauty Centres Limited, 15 and 16 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

Cedars Health and Beauty Centres Limited (CH&BC) is part of a wider group of providers called High Ridge Training (HRT). HRT bought CH&BC in March 2022. The group shares many services, such as finance, human resources, staff training and quality. CH&BC has been offering training since 2015, receiving direct funding since August 2021. Currently, CH&BC has eight learners enrolled, three on hair and beauty level 2 courses at the centre and five on distance learning courses in safeguarding and starting a business.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a well-considered rationale for their courses. They have worked with organisations such as Jobcentre Plus to offer qualifications to get people into employment in the hair and beauty industry. They have recently expanded their offer to distance learning courses in the health and care sector to increase learners’ employment opportunities and to improve the skills of those already working in the industry. This offer includes certificates in safeguarding the welfare of children and young people, creating a business start-up and understanding autism spectrum disorder.

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Reasonable progress

Learners who are long-term unemployed study short, certificated courses to help them back to work. For example, they study awards in nail treatments, gel polish techniques and awareness of mental health. Consequently, their employment opportunities increase, and a minority have set up their own business.

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Reasonable progress

Learners access a working salon to gain experience. For example, on level 2 beauty courses learners work on reception as well as completing client treatments to gain the experience required to master the skills they need to achieve their qualification. Monitoring visit: Cedars Health & Beauty Centres Limited, 15 and 16 September 2022 Senior leaders have begun to set up a governance body to oversee all operations in the group. They are also investigating working with stakeholders in the locality, such as training provider networks, to ensure that they receive up-to-date, local relevant information to inform curriculum design and quality of provision.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders have rightly identified improvement actions to support tutors to develop skills in teaching and assessment, so that learners receive a good-quality learning experience. For example, they are ensuring that tutors can identify learners’ progress so that they can swiftly put support in place for those slipping behind.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders do not yet seek employers’ input into the adult learning curriculum. Managers understand the benefits of involving employers and are working on increasing their communications with employers to ensure that learners leave with the skills that employers expect.

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Reasonable progress

Learners attending hair and beauty courses benefit from a well-constructed, ambitious programme. They develop new skills and knowledge and practise their new skills frequently. Tutors support learners to undertake qualifications in health and safety, client care and then gain practical skills such as massage before moving on to hot stones and Indian head massage.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors are friendly and professional and treat learners with respect. They mix theory with practical work well to make learning enjoyable and challenging. Tutors revisit previous learning; for example, learners refreshed their understanding of health and safety before moving on to new learning. Tutors make good links to British values, through industry-specific discussions, to help learners understand.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors support learners well and are easily contactable. Learners understand the course content and how they will be assessed. Tutors provide learners with helpful feedback on how to improve their treatments. For example, tutors stress the importance of good client care and the experiences of the client, so that the client will want to come back again.

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Reasonable progress

Learners undertaking distance learning programmes do not receive frequent tutor support. Support is via email and only given when learners ask for help. Tutors’ feedback is not sufficiently developmental to help learners know how to improve. The vast majority of learners complete their qualifications in the same order, with little consideration to the most appropriate way of sequencing new skills and knowledge to meet the individual learners’ needs. Monitoring visit: Cedars Health & Beauty Centres Limited, 15 and 16 September 2022 Learners attending hair and beauty courses benefit from useful tutor advice and guidance throughout their courses. The advice and guidance for those undertaking distance learning courses do not enable learners to make informed decisions about their next steps. Leaders recognise that the quality of provision for learners undertaking distance learning programmes needs to improve.

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Reasonable progress

Managers recognise the need to increase the proportion of learners who achieve their qualifications. However, since March, learners have received improved advice and guidance. As a result, the number leaving their programme without completing has reduced significantly.

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Reasonable progress

Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Leaders place a high priority on safeguarding and take reasonable steps to meet the ‘Prevent’ duty. Tutors benefit from annual training that increases their knowledge and confidence in safeguarding. This enables them to develop learners’ understanding of safeguarding and how to keep themselves and others safe.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders follow processes that lead to safe recruitment of staff. New staff complete a thorough introduction to the centre. This includes safeguarding training and associated reporting procedures. Learners on hair and beauty courses understand the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism and how they apply in their work and everyday lives. They work safely in salons and follow procedures for handling products and wear appropriate protective clothing.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have not yet made links with external agencies to enable them to be up to date with local issues associated with safeguarding and share this information with tutors and learners. Monitoring visit: Cedars Health & Beauty Centres Limited, 15 and 16 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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