The Chief Constable of Thames Valley

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of The Chief Constable of Thames Valley

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Inspection dates: 27 to 30 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding 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

The Chief Constable of Thames Valley, otherwise known as Thames Valley Police (TVP), began teaching apprenticeships in August 2017. At the time of the inspection, there were 146 apprentices in training. Of these, 86 apprentices were studying the emergency services contact handling (ESCH) apprenticeship at level 3. The remaining 60 apprentices were studying the level 4 police community support officer (PCSO) apprenticeship, which leaders and managers introduced in 2019.

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Information about this provider

Emergency services contact handling apprentices work in call centres based in Kidlington, Abingdon and Milton Keynes. Police community support officer apprentices work in operational roles in the Thames Valley. Apprentices receive face- to-face block training at the start of their employment, followed by tutoring and coaching in the workplace. ESCH apprentices who need to take functional skills qualifications in English and/or mathematics receive one-to-one remote tuition in these subjects.

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Information about this provider

Three fifths of the apprentices studying the police community support officer standard and a quarter of those on the emergency services contact handling apprenticeship are under the age of 25. Three fifths of apprentices are female.

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Information about this provider

The provider does not work with any subcontractors. TVP teaches the police constable degree apprenticeship as a contractor to another provider. 27 to 30 September 2022

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

Apprentices are highly committed to their training. They arrive punctually to their training sessions and attend exceptionally well. They are strongly motivated to do well on their apprenticeship and move on to other frontline duties, which many do.

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

Apprentices quickly and adeptly apply the new knowledge, skills and behaviours that they develop in their training to provide high levels of service to the public. For example, ESCH apprentices respond sensitively to callers, demonstrating empathy and an in-depth understanding of the diverse nature of service users.

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

Apprentices receive the support they need to be successful in their apprenticeship. Apprentices with learning difficulties and/or disabilities benefit from effective support and adaptations to ensure their progress is in line with their peers. Training staff and apprentices’ managers regularly check how apprentices are coping with the impact of their work on their welfare, for example after dealing with a difficult call or a challenging member of the public. They arrange additional support if needed, such as one-to-one sessions.

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

Most apprentices have a detailed understanding of the requirements of their final assessments. They produce work to a high standard. A large proportion of the apprentices who complete their training achieve high grades on their final assessments. Due to operational pressures, a small proportion of PCSO apprentices do not have enough time within their working hours to complete all their work, and do some of it in their own time.

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

Most apprentices are clear about the career progression routes available to them on completion of their apprenticeship. Apprentices receive purposeful careers information, advice and guidance about progression opportunities within policing, such as becoming a police constable or an apprenticeship trainer. Apprentices who leave the apprenticeship early receive purposeful advice to help them move to a more appropriate job or career.

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better?

Leaders and managers have rightly chosen to specialise in teaching the two apprenticeships in which TVP staff have the greatest expertise. Trainers and tutors are experienced and well-qualified practitioners. They use their experience to make clear links between theoretical knowledge and its application to real-life examples. As a result, apprentices quickly appreciate how what they cover in training relates to their job roles.

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better?

Staff have carefully planned the curriculum for each apprenticeship into three logically sequenced phases. They have linked the content of each phase to the knowledge, skills and behaviours apprentices need to carry out their roles effectively. For example, in the training phase, PCSO apprentices learn about the roles and powers of the PCSO, partnership building and community support. During the 27 to 30 September 2022

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coached phase, apprentices grow their confidence to deal with difficult members of the public and deal with crime. This ensures that apprentices are appropriately prepared to apply their learning to the range of real-life situations they encounter on the independent patrol phase.

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Trainers use questioning effectively to check apprentices’ existing knowledge and make links to new learning. For example, while introducing female genital mutilation, a trainer assesses apprentices’ understanding of topics such as cultural expectations, consent and the law. As a result, apprentices are able to review content they had covered previously and make connections with new knowledge faster.

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Staff rightly focus on developing the communication skills that apprentices need to carry out their roles effectively, such as calming people down. Trainers, tutors and line managers do not make enough use of apprentices’ written work in order to continue to develop their written English skills. As a result, apprentices continue to make the same errors on some aspects of their written communication.

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Some ESCH apprentices who need to achieve functional skills qualifications in English and/or mathematics as part of their apprenticeship were not able to start lessons in these subjects early enough in their apprenticeship. This slowed down the progress of these apprentices who have not been able to move to the final stage of their apprenticeship in a timely manner. Leaders and managers have recently appointed a new member of staff who is prioritising training sessions with these apprentices.

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Staff integrate fundamental British values, extremism, radicalisation and awareness of crime into almost all training sessions. They link these effectively to the police code of ethics. As a result, apprentices develop a robust understanding of British values and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Apprentices gain an insight into the diversity of the general public and the existence of prejudice and inappropriate attitudes.

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Leaders and managers provide apprentices with access to purposeful online learning resources and additional reading materials. Leaders and managers do not monitor whether apprentices access these resources or gather their views on them. As a result, leaders and managers cannot evaluate how useful these resources are or make improvements to them.

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Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the apprenticeships and how these feed into the wider requirements of TVP. Board members have the right expertise to challenge leaders and managers on the performance and the value of the apprenticeships to TVP. Leaders and managers acknowledge that the board does not systematically challenge the quality of training that apprentices receive. They recently made changes to the board membership to rectify this, although it is too early to see the impact of this. 27 to 30 September 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices feel safe. They know how to recognise issues such as harassment and sexual assault at work, and how to report concerns if they have any. Safeguarding staff respond quickly and effectively to any safeguarding issues raised by apprentices.

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Safeguarding

Leaders distribute useful newsletters to staff and apprentices to make them aware of local risks and raise their security awareness. For example, the latest safeguarding newsletter makes staff and apprentices aware of the stabbing of a PCSO in another police area. It advises staff and apprentices of sensible measures they can take to protect themselves from similar attacks, such as not travelling to and from work in clearly identifiable police clothing.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that they carry out the necessary checks on staff to ensure that they are safe to work with apprentices and meet the requirements for working for the police.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders and managers should ensure that PCSO apprentices on the operational phase of their training can take their protected learning time so that they can complete all their apprenticeship work during working hours.  Leaders and managers should ensure that tutors, trainers and managers consistently make better use of all apprentices' written work to improve their written English skills.  Leaders and managers should ensure that ESCH apprentices who need to achieve qualifications in English and/or mathematics receive this training early in their apprenticeship so that they can move on to the next stage in their apprenticeship in a timely manner.  Leaders and managers should ensure that they monitor apprentices' access to additional learning resources to enable them to continually improve and expand these materials. 27 to 30 September 2022

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Provider details

Address Force Training Centre Sulhamstead Reading RG7 4DX

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Paul Bailey

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Subcontractors None 27 to 30 September 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the accreditation manager, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider's most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the new provider 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

Montserrat Pérez-Parent, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector Richard Kirkham His Majesty's Inspector David Towsey His Majesty's Inspector Martin Hughes Ofsted Inspector Claire Griffin Ofsted Inspector 27 to 30 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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