Lewtay Training Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Lewtay Training Limited (LTL) is an independent training provider based in Peterborough. LTL provides apprenticeships across the country, although most apprentices live and work in the south west of England. A few apprentices live and work in the east of England, the midlands, north east and north west of England.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, LTL had 222 apprentices in learning. Most apprentices are working towards the level 4 children, young people and families practitioner apprenticeship. A few are working towards level 5 children, young people and families manager, level 3 team leader or supervisor, and level 5 leader in adult care apprenticeship. Almost all apprentices work in children’s homes.

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Information about this provider

No apprentices are funded for high needs. LTL does not work with any subcontractor partners. 25 to 27 October 2022

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

Apprentices are keen to learn and improve the lives of the children in their care. Apprentices demonstrate a good understanding of, and provide good-quality care to, the children and young people in their homes. Apprentices become highly reflective practitioners, being able to consider the impact of their actions and improve their work continuously. They understand how this enables them to improve outcomes for children. For example, apprentices know how the culture they establish in their children’s home impacts favourably, or not, on the children and young people in their care.

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

Apprentices benefit from staff who care about their well-being and happiness. Staff are highly knowledgeable about the care sector in which apprentices work. Staff understand the challenging circumstances that apprentices often work in. Apprentices enjoy working with staff, who frequently share their own experiences of working in children’s homes. This enables apprentices to develop as strong role models to the young people and children in their care.

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

Apprentices appreciate the monthly newsletter they receive. They very much value the content and signposting to further reading material that helps them to better understand how topics relate to them in their working life. For example, apprentices know that people with extreme right-wing and extreme religious views live in the locations where children’s homes are located. This helps them protect the young people in their care from radicalisation as well as helping apprentices to protect themselves.

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

Apprentices feel safe and have a secure understanding of how to keep the children in their care safe. Apprentices know how safeguarding applies to them as practitioners. For example, they understand the importance of maintaining professional boundaries with peers and children.

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

Many apprentices struggle to balance the responsibilities of their work with their apprenticeship workload. As a result, they often do not prioritise their studies and make slow progress.

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better?

Leaders provide a range of apprenticeships that contribute effectively to improving the quality of care to children living in care homes. Leaders enable apprentices to develop good skills in a breadth of care settings through well-considered curriculums.

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better?

Until recently, leaders have not ensured that apprentices use their study time to complete assignments. Employers often do not ensure that apprentices make effective use of study time. Too few apprentices at level 4 remain in their programme and achieve on time. 25 to 27 October 2022

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Assessors plan the content of apprenticeships highly effectively. Apprentices gain a good appreciation of the sector and the legislative elements of their job. As apprentices move through their training programme, they learn more complex concepts. For example, they learn and apply the important skills of advocacy. Apprentices understand how to resolve and manage conflict successfully. By the end of their training, apprentices understand and apply behaviour theories seamlessly to their work.

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Assessors use webinars, face-to-face training sessions and individual coaching extremely effectively. They skilfully enable apprentices to share and discuss their work experiences. Assessors use questioning to thoroughly check apprentices’ understanding. Assessors provide useful and insightful feedback to apprentices on the quality of their work. This enables apprentices to improve their practice.

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Apprentices are highly skilled employees. They become accomplished listeners and good communicators. As a result, they enable the views and wishes of the children and young people in their care to be heard and acted upon. Apprentices recognise the many factors that impact on the lives of those they care for. Apprentices know children’s challenging behaviour is often a consequence of feeling vulnerable. Apprentices are highly effective in keeping their children and young people safe from harm, enabling them to identify risk and take appropriate action.

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Apprentices have a good understanding of child, adolescent and adult development. Apprentices develop effective care plans, provide appropriate interventions, and evaluate the effectiveness of plans with their assessors and managers. Apprentices demonstrate a good understanding of their own professional boundaries. They are confident to make difficult decisions when necessary.

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Apprentices who attend group webinars benefit significantly. These sessions allow them to share and reflect on their professional practice. For example, when discussing restraint and when it might be necessary. Apprentices value being able to share their own experiences and fears in a safe setting.

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Apprentices learn about the importance of healthy lifestyles and healthy eating. They understand how their good habits can influence the young people in their care. Apprentices develop a good understanding of how diet can affect children’s concentration and behaviour. Apprentices place strong emphasis on promoting well- being and staying mentally and physically healthy, both for themselves and those they care for.

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Apprentices take an active part in their care home community. They take great pride in advocating for children’s and young people’s rights. Apprentices take part in additional activities. They organise and take part in events such as charity walks and Caribbean-themed cooking activities. Apprentices celebrate National Care Leavers week by promoting the benefits of independent living.

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Apprentices receive useful, ongoing career advice and guidance. With their assessors, they discuss and set long-term career goals. Most apprentices understand 25 to 27 October 2022

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the breadth of careers in the sector available to them. They know the steps required to achieve their long-term goals. Apprentices are motivated to develop in their careers and succeed.

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Apprentices often do not have a secure knowledge of fundamental British values or other wider aspects of life in modern Britain. They do not recognise that the legislation that governs their working lives are elements of living within the rule of law. Many apprentices do not see that the daily choices they make for the children in their care reflect living in a democracy.

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Assessors do not ensure that apprentices prioritise their studies. Attendance by many apprentices at webinar sessions, including functional skills, is low. Many struggle to balance their responsibilities at work with their apprenticeship workload. Apprentices often do not spend the time they should working on their assignments. Assessors do not always provide effective study support to apprentices. The personal help that apprentices receive from assessors is good.

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Leaders have a comprehensive understanding of the areas of education and training that require improvement. Leaders recognise the areas to improve that inspectors found. They know why too many apprentices are making slow progress in their learning. Leaders’ improvement actions are appropriate; consequently, more apprentices now complete their apprenticeship.

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Leaders’ quality assurance is effective. They took decisive action recently to remedy the collusion and plagiarism they found in work submitted by a few apprentices. Effective staff training has raised awareness of this topic among assessors. They now know how to identify work that is not original to individual apprentices.

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Governance arrangements have improved and are now effective. The advisory board formed in the past year has enabled leaders to focus on the strategic aspects of education and training. Board members have a wealth of useful experience to draw on. This results in an effective understanding of the governance role and provides appropriate challenge to the senior leadership team, ensuring that leaders now focus on those apprentices who are making slow progress, for example.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are meticulous in ensuring that apprentices have a good understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. This understanding is routinely checked and reinforced at every stage of an apprentices’ training. Apprentices know to whom they should refer any concerns they may have, both at work and in their personal lives.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices benefit from a culture of care. Apprentices feel safe and have a secure understanding of how to keep themselves and the children in their care safe. Apprentices learn to understand the dangers posed by county-lines activity. They 25 to 27 October 2022

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use this information to complete effective individual risk assessments of the children in their homes. Apprentices are effective in preventing children being groomed to take part in criminal activity.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders must ensure that apprentices on level 4 remain in learning and complete their apprenticeship in the time planned.  Leaders need to ensure that apprentices use their study time usefully to complete assignments. Assessors must ensure that apprentices prioritise their studies. Assessors must provide effective study support in addition to the good personal help they offer.  Leaders and assessors need to ensure that apprentices have a secure knowledge of fundamental British values and other wider aspects of life in modern Britain. Apprentices need to understand how fundamental British values relate to themselves as well as the children and young people in their care. 25 to 27 October 2022

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Provider details

Address Unit 9 Forder Way, Hampton Peterborough PE7 8GX

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Trish Allen-Janes

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors N/A 25 to 27 October 2022

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Information about this inspection

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

Jules Steele, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Rebecca Perry His Majesty’s Inspector Christine Lacey Ofsted Inspector Alex Howarth Ofsted Inspector Kelly Perkin His Majesty’s Inspector 25 to 27 October 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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