Pentland Assessment Centres Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Pentland Assessment Centres Ltd

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Inspection dates: 21 to 23 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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Information about this provider

Pentland Assessment Centres Limited (PACL), is an independent learning provider based in Port Glasgow, Scotland. PACL began delivering training in Scotland in 1999. It has received funding directly from the Education and Skills Funding Agency to offer apprenticeships in England since 2018. PACL does not subcontract any of its provision.

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Information about this provider

PACL provides training for apprentices in network cable installation, business administration, and leadership and management. At the time of the inspection, there were 22 apprentices enrolled on five standards-based apprenticeships. Twelve apprentices were enrolled on the level 3 network cable installer apprenticeship. The remaining apprentices are on apprenticeships in business administrator, or team leader or supervisor at level 3, associate project manager at level 4, or operations or departmental manager at level 5. 21 to 23 September 2022

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

A few apprentices are almost two years beyond the planned completion of their apprenticeship. Leaders and trainers have not sufficiently supported them to catch up and achieve quickly, following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. These apprentices are frustrated and have lost the momentum of their previous learning.

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

Apprentices do not receive sufficient careers information, advice and guidance to support their next steps. Although a few apprentices have ambitions to work in higher positions, including management roles in other departments, they do not routinely benefit from preparatory activities or awareness for such progression.

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

Apprentices do not benefit from a broad curriculum to support their development beyond the basic requirements of their apprenticeship. Apprentices do not develop a secure knowledge of topics such as fundamental British values.

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

Apprentices feel safe. They develop an understanding of safeguarding through workplace training. Apprentices know who to talk to if they need to report any potential concerns they may have about their own or others’ safety.

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

Most apprentices demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. Trainers promote respectful communication and help apprentices to demonstrate their ability to be self-motivated when working alone. They ensure apprentices are self-reflective and recognise their own strengths and areas for improvement. Apprentices are keen to complete their qualifications and want to do so quickly, so that they can progress in their work and careers.

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better?

Leaders have a clear rationale and strategy for the specialist curriculum they offer. They have used their expertise as telecoms engineers to develop apprenticeship programmes for employers in the electro-technical and cable installation infrastructure sector. However, leaders have failed to provide a high-quality curriculum that meets the needs of all their apprentices. They do not adequately ensure that the network cable installation curriculum meets the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship. Too many apprentices do not receive their entitlement to well-planned off-the-job training during working hours. Apprentices complete their training in their own time.

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better?

Leaders and staff have developed good working relationships with employers. Employers value the service they receive and talk positively about their contact with staff. For the small number of apprentices on management standards, trainers use these links effectively to structure and sequence the curriculum. They tailor the training to meet the needs of the business and to align to the duties that apprentices carry out at work. Trainers accurately identify starting points and use 21 to 23 September 2022

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the information to plan individualised training to ensure that these apprentices make good progress.

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This is not the case for network cable installation apprentices. Trainers do not use information about apprentices’ prior knowledge, skills and experience to plan learning to meet their individual needs. All apprentices follow the same programme, whether they have worked in the trade for several years or are new to the industry. This means that apprentices do not make the rapid progress of which they are capable. Too many apprentices are learning about knowledge and skills that they have been demonstrating in the workplace for several years.

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Staff prioritise the development of English and mathematical skills for apprentices on management standards. Consequently, those who need to gain qualifications in these subjects do so early in the programme. However, this aspect of training does not receive the same focus for network cable installation apprentices. Trainers do not support apprentices to develop their English and mathematical skills during the programme, even when they identify a need. For example, trainers do not provide specialist language support for apprentices who need help with their written work because they speak English as an additional language.

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Network cable installation apprentices do not benefit from challenging targets to help them develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours. Trainers provide generic feedback that does not help apprentices identify what they need to do to improve the quality of their work. Trainers set targets that relate to the completion of tasks and do not focus on the development of knowledge, skills and behaviours. Employers are not sufficiently involved in the planning and review of their apprentices’ training.

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Conversely, trainers on management programmes work closely with employers and apprentices to set challenging and relevant targets. Employers routinely take part in reviews to monitor the progress of their apprentices and areas where they need more support, as well as planning the next stages of the programme. As a result, management apprentices develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours at work. They build their confidence and secure their learning incrementally.

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Leaders’ quality assurance processes are weak. They do not incisively identify the key strengths or areas for improvement of the provision. Leaders have not accurately identified key weaknesses found by the inspection team. The quality improvement plan does not enable leaders to identify or measure improvements in the quality of training that apprentices receive.

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Governance arrangements are ineffective. Leaders have recently set up more formal arrangements with external involvement on a quarterly basis, but it is too early to see the impact of this work.

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Trainers are subject sector experts. Leaders ensure that trainers benefit from a range of vocational update training to maintain their industrial and sector competence. Trainers work with industry organisations on topics including artificial 21 to 23 September 2022

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intelligence, neural networks, and systems architect software development. This ensures that trainers’ knowledge of the sector remains ‘cutting edge’ and enables them to pass up-to-date learning to their apprentices. However, leaders do not routinely plan and provide training for staff on the craft of teaching. They recognise the lack of formal systems to check on the quality of teaching.

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Trainers support apprentices well with challenges they may face on management apprenticeship programmes. Trainers are flexible with their time to support apprentices and guide them through challenging scenarios such as people management and influencing project delivery. Apprentices develop their ability to think differently and gain confidence in their leadership skills. As a result, these apprentices develop their resilience and feel well supported.

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Leaders focus on the well-being and welfare of their staff to ensure they maintain a healthy work-life balance. They ensure that staff benefit from a supportive workplace environment. Leaders make reasonable adjustments including greater flexibility in working patterns to support staff welfare, well-being, and positive mental health. Trainers feel valued and listened to at work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead has the appropriate training and experience to carry out their role effectively. They have nurtured effective links with government agencies, including the counter terrorism unit, that they use to keep their apprentices safe and up to date with safeguarding and terror threats in their area of work.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff benefit from training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Trainers have completed recent training on appropriate sexual behaviour, consent, and peer-on-peer abuse. They recognise that apprentices do not yet routinely benefit from training on this.

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Safeguarding

Leaders follow safe recruitment and ensure training staff are suitable to work with apprentices.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders must ensure all apprentices receive their entitlement to well-planned off- the-job training during working hours.  Leaders and trainers should take immediate action to ensure apprentices catch up and achieve quickly following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Leaders should provide apprentices with a broad curriculum to support their development beyond the basic requirements of their apprenticeship standard. They should include improved careers information, advice and guidance to support apprentices’ next steps, including promotion or careers in other sectors. 21 to 23 September 2022

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 Trainers should use information about all apprentices’ prior knowledge, skills and experience to plan learning to meet their individual needs and help apprentices to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to be successful.  Trainers should support all apprentices to develop their English and mathematical skills throughout their training programme.  Trainers should provide specific feedback that helps apprentices identify what they need to do to improve the quality of their work.  Leaders should implement effective quality assurance processes so that they quickly identify, and take action to improve, weaknesses in the quality of training apprentices receive.  Leaders should strengthen governance arrangements and provide the board with accurate information so that those in a governance role can support and challenge leaders to improve the quality of education rapidly. 21 to 23 September 2022

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Provider details

Address 23 Middlepenny Road Langbank Port Glasgow PA14 6XB

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent James Owens

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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 21 to 23 September 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the operations manager, 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

Alastair Mollon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Sarah McGrath Ofsted Inspector Victoria Copp-Crawley Ofsted Inspector 21 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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