Excelsis Training Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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Information about this provider

Excelsis training (Excelsis) is an independent learning provider based in the London Borough of Newham. They train apprentices across England. Most apprentices are training for roles in the care sector. Excelsis train apprentices through a mixture of online and face-to-face training. All apprentices are over 18 years of age.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, 242 apprentices were studying towards apprenticeship standards. Of these, just over half were studying towards level 4 and 5 children, young people and families standards. A further 72 were studying adult care standards from levels 2 to 5. There were 14 apprentices studying the level 7 senior leader standard who were working in the care sector. A further 11 apprentices were studying level 3 digital marketer, 14 studying level 2 production chef and eight studying level 2 hospitality team member standards. There were 14 apprentices on a break in learning. 11 to 14 October 2022

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

Most apprentices do not receive enough time at work to complete their training. In addition, their progress has been slowed by too many changes of teaching staff.

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

Assessors do not review apprentices’ progress frequently enough. They do not ensure that employers are sufficiently involved in reviews of apprentices’ progress. As a result, apprentices are not clear about what they need to do to complete their training. Too many lack the motivation to complete their apprenticeship.

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

Apprentices who do have the time they need to complete their training are motivated to achieve. They learn valuable new knowledge, skills and behaviours that help them at work. Digital marketer and production chef apprentices enjoy their training. For example, production chef apprentices conduct research in advance of sessions in order to hold helpful discussions about topics such as food allergens.

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

Apprentices find one-to-one training sessions helpful. They value tutors’ knowledge and feel comfortable to ask their tutor questions. As a result, tutors have helped to keep a few apprentices on their programmes who would otherwise have left early.

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

Apprentices feel safe in their workplaces and during training sessions. Staff teach them how to conduct themselves safely online.

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better?

Leaders aim to train adult apprentices in areas where there are skills shortages. However, they have struggled to find a clear strategy for their curriculum offer. Leaders have offered apprenticeships in a range of different industries without enough understanding of each sector to ensure the success of the programme.

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better?

Leaders do not set clear enough expectations with apprentices and employers working in the care sector at the start of their programme. As a result, apprentices struggle to manage their apprenticeship alongside their work, and too many do not complete their course.

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better?

Leaders and managers do not ensure that apprentices receive their entitlement to training time. Too often, apprentices study outside of their working hours. Leaders do not ensure that employers of care apprentices fulfil their commitments to the apprenticeship programme. Too often, apprentices are unable to study during work time due to the demands of their roles. As a result, too many apprentices make slow progress or leave their programme early.

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better?

Staff do not work closely enough with apprentices’ line managers to plan apprentices’ training and monitor their progress. Staff do not ensure that line managers take part in reviews of apprentices’ progress. In a few instances, level 7 senior leader apprentices do not have line managers in place to support them with their training. In too many instances, employers are not aware of the knowledge and 11 to 14 October 2022

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skills that apprentices study. As a result, apprentices’ on- and off-the-job training does not align sufficiently.

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The quality of teaching by tutors varies considerably. Leaders and managers have not trained teaching staff to teach online effectively. Too many tutors do not focus enough on developing apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours. Instead, they use training sessions to guide apprentices to complete assignments.

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Tutors are experts in their fields. They relate the content they teach to apprentices’ job roles. As a result, apprentices understand how what they learn helps them to improve at work.

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Leaders and managers have been slow to prioritise the teaching of English and mathematics. A high proportion of apprentices who require functional skills qualifications do not receive training or are unclear about when they will learn this knowledge.

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Staff do not prepare apprentices effectively for their final assessments. Most tutors give apprentices limited feedback on their work. They praise apprentices when they meet criteria related to units of qualifications, but do not guide them to develop their knowledge beyond this. Apprentices are not clear about the requirements of their final assessments, and they are not well prepared for these assessments.

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Leaders do not implement suitable quality checks across the apprenticeship curriculum. They are yet to implement suitable governance arrangements to guide and challenge them about the quality of their provision. Consequently, leaders and managers are not aware of some of the areas of training that need to be improved. They have recently brought in expertise to help improve the teaching of English and mathematics, but it is too early to see the impact of this on apprentices.

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Leaders and managers do not teach a curriculum that helps apprentices develop their wider skills and interests. Staff do not routinely provide apprentices with enough information, advice and guidance on their next steps.

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In most instances, tutors do not teach apprentices about British values and the importance of these in their professional practice. Staff email information about British values to apprentices, but do not check whether apprentices understand what they have been sent.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers ensure that staff have suitable safeguarding training to help keep apprentices safe. Leaders use professional networks to stay up to date with the issues that their apprentices may face. 11 to 14 October 2022

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Leaders have suitable safeguarding policies and procedures in place and conduct appropriate background checks on staff. Leaders have put in place clear reporting procedures for staff and apprentices should they identify a safeguarding concern. These procedures have not yet been tested.

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As part of their main qualification, apprentices learn how to keep their clients safe. Staff teach apprentices how to stay safe online. Apprentices complete suitable training on the ‘Prevent’ duty at the start of their course, but this is not revisited enough by most tutors. Staff do not keep apprentices sufficiently informed about risks in their local area or risks they may encounter in the workplace.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders and managers should ensure that apprentices receive their entitlement to training time.  Leaders and managers should ensure that apprentices have suitable line managers in place.  Leaders and managers should plan apprenticeship training more closely with apprentices and their line managers to better align apprentices’ on- and off-the- job training.  Leaders and managers should plan the curriculum to better prepare apprentices for their final assessments.  Leaders should support tutors to teach online more effectively and use assessment and feedback to help improve apprentices’ understanding.  Leaders and managers should develop a coherent curriculum to teach apprentices about career opportunities.  Leaders and managers should take action to improve the teaching of English and mathematics.  Leaders and managers should put in place appropriate governance arrangements with the necessary apprenticeship expertise to give them robust support and

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Provider details

Address 4th Floor 64 Broadway London E15 1NT

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Provider details

Directors Faith Daramola and Femi Osinaike

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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 N/A 11 to 14 October 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director, 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

Rebecca Jennings, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Paul Manning His Majesty’s Inspector Maureen Gilmartin Ofsted Inspector Andrea McMahon His Majesty’s Inspector 11 to 14 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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