Northumberland Business Service Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Northumberland Business Service Limited

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Inspection dates: 22 to 24 November 2022

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Northumberland Business Service Limited (NBSL) is a not-for-profit social enterprise company that was established in 2000. In August 2020, it received a contract from North of Tyne Combined Authority to provide adult learning programmes. NBSL offer short, non-accredited business-related training programmes delivered through online workshops for micro, small and medium-sized businesses. Since September 2021, 106 learners have participated in workshops. Between September 2022 and the time of the inspection, 18 learners had completed a ‘better business skills’ programme and seven learners had completed a ‘to net zero’ programme. 22 to 24 November 2022

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

Attendance in the workshops is not high enough, particularly in the ‘better business skills’ programme follow-up session where teachers consolidate learning. Leaders and managers do not monitor attendance effectively enough. They do not ensure that learners who miss sessions have the opportunity to attend additional sessions to catch up with what they have missed. Leaders and managers have very recently developed a process to record and monitor learner absence. It is too early to assess the impact on whether this is improving attendance.

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

Learners feel well supported and welcomed at their online learning sessions. Staff spend time helping learners select suitable workshops to improve their business skills or knowledge of current environmental issues. They provide good communication before the course to ensure that learners have all the information that they need and know how to access sessions successfully.

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

Learners are enthusiastic about their learning, and they describe their training experience as valuable and positive. Teachers create an environment and culture that helps learners to learn effectively. They ensure that learners interact, participate in learning and develop useful business links in the workshops. The sessions that learners attend are informative and, as a result, learners develop their understanding of managing a business or how to reduce carbon emissions in their business and work towards achieving ‘net zero’.

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

Learners feel safe and know who to contact if they have any concerns or if issues should arise. They are aware of how to protect themselves from radicalisation and the risks of extremism, which teachers cover in initial sessions. Teachers ensure that learners receive useful information about general data protection regulations. However, staff do not raise learners’ awareness of potential risks within their own communities well enough. They do not provide learners with sufficient information and advice about how to stay safe online.

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better?

Leaders and managers do not monitor closely enough whether staff implement actions identified to make improvements to the provision. They have very recently introduced processes to improve communication between staff and to monitor and improve the quality of the provision. They have begun to carry out evaluations of the quality of teaching and hold standardisation meetings to share good practice. However, these processes are too recently introduced to have had a discernible impact.

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better?

Leaders and managers have designed an effective curriculum to enable learners to develop the skills and knowledge that they need to manage or work in their businesses. They develop good relationships with local businesses and employers to identify the challenges of running a business. Leaders and managers successfully 22 to 24 November 2022

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develop training programmes to support businesses in the north east to grow, increase profitability or reduce their carbon footprint.

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Staff design and plan the curriculum well. They structure the content logically to build skills and knowledge sequentially. On the ‘better business skills’ programme, staff have designed a wide range of modules that learners can follow flexibly and that include topics such as marketing, identifying customers and management strategies. Learners from a range of employment backgrounds, including those who are newly self-employed, experienced professionals and online entrepreneurs, select modules that meet their specific needs. Learners cover basic sales and marketing before moving to more advanced topics such as change management.

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Teachers are well qualified, experienced and very knowledgeable about the topics which they teach. Staff on the ‘to net zero’ programme deliver an informative series of workshops to develop learners’ understanding of reducing the carbon footprint in businesses. Learners receive good support to help them to apply their new knowledge when completing useful projects, such as reducing packing waste, reducing energy consumption when collecting data and analysing the heating sources in buildings to increase efficiency.

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Teachers skilfully develop learners’ knowledge and skills through probing questions in group discussions. They check that learners understand how to take account of professional standards when producing marketing materials and publications. Teachers take the opportunity to remind learners about the importance of correct spelling, punctuation and grammar, and accurate proofreading when publishing promotional literature.

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Teachers use frequent recap information to reinforce learning points, and they provide clear summaries of learning to help learners remember more. Learners demonstrate a good grasp of theoretical aspects of their courses such as marketing products and services. They can apply their new knowledge when promoting their own products and services, incorporating sustainability and green methods in packaging. Learners can articulate how to apply the theory of gaining the attention of clients quickly at the outset of sales calls using hooks, and explain how they follow up sales campaigns with clients. Teachers further consolidate learning with short video clips on successful sales techniques and question learners to confirm their understanding.

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Staff provide follow-up helpful workshop sessions after the main programme. Learners who attend these sessions find them useful as they provide an opportunity for them to learn from each other through delivering presentations to the group, covering topics such as strategies for operating a lean and efficient business model.

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Staff do not accurately assess learners’ starting points to inform learners’ individual learning plans and to tailor teaching precisely to fill any gaps in learning. Too many plans have incomplete sections and lack sufficient detail about the specific skills that learners need to develop. Staff do not collect information about learners’ prior 22 to 24 November 2022

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attainment in English and mathematics. Consequently, staff cannot be sure that learners make the progress of which they are capable.

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Teachers develop learners’ English skills by guiding learners on the use of correct grammar and its importance in business communications. In a few sessions, they effectively integrate mathematical skills development into the curriculum, such as data collection and calculating percentages through use of a carbon footprint tool. However, teachers do not provide specific enough feedback to improve learners’ English and mathematical skills.

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Although staff carry out useful training, including in anti-bribery and general data protection regulations, leaders and managers do not have sufficient oversight of the professional development that staff complete. As a result, they do not plan or provide appropriate training activities to enhance the knowledge and skills that staff need to improve their practice.

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Learners receive initial helpful information about the content of the workshops. They are able to make informed choices and identify the most useful sessions to attend. Teachers discuss next steps and career goals in the sessions. As a result, most learners are aware of the steps that they need to take to reach the next stage in their education, training or employment.

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Board members are appropriately qualified and experienced to carry out their roles. They have a good understanding of the provision’s strength and areas for improvement. Board members have either a relevant business background, such as in finance or compliance, or they have substantial experience of roles in various types of education providers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers have appropriate policies and procedures in place, and they meet the requirements of the ‘Prevent’ duty. They receive useful updates from the regional Prevent coordinator that they share with staff and board members. However, leaders and managers do not systematically review or update their policies or procedures to ensure that they contain the latest information.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers have a suitable recruitment process in place to ensure that staff are safe to work with vulnerable adults. They carry out appropriate pre-employment checks and require staff to complete essential safeguarding training to ensure that they are able to recognise learners at risk. However, leaders and managers lack sufficiently clear oversight of when staff have completed training or if they require training updates.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers ensure that staff are aware of local risks such as right-wing extremist groups. They provide learners with an informative handbook and ensure 22 to 24 November 2022

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that staff raise awareness of these issues in workshop sessions. In a few cases, learners’ awareness of issues that may affect them or their community, such as county lines gangs, drug and domestic abuse, is not developed well enough.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Provide learners with the information that they need to understand how to stay safe online.  Improve attendance in sessions to ensure that all learners receive the training that they need.  Ensure that learners’ initial starting points are identified and are used effectively to plan learning.  Ensure that learners receive helpful feedback on how they can improve their English and mathematics skills.  Effectively monitor the quality of provision to identify appropriate improvement actions.  Ensure that staff receive training to enhance their teaching practice. 22 to 24 November 2022

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Provider details

Address 6 Esther Court Ashington NE63 8AP

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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 22 to 24 November 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the skills 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

Joanne Stork, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Jaswant Mann Ofsted Inspector 22 to 24 November 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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