Football Family Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 29 November to 2 December 2022

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Football Family Limited has had a contract to deliver apprenticeships since 2020. At the time of the inspection, 201 apprentices were on apprenticeship standards intended to fulfil the needs of the sport and hospitality sector. Of these, most were on standards at level 2, comprising 47 community activator coach, 20 hospitality team member, 25 production chef and a small number of customer service practitioner apprentices. At level 3, there were 32 digital marketer, 20 junior content producer and 22 business administrator apprentices, with a small number of customer service specialist and team leader or supervisor apprentices. At level 4, there were 23 sports coach apprentices. Almost all apprentices are aged over 19. 29 November to 2 December 2022

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

Apprentices value their learning. They develop professional attitudes and positive behaviours, including demonstrating a strong work ethic and working well as part of a team. Level 4 sport coach apprentices benefit from working with elite-level coaches from the professional sports industry, developing their own practice to high standards as a result. Production chef apprentices take useful additional qualifications in basic food and hygiene alongside their apprenticeship. As a result, most apprentices develop their confidence well while learning new skills.

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

Too many apprentices do not receive the teaching that they need to develop their English and mathematics skills and to pass their examinations in these subjects. While all apprentices have access to online learning resources to develop their English and mathematics skills, too many do not receive support if they struggle. As a result, a significant minority make slow progress towards achieving their functional skills qualifications.

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

Too many apprentices do not benefit from sufficiently high-quality and impartial careers advice and guidance. Digital marketer, junior content producer and business administrator apprentices do not receive careers guidance that helps them understand the potential for employment or self-employment in their sectors. Leaders have plans to formalise and enhance the information they provide about next steps, but this is not yet in place.

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

Apprentices feel safe working with the provider and in the workplace. They know who to contact in the workplace and at the provider if they have any issues. Instances of bullying and harassment are rare. Apprentices develop their knowledge of working safely online, such as using strong passwords and checking the identities of people with whom they communicate.

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better?

Leaders and managers have accurately identified education and training to fulfil the needs of the local, regional and national economy, particularly in the hospitality and sport sectors. For example, there are significant skills gaps and barriers to education and training for employers and their employees in the Bangladeshi and Indian restaurant sector. Leaders have planned a curriculum that supports apprentices to gain skills as production chefs and in front-of-house hospitality. However, too many of these apprentices make slow progress in terms of developing the English skills that they require to pass their final examinations. Leaders have very recently put in place additional staff and resources to support apprentices in developing their English skills.

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better?

Leaders and managers recognise the need to improve the curriculum that they provide. To help them achieve this, leaders and managers have taken the strategic decision to reduce the number of apprenticeships standards that they offer. Leaders 29 November to 2 December 2022

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know that, while they have significant staff subject expertise in areas such as sport and hospitality, they need to improve the quality of teaching and assessment across the programmes that they offer. They have taken logical actions, including appointing a new head of quality, to help drive improvements and enhance staff training. However, these actions are too recent to impact significantly on improving the quality of education.

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Tutors are experienced and knowledgeable in the vocational subjects they teach. Most tutors teach effectively so that apprentices understand and remember key concepts. For example, tutors support level 2 community activator coach apprentices to engage with complex topics such as applying coaching pedagogy theory to the planning of their coaching sessions. As a result, apprentices produce effective session plans for coaching groups in their workplace settings, such as primary schools.

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Tutors do not use information about apprentices’ starting points well enough to plan and sequence learning that meets apprentices’ individual needs. Too many apprentices follow the same curriculum, irrespective of their prior knowledge and experience, and a few spend time on topics that they already know and skills that they already have. As a result, too many do not make the progress of which they are capable from their starting points.

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Too often, tutors do not use assessment well enough to measure the progress that their apprentices are making or to set specific or measurable targets for next steps. While most apprentices gain new knowledge and skills, too many do not know how to extend and improve their knowledge beyond basic expectations, and a few make slow progress.

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Leaders and managers establish and maintain positive relationships with employers, who value the effective communication and contact that they have with the provider. Employers understand their responsibilities for their apprentices, and they are actively involved in their apprentices’ training and ensure that apprentices benefit from good-quality on- and off-the-job training. For example, business administration apprentices develop their communication skills when they speak to clients on the telephone and learn to use specialist software.

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Leaders work with one subcontractor to deliver a small number of apprenticeship standards, most of which are in business administration at level 3. They ensure that their subcontractor aligns with their policy and practice in safeguarding. However, leaders and managers have insufficient oversight of the quality of teaching and resources used at the subcontractor. As a result, the work that apprentices produce is too often of a poor standard.

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Those responsible for governance have appropriate oversight of the provider. They support the provider’s strategy and hold senior leaders to account. For example, governors have advised senior leaders to avoid growing the business too rapidly and to reduce the number of apprenticeship programmes to focus on improving quality. 29 November to 2 December 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider has a designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and several deputy DSLs to cover the different locations in which the provider operates. Leaders manage safe recruitment effectively and ensure that staff who come into contact with children or vulnerable adults have appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

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Safeguarding

Staff support apprentices to develop their resilience and help them understand how to keep mentally healthy. For example, leaders employ a mental health champion to speak to apprentices and to encourage them to reflect on strategies to help them develop their resilience, deal with setbacks and to cope with stress and anxiety. Staff know how to refer any apprentices who need support to those who have expertise to help.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that actions currently being taken to improve quality procedures have a significant impact on enhancing the quality of education and driving improvement.  Ensure that tutors plan, sequence and teach the curriculum in a way that enables apprentices to develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours from their starting points.  Ensure that tutors assess apprentices’ work effectively so that apprentices know how well they are doing and how to improve further.  Ensure that apprentices receive the teaching that they need to develop their English and mathematics skills and to pass their functional skills examinations.  Ensure that apprentices receive high-quality and impartial careers advice and guidance that prepares them for their next steps in education, employment or training.  Improve the oversight of the quality of teaching and resources at the subcontractor and take action to make improvements where necessary.

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Provider details

Address 21 Vicar Crescent Darfield Barnsley S73 9LB

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Provider details

Website https://footballfamily.org.uk/home

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Craig Parry

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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 Learning For Futures Limited 29 November to 2 December 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of quality, 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

Cath Jackson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Karen Anderson His Majesty’s Inspector Rachel Angus His Majesty’s Inspector Jack Bullock Ofsted Inspector Sarah Benson-Smith Ofsted Inspector Jaswant Mann Ofsted Inspector 29 November to 2 December 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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