Bournemouth University

Bournemouth University Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Paul James, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Higher education institution

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Address:

Poole House Talbot Campus Fern Barrow Poole Dorset BH12 5BB Monitoring visit: Bournemouth University, 7 and 8 December 2022

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Context and focus of visit

From October 2018, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision which began to be funded from April 2017 or after by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or the apprenticeship levy. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, Bournemouth University had 274 adult apprentices studying health care standards, with 163 studying the advanced clinical practitioner (integrated degree) at level 7, 97 studying the registered nurse degree at level 6, and 14 studying senior leader at level 7. Of those studying the registered nurse degree standard, 70 were following an adult nursing pathway and 27 were studying mental health nursing.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have worked well with existing large employer partners, including the local NHS trusts and primary care, to develop their apprenticeship offer. Employers take part in the design of the apprenticeships and, as a result, apprentices receive training that aligns well with local employer needs and that provides them with valuable career opportunities. Employers recognise, rightly, the positive impact of the apprenticeships on their ability to meet the challenges of recruiting and retaining clinical practitioners.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have worked with senior executives in the university to establish effective arrangements for governance. This has resulted in the introduction of a new structure of meetings and a focus on apprenticeship provision in the existing academic and governance structure, including a valuable student quality and standards committee. Those responsible for governance now have the time and information necessary to provide leaders with effective challenge and expect from them positive change. For example, senior executives have overseen the recent establishment and appointment of an important role, leading on the apprenticeships, which is already having a positive impact on the quality of training that apprentices receive. Monitoring visit: Bournemouth University, 7 and 8 December 2022 Leaders and managers have made recent changes to improve their oversight of what apprentices know and can do, both at the start of their apprenticeship and

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Reasonable progress

throughout their training. Personal tutors now use the review of the progress that apprentices make in learning the curriculum well to identify what apprentices already know and can do. They use this information to plan future training carefully. While it is too early to see the full impact of these changes, early indications suggest that most apprentices are now receiving the training and support they need to make progress in their learning at the expected pace.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that most apprentices are supported well by their personal tutors and employers when studying each clinical pathway. Advanced clinical practitioner apprentices receive valuable support from clinical practice staff at work to implement and practise the skills that they have learned in the classroom. As a result, apprentices develop their confidence and skills quickly, becoming more effective and valuable employees.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers coordinate support effectively for those apprentices who have specific support needs. Apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities take academic support tutors into their apprenticeship review meetings to help them understand better and recall the key concepts discussed. As a result, they make progress in line with their peers, growing in confidence because of the new knowledge and skills gained.

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Reasonable progress

Lecturers teach apprentices well, ensuring that they develop significant new skills and knowledge as a result of studying the programme. Lecturers teaching apprentices on year 2 of the nursing degree standards skilfully revisit key topics, helping apprentices to reflect on their clinical experiences and to deepen their understanding. However, a minority of apprentices studying the mental health pathway do not understand fully key concepts because lecturers do not present information in sufficient depth so that apprentices can apply it effectively to their clinical setting. As a result, apprentices do not always feel sufficiently equipped for the breadth of challenges that they face at work. At the time of the monitoring visit, leaders acknowledged, rightly, that this is an area for improvement. Leaders have planned for apprentices to receive effective additional training to ensure that they secure their knowledge and understanding and feel confident in the clinical

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Reasonable progress

The designated safeguarding lead is well qualified and has extensive experience. They oversee safeguarding processes that meet the needs of apprentices well. When Monitoring visit: Bournemouth University, 7 and 8 December 2022 concerns about apprentices are identified, the safeguarding team works effectively with employers to ensure that apprentices are supported well throughout all elements of their training and at work. Leaders and those responsible for governance are kept well informed about the trends in safeguarding concerns relating to apprentices, and about the referrals, which are categorised as a high level of concern.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have devised an effective safeguarding curriculum that supports apprentices well to stay safe in training and at work. Apprentices revisit important safeguarding themes, such as personal safety, health-care law and ethics, through discussion and reflecting on their experiences of working with vulnerable clients. Lecturers support apprentices well to discuss a range of real-life scenarios, which helps to deepen their understanding of how to keep themselves and their clients safe. Monitoring visit: Bournemouth University, 7 and 8 December 2022 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

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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable progress

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Reasonable progress

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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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