Thrive Skills Limited

Thrive Skills Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Mark Parton, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 14 to 15 December 2022

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Suite 2, The Old Foundry Bath Street Walsall WS1 3BZ Monitoring visit: Thrive Skills Limited, 14 to 15 December 2022

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Context and focus of visit

Thrive Skills Limited was inspected in October 2021, under the trading name of Enabling Development Opportunities Limted. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement. The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in addressing the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the visit, 224 learners were enrolled. Nearly all learners were on level 3 diploma courses and a small number were studying at level 4. All were funded through advanced learner loans. One-hundred and seventy learners were enrolled on the level 3 diploma in nail technology, 18 on the level 3 diploma in foot health care practitioner, 11 on the level 3 diploma in adult care, 15 on the level 3 diploma in eyelash extension, and eight on the level 3 diploma in bridal hair and make up. Two learners were studying the level 4 diploma in managing a salon business. All learners were aged 19 and above. The provider does not work with any subcontractors.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have recently taken sensible and well-thought-out actions to broaden the curriculum that learners follow. Teachers ensure that learners now undertake a wider range of learning tasks. In most cases, these tasks support learners to develop their wider skills successfully. Learners value their learning, which often goes beyond the topics on the qualification specification. As a result, learners develop new skills in a swifter timeframe. Leaders and teachers ensure that learners now undertake learning that deepens their understanding of the workplace. Learners are exposed to a wide variety of workplace scenarios in all but a few curriculum areas. For example, learners on nail technology previously studied a limited number of contrary indicators, but they now study over 30 different types. As a result, more learners have a developed understanding of the latest practices used within the health and beauty industry.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and teachers ensure that most learners now have frequent access to practical learning experiences. Learners enjoy these activities greatly. They can identify their direct relevance to their long-term skill development. For example, learners on nail technology have exposure to a wide range of nail types, often working with live hand models. However, leaders and managers have not ensured Monitoring visit: Thrive Skills Limited, 14 to 15 December 2022 that these practical activities occur consistently across all curriculum areas. For example, in adult care, practical visits have only very recently begun. Learners’ practical skills remain currently underdeveloped in these cases. Leaders and managers have taken clear actions to establish learners’ long-term employment goals early within their studies. As a result, the curriculum that learners follow is adapted to meet their personal needs. For example, those who have a long-

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Reasonable progress

term ambition of self-employment study business development methods, advertising and personal taxation processes in addition to their core programme of study. As a result, the number of learners making successful transition to their chosen long-term goal has increased.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and teachers have acted to incorporate the development of learners’ English and mathematics skills within the curriculum. Teachers use well-designed ‘short’ activities, which are contextualised and sector relevant. These activities support apprentices to develop their practical skills in English and mathematics successfully. For example, foot health care practitioner learners develop the pronunciation and spelling of technical vocabulary, calculate cashflow and profit margins, as well as discounts and tax deductions. As a result, learners can develop and apply English and mathematics skills in the context of their vocational area and are better prepared for future employment. Leaders and teachers take clear steps to ensure learners’ initial starting points in English and mathematics skills are clearly assessed. Leaders have invested in staff training to enable teachers to use the results of these assessments effectively to

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Reasonable progress

better identify further areas of development in English and mathematics. However, the outcomes of these assessments are not shared with learners effectively. As a result, learners are not fully aware of their areas for development. Teachers do not always ensure that learners undertake learning to fill these gaps in knowledge. Therefore, too few learners develop their understanding in English and mathematics to the level of which they are capable. Leaders and managers do not always take clear actions to capture and analyse the progress that learners make in their English and mathematics skills development. For example, leaders do not ensure that teachers put in place interim checks on learners’ mathematical skills development. Therefore, leaders are not always aware if learners require additional support to improve their understanding. Monitoring visit: Thrive Skills Limited, 14 to 15 December 2022

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have put in place a detailed process to support the tracking of learner progress. Leaders now monitor a wider range of progress measures continually. These include the tracking of learners’ well- being and the effectiveness of help given to those who require additional support with their learning. Consequently, teachers use this information to better support those learners who are at risk of not achieving. Teachers have introduced learner contact diaries and use these to monitor progress effectively. Leaders meet frequently with teachers to identify learners at risk, and they discuss the support being put in place to help them achieve. As a result, teachers and managers have a clearer understanding of the skills learners are developing and the actions being taken to support them to achieve their goals. For example, learners who are currently unable to attend their training and have paused

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Reasonable progress

their studies are being supported well. Teachers maintain engagement with ongoing and frequent contact until learning can restart. Leaders ensure that nearly all learners are aware of the progress they are making in their knowledge and skills development. Learners receive frequent and valuable feedback from teachers, which clearly highlights areas for further development. As a result, learners feel supported and know how to improve their knowledge, skills and behaviours going forward. However, due to the recent introduction of some of these processes, not all learners currently have a secure enough understanding of their wider skills development. For example, not all learners know the actions they need to take to develop their written English skills further.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have established relationships with both local and national safeguarding agencies successfully. They ensure that these agencies are actively involved in the training of provider staff. This increases their knowledge of sector- relevant safeguarding issues, such as mental health awareness and spotting the signs of abuse. Leaders and teachers share this understanding with learners successfully. As a result, learners know what to do if they are exposed to risk. The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) has worked collaboratively with regional and national safeguarding leads. As a result, the DSL has a developed understanding of localised risks across the areas where learners study. This information is shared with learners effectively. Teachers ensure learners undertake learning tasks to research their local ‘Prevent’ contacts and to establish the local risks. Despite leaders only implementing this recently, nearly all learners understand localised risks clearly. For

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Reasonable progress

Monitoring visit: Thrive Skills Limited, 14 to 15 December 2022 example, learners can identify well the associated dangers of far-right activity in their locality, and they are mindful of the approaches taken to encourage extremist behaviours. Teachers ensure that the safeguarding tasks learners study are contextualised well to the health and beauty sector. Learners speak positively about the learning they undertake in relation to safeguarding, and it occurs frequently. As a result, learners know how to keep themselves, colleagues and clients safe. For example, learners appreciate the need to continually monitor the well-being of their clients and how to deal with sensitive disclosures correctly. Monitoring visit: Thrive Skills Limited, 14 to 15 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

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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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