Plymouth Training and Consultancy Ltd

Plymouth Training and Consultancy Ltd Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Lowenna Bradley, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 January 2023

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Office 9, Genesis 235 Union Street Plymouth PL1 3HN Monitoring visit: Plymouth Training and Consultancy Ltd, 11 and 12 January 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Plymouth Training and Consultancy Ltd was inspected in April 2022. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in resolving the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

Plymouth Training and Consultancy Ltd is based in Plymouth city centre. The provider offers apprenticeships in health and social care, child development and well- being, direct learning support, business management and administration. At the time of inspection, there were 28 apprentices, including four taking a break in learning. Most apprentices study standards-based apprenticeships ranging from level 2 to level 5, with the majority studying at level 3. Most apprentices are employed in a school or adult care setting.

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Reasonable

Governance arrangements have improved since the previous inspection. Leaders communicate frequently with external consultants, who provide effective scrutiny. The consultants challenge leaders to take appropriate actions to improve the quality of apprenticeships. Ongoing discussions between senior leaders and those who provide governance are helpful and ensure the changes made have a positive impact on apprentices.

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Reasonable

The consultants have supported leaders well to develop the processes they use to check the progress apprentices make in learning the curriculum. Leaders produce useful reports that they analyse effectively. They use this information well to set targets for their trainers. The targets are focused on the progress apprentices should be making and leaders review these during staff appraisals. As a result, trainers focus on supporting apprentices to develop their knowledge and skills more rapidly.

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Reasonable

Leaders have provided trainers with useful training to help to improve the meetings that take place between the trainer, the apprentice and their employer. Trainers encourage apprentices to be more reflective and share their views on their learning Monitoring visit: Plymouth Training and Consultancy Ltd, 11 and 12 January 2023 and work. As a result, apprentices value these progress review meetings and have a better understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses and how to develop further.

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Reasonable

As a result of more recent effective challenge from consultants, leaders have improved their communication with employers. They explain to employers the expectations of the apprenticeship and their responsibilities. They reinforce this by setting and agreeing actions with employers when needed. For example, leaders arrange more frequent visits from trainers to apprentices who fall behind in their learning.

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Reasonable

Those responsible for governance understand their statutory responsibilities and keep up to date with changes to the apprenticeship requirements through communication with professional and sector bodies and local authorities.

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Reasonable

Leaders have made improvements because of external scrutiny. They plan to grow the small governance board to provide more effective oversight. However, this has not yet happened.

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Reasonable

Leaders have developed suitable methods to assess apprentices’ skills in English and mathematics when they start their apprenticeship. Trainers use this information well to plan, and provide apprentices with, appropriate support and development. They also ensure that apprentices who need to achieve qualifications in English and mathematics begin the training they need early in their apprenticeship.

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Reasonable

Trainers consider the roles that apprentices have in their workplaces and develop opportunities for them to practise relevant English and mathematics skills. For example, adult care apprentices learn how to structure their written work and to be specific and concise in their writing. They use these skills to write accurate client incident reports at work. Adult care apprentices also learn how to interpret and analyse data effectively. They practise these skills through the assignments they are set by trainers and develop their fluency when using these skills at work.

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Reasonable

Trainers give apprentices useful feedback on their work and set specific targets to improve their English and mathematics skills. Apprentices respond positively to this feedback, such as improving their grammar and sentence structure. Apprentices gain confidence through the development of their skills. For example, teaching assistant apprentices feel able to support their pupils more effectively in the classroom. Monitoring visit: Plymouth Training and Consultancy Ltd, 11 and 12 January 2023 Leaders ensure apprentices working towards achieving the functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics receive frequent one-to-one tuition with a well-qualified and experienced tutor. The tutor supports apprentices well to develop their skills and confidence to sit examinations. As a result, the large majority of apprentices achieve their functional skills qualifications.

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Reasonable

Leaders communicate effectively with employers at the start of the apprenticeship to plan the training apprentices need. They discuss how the training can be adjusted to meet the specific needs of the apprentice and their role with the employer. However, the recording of this planning is often informal and not easy to access. As a result, leaders cannot assure themselves easily that all planned and jointly agreed activities have been carried out.

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Reasonable

Trainers work well together with most employers during meetings to review the progress that apprentices make in their learning and to coordinate on- and off-the- job training. They identify the skills and knowledge that apprentices need to develop further. Trainers discuss with the employer how apprentices can practise the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to master for their job. For example, apprentices learn about legislation and use this to understand, follow and update relevant policies at work. As a result, most apprentices receive well-coordinated training which links theory to practice effectively.

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Reasonable

A small minority of employers do not participate effectively in this planning process, and their apprentices make slower progress in learning new knowledge and skills. However, leaders have recently taken appropriate actions to improve this partnership, and this is starting to have a positive impact on what apprentices know and can do.

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Reasonable

Most employers provide apprentices with useful wider opportunities to use their knowledge and practise their skills and behaviours in the workplace. For example, to develop their leadership skills and apply knowledge of writing risk assessments, one apprentice organised a trip for disabled adults to a museum.

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Reasonable

Apprentices add value to their workplaces because of the training they receive. For example, apprentices in care settings learn about interactive technology to develop sensory communication with clients. They share their up-to-date knowledge with their wider teams at work to refresh and update their practice. Monitoring visit: Plymouth Training and Consultancy Ltd, 11 and 12 January 2023

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Reasonable

Leaders make effective use of their extensive networks with the local community and training provider networks to stay up to date with local careers opportunities. Leaders share this useful information with trainers, who use this, together with their sector-specific knowledge, to support most apprentices with their next steps into employment or promotion.

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Reasonable

Leaders have recently improved the focus of trainers’ visits to apprentices’ workplaces. Trainers encourage apprentices to reflect on the development of their skills and behaviours. They consider how these skills can be transferred into different roles as the apprentices develop their knowledge and skills.

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Reasonable

Trainers discuss and develop career plans with most apprentices to support their next steps in their chosen area. As a result, most apprentices have a clear understanding of what they want to do after they complete their apprenticeship and are aware of the options available to them in their chosen sector. For example, learning support apprentices know that they can continue their training to become teachers or trainers, and apprentices working in the care sector are aware of the range of careers available in the health and care services. However, apprentices studying level 5 apprenticeships do not receive well-structured specific careers advice and guidance from their trainers and are not aware of all their options.

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Reasonable

Apprentices are not taught how to find wider careers information, advice and guidance, including on areas outside of their current sector. Trainers do not signpost them to relevant sources of information. Consequently, apprentices are not aware of where they can find information or wider careers guidance outside of their current sectors. Monitoring visit: Plymouth Training and Consultancy Ltd, 11 and 12 January 2023 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

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Reasonable

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