Positive Approach Academy for Hair Limited

Positive Approach Academy for Hair Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Chloe Rendall, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

14 Oswald Road Scunthorpe DN15 7PT Monitoring visit: Positive Approach Academy for Hair Limited, 9 February 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Positive Approach Academy for Hair Limited was inspected in February 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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Reasonable progress

Leaders have taken effective and sustainable actions to improve their oversight of the quality of apprenticeship provision. They have appointed new staff with specific quality assurance responsibilities to monitor apprentices’ progress across all centres. As a result, communication among centres, leaders and quality leads has improved. For example, leaders have appointed a new head of quality who has implemented monthly meetings at each centre to discuss the apprenticeship provision. The use of a centralised tracking and reporting system to collect data and quickly provide information at these meetings has improved leaders’ oversight of apprentices’ progress.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and staff monitor the progress of apprentices well. Staff carry out productive progress reviews with apprentices and their mentors, and set useful targets to help apprentices progress rapidly towards completing their programmes. As a result, when apprentices fall behind, staff work collaboratively with mentors to ensure that apprentices catch up. For example, staff work with mentors to help apprentices complete outstanding practical assessments in specialist units, such as applying hair extensions. These apprentices make positive and swift progress towards gateway and end-point assessment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have improved their oversight of the progress of apprentices who are working towards functional skills qualifications. Functional skills tutors use a new tracking system to assess how well apprentices master English and mathematical components. Tutors are more confident that they know how well prepared the apprentices are to sit formal examinations and achieve a pass at their first attempt. Monitoring visit: Positive Approach Academy for Hair Limited, 9 February 2023 Leaders have recently reached out to employers and key partners to express interest in forming a board of governance. While this is in its infancy, leaders recognise that appointing members who have educational experience to a board will provide additional scrutiny and challenge, and help to enhance further their understanding of what constitutes high-quality apprenticeship provision.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have taken effective actions to improve careers advice and guidance provided to apprentices. They have requested job notice boards at each centre, which are updated monthly with information about local jobs and wider opportunities in the hairdressing sector. This helps apprentices to identify vacancies and other routes available to them once they complete their apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers work well with industry stakeholders to provide impartial and effective careers advice and guidance. They invite manufacturers such as Wella to talk to apprentices about life in the industry. Experts also provide sector updates to ensure that apprentices remain at the forefront of an ever-changing industry. As a result, apprentices understand the employment options available to them at the end of their apprenticeship and demonstrate a good understanding of the different routes they can take to have a successful career in the hair and beauty industry.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices appreciate the information that they receive from their tutors about their next steps. They are aspirational about their long-term career goals and are confident about how to achieve their ambitions, such as becoming a session stylist, having their own business or becoming a hairdressing teacher. For example, apprentices interested in starting their own business are taught about the skills they will need to open a well-being centre. However, in a few instances, level 2 hairdressing apprentices are less clear about the routes to further study, such as a level 3 qualification, and what this will entail.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have taken swift action to review and refine their safeguarding processes. They have improved the ways in which concerns are raised and recorded. New processes and procedures ensure that leaders and designated safeguarding leads Monitoring visit: Positive Approach Academy for Hair Limited, 9 February 2023 have a better understanding of apprentices who are at risk. For example, leaders have designed and implemented a new safeguarding referral completion form. This helps managers to track individual concerns raised by staff and monitor the actions taken to ensure that apprentices are safe. As a result, leaders know how well individual safeguarding cases are managed and assure themselves that apprentices are safe.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that staff receive safeguarding training and know how to complete the new safeguarding referral completion form. This training ensures that all apprentices receive the support and guidance that they need. When a safeguarding concern or incident is deemed closed, designated safeguarding leads, leaders and staff continue to maintain a careful watch on apprentices until they complete their programmes. They record all information, including additional checks on apprentices, on a central safeguarding document to which leaders and those who need to know have swift access.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and staff are very considerate of apprentices’ safety and well-being. Staff provide apprentices with the opportunity to discuss personal concerns that they may have, during visits to centres, to employer premises and during phone calls. As a result, apprentices establish trusting relationships with their tutors and feel comfortable in discussing issues. Monitoring visit: Positive Approach Academy for Hair Limited, 9 February 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

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Reasonable progress

children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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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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