The Square Metre Limited

The Square Metre Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Victor Reid, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 February 2023

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider Address: The Former County Court 13 Church Road Redditch B97 4AB Monitoring visit: The Square Metre Limited, 15 to 16 February 2023

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Context and focus of visit

The Square Metre Limited 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

At the time of the visit, there were 25 adult apprentices in learning, of which almost all were studying the Level 5 operations/departmental manager apprenticeship standard. Apprentices are based in many regions across England, with training delivered in the workplace using a blended approach of online learning and direct face-to-face tutor support. The Square Metre Limited does not work with any subcontractors.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have implemented new processes that accurately identify apprentices’ academic and vocational skills when they start their apprenticeship. All apprentices now benefit from thorough initial and diagnostic assessment that identifies clearly what apprentices already know and can do and what they need to learn, including English and mathematical skills. In addition, tutors quickly identify apprentices’ additional support needs and ensure that appropriate arrangements are swiftly put into place.

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Reasonable progress

Where prospective apprentices’ starting points in English and mathematics are well below what is required for their programme, managers and tutors direct them to external training courses that will help them to develop their numeracy and literacy skills both to meet their individual needs and to help them cope with the demands of an academically challenging apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors now routinely use information about apprentices’ starting points in relation to their existing knowledge, skills and work-related behaviours well to plan appropriately challenging learning and set demanding vocational targets. For example, they ensure that apprentices’ learning plans now include more detailed information relating to their vocational targets, sequencing of on- and off-the-job training, and the expectations and demands associated with end-point assessment. Monitoring visit: The Square Metre Limited, 15 to 16 February 2023 Apprentices benefit from flexible timetabling of online learning sessions. Tutors planning for learning includes appropriate consideration of the sessional and cyclical nature of apprentices work in overseeing crowd security at festivals and other outdoor events. Apprentices value how this helps them to fit learning around work commitments; most participate enthusiastically in their learning.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and tutors do not ensure that all employers participate routinely in progress reviews with apprentices. In too many cases, reviews overly focus on the completion of qualification assignments and not enough on the development of apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours or the progress that they achieve over time.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices gain substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours during their apprenticeship. They enjoy learning and value the new knowledge they gain from tutors, who use their extensive vocational expertise in event management and crowd safety effectively, to challenge and inspire apprentices to make good progress.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers provide apprentices with insightful and informative learning resources and reading materials. These curriculum rich learning guides help support apprentices to broaden and deepen their knowledge and understanding of how the principles of operational management are relevant to their job roles. Apprentices understand the benefits of their learning and see how their knowledge, skills and behaviours have improved because of it. For example, how the techniques of emotional intelligence acquired through the apprenticeship can be applied to their leadership and management styles when managing challenging situations.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that apprentices receive regular, constructive and encouraging feedback on their progress, which helps them improve and become more effective managers. Apprentices gain significantly in confidence when liaising with organisations such as the police and fire services when planning crowd security at large scale public events such as football matches, music events and firework displays.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have introduced more robust and informative initial advice and guidance for apprentices that set out the expectations and demands of the apprenticeship. This ensures that apprentices benefit from more precise guidance at the beginning of their learning and ensures that they are on the right programme to meet their needs and interests. In addition, leaders have recently updated course information guides Monitoring visit: The Square Metre Limited, 15 to 16 February 2023 and provided apprentices with access to a range of online advice and guidance resources to raise their awareness of different career progression possibilities.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors do not ensure that the most-able and experienced apprentices are routinely given sufficient opportunities and encouragement to extend their skills and achieve the highest possible standards. Consequently, these apprentices do not make the swift progress for which they are capable.

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Reasonable progress

Senior leaders and managers are ambitious for their apprentices. Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have prioritised their actions to ensure that apprentices benefit from a challenging curriculum that enables them to acquire substantial new knowledge and to make assured progress in their learning.

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Reasonable progress

Managers now routinely gather, analyse and report on relevant information obtained from across the organisation to inform their understanding as to the quality of the apprenticeship. For example, managers now seek and act on the feedback from apprentices relating to the quality of the training they receive and take rapid action when it is not in line with their high expectations.

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Reasonable progress

With the support of leaders, managers have developed more robust assurance procedures for the observation of learning that focus on the sequencing, impact and evaluation of learning being provided to apprentices. As a result, managers now have a more accurate insight as to the quality of provision being provided to apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders closely check the progress that apprentices are making through monthly review meetings. Where apprentices are falling behind or struggling with their vocational learning, suitable interventions are actioned to get them back on track as soon as possible. However, managers do not ensure that vocational skills scans are revisited frequently enough or that apprentices are set precise development targets regarding their predicted grades for their final assessments.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have introduced appropriate measures that enable managers and tutors to identify apprentices’ literacy and support needs more accurately. However, leaders do not ensure that where apprentices already have the required English and mathematics qualifications that tutors routinely provide them with targeted learning to enable them to extend their confidence and application in these essential skills. Monitoring visit: The Square Metre Limited, 15 to 16 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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