Michael D Akers Management Consulting

Michael D Akers Management Consulting Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Fadia Clarke, Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection date(s): 16 and 17 November 2022

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Address:

Chapel Lane Blean Canterbury CT2 9HA Monitoring visit: Michael D Akers Management Consulting, 16 and 17 November 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

Michael D Akers Management Consulting is an independent provider. It is a business consultancy specialist which offer standards apprenticeships from level 3 to level 6. Apprentices study improvement technician, improvement practitioner, improvement specialist and improvement leader. They also run end point assessments for these apprenticeship standards, though not for the same employers. At the time of the inspection, there were 21 adult apprentices , of whom 10 studied level 4 improvement practitioner, eight studied level 5 improvement specialist and three studied level 6 improvement leader apprenticeship. There were no apprentices in receipt of high needs funding, and they did not work with any subcontractors.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is ambitious and responsive to employers who look for ways to improve their businesses. They work closely with employers to tailor and sequence the apprenticeships to support their specific skills and business needs. For example, leaders have designed the curriculum to include a variety of activities and topics, such as leadership workshops, projects on emerging business challenges, or management units that drive improvements in business processes. As a result, leaders ensure that courses meet the bespoke needs of their employers’ industry.

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Reasonable progress

Highly qualified trainers have extensive and current industry experience in business and management improvement sector areas. Leaders support trainers to keep up to date with teaching and assessing practices through links with universities, where they teach degrees and take part in research activities. Consequently, apprentices benefit from high-quality, relevant and industry standard training. Monitoring visit: Michael D Akers Management Consulting, 16 and 17 November 2022 Leaders ensure that programmes abide by the principles and requirements of apprenticeship standards. They make sure all apprentices receive their entitlement to off the job training. They check that employers understand their responsibilities for apprentices’ final assessments. As a result, apprentices receive a well-developed and relevant training programme.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have strong governance in place. Suitably skilled and experienced governors support leaders to keep their curriculum relevant to industry and to stay compliant with apprenticeship regulations. This ensures managers have an independent advice that enhances their training content and bring about benefits for apprentices’ skills experiences.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have a reasonable understanding of the quality of their apprenticeship provision. However, they only review their practices in response to requests or comments by employers or apprentices. Managers do not continuously review the quality of the training to assure themselves that apprentices receive high-quality teaching and assessment.

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Significant progress

Apprentices develop new knowledge, skills and professional behaviours as a result of well-structured and effectively sequenced on- and off-the-job training. For example, apprentices learn about lean techniques and data science that supports their critical thinking skills when reviewing employers’ systems for improvement. Consequently, apprentices develop high-quality skills quickly and produce work of a consistently high standard.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers recruit apprentices with integrity. They assess apprentices’ starting points accurately to ensure that apprentices are on the right course. As a result, apprentices develop the right knowledge, skills and behaviours they need for their roles quickly, and so become better at their jobs.

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Significant progress

Trainers sequence training in relation to apprentices' roles and aspirations, which helps apprentices to feel confident about their career opportunities and progression prospects. For example, apprentices’ projects are influenced by the new role they are aspiring for to evidence higher skills and wider knowledge. Consequently, many apprentices progress to senior departmental roles as a result of their training.

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Significant progress

Trainers promote apprentices’ literacy and numeracy skills well. Trainers add helpful comments to presentations and other work to support apprentices. As a result, apprentices make good progress. Those who require functional skills qualifications receive additional useful coaching sessions so that a large majority of apprentices achieve very well in these qualifications. Monitoring visit: Michael D Akers Management Consulting, 16 and 17 November 2022 Trainers ensure apprentices understand and recall knowledge and skills learned successfully. As a result, apprentices are able to use a range of analytical techniques effectively. They can present information in a professional manner to senior colleagues and demonstrate an increasing good level of detail and reflection in later coursework. Consequently, apprentices develop independence and confidence as the course progress.

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Significant progress

Managers prepare apprentices well for their final assessment through informative sessions. They help apprentices understand how to achieve high grades through a wide range of supportive preparatory activities such as practice tests, discussions, and practical projects. As a result, apprentices feel well prepared for their apprenticeship end point assessments. This has a positive impact on the apprentices’ overall results.

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Significant progress

Trainers complete comprehensive checks on apprentices’ knowledge and understanding. They give clear, detailed and timely feedback that encourages, challenges and extends apprentices’ knowledge, skills and professional behaviour. For example, trainers identify misconceptions through a range of in-class activities, including brief ‘teach back’ group presentations. As a result, apprentices make rapid progress and quickly become more competent.

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Significant progress

Leaders and trainers have created a culture of safeguarding and protection very successfully. Leaders ensure that all staff are appropriately trained so that they have an excellent in-depth understanding of their roles and duties. Leaders work closely and proactively with external safeguarding organisations to report any concerns, and so have a very detailed understanding of local risks and threats. They use this information effectively to keep apprentices safe. For example, leaders work closely with the local police in relation to any local radicalisation groups that may influence their apprentices.

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Significant progress

Apprentices feel safe and are confident with the support they receive. Managers and trainers ensure apprentices are very well informed with up-to-date locally and nationally relevant topics, like British Values, prevent and extremism. For example, trainers review topics such domestic abuse. Subsequently, apprentices take part in healthy debates, experience and promote tolerance among each other, and raise their awareness of sensitive matters.

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Significant progress

Managers ensure apprentices are aware of employers' health and safety expectations, and check that apprentices receive regular updates that maintain safe working environments. As a result, apprentices feel safe at work. Monitoring visit: Michael D Akers Management Consulting, 16 and 17 November 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 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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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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

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