Paddington Development Trust

Paddington Development Trust Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Steve Lambert, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 28 February and 1 March 2023

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

258 Harrow Rd Westminster London W2 5ES Monitoring visit: Paddington Development Trust, 28 February and 1 March 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Paddington Development Trust was inspected in December 2021. 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

Paddington Development Trust (PDT) is a registered charity based in Westminster. It offers training to disadvantaged adults, including many who are unemployed. Most learners are females from ethnic minority communities. For most learners, English is spoken as an additional language. Learners take courses at levels 2 and 3 in early years, supporting teaching and learning, and information technology (IT).

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the visit, there were 75 learners on early years courses, 35 on supporting teaching and learning, 15 on IT and 35 with the subcontractor completing English and mathematics qualifications.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors, including those at the subcontractor, check learners’ English and mathematics skills at the start of the course. They use this information to plan a programme of independent study using online resources. Learners make good use of these resources and make good progress in improving their English and mathematics skills.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use information from in-class assessments well to adapt their teaching, which enables learners to resolve misconceptions and gaps in their knowledge. For example, in English, tutors make sure learners know the difference between the meaning of implicit and explicit, and they explain the difference between fact and opinion when learners are unclear about the distinction.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors’ assessment of learners’ work shows that most learners respond well to feedback and make good progress in improving their vocational knowledge and skills. For example, learners on IT courses become more competent in using validation Monitoring visit: Paddington Development Trust, 28 February and 1 March 2023 techniques in Excel, making many of the tasks they perform at work easier. Other learners improved their writing techniques by using simple and compound sentences, which they use when drafting formal and informal letters and emails at work.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors do not consistently provide a clear link for learners to see how their English and mathematics skills link to the vocational subject they study. As a result, a small minority of learners do not engage well with the online learning resources needed to improve their skills. As a result, they make slow progress.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide effective support in lessons to help learners who speak English as an additional language (EAL) improve their English skills. For example, on the early years educator course, tutors provide explanations for subject-specific terminology, and learners keep a glossary of new words, translating them into their own language to aid understanding. Tutors also provide learners with helpful advice to aid them in planning a discussion for their assessment. This helps learners to become more confident and develop their spoken and written skills. In lessons, tutors encourage learners to contribute by answering questions and reading aloud. As a result, learners who started off being reticent are now participating confidently in front of the whole group.

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Reasonable progress

In a few lessons, tutors do not always help learners who speak EAL to understand how the different lessons link together. For example, in IT, learners struggle to explain why conditional formatting in Excel is important when learning how to print formulas. As a result, learners sometimes find it difficult to see and explain the links between different parts of their course.

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Reasonable progress

Learners who speak EAL complete work to a standard that is generally in line with their peers. However, they do not always have a sufficient level of English to enable them to aim for and achieve high grades. This limits the level of their achievement.

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have reviewed carefully their subcontracting arrangements. They have changed to work with a new subcontractor, ABM Training UK Limited, with a proven track record to work with their learners. From the outset, the curriculum and quality lead has worked effectively across both Monitoring visit: Paddington Development Trust, 28 February and 1 March 2023 the Paddington Development Trust and its subcontractor. This has resulted in a unified approach to quality assurance.

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Significant progress

Leaders undertake effective quarterly quality assurance visits at the subcontractor. This includes observations of lessons, scrutiny of learners’ work and discussions with learners. Leaders give good feedback to staff, and effective follow-up training helps tutors to improve their teaching. Leaders and managers now have a good overview of the quality of education.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers ensure that learners are aware of the risks of extremism and radicalisation, including at the subcontractor. For example, learners on early year educator courses can explain confidently how to spot the signs of radicalisation in children and the actions to take.

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Significant progress

All learners receive a detailed handbook that gives effective guidance on the dangers of extremism and radicalisation. Learners studying at the subcontractor are provided with additional information on risks relevant to the area in which they study. As a result, learners have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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Significant progress

Tutors ensure that learners are given good careers information, advice and guidance from the start of their programme. This helps learners to develop their CV and practise interview techniques in order to secure work placements if needed as part of their course. Additionally, learners can cite a range of employment opportunities available after their studies. For example, learners on IT courses are aware that they can apply for jobs such as data entry and administrative assistant, or they can work as an IT helpdesk assistant. Learners who do not want to pursue a career related to the course they are on have access to independent careers advice to help them explore alternative options. As a result, learners are supported to develop the skills they need to progress into employment on completion of their course.

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Significant progress

Staff have introduced clearly identified curriculum pathways that provide learners with details regarding study at higher levels, as well as information on typical careers available with each level of course. As a result, learners know what options are available to them for further study or employment.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have created a good personal development curriculum that runs alongside learners’ courses. This allows learners at the start of their course to select additional training based on their personal circumstances. For example, learners take courses in understanding budgets and credit scores, CV writing, and advice on Universal Credit. Learners also have access to a range of accredited personal development courses, such as first aid, including paediatric first aid and Monitoring visit: Paddington Development Trust, 28 February and 1 March 2023 food hygiene. As a result, learners develop knowledge and skills that will benefit them in their careers. Monitoring visit: Paddington Development Trust, 28 February and 1 March 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

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Significant progress

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

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