Hair Academy South West Limited

Hair Academy South West Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Steve Battersby His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Hair Academy Southwest Limited 120 East Reach Taunton TA1 3HL Monitoring visit: Hair Academy Southwest Limited, 8 and 9 March 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Hair Academy South West Limited (HASWL) was inspected in June 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

HASWL is a training provider based in Somerset. Apprenticeship training takes place in one of three centres based in Taunton, Tilehurst and Bracknell. There are 53 apprentices studying hairdressing at level 2 and 11 at level 3.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have made many changes to improve the quality of the training provision. They spent significant time analysing the quality of education and the training that apprentices receive. The changes include the appointment of new staff, improved professional development of staff and an increase in engagement with employers.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have enhanced the hairdressing curriculum. Tutors make sure that apprentices now take part in more challenging practical sessions at the training salon. For example, apprentices learn to perform a range of current hairdressing services, such as the free-hand balayage colouring technique. Apprentices learn relevant knowledge that underpins their hairdressing skills. For example, they understand the importance of using the correct lightening product to prevent seepage and damage to the client’s hair and scalp. As a result, apprentices develop the new knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to be competent hairdressers.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors and assessors do not consistently provide apprentices with sufficient constructive feedback on their practical work, for example how to ensure that their cutting, foiling and hair-styling skills are more precise, neat and polished. As a result, apprentices do not continually improve the standard of their practical work and meet the high expectations of employers. Monitoring visit: Hair Academy Southwest Limited, 8 and 9 March 2023

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have redesigned the curriculum to include new content. For example, apprentices learn new avant-garde, bridal and barbering hairdressing skills. This has led to an increase in apprentices’ motivation to learn. Apprentices increase their knowledge by taking part in practical workshops with guest speakers and visiting national hairdressing exhibitions. As a result, apprentices are learning curriculum content that enables them to pass their end-point assessments and prepares them for a career in hairdressing.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have improved how tutors teach the curriculum. They provide tutors with training sessions that focus on improving the quality of planning, teaching and assessing apprentices’ knowledge. For example, tutors learn how to plan and structure practical training sessions effectively. Consequently, apprentices now conduct hairdressing services on clients that complement the knowledge they learn in theory-based learning sessions. Apprentices continually develop their skills over time and develop a secure understanding of the knowledge that underpins their practical skills. However, apprentices do not always have enough clients during training sessions to expand their skills further and work to the expected commercial timings.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers do not ensure that employers are involved in discussions about the content of the curriculum or take part in its implementation. As a result, apprentices do not benefit from learning more knowledge and skills, such as the advantages and disadvantages of setting up a commercial salon or the importance of client care, from very experienced employers.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have not ensured that apprentices receive the careers advice and guidance they need to make well-informed decisions about their next steps. For example, tutors do not teach apprentices about the wide range of career opportunities in the hairdressing industry. They do not provide apprentices studying at level 2 with sufficient information about higher level apprenticeships. Apprentices do not know how the skills they are learning in hairdressing might transfer to other sectors and career routes.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have introduced new ways to help apprentices understand the options they have when they complete their apprenticeship. For example, they provide apprentices with career-path information posters and access to careers publications. However, leaders and managers have not ensured that this information Monitoring visit: Hair Academy Southwest Limited, 8 and 9 March 2023 is discussed in detail by tutors with apprentices. As a result, apprentices’ knowledge is limited.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have introduced a new quality assurance process to check the quality of tutors’ and assessors’ work. For example, leaders and managers review the assignments and teaching resources produced by tutors and assessors. They provide tutors with feedback on content and spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. Most tutors and assessors use the feedback to rectify errors before publication of the resources and to improve the literacy skills of their apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have introduced a range of strategies to help tutors and assessors improve their skills in written English so that they can provide apprentices with more effective help and support. For example, tutors and assessors use newly purchased electronic devices in classrooms and training salons to help with the correct use of grammar, and a glossary of terms, which helps with the accuracy of spelling.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers provide functional skills tutors with effective professional development. For example, tutors have recently completed functional skills qualifications at level 2 and have taken part in effective training on how to teach functional skills. As a result, tutors have improved their skills in English and mathematics. However, it is too early to see the impact of these developments on apprentices’ skills in written English and mathematics. Monitoring visit: Hair Academy Southwest Limited, 8 and 9 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 Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education

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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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