Personal Trainer Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Adult learning programmes Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Personal Trainer Limited is an independent learning provider based in Birmingham.

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Information about this provider

In July 2021, leaders gained approval to teach fitness qualifications to learners who are unemployed or employed and on low incomes in areas not controlled by mayoral combined authorities. They began recruiting adult learners in November 2021. At the time of the visit, 10 learners were following a level 2 planning gym-based exercise qualification. The provider does not work with any subcontractors. 18 to 21 April 2023

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Learners who regularly attend online learning sessions benefit from an open and respectful learning environment. They demonstrate a good understanding of diversity when planning fitness programmes to meet the different needs and interests of their clients and peers. As a result, learners feel confident to conduct peer reviews and work with a range of clients.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Learners understand how to keep themselves physically healthy and maintain an active lifestyle. For example, tutors develop learners’ knowledge of anatomy and physiology related to exercise and fitness. Learners use this information in their gym routines as well as looking carefully at what they eat.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Learners develop their confidence, behaviours and attitudes successfully over time. Teachers motivate learners to develop qualities such as discipline, a positive mindset and to demonstrate effective people skills such as politeness, professionalism, honesty and trust. As a result, learners create positive relationships with clients, helping them to improve their fitness and lifestyles.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Too few learners benefit from sufficiently detailed and accurate information and guidance about the course and their future careers. For example, learners receive conflicting information regarding course duration and teaching hours. As a result, too few learners attend all required sessions and too many leave before the course finishes. Managers have recently improved the accuracy of the information and guidance that learners receive, but it is too soon to judge the impact of this action.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Learners who remain on the course complete and achieve their qualifications.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Although learners gain a broad awareness of topics such as safeguarding, the ‘Prevent’ duty and fundamental British values, teachers do not ensure that learners develop their understanding of these themes thoroughly. As a result, learners are not fully aware of the risks posed by extremist groups in their local area.

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better?

Leaders nurture effective relations with major health and fitness employers. They know very well the skills and knowledge that employers demand and ensure that the curriculum enables adults to move on to a level 3 personal training qualification that is necessary for them to work independently in gym environments.

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better?

Since the previous visit, leaders have invested in teaching and support for learners. They now have sufficient additional staff who have the appropriate experience in managing adult learning programmes. Although managers have made the necessary changes, they have not yet effectively planned a curriculum for all learners to develop their skills and knowledge sufficiently, including in English and mathematics. 18 to 21 April 2023

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Learners who complete the course gain the essential knowledge, skills and the qualification that they need to move into the fitness industry. However, because teachers do not clearly identify what learners know and can do – particularly in relation to their previous experience of training other clients in gym environments – they do not know well enough whether all learners develop significant new skills on the course.

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Managers plan the curriculum in a logical order to develop learners’ knowledge and understanding of key topics, such as anatomy and physiology and the principles of fitness, over the 12-week course. The curriculum structure enables learners to develop effective coaching skills and to apply their knowledge to plan and teach a safe and effective gym-based exercise session.

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Teachers use their vocational expertise well. They use appropriate methods and resources such as presentations and discussion groups to share new information to learners online. However, tutors do not always help learners to understand key concepts thoroughly. For example, tutors fail to check often enough what learners remember, relying on learners to simply repeat information from presentation slides or online video clips. As a result, a minority of learners are not able to recall concepts fluently such as the ‘FITT’ principle, which is used to design bespoke fitness plans for clients.

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In most instances, tutors review learners’ progress effectively. They provide learners with appropriate assessment feedback to support their achievement of the qualification. However, too often tutors do not identify sufficiently helpful and individualised targets to ensure that learners do their best. For example, for those learners with significant gym experience, they do not receive coaching or developmental feedback beyond the level of the course, thus limiting their potential. In a few cases, learners do not receive the feedback quickly enough to help them improve swiftly.

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Leaders monitor the quality of teaching and of learners’ views, but they do not use this information to identify appropriate staff training to develop teachers’ teaching skills, including the use of formative assessment strategies so that learners receive consistently effective teaching and make the progress that they should. Also, they do not monitor formally the extent to which teachers maintain their occupational competence.

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Leaders do not ensure that teachers have the expertise to provide learners, who have an identified learning need, with the support to ensure that they are able to do their best.

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Although leaders have recently identified a suitable governor to oversee leaders’ actions, they have been too slow in doing so. As a result, they have not received the challenge necessary from appropriate governance to ensure high-quality learning for adults. 18 to 21 April 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that they have the appropriate policies and procedures to safeguard staff and learners. They also ensure that they follow safe working practices, including in gym environments.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead holds the requisite qualifications and meets routinely with staff to review safeguarding actions.

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Safeguarding

Staff and learners undertake appropriate safeguarding training such as ‘side by side’ training that includes e-safety and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Although learners say that they feel safe, not all learners have a well-developed understanding of the local threats from extremist groups.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have an appropriate safer recruitment process. Staff hold the relevant clearances and references to work in the UK.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should ensure that learners receive useful information, advice and guidance about the provider’s courses and future career options, so that they can make informed choices about their readiness to undertake learning that best suits their needs and interests.  Leaders should ensure that they assess thoroughly what learners know and can do and use the information to plan learning, so that all learners develop significant new knowledge and, where appropriate, close gaps in their English and mathematical skills.  Leaders should ensure that teachers receive training so that they use appropriate teaching and assessment strategies to ensure that all learners make the progress that they should from their starting points. They must also ensure that teachers maintain their occupational expertise.  Leaders should ensure that teachers have the appropriate knowledge and skills to support learners who have an identified learning need to achieve their best.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should ensure that teachers provide learners with timely and helpful feedback that enables them to extend their knowledge and skills significantly.  Leaders should ensure that learners know the threats and can keep themselves safe from radicalisation and extremist groups in their local area.  Leaders should ensure that the new governance arrangements are sufficiently helpful and robust, so that leaders take the actions needed to ensure that all learners make the progress that they should from their respective starting points. 18 to 21 April 2023

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Provider details

Address 92 Broad Street Birmingham B15 1AU

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 18 to 21 April 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the operations manager, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements including visiting learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Richard Deane, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Karen Bill Ofsted Inspector Fazal Dad Ofsted Inspector Sharon Dowling His Majesty’s Inspector 18 to 21 April 2023

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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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