Futures Advice, Skills and Employment Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Futures Advice, Skills and Employment Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Futures Advice, Skills and Employment Limited (Futures) are a not-for-profit social enterprise. They are owned by two councils, Nottingham city council and Nottinghamshire county council. Futures work on various initiatives to meet the skills priorities of their owner councils. As part of this work, they deliver funded courses to help adults gain skills that improve their employment prospects.

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Information about this provider

Futures trains around 400 adults annually, on a range of employability and functional skills courses. Adults study from entry level to level 2. There are 90 adults currently in training. Futures used to train apprentices, but this has now ceased. Most apprentices have transferred to alternative providers, and a very small number remain with Futures to complete their end-of-course assessments.

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Information about this provider

Until very recently, Futures worked with two subcontractors on adult provision. At the time of the inspection, there were no current or planned future learners with subcontractors. 25 to 28 April 2023

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

Learners look forward to their lessons and find them rewarding. They enjoy their studies and value the qualifications they will achieve.

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

Tutors create a welcoming environment. Learners rightly appreciate their teachers who support them well. They enjoy learning in small inclusive classes. Learners feel safe to make errors, ask questions and request help.

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

Many learners start their courses with low self-esteem. Tutors support them skilfully to develop their confidence. For example, learners who found interaction with others difficult can now present to their peers. Learners describe the culture as ‘empowering’.

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

Learners successfully gain the knowledge and skills they need for their next steps. Customer service learners undertake roleplay on how to deal with difficult customers. Health and social care learners put the principles of infection control into practice in hospital settings.

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

Leaders work closely with employers to develop the curriculum. They jointly plan taster sessions where learners gain insight into organisations where they might work. Tutors embed the wider skills learners will need for specific job roles. For example, how to take a 999 call calmly.

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

Learners feel safe, have a broad understanding of safeguarding, and know who to go to if they have concerns.

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better?

Leaders are ambitious for the way the curriculum can improve the employment prospects of adults, so they gain work. Leaders work closely with their owner councils, key stakeholders, such as the Department for Work and Pensions, and employers. They collaborate well to meet local skills needs and to help adults improve their career prospects. For example, leaders plan courses to meet demand for healthcare assistants in local hospitals.

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better?

Tutors plan the curriculum well and order topics logically. They think carefully about how to build learners’ understanding in a sensible way. For example, tutors first explore safeguarding definitions and then teach what harm, abuse and neglect are. However, tutors do not always use the outcomes of initial and starting point assessments consistently well to plan the focus of lesson content. Subsequently, learners’ progress is not always as swift as it could be.

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better?

Learning is brought to life well by the experienced teaching team. Tutors use their experience to create lessons and resources that interest learners. For example, mathematics tutors help learners to work out ratios through links to real life such as 25 to 28 April 2023

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the ratio of sand to cement. Health and social care tutors share relevant and thought-provoking examples from their own nursing experience.

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Tutors break down difficult topics carefully, so learners understand them and master key concepts well. For example, English tutors use visual images and follow-on tasks to introduce new terminology such as persuasive techniques and literary devices.

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Assessment is effective. Tutors use short tasks such as matching exercises on definitions of key words to check learners’ understanding. This allows tutors to judge if they need to revisit a topic. Tutors set activities that allow learners to practise their new learning further and become more proficient. For example, in English, learners undertake writing tasks where they apply what they have learned about instructive or persuasive text. Tutors provide daily feedback on learners’ written work that is useful and clear. As a result, learners know how to improve the standard of their written work.

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Tutors take account of any additional support needs learners have. They make appropriate adjustments where learners require them, for example the use of coloured overlays and extra tutor support. Leaders intend to further strengthen learning support arrangements through dedicated support staff.

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Learners are respectful in lessons and committed to their studies. They interact well with their peers and tutors. Attendance is high, and most learners are punctual. Tutors monitor attendance to lessons well. They take swift action to address any issues and provide additional support for learners. However, leaders recognise that they do not currently have sufficient oversight of attendance to allow them to quickly spot any issues.

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Learners develop their knowledge and skills so they are ready to successfully seek and secure work. For example, learners gain key literacy skills that will allow them to progress into employment. Achievement rates are high, and most learners pass their courses. However, a very small minority of learners who study functional skills mathematics do not achieve so highly. Leaders have made recent changes to the way this course is taught, and early indications suggest a positive impact.

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Tutors promote learners’ wider understanding well. Learners undertake a useful induction that helps them think about what British values mean in their daily lives. Tutors lead discussions about topical events such as the recent horse-racing disruptions that develop awareness of extremist behaviour. English tutors use a diverse range of texts that supports understanding of equality and diversity.

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Learners benefit from a comprehensive and well-integrated careers support service. Tutors use action plans to identify learners’ career ambitions at the course start and to inform subsequent reviews. Careers progression advisers provide additional end- of-course next steps guidance. As a result, learners are well informed about their next steps and what they need to do to achieve them.

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In most cases, leaders adopt appropriate quality improvement approaches that are 25 to 28 April 2023

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effective. Quality performance clinics and team training focus well on areas for improvement such as functional skills pass rates. Most tutors benefit from helpful and supportive feedback about how they can further improve their teaching. Consequently, most teaching is at least good. However, leaders have been slow to address the ways tutors use initial assessment and starting point information.

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Leaders support staff well-being thoroughly. Staff conferences include input on topics such as mindfulness and self-care. There are staff well-being champions, colleague representative groups and ‘ask the executive team’ sessions. Staff benefit from an employee health scheme which includes a free counselling service. Staff report that they feel well supported by leaders and that well-being is taken seriously.

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Experienced board members who know and understand the community are effective in their work. They help senior leaders to ensure the strategic direction of the organisation is well focused on its core purpose. Leaders provide informative report packs to board members, so they are well versed in the performance of provision across all contracts. Board members are active in their challenge, for example about any decline in performance. There are dedicated board leads for safeguarding and equalities, which adds further rigour.

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Leaders and board members have managed the ceasing of their apprenticeship provision with great care. They have worked closely with board members and funding agencies. Most apprentices who have transferred to new providers are satisfied. The very small number of apprentices still on courses with Futures feel well supported.

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Until very recently, leaders subcontracted a small proportion of adult provision. Inspectors judged that arrangements for oversight were robust and thorough.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Thorough and well-recorded safer recruitment checks are in place.

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Safeguarding

Comprehensive policies and appropriate training ensure staff are confident to refer any concerns. They are clear about who can support them and the process to follow.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding leads and officers are well trained with relevant backgrounds. They advise about trends such as homelessness and increased suicide rates. Leads present monthly updates to the leadership team and the board. There is a closely monitored safeguarding ‘Prevent’ duty impact plan.

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Safeguarding

Leads and officers liaise and work well with a range of external agencies, including MIND and domestic violence community support groups. 25 to 28 April 2023

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should develop better oversight of attendance so they can quickly identify any issues or trends and improve attendance.  Leaders should ensure all teachers use initial and starting point assessments to plan teaching content that focuses on learners’ development areas.  Leaders should continue their work to improve learners’ outcomes on functional skills courses. 25 to 28 April 2023

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Provider details

Address 57 Maid Marian Way Nottingham NG1 6GE

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Jennie Willock

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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 Deere Apprenticeships Ltd Regency Source Ltd 25 to 28 April 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the associate director of excellence, 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

Vicki Locke, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Emma Woods His Majesty’s Inspector Angela Twelvetree His Majesty’s Inspector Jackie Rossa Ofsted Inspector 25 to 28 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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