Eliesha Training Limited

Eliesha Training Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Glenise Burrell, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider Address: Newcastle House Albany Court Newcastle Business Park Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7YB Monitoring visit: Eliesha Training Limited, 27 April 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision funded 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

Eliesha Training Limited has provided leadership and management training since September 2001. It began providing levy-funded apprenticeships in November 2017 to develop leadership skills within local councils and large national companies across England. At the time of this monitoring visit, 176 apprentices were on standards- based apprenticeships. Of these, 78 apprentices are studying the team leader standard at level 3 and 98 are studying the operations or department management standard at level 5. Almost all apprentices are over the age of 25.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have in place effective processes to monitor the progress that apprentices make. They identify apprentices who may be at risk of not achieving within the planned time frame and ensure that these apprentices receive useful and targeted interventions so that they achieve within or ahead of time. Support provided to the apprentices both from their programme tutor coaches and their employers has been effective in helping those who were previously behind to catch up.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have responded effectively to the need to reduce the number of apprentices placed on a break in learning. They now have in place procedures to monitor closely reasons why apprentices take a break and to make sure that they quickly resume their programme. As a result of these interventions, many apprentices are now either back in learning and making progress towards completing their end-point assessment or have an agreed timeline for returning to learning.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have improved the enrolment processes to ensure that apprentices understand, and agree to, the requirements of the entire apprenticeship standard before the start of their programme. Staff provide advice and guidance events that include both potential apprentices and their line managers. These events provide the required information and ensure that all of the expectations of the apprenticeship programme are made clear. As a result of these sessions, apprentices can now talk more confidently about the work required to be successful on the apprenticeship. Monitoring visit: Eliesha Training Limited, 27 April 2023 As a direct result of feedback from apprentices, leaders and managers have introduced extra support sessions at which apprentices can discuss any topics or assessments that they need help with. This protected time in apprentices’ diaries allows for dedicated study time outside of the standard workshop training modules

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Reasonable progress

and away from the usual work environment. This has helped to improve motivation for apprentices and allows them to plan their learning more effectively. As a result of these sessions, assignments are often submitted in advance of the agreed submission dates and apprentices are progressing through the programme more swiftly.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have introduced interim progress reviews as an addition to the full progress reviews which take place every 12 weeks. These are carried out in preparation for the full progress review and provide an early warning of apprentices who may be experiencing any difficulties. As a result, line managers and apprentices are better prepared for the full review meeting. They have the information required to allow for effective planning and target setting to support apprentices and ensure that they make progress. The revised process has led to an increase in employer engagement in progress review meetings.

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Reasonable progress

Managers complete a comprehensive report each month which provides leaders with an accurate picture of the progress that apprentices are making. Managers meet with programme tutor coaches to analyse the information and to put in place action plans when apprentices give cause for concern. Staff communicate this information to employers so that rapid action is taken in response to attendance issues or if apprentices are required to attend extra workshops to help them to make progress.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that apprentices benefit from a wide range of support to enable them to manage the workload of the apprenticeship alongside working in demanding leadership and management roles. Programme tutor coaches set clear expectations for apprentices about the time and commitment needed to complete the programme. Apprentices find this helpful as it enables them to plan their studies effectively in liaison with their employers and reduces their anxiety about completing the programme on time.

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Reasonable progress

Programme tutor coaches meet frequently with apprentices to help ensure that they are on track and to identify what they need to do to catch up where necessary. Monitoring visit: Eliesha Training Limited, 27 April 2023 Apprentices value the responsiveness and support of their programme tutor coaches, which helps them manage their time effectively and enhances their resilience.

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Reasonable progress

Programme tutor coaches provide helpful advice for apprentices on how to manage their time effectively in liaison with their employer. Apprentices feel able to complete the programme alongside the demands of their jobs and to contact their employer if they experience any difficulties. They report that employers consider the challenges that they face and that they put in place helpful plans such as flexible working arrangements, including home-working time, which helps them make good progress on their programme.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have begun to respond to the need to provide better impartial careers advice and guidance for apprentices. They are taking a carefully considered approach to this, engaging and working closely with employers, and working to identify what apprentices’ needs are in relation to careers advice and guidance. However, this work is still at quite an early stage and its full roll out is not expected until the next cohort of apprentices are enrolled in June 2023.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have recently communicated to apprentices the offer of impartial careers advice should they need it, and some apprentices have recently taken this up or plan to take it up later in the programme. A few apprentices, however, do not recall receiving this information and therefore could miss out on this valuable support.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are encouraged to reflect on their career options at the start of the programme and consider how the skills and knowledge that they gain will help them pursue their career goals. They consider that completing their personal development plan and a document that requires them to provide a rationale for joining the programme at the beginning of the course helps them to reflect on their career options. Apprentices value the apprenticeship in enabling them to pursue careers in areas such as project engineering, operations management and higher-level management roles in the local authority. Programme tutor coaches are able to use this information in their dialogue with apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have included useful career development topics within the content of the level 3 and level 5 leadership and management offer. Apprentices consider, as part of their programme, the potential roles to which they could aspire as they develop their leadership and management skills. Monitoring visit: Eliesha Training Limited, 27 April 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 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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