Always Consult LTD

Always Consultant LTD Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Mark Parton, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Lunesdale C Upton Magna Business Park Shrewsbury SY4 4TT Monitoring visit: Always Consultant LTD, 7 and 8 June 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Always Consult LTD was inspected in August 2022. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement. The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in addressing the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the visit, there were 418 apprentices studying standards-based apprenticeships. Of these, 208 apprentices were on the level 3 team leader or supervisor, two were on the level 4 employability practitioner, 137 were on the level 5 operations or departmental manager and 71 were on the level 6 career development professional. Most apprentices work within the health and social care sector, and all are over the age of 19. The provider does not work with any subcontractors.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have implemented quality assurance processes to monitor and audit apprentices’ workload, time away from work to study, and line manager commitment successfully. Apprentices now complete reflective logs frequently, which the provider’s staff use to assess the quality of the off-the-job training activity and to analyse the impact upon apprentices’ skills development effectively. Apprentices are now more aware of the progress they are making, and employers are more responsive to apprentices’ learning needs.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have acted to employ additional staff to manage and support employer relationships since the previous inspection. Well-experienced staff now ensure that all provider staff better share expectations regarding the levels of commitment required from employers. As a result, the number of apprentices who leave their studies due to lack of employer support has decreased significantly.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have ensured, in most cases, that employers are more involved in apprentices’ learning journeys. Where line managers attend reviews, they are fully involved in the progress review processes for apprentices. Employers support these reviews by reflecting upon the skills development of apprentices within the workplace effectively. As a result, apprentices have a clearer understanding of their areas of development. Monitoring visit: Always Consultant LTD, 7 and 8 June 2023 Leaders ensure that employers now support apprentices in their studies more effectively, such as through the organisation of additional learning tasks within the workplace. For example, apprentices on the level 3 team leader or supervisor apprenticeship observe high-level strategic board meetings, which helps apprentices gain a greater insight into wider organisational behaviours and how they benefit service users.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have not yet ensured that all apprentices’ line managers or mentors attend the planned tripartite progress reviews of apprentices, particularly for those apprentices who work within busier clinical settings. For these apprentices, opportunities to further develop and practise their skills within the workplace are not planned effectively, limiting the progress they make.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have placed a heightened emphasis on the development of apprentices’ English and mathematics skills. Leaders use coaching plans to ensure that skills coaches support apprentices to develop these skills during taught sessions. In most cases, apprentices improve their English and mathematical skills because of their studies. For example, apprentices on the level 3 team leader or supervisor apprenticeship relate taught content on personality types to be able to adapt their communication skills to become more relatable to colleagues.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have put in place staff development and training for skills coaches and curriculum leads to improve the teaching of English and mathematics skills successfully. Skills coaches share best practice effectively on how to support apprentices to develop their English and mathematics skills well. As a result, apprentices can identify clearly where they use and develop these skills within their job roles.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have acted skilfully to redesign the formal workshop sessions that apprentices undertake. Leaders and skills coaches now ensure that underpinning English and mathematical skills are better integrated into the taught content. Consequently, apprentices develop useful knowledge and skills, which can be applied to their job roles. For example, apprentices learn to present data through Venn diagrams, which are then used to review stakeholder feedback.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders do not ensure that skills coaches identify apprentices’ starting points in English and mathematics well enough, particularly for those apprentices who do not need to study functional skills qualifications as part of their apprenticeship. As a result, skills coaches do not always plan learning to target apprentices’ individual skills gaps in English and mathematics. Monitoring visit: Always Consultant LTD, 7 and 8 June 2023

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have acted to improve the process of onboarding apprentices since the previous inspection. This process is now more robust. Provider staff now work to ensure that apprentices’ chosen study paths align well with their long-term career goals. As a result, newly enrolled apprentices are better aware of how their studies will fulfil their ambitions and can lead to wider career opportunities.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have ensured that skills coaches and curriculum leads have redesigned the taught curriculum to include activities that now focus on careers and progression. Apprentices complete tasks to reflect on how the learning they undertake can support their wider careers development. As a result, most apprentices gain an appreciation of the usefulness of the skills they develop. For example, apprentices on the level 5 operations or departmental manager apprenticeship understand the importance of effective leadership and how strong team dynamics can be applied to a variety of sectors or industries.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that skills coaches undertake training so they can support apprentices with useful careers guidance. Skills coaches are more aware of how the curriculums they teach support wider career development. However, it is too early to assess the impact of this training upon apprentices’ understanding of their long-term career options.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers acknowledge that they need to improve the consistency of the careers advice and guidance that skills coaches offer. Not all skills coaches are as equally skilled in ensuring that apprentices develop a broad understanding of the transferability of their studies and qualifications. As a result, not enough apprentices have a sound understanding of the actions they need to take to become more employable or the avenues of further study available to them after their studies. For example, those on the level 3 team leader or supervisor apprenticeship are not clear on the options of further study beyond level 3.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have acted successfully to improve the quality of feedback that apprentices now receive. In most cases, skills coaches provide feedback that is precise and helpful. Apprentices now receive written feedback in swifter time frames, which is Monitoring visit: Always Consultant LTD, 7 and 8 June 2023 more supportive and developmental. As a result, apprentices know what they need to do to improve the quality of their work over time.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that apprentices are better prepared for their end-point assessments through the feedback they receive. Most apprentices have a clear understanding of the grades they can achieve at their end-point assessment. Skills coaches and curriculum leads provide apprentices with specific feedback on how they can improve their performance in these assessments. For example, apprentices on the level 6 career development professional standard receive high-quality feedback on performance during mock professional conversations. As a result, apprentices are aware of the actions they need to take to achieve high grades.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders do not always ensure that the feedback apprentices receive supports them to improve their skills and behaviours within their places of work. In those cases where apprentices’ employers are less involved in the learning journey, apprentices do not benefit from detailed feedback on how well they are performing at work. As a result, the progress that these apprentices make is limited and slows them down from becoming more skilled professionals.

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Reasonable progress

Skills coaches do not always ensure that apprentices can revisit their submitted work. In these cases, it is not clear how the feedback given to apprentices has supported them to improve the quality of their work over time. In a few cases, apprentices produce work that is not of the standard of which they are capable. Monitoring visit: Always Consultant LTD, 7 and 8 June 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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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