Supply Chain Academy Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of CP Training Services Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

CP Training Services Limited (CPT) is an independent training provider based in Upminster, east London. It is a part of Uniserve (Holdings) Limited Group (Uniserve), which also includes the Supply Chain Academy Limited. Uniserve is an international logistics and trade management provider.

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Information about this provider

CPT began teaching apprenticeships in January 2021. At the time of the inspection, there were 55 apprentices, made up of 20 young and 35 adult apprentices. All apprentices were enrolled on the level 3 supply chain practitioner standard. Of these, two apprentices also studied level 2 functional skills qualifications in English, and one studied the level 2 functional skills qualification in mathematics, taught by the subcontractor M & E Excellence Training Limited.

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Information about this provider

Apprentices are located throughout England. Most training takes place face to face, while some is taught remotely. Training takes place either at the CPT site in Upminster or at employers’ sites across the country. 6 to 8 June 2023

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

Apprentices benefit from learning in a calm and supportive environment, both at CPT and on site with their employers. They develop positive and respectful relationships with their tutors and each other. Young female apprentices feel respected and well treated by their male colleagues. They enjoy learning in a safe environment, free from harassment.

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

Apprentices have a positive attitude towards their studies and work. They appreciate the opportunity to learn and apply new theories and concepts at work. For example, apprentices who work in logistics seek to improve company processes, such as forecasting, by adapting software to increase efficiency.

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

Apprentices demonstrate professional behaviours, such as resilience and motivation to succeed, which they learn through their apprenticeship. They stay on track with their work and work hard to catch up if they fall behind. Employers highly value apprentices’ commitment and resilience. Nearly all apprentices secure a full-time job and pay raise on completion of their apprenticeship.

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

Apprentices have excellent attendance, both to their lessons and at work. They are punctual to work, and, where required, they work flexibly to adapt to changing business demands. Staff follow up on absences efficiently. They hold employers to account to ensure that apprentices receive their full entitlement to off-the-job training time. Consequently, most apprentices are on track to achieve on time.

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

Apprentices do not have access to a broad curriculum to support their personal development beyond their qualifications. They do not have consistent opportunities to build on their interests or to develop a clear understanding of topics such as healthy relationships and British values. Consequently, they do not sufficiently understand how these issues impact their lives and work.

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better?

Senior leaders and managers are committed to providing their apprentices with an ambitious curriculum that meets skills shortages in the supply chain sector. They have developed a level 3 standard with employers, which helps apprentices gain essential skills relevant to the supply chain sector in industries such as logistics and retail.

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better?

Tutors teach the curriculum logically so that apprentices quickly develop the fundamental knowledge of supply chain management they need before moving on to more complex topics. They also ensure that all topics are well sequenced. For example, tutors teach apprentices about procurement before teaching them about sustainable procurement. This helps apprentices to develop a deeper understanding of the topics they study. 6 to 8 June 2023

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Tutors are subject specialists and have extensive industry experience. They use their knowledge to good effect when teaching concepts such as planning and sourcing, which they explain clearly. In most cases, tutors use helpful, industry-based examples in lessons, which supports apprentices to understand different working practices, such as the three-way principles of supply chain management. They use questioning effectively to find and fill gaps in apprentices’ knowledge. As a result, apprentices develop sound knowledge and understanding and make good progress.

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In a minority of cases, tutors do not ensure that the examples they provide in lessons are accessible to all apprentices. For instance, in some lessons, tutors give examples that apply well to most of the class, but apprentices who work with small employers in sectors such as retail, struggle to understand topics and cannot fully recall what they have been taught.

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In online lessons, tutors do not always select the most appropriate and engaging teaching strategies. Furthermore, they do not always ensure that apprentices have sufficient breaks during these sessions. Consequently, most apprentices find it difficult to concentrate, struggle to recall what they have been taught, and often must revisit the content in their own time.

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In most cases, tutors provide apprentices with helpful feedback on their work. For example, tutors ask questions to challenge apprentices to think more deeply about the content in assignments on topics such as e-commerce and stakeholder analysis. Tutors share with apprentices models of correct referencing and links to wider reading. As a result, most apprentices know how to improve their work and write in- depth analyses of an appropriate standard.

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Leaders work well with a specialist subcontractor to teach apprentices level 2 English and mathematics. The few apprentices who need these qualifications receive individualised teaching and make expected progress towards achieving these qualifications.

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Apprentices benefit from high-quality training while at work. For example, BAE Systems apprentices complete work placements on different depots and sites across the country. They meet key department heads on rotation and get a close view of the responsibilities of all departments. This helps them to learn about different end- to-end processes, such as planning, manufacturing, delivery and returns. As a result, they can see how their work connects with other parts of the business and feel inspired to do their jobs well.

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Since their previous monitoring visit, leaders have taken suitable actions to improve their performance. For example, they have revised how they track apprentices’ progress. Tutors now identify apprentices who need extra help and put in place helpful catch-up plans for those who have fallen behind. Tutors discuss these plans in progress reviews with employers. Consequently, most employers know what apprentices need to do to improve and provide relevant support in the workplace to help them to catch up. 6 to 8 June 2023

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Tutors do not set apprentices developmental targets in progress reviews. They focus more on catching up or uploading tasks than on the specific knowledge and skills apprentices need to develop. As a result, in a few cases, employers are not clear on how to support their apprentices to improve while at work.

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Tutors start to prepare apprentices for their end-point assessments early in their programme. Tutors work with apprentices and their employers to plan projects, create presentations and use mock questions to prepare apprentices for professional discussions. As a result, apprentices are well prepared for their assessments, a high proportion complete their apprenticeship, and most gain distinction grades.

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Leaders do not provide apprentices with suitable and impartial careers advice and guidance. Staff do not provide apprentices with guidance on the training and employment opportunities available in other sectors for which their apprenticeship is relevant. They do not support apprentices to apply to university or to employment opportunities outside of their employers. As a result, apprentices are not aware of the different options available to them at the end of their apprenticeship.

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Leaders have established suitable arrangements for external scrutiny and challenge regarding their performance. They correctly identify their strengths and areas for improvement and have developed appropriate action plans to address their weaknesses. However, leaders do not adequately check whether staff have implemented all required actions. This has delayed improvements to some aspects of their provision. For example, they have not ensured that tutors have access to suitable training opportunities to improve their teaching practice.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have put in place suitable safeguarding policies and procedures to keep apprentices safe. For example, staff conduct robust health and safety checks of the premises where apprentices work. They check if apprentices’ employers have conducted appropriate risk assessments to keep apprentices safe.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead and officer are suitably qualified and experienced for their roles. They record and respond to safeguarding concerns effectively and report these to the board of directors. Where necessary, staff liaise effectively with employers to safeguard apprentices.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices feel safe. Leaders ensure that apprentices receive appropriate health and safety training specific to their job roles. Apprentices also receive regular safety briefings in the workplace. However, leaders do not ensure that apprentices consistently understand wider risks, such as the dangers of radicalisation and extremism. They do not inform apprentices of the specific risks they may face in the areas in which they live and work. 6 to 8 June 2023

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders must ensure that all apprentices, including those who work for small employers and those attending online lessons, benefit from consistently high- quality teaching so that they develop and retain new knowledge and skills.  Leaders should ensure that apprentices receive useful and impartial careers advice and guidance so that they are aware of the different options available to them at the end of their apprenticeship.  Leaders should ensure that apprentices have access to a broad curriculum to support their personal development beyond their qualifications so they develop their interests and build a suitable understating of topics such as healthy relationships and British values. 6 to 8 June 2023

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Provider details

Address Upminster Court 133 Hall Lane Upminster London RM14 1AL

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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 M & E Excellence Training Limited 6 to 8 June 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the apprenticeship compliance 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

Saher Nijabat, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Mike Finn His Majesty’s Inspector Christina Christou Ofsted Inspector 6 to 8 June 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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