Vision Rehabilitation Training Ltd

Vision Rehabilitation Training Limited Monitoring visit report

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Jon Bowman, His Majesty’s Inspector

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

69 St. Ronans Crescent Woodford Green IG8 9DQ Monitoring visit: Vision Rehabilitation Limited, 14 and 15 June 2023

p.1

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.

p.2

Context and focus of visit

Vision Rehabilitation Training Limited (VRT) was formed in July 2019. VRT offers apprenticeship and continued professional development training to employers who provide statutory and voluntary sight loss services. The first cohort of apprentices started their training in May 2022. Since then, a further three cohorts have started their training. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 19 adult apprentices on the level 5 standards-based vision rehabilitation worker apprenticeship. Training is taught both online and in person.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear rationale for the training they offer. Historically, the only option for learners to train as visual rehabilitation workers was to attend university. The apprenticeship offers learners an alternative training route, where they build their skills and knowledge in the workplace. This meets employers’ needs well because the training helps to build capacity in the sector and meets skills shortages.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that the training meets the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship. Employers understand their roles and responsibilities towards apprentices. For example, commitment statements are in place, and apprentices benefit from regular reviews of their progress, attended by their employers. Apprentices receive their entitlement to off-the-job training. However, leaders have been slow to ensure that the small number of apprentices who need to gain qualifications in mathematics get timely support to do so.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders recruit trainers and staff with extensive and up-to-date sector experience and knowledge. Trainers are practising vision rehabilitation workers. They use their expertise well to ensure the curriculum reflects current developments in the sector. For example, apprentices are aware of new and emerging products that support service users in their rehabilitation, such as the latest magnifiers on the market. Monitoring visit: Vision Rehabilitation Limited, 14 and 15 June 2023 Leaders have been careful in their approach to increasing the number of apprentices in training. They make sure that there are enough staff to teach the curriculum and provide apprentices with the support they need. However, they have been slow to implement some of their quality assurance and improvement actions. For example, a planned review of the curriculum has not taken place. Leaders are aware of the need for them to increase their capacity as they continue to grow the provision.

p.2

Reasonable progress

Leaders use feedback from employers and apprentices well and adapt the training accordingly. For example, they have adapted assessments that apprentices complete so that these are more manageable for apprentices. However, they recognise the need to increase the scrutiny of the provision further so that the curriculum provides a more holistic education for apprentices, such as including a personal development curriculum for apprentices.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders have carefully considered how they teach the content of the apprenticeship. They ensure that apprentices understand early in the programme the care and equalities act that underpins their work. As such, apprentices know the legislative frameworks they must operate within and their statutory responsibilities when they assess their clients.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that apprentices’ knowledge builds over time in a logical way. For example, apprentices learn key foundation knowledge about anatomy of the eye, essential information about epidemiology and the cause and prognosis of visual impairment. As a result, apprentices know how to consider this information when they conduct visual assessments with their clients.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Tutors teach apprentices effectively so that they retain and recall what they are taught. Apprentices enjoy their teaching sessions, which they find interesting. Tutors set apprentices’ group tasks during online sessions through which they develop their knowledge and learn from each other through the feedback they give. Apprentices have a good understanding of eyesight conditions, including glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, and their impact on their service users.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Tutors frequently assess apprentices’ knowledge and skills through a range of suitable activities. These include assignments, projects, homework tasks, and videos of practical activities. Apprentices receive detailed and helpful feedback on their work. Apprentices make good use of this feedback to improve their work, and they produce work of a good standard. However, a few apprentices find the amount of work too overwhelming and struggle to complete it within the time available to them. Monitoring visit: Vision Rehabilitation Limited, 14 and 15 June 2023 Leaders do not ensure that when they review apprentices’ progress, they consider what level apprentices are working at or what apprentices need to do to achieve high grades. Apprentices are aware of their final assessments and some of the activities they will complete. However, they do not know about the different grades they can work towards or how to achieve these.

p.3

Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that staff are suitably qualified and experienced in safeguarding. Staff understand well what action to take should there be any concerns about apprentices’ safety or welfare. Leaders ensure that appropriate safeguarding policies are in place. For example, the safeguarding policy outlines the responsibilities of staff and the designated safeguarding lead. There have been no safeguarding concerns, so the policies are, as yet, untested.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe. They know to whom they should report any concerns they have. Through their training, apprentices develop a good understanding of how to safeguard their service users. Apprentices understand the risks associated with their role. For example, they learn about the risks of lone working and the importance of checking who is in the house when they visit service users.

p.4

Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that a ‘Prevent’ risk assessment and policy are in place. However, they do not ensure that apprentices receive information about the dangers of radicalisation and extremism relevant to the context of their work. Monitoring visit: Vision Rehabilitation Limited, 14 and 15 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 and child protection.

p.4

Reasonable progress

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.5

Reasonable progress

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Reasonable progress

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.5

Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.5