Primary Goal Ltd

Primary Goal Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Victor Reid, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Greville Court Business Centre High Street Knowle Solihull B93 0LL Monitoring visit: Primary Goal Limited, 1 and 2 June 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Primary Goal Limited was inspected in July 2022. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in resolving 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 244 apprentices in learning. Of these, the large majority were studying for the level 3 digital support technician apprenticeship or the level 3 information communication technician qualification. A few apprentices study toward the level 3 infrastructure technician, level 3 cyber security technician or level 4 network engineer apprenticeships. Learning provided to apprentices is taught entirely online.

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Significant progress

Leaders now ensure that initial and diagnostic assessments are used effectively by trainers and work-based coaches to identify apprentices’ starting points, the results of which are used to set suitably personalised targets for them. These include their development needs, such as in English and mathematics or the improvement of specific information technology, and networking and infrastructure vocational skills.

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Significant progress

Apprentices benefit from frequent support from coaches and trainers to complete specific learning tasks and activities relating to their apprenticeship. As a result, gaps in their vocational knowledge and understanding are quickly closed. Most apprentices now make assured progress in acquiring the technical skills that are required for their job role.

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Significant progress

Managers and trainers work very closely with employers to plan the apprenticeship to meet employers’ business requirements and apprentices’ development needs. Training staff work closely with employers to ensure that the sequencing of learning Monitoring visit: Primary Goal Limited, 1 and 2 June 2023 and coaching support is personalised for apprentices and is related to the requirements of their job role. As a result, apprentices deepen their knowledge, develop new skills and demonstrate the behaviours expected at work.

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Significant progress

Coaches, apprentices and employers meet regularly to review apprentices’ progress. Employers actively participate in reviews of apprentices’ progress. This enables them to support apprentices to complete specific tasks and activities relating to their apprenticeship. Apprentices and employers identify opportunities within the workplace to consolidate new skills and to trial new techniques. For example, apprentices on the level 3 digital support technician apprenticeship, who work in educational settings, contribute to network development projects that support pupils with their learning.

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Significant progress

Most apprentices achieve the milestones that their trainers and coaches plan and set with them. Apprentices enjoy their learning and are prepared appropriately for their final assessment. Employers value apprentices’ personal and vocational skills highly and recognise the benefits to them.

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have implemented a more rigorous procedure for the identification and prioritisation of apprentices’ literacy and numeracy development needs. Trainers and work-based coaches now routinely use available information to inform the planning for and targeted development of apprentices’ English and mathematics skills from the outset of their apprenticeship.

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Significant progress

Leaders have supported training staff through appropriately targeted professional development activities to extend their confidence in contextualising the embedding of English and mathematics, both within lessons and during workplace progress reviews. In addition, trainers have been supported to strengthen their teaching practice, which is resulting in apprentices benefiting from concise and developmental feedback on what they do well and could do better to accelerate their learning.

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Significant progress

Managers ensure that current apprentices are being supported effectively to extend their English and mathematical skills. Trainers now routinely include pertinent examples of English and mathematics in lessons and relate these well to apprentices’ work contexts. For example, apprentices on the level 3 digital support technician apprenticeship are taught the importance of the correct use of mathematical positional notation when reporting on the accuracy of a binary code and when communicating such information to project supervisors. Monitoring visit: Primary Goal Limited, 1 and 2 June 2023 Most apprentices now receive more helpful and pertinent feedback from coaches and trainers that give them a clear understanding of what they need to do to improve at work and in their coursework. In online training sessions, trainers set high expectations and provide clear feedback on how apprentices can improve their

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Significant progress

Leaders have strengthened the rigour of careers advice and guidance provided to apprentices. Coaches explore possible career pathways with apprentices and provide clear guidance that helps them to make well-informed decisions about their next steps. For example, apprentices who aspire to become consultants are provided with guidance on how to set up their own business.

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Significant progress

The new chief executive, along with the board, has worked diligently to respond to the areas requiring improvement at the previous inspection. Senior leaders with the support of governors have established a much-strengthened management infrastructure to ensure that they now have a firm grasp of the quality and consistency of training being provided to apprentices.

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Significant progress

The board has ensured that leadership accountabilities are now more clearly defined. This has included the recruitment of additional members to the enhanced senior leadership team who lead on different aspects of improvement across the business.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers now meet frequently to jointly discuss and review the operational delivery and performance of the apprenticeship provision. Senior leaders have developed a detailed post-inspection action plan that sets out a range of appropriately detailed activities and initiatives in response to the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. Managers and experienced quality leads closely monitor the improvement plan on a regular basis. They act swiftly to ensure that apprentices now receive a more purposeful and beneficial learning experience and are being supported to make more rapid progress in their learning and vocational skills development.

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Significant progress

Governors have high expectations of leaders and training staff. They have developed a set of demanding organisational wider key performance indicators that they use to hold them firmly to account. Those staff who do not meet company expectations are supported to improve their practice or when this is not successful, they leave the organisation. As a response to challenge from governors, the board is now presented Monitoring visit: Primary Goal Limited, 1 and 2 June 2023 with a more insightful range of briefing reports covering key aspects of the provision. The new information arrangements have improved the board’s scrutiny and understanding across a wide range of different performance aspects of the apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices know to whom they should report any issues they may have when they are with their employer and/or accessing learning with Primary Goal. They feel confident that any concerns that they may raise will be acted on promptly.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have implemented a range of initiatives to ensure that most younger apprentices are supported to develop an age-appropriate understanding of how to protect themselves from the risks and dangers associated with a range of harmful sexual behaviours.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, utilising the experience of their internal safeguarding team and the insight of external partners, have developed a resource workbook that supports apprentices in extending their understanding of a range of safeguarding matters, for example enabling apprentices to recognise characteristics of what constitutes effective safeguarding practices both at work and in their personal lives. In addition, apprentices now learn how to distinguish between ‘normal’ and ‘harmful’ sexual behaviours, as well as how to recognise differences and signs associated with a loving relationship compared with an abusive one.

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Reasonable progress

Training staff have benefited from planned staff development activities to extend their confidence in initiating discussions with apprentices regarding sexualised and sensitive learning content. Trainers and coaches have very recently commenced undertaking extended one-to-one reviews with apprentices where they review and reinforce key safeguarding learning points. However, it is too early to judge the impact of this initiative.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices have an appropriate developmental understanding of what they have learned through self-study materials such as matter of informed consent, misogyny or the role that coercion or manipulation may have when they are not ready for sexual activity with partners. However, not all apprentices can recall receiving such training. In addition, not all male apprentices have an age-appropriate understanding of all potentially harmful behaviours such as the dangers associated with ‘voyeurism’ or in accessing sexual material in a range of formats. Monitoring visit: Primary Goal Limited, 1 and 2 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

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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable progress

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