Anderson Stockley Accredited Training Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Anderson Stockley Accredited Training Ltd

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Education programmes for young people Requires improvement Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Anderson Stockley Accredited Training Limited has been an accredited training provider since 2000. The company has held a funding contract with the Education and Skills Funding Agency since July 2013. It currently provides apprenticeships and a small number of traineeships. Apprentices are located across the country, with the majority in the east of England and the Midlands. Most trainees are based in Yorkshire and the northwest. At the time of the inspection, there were 129 level 3 dental nurse (integrated) apprentices, 14 level 3 early years educator apprentices and three level 2 early years practitioner apprentices. There were 22 trainees, most of whom were undertaking retail work placements. 13 to 16 June 2023

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

Most trainees and apprentices are highly motivated, enjoy their courses and are very satisfied with the training they receive.

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

Apprentices develop a good range of new skills and knowledge, which they can confidently apply in their jobs. They receive good tuition and complete a range of well-planned learning activities, which helps them to consolidate their understanding. Workplace mentors take a real interest in the progress of apprentices and support them well to practise their skills and develop their understanding.

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

Trainees spend most of their time in work placements, and these placements help them to develop their knowledge and their understanding of employer expectations. However, they receive little actual training and consequently do not develop their English, mathematical and wider employability skills enough.

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

Apprentices and trainees benefit substantially from the good links that managers forge with employers. For apprentices, these relationships result in an effective programme of on- and off-the-job learning. For trainees, these relationships help to ensure that work placements lead to a real job opportunity. As a result, all those who recently completed their course secured an apprenticeship or other job.

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

Mentors and employers help apprentices and trainees to develop their personal attributes, such as assertiveness and confidence. Many, for example, become much more confident in talking with clients, customers and colleagues, which is often a particular challenge for them.

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

Staff show genuine concern for the safety and well-being of their apprentices and trainees. Consequently, learners feel safe, both at work and during training. They receive suitable guidance on a range of safeguarding topics, know to whom they should report concerns and are confident that any matters they raise will be dealt with promptly and effectively.

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better?

Managers have developed apprenticeships in childcare and dental nursing in response to requests from employers. They ensure that apprentices study suitable topics that match the training requirements of employers and, for dental nurses, the demands of the General Dental Council. Staff provide training through a combination of face-to-face and online activities.

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better?

Tutors, known as Educational Practitioners (EPs), organise topics well so that apprentices can gradually build their understanding and skills. For example, apprentice dental nurses study key topics, such as infection control, early in their programme. This helps them to make sense of subsequent topics. 13 to 16 June 2023

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Managers collaborate closely with employers to identify work placements that are likely to lead to a job. Work placements constitute almost the whole of the traineeship. They expose trainees to a suitable range of activities, which helps them to prepare for employment. However, managers allocate too little time to the English, mathematics and work preparation elements of traineeships. As a result, training activities contribute too little to the development of trainees’ knowledge and skills.

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Staff provide suitable support for learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and these learners make similar progress to their peers. However, managers have not developed formal diagnostic processes or systems for planning and reviewing support plans. As a result, managers cannot be certain that all apprentices and trainees receive the most appropriate support.

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EPs are suitably qualified and have appropriate occupational experience in the subjects they teach. They provide apprentices with monthly training sessions. Dental nursing EPs supplement these sessions with a series of well-planned learning activities for apprentices to complete on their own. Early years EPs assign set tasks, which are less clearly defined, and a few apprentices do not gain as much knowledge as they might from their independent study.

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EPs check apprentices’ and trainees’ understanding through questioning, multiple- choice tests and professional discussions. They revisit topics and provide further explanations, where necessary. However, while most assessment activity is effective, multiple-choice tests in traineeships are often undemanding and provide little useful information for EPs.

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EPs use assessment well to help apprentices to practise using their new knowledge and skills. Most set suitably challenging tasks, which apprentices complete between lessons. They work effectively with employers to ensure that apprentices have opportunities to develop their skills in the workplace.

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Most apprentices make at least the expected progress. Managers review the progress of apprentices on a frequent basis and, where necessary, take suitable action to help them to catch up. Almost all apprentices succeed in their final assessments.

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EPs do not spend enough time teaching mathematics to the small number of apprentices who need to gain functional skills qualifications in the subject. As a result, these apprentices often struggle to pass their examinations. However, those who need to gain English qualifications are successful.

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Almost all apprentices remain in employment at the end of their course. To date, all trainees have secured an apprenticeship or other employment at the end of their traineeship.

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Managers have developed suitable policies for managing behaviour and attendance. These include policies for online lessons, such as camera use, which staff enforce 13 to 16 June 2023

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gently but firmly. Consequently, lessons are calm and effective, and learners attend well and behave appropriately.

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EPs introduce apprentices and trainees to a range of topics related to British values, equality and safeguarding at the start of their courses. Apprentices complete online training courses in these topics, and apprentices and trainees review these themes in lessons and during review meetings. Consequently, they develop a sound understanding of these topics.

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EPs provide apprentices with relevant information about career paths available with their current employers and across their sector. This includes information about further study options. For example, apprentice dental nurses discuss opportunities for progression to roles such as oral health hygienist and further training on such things as fluoride varnishing and radiography.

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Managers provide a selection of appropriate training for staff. This includes topics related to safeguarding, radicalisation, British values and diversity. This helps EPs to teach and explore these topics with their learners. However, new EPs do not benefit from sufficient or timely development of their teaching skills, and this occasionally affects the standard of their teaching.

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Managers have established a range of appropriate quality assurance processes, including weekly reviews with EPs, standardisation meetings, lesson observations, progress monitoring, and feedback from learners and employers. They implement sensible improvement actions to raise standards.

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Leaders and managers benefit from support and advice from external consultants who have suitable backgrounds and experience in apprenticeships and traineeships. Leaders have recognised that a formal governance board would provide a greater degree of scrutiny and support, with plans to implement one very soon.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead and deputies are experienced and suitably trained. They have established appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures. They deal effectively with any safeguarding concerns that arise and keep suitable records of their actions. They liaise with external agencies to help apprentices and trainees access such things as mental health support. They complete comprehensive pre-employment checks on staff. They ensure that all staff undertake relevant training. They use the information from regional ‘Prevent’ coordinators to produce a suitable ‘Prevent’ risk assessment. They ensure that apprentices and trainees understand safeguarding procedures. 13 to 16 June 2023

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders and managers should review the English, mathematics and work preparation skills they expect trainees to gain and plan sufficient, good-quality training to enable them to do so.  Leaders and managers should develop formal procedures for assessing the special educational needs of apprentices and trainees, and for developing and reviewing support plans.  Leaders and managers should review the arrangements for teaching mathematics to apprentices and ensure that those who need to gain a functional skills qualification receive enough good-quality training to do so.  Leaders and managers should ensure that all EPs receive suitable training to develop their pedagogical skills so that they are able to provide consistently good teaching. 13 to 16 June 2023

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Provider details

Address Unit 9, Prospect Court Courteenhall Rd, Blisworth Northampton NN7 3DG

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Janice Fitch

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 24 to 27 January 2017 13 to 16 June 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of business, 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

Russ Henry, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Angela Twelvetree His Majesty’s Inspector Karen Green Ofsted Inspector 13 to 16 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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