JS Consult Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

JS Consult Limited (JS Consult) is an independent learning provider based in east London. In 2021, JS Consult gained a contract to teach apprenticeships.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, most apprentices were enrolled on apprenticeship standards in adult care. There were 52 apprentices studying the level 2 care worker standard, 64 studying the level 3 lead adult care worker standard, 41 studying the level 4 lead practitioner in adult care standard and 61 studying the level 5 leader in adult care standard. In addition, there were five apprentices studying level 3 standards in early years, business administration, and team leader or supervisor. There were five apprentices studying the level 4 standard in children, young people and families practitioner. There were fewer than five apprentices studying the children, young people and families manager and the operations or department manager level 5 standards.

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Information about this provider

Most apprentices were also studying level 2 qualifications in English and/or mathematics. 26 to 28 June 2023

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

Apprentices do not have all the information they need to understand the full requirements of their qualifications. Assessors do not give apprentices sufficient guidance on their final assessments. They do not explain clearly what the components of the assessments are, when they take place or how to achieve high grades. As a result, apprentices take much longer than the planned time frame to complete their qualifications.

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

Apprentices who need to achieve qualifications in English and/or mathematics do not study these qualifications early enough in their studies. This causes delays to the completion of their apprenticeships.

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

Apprentices do not benefit from a programme of activities that helps them explore their interests and hobbies beyond their main programmes. Staff have not made sure that apprentices benefit from careers advice and guidance that helps them take their next steps in education and training.

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

Apprentices have positive attitudes to their studies. They enjoy learning new skills that are relevant to their job roles. For example, level 2 care worker apprentices learn how to communicate with a diverse range of clients using appropriate language and tone. Level 5 care leader apprentices improve their skills so that they manage staff and conflict in the workplace effectively. Apprentices’ interest in their studies makes them keen to learn more.

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

Apprentices highly value the support they receive from assessors. For example, assessors teach apprentices in their care and residential settings to accommodate their varying work patterns. They meet apprentices regularly online to provide individual guidance and help apprentices complete their coursework. As a result, apprentices are motivated to succeed.

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

Apprentices improve their confidence through their studies. This is because assessors teach them effectively how to link the theoretical principles of caregiving and care management to the needs of the service users with whom they work. Apprentices improve their professional practice and employers value the new skills they learn.

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better?

JS Consult specialises in teaching apprenticeships to meet skills shortages and labour market demands in the adult care sector. Through their training, apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that enable them to achieve recognised qualifications, gain full-time employment and enhance their career prospects in the care sector. 26 to 28 June 2023

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In the last year, JS Consult has experienced a period of significant instability which has created challenging staffing issues. Many assessors left the organisation and leaders recruited new staff. This disrupted apprentices’ experiences and most have not taken their final assessments. Leaders have worked conscientiously to improve their apprentices’ experiences by introducing new online learning resources and improving their quality assurance processes. However, leaders have not achieved consistency in the way these are used by staff.

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Managers sequence the curriculum in a logical order. For example, tutors teach level 2 apprentices about the duties and responsibilities of a care worker early on in their programme. This provides apprentices with the basic knowledge they need to work with clients in a variety of care settings. Level 5 apprentices study the broad context of social care settings before they study more specific topics such as managing care home budgets. As a result, apprentices increase their knowledge incrementally over time.

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Assessors do not teach the curriculum effectively. They do not check apprentices’ understanding of concepts thoroughly during teaching sessions or help apprentices link new learning with previously taught concepts. As a result, assessors do not fully exploit opportunities to help apprentices correct any misconceptions they may have.

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Apprentices’ written work is not consistently of the right standard for the programme level. For example, the majority of level 5 apprentices’ work is descriptive rather than analytical or evaluative. They do not consistently reference their work accurately. As a result, apprentices do not develop the high-level skills they need for further study. Too often, assessors do not provide effective feedback on apprentices’ written work, which hinders their ability to improve it. Assessors do not provide effective feedback that enables apprentices to improve their spelling, punctuation and grammar. This limits apprentices’ ability to write accurately.

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Leaders and managers do not create a culture of high expectations of attendance. They do not track apprentices’ attendance robustly or analyse patterns of non- attendance. They do not monitor punctuality. This means that apprentices’ attendance varies across programmes and, as a result, apprentices miss out on the full range of learning opportunities available to them.

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Leaders regularly engage with the employers with whom they work to ensure that they understand the requirements of an apprenticeship. Apprentices receive their entitlement to off-the-job learning hours. However, assessors do not make sure that apprentices log and record these consistently. Since the staffing changes, assessors now have a good understanding of apprentices’ progress.

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Assessors are suitably qualified and have relevant industry experience. They use examples from their own backgrounds to explain concepts to apprentices. For example, level 2 assessors teach apprentices about independent daily living and the challenges this may create for adult service users. As a result, apprentices apply what they learn in their own workplaces. 26 to 28 June 2023

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Apprentices apply their new knowledge, skills and behaviours appropriately at work. For example, level 2 apprentices learn how to care for clients from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. This enables them to apply person-centred care that is focused on their clients’ unique needs. Level 4 apprentices learn how to recognise and respond quickly to signs of infection. This means that their clients receive the medical care they need.

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Apprentices understand what British values are and how they apply in their workplaces. For example, level 5 apprentices understand the legal requirements of running a care home.

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Staff promote an inclusive environment effectively. As a result, apprentices respect each other’s diverse cultures and those with whom they work and care for. For example, level 2 apprentices have an appreciation that their clients may have different dietary requirements depending on their religious or faith beliefs.

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Leaders have introduced a range of quality assurance measures since the monitoring visit. These include regular senior management meetings, an assessor observation system and improved processes for tracking and monitoring apprentices’ progress. However, as many of these processes are new, they have not had sufficient impact on improving the experiences that apprentices have.

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Staff use up-to-date relevant information to teach apprentices about the ‘Prevent’ duty. Assessors discuss radicalisation and extremism with apprentices during progress reviews and check that apprentices know how they may be affected by these risks. This means that apprentices understand how to protect themselves from potential risks.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead is appropriately qualified and experienced to carry out their role. They have useful links with a range of external agencies and use them appropriately to refer any concerns they have. Staff receive safeguarding training during their induction period and through annual updates. They know the procedure for reporting any concerns.

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Safeguarding

Those who are responsible for staff recruitment make sure that staff they employ are suitable to work with their learners.

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Safeguarding

Assessors make sure that apprentices understand the appropriate health and safety requirements when working with their clients, including wearing personal protective equipment and face masks, and moving and handling clients safely.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices feel safe when they are learning online and in face-to-face study environments. 26 to 28 June 2023

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Assessors must give apprentices timely information about their final assessments, including what the individual elements are, when they take place and how to achieve high grades.  Tutors must make sure that they teach the curriculum effectively. This includes giving apprentices feedback that enables them to improve their work, checking apprentices’ understanding of concepts they teach and helping apprentices to develop evaluative and analytical skills.  Leaders must make sure that staff teach English and mathematics early in the apprenticeship so that apprentices complete their training on time.  Leaders must make sure they put in place a personal development programme that enables apprentices to develop their wider personal skills and take their next steps in education and training. 26 to 28 June 2023

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Provider details

Address G30b Expressway 1 Dock Road London E13 1AH

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Stella Oparah

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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 N/A 26 to 28 June 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by an external consultant, 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

Andrea McMahon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Sarah Wilding Ofsted Inspector Philida Schellekens Ofsted Inspector 26 to 28 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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