We Are Momentum Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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Information about this provider

We Are Momentum Limited (WAM) is an independent learning provider based in Knutsford, Cheshire. WAM began training its first group of apprentices in November 2020.

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Information about this provider

WAM provides standards-based apprenticeship training across levels 3, 4 and 5 in team leading, associate project management and operations management. At the time of the inspection, WAM had 96 apprentices, 36 following the level 3 team leader or supervisor (TLS), 34 on the level 4 associate project manager (APM), and 24 following the level 5 operations or departmental manager (ODM) apprenticeships. It does not work with any subcontractors. WAM also offer Association of Project Management (APM) qualifications. This work is not in scope for the inspection.

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Information about this provider

WAM did not have any apprentices under the age of 19. 21 to 23 June 2023

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

Leaders and development coaches do not sufficiently support apprentices to achieve their apprenticeship successfully. Too few apprentices complete their apprenticeship on time, too many apprentices leave their apprenticeship early, and too many apprentices take breaks-in-learning or fall behind.

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

Apprentices do not routinely benefit from well-planned careers information, advice and guidance to support their next steps. Although most apprentices are aware of the benefits of professional and chartered memberships for their industry, they do not receive sufficient information or preparatory activities about their potential career development opportunities.

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

Apprentices do not benefit from a breadth of activities to support their development beyond the basic requirements of their apprenticeship. While development coaches introduce topics, including Islamophobia and the principles of fundamental British values, they do not ensure that apprentices revisit and remember what has been taught. Most apprentices cannot articulate a deeper understanding of the fundamental values of democracy, individual liberty, the rule of law, and mutual respect and tolerance. They struggle to recognise how this relates to themselves, their lives and their job roles.

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

Apprentices feel safe at work and while training in their online learning environments. They feel supported by their coaches and know who they should contact should they have any safeguarding or welfare concerns.

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

Most remaining apprentices enjoy their apprenticeships and display a good attitude to learning. Development coaches ensure that apprentices benefit from a culture where everyone values and appreciates each other, fostering an inclusive and supportive atmosphere. Apprentices develop their confidence and resilience, helping them to be more assertive in the workplace.

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better?

Leaders have failed to ensure a high-quality curriculum to meet the needs of all apprentices. They do not sufficiently ensure that the curriculum meets the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship, nor do they ensure that all apprentices develop the substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need.

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better?

While leaders and development coaches gather a range of information about what apprentices already know and can do relating to leadership and management, they do not routinely use this information to plan effective learning. Too many apprentices, notably those studying at levels 4 and 5, who already have significant leadership and management experience, do not gain substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours from their apprenticeship training. They told inspectors that they enrol on the apprenticeship to get accreditation for knowledge and skills that they already have. 21 to 23 June 2023

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In contrast, apprentices on the level 3 apprenticeship do develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. They improve their planning for challenging conversations, their time management to respond to service users, and their ability to lead effective team meetings. Many gain promotions and take on additional responsibilities because of their learning. They lead on audits and project manage new contracts.

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Development coaches teach the curriculum in a logical order. For example, level 3 apprentices study people management topics, including self-awareness and self- management, before studying motivation and coaching, leadership theories, and building relationships. They then progress to operations, project management and finance.

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Leaders do not assess apprentices’ standards of English and mathematics at the start of the apprenticeship. Development coaches do not systematically target and monitor the development of these skills to close gaps in apprentices’ knowledge. In too many instances, apprentices who require English and mathematics qualifications are not informed of this until late in their apprenticeship. This causes apprentices distress and hinders their progress. For those apprentices who already have English and mathematics qualifications, development coaches embed further training throughout their teaching. They identify opportunities to develop apprentices’ report writing, negotiation and persuasion skills, and data analysis to influence the decisions that they make at work.

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Although development coaches are subject matter experts, coaches and mentors with extensive sector experience, most do not have teaching qualifications. They do not benefit from planned training activities to keep their sector knowledge up to date or to improve their teaching. As a result, too many apprentices cannot remember and recall what they have learned.

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Development coaches do not coordinate on- and off-the job training well enough. Although most apprentices have the autonomy to organise their own schedule, so that they have the time they need to complete their studies, a few level 3 apprentices do not receive their entitlement to well-planned off-the-job training during working hours. They complete their training in their own time. In a minority of instances, apprentices struggle to practise and apply their new knowledge and skills as they are not in team leader or project management roles.

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Apprentices do not routinely receive useful and timely feedback that helps them to improve the quality of their written work and develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours over time. Development coaches’ feedback on written assignments is often generic and overly affirmative. Too many apprentices cannot remember what they have been asked to do to improve.

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Development coaches do not prepare apprentices well enough for their final assessments. In most cases, apprentices are not clear on what grade they are on 21 to 23 June 2023

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target to achieve, or what they need to do to strive for the highest grade of which they are capable.

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Leaders’ quality assurance processes are poor. They do not carry out effective quality assurance activities. Leaders visit training sessions to observe the quality of teaching and learning but do not routinely link their findings to staff development activities to improve the quality of training that apprentices receive. Leaders do not take incisive actions to improve the learning experience for apprentices. Too many apprentices do not make their expected levels of progress and have been delayed in completing their apprenticeship.

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Governance arrangements are ineffective. Although leaders have attempted to establish an effective governing body, this is yet to come into being. There is nobody to hold leaders to account for the quality of training that apprentices receive.

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Leaders work closely with staff to ensure appropriate workloads and work-life balance. They set termly recruitment patterns and have paused commercial training recruitment to ensure that they can plan staff capacity and workload considerately.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders promote a culture of safeguarding and well-being. Development coaches are supportive of the welfare and well-being of their apprentices. Leaders have effective policies, procedures and processes to record, action and follow up on any safeguarding concerns.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead has extensive safeguarding experience and is well trained and qualified for their role. They ensure that apprentices benefit from training in safeguarding and know how to keep themselves safe. Staff receive updates on a range of topics, including involuntary celibates (incels), Islamophobia and modern slavery that they discuss with their apprentices.

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Safeguarding

Leaders recruit staff safely. They carry out appropriate pre-employment checks to ensure the suitability of staff to work with apprentices.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should ensure that all apprentices receive their entitlement to well- planned on- and off-the-job training.  Leaders and development coaches should ensure that apprentices are placed on the right apprenticeship, so that they develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours.  Leaders should ensure that development coaches receive the training that they need to maintain and enhance their vocational and teaching expertise to improve the quality of teaching for apprentices. 21 to 23 June 2023

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 Leaders should assess apprentices’ standards of English and mathematics at the start of their apprenticeship and support all apprentices to develop these skills throughout their apprenticeship.  Development coaches should provide specific feedback that helps apprentices to identify what they need to do to improve the quality of their work. They should ensure that apprentices receive appropriate targets for improvement in preparation for their final assessments.  Leaders should ensure that they provide appropriate careers information, advice and guidance, so that apprentices can make informed choices about their next steps.  Leaders should implement effective quality assurance processes, so that they quickly identify, and take action to improve, weaknesses in the quality of training that apprentices receive.  Leaders should establish governance arrangements, so that those in a governance role can support and challenge leaders to improve the quality of

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Provider details

Address 1 Booths Park, Chelford Road Knutsford WA16 8GS

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Mr Ian Tomlinson

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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 21 to 23 June 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of quality, 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

Alastair Mollon, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector Rachel Clark His Majesty's Inspector Amanda Kennedy Ofsted Inspector Gareth Luke Ofsted Inspector 21 to 23 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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