The Chief Constable of South Yorkshire

The Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Anne Tyrrell, Ofsted Inspector

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Address:

South Yorkshire Police Training Centre Robert Dyson House Callflex Park Rotherham S63 7EF Monitoring visit: The Chief Constable of South Yorkshire, 4 and 5 July 2023

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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.

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Context and focus of visit

The Chief Constable of South Yorkshire has been training apprentices since September 2021. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 19 apprentices studying two different apprenticeship standards. Seven apprentices were completing level 5 coaching professional apprenticeships, and work in practice educator, investigation and neighbourhood roles. In April 2023, 12 apprentices started their level 4 apprenticeship in police community support officer (PCSO), working in neighbourhood teams. An external provider delivers functional skills courses in English and mathematics.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have developed an ambitious curriculum to professionalise and raise the standards of training for the South Yorkshire Police workforce and meet the needs of their local communities. They identified the coaching professional apprenticeship for existing employees to support the coaching and development of new officers in the workplace and the PCSO apprenticeship for all new PCSO starters. Leaders and managers are highly committed to investing in their workforce and ensure that apprentices are supported through their programmes, which they deliver flexibly to accommodate distinct roles and shift patterns.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have carefully developed a cycle of quality assurance activities that they use to identify accurately strengths and areas for improvement. They take timely and effective action to address any weaknesses. They have established an effective staff development programme to improve trainers’ teaching practice, which is leading to sustained improvement in the quality of education.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have been slow to implement a programme of English and mathematics functional skills courses for the small minority of apprentices who need Monitoring visit: The Chief Constable of South Yorkshire, 4 and 5 July 2023 to achieve qualifications in these subjects. A formal agreement for delivery and a quality assurance plan are in place and ready to be implemented with the external learning provider that delivers this provision.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have invested in high-quality resources that support and encourage a wide range of learning activities. Apprentices benefit from immersive learning suites used for scenario training and mock interview suites with observation facilities that closely reflect the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and senior staff responsible for governance maintain effective oversight of the apprenticeships and are committed to continuous improvement. The chief constable chairs the People Board, which scrutinises information on the quality of the programme and provides effective support and challenge, within a culture of openness and transparency.

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Reasonable progress

Managers and trainers carefully sequence the curriculum to develop apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours incrementally over time and apply them to increasingly complex tasks in the workplace. PCSO apprentices begin by learning about the ethics and values of the police force, including professional standards, equality and diversity and human rights. They apply their knowledge to working within neighbourhoods and in partnership with the communities that they serve.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers are well qualified, with a mix of experience in the police and as teaching professionals. They use their expert knowledge well to plan and deliver engaging and relevant learning activities. In first-aid sessions, for example, they use effective questioning techniques to challenge apprentices to recap their prior knowledge and deepen their understanding of first-aid practice. Apprentices can recall how to adapt bandaging and dressings for diverse age groups and how to recognise signs of shock.

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Reasonable progress

Most trainers use their knowledge of individual apprentices to ensure that the curriculum is accessible and inclusive for all. They use thorough initial assessment and screening, including scanning for neurodiversity, to adapt the programme to meet apprentices’ individual needs. However, in a small minority of sessions, trainers do not use the information available to provide the support that apprentices would benefit from to make rapid progress.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices develop English and mathematical skills throughout their programme. However, a small minority of apprentices are not supported to develop the skills that they need to achieve functional skills qualifications. These apprentices do not develop the skills they need to progress in a timely manner. Monitoring visit: The Chief Constable of South Yorkshire, 4 and 5 July 2023 Apprentices gain substantial new knowledge and skills throughout their apprenticeship and benefit from well-coordinated on- and off-the-job training. Coaching professional apprentices take on new roles supporting their colleagues in the workplace. This brings benefits to apprentices, who practise and apply their new skills with increasing competence.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices are well prepared for their end-point assessment and are aware of the requirements from the outset. At the time of the inspection, there were no apprentices who had completed their end-point assessment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers and trainers have developed a strong culture of safeguarding. They are guided by their values of fairness, integrity and trust and the police code of conduct that forms their moral and ethical compass. They provide a safe and compassionate learning environment in which apprentices are encouraged to speak out, challenge any inappropriate behaviour and uphold the values and ethics of the police force.

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Reasonable progress

Designated safeguarding staff are well qualified and experienced, and all staff and apprentices undertake appropriate safeguarding training. Effective vetting processes are in place to ensure the safe recruitment of all staff and apprentices. Where issues emerge, leaders and managers take swift action to mitigate or remove the risk.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have developed a comprehensive and effective range of policies and procedures to safeguard and protect their staff and members of the public. They have extensive processes in place under the ‘Prevent’ duty and ensure that staff and apprentices understand the risks of radicalisation and extremism, particularly in their local area. However, leaders recognise that they have been too slow in developing a ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment and action plan, which are now in place.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that apprentices know how to keep themselves safe. Apprentices understand and comply with the requirement not to publicly display their uniforms when coming to and from work, and not posting images on social media while in uniform. Monitoring visit: The Chief Constable of South Yorkshire, 4 and 5 July 2023 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for apprentices 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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Reasonable progress

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