Popcorn Learning Media Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Popcorn Learning Media Limited

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement 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

Popcorn Learning Media Ltd is a developer of e-learning, filmed videos and animations. They started teaching apprenticeships in May 2019. Their apprenticeship provision sits within a subsidiary business, Cavendish Henley Ltd.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were five apprentices studying level 3 team leader apprenticeships. Another six apprentices were on a break in learning from level 7 senior leader apprenticeships. The provider works with one subcontractor that teaches apprentices English and mathematics for the provider in preparation for their functional skills examinations as part of their apprenticeship. There were no apprentices studying functional skills at the time of the inspection. 27 to 29 June 2023

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

Most apprentices are keen to complete an apprenticeship which they believe will help them to be more effective at work and improve their career prospects. However, as leaders have placed a disproportionate focus on the completion of a qualification within the apprenticeship, apprentices do not develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that the apprenticeship requires.

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

Tutors place too much reliance on apprentices learning independently and through the completion of workbooks rather than being taught by skilled teachers. This prevents apprentices from developing the substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours to achieve their apprenticeship and to make an effective contribution at work.

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

Apprentices develop their confidence and leadership skills during their apprenticeship. They are encouraged to regularly present ideas to each other and develop a network of support at work. Several apprentices have received promotions during or following the completion of their apprenticeship.

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

Apprentices feel safe both at work and at the provider. They have strong relationships with their coach and are confident in asking for support when it is needed. Staff work with employers to ensure that apprentices are supported within the workplace when well-being issues arise.

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better?

Leaders do not ensure that the apprenticeships they provide are fit for purpose. They do not ensure that the principles and requirements of an apprenticeship are met. This leads to apprentices not developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours that the apprenticeship dictates and employers require.

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better?

Leaders do not understand the strengths and weaknesses of their provision. While leaders have previously involved external experts in supporting quality assurance processes this has not been done for over a year. As a result, quality improvement plans are outdated and significant points for improvement have not been rectified.

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better?

While leaders and managers engage with employers at enrolment to understand workplace requirements, they do not work with employers to effectively plan training in the workplace and ensure that they participate in progress reviews. As leaders do not have a clear view of the progress that apprentices are making, they are unable to work with apprentices’ employers to effectively plan, discuss, monitor or adjust their apprenticeship.

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better?

Leaders do not ensure that apprentices’ starting points are effectively established at the start of their apprenticeship. Apprentices complete an assessment of their vocational knowledge, but coaches do not use this information to plan their learning. All apprentices follow the same curriculum regardless of their starting 27 to 29 June 2023

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points, and consequently, those with prior knowledge and skills do not develop the substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours of which they are capable.

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Coaches do not ensure that apprentices routinely develop their English and mathematics skills throughout the apprenticeship. Apprentices who require functional skills qualifications are supported by a subcontractor to develop their skills. However, coaches do not assess the skills of apprentices who already have these qualifications at the start of the apprenticeship. They do not support apprentices to develop their English and mathematics further. Gaps in their knowledge are not identified quickly enough.

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Coaches do not adapt the curriculum to ensure that apprentices retain knowledge in their long-term memory. For example, when a module is completed, coaches do not revisit this content later to check that apprentices understand what they have been taught or how they use it at work. As a result, some apprentices find preparing for their end-point assessment challenging as they need to relearn content from earlier in their apprenticeship, and too many do not achieve the highest grades of which they are capable.

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Coaches do not conduct reviews of apprentices’ progress with the apprentice and their employer. Reviews of progress take place during coaching sessions and focus on the completion of workbooks rather than the development of the required knowledge, skills and behaviours. As a result, employers cannot provide the support in the workplace that apprentices need, and too many apprentices miss opportunities to practise new skills regularly at work.

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The curriculum that all apprentices follow does not include significant broader development beyond the apprenticeship. Tutors do not encourage apprentices to understand how to stay healthy or how to develop healthy relationships inside and outside the workplace. Too few apprentices recognise their local risks. While apprentices do have access to a third-party learning platform which provides additional training, leaders do not know the extent to which apprentices access this training.

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Coaches provide a few apprentices with advice and guidance on their next steps. However, careers education, information, advice and guidance for all apprentices is not planned. Too few apprentices receive useful careers information that helps them identify career goals or choices for further study.

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Leaders have given too much responsibility to a small number of staff to teach and monitor the apprenticeship to be able to have effective oversight of the curriculum. Staff at the provider do not have a clear understanding of their role in quality assurance or the need to make improvements within the organisation.

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Governance is ineffective. Governors do not have any experience in working with apprenticeships or in education to be able to understand the challenges of apprenticeship provision or offer guidance and direction to leaders. Governors do 27 to 29 June 2023

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not have access to the right information or guidance to ensure that quality of provision is high.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have suitable policies and procedures in place for safeguarding. Persons responsible for safeguarding are suitably trained and receive updated safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training, as well as links to local external agencies. Staff swiftly provide effective safeguarding and welfare support to apprentices when they require it.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make appropriate checks to ensure that staff are suited to work with apprentices. Minor administrative errors in safeguarding documentation were rectified during the inspection.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should develop robust processes to enable them to monitor the quality of education that apprentices receive and the progress that all apprentices make.  Leaders and assessors should use assessed starting points effectively to ensure that apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours throughout their apprenticeship.  Leaders should ensure that apprentices are given support to develop their English and mathematics skills throughout their apprenticeship.  Leaders should ensure that communication with employers to review apprentices’ progress is frequent and includes planning and reviews of on- and off-the-job learning.  Leaders should ensure that those responsible for governance are given appropriate and effective information to allow them to hold leaders and managers to account to swiftly improve the quality of training that apprentices receive.  Leaders should ensure that all teaching staff develop their teaching skills through

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

planned training.  Leaders should ensure that all apprentices receive impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance to ensure that they understand their next steps.  Leaders should ensure that all apprentices have sufficient opportunities to help them develop their knowledge of healthy lifestyles and well-being and to understand local risks. 27 to 29 June 2023

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Provider details

Address Unit 1 Potbank Spode Works Elenora Street Stoke ST4 1QE

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Eric Gresswell

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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 Mantra Learning 27 to 29 June 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of apprenticeships, 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

Helen Morgan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Stuart Collett His Majesty’s Inspector 27 to 29 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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