Span Training & Development Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Span Training & Development Limited

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

Span Training & Development Limited is a small national independent training provider specialising in apprenticeships. The head office is in Leamington Spa, however, no training happens from this site. Apprentices’ training takes place at employer premises or remotely. At the time of inspection, there were 167 apprentices on programme. The majority of apprentices study hairdressing. There were 61 studying the level 2 hair professional, 23 were studying the level 3 advanced and creative hair professional. There were 35 apprentices studying the level 5 operations or departmental manager apprenticeship and 22 apprentices on the level 3 team leader or supervisor standard. The remaining 26 apprentices were studying across construction, information, communication technology and education and training sectors. At the time of inspection, there were 34 apprentices that were 16- to 18-years old.

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Information about this provider

Span Training & Development Limited does not work with any subcontractors. 18 to 20 July 2023

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

Apprentices benefit from well-taught training sessions that help them build new knowledge, skills and behaviours that they apply well at work. For example, management apprentices study relationship building and leadership theories, before moving on to more complex topics, such as project management and finance. As a result, apprentices use their new knowledge effectively to successfully make improvements at work.

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

Apprentices rightly value the teaching they receive from well-qualified industry experts. For example, hairdressing skills coaches use their knowledge and experience well to make sure apprentices understand the principles of colouring hair thoroughly before practising techniques on clients. As a result, apprentices quickly become confident to work with clients in their commercial salons.

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

Apprentices demonstrate positive behaviours with clients and colleagues. They have a positive attitude to their learning and they attend sessions punctually. Skills coaches are quick to follow up on non-attendance with employers. Skills coaches provide helpful resources and recordings to apprentices that miss training to help them catch up. Most apprentices develop the professional behaviours they need for the workplace successfully.

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

Apprentices understand how to keep themselves healthy through useful resources and training sessions. For example, topics include alcohol awareness, National Walking Month and mental health awareness. Apprentices understand appropriately sexual consent and sexual harassment.

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

Apprentices have a reasonable understanding of their next steps through information, advice and guidance skills coaches provide. Management apprentices have useful digital resources that shows them career pathways. Hairdressing apprentices benefit from useful information about the sector, industry talks from experts and self-employment. Consequently, most apprentices understand what they can do when they complete their apprenticeship or in the future.

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better?

Leaders and managers work well with employers to make sure apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to be successful at work. Skills coaches collaborate with employers well to plan apprentices’ training and review their development. As such, employers have a good understanding of apprentices’ progress and how to support them. Employers value the good support that skills coaches provide their apprentices.

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better?

Workplace assessors provide good practical training to hairdressing apprentices. They provide useful demonstrations followed by repetitive practise of practical techniques. Hairdressing apprentices develop high standards of practical work. Management apprentices benefit from useful developmental feedback that helps 18 to 20 July 2023

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them improve their work. As a result, they produce written work at the expected level they study.

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Most apprentices benefit from well-planned, off-the-job training sessions with skills coaches and workplace assessors that links well to what they are doing at work. For example, hairdressing apprentices attend training sessions on the theories of colour and then apply these techniques practically in their salons. As a result, apprentices successfully apply their new learning quickly.

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In hairdressing, skills coaches embed English and mathematics well into apprentices’ practical training. For example, using ratios when mixing colours. Management apprentices benefit from useful feedback on work that helps them improve.

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Leaders and managers have a limited understanding of the quality of training. They have not taken sufficient action to resolve issues that they have identified. For example, leaders have been too slow to intervene successfully where apprentices have not completed their apprenticeship in the planned time. Consequently, leaders are unable to ensure continued and sustained improvement to provision.

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Leaders do not help staff to identify the quality of their teaching. They do not help staff to develop their pedagogical knowledge and skills. As a result, staff are too often unaware of the strengths and weaknesses of their practice, and so are unable to improve their teaching over time.

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Leaders have not ensured that apprentices who need English and mathematics qualifications as part of their apprenticeships receive training in these subjects quickly enough. This slows too many apprentices’ ability to complete their qualifications in a timely manner. Leaders have rightly identified this as an area to improve and made changes to the curriculum, however, it is too early to see an impact.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers have made sure they use appropriate policies and procedures to help keep apprentices safe. Leaders help staff and apprentices to keep themselves safe successfully. Apprentices know who to report concerns to and they are confident staff will support them with any issues. Staff record, monitor and action any concerns raised swiftly and involve relevant external agencies when necessary.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices understand how to keep safe from extremism and radicalisation. However, they do not have a good understanding of risks in the areas in which they live and work. 18 to 20 July 2023

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should take swift action to make sure apprentices that should have achieved their apprenticeship have effective plans in place to make sure they can complete their training.  Leaders should implement effective processes and oversight to accurately identify the quality of the provision to make sure they can identify areas for improvement.  Leaders should ensure they focus on the development of teaching skills of their staff to make sure they provide high-quality training for all apprentices.  Leaders should make sure English and mathematics is taught early in the programme to ensure apprentices that need to achieve a qualification have sufficient time before they complete their apprenticeship. 18 to 20 July 2023

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Provider details

Address 3 Russell Street Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 5QA

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Katherine North

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 16 June 2014

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 18 to 20 July 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the Commercial Director, 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

Emma Barrett-Peel, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Alex Warner Ofsted Inspector Maggie Fobister Ofsted Inspector 18 to 20 July 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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