Exalt Training

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

Exalt Training (Exalt) has its headquarters in Wareham, Dorset. At the time of inspection, 250 apprentices were studying apprenticeships with Exalt across England. Almost all of these were over 18 years old. Around a quarter of apprentices were studying the dental nursing apprenticeships at level 3. The remaining apprentices study adult care, early years, team leader, business admin and senior leader standards at levels 3 to 5. 25 to 28 July 2023

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

Apprentices grow in confidence as they recognise and use the new knowledge, skills and behaviours they develop because of their apprenticeships. Apprentices often gain additional responsibilities in their workplaces because employers value what they have learned. For example, dental nurses as they develop expertise in how to best speed up healing, following tooth extraction.

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

Apprentices value the high levels of industry expertise that their skills coaches have. For example, adult care apprentices appreciate the up-to-date knowledge of their skills coaches, many of whom still work in the sector. Those apprentices that attend frequently enjoy their one-to-one and group sessions. However, too many apprentices do not attend their training sessions often enough because Exalt staff do not reinforce the importance of this. As a result, these apprentices do not develop the important professional behaviours they need quickly enough.

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

Apprentices gain useful additional qualifications alongside their apprenticeships. For example, senior leader apprentices complete coaching qualifications that help them support and develop the staff they work with.

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

Apprentices apply their theoretical knowledge well in the practical elements of training. Skills coaches’ use their specialist knowledge effectively to help apprentices understand how to apply what they have learned. However, not all apprentices, particularly dental nurses, practise their new skills in the workplace at the right time, because skills coaches do not plan opportunities for them to do this with employers. Because of this, apprentices do not master practical skills as quickly as they should.

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

Apprentices benefit from the culture of valuing everyone’s contributions that skills coaches foster. For example, apprentices are confident to share their opinions while listening respectfully to their peers, staff and work colleagues because skills coaches have developed this with them.

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

Too many apprentices have experienced disruption to their learning because of staff changes. Some have had delays to their final assessments as a result.

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better?

Leaders and managers have recognised that they were initially over ambitious in their growth of apprenticeships and had not considered the full implications of the challenges to the sector. Too many apprentices failed to complete their apprenticeships because managers had not provided the training they needed. Leaders have taken appropriate actions which are beginning to have positive impacts on apprentices’ training experiences. For example, leaders are putting interventions in place to support apprentices who are falling behind and need help to catch up with their peers. Leaders have reduced the number of apprenticeship standards they offer, so that they can focus on improving the experiences of current apprentices. Leaders continue to provide apprenticeships that contribute to 25 to 28 July 2023

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addressing national skills shortages, such as in early years, dental nursing and adult care. Many of the changes leaders and managers have made are new and have not yet had enough impact on improving the quality of training.

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Governors are highly experienced educational professionals. They have substantial knowledge of vocational training and provide high levels of challenge and scrutiny to senior leaders. Leaders and managers do not provide governors with enough useful information, so that they can identify the impacts of any actions taken to improve the experience of apprentices. As a result, improvements to the quality of training do not happen quickly enough.

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Most training is effective in helping apprentices develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Skills coaches check apprentices’ understanding well. However, skills coaches’ feedback on apprentices’ work is too often cursory and based on whether the apprentice has met the qualification criteria. As a result, apprentices are not always clear on how to improve their future work or how to achieve higher grades.

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In the best instances, Exalt staff work with employers to make sure that apprentices can practise at work the new skills and knowledge that they develop. In team leader or supervisor apprenticeships, training on problem-solving is timed, so that apprentices can apply it to reports on production lines that they produce for their managers. However, too many apprentices do not get to practise the new knowledge and skills they have learned in training at the right time. For example, skills coaches teach dental nursing apprentices oral hygiene techniques effectively through online workshops and completion of workbooks. The apprentices do not practise what they had learned from these sessions in the workplace for several months and do not always remember what they were taught. Consequently, they make less progress than they could.

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Not all skills coaches plan teaching using up-to-date information of what learners already know and can do. Apprentices complete an assessment of their knowledge before their apprenticeships start. Some gain new skills at work after this but before their training sessions with Exalt staff begin. As a result, these apprentices are often taught things that they have already learned. Managers plan to change the timings of when apprentices complete these first assessments, so that they have a better evaluation of apprentices’ knowledge and skills.

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Skills coaches and specialist tutors support apprentices effectively in the development of their English and mathematics skills. The proportion of apprentices who achieve functional skills qualifications in these subjects has improved. Apprentices in childcare settings develop these skills well and, as a result, improve their effectiveness in the workplace. For example, they learn how to better identify and use age-appropriate language with the children they work with.

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Leaders support staff effectively to maintain and develop their industry specialisms . Many skills coaches are allowed to work part-time, so that they can also continue to work in their specialist industries. As a result, the training they offer is relevant and up to date. Leaders and managers now give skills coaches useful teaching and 25 to 28 July 2023

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professional development but this has not yet improved the quality of training consistently enough.

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Skills coaches do not provide good enough careers advice well enough. They give apprentices careers guidance at the start of their apprenticeships but do not develop apprentices’ knowledge more deeply. As a result, not enough apprentices understand the broad range of career opportunities that are available to them outside of their current workplace.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders promote an effective culture of safeguarding. Staff are well trained and know how to support their apprentices. When safeguarding concerns arise, leaders take swift action and give effective support to apprentices. As a result, apprentices feel safe and are confident in the support they receive.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have an appropriate ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment in place. Apprentices know the risks and dangers associated with extremism and radicalisation. However, a small number only have a superficial understanding of how these risks relate to the industries in which they work.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Increase the number of apprentices who complete their apprenticeships.  Use up-to-date information about what apprentices know and can do to plan relevant training.  Ensure that all apprentices practise what they have learned at the right time in their workplace.  Give apprentices relevant and individual feedback that identifies how they can improve their work.  Give apprentices information about the broad range of opportunities available to them on completion of their apprenticeships.  Improve the attendance of apprentices. 25 to 28 July 2023

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Provider details

Address Unit 7 Leanne Business Park Sandford Lane Wareham Dorset BH20 4DY

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Lisa Pearman

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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 None 25 to 28 July 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the chief operating officer 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

Paul James, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector Lyn Bourne Ofsted Inspector Fern Jest Ofsted Inspector Sam Hanmer Ofsted Inspector Edward Bird Ofsted Inspector Mark Hillman His Majesty's Inspector 25 to 28 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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