Cordie Ltd

Name of lead inspector: Emma Leavey, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Unit A1, Aerodrome Studios, 2-8 Airfield Way, Christchurch, BH23 3TS Monitoring visit: Cordie Ltd, 2 and 3 August 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

Cordie Ltd is an independent learning provider based in Christchurch, Dorset. It was established 20 years ago to provide training in procurement focused on the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply qualifications. Since August 2022, Cordie Ltd has provided the apprenticeships standard in commercial procurement and supply at level 4. Apprentices are employed by private and public sector organisations and, at present, all training is completed virtually. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 16 apprentices aged 19 years and over at varying stages of the programme.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have selected and implemented an ambitious curriculum that helps apprentices to develop their careers and become innovative leaders in procurement and supply. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum meets employment needs in the private and public sectors for procurement professionals. They aim to prepare apprentices for higher level qualifications, to lead teams and to support others to develop their careers.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have met the requirements of an apprenticeship provision successfully. Apprentices benefit from well-planned training, regular reviews of their progress and arrangements for end-point assessment. As a result, apprentices quickly develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours, and almost all apprentices achieve their exams.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders use effective methods to evaluate the quality of the training. They have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses and have appropriate plans for improvement. They have recently recruited a highly experienced Education Oversight Board to provide support and external scrutiny of the provision. It is too early to see the impact of these actions on the quality of training. Monitoring visit: Cordie Ltd, 2 and 3 August 2023 Employers value the training that their apprentices receive, as it has a positive impact on their businesses. However, leaders do not ensure that on- and off-the-job training is fully aligned so that apprentices consistently benefit from opportunities to practise and develop their knowledge and skills in work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recruit apprentices with integrity and ensure that their previous knowledge and skills are assessed. However, staff do not use this information sufficiently to plan the programmes for individual apprentices fully. Consequently, apprentices do not consistently benefit from tailored training to support their individual needs and interests.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours that rapidly benefit the roles and duties they undertake. They improve their knowledge of procurement practice, become more confident when working with suppliers and deepen their understanding of the drivers that affect procurement.

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Reasonable progress

Teaching staff plan off-the-job training logically so that apprentices develop the new knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to work in public and private procurement. Apprentices start by learning the more basic elements of procurement, and they then go on to learn about key procurement principles, which they revisit in other units of study. Apprentices learn about direct and indirect costs in their study of whole life asset management, returning to these themes in their study of supplier relationships. As a result, apprentices build their confidence, deepen their understanding and can use what they have previously learned in different contexts, thereby developing mastery.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers have extensive experience in the procurement sector, which they use competently to help apprentices deepen their knowledge and understanding. They plan and teach lessons expertly to provide apprentices with opportunities to recall what they have learned and apply their knowledge in different contexts. Apprentices demonstrate a thorough understanding of key concepts by the way in which they apply theory to different scenarios. For example, apprentices consider how they would alter their procurement practices to avoid modern slavery and ensure ethical and sustainable procurement.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and staff do not monitor sufficiently the development of apprentices’ specific knowledge, skills and behaviours effectively. As a result, apprentices and employers do not know how well they are progressing and what they need to work on to improve. Monitoring visit: Cordie Ltd, 2 and 3 August 2023

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Reasonable progress

Leaders are developing a culture of safety and well-being within the organisation. They have appointed a suitably experienced and trained designated safeguarding lead (DSL), who has in place appropriate policies and procedures for reporting, monitoring and referring concerns. The DSL has links with the police and local authority for support should they need it.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that all staff are suitably trained in safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty so that they are able to carry out their roles confidently. They have considered the risks of radicalisation and extremism within the provision carefully and have identified mitigating actions to ensure that apprentices and staff are safe. Leaders have thought carefully about how they help apprentices to develop their knowledge through linking the topics to their roles.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe and know who to contact if they have any concerns. Monitoring visit: Cordie Ltd, 2 and 3 August 2023 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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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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