Alphabet Training Group Ltd

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 Adult learning programmes Inadequate Apprenticeships Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Get Set Academy Limited is a national independent learning provider that provides apprenticeships in a range of subject areas, principally for the early years and education sectors.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 164 apprentices. There were 46 apprentices aged 16 to 18. Almost two thirds of apprentices study at level 3 and the remainder study at level 2. There were 117 apprentices on early years practitioner at level 2, early years educator (EYE) at level 3 and pharmacy services assistant (PSA) at level 2 apprenticeships. The remainder were on team leader, teaching assistant, business administration and digital marketer apprenticeships, all at level 3. There were 16 adult learners on a 12-week digital skills bootcamp course.

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Information about this provider

Coaches teach apprentices in their workplace. Tutors teach adult learners remotely in online group sessions. 16 to 18 August 2023

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

Too many apprentices leave before completing their apprenticeship. This is because leaders do not ensure that apprentices fully understand the expectations prior to enrolling on the apprenticeship. Most of the remaining apprentices develop a range of knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need in order to be successful at work. Level 3 EYE apprentices use visual props effectively when they sing nursery rhymes to children. They confidently introduce new activities to help children accurately identify colours. Most apprentices enjoy their learning and are motivated to achieve high grades in their final assessments.

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

Very few learners studying digital skills develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to move on to their next stage in their career. They do not know if, or when, they will have an interview with a local employer, which is an integral part of their course.

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

While apprentices do not benefit from well-planned careers information, advice and guidance, most apprentices know what their next steps are. However, this is not the case for adult learners, who do not know the range of opportunities available to them.

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

Apprentices and learners feel safe. Apprentices know whom to contact if they have a concern about themselves or others. They know that sexual harassment and bullying are unacceptable workplace behaviours. However, almost all learners could not recall any learned knowledge in relation to safeguarding or keeping themselves safe when online.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a sound rationale to meet the skills requirements of the employers that they serve. They aim to provide ambitious curriculums for their learners and apprentices. However, the standard of training that apprentices receive is inconsistent, and the standard of training that adult learners receive is poor.

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better?

Leaders ensure that tutors and coaches have the appropriate qualifications and experience to teach learners and apprentices. Tutors and coaches maintain an up- to-date knowledge of their sectors. For instance, early years tutors and coaches study and analyse local authority serious case reviews to inform and update their knowledge, which they then pass on to their apprentices. Tutors and coaches who teach apprenticeships benefit from training on Rosenshine’s principles of instruction and science-based teaching strategies. This helps to improve their teaching skills further. However, the tutors who teach digital skills have not received training on how to develop their teaching skills.

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better?

The apprenticeship curriculums are taught in a logical order that builds apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours incrementally. For instance, level 3 EYE apprentices first learn about the pattern of children’s development before they move on to 16 to 18 August 2023

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safeguarding and child protection. They build on this by learning about attachment theory and how to support positive behaviours in children. In the final stages of their apprenticeship, apprentices learn how to engage with children to extend their learning and thinking. The large majority of these apprentices remain in employment or achieve promotion after completing their apprenticeship. Most apprentices pass their final assessments at their first attempt, and a small number achieve a distinction grade.

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In apprenticeships, most coaches use assessment well. For instance, coaches use probing questions to check that apprentices have a deep understanding of key learning points. They use a range of strategies such as quizzes, flash cards and multiple-choice questions to check apprentices’ learning and to inform their teaching. As a result, most apprentices’ learning is secured in their long-term memory. Level 2 PSA apprentices quickly develop a working vocabulary of medicines and medical conditions, such as myxoedema. They understand the importance of providing person-centred care so that their pharmacy patients make informed choices about their own care.

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In digital skills, teaching and assessment are poor. Tutors have planned a curriculum that is too complex and detailed to enable learners to know more and remember more over time. Tutors teach the topics at an extremely rapid pace and frequently use technical language. They do not check whether learners understand this language or what has been taught before they swiftly move on to a new topic. The pace of each lesson is so fast that learners do not have the opportunity to solidify their learning. As a result, too many learners do not recall any of the key digital skills that they have been taught.

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Tutors do not ensure that on- and off-the-job training is systematically planned and coordinated across all apprenticeship areas. In early years, apprentices’ employers provide opportunities to shadow experienced practitioners in their nursery. These apprentices quickly develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours. However, level 2 PSA coaches do not routinely involve apprentices’ managers to identify opportunities for apprentices to practise their skills at work. As a result, these apprentices do not develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours quickly enough.

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Since their previous monitoring visit, leaders have not strengthened all the areas for improvement. Leaders do not effectively assure the quality of training that apprentices and learners receive. Leaders do not know where the weaknesses in teaching lie. Furthermore, leaders have yet to implement effective processes to monitor the progress that apprentices make towards developing their knowledge, skills and behaviours. They do not accurately monitor and track learners’ and apprentices’ attendance to their training sessions.

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Leaders do not have sufficient or effective oversight of their digital skills bootcamp course. They do not ensure that the curriculum is taught in a way that builds learners’ knowledge, skills and behaviours incrementally. Leaders do not plan to include the wider aspects of personal development, such as fundamental British 16 to 18 August 2023

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values or careers information, advice and guidance. Leaders and managers do not ensure that the curriculum meets learners’ needs.

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Governors receive a range of appropriate information from managers. This helps them to understand the strengths and areas they need to improve. Board members closely monitor the areas that need improving. They hold leaders to account to make the necessary changes to improve the quality of apprentices’ training, for example in reducing the number of apprentices who have not completed their apprenticeships on time. This has significantly reduced over the previous six months.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders complete a range of appropriate checks when appointing new staff to make sure they are suitable to work with learners and apprentices. All staff, including the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and the deputy DSL, receive appropriate training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a full understanding of the risks to apprentices at work. They complete a detailed risk assessment for each apprentice. Apprentices routinely follow safe working practices at work. For instance, level 2 PSA apprentices strictly adhere to the operating procedure when receiving and logging prescriptions and dispensing medication.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders and managers should swiftly improve the oversight of their digital skills bootcamp course to ensure that the course fully meets the needs of all their adult learners.  Leaders should ensure that they prioritise the implementation of effective quality assurance processes so that they can accurately identify where the strengths and weaknesses lie and put appropriate actions in place to improve the provision.  Leaders should implement effective processes to monitor accurately the progress that learners and apprentices make towards the relevant knowledge, skills and behaviours, and to monitor accurately and improve learners’ and apprentices’ attendance to their training sessions.  Leaders should ensure that coaches consistently and effectively plan and coordinate on- and off-the-job training so that all apprentices swiftly develop the knowledge and skills they need for work.  To reduce the number of learners and apprentices who leave their courses early,

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

leaders should rapidly improve the quality of initial information, advice and guidance so that learners and apprentices clearly understand the commitment and expectations of their apprenticeship or course before enrolling. 16 to 18 August 2023

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 Leaders should ensure that coaches and tutors systematically provide planned careers information, advice and guidance to learners and apprentices to help them to make informed choices about their next steps. 16 to 18 August 2023

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Provider details

Address Central Buildings Richmond Terrace Blackburn BB1 7AP

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Shakeel Desai

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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 16 to 18 August 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director for apprenticeships, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous monitoring visit 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

Kim Bleasdale, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Karen Roberts Ofsted Inspector Alison Humphreys His Majesty’s Inspector Nikki Brady His Majesty’s Inspector 16 to 18 August 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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