FE Business Limited

FE Business Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Jane Hughes, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 September 2023

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 70a South Croxted Road London SE21 8BD Monitoring visit: FE Business Limited, 13 and 14 September 2023

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Context and focus of visit

FE Business Limited was inspected in May 2022. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in addressing the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

The majority of apprentices at FE Business Limited complete most of their learning online. The vast majority of apprentices work for NHS trusts in and around London. They complete apprenticeships in improvement technician, practioner and leader, as well as team leading and coaching apprenticeships.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have collaborated positively with employers and apprentices so that all parties fully understand the expectations for off-the-job training, which is now better recorded and monitored. Most apprentices are up to date with their off-the-job training activities.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers make sure that apprentices receive well-planned and coordinated training. This helps apprentices develop and consolidate the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to achieve their apprenticeship and for work. As a result, apprentices become more effective at work. They grow in confidence and apply what they learn to help solve problems and deal positively with colleagues they manage. Apprentices are more aware of their own unconscious bias and use this to improve practice within their workplace. Apprentices value the knowledge and skills they gain because of their training.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers, and employers ensure that apprentices have good opportunities at work to apply their learning. Improvement leader apprentices learn about the use of project management tools. They use these effectively to analyse and review working practices. Monitoring visit: FE Business Limited, 13 and 14 September 2023 Leaders have rightly focused on supporting apprentices past their end date to progress towards their final assessments. They have given these apprentices intense support to ensure they complete sufficient training activities. As a result, the proportion of apprentices past their planned end date has reduced and many have passed their final assessments.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices know what to expect at their final assessments. The training and work they complete for their portfolio and assessment helps them to prepare for this. The proportion of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship has improved since the previous inspection. However, this remains low, mostly due to historical withdrawals. The more recently enrolled apprentices have remained on programme.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have taken quick and effective action to improve the quality of feedback that apprentices receive to help them improve the standard of their work. They have provided effective training for trainers. This included professional development to look at the different ways in which trainers give feedback to apprentices.

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Significant progress

Leaders focused their support and training to ensure that trainers give specific feedback which ensures apprentices are clear on the actions they need to take. Leaders use their quality assurance activities well to sample and check the quality of the feedback that apprentices receive. As a result, trainers provide apprentices with detailed feedback on, for example, meeting their full assignment briefs. They direct apprentices on how to expand on their answers. They give apprentices useful tips to link what they learn about leadership tools to their job roles.

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Significant progress

Apprentices say that feedback on their assignments helps them improve their work. For example, they say that trainers signpost them to additional learning resources to help build their knowledge and to produce more comprehensive assignments. Apprentices use feedback to improve the content of their answers and the structure of their assignments, and resubmit more detailed work. Consequently, apprentices produce written work of a good standard that is well presented, referenced, and persuasive.

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Significant progress

Trainers use the progress reviews effectively to give apprentices and their line managers feedback on their progress and performance. Apprentices usefully reflect on how well they have developed their knowledge, skills, and behaviours. Trainers set clear and relevant targets to help apprentices find ways to apply their learning. Monitoring visit: FE Business Limited, 13 and 14 September 2023

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Reasonable progress

The majority of apprentices start their apprenticeship with high levels of English and mathematic skills. For those who need to complete qualifications in these subjects, leaders ensure there are suitable routes for them to do so. For example, apprentices use resources on an online learning platform and receive one-to-one tutor support, and a few apprentices complete learning through their employer. Most apprentices start their learning soon after enrolling on their apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers use the information from the assessment of apprentices’ prior knowledge and skills effectively. This ensures that apprentices complete the appropriate learning online to close any gaps they have. Trainers ensure that most apprentices take their examinations as soon as they are ready. Since the previous inspection, all apprentices who took examinations in English and mathematics passed at the first attempt.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers give apprentices effective individual support when they need it. For example, in one-to-one sessions trainers help apprentices work through examples in areas they struggle with. Trainers signpost apprentices to further online resources. As a result, apprentices present their project work accurately using data analysis, graphs, and percentages. Most apprentices use good English in their written assignments. Tutors give them effective guidance on how to punctuate and structure their work. Most apprentices on the improvement programmes have good opportunities to maintain, practise and develop their mathematics skills.

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Reasonable progress

In progress reviews, tutors do not always focus sufficiently on evaluating the progress apprentices make in the development of their English and mathematics skills. As a result, apprentices are not always clear what they need to work on to ensure they are secure in their knowledge.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that apprentices receive information about fundamental British values and equality and diversity early in their programme. They have adjusted the curriculum effectively to include this in workshops and assignments at the start of the apprenticeship for the newer cohorts of apprentices. As a result, these Monitoring visit: FE Business Limited, 13 and 14 September 2023 apprentices understand how these topics impact them at work. However, some apprentices who have been on programme much longer do not recall what they have learned about these topics as well.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have introduced a number of wider skills workshops to support apprentices to broaden their skills and knowledge. This includes sessions on how to build resilience and manage stress, and healthy living. Leaders send out monthly newsletters to all apprentices with details on how to access resources about mental health and well-being. However, not all apprentices know about these opportunities. Those that do know often do not access them due to the high-pressure, high- demand sector they work in and availability of time. Leaders recognise the need to integrate these topics into the curriculum so that apprentices have better opportunities to access the information. Most apprentices have access to a range of support about these topics in their workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Most apprentices have clear aspirations about their next steps and want to further their careers with their employer. They benefit from a helpful discussion at the start of the programme about their aspirations and short-term goals. Trainers discuss with apprentices clearly how their learning helps them progress towards their next steps and in their career pathway during their progress reviews.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recognise that they need to do more to ensure that the few apprentices who do not want to stay with their employers are sufficiently aware of the specific pathways they could take on completion of their programme. Monitoring visit: FE Business Limited, 13 and 14 September 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

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