Leeds Trinity University

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Leeds Trinity University’s (LTU) main campus is in Horsforth, on the outskirts of Leeds. It began to deliver apprenticeships in 2017. In 2019, leaders established a centre for apprenticeships, work-based learning and skills. LTU uses two subcontractors, West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner and CP Training Services Limited, to deliver aspects of the training and assessment on the police constable integrated degree apprenticeship standard and the supply chain leadership professional integrated degree apprenticeship standard respectively.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 666 apprentices on the police constable integrated degree, 199 on the supply chain leadership professional integrated degree, and 58 on the business-to-business sales professional integrated degree. Fifty-one apprentices were on the chartered manager degree and 30 on the digital marketer integrated degree. There were 41 apprentices on the senior leader standard at level 7. 3 to 6 October 2023

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

Apprentices value the significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours they gain through studying on higher-level apprenticeships with LTU. They appreciate the opportunity to achieve degree or other higher-level qualifications through apprenticeship programmes that enable them to progress with their career aspirations. Apprentices receive good advice from staff, which prepares them well for the next steps in their careers.

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

Teaching staff at LTU and the two subcontractors create professional, safe and calm learning environments, which supports apprentices to focus well on their learning. Most apprentices have very positive attitudes to their learning and work.

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

Apprentices develop in confidence throughout their time on the programme. They respond well to the expectations that staff set and show respect towards their peers and teaching staff.

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

Teaching staff promote equality, diversity and the importance of inclusion well through their planning and teaching of the curriculum. This enables apprentices to recognise and celebrate differences within British society, which they apply well in their learning and at work. For example, senior leadership apprentices understand the importance of considering the impact that new business procedures will have on all staff. Police constable apprentices visit local places of worship across a wide range of religions. This improves their understanding of how to carry out their work effectively while respecting the different beliefs and cultures they encounter in West Yorkshire.

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better?

Leaders plan apprenticeship provision effectively to enable people who otherwise would be unlikely to engage in education at a higher or degree level to do so. They are committed to providing higher-level apprenticeships that enable residents of West Yorkshire to gain and sustain graduate-level employment in jobs that meet the workforce development needs of employers and the priorities of the region.

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better?

Those responsible for governance take their duties seriously and ensure that the quality of provision is sustained and areas for improvement are actioned. They provide appropriate support and challenge to leaders and managers and contribute to LTU’s ambitious strategy for apprenticeships. Governors and leaders are committed to ensuring that apprenticeships have a high profile in the university and are integrated well into all established quality procedures.

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better?

Teaching staff across all subjects plan and sequence the apprenticeship curriculum in a logical and systematic way, taking good account of apprentices’ starting points and work situations. Staff plan the curriculum content to ensure that apprentices learn the necessary underpinning subject-related knowledge, skills and behaviours early in their programmes and then build on this with more complex subjects later in 3 to 6 October 2023

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the programme. For example, apprentices on the supply chain leadership professional standard start by learning about the fundamentals of supply chain network design before considering these in the more detailed context of logistics planning, transport management and legislation.

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Staff teach and train apprentices effectively, which enables apprentices to develop and build their knowledge, skills and behaviours over time. Teaching staff, including those at the subcontractors, deliver interesting and engaging off-the-job training sessions. They use reinforcement and repetition well so that apprentices can commit subject knowledge to their long-term memories. They break complex concepts down into manageable, progressive chunks of learning, which enables apprentices to master these well. For example, teaching staff on the police constable apprenticeship train apprentices in realistic simulated environments, including simulated scenes of houses, streets, pubs and a custody suite. They reinforce correct procedures with apprentices and get them to apply these in different situations. Consequently, over time, apprentices develop effective skills in conflict management, carrying out safe and legal arrests, and following correct procedures

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Staff support apprentices well to develop and apply their skills in English and mathematics. For example, apprentices on the digital marketer standard write assignments fluently using specialist terminology and develop their academic writing and referencing skills. Police constable apprentices are taught how to apply mathematics skills to calculate speed and stopping distances from the evidence left after road traffic accidents. They research statistical data to identify accident black spots.

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Most teaching staff provide helpful and developmental feedback to apprentices on work that they have completed. Apprentices appreciate this feedback, and the large majority use it to make improvements to their work. However, in a small number of cases, feedback provided by teaching staff is too generic and does not identify what apprentices need to do to improve their work or help them to identify how to achieve higher marks.

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Staff develop and sustain effective working relationships between all parties involved in the delivery of apprenticeships. Progress reviewers and employers collaborate well to ensure that tripartite reviews are beneficial to apprentices. Employers and apprentices value the review process. Reviews take place frequently and, as a result, employers understand the progress that their apprentices are making and are able to expose them to relevant work activities that help them to make sustained progress.

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Almost all apprentices who remain on programme pass their end-point assessment, with the vast majority doing so at the first attempt. A high proportion of apprentices achieve high grades. However, a small number of apprentices, particularly on the police constable apprenticeship, do not understand how specific aspects of the standard will be assessed at the end-point assessment, which impedes their preparation for it. 3 to 6 October 2023

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Leaders have taken effective action to reduce the number of apprentices who leave their programmes early and without having achieved a qualification. For example, they now ensure that staff inform prospective apprentices fully about the rigour of the apprenticeship before they enrol. However, although the proportion of apprentices who leave early has reduced, leaders recognise that further work is needed to reduce it further. This is particularly the case on the supply chain leadership professional standard.

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Leaders ensure that the staff who teach and support apprentices have the necessary subject and industry-specific specialist knowledge and skills. Staff access and benefit from subject-specialist and pedagogical training, development and support. They use this to good effect when teaching and supporting apprentices.

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Leaders have chosen the specialist subcontractors they work with carefully. Subcontractors provide expertise in the fields of supply chain leadership and policing, which ensures that these programmes include the specialist knowledge and skills from these sectors and that the curriculums have currency. University leaders have built positive relationships with leaders at subcontractors. As a result, leaders at subcontractors have trust and confidence in LTU.

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Most apprentices attend well, as staff set clear expectations from the very start of their programmes. Staff support and challenge apprentices to develop effective work-related professional behaviours. Apprentices demonstrate high levels of respect for peers, staff and members of the wider public. For example, on the police constable apprenticeship, police trainers place considerable emphasis on developing professional skills and behaviours and reinforce the police code of ethics. As a result, apprentices are well prepared to act with the professionalism expected by the public.

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Apprentices feel safe at the provider and within their workplace. They are confident that, if they had a concern, the provider and their employer would deal with it appropriately.

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Staff promote healthy lifestyles and safety at work, and they have high expectations for apprentices’ well-being. They discuss interesting and relevant topics with apprentices at induction that are revisited during review sessions. Through the university’s work-based learning framework, apprentices develop their understanding of wide range of personal development topics, including healthy relationships. Apprentices have access to a range of mental-health services, such as counselling and well-being workshops, should they wish to access these.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 to 6 October 2023

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Take appropriate action to reduce further the proportion of apprentices who do not complete their programme.  Ensure that when providing feedback to apprentices about work they have completed, teaching staff make it clear to them what they need to do to improve their work and achieve high grades.  Ensure that apprentices are fully aware of what they will be required to do at the end-point assessment and that they are well prepared for the assessment tasks. 3 to 6 October 2023

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Provider details

Address Brownberrie Lane Horsforth Leeds LS18 5HD

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Professor Charles Egbu

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Provider details

Provider type Higher education institution

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Main subcontractors

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner CP Training Services Limited 3 to 6 October 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the dean for external engagement and impact, 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

Malcolm Fraser, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Sarah Seaman His Majesty’s Inspector Karen Anderson His Majesty’s Inspector Mark Keen His Majesty’s Inspector Jon Barker Ofsted Inspector Louise Povey Ofsted Inspector Andrew Ross Ofsted Inspector Sharron Mansell Ofsted Inspector 3 to 6 October 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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