Mike Taylor Education

Mike Taylor Education Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sarah Alexander, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

26 Wimborne Road Poole BH15 2BU Monitoring visit: Mike Taylor Education, 4 and 5 October 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

Mike Taylor Education (MTE) is an independent learning provider based in Poole. MTE was awarded a direct contract to offer apprenticeships in August 2022. At the time of the visit, 23 apprentices were in training. Around half of apprentices were aged 16 to 18. All apprentices were studying standards-based apprenticeships at level 2, of whom 12 were working towards the barbering professional apprenticeship and 11 the hairdressing professional apprenticeship. Apprentices undertake training at the provider’s two training academies in Poole.

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Significant progress

Leaders have an ambitious strategy: to meet the barbering and hairdressing skills gap, both locally and regionally. They work closely with employers to design bespoke training for apprentices, which takes place in small groups at the MTE barbering and hair academies. Leaders tailor the curriculum for apprentices based on their starting points and the specific needs of their employers. For example, leaders adjust the curriculum for barbering apprentices whose employers do not offer a shaving service to clients so that this is covered later in their training, and they learn the skills they need to use at work. As a result, apprentices rapidly become valuable employees and make a significant contribution to their workplaces early in their employment.

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Significant progress

Leaders have developed a thorough curriculum that quickly develops the skills, behaviours and knowledge that apprentices need to be successful in their chosen industry. Staff promote and embed British values very well. As such, apprentices treat all clients and their peers with respect and understand key concepts such as democracy and tolerance. For example, apprentices learn early in their programme about the importance of body language when meeting a client, such as facial expressions and the way they present themselves to create a professional impression. Monitoring visit: Mike Taylor Education, 4 and 5 October 2023 Tutors are well qualified and experienced in their sector. Leaders ensure that tutors maintain their industry expertise by taking part in a highly advanced development programme of industry events, trade shows, shadowing of other teaching professionals and commercial work in salons. Leaders also host their own

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Significant progress

programme of events to capture the interest of employers in the region and provide inspiration for apprentices, tutors and employers alike. For example, leaders developed and ran a ‘Generation Barber’ event in May 2023. This included talks and demonstrations by the winner of the ‘Afro Hair Champion’ competition, as well as ‘Britain’s Best Shave’ champion, a hair show and a student barber competition.

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Significant progress

Leaders use internal and external information about the progress that apprentices make effectively to make improvements. For example, leaders recognised rightly that they needed to bring in an external scrutiny of their processes and strategies to support their culture of continuous improvement. Leaders therefore created a board of governors to include well-qualified and highly experienced educational leaders from outside of the organisation to provide challenge and support for the senior team.

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Significant progress

Leaders and tutors work well with employers to sequence apprentices’ training highly effectively. Employers, tutors and apprentices take part in frequent reviews to discuss the progress they are making and to adapt training accordingly, both at the academies and at work. For example, apprentices who have mastered basic cutting skills move more quickly from cutting hair on block heads to real clients and practise their skills frequently. Tutors frequently provide apprentices with constructive and supportive feedback on how they can improve their skills. As a result, apprentices continually improve their practical skills and deepen their technical knowledge and make significant and substantial progress throughout their training.

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Significant progress

Leaders have developed high-quality and relevant online and physical resources that help apprentices to better understand key concepts and learn about working in the wider industry. For example, leaders have written and published their own textbooks in a magazine style. Content includes key practical techniques and knowledge, such as how to recognise a wide range of skin conditions. Apprentices use this to make client consultations meaningful and relevant and develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of the industry they work in and the contribution they can make to it.

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Significant progress

Tutors prepare apprentices well for the assessments at the end of their apprenticeship. For example, apprentices take part in a helpful ‘finishing school’, which includes practice sessions using specific timings for each element of their final assessment. As a result, apprentices achieve very well. All apprentices who complete their apprenticeship pass, and many achieve with distinction grades. Monitoring visit: Mike Taylor Education, 4 and 5 October 2023 Tutors develop apprentices’ English and mathematics skills very well and prepare them for functional skills examinations highly effectively. For example, tutors use a hair-specific textbook to contextualise the literacy and numeracy knowledge required for working in the industry. Tutors use this well to fill gaps in apprentices’ knowledge and skills identified at the beginning of their training. As a result, apprentices continually develop their literacy and numeracy skills in an appropriate and relevant

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Significant progress

way, and apprentices who take functional skills examinations pass first time.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders promote discussions between apprentices and tutors about a range of safeguarding themes very well. Apprentices learn about topics such as online safety, the types of abuse and the signals to look for in their colleagues and clients. Leaders have developed and implemented appropriate procedures to keep apprentices safe. The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and the deputy DSL are well trained and understand their responsibilities well.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe and know to whom and how to report any concerns they may have. They have a good understanding of the risks of radicalisation and extremism and know what to do if they are concerned. Monitoring visit: Mike Taylor Education, 4 and 5 October 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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