Train with Pride Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding 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

Train with Pride Limited (TWP) is a specialist training provider for hairdressing and barbering. TWP initially operated as a subcontractor providing apprenticeships from 2011. It began receiving direct public funding to train apprentices in August 2020. TWP provides standards-based apprenticeships at level 2 in hairdressing and barbering. TWP are based in Gloucestershire and works with apprentices and employers in Gloucester, Cirencester, Cheltenham, and the Forest of Dean. They also have three apprentices based in Newquay, Cornwall. TWP work with 10 employers, providing training to 14 apprentices. There are 12 apprentices aged 16 to 18. All apprentices are studying the hairdressing standards-based apprenticeship at level 2. TWP work with one subcontractor who teach functional skills to the apprentices who are required to achieve these qualifications. 23 to 25 October 2023

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

Apprentices are highly respectful and articulate. They are polite and behave professionally towards their peers, training staff, employers, and clients. This is because of the very high expectations set by their trainers and employers in training and at work. Trainers and employers lead by example and are positive role models for apprentices. As a result, apprentices develop quickly the high standards of behaviours that they need to become professional hairdressers.

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

Apprentices demonstrate very positive attitudes to their training and are highly motivated to learn new skills and knowledge. They are proud to be hairdressing apprentices and routinely undertake skills training over and above the apprenticeship standard curriculum requirements. For example, apprentices take part in hair extension training in the salons that offer this service to clients, and they all attend salon product training provided by hairdressing manufacturers. As a result, apprentices have current knowledge of the products and how and when to use them. Subsequently, they gain the skills they need to be highly effective at work.

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

Apprentices develop their confidence and resilience when studying the apprenticeship. This is because of the good quality of training they receive by TWP staff and from employers at work. They learn quickly to work independently with clients and develop strong customer care skills, which enables them to build their own portfolio of clients.

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

Apprentices feel safe when training and at work. Trainers know the apprentices extremely well and can swiftly spot any changes in their behaviours and discuss the worries they may have. Apprentices have not experienced bullying, harassment, or discrimination while studying the apprenticeship. They know who to speak to if they have any concerns about themselves or their peers.

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better?

Managers have an ambitious vision for training expert apprentices. They have a passion and drive to offer high-quality hairdressing training. They work exceptionally well with industry experts and have established effective partnerships with high calibre hairdressing salons in the local area. As a result, managers and employers create a training culture of professionalism and high standards, which apprentices replicate well in their work.

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better?

Managers and trainers have developed an appropriate curriculum that is well planned. They provide flexible, individual training programmes to meet the needs of apprentices and employers. For example, where employers tend to provide clients with more blow-drying than roller setting services, trainers bring forward and teach this content earlier in the training plan. As a result, apprentices develop the timely and relevant knowledge, skills, and behaviours they need to perform well at work. 23 to 25 October 2023

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Trainers take part in well-planned monthly visits to apprentices at their workplace. They assess apprentices’ knowledge, skills, and behaviours when working with clients and their team. Trainers use this information well to adjust apprentices’ individual training plans in line with the progress they are making. Employers take an active role in the review of apprentices progress. Consequently, they are well informed about what apprentices know and can do, and what they need to practice in order to improve. These frequent visits ensure that the coordination of apprentices’ on- and off-the-job training is successful. As a result, apprentices know the progress they are making in their learning, and employers ensure that they work with the clients that enable them to practise new and master existing skills.

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Trainers are qualified teachers and current industry practitioners. They enable apprentices to understand key concepts, presenting information clearly and using their knowledge and experience skilfully to promote discussions in the classroom. Trainers use relevant questions to check and develop further apprentices understanding. For example, questioning apprentices’ understanding of the alpha and beta keratin state when blow-drying a client’s hair, and the importance of applying the heat from the root to the point, in order to create a smooth finish. Employers, who are highly knowledgeable and skilled professionals, provide apprentices with effective on-the-job training. This helps apprentices to deepen their knowledge of hairdressing and develop their confidence in applying their new skills at work. However, trainers do not teach apprentices content, such as colour theory early enough in their programme, so that they can then recall and

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use it frequently enough to become proficient.

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Trainers provide apprentices with useful feedback on how to improve their hairdressing skills and correct mistakes. Trainers demonstrate to apprentices the techniques they need to adopt to improve further their practical skills, such as weaving bleached highlights using foil on a client with curly short hair. As a result, apprentices use the feedback positively to and improve their practice and avoid repeating mistakes.

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Trainers do not assess what apprentices already know and can do, well enough at the start of their programme. Although apprentices assess their own skills and knowledge, trainers and employers’ views are not included early enough to ensure that they are set appropriate and challenging targets. As a result, a few apprentices do not make swift progress at the onset of the programme.

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Leaders and managers ensure that trainers complete the required industry update training. Trainers update their skills by attending a range of training sessions led by internationally recognised hairdressing companies, which helps to ensure that they teach apprentices current knowledge of hairdressing products and techniques. However, managers do not provide trainers with enough professional development in pedagogy to ensure that they continually improve their teaching of the curriculum. 23 to 25 October 2023

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Trainers teach apprentices a curriculum which includes a wide range of personal development topics such as, exploitation, online safety, and staying physically healthy. Trainers ensure that apprentices have a secure understanding of British values and how to protect themselves from the risks associated with extremism and radicalisation. Trainers do this by introducing these topics at the start of the apprentices’ training and frequently revisiting them to check their understanding. Apprentices receive training from a local charity which aims to destigmatise those struggling with poor mental health, and to enable them to know how to talk to their clients about mental health. As a result, apprentices show compassion for and feel more confident when talking to clients, colleagues or friends who disclose that they are suffering from mental ill health.

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Tutors have recently increased the amount of careers information and guidance the apprentices receive. Tutors discuss with apprentices a range of career options available in the hairdressing industry. This includes self-employment, teaching in prisons and working on cruise ships. Apprentices value this information and use it to help to make well-informed decisions about their next steps.

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Trainers and employers work well together to support and prepare apprentices for their end of course assessments. As a result, all apprentices who complete their training, pass the assessments, and the majority do so with a high grade. On completion of their apprenticeship, most apprentices continue to work in the hairdressing profession, gain promotions or take on more responsibility at work.

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Manages do not have sufficiently robust quality assurance processes in place. Although observations of teaching and learning sessions take place bi-monthly, the feedback provided to trainers is not developmental and does not focus on the quality of the education the apprentices receive. As a result, trainers do not know how to improve further their teaching strategies to ensure that apprentices make the expected or better progress in their learning.

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Since the previous new provider monitoring visit, managers have set up a new board of governors. They have successfully recruited knowledgeable and skilled professionals to help challenge them to improve their practice and processes. Governors understand their role and responsibilities well. However, as the board had only recently met, it is too early to judge their impact on the quality of the provision.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure apprentices knowledge of what they already know and can do when they start training is used effectively to inform the planning of the curriculum. 23 to 25 October 2023

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 Provide trainers with training to continually improve their teaching of knowledge and skills.  Ensure that quality assurance processes focus on and result in ongoing improvements to the quality of education and training. 23 to 25 October 2023

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Provider details

Address NEM House Clarence Street Gloucester Gloucestershire GL1 1EA

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Provider details

Website https://www.trainwithpride.co.uk/

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Deb Billington

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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 The Skills Network 23 to 25 October 2023

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Information about this inspection

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

Steve Battersby, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Jackie Moores Ofsted Inspector Denise Olander His Majesty’s Inspector 23 to 25 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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