The Chief Constable of Merseyside

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of The Chief Constable of Merseyside

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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

The Chief Constable of Merseyside is an employer provider that trains apprentices in emergency service call handling for Merseyside Police. It has been funded directly for apprenticeships since July 2021.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, nine apprentices were enrolled on the level 3 emergency contact handler apprenticeship. All apprentices were over the age of 19.

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Information about this provider

The Chief Constable of Merseyside does not work with any subcontractors. 24 to 26 October 2023

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

Apprentices are highly motivated to learn. They value the support and encouragement they receive from staff. Attendance to training sessions is very high. As a result, apprentices encourage one another and consistently meet leaders’ and managers’ high expectations for their behaviour.

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

Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours, which they apply in the workplace effectively. They skilfully operate an extensive range of software and communication systems used in the command response officer role. Apprentices’ supervisors value the training that apprentices receive.

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

Apprentices enjoy their learning and quickly become more confident in their roles. For example, their tutors begin by supporting them closely when they answer emergency calls from the public. As apprentices progress through their apprenticeship and become more confident and skilled in their roles, tutors incrementally reduce the support. Apprentices handle calls in a live environment confidently.

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

Apprentices benefit from useful information about how they can apply their knowledge and skills to roles in other emergency services. Leaders promote vacancies in other departments of Merseyside Police and other policing organisations such as the National Crime Agency.

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

Apprentices grow in resilience and character as they apply their new skills and behaviours in the workplace. Managers recognise and reward apprentices for dealing effectively with challenging calls. Trainers prepare apprentices well to respond to difficult situations by encouraging them to reflect on how they would deal with these events if they encountered them in their own lives. This helps apprentices to consistently treat their colleagues and members of the public with understanding and care.

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

Apprentices feel safe. They are confident about how to report any concerns. Staff check that apprentices know how to keep themselves safe, both in and outside of their workplace, including when they are online.

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better?

Tutors plan apprentices’ training carefully so that they master the most important topics before moving on to more complex training. For example, at the beginning of the apprenticeship, apprentices learn how to use the software systems that Merseyside Police use to record incidents. They then learn how to risk assess incidents using the police national decision-making model. Apprentices apply their knowledge and skills in the workplace quickly and effectively.

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better?

Trainers use assessment techniques such as role play to ensure that apprentices retain new ideas effectively. During ‘consolidation days’, where apprentices revise 24 to 26 October 2023

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previous learning, apprentices practise call handling by carrying out calls with their peers based on the topics of law they have learned in the previous week. Consequently, apprentices retain their knowledge about law in their long-term memories and apply it to new situations confidently.

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Highly experienced tutors use their expertise in call handling to teach apprentices new skills. They listen to apprentices’ calls during shifts and provide them with useful prompts and feedback on their performance. This prepares them well for their role as call handlers. Apprentices who have achieved their apprenticeship remain in employment, and a few are promoted to more senior roles such as dispatch handlers at the command response centre.

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Most staff provide apprentices with appropriate feedback that informs them of what they have done well and what they need to do to improve. Trainers give apprentices useful action plans and check their progress using additional assessments. However, staff do not correct the accuracy of apprentices’ written English. This means that apprentices continue to make the same errors in their writing.

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Leaders do not ensure that staff mark apprentices’ work promptly. As a result, apprentices are not able to act quickly on feedback and in a few cases are delayed in completing their apprenticeship.

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Leaders have high aspirations to use their apprenticeship to provide high-quality training and fill employment and skills gaps. They use the level 3 emergency call handler apprenticeship to support recruitment effectively to the call handler role.

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Leaders and managers recognise that emergency call handlers and their trainers and mentors work in a challenging environment. They have put in place carefully considered measures to support their well-being, such as access to occupational health advisors, quiet rooms and mindfulness sessions. Staff feel well supported by leaders.

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Although leaders have identified several appropriate areas for development from their quality improvement activities, their processes for evaluating the quality of their provision are disjointed. The processes do not help leaders to swiftly identify and make improvements to the quality of training of apprentices.

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Suitably experienced and qualified members of the governance board have identified a few areas for improvement and hold leaders to account successfully for these. However, changes in the membership of the governance board have meant that they have not remained focused on the areas that most need to be improved, such as increasing the capacity of staff to assess apprentices’ work promptly. Consequently, those in a governance role are not able to support leaders to make the improvements to the quality of education that will have the most impact.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 24 to 26 October 2023

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Provide apprentices with timely feedback that enables them to make improvements to the quality and accuracy of their work quickly.  Evaluate the quality of provision effectively so that leaders identify areas for improvement quickly and take action swiftly.  Ensure those in a governance role monitor the effectiveness of leaders’ actions consistently over time. 24 to 26 October 2023

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Provider details

Address Merseyside Police Joint Command Center Bridle Road Liverpool Merseyside L30 4YD

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Serena Kennedy

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 24 to 26 October 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the assessments and qualifications manager, 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

David Towsey, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Elaine Price Ofsted Inspector 24 to 26 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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