White Rose Training Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of White Rose Training Limited

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Inspection dates: 28 to 30 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

White Rose Training Ltd (White Rose) is an independent learning provider founded in 2001 and based in Ware in Hertfordshire. The family-run company provide specialist careers education, advice, and guidance training in the public sector. They previously provided apprenticeships for several prime providers. Since August 2019, White Rose was awarded its own ESFA budget contract and has been providing apprenticeships since October 2019.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, the company was providing standards-based apprenticeships for 18 apprentices. There are 17 apprentices on career development professional programmes at level 6, with the remaining apprentice on employability practitioner level 4. All apprentices are over 19. No apprentices receive additional learning support. The provider does not work with any subcontractors.

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Information about this provider

Apprentices provide career and employability advice and guidance to students and clients. They work in a range of workplace settings, including secondary schools, colleges, charities, and a prison. 28 to 30 November 2023

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

Apprentices enjoy their training and are positive about the progress they are making. Their attendance is high. Apprentices gain confidence during their training. This helps them contribute positively to team meetings at work.

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

Apprentices receive high-quality training and support from their tutors. They learn skills and knowledge relevant to their job role. They apply theories to their professional practice, such as Egan's 3-way process model. This improves apprentices’ communication with their clients and work colleagues.

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

Employers value the skills that apprentices develop. Apprentices have a positive impact at work. They learn through their studies to work with a range of clients or students with different needs.

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

Apprentices who stay in learning develop a wide range of career development professional skills. Apprentices improve their use of coaching skills. They develop skills in paraphrasing and in mirroring their clients. However, too few complete their apprenticeship.

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

Apprentices do not develop their mathematics skills sufficiently during their training. Those who start their apprenticeship with barriers to mathematics, make little progress in removing them.

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

Apprentices feel safe, both when learning with White Rose and in their workplaces.

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What does the provider do well and what does it need to do better?

Too few apprentices complete the apprenticeship programme. Most career development professional apprentices achieve their diploma, but too few sit their final examination. As a result, too few apprentices achieve all the components of the apprenticeship.

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What does the provider do well and what does it need to do better?

Tutors do not ensure that apprentices and employers have a good understanding of the full range of knowledge and skills that apprentices develop. Tutors, apprentices, and employers attend frequent 3-way reviews. Tutors discuss with apprentices their overall progress towards completing the technical element. However, these discussions do not fully evaluate the development of the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed to complete the apprenticeship. They also do not consider apprentices’ progress in mathematics. Discussions of safeguarding and equality and diversity are often superficial.

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What does the provider do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders do not have good oversight of apprentices’ progress in developing their mathematics skills and knowledge. As a result, too few apprentices make the progress that they need to enable them to succeed in their next stage. Apprentices do not continue to develop their mathematics skills sufficiently during their training. Most 28 to 30 November 2023

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apprentices without mathematics qualifications have yet to start their learning in mathematics.

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Leaders have high aspirations for apprentices. Leaders have developed a course that gives apprentices the new skills and knowledge they need to become high-quality careers guidance practitioners. Career development professional apprentices benefit from additional modules that add to their skills. For example, an additional careers leadership certificate. As a result, apprentices enhance their appeal to employers.

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Tutors teach the curriculum for career development professional apprentices in a logical order. Apprentices start by reflecting on their current practice. This sets the scene for later learning. Apprentices learn general principles before considering theory elements of practice. Apprentices then apply theory into practice. For example, they apply Gibbs' theory of reflective practice to their interactions with clients and students. As a result, apprentices build secure skills and knowledge over time.

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Apprentices develop their theory knowledge effectively. For example, career development professional apprentices consider Bandura’s social learning theory. As a result, they model positive behaviours to their students and clients.

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Tutors plan and teach virtual training sessions effectively. They use good-quality resources. They use presentations to draw on apprentices' own experiences and promote their new learning. Sessions include non-verbal communication and questioning techniques that developed apprentices’ understanding of how to use open and closed questions and active listening techniques. As a result, apprentices deepen their understanding of key concepts.

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Apprentices improve their interview skills because of the training they receive from tutors. They are sensitive to their clients' body language. They adapt their approaches in different contexts. For example, apprentices use empathy effectively to understand that clients who are not in education, training or employment may lack confidence. As a result, apprentices become more effective at work.

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Apprentices develop their writing skills to a high standard. Tutors give effective constructive feedback. This enables apprentices to improve the quality of their written work. Apprentices improve their paragraphing and spelling. They develop their referencing skills and improve their reflective writing.

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Tutors give effective additional study support to apprentices. Apprentices with dyslexia benefit from adapted learning materials. Tutors break down tasks and provide support with apprentices’ written work. Where appropriate, apprentices receive extra time in their end-point assessments. As a result, apprentices with learning needs make progress in line with their peers.

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Leaders and staff do not provide sufficient ongoing and impartial careers advice to apprentices. Apprentices have a careers interview at the start of their programme, but too few can recall the details. As a result, apprentices do not explore the range of career options available to them. 28 to 30 November 2023

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Leaders provide a good range of professional development opportunities for their staff. Tutors and other staff complete frequent safeguarding updates. Staff take part in frequent quality assurance and standardisation meetings that improve their assessment and teaching practice. They improve their careers guidance and professional skills by attending seminars and webinars. As a result, tutors refine and improve their practice.

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The advisory board supports White Rose in making decisions about its curriculum. Board members are experienced and well qualified. They check data and information produced by the provider. They consider the progress of current apprentices. However, despite considerable efforts, leaders and board members have not been able to remedy the high proportion of apprentices who fail to complete their apprenticeship programme. As a result, leaders have taken the decision to stop providing apprenticeships once the current cohort complete their programme.

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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 that apprentices complete their apprenticeship.  Ensure that apprentices continue to develop their mathematical skills and knowledge and, that those who need to, pass their mathematics examinations.  Provide ongoing, impartial careers advice for apprentices to enable them to have a good understanding of their own career options. 28 to 30 November 2023

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Provider details

Address White Rose House, 81b/c High Street Ware Hertfordshire SG12 9AD

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Jane Hinken

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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 None 28 to 30 November 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the managing 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

Philip Elliott, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Alice Giles Ofsted Inspector 28 to 30 November 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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