University of Wolverhampton

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of University of Wolverhampton

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Inspection dates: 30 January to 2 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Apprenticeships Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Information about this provider

The University of Wolverhampton is a provider of higher education and training with a long history of developing the skills of the workforce in the regions it serves. The university offers a wide range of apprenticeships from level 5 to level 7.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 849 apprentices. The largest subject areas were in building and construction, nursing and other subjects and vocations allied to medicine, and business management.

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Information about this provider

In building and construction, there were 136 apprentices studying chartered surveyor at level 6, 99 apprentices on building control surveyor at level 6, and 84 apprentices studying civil and transportation engineering at level 6. In the health- related subjects, there were 93 apprentices studying nursing associate at level 5, 48 studying the nursing degree at level 6, and 43 studying occupational therapy at level 6. In business and management, there were 59 apprentices studying senior leader at level 7, and 48 on chartered manager apprenticeships at level 6. There were other, smaller apprenticeship cohorts in the digital and manufacturing areas.

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Information about this provider

The university uses one subcontractor. 30 January to 2 February 2024

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

Most apprentices are enthusiastic and speak positively about their learning experience. However, too many apprentices leave early and do not successfully complete their training. In these instances, apprentices do not demonstrate the positive attitudes and commitment to complete their apprenticeship fully.

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

Staff closely monitor apprentices’ attendance. Although there has been a recent improvement in attendance levels, apprentices’ attendance remains too low. As a result, not all apprentices benefit from attending their lessons regularly and making the progress of which they are capable.

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

Apprentices feel safe at work, on campus and when working online. Staff provide support and teach apprentices to keep themselves and others safe, including when working online.

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

Apprentices who remain on their apprenticeship develop their confidence and character. They gain confidence in public speaking and academic writing. For example, level 7 senior leader apprentices develop their ability to apply management theories to their business planning. As a result, they develop competence and confidence to work independently in their place of work.

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

Apprentices are well equipped to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy. Lecturers teaching on health-related apprenticeships ensure that apprentices have access to helpful activities, including attending workshops from well-being experts. As a result, apprentices are better able to make informed choices regarding their own and their service users’ health and well-being that are relevant to the sector.

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

Staff prepare apprentices well for life in modern Britain. Apprentices develop an understanding of fundamental British values and can apply these in their work settings. For example, healthcare apprentices can link the concepts of individual liberty to patient autonomy and the provision of person-centred care.

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

Apprentices develop their understanding and appreciation of diversity. Level 7 senior leader apprentices can identify where equality of opportunity needs to be improved in their work setting and put in place initiatives to widen the recruitment of staff to reflect the local area in which they work.

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better?

Leaders and managers have been too slow to rectify the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. More recently, senior leaders, with the support of governors, have prioritised a number of well-considered improvement actions. For example, they have restructured the roles of apprenticeship staff to provide a more coherent structure of accountability. They have invested in a new data and management information reporting tool to inform leaders of improvements in the 30 January to 2 February 2024

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curriculum. However, most of these improvement actions are in their infancy, and it is too soon to see any impact.

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Leaders have a clear curriculum strategy. They consider the needs of apprentices, employers and the local economy when making curriculum decisions. For example, in healthcare curriculums, leaders and managers offer apprenticeships to support the workforce development needs of local health trusts. The level 5 nursing associate curriculum supports health trusts to upskill and retain their existing staff with a planned route to the registered nurse degree.

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Managers and lecturers do not sufficiently use information about what individual apprentices already know and can do to tailor their curriculums. Too often, on- and off-the-job activities are not well coordinated with employers to focus on any identified gaps in apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours. As a result, apprentices cannot routinely practise what they have learned. On the level 6 chartered surveyor apprenticeship, apprentices follow the same curriculum as full- time degree students. Lecturers focus on the completion of the non-integrated degree and do not take into account apprentices’ work activities or the end-point assessment they are required to achieve.

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Lecturers are experts in their field. Where apprentices successfully complete their apprenticeship, such as in healthcare subjects, lecturers use effective teaching strategies to ensure that apprentices learn key concepts. For example, on level 5 nursing associate apprenticeships, when teaching about the respiratory system, lecturers teach the key theories of anatomy and physiology. Apprentices undertake research on diseases related to the respiratory system and present their findings to their peers. Learning is frequently revisited by lecturers to assess whether apprentices can remember what they have learned.

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The quality of feedback that lecturers provide to apprentices is too variable. On level 6 chartered surveyor and level 7 senior leader apprenticeships, feedback given is generic and lacks specific information on how apprentices can improve. As a result, apprentices are unclear about what they need to do to improve their work.

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Most lecturers use effective assessment to check what apprentices have learned. On level 5 nursing associate apprenticeships, lecturers use assessments that are relevant to working in clinical practice. This supports apprentices to link the theory they learn to their job role. However, on the level 6 chartered surveyor apprenticeship, lecturers do not assess the application of apprentices’ knowledge, skills and behaviours in their workplace. Consequently, apprentices are not sufficiently prepared to achieve their apprenticeship successfully, and a high proportion leave before they complete it.

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Staff assess apprentices’ support needs at the start of their apprenticeship to identify any additional learning needs. Where appropriate, staff refer apprentices for formal assessment and provide support, such as one-to-one mentoring and additional time to complete assignments. As a result, apprentices benefit from a supportive learning environment. 30 January to 2 February 2024

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Staff ensure that most apprentices receive useful careers education, information, advice and guidance. Apprentices regularly reflect on their skills and interests, and this helps them to identify potential career opportunities for their future development. For example, level 5 nursing associate apprentices benefit from guest lectures from specialist areas of clinical practice. Apprentices are aware of the opportunities that their apprenticeship and registration as a nursing associate offer them. They demonstrate an understanding of the different settings they could work in, including hospitals, community settings, general practice and prisons.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Closely monitor improvement actions to ensure that these are established across all curriculum subjects and are leading to improvements in the quality of education apprentices receive.  Increase the number of apprentices who successfully complete their apprenticeship.  Improve apprentices’ attendance to lessons so that it is routinely high.  Use information about what apprentices know and can do before they start their apprenticeship to tailor the curriculum and ensure that apprentices make the progress of which they are capable.  Coordinate on- and off-the-job learning with employers so that apprentices can focus on any identified gaps in their knowledge, skills and behaviours and practise what they have learned.  Ensure that apprentices receive feedback that helps them to improve their work.  Assess apprentices’ application of knowledge, skills and behaviours in their workplace so that they are prepared to complete their apprenticeship successfully.

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Provider details

Address Wulfruna Street Wolverhampton West Midlands WV1 1LY

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Professor Phil Gravestock

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Provider details

Provider type Higher education institution

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 16 to 19 November 2021

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Serco Limited 30 January to 2 February 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of academic business development (apprenticeships), 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

Rachel Clark, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Victor Reid His Majesty’s Inspector Susan Gay Ofsted Inspector Ann Minton Ofsted Inspector Andrew Ross Ofsted Inspector Deb Whiston Ofsted Inspector 30 January to 2 February 2024

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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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