Plato Training (UK) Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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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 Adult learning programmes Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Plato Training (UK) Ltd (Plato) is an independent learning provider based in Wrexham, North Wales. It provides a range of training courses to adults seeking work or working in the childcare and health and social care sectors in the North West of England. Plato received a contract from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to teach adult learning programmes in August 2023. The provider currently has 222 learners enrolled on level 3 courses. Most learners are studying the level 3 diploma in adult care. Plato also offers the level 3 diploma in children’s learning and development (early years educator) and level 3 certificates in understanding the principles of dementia care, understanding mental health, understanding autism and supporting teaching and learning. 23 to 25 January 2024

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

Most learners have positive attitudes towards their education and training. A few learners are frustrated with the poor communication from tutors, the lack of feedback on their written work and the limited progress they are making.

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

Learners do not receive effective initial information, advice or guidance about the requirements of the course. For example, one quarter of learners do not routinely attend their classes because they are in full-time employment and find it difficult to attend. Tutors record all teaching sessions so that learners can catch up with their learning. However, tutors do not check if learners have watched the recording or check their understanding of the topics covered.

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

Learners discuss their future aspirations with tutors. Tutors provide them with good advice about next steps and further qualifications. Learners attend individual meetings with the careers tutor and receive effective support, such as completing job applications and writing a CV, to apply for jobs.

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

Learners become increasingly more confident as they actively participate in discussions and develop their presentation skills. They complete additional qualifications in, for example, managing aggressive behaviour and apply their learning in the workplace. This helps learners to become more resilient.

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better?

Leaders have designed relevant curriculums to meet the needs of learners and employers in response to local and regional skills shortages in adult social care and the childcare sectors. Most learners are currently employed in adult care worker roles and study for a diploma in adult care to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need in the workplace and to secure promotion.

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better?

Leaders provide additional specialist courses dependent on the needs of learners and employers. For example, many learners who work in adult care worker roles also complete a certificate in understanding the principles of dementia, and those who work in residential homes complete additional certificates in understanding mental health and autism.

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better?

Although tutors have relevant subject knowledge and expertise in the care sector, not all are sufficiently skilled at teaching. Most tutors maintain their subject knowledge and skills through volunteering or part-time care work. Tutors have, or are working towards, teaching qualifications. Tutors have recently received training from newly appointed managers to improve their teaching skills. However, this has not yet had an impact on the quality of education and training that learners receive. Tutors use a range of strategies to assess learners’ starting points accurately. However, they do not always use this information to inform their teaching. Tutors do not routinely adjust or amend their teaching to meet learners’ individual development needs. For example, learners with significant experience in the adult 23 to 25 January 2024

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care sector complete the same work and assessments as those who are new to the care sector. As a result, more experienced learners find aspects of the course too easy.

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Leaders have recently redesigned the level 3 adult care curriculum. The curriculum now includes a workplace project so that learners can practise and develop their knowledge and skills. Learners select a service user who has dementia or a mental health condition as a case study. Most learners then consider the service user’s condition, agree ways of working, develop risk assessments and identify the practices to use in their person-centred care. This improves their knowledge of caring for individuals with specific needs.

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Tutors do not use assessment effectively enough to help learners develop and embed new knowledge and skills fluently. Tutors set learners work that is not demanding enough and does not ensure that learners build knowledge, acquire new skills or improve on what they can already do. For example, when learners write about infection control, they reflect only on their current work and do not use published guidance from statutory bodies to support their learning. The feedback that most tutors provide to learners following assessment is often too positive and does not direct learners on how to improve their work.

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Although leaders and managers undertake quality assurance activities, such as lesson observations, learner surveys, and audits of marked work, these processes do not yet have a positive impact on the quality of training learners receive or the progress that they make in their learning. Leaders are aware that the newly devised level 3 adult care curriculum is not yet successful because not enough time is given to a minority of learners for them to fully understand the content. As a result, these learners make slow progress towards the achievement of their qualification. In addition, the quality of teaching, assessment and feedback is not consistently good. Leaders and managers have not intervened swiftly enough to resolve these problems so that learners receive better learning experiences.

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Leaders have established a governing body that includes external representatives who bring extensive education experience to their role. Governors routinely discuss important quality assurance and safeguarding matters. They challenge leaders to improve the quality of the provision, but this is not yet having sufficient impact. The reports that governors receive do not contain enough information about the quality of training.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Provide effective initial advice and guidance to learners about the requirements of the course. 23 to 25 January 2024

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 Use the results of the assessments of learners’ starting points to plan high-quality training that ensures learners are developing substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours.  Improve the quality of training that learners receive.  Improve the quality of assessment and feedback to learners.  Improve leaders’ oversight of the quality of provision and put actions in place to resolve areas of weakness.  Improve the information provided to governors about the quality of training. 23 to 25 January 2024

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Provider details

Address Unit 3 Wilkinson Court Wrexham Industrial Estate Wrexham LL13 9AE

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Provider details

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

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Catrin Jones

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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 23 to 25 January 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the education and training advisor, 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

Maura Cummins, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Helen Whelan His Majesty’s Inspector Jaqui Scott Ofsted Inspector Andy Gadsdon Ofsted Inspector 23 to 25 January 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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