D.T.K. Business Services Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of D.T.K. Business Services Limited

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Information about this provider

D.T.K. Business Services, trading as D.T.K. College, is an independent training provider. It has one campus in the London Borough of Newham. D.T.K. College teaches standards-based apprenticeships in hairdressing and adult care at levels 2 to 5. At the time of the inspection, the college had approximately 75 apprentices. Of these, around half were studying the level 2 hairdressing professional standard. Most adult care apprentices were studying at levels 2 and 3, with a small number studying at level 5. 6 to 8 February 2024

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

Apprentices gain confidence and learn new skills and knowledge, which they apply competently at work. Level 2 hairdressing apprentices learn to listen and make eye contact when speaking to new clients. Adult care apprentices learn to communicate effectively with different service users, such as those with hearing impairments. Employers highly value these skills and, subsequently, many apprentices have gained more responsibility or promotions at work.

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

Apprentices are highly motivated. They demonstrate a positive attitude towards their training. Apprentices develop positive behaviours for work, and they attend their training sessions well. Hairdressing apprentices volunteer at community projects such as food banks. They also participate in skills competitions to improve their social and technical skills. However, leaders and managers do not provide adult care apprentices with similar enrichment opportunities.

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

Apprentices receive good-quality, sector-specific information and guidance from their tutors that helps them to make choices about their next steps. For example, adult care apprentices have useful individual sessions with their well-informed tutors. They discuss their progression into higher-level apprenticeships, further study, and employment. Consequently, apprentices know about a wide range of options and the steps that they need to take to make progress in their careers or education.

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better?

Curriculum leaders have designed a high-quality training programme based on the skills need of employers and apprentices. For example, assessors in level 2 hairdressing recognise that employers want apprentices to be able to assist in the salon quickly, and they teach apprentices blow drying early in their training. In adult care, apprentices learn important additional skills to be able to support clients with different needs. These include drug administration and using a hoist to assist with movements of service users as needed in each setting. Apprentices learn the skills that they need to secure long-term and sustainable employment.

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better?

In setting up the apprenticeships, leaders and managers have not made sure that they have sufficient oversight of the provision. They do not collect or use accurate enough information about the quality of the training they offer, or of apprentices’ performance. For example, they do not have good enough oversight of the progress that apprentices make, or of their attendance to training sessions.

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better?

Leaders do not analyse or identify well enough the strengths and areas for improvement in individual programmes. They do not take effective action to make improvements to the quality of education that apprentices receive, when required. For example, too many adult care apprentices are past their planned completion 6 to 8 February 2024

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date, and leaders have not taken quick enough action to make sure that apprentices complete their training in a timely way.

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Assessors support apprentices well to develop important behaviours and skills needed to be successful professionals in their salons or care settings. This support is provided to the appetencies in online and face-to-face sessions, which apprentices find very useful. Adult care apprentices know their responsibilities towards the health and safety of themselves and the service users. They learn about safe lifting, emotional safety and reporting of health and safety issues. Hairdressing apprentices learn to use correct personal protective equipment and how to work safely with chemical materials and electrical devices. Apprentices feel safe when they are in college and at work.

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Curriculum leaders have made sure that the training programmes meet the needs of local employers. In London workshops and salons, assessors teach hairdressing apprentices about different hair textures. This means that apprentices learn skills that they need to serve a diverse client base.

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Assessors use a range of assessment methods effectively to ensure apprentices can recall what has been taught in previous training sessions. These methods include observations of apprentices at their workplace, written work, and verbal questions. They also use quizzes and tests to help apprentices remember subject-specific terminology and practical skills. Apprentices learn, remember and can apply their new skills as they progress towards completion of their training.

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Assessors are well qualified and have relevant knowledge and technical expertise. They provide effective and clear feedback, which apprentices use well to improve the quality of their work over time. For example, level 5 adult care apprentices write reports that are well structured and in which they use clear examples to explain the topics. The work produced by apprentices is of a high standard and improves as they make progress in their training.

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Assessors and subject leaders provide effective support to apprentices to help them improve their knowledge and use of English and mathematics. They include these subjects in the training programme well. For example, when applying highlights, level 2 hairdressing professional apprentices calculate how long to leave foils in clients’ hair to achieve optimal colour. They learn to complete their consultation sheets using accurate written English. As a result, apprentices’ English and mathematics skills improve over time, and they achieve their English and mathematics qualifications well.

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Leaders and managers do not sufficiently identify and support apprentices with additional learning needs. They do not provide staff with specific training to make sure that apprentices who need extra help are consistently well supported.

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Assessors and subject leaders provide apprentices with useful information and guidance to stay mentally and physically healthy. Assessors in hairdressing teach apprentices effectively about healthy lifestyles and relationships. Assessors highlight 6 to 8 February 2024

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the importance of good mental health for care workers and service users. Adult care apprentices learn how to recognise signs of anxiety in themselves and their clients.

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Employers are mostly well informed of the progress that their apprentices make through discussions with the assessors. In the majority of cases, the training that apprentices receive when they are not at work is linked closely to their job. Assessors ensure that the views of employers are taken into consideration when designing training programmes for these apprentices. Employers can be sure that apprentices are ready to be given specific tasks or move up in the organisations. However, in a minority of cases, employers do not always attend individual apprentice’s review sessions, and therefore assessors are not able to ensure that the training programme covers any skills gap that the apprentices might have.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Monitor the progress of apprentices with additional learning needs and make sure that staff receive specialist training to support these apprentices.  Make sure that leaders and managers have effective oversight of the quality of provision, that they identify the strengths and weaknesses of each apprenticeship and take effective action where improvements are needed.  Increase the proportion of adult care apprentices who complete their qualifications in line with their planned completion dates.  Increase the participation of employers in the apprentice’s reviews in order to identify and cover any skills or knowledge gaps that apprentices have. 6 to 8 February 2024

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Adekunle Ayeni

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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 6 to 8 February 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of operations, 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 apprentices’ work, seeking the views of apprentices, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Ramin Narimani, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Christina Christou Ofsted Inspector Claudia Harrison His Majesty’s Inspector 6 to 8 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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