Star Greenwich Education

Star Greenwich Education Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Paul Manning, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 February 2024

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: 16 Beresford Square London SE18 6AY Monitoring visit: Star Greenwich Education, 21 and 22 February 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or the apprenticeship levy. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Star Greenwich Education (SGE) is an independent training provider based in Woolwich Arsenal, south-east London. It was established in 2012, initially teaching full-cost programmes. SGE started teaching apprentices in May 2023. At the time of the monitoring visit, 21 apprentices were studying standards-based apprenticeships. Seven apprentices study the level 4 lead practitioner apprenticeship in adult care and six apprentices study the level 3 mortgage adviser standard. Fewer than five apprentices study the level 2 adult care worker and the level 3 dental nurse apprenticeships. Apprentices are based in London and Nottingham. All apprentices are over 19 years old.

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Context and focus of visit

Fifteen apprentices study functional skills qualifications in mathematics and English as part of their apprenticeship.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have not made the full requirements of apprenticeship training clear to employers and apprentices. For example, employers are not aware that apprentices should receive paid off-the-job training time and have a limited understanding of the final assessment process. Because of this, apprentices frequently attend training during their own time or take unpaid time off work to attend lessons.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have not planned the teaching of functional skills in English and mathematics early enough in the apprenticeships. Too many apprentices have not received any teaching in mathematics or English functional skills. Because of this, very few apprentices are on target to complete their training by their planned end date. Monitoring visit: Star Greenwich Education, 21 and 22 February 2024 Leaders do not have sufficient understanding of apprenticeships to be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the training they provide. They do not have oversight of the progress that apprentices make. Leaders do not know what they need to do to improve their training or how to support apprentices effectively to achieve their apprenticeships on time.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not have suitable governance arrangements in place. Leaders recognise that this would help them improve the quality of training but have yet to identify a suitable way of implementing this.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have formed effective partnerships with employers, some of whom speak highly of the provider. Leaders respond proactively to employers’ requests for apprenticeship training in Nottingham. However, leaders do not have sufficient expertise in the apprenticeships they offer in this area. As a result, apprentices do not receive sufficient support or training and their progress is slow.

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Insufficient progress

Teachers do not identify apprentices’ existing skills, knowledge and behaviours effectively at the start of the apprenticeship. Teachers do not plan their teaching to take into account apprentices’ different levels of skills. For example, for mortgage adviser apprentices who are qualified accountants, the content of the apprenticeship is not sufficiently challenging.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not make sure that apprentices receive sufficient planned off-the-job training. Apprentices enjoy the sessions they attend; however, too often apprentices are set independent learning which is not planned, monitored or checked by their teachers.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not make sure that apprentices benefit from frequent and helpful progress reviews. Too few apprentices attend meetings where they review the progress they make and agree on future targets. Most apprentices and their employers are not clear on the progress they make or how they can improve their work.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have recruited teachers with appropriate industry experience. Teachers use their industry knowledge effectively to link topics they teach to the work environment. For example, health and social care teachers explain how to manage challenging behaviour in dementia patients and how concepts such as respect and dignity impact the practice of care workers.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not provide effective continuous professional development opportunities for teachers. Leaders do not provide training to teachers who are new to teaching Monitoring visit: Star Greenwich Education, 21 and 22 February 2024 apprentices. Because of this, these teachers are not preparing their apprentices well enough for their final assessment.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not have effective partnerships with local safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ agencies. Leaders do not provide sufficient training to staff on the local risks and threats associated with radicalisation and extremism. Teachers do not have relevant and up-to-date information to pass on to apprentices. Because of this, apprentices are not aware of the local risks and threats in the areas in which they live and work.

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Insufficient progress

Apprentices feel safe. Dental apprentices and health and social care apprentices learn about safeguarding during their on-the-job training. However, teachers do not routinely include safeguarding topics in their teaching. As a result, mortgage adviser apprentices do not have a secure understanding of safeguarding or how to report a safeguarding concern.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders have an appropriate safeguarding policy and procedure for reporting safeguarding concerns. The designated safeguarding lead is appropriately trained. Monitoring visit: Star Greenwich Education, 21 and 22 February 2024 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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Insufficient progress

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Insufficient progress

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Insufficient progress

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Insufficient progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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