Serco Holdings Limited

Serco Holdings Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Peter Cox, His Majesty's Inspector

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Address:

16 Bartley Wood Business Park Bartley Way Hook Hampshire RG27 9UY Monitoring visit: Serco Holdings Ltd, 20 and 21 March 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Serco Holdings Limited was inspected in June 2023. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in resolving the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

Serco Holdings Ltd is an employer provider, part of the international organisation Serco Ltd. Serco Holdings Ltd offers apprenticeships across a range of public sector services, including healthcare, immigration and justice.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, there were approximately 250 apprentices in learning. Of these, there were approximately 55 apprentices studying the level 3 team leader or supervisor apprenticeship, 50 studying the level 6 chartered manager degree apprenticeship and 50 studying the level 5 operations or departmental manager apprenticeship. The remaining apprentices were studying programmes such as level 3 business administrator, level 7 senior leader and level 3 custody and detention professional. A very small number of apprentices were aged 16 to18 years old.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, line managers benefit from clearer induction and understanding of their roles and responsibilities within the apprenticeship programme. Staff work closely with line managers to ensure that most understand apprentices’ progress, their support needs and to help them plan future learning. Most line managers now actively participate in progress meetings. When line managers are unable to attend, coaches communicate effectively in most cases to keep managers well informed. As a result, line managers are often highly supportive of apprentices. They use their knowledge of apprentices’ progress and needs to provide relevant on-the-job training.

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Reasonable progress

Line managers of level 6 chartered manager apprentices organise additional finance training to support those apprentices for whom this area of learning is less secure. Monitoring visit: Serco Holdings Ltd, 20 and 21 March 2024 Line managers of level 3 business administration apprentices organise work shadow opportunities to help apprentices understand the needs of key stakeholders and how it impacts their work. Consequently, apprentices develop new and substantial skills they need for their roles quickly.

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Reasonable progress

However, a small minority of line managers do not routinely attend meetings or receive sufficient information about their apprentices' progress. In these instances, line managers are too reliant on the apprentices' understanding of their progress and future learning.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices at Serco have a good understanding of the career options available to them upon completion of their courses. Staff provide regular updates to apprentices about the opportunities within their work areas and across the wider Serco group. Training staff and line managers support apprentices to work in other departments and shadow colleagues to provide them with a deeper understanding of the different roles available in the organisation.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from useful support to plan their long-term career goals within Serco. For instance, level 6 chartered manager apprentices complete specific career guidance modules to help them with their long-term career goals. Staff and line managers support apprentices very well to put these plans into action. As a result, many apprentices remain at Serco and gain more responsibilities and promotions.

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Reasonable progress

Staff help apprentices identify the transferable skills they are developing and how they can be used towards their future career goals. In some cases, coaches support apprentices to explore wider career pathways, such as teaching. They help them research the practical arrangements required to work in these sectors. However, staff do not provide impartial advice about career opportunities beyond their immediate sectors consistently.

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Reasonable progress

The newly appointed apprenticeship careers advisor has introduced a careers support project to help a small minority of apprentices develop their understanding of the career opportunities within the employer and the wider sector. These apprentices value this support, and the information provided helps them apply for promotions. However, this project has yet to be used for all apprentices. Monitoring visit: Serco Holdings Ltd, 20 and 21 March 2024

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have taken appropriate and successful action so that the vast majority of apprentices now complete their apprenticeships on time. Since the previous inspection, leaders correctly identified that the progress of many apprentices was slowed by the quality and timeliness of English and mathematics teaching. They have subsequently introduced more frequent, longer English and mathematics sessions. As a result, apprentices revisit their learning promptly, consolidate their knowledge and embed their learning into their long-term memories. Apprentices who require these qualifications speak highly of the close support and high-quality training they receive. As a result, most apprentices complete these qualifications quickly and so complete their overall apprenticeships on time.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers and staff have improved how they track and monitor apprentices' progress. They use information effectively to intervene to help apprentices who may fall behind in their studies to catch up quickly.

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Reasonable progress

However, a few level 3 custody and detention professional apprentices remain past their planned end date. Leaders have evaluated the viability of this course and have decided to no longer offer it. They use appropriate strategies to help these apprentices complete their studies.

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Significant progress

Leaders have made significant progress in establishing and strengthening external governance arrangements. Since the previous inspection, leaders have carefully selected and recruited governors with substantial experience of further education. Leaders provided comprehensive induction to help governors understand their roles and responsibilities fully.

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Significant progress

Governors have a deep understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of apprenticeship provision. Under direction from governors, leaders now provide comprehensive reports on the quality of training. In addition, governors complete insightful reviews of different areas of provision. As a result, governors have a very secure knowledge of apprentices’ training and experience. Monitoring visit: Serco Holdings Ltd, 20 and 21 March 2024 Governors support and challenge leaders robustly to improve the quality of provision. They focus keenly on improving areas identified in the previous inspection report. Leaders respond promptly to these challenges to improve the quality of provision. For example, governors successfully challenged leaders to improve retention rates for apprentices in level 3 courses, which have now improved as a result. Monitoring visit: Serco Holdings Ltd, 20 and 21 March 2024 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young

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Significant progress

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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Significant progress

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