Richmond Training Academy Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Richmond Training Academy Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

Richmond Training Academy Ltd (Richmond) is an independent learning provider based in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. Richmond was acquired by Think Trinity Limited in April 2022. It provides training predominantly in the West Midlands and the north west of England. Training is delivered both face-to-face and online. The primary focus for Richmond is the delivery of health and social care apprenticeships at levels 2 to 5.

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Information about this provider

Richmond commenced delivery of a Skills Bootcamp in partnership with Liverpool Combined Authority in March 2024. There are currently 10 adult learners studying the full-time health and social care course.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, Richmond had 59 apprentices. There were 20 apprentices studying level 3 lead adult care worker, 18 on the level 2 adult care worker, 10 on the level 5 leader in adult care, and eight on the level 4 lead practitioner in adult care apprenticeships. There were fewer than five apprentices studying the level 3 business administrator apprenticeship. All apprentices are aged 18 years or over. 10 to 12 April 2024

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

Apprentices and learners are motivated to learn, and display positive attitudes to their learning. They value the caring and supportive culture that they experience at Richmond. Most apprentices produce work that is of a high standard. They are attentive in sessions and listen to skills coaches and their peers, for example when involved in discussions. Apprentices and learners are respectful to one another in learning sessions.

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

Attendance and punctuality for apprentices and learners are high. They value the support that skills coaches provide on the rare occasions that they are absent, for example apprentices and learners are provided with additional one-to-one sessions to ensure that they do not fall behind.

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

Apprentices develop new professional skills and behaviours. They understand the importance of using positive body language and communication when working with their clients. Level 2 adult care worker apprentices use these skills effectively at work to support the mental health and well-being of their clients.

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

Apprentices and learners develop their confidence because of what they learn during their course and apprenticeship. Level 3 lead adult care worker apprentices feel confident to speak with family members about deprivation of liberty applications and learners are confident to apply for jobs and attend interviews with employers.

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

Apprentices and learners receive comprehensive and helpful careers information, advice and guidance to help them plan their next steps. They learn about long-term career opportunities in the health sector such as nursing and care home management, and higher learning. Skills coaches provide apprentices and learners with support for employment applications and job interviews.

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

Apprentices and learners have a broad understanding of fundamental British values and how these apply to their job roles. For example, apprentices studying the level 3 lead adult care worker apprenticeship ensure clients can express their opinions and link the six values required by patient-facing health professionals to their work.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear and ambitious rationale for their apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamp. They ensure that their provision meets the needs of the local and regional economy by specialising in the delivery of courses in the health and social care sector. Their aim is to provide a skilled and sustainable pipeline of trained health professionals.

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better?

Leaders and managers have put in place new quality assurance processes. They have taken swift and effective action to improve the weaknesses in the provision. The new strategies, for example improvements to apprentices’ and learners’ initial 10 to 12 April 2024

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advice and guidance, are beginning to demonstrate positive improvements. The number of apprentices that leave their apprenticeship early has reduced significantly.

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Managers and skills coaches plan the apprenticeship and Skills Bootcamp courses in a logical order. Learners and apprentices develop knowledge and skills sequentially over time. For example, learners start with learning about the health and social care sector before progressing to legislation and alternative frameworks for understanding mental distress, such as the biopsychosocial model. Level 2 adult care worker apprentices begin with duty of care and progress to more complex topics such as stroke management and patient care plans.

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Skills coaches identify learners’ and apprentices’ starting points accurately. They use the results of the assessments to plan an individualised curriculum for apprentices based on their starting points, job roles and their employers’ requirements. For example, apprentices who work in care homes for adults with learning difficulties and disabilities have topics such as autism, serving food and drink and administering medication incorporated into their apprenticeship. Skills coaches do not monitor the progress that learners make from their starting points on the Skills Bootcamp. However, there are imminent plans in place for this to be implemented.

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Skills coaches provide challenging learning activities for apprentices and learners. Skills Bootcamp learners complete a range of modules that prepare them effectively for working in the care sector, such as first aid and manual handling. Skills coaches adapt their teaching seamlessly to hone the content to match apprentices’ job roles and organisations. For example, level 3 lead adult care worker apprentices who work in care homes learn about covert abuse so that they are able to recognise the signs and actions of staff and know how to report any concerns that they have.

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Learners and most apprentices benefit from constructive and developmental feedback from skills coaches. They know what they have done well and what they need to do to improve. In a few instances, the feedback that level 3 lead adult care worker apprentices receive focuses too much on apprentices achieving unit criteria of the qualification and does not focus sufficiently on the development of their knowledge, skills and behaviours.

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Skills coaches embed English and mathematics into the curriculum skilfully. Learners and apprentices use professional and technical language well. They incorporate referencing within their written work and learn to proofread their work accurately. Level 3 lead adult care worker apprentices calculate the percentage of male and female residents in the care home who use a full-body hoist and analyse the number of abuse cases in adult care and the percentage of cases that went to court. However, skills coaches do not develop the mathematical skills of learners on the Skills Bootcamp sufficiently.

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Coordination of on- and off-the-job training is effective. Skills coaches work flexibly with apprentices and their employers to plan training. Apprentices have the opportunity to participate in new opportunities such as taking part in Care Quality Commission inspections. This ensures that apprentices develop substantial new 10 to 12 April 2024

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knowledge, skills and behaviours, make positive progress and have a positive impact on their employers’ businesses.

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Leaders and managers have an accurate oversight of the progress that apprentices and learners make. They put in place interventions swiftly if learners and apprentices fall behind. This ensures that learners and apprentices make at least their expected progress. Apprentices complete their qualifications on time and most achieve the highest grades in their final assessments.

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Leaders have recruited staff that are highly qualified and experienced to teach apprentices and learners. Staff complete sector-relevant continuing professional development such as dementia training and medication administration. Skills coaches receive regular industry updates to ensure that they remain up to date with sector changes. However, newly recruited skills coaches are yet to benefit from training to improve their teaching skills.

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Leaders and managers are considerate of the workload and well-being of staff. Skills coaches say their workload is manageable. They enjoy working at Richmond. Monthly team meetings and bi-weekly meetings to discuss well-being are a priority at Richmond. Leaders organise social events and there is an online portal for staff discounts. Staff benefit from flexible and hybrid working patterns.

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Board members have a thorough understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the quality of education. Leaders provide board members with high-quality reports that they use to provide scrutiny and challenge to leaders. This ensures that leaders and managers continue to improve the quality of education that apprentices and learners receive. For example, board members ensure that the actions of leaders and managers have had a positive impact on improving the retention and achievement rates of apprentices.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Improve the quality of written feedback for apprentices on level 3 lead adult care worker apprenticeship to ensure it is focused on the development of knowledge, skills and behaviours.  Plan and implement training to further develop the teaching skills of staff.  Improve the monitoring of learners’ progress from their starting points on Skills Bootcamps. 10 to 12 April 2024

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Provider details

Address Suite 4, The Technology Centre Inward Way Ellesmere Port CH65 3EN

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Gill Waddicor

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 16 to 18 August 2022

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 10 to 12 April 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the managing director, 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

Suzanne Horner, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Zoe Ibbotson His Majesty’s Inspector Suzanne Wainwright His Majesty’s Inspector Liz Greenhalgh Ofsted Inspector 10 to 12 April 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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