First Step Education and Training Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of First Step Education and Training Limited

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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Information about this provider

First Step Education and Training Limited started delivering apprenticeships for the sport and fitness industry in September 2021. At the time of the inspection, there were 52 apprentices, of whom 41 were studying the level 4 sports coach standard and 11 were working toward the level 2 community activator coach standard. Most apprentices were aged 19 and over. Apprentices were located across the country, with around half in the Yorkshire and Humber region. 16 to 18 April 2024

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

Staff do not provide apprentices with enough teaching. Most apprentices only receive around two hours teaching per month. As a result, too many apprentices make slow progress in developing their knowledge and skills.

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

As level 4 apprentices are not taught higher-level study skills, such as academic referencing and citation, too many do not produce work of a high enough academic standard. They are not prepared well enough for the rigour of higher education, should that be a potential next step for them.

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

Apprentices who attend teaching sessions are motivated and engage well in their studies. They are keen to ask questions and willingly share the different coaching techniques that they use in the workplace. For example, level 4 sports coaches share their understanding gained from their coaching sessions at work of how they help wheelchair users take part in practical exercise. However, too many apprentices disengage from their learning at various points in the programme and too many choose to leave the apprenticeship early.

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

Tutors inform their apprentices about the risks of radicalisation and extremism. Apprentices are taught about the dangers of using the internet at the start of their training. As almost all teaching sessions are taught online, apprentices are made aware of how to avoid suspicious or inappropriate content when accessing websites. However, apprentices have a very limited understanding of the local risks impacting the communities where they live and work.

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

Most apprentices on the level 2 community activator coach standard are supported well to develop their confidence when dealing with different people, new situations and unfamiliar surroundings. Apprentices are taught about children with additional learning needs and the behaviours that children may exhibit that they need to be aware of in different settings or in the communities where they live. This helps them to respond appropriately when, for example, running after-school club activities. Employers highly value the development of these new skills.

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

Most apprentices do not know who the designated safeguarding lead is, and they often cite their line manager at work as the person they would talk to if they had any safeguarding concerns. However, apprentices have not reported any concerns regarding their own safety. They feel safe at work and when studying online.

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better?

Tutors do not plan and sequence the curriculum to meet the needs of apprentices and their employers. They do not consider well enough the information that they have about apprentices’ prior knowledge and experience before starting their apprenticeship. In too many instances, apprentices already have substantial knowledge of coaching, hold recognised sports coaching qualifications or have experienced coaching through their participation in sports at national and 16 to 18 April 2024

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international level. Therefore, too many apprentices repeat training in subjects in which they are already knowledgeable and experienced.

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Leaders have been too slow to reduce the proportion of apprentices who are past their planned end date. At the time of the inspection, at least a third of apprentices had not completed their training within the timeframe that staff had allocated for them. Tutors do not have a clear enough plan to help apprentices to catch up and, as a result, too many apprentices make slow progress or leave their programme early.

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Staff have not ensured that apprentices receive the support that they need to achieve their functional skills qualifications or to improve their English and mathematics skills. Too many apprentices are not able to progress to their final examinations when having functional skills qualifications is a requirement. Consequently, the progress of these apprentices toward successfully completing their apprenticeship is delayed.

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Leaders do not accurately evaluate the quality of their provision. In their quality improvement plans, they are not precise or specific enough about the actions that they need to take, such as improving the long-standing issues around initial assessment. Consequently, the quality of provision is not improving and is poor.

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When leaders do set improvement actions, they do not review progress towards achieving them well enough. They have not done enough to address the weaknesses identified at the previous monitoring visit in February 2023, such as the need to provide apprentices with helpful careers advice and guidance. In too many instances, the actions that leaders identify are not implemented for a long period, in some cases for longer than 12 months, such as the ongoing, unresolved concern about support for apprentices to help them to achieve functional skills qualifications.

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In a few instances, tutors do not support apprentices who have additional learning needs well enough. Apprentices disclose to their tutors at the start of their programme if they have any additional learning needs. Tutors too often do not take this into account when planning lessons or when providing feedback to apprentices. For example, level 4 sports coach apprentices with dyslexia do not receive the additional support from their tutor that they need. They often feel excluded in training sessions and struggle to access the curriculum.

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Most apprentices are unable to recall what has been taught about staying safe, being healthy and developing consensual healthy relationships. They understand the importance of respecting people with cultural and religious backgrounds who may have different beliefs than them. However, this understanding often relates to what they learned when they were at school or college rather than during their apprenticeship.

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Tutors do not provide apprentices with good enough careers advice and guidance. Most apprentices, including those who are close to the end of their studies, have had no discussion about their next steps. For example, a few level 4 apprentices 16 to 18 April 2024

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who aspire to become physical education teachers are not aware of what they can do to realise their ambitions. Leaders have links with a range of partners such as the local university. However, they do not use these relationships well enough. For example, apprentices do not benefit from talks about UCAS applications or degree programmes, which they would find beneficial.

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Leaders have a clear rationale for providing apprenticeship training to meet the needs of employers that provide sports-related activities in schools and community settings. Leaders’ strategic intent for the level 4 sports coaching apprenticeship, for example, is to address a regional and national shortage of school sports coaches. Their aim is to equip apprentices with the knowledge and skills needed to provide coaching activities for children in schools, community settings and holiday clubs.

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Tutors are well qualified and experienced. Most staff have a degree-level qualification in a sport- or coaching-related discipline, and all have worked in school, community and club settings. This helps them to contextualise their teaching for apprentices who work in these settings. Leaders provide staff with training that enhances their ability to teach effectively, including opportunities to gain initial teacher educator qualifications, assessor awards and specialist coaching qualifications.

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Tutors assess apprentices’ work appropriately. They provide helpful and developmental feedback that apprentices on the level 2 programme use to improve their written work. Often, the quality of apprentices’ work in assignments improves over time, and they rarely make the same mistakes again. Tutors provide those apprentices who complete their apprenticeship with support to achieve at end-point assessment, preparing them well for their final examinations.

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Board members have the requisite experience that they need. However, they do not hold leaders well enough to account. They are too willing to accept what leaders tell them, without understanding fully the main issues at the provider. They are over- optimistic about the strengths of the provider and, consequently, the quality of provision is not improving rapidly enough.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Rapidly improve oversight of the provision and take swift action to rectify the significant weaknesses in apprenticeship programmes.  Ensure that the curriculum is planned and sequenced to meet apprentices’ and employers’ needs so apprentices can achieve their full potential.  Identify and use apprentices’ starting points accurately to plan meaningful, individualised programmes that best meet apprentices’ needs. 16 to 18 April 2024

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 Provide apprentices with the quality and quantity of teaching that they need to be successful in their current and future studies.  Provide apprentices with helpful careers advice and guidance so they can make informed decisions about future study, careers and employment.  Improve the quality and sufficiency of English and mathematics teaching, particularly for apprentices who need to achieve functional skills qualifications.  Ensure that all apprentices, including those with additional learning needs, receive the support and intervention that they need so they do not fall behind and ensure that, when they do fall behind, they are supported to catch up quickly.  Ensure that staff teach apprentices about personal development topics such as healthy relationships and the local risks that may be prevalent where apprentices live and work. 16 to 18 April 2024

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Provider details

Address G8 The Bloc 38 Springfield Way Anlaby Hull HU10 6RJ

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent James Moore

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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 16 to 18 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

Ian Frear, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Hayley Lomas His Majesty’s Inspector 16 to 18 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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