University College London

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Information about this provider

University College London (UCL) is a large higher education organisation with main campuses in central London. UCL offers a wide range of higher education courses. This includes apprenticeships at level 7 that were the subject of this inspection. At the time of inspection, there were about 300 apprentices across five standards- based apprenticeships. There were about 75 chartered town planner apprentices, 65 clinical associate in psychology apprentices, 40 systems engineering apprentices, 75 senior leader apprentices and 75 advanced clinical practitioner apprentices. 23 to 25 April 2024

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

Apprentices greatly value the training they receive from lecturers who are experts and have up-to-date knowledge of their subjects. Apprentices learn new skills and knowledge quickly, such as the importance of social mobility in town planning or quality issues in car manufacturing industry, as they progress within their training.

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

Apprentices benefit from and greatly value talks and master classes presented by expert guest speakers. Apprentices on the chartered town planner standard learn about important legal cases related to their jobs from experienced barristers. They attend workshops taught by experts to learn about current and planned environmental policies on biodiversity and the need to upgrade sewage systems.

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

Apprentices gain confidence and make a positive contribution at their work as they complete their training. On the level 7 senior leader apprenticeship, lecturers support apprentices effectively to gain confidence through discussions and reflections on topics such as transformational leadership. Apprentices gain competence in important skills such as managing complex projects that are relevant to their jobs. Employers greatly value the contribution that apprentices make in the workplace.

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

Apprentices learn in sessions that are calm and orderly. They feel safe in their sessions and at work and know what to do if they have any concerns. They display highly positive and professional attitudes in their sessions. They participate well in their training and share their experiences from their jobs during group discussions. Apprentices maintain the same high level of positive behaviour and professionalism at their workplace.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a very clear strategy for the growth of their apprenticeships. They greatly value the positive impact of these courses on increasing the diversity of UCL learners. They focus successfully on recruiting people from underrepresented groups into their apprenticeships. They work closely with several large employers to ensure the apprenticeship offer is relevant to the needs of industry. They contribute positively to the identified higher-level skills shortages, and low representation of staff from ethnic minorities in senior jobs.

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better?

Leaders and those responsible for governance know and monitor the quality of apprenticeships well. Since the Ofsted monitoring visit in November 2022, they have made substantial positive improvements such as establishing a degree apprenticeship panel to monitor the quality of the training. They put effective actions in place when needed to further improve the quality of these courses.

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better?

Curriculum leaders work effectively with employers and professional bodies and have designed well-structured training programmes. They make sure apprentices learn essential concepts and principles thoroughly and build on that knowledge over time. 23 to 25 April 2024

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Apprentices on clinical associate in psychology learn various techniques at the beginning of their course by frequently shadowing more experienced clinical associates, doctors and nurses. As they gain more confidence, they start to have their own patients and caseload, which increase over time. Apprentices can apply what they have learned effectively and are able to carry out complex tasks at work.

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Highly qualified mentors provide apprentices with the good support, guidance and tuition they need to meet the high demands of the degree apprenticeships. They set tasks for apprentices to improve their critical-thinking skills and prepare them well for higher-level jobs. For example, clinical associate in psychology apprentices carry out research on positions of siblings by age and how that relates to their individual childhood experiences. Apprentices learn higher-level knowledge and skills that are essential for their senior-level jobs.

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Leaders and managers provide effective support for apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Specialist support staff assess apprentices early in the programme and provide the support to suit individual apprentices’ needs. Staff make suitable adjustments to the training and assessment of apprentices who have medical issues or other impediments to their studies. Most of these apprentices make good progress.

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Lecturers use a wide range of assessment methods such as group projects and presentations effectively. Through the work they submit for assessment, apprentices learn skills that are important and needed in their workplace. For example, they learn how to work with others to complete a project, how to write good reports, present their findings to an audience and present materials in various formats.

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Lecturers give apprentices feedback on their work which is clear and constructive and helps them to improve their work. Through the feedback they give, lecturers guide apprentices to construct their arguments and analyse their findings. For example, apprentices on the senior leader course receive useful feedback and learn what they can do better when scoring risks against a scale. Apprentices produce work which is of high standard. They know how to improve their work to achieve higher marks.

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In a minority of cases, lecturers and curriculum leaders do not sufficiently explain the content and aspects of final assessments to apprentices. In these cases, apprentices are unsure of what they specifically need to do and how to prepare for their final assessment. When apprentices need to complete qualifications in mathematics and English, staff do not always schedule their teaching and assessment of these subjects well enough to ensure timely completion before the final apprenticeship assessments. In these cases, apprentices do not complete their qualification within the planned timescale.

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Staff do not provide consistently good-quality careers information and guidance to apprentices on all courses. On the chartered town planner standard, apprentices receive a range of high-quality careers advice and guidance from experienced mentors and careers advisers. These apprentices are provided with useful 23 to 25 April 2024

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networking opportunities, learn how to improve their career prospects and participate well in mock interviews. They are clear about the next steps in education or employment that are available to them. A minority of apprentices, such as those on the clinical associate in psychology who do not have a specific job at the end of their programme, have not received sufficient careers information and guidance from staff and therefore are not aware of options available to them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Give apprentices sufficient and timely information about their final assessment to enable them to complete their qualifications within the planned timescale.  Sequence English and mathematics teaching to enable those apprentices who need to complete qualifications in these subjects to achieve within the planned time.  Provide apprentices on all programmes with high-quality and impartial career guidance and information so they are clear about the next steps available to them when they complete their qualifications. 23 to 25 April 2024

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Dr Michael Spence

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Provider details

Provider type Higher education institution

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 23 to 25 April 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the pro-vice-provost quality and standards, 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

Ramin Narimani, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Errol Ince Ofsted Inspector Akhil Amlani Ofsted Inspector Darren James-Mitchell Ofsted Inspector Susan Gay Ofsted Inspector 23 to 25 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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