University of Cumbria

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 30 April to 3 May 2024

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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 Good

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Information about this provider

The University of Cumbria (UoC) is a higher education institution in Cumbria. It offers a wide range of apprenticeships at levels 5, 6 and 7 in a variety of sectors. UoC has been training apprentices since 2017. Apprenticeships are offered across three academic institutes in the university. UoC has three sites located in Ambleside, Carlisle and Lancaster in the north west of England.

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Information about this provider

UoC offers apprenticeships to 1,808 apprentices at levels 5 to 7. Most apprentices study at level 6 with the highest enrolments in paramedic, project manager, registered nurse and professional forester apprenticeships. There were 119 apprentices studying the level 5 assistant practitioner (health) and 58 on the level 5 nursing associate apprenticeships. At level 7, the highest enrolments were in the advanced clinical practitioner and senior leader apprenticeships. All apprentices are aged 18 and over. 30 April to 3 May 2024

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

Apprentices consistently demonstrate highly professional behaviours and attitudes to their learning and their work. They develop positive relationships with their peers and their lecturers. Apprentices have high levels of respect when learning online and are respectful of each other’s views. Apprentices studying health-related apprenticeships are proud to serve their communities and provide high levels of support for the people they care for.

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

Apprentices develop their character, confidence and resilience because of what they learn during their apprenticeship. Apprentices skilfully balance the pressures from their workplace and personal lives with their academic studies. Project manager apprentices contribute to team meetings with senior leaders, and paramedic apprentices develop effective strategies to deal with challenging situations at work.

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

Apprentices benefit from very well-equipped facilities and high-quality resources. Diagnostic radiographer apprentices use a computerised tomography scanner to view patients with ulcerative colitis. Paramedic apprentices complete training in the simulation suite and use human mannequins to develop the skills to deliver a baby.

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

Leaders and managers promote a welcoming, supportive and respectful culture. Apprentices value the individualised support that they receive from their lecturers and personal tutors. Apprentices are motivated to learn and are ambitious to achieve their qualifications and work-related targets. For example, advanced clinical practitioner apprentices are eager to manage teams and make clinical decisions at work.

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

Apprentices are supported effectively to develop the skills they need to be successful in their roles. Apprentices participate in seminars, practical assessments and projects which enables them to develop their teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills. Diagnostic radiographer apprentices learn to use single-photon emission computed tomography scans to examine 3-D images of the heart, and professional forester apprentices use silviculture to control the growth, composition and quality of forests to manage timber production. This enables apprentices to undertake more challenging roles and responsibilities at work.

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better?

Leaders have a clear rationale for their apprenticeship provision. They accurately identify the local, regional and national skills needs shortages, such as health, project management and forestry. Leaders carefully consider the needs of employers when developing new apprenticeships. They work with national health trusts to support them with upskilling their workforces and national bodies to help them meet government initiatives, such as net zero.

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better?

Leaders and managers collaborate with employers to plan ambitious apprenticeships that are accessible nationally. For example, leaders work with national ambulance 30 April to 3 May 2024

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trusts to ensure that the paramedic curriculum incorporates enhanced digital skills due to the increasing digitisation of the sector. The professional forester apprenticeship curriculum has been co-created with forestry employers to reflect the exacting requirements of the sector, such as incorporating mensuration, sustainable woodland management and commercial conifer forests in the curriculum.

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Leaders and managers have put in place effective quality assurance processes to monitor the quality of their provision. These include reviews of teaching, learning and assessment, National Student Survey results and updates on apprentices’ progress and attendance. They use this information to take swift actions where areas for improvement are identified.

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Leaders and managers accurately identify what apprentices know and can do at the beginning of their apprenticeship. They use this information to plan an individualised curriculum for most apprentices. However, starting points for a few project manager apprentices are not used to individualise apprentices’ learning or to monitor the progress that apprentices make from their starting points.

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Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours, with deepening layers of complexity, over time. Project manager apprentices learn the broader principles of procurement before progressing to system-improved processes and complex procurement in the public and private sectors. As a result, apprentices develop the attributes they need to achieve their apprenticeship and to be successful in employment.

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Most lecturers use a range of effective strategies to teach new concepts to apprentices such as discussion, simulated learning and mock assessments. Lecturers provide frequent opportunities for apprentices to practise and hone their practical skills before completing formal assessments. For example, advanced clinical practitioner apprentices learn about fragility syndrome and how to use the clinical fragility scale to assess patients’ vulnerabilities in an emergency department. As a result, apprentices retain information in their long-term memory and develop industry-standard skills. However, in a few instances, apprentices experience inconsistency in the quality of teaching that they receive.

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Apprentices develop their English and mathematical skills because of what they learn. Paramedic apprentices develop high levels of technical vocabulary, academic writing and referencing skills. Advanced clinical practitioner apprentices ensure that patient medication is calculated accurately using ratios and patients’ weight. Diagnostic radiographer apprentices apply the ‘inverse square law’ when working in radiography to ensure they maintain a safe distance from the radiation source.

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Leaders and managers skilfully plan and coordinate apprentices on- and off-the-job training. Employers ensure that apprentices can swiftly apply their learning at work. Apprentices and employers are provided with frequent updates about apprentices’ progress towards their qualification. Assistant practitioner apprentices participate in placements in prisons and mental health charities to broaden their knowledge of the sector. Forestry apprentices learn how to accurately measure trees and value wood 30 April to 3 May 2024

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before coppicing areas of land. As a result, apprentices become fluent in the application of their new skills and make a positive contribution to their employer’s businesses.

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Apprentices receive constructive feedback from lecturers. This enables apprentices to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their work. Apprentices routinely improve their work to help them achieve merit and distinction grades. For example, professional forester apprentices add pictorial evidence, such as graphs, to strengthen their conclusions and provide greater depth to their answers through wider reading of source materials.

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Lecturers and personal tutors effectively prepare apprentices for their final assessments. Apprentices know the content and grading opportunities that are available to them. This results in nearly all apprentices completing their apprenticeships and achieving the highest grades.

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Most apprentices receive sector-specific careers advice and guidance from their lecturers, personal tutors and guest speakers to help them understand the range of progression opportunities available to them. Apprentices have access to the university’s careers insights programme and resources. Paramedic apprentices learn about specialist roles such as air ambulance, cruise ships and disaster paramedics.

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Leaders work thoughtfully and effectively to manage and improve staff workload and well-being. Staff report that managers are extremely supportive of their workload. Staff benefit from access to well-being champions and mindfulness sessions. Staff are requested not to send emails outside of working hours, and managers actively monitor compliance with this.

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Those responsible for governance are experienced and qualified to undertake their roles. They ensure that the university meets its statutory responsibilities for governance. Board members have a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development of their apprenticeship provision. Leaders provide board members with high-quality, detailed reports. Board members use these reports to challenge leaders in their planning and management of the university’s apprenticeship provision.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that starting points are used to plan individualised learning for all apprentices.  Improve the quality of teaching for the few apprentices who experience inconsistency in their learning sessions. 30 April to 3 May 2024

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Provider details

Address Fusehill Street Carlisle Cumbria CA1 2HH

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Julie Mennell

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Provider details

Provider type Higher education institution

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 26 to 29 March 2019

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 30 April to 3 May 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of apprenticeships and employer skills, 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 David Towsey His Majesty’s Inspector Victoria Wickington Ofsted Inspector Liz Greenhalgh Ofsted Inspector Suzanne Wainwright His Majesty’s Inspector Amanda Mackinnon Ofsted Inspector Charles Searle Ofsted Inspector 30 April to 3 May 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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