BCTG Limited

BCTG Limited Reinspection monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Helen Morgan, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: European Business Park Taylors Lane Oldbury B69 2BN Monitoring visit: BCTG Limited, 9 and 10 May 2024

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Context and focus of visit

This is the first reinspection monitoring visit to BCTG Limited following publication of the inspection report on 27 July 2023 which found the provider to be inadequate overall.

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Context and focus of visit

BCTG Limited is an independent learning provider based in Oldbury, West Midlands. Since January 2024, 252 learners have completed their training. All teaching is currently undertaken by six subcontractors. At the time of the visit, there were 10 adults in learning, studying on a hospitality sector-based work academy programme (SWAP). This was taught by one subcontractor. Previous and planned programmes include SWAPs in security, adult care, non-teaching school role and aviation. No learners were under the age of 18.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have rightly focused on improving the quality of teaching provided by their subcontractors following the previous inspection. In the initial months following the inspection, leaders implemented a small number of improvements such as increasing the observations of subcontractors’ teaching. However, the majority of improvements to the quality processes have taken place more recently. Leaders began to focus on the improvements to teaching following an extension to their delivery contract by West Midlands Combined Authority. As a result, it is too early to see the impact of improvements to the quality processes on outcomes for learners.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established a new advisory board to drive improvements in the quality of their courses. Advisory board members demonstrate that they challenge the decisions made by senior leaders. They have taken steps to support the improvements in leadership at BCTG. Advisers train leaders in developing their lesson observation techniques and their analysis of information and presentation skills. As a result, leaders have begun to develop the skills needed to monitor the quality of education and drive improvements.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have created a post-inspection improvement plan to help them track the progress made against the recommendations made at the previous inspection. They frequently review and monitor the progress they have made. However, leaders have not focused enough on measuring specific improvements or setting measurable targets to ensure that actions are effective. Monitoring visit: BCTG Limited, 9 and 10 May 2024 Although leaders track and monitor specific actions that arise from their leadership meetings, the impact of these actions is not identified to ensure that they are appropriate and effective. Actions do not feed into the quality improvement plan to improve the quality of education outside of the recommendations made at the last inspection. While advisory board members have identified this as an area for improvement, leaders have been too slow to implement it.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have recently identified that they had not taken sufficient steps to improve the quality of their subcontracted provision since the previous inspection. In recent months, they have rapidly reviewed and improved the specific quality processes used to improve the quality of subcontracted provision. Leaders are now considerably more aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the courses taught by their subcontractors.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders meet regularly with subcontractors to review their teaching. Leaders frequently observe teaching sessions to ensure that the quality of teaching meets their expectations . Leaders use team observations, alongside subcontract managers, to ensure all parties have clear expectations. Leaders create an action plan to reflect the actions required from their observations of teaching, with measurable targets. Feedback from observations is provided to teaching staff who use this information to improve their teaching. Managers within subcontractors understand what they must do to improve the quality of teaching and the tracking of learners’ progress to secure learners’ achievements.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders provide support for staff within subcontractors, through the formation of a consortium group which meets frequently to share best practice. Leaders work with subcontractors effectively to develop their quality of teaching and assessment. In a few cases, subcontractors use this information to improve their wider organisation. This includes improvements to the assessment of learners’ starting points and to initial advice and guidance to ensure learners study the right course.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders collect information on learners’ achievements, attendance and feedback to identify changes they need to make to their curriculums. They use this information to identify areas for improvement. They track the impact of the changes they make to curriculum planning and design. Leaders can identify the positive improvements to the education learners receive from the changes they have made. Monitoring visit: BCTG Limited, 9 and 10 May 2024

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have taken action to improve how they identify and record learners’ starting points at the start of their course. Trainers use a comprehensive skills gap analysis to measure the knowledge, skills and behaviours learners possess before they begin their course. Leaders and trainers know their learners well.

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Significant progress

Trainers take care to identify the skills learners may have developed through their previous studies, in the workplace or in their personal lives. Learners who have not been in the workplace for a long period of time but have managed a complex household, explore with trainers their time management and organisational skills. As a result, learners do not repeat what they already know.

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Significant progress

Trainers use learners’ skills gap analysis to create an individualised learning plan that identifies learners’ aspirations and sets clear goals for the future. Trainers use the information to plan how they will support learners in reaching these goals. Trainers use this information to inform their teaching and adjust the content of the curriculum when needed. Adult care learners who have difficulties with communication skills have additional group activities added to their curriculum to help prepare them for work.

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Significant progress

Trainers frequently measure the progress that learners make. They undertake progress reviews with learners during their course to measure the progress learners have made. Trainers set learners helpful targets to ensure they continue to develop their skills. During the visit, both trainers and learners could identify the considerable progress they were making towards their individual goals.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and trainers ensure learners are well informed of their possible next steps into employment or education. Staff work closely with learners to identify the skills they have learned. They inform learners on how to use these, along with their qualifications and experience, to explore the career paths available to them upon the completion of their course.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers support learners to develop the skills that will help them gain employment. They teach learners how to create a CV and write a cover letter, which improves Monitoring visit: BCTG Limited, 9 and 10 May 2024 their chances of gaining employment. Trainers also create opportunities for mock interviews, which help learners feel prepared for the recruitment process.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers develop learners’ confidence during their studies effectively. Many learners have been out of work for a significant period of time. Learners who complete their training feel prepared and confident to start work. However, too few learners gain employment on completion of their course. Of those learners that gain employment, too few remain in employment in the months following their studies. While leaders have put in place a number of measures to improve the proportion of learners that gain employment, the impact of these measures cannot yet be seen. Monitoring visit: BCTG Limited, 9 and 10 May 2024 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

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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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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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