Blackburn with Darwen Council for Voluntary

Blackburn with Darwen Council for Voluntary Service Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Alastair Mollon, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: The Boulevard Centre 45 Railway Road Blackburn BB1 1EZ Monitoring visit: Blackburn with Darwen Council for Voluntary Service, 18 and 19 June 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Blackburn with Darwen Council for Voluntary Service (Community CVS) began training its first group of Skills Bootcamp learners in September 2023. Community CVS is an independent learning provider that offers training to new, or aspiring, leaders and managers in the health and social care (HSC) sector across Blackburn with Darwen and Lancashire.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the new provider monitoring visit, Community CVS had 13 learners in its third cohort, following the aspiring leaders in health and social care leadership Skills Bootcamp. Most learners work for community interest companies, social enterprises, voluntary service organisations and charities.

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Context and focus of visit

Community CVS does not subcontract any of its Skills Bootcamp provision.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders work closely with employers and learners to develop a curriculum aimed at reducing skills shortages in leadership and management in the HSC sector. Learners benefit from the option of completing an accredited qualification in leadership and management at the end of their course. They routinely complete their Skills Bootcamp and their learning impacts positively on their work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders plan and adapt the curriculum in consultation with employers and learners to meet learners’ needs. Teaching is adapted to develop and extend learners’ management skills in their current job roles and to help them move into aspirational job roles. For example, learners in cohorts 1 and 2 learned about contract and commission readiness and social media development to prepare them for bidding for public sector contracts. This was altered for cohort 3, where learners learn about the use of artificial intelligence in management roles. Monitoring visit: Blackburn with Darwen Council for Voluntary Service, 18 and 19 June 2024 Leaders are ambitious for what learners are capable of and what they can achieve as aspiring leaders in the HSC sector. They use a range of quality assurance measures to ensure that learners benefit from high-quality training to achieve their next steps and improve their progression opportunities. Managers and trainers regularly reflect

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Reasonable progress

on, and review, training. They use feedback from learners to plan subsequent sessions. For example, learners expressed anxiety about presentations and public speaking. Leaders have now incorporated a presentation to enhance learners’ confidence and help them get feedback from peers in a safe environment. Learners develop their confidence and competence because of their learning.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. Trainers are well qualified and experienced in their subject areas. Managers regularly observe and team teach training sessions. Staff benefit from bespoke training to enhance their subject knowledge. Leaders recognise that trainers new to teaching need to develop their teaching skills. They are committed to providing teacher training for staff without teaching experience and qualifications.

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Reasonable progress

Managers carefully assess learners for suitability and eligibility before enrolling them onto the Skills Bootcamp to ensure that the programme is right for them, their employers and for career development and upskilling. They recognise that the assessment for identifying learners’ starting points and the monitoring of progress need to be improved. Managers have recently adapted the resources to identify learners’ starting points. However, this has yet to be implemented.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders plan the curriculum to help learners develop and practise their management skills. Learners firstly identify their individual learning and career goals before moving on to modules on self-awareness, team management, conflict management and contract management. Learners practise their skills, such as working in teams to complete group tasks and using effective communication with staff and service users.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors check and consolidate learners’ learning effectively. They use low-stakes strategies, including quizzes and questioning, to check learners’ recall and skills such as verbal and non-verbal communication. Learners explain articulately how they have shared their new learning with colleagues, for example how to manage team meetings effectively and how to use a range of strategies when communicating with staff.

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Reasonable progress

Learners produce high-quality written work related to their job roles in the HSC sector. Feedback from external markers following the assessment of written assignments for the accredited qualification is comprehensive and clear. Learners know what they have done well and what they need to do to improve the quality of their work. Monitoring visit: Blackburn with Darwen Council for Voluntary Service, 18 and 19 June 2024 Learners enjoy and are committed to their course. They say that, because of the course, they have increased their confidence, self-esteem and leadership skills. Learners apply their learning in the workplace. They spend the last few minutes of every shift reflecting on what has gone well and how they can improve their leadership practices. Learners share their reflections with their teams to improve the quality of the service they provide. Many learners gain promotion or take on extra responsibility as a result of the course.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers develop a caring culture of safeguarding, welfare and well- being for learners. The designated safeguarding lead and safeguarding team have the appropriate training, skills and experience to carry out their roles effectively. Training staff check in on the welfare and well-being of learners as part of every session in the centre. They know how to keep learners safe.

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Reasonable progress

Staff receive appropriate training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. However, leaders recognise a need to formalise regular update training to ensure that all staff maintain their knowledge and skills about their responsibilities in safeguarding learners.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers follow appropriate safer recruitment practices when they employ staff. Monitoring visit: Blackburn with Darwen Council for Voluntary Service, 18 and 19 June 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 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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