Live Better Locations Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Live Better Locations Limited

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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

Live Better Locations Limited (LBL) is based in Wellingborough and began training apprentices in September 2020. It trains apprentices who are employed by social and private housing providers. At the time of the visit, there were 10 apprentices studying the level 2 housing and property management assistant standard, six studying the level 3 housing and property management standard, and 12 studying the level 4 senior housing and property management standard. 19 to 21 June 2024

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

Most apprentices are enthusiastic about their studies and more than satisfied with the training that they receive. They value the good relationships that they have with staff and the positive and respectful culture in which staff help them whenever they struggle.

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

Apprentices develop a broad range of new knowledge, skills and behaviours. They study topics in depth and tackle challenging concepts. For example, level 3 apprentices develop substantial knowledge of housing legislation, which often surpasses that of their more experienced colleagues.

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

Apprentices develop their confidence well. Level 2 apprentices become better at handling challenging clients, and level 4 apprentices become more comfortable in discussing topics with senior managers.

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

Apprentices benefit from the positive relationships that managers and training staff have with employers. Employers participate fully in progress reviews and in apprentices’ final assessments. They work constructively with apprentices to resolve any difficulties they encounter while on their courses, such as falling behind with assignments.

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

Apprentices report that they feel safe. They have conversations with LBL staff about their welfare, and they find these helpful and reassuring. They receive training on safeguarding themes, including those related to radicalisation and extremism.

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better?

Leaders and managers focus exclusively on providing high-quality apprenticeship training in housing and property management. They only work with employers who share their values and are fully committed to the spirit of apprenticeships. This helps them to maintain high standards.

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better?

Apprentices study courses that match their work roles and career aspirations well. They learn about a wide range of useful topics such as the historical and social aspects of housing. As well as attending lessons and studying, apprentices shadow colleagues, and this helps them to broaden their knowledge of the sector and its clients. They also benefit from frequent opportunities to apply their knowledge to practical work situations.

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better?

Managers organise curriculum topics well. For example, the level 2 housing and property management assistant curriculum gradually develops the key knowledge needed by new entrants to the housing sector. In response to employers’ requests, managers have placed a considerable early focus on professional behaviours to meet the needs of young people with no work experience. 19 to 21 June 2024

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Tutors are extremely well qualified in their subject and have extensive experience of working in housing. They all have basic teaching qualifications and they use their subject knowledge well to plan and teach courses. For example, on the level 4 senior housing and property management course, tutors use their excellent knowledge of ethics to plan lessons that link theories to their practical application in the housing sector.

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Tutors set apprentices demanding assignments. They link tasks well to contemporary housing scenarios and challenges, and to apprentices’ work shadowing. In most cases, tutors mark assignment work thoroughly, and provide apprentices with sufficient, helpful feedback that enables them to make improvements. In a small number of cases, tutors are overly generous in their feedback, and do not identify apprentices’ misconceptions or issues with poor-quality written English accurately enough.

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Most apprentices pass their courses. Over half achieve distinction grades in their final assessments. Almost all successful apprentices remain with their employer and gain a pay increase or promotion.

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Staff work with apprentices’ line managers to set clear expectations for behaviour. When apprentices do not meet the necessary behavioural standards, staff take decisive action. They give apprentices clear targets for improvement and monitor these thoroughly. Apprentices respond positively. They begin to communicate better with staff, and to submit work in a timely manner. They also make improvements at work, by conducting themselves in a more professional manner, for example.

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Leaders and managers place appropriate emphasis on the importance of attendance and punctuality. They require apprentices to sign in on study days, regardless of whether a taught session is planned. However, managers do not have effective tools to analyse attendance data, and this makes it difficult for them to recognise poor attendance on a course-by-course or overall basis. Overall attendance is satisfactory rather than high.

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Staff introduce apprentices to themes related to citizenship and fundamental British values through a range of different curriculum topics. For example, they explore the themes of democracy and the rule of law through the evolution of housing legislation and the social reform of housing. However, apprentices have only a limited recall of how these themes link to British values.

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Staff provide apprentices with thorough training on equality, diversity and inclusion. This includes a focus on the diverse range of people that apprentices will deal with in their professional lives. They explore the importance of respecting differing views and values, and the way that this is enshrined in equalities law and in sector-wide ethical values. Tutors use scenarios to show apprentices what kind of behaviour would be unethical. As a result, apprentices develop a clear understanding of how the principles of equality link to their job roles and their interactions with customers. 19 to 21 June 2024

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Staff help apprentices to understand the social housing sector and the career opportunities within it. They explain the purpose of available job roles and the skills and attributes required for each. They help apprentices to explore different jobs, to analyse their own skills gaps and to develop action plans to fill them.

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Tutors undertake a substantial amount of training to improve their sector knowledge and remain up to date with such things as changes in legislation. However, they do not participate sufficiently in training to improve the standard of their teaching. Where lesson observations identify areas for improvement, managers do not provide targeted professional development.

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Leaders and managers use a small number of appropriate quality assurance tools. These include lesson observations, standardisation meetings, and reviews of workbooks and assessment tasks. Most of these tools work well. However, lesson observations often place too much emphasis on things that are unlikely to have a significant bearing on learning.

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Leaders have introduced sensible arrangements for governance. They employ the services of an external consultant, who provides them with support and challenges their decision-making.

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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 tutors consistently provide feedback that is accurate, identifies errors and misconceptions and highlights poor use of English.  Improve tools for monitoring apprentices’ attendance and increase attendance so that it is high.  Ensure that where subject teaching relates to British values, links are made explicit and that these values are revisited at frequent intervals.  Ensure that lesson observations focus consistently on things that will help apprentices to learn more effectively and, where weaknesses in teaching are identified, ensure that they are followed up with suitable training. 19 to 21 June 2024

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Provider details

Address Office 2-4 46-50 Rutherford Drive, Park Farm Industrial Estate Wellingborough NN8 6AX

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Oliver Henry

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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 19 to 21 June 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the business development director, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the new provider monitoring visit 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

Russ Henry, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Saul Pope His Majesty’s Inspector 19 to 21 June 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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