Total Futures

Name of lead inspector: Claudia Harrison, His Majesty's Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

The Hub 123 Star Lane Canning Town London E16 4PZ Monitoring visit: Total Futures 19 and 20 May 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

Total Futures is an independent learning provider based in the London borough of Newham. It was established in August 2023 to support unemployed adults into work. At the time of the monitoring visit, most learners were based in London with a small number in Lancashire. There were 22 adult learners on employability short courses: 13 on a civil service pathway and nine on a hospitality pathway. Learners on employability courses take level 1 qualifications in occupational studies and customer service. There were 38 adult learners taking entry level functional skills courses in English and mathematics.

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Context and focus of visit

Total Futures began teaching Skills Bootcamps in August 2023. At the time of the visit there were 15 learners on a fibre engineering Skills Bootcamp based in Lancashire.

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Context and focus of visit

Total Futures works with one subcontractor, PQMS Training Limited.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers know the London skills landscape well and have a clear rationale for the training they offer. They frequently review their curriculum to make sure it meets the needs of learners and employers in areas where they have expertise. For example, they plan their employability courses to meet specific shortage areas such as hospitality.

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Reasonable progress

In the first six months of training, leaders and governors were slow to identify issues with adult learning programmes in London. The quality of teaching was not good enough and too many learners did not complete their courses. Since February 2024, leaders have taken swift and effective action to resolve these weaknesses. While not timely, these interventions have already had a positive impact on learners who have joined courses since then. Leaders have rapidly improved the proportion of Monitoring visit: Total Futures 19 and 20 May 2024 employability learners who complete and achieve their courses by planning shorter, more intensive courses and improving the quality of teaching and assessment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have effective arrangements to assure themselves of the quality of teaching and assessment. Recently appointed governors have suitable expertise in education. Governors and leaders monitor learners’ progress effectively and know the strengths and weaknesses of the provision well, including the subcontracted Skills Bootcamps in Lancashire. For example, they are aware that plans to train tutors in London how best to teach learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have not been implemented and remain an area of priority.

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Reasonable progress

Experienced tutors teach learners well. They use well-planned tasks to help learners apply knowledge from previous sessions. For example, employability learners recall their knowledge of Belbin team roles from a previous session to work together on tasks related to their planned job roles. Learners develop important employability skills such as working in a team, producing better CVs and improving their communication skills.

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Reasonable progress

In most cases, tutors give learners clear and specific feedback about their work. For example, tutors give learners advice on their punctuation and grammar, which helps them to improve the quality of their written work. However, tutors do not routinely give learners useful feedback on other aspects of their work. Learners do not always know how to improve the quality of their answers.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors frequently check learners’ work and use progress trackers to identify learners who risk falling behind. They then give them helpful additional support. A large majority of learners complete their course and achieve qualifications that will help them to gain employment. Many employability learners get job interviews and gain employment following their training. Learners taking English and mathematics functional skills qualifications achieve exceptionally well.

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Reasonable progress

On the Skills Bootcamp course, trainers are suitably qualified and experienced in fibre engineering. They teach learners up-to-date and relevant industrial knowledge. They provide suitable support for learners with SEND to overcome barriers to learning. Learners on Skills Bootcamps achieve well, complete their courses and get job interviews.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors include suitable careers guidance in employability courses. They teach learners about options such as becoming work coaches in job centres. Skills Monitoring visit: Total Futures 19 and 20 May 2024 Bootcamp trainers teach learners about career options. These learners are aware of the different jobs available with different fibre cable companies. However, some learners on the hospitality pathway are not sure about their potential next steps.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have thorough processes in place to identify vulnerable adult learners and keep them safe. They deal with safeguarding cases quickly and effectively. Learners feel safe in their training sessions. They know how to keep safe locally and online. Leaders have effective relationships with external agencies. For example, Newham ‘Prevent’ coordinators and counter-terrorism police meet and train leaders. As a result, leaders are well informed about current specific local and regional threats. A minority of learners are not aware of the specific local risks of radicalisation and extremism. Monitoring visit: Total Futures 19 and 20 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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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