Unitas

Name of lead inspector: Georgina Ager, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Diamond House Vulcan Road North Norwich NR6 6AQ Monitoring visit: Unitas, 2 and 3 July 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or the apprenticeship levy. 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

Unitas is an educational charity specialising in training people who work in the youth criminal justice system. Unitas started offering apprenticeships in 2023. At the time of the visit, there were 10 apprentices studying the level 5 youth justice practitioner standard. Apprentices worked in local councils across the country. All learning took place online. None of the apprentices required English or mathematics qualifications. Unitas does not work with any subcontractors.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders offer apprenticeships to meet the needs of the youth and justice sector. They have developed courses in areas where they have considerable expertise. Leaders have thought carefully about how the apprenticeship fits into their existing commercial course offer. They have ensured that apprentices can move on to the level 6 element of the youth justice degree course on completion of their apprenticeship standard.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and learning coach assessors (LCAs) are ambitious for apprentices. Where appropriate, LCAs bring in higher-level content from their other courses on criminal justice. This gives apprentices knowledge above the requirements of the apprenticeship standard.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have ensured that apprentices use exceptionally high quality learning resources. Leaders and specialist staff have designed a professional virtual learning platform. Leaders have ensured that the platform reflects recent changes in policy and practice in the sector. Unitas publish its own youth justice academic textbooks. These are part of the course materials given to apprentices to support their studies.

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Reasonable progress

LCAs quickly develop productive working relationships with apprentices’ workplace managers. LCAs make sure that employers provide suitable time and training for apprentices during their working day. Monitoring visit: Unitas, 2 and 3 July 2024 Leaders do not place sufficient emphasis on their monitoring of the quality of training. LCAs track the progress of apprentices. They monitor closely the knowledge, skills and behaviours apprentices are acquiring. However, leaders do not sufficiently monitor the quality of coaching sessions.

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Reasonable progress

The board of trustees has a good mix of expertise from criminal justice and education backgrounds. Newer appointments to the board have brought expertise in training and apprenticeships. Trustees have an excellent understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement of Unitas. Trustees have given beneficial challenge to leaders to ensure that their apprenticeship course covers a wide range of areas beyond the technical elements.

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Significant progress

Leaders, specialist curriculum design staff and LCAs have ensured that the course challenges apprentices effectively. First, apprentices who have been out of education for a while learn how to study effectively. They learn how to take notes, how to reference correctly and how to access journals. Early in their courses, apprentices learn about the history and structure of the youth justice system. Apprentices then reflect on their role and practice. Later, apprentices study more complex topics, such as custody and resettlement.

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Significant progress

At the start of the apprenticeship, LCAs check thoroughly what apprentices know and can do. Staff use information about apprentices’ prior knowledge effectively to adapt the duration and content of apprentices’ courses. Apprentices do not repeat topics they already know.

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Significant progress

Leaders have ensured that apprentices benefit from high-quality training. LCAs skilfully lead in-depth discussions about the course content. LCAs guide employers to provide highly valuable shadowing opportunities. Apprentices attend court hearings and panel meetings. They shadow speech and language therapists to see how they use ‘talking mats’ to support young people. Apprentices gain a realistic understanding of the range of environments where they can work.

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Significant progress

From the start of the course, apprentices study content which helps them swiftly gain substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours. Apprentices skilfully apply this new knowledge at work. They make positive contributions to their workplaces. Apprentices know different approaches to working with children, such as ‘child-first’, ‘trauma-informed’ and ‘pro-social modelling’, alongside child development theory. This helps apprentices work more effectively with service users. Apprentices gain an in-depth understanding of what they need to consider when communicating with young people. They develop the skills needed to build a better bond with these young people to help reduce their risk of reoffending. Monitoring visit: Unitas, 2 and 3 July 2024

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have ensured that there is a suitably qualified designated safeguarding lead (DSL) in place. The DSL receives sufficient time to carry out their duties. Leaders have ensured that there is a suitable safeguarding policy in place with clear referral processes. Leaders plan to further strengthen their capacity for managing safeguarding incidents.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that the trust board receives frequent safeguarding updates. There is a link safeguarding trustee. They meet regularly with the DSL to provide support and discuss safeguarding processes.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe. Apprentices gain extensive knowledge about contextual safeguarding and the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism through their course and their workplace activities. Monitoring visit: Unitas, 2 and 3 July 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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