CIPS Corporate Services Limited

CIPS Corporate Service Limited Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Nikki Brady, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Easton House Easton on the Hill Stamford PE9 3NZ Monitoring visit: CIPS Corporate Services Limited, 12 and 13 June 2024

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Context and focus of visit

CIPS Corporate Services Limited was inspected in March 2023. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in resolving the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

CIPS Corporate Services Limited is a national independent learning provider, specialising in procurement and supply standards-based apprenticeships. Leaders offer apprenticeship courses in level 3 procurement and supply assistant, and level 4 commercial procurement and supply. Apprentices are taught and study remotely.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have undertaken a comprehensive review of their level 3 and level 4 standards-based apprenticeship courses. They have redesigned the curriculum to ensure apprentices build the appropriate knowledge, skills and behaviours required for the procurement sector.

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Reasonable progress

Managers ensure tutors have ample opportunities to develop and update their teaching skills. Tutors can access a useful tutor hub where they can learn how to use breakout rooms effectively and develop strategies to assess learning. This supports most tutors to improve their teaching and assessment.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices receive sufficient, well-planned training. Off-the-job training is sensibly planned for each apprentice. Plans are detailed, individual and include timetabled training and revision lessons, additional workshops and progress reviews. Apprentices make a positive contribution to the workplace. They apply the skills they learn to their daily roles well. For example, level 4 apprentices successfully introduce new procedures to identify, and minimise, supply risks in their workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors plan lessons effectively. Plans include previous knowledge checks and a range of opportunities to assess knowledge and skills. Apprentices benefit from high-quality teaching. Tutors have extensive industry experience within the procurement and Monitoring visit: CIPS Corporate Services Limited, 12 and 13 June 2024 supply sector. They use this knowledge well to provide apprentices with detailed examples of best practice and strategies to support their work-based skills.

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Reasonable progress

Most tutors check that apprentices understand and recall topics. They use high- quality digital resources and questions to review what apprentices learn. Tutors challenge misconceptions effectively. Most apprentices develop and retain new knowledge and skills.

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Reasonable progress

Staff can access neurodiversity, dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder training. Most tutors use appropriate strategies in their lessons to support apprentices with additional learning needs effectively. For example, apprentices with visual impairments benefit from colour adjusted examination materials, and those with processing difficulties receive lesson slides in advance. Apprentices with additional learning needs make suitable progress. Leaders have recently invested in useful digital assessment tools to review apprentices’ additional learning needs. This ensures that staff have a detailed understanding of apprentices’ support requirements. Newly appointed learning and development coaches use initial assessment information to produce clear learning plans for apprentices. Learning and development coaches meet with apprentices monthly to review support requirements and ensure their needs are being met.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices access a comprehensive website which provides relevant information on career opportunities within the procurement industry. Leaders bolster this with a virtual job board which advertises current vacancies within procurement. This supports apprentices to search for jobs and develop their knowledge of the range of careers available.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices understand the academic opportunities available to them, such as the level 5 advanced diploma and level 6 professional diploma in procurement and supply. They understand how this will support them to progress into senior or specialist roles. Tutors use their knowledge and expertise to discuss the different career routes available to apprentices. Apprentices benefit from learning about the Monitoring visit: CIPS Corporate Services Limited, 12 and 13 June 2024 differences between roles in the public and private sector. Despite this, a few apprentices, studying at level 3, do not understand the range of sector and progression opportunities available to them.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have introduced a useful career development toolkit for apprentices, to support the development of work-based skills. However, this is very much in its infancy, the full impact of these resources has not yet been realised.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed a range of useful quality assurance processes to track the performance of apprentices, tutors, and apprenticeship courses. They are now better able to monitor quality and take timely and appropriate actions to address weaknesses.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders understand that there is more work to do. They have appropriate plans in place to target further areas of improvement. For example, improved retention and achievement rates on level 3 apprenticeship courses.

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Reasonable progress

Governors have an accurate oversight of the strengths and areas for improvement. They set leaders appropriate and challenging actions to secure improvements. Governors monitor progress against areas for improvement closely, which supports early improvements, with examples being improved support for learners with additional needs and increased achievement rates on level 4 apprenticeship courses. Monitoring visit: CIPS Corporate Services Limited, 12 and 13 June 2024 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

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Reasonable progress

services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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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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