Community Matters Ltd.

Community Matters Ltd. Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Joanna Walters, His Majesty's Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Clockwise 50 Station Road, Wood Green London N22 7DE Monitoring visit: Community Matters Ltd., 02 and 03 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

Community Matters Limited (Community Matters) is an independent learning provider located in the London Borough of Haringey. Community Matters started to provide education and training to apprentices in May 2023.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, there were ten apprentices. Eight apprentices study the level 3 community health and wellbeing worker standard-based apprenticeship. Two apprentices study the level 3 business administrator standards- based apprenticeship. Nine apprentices are over the age of 18, one under 18.

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Context and focus of visit

Community Matters subcontracts the teaching of English and mathematics to Your Learning Voice Community Interest Company.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders use their well-established links with employers effectively, such as local authorities, NHS, public health and care homes, to plan the curriculum. This helps employers to meet skill gaps in their workforce. For example, non-clinical staff within primary care settings have the opportunity to develop their administrative skills by studying the level 3 business administrator apprenticeship programme.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers make sure that apprentices receive their entitlement to off- the-job training. They monitor the hours employers give apprentices away from their roles to complete their studies effectively. Leaders work well with employers to make sure employers understand their commitment to an apprenticeship programme. As a result, employers understand the requirements and they give apprentices the time and support they need for their training. Monitoring visit: Community Matters Ltd., 02 and 03 July 2024 Assessors carry out effective and frequent progress reviews with apprentices and their line managers. Assessors and line managers use the progress reviews well to plan opportunities for apprentices to apply their new knowledge in the workplace. Apprentices find the progress reviews a helpful opportunity to plan activities at work with their assessor and line manager to meet their needs, such as how to build their

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have processes in place to review the quality of provision. These include leaders and managers visiting lessons and analysing data and information on apprentices’ attendance and progress. These activities give leaders a reasonable oversight of the provision. However, these processes are narrow in scope and leaders do not have a thorough insight into the quality of subcontracted provision. Consequently, leaders to not have a secure enough oversight of the strengths and areas for development of the whole provision. This means that their plans to make improvements are not thorough enough.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors identify well what apprentices know and can do at the start of their programmes. Assessors, apprentices and line managers analyse apprentices' current knowledge and skills against the apprenticeship standard. They use an online assessment tool to identify gaps in apprentices' knowledge of English and mathematics. Assessors use the results of these assessments effectively to plan an ambitious curriculum and assess apprentices' progress throughout the programme.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers and assessors plan the curriculum for each programme logically. For example, assessors for the level 3 community health and wellbeing worker first teach apprentices about communication skills and how to engage effectively with people. They then teach more complex topics such as understanding the behaviour of clients and how to design personalised care and support plans. Apprentices develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours throughout their programme.

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Reasonable progress

Assessors mostly give apprentices useful and effective feedback on their work. This includes clarity on what apprentices need to do to improve the standard of their work. For the most part, apprentices are clear on what they need to do to improve their work and produce work to a standard expected for the level they study. In a minority of instances, assessors' feedback is limited and does not help apprentices to know what they have done well and what they can do to improve their work.

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Reasonable progress

Managers and assessors identify well the support that apprentices with additional learning needs require. For example, they provide additional sessions for apprentices to recap on learning and catch-up with their work. However, at times, assessors do Monitoring visit: Community Matters Ltd., 02 and 03 July 2024 not use teaching methods to suit the needs of apprentices. They do not consistently use assessment effectively in lessons to check apprentices' understanding of topics before moving to the next topic. Leaders do not provide specific training for assessors on how to teach and support apprentices with additional needs. Consequently, apprentices do not always find their lessons very useful or make the progress they are capable of in some subjects.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have suitable policies, risk assessments and processes in place that demonstrate their understanding and awareness of their statutory responsibilities to safeguard apprentices. Designated safeguarding leads are suitably trained to carry out their roles. They make sure apprentices receive timely help and support when they are in need. However, leaders have not made sure that staff receive suitable training on safeguarding and their responsibilities under the ‘Prevent’ duty.

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Reasonable progress

Staff provide helpful information to apprentices about safeguarding. This includes information on how to protect themselves from radicalisation and extremism. Staff teach safeguarding topics at the start of programmes and frequently revisit them in lessons and progress reviews. Apprentices feel safe and know how to report any concerns. Monitoring visit: Community Matters Ltd., 02 and 03 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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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