Oasis Care And Training Agency (Octa)

Oasis Care and Training Agency (Octa) Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Jon Bowman, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Address:

24-32 Murdock Street Peckham London SE15 1LW Monitoring visit: Oasis Training and Care Agency (Octa), 10 to 11 July 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Oasis Care and Training Agency (Octa) was inspected in June 2023. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision as ‘requires 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

In June 2023, Octa ceased training adults through Adult Education Budget funding. In October 2022, Octa began training adult learners through Skills Bootcamps, aimed primarily at supporting unemployed adults into employment in the care sector. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 25 adult learners on Skills Bootcamps. There were 52 apprentices studying 12 standards from levels 2 to 7. Around three quarters of apprentices study adult social care, business administration, and early years apprenticeships.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have made good progress to improve the initial assessment of learners’ English language skills. They make sure that, prior to starting their training, learners take a test to check their reading and writing skills. Staff make effective use of information from these assessments to determine whether learners’ English language skills are sufficient to cope with the considerable reading and writing demands of the course. As a result, learners who start the Skills Bootcamp have the skills they need to study their course. A high proportion of learners complete their training. Tutors do not use information they have on learners’ English skills to develop these further during the training. Learners are unaware of the specific areas in which they need to improve. As a result, learners do not sufficiently develop their English skills during their training. Monitoring visit: Oasis Training and Care Agency (Octa), 10 to 11 July 2024

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Reasonable progress

When learners are not proficient enough in English to begin the course, staff provide them with good advice on how they can develop their skills. Staff refer learners to local education and training providers, who offer English language programmes. Once learners’ language skills have improved, staff encourage them to return and enrol on the Skills Bootcamp. A few learners who have been accepted on the course opt to study English for speakers of other languages or functional skills English courses elsewhere while on the Skills Bootcamp.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have taken swift action to improve the curriculum offered to apprentices and learners beyond the course they study. A high proportion of apprentices and learners take part in additional activities, such as workshops on a wide range of topics, including risks in the local area and how to stay safe. Guest speakers hold sessions on topics, such as maintaining a work-life balance. In the run-up to the general election, staff held sessions on the importance of voting and how to register to vote. Leaders and managers provide good opportunities for apprentices and learners to learn about mental and physical well-being. For example, during Mental Health Week they provided opportunities for apprentices and learners to participate in sessions on meditation techniques, exercise and stretching, and making healthy drinks. Leaders and managers promote information and activities that are beyond the

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Significant progress

apprenticeship core curriculum through a regular newsletter produced by apprentices for apprentices. The content of the newsletter is wide ranging. For example, it includes links to support and resources to support good mental health, and what to do should apprentices or learners be bullied or experience that happening to someone else at work. Leaders and managers make sure that apprentices and learners benefit from suitable careers information, advice, and guidance. Tutors discuss future opportunities available to apprentices and this helps apprentices to, for example, understand different roles they could move into in their sector. Since the previous inspection, leaders have provided specific events for apprentices, such as opportunities to broaden their understanding of different paths they can follow by attending careers fairs. Monitoring visit: Oasis Training and Care Agency (Octa), 10 to 11 July 2024

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have put in place new arrangements to improve the quality of the provision, including the effectiveness of the feedback that tutors give to learners. They have recruited a new quality assurance lead and put in place training and meetings to improve the consistency and quality of feedback on learners’ written work, in particular course assignments. Training included useful activities, such as tutors reviewing samples of learners’ work and comparing their conclusions. Observations of teaching, learning, and assessment now include the quality of feedback. Tutors provide good feedback to learners on the content of their assignments and how to improve them. However, tutors do not consistently give effective feedback on how learners can improve their English. Tutors provide learners with advice on the spelling of words, but rarely give feedback on aspects that affect meaning, including

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Reasonable progress

grammar, word order, and sentence length. As a result, learners, particularly those who are less proficient in English, often miss out on advice on how they can improve their writing. Leaders and managers recognise that while this aspect of training is improving, it remains an area for development. Monitoring visit: Oasis Training and Care Agency (Octa), 10 to 11 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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