Inspira (01)

Name of lead inspector: Suzanne Horner, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Unit 12 Gillan Way Penrith 40 Business Park Penrith Cumbria CA11 9BP Monitoring visit: Inspira01, 10 and 11 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 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

Inspira01 is a charitable, independent learning provider based in Penrith, Cumbria. They provide learning throughout Cumbria and Lancashire in the north west of England. They have six sites located in Barrow, Blackpool, Carlisle, Lancaster, Penrith and Workington. Inspira01 offer a range of accredited learning opportunities to support adult learners to return to work or gain employment. They currently work with five subcontractors to provide training for adult learners.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the visit, 28 adult learners were enrolled. There were eleven on level 1 safeguarding, nine on level 2 security officer and door supervisor and eight on level 2 warehousing and forklift truck driving training courses.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear strategy and rationale for the adult learning courses they provide. They ensure that courses meet the skills needs of Cumbria and Lancashire. Leaders priority is to improve the lives of learners, most of whom are unemployed, by developing their confidence, knowledge and skills to prepare them for employment or further learning.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers work closely with partner agencies and employers to plan the curriculum. They have co-designed courses in safeguarding, warehousing and forklift truck driving, construction and security. This supports employers’ recruitment needs and helps unemployed adults gain employment in their chosen sector.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that advisors and subcontracted staff have the appropriate experience and qualifications for their roles. Leaders provide staff with a range of effective training. Staff participate in lunch and learn sessions and complete qualifications in management, careers and teaching. However, leaders do not ensure Monitoring visit: Inspira01, 10 and 11 July 2024 that training to develop the teaching skills of subcontracted staff is implemented to improve tutors’ feedback and questioning techniques.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders are diligent in ensuring the quality of their subcontracted provision meets the needs of learners. They conduct lesson observations, learner discussions and end of course reviews. Leaders use this information effectively to identify where improvements are required. For example, leaders have imminent plans in place to ensure that all subcontractors closely monitor the progress that learners make from their starting points.

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Reasonable progress

Most learners make good progress, complete their courses on time and progress to employment or further learning. However, in a few instances, particularly in Lancashire, too many learners leave their course early or do not progress to employment or further training. Leaders have plans in place to improve this, but it is too early to see the impact of their actions.

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Reasonable progress

The board of trustees are suitably qualified and experienced to undertake their roles. They receive accurate information from leaders and managers about the provision. This enables trustees to provide effective scrutiny and challenge to leaders, and to hold them to account for their actions. For example, trustees challenge leaders on the weaker outcomes for learners in Lancashire, staff absence, effectiveness of staff training, and management of the subcontracted provision.

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Reasonable progress

Most advisors and tutors use a range of assessments to identify what learners know and can do at the start of the course. They use this information to plan and implement the curriculum for learners. However, in a few instances, learners on the forklift truck driving course, already have warehousing or forklift truck driving experience and, therefore, do not develop substantial new knowledge and skills.

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Reasonable progress

Most learners receive appropriate initial advice and guidance about the courses they enrol on. This ensures that learners understand the content, assessment and progression opportunities available to them before they commence their course.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers have sequenced the curriculum to support learners to develop substantial new knowledge and skills. Security learners gain valuable first aid and customer service skills before progressing to the theoretical content of their security officer and door supervisor qualifications. Learners in warehousing explain how counterbalance forklifts are designed to have larger counterweights at the rear, to allow them to lift Monitoring visit: Inspira01, 10 and 11 July 2024 and move heavier weights than reach trucks. This prepares learners effectively for employment in the sector.

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Reasonable progress

Most tutors use assessment effectively to check learners’ understanding. They use quizzes and contextualised questions. In warehousing, most tutors check that learners understand health and safety regulations when using tools, machinery and reporting faulty equipment. However, in a few instances, tutors do not recap and check all learners’ knowledge well enough at the beginning of learning sessions to ensure that learners’ knowledge of the curriculum is secure before they move on to the next topic.

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Reasonable progress

Advisors and tutors support learners effectively for their next steps. They inform learners about further training and career opportunities, such as apprenticeships in the construction sector. Employers provide guaranteed interviews for learners. Many employers provide employment for learners when they have completed their course.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers place a high priority on keeping learners safe. The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and their deputy are suitably trained and experienced. All staff, including trustees, are trained in mandatory topics, such as safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders complete a range of appropriate checks when appointing new staff to make sure they are suitable to work with learners. They effectively record, report and deal with the well-being concerns of learners. The DSL has contacts with external agencies to help learners access the support they need, such as homelessness and mental health advice.

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Reasonable progress

Learners feel safe. They know how and to who they should report any concerns to. Learners complete safeguarding training at the start of their course and can clearly articulate their understanding of radicalisation and extremism. Monitoring visit: Inspira01, 10 and 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 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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Reasonable progress

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