Sysco Business Skills Academy Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Sysco Business Skills Academy Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Adult learning programmes Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Sysco Business Skills Academy Limited (Sysco) is a national training provider that is based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Leaders provide Skills Bootcamp training for unemployed and employed adults. In November 2022, the provider took the decision to cease recruitment to apprenticeships.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 12 adult learners on a trainee rail track operative Skills Bootcamp in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The provider also offers Skills Bootcamps in water recycling and drainage engineer and scaffolding. At the time of the inspection, no learners were enrolled on the water recycling and drainage engineer or scaffolding Skills Bootcamps.

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Information about this provider

Sysco subcontract the scaffolding Skills Bootcamps to one training provider. 9 to 12 July 2024

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Learners value their training and look forward to their sessions. They talk enthusiastically about the support that they receive from their tutors. Learners are grateful for the opportunity to complete the course, which leads to better employment opportunities.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Learners display exceptionally positive attitudes to their learning. They are highly motivated to achieve and are fully committed to their course. Learners come to sessions well prepared for learning and take detailed notes to support their studies. Learners’ attendance at training sessions is high because leaders and tutors set clear expectations at the start and throughout the course.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Learners develop considerate and cohesive relationships with their peers. This is because tutors create very calm and purposeful learning environments. Tutors use discussion skilfully to help learners to value differences and to develop professional and courteous behaviours early in their course. Learners feel safe and highly respected as individuals.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Learners are fully prepared for their next steps. They gain the knowledge and skills that they need to secure employment or to advance in their careers. Learners benefit from the expertise of tutors with relevant and current industry experience. Tutors help learners to write and refine CVs so that they are concise and industry specific. Nearly all learners progress to positive outcomes. Most learners proceed to employment in sectors linked to their Skills Bootcamp training.

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better?

Leaders have a clear rationale for the Skills Bootcamps that they offer. They design courses for adult learners to respond to the needs of employers and to help meet national and regional skills deficits. Leaders offer the trainee rail track operative Skills Bootcamp in the northwest of England to support the TransPennine Route Upgrade. Leaders offer water recycling and drainage engineer Skills Bootcamps to respond to the local and national priorities of water preservation.

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better?

Leaders work with employers to ensure that courses remain industry relevant. Learners on the trainee rail track operative Skills Bootcamp complete first aid at work, so that they have a comprehensive understanding of the risks associated with working on railways. Learners on the water recycling and drainage engineer Skills Bootcamp are taught about high pressure water jetting and how to work in confined spaces. Learners develop the skills that they need to move into employment or to improve their skills.

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better?

Leaders and tutors ensure that learners are prepared thoroughly for their course and for employment. They provide robust initial information and guidance that helps learners to understand course and industry expectations. Most learners remain on their course and achieve. 9 to 12 July 2024

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Leaders and tutors do not ensure that the skills scans completed by learners at the start of the course identify the knowledge, skills, and behaviours that learners already have or need to develop. This means that tutors cannot use information about learners’ starting points to plan an individualised curriculum.

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Learners develop substantial new knowledge and skills during their course. Tutors teach course content in a logical order that builds in complexity over time. They teach the trainee rail track operative curriculum from ‘the ground up.’ Learners are taught about the rail infrastructure, ballast, formation, and drainage. They are then taught about components used in the construction of track systems before learning about how to maintain the track.

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Tutors plan the content of lessons well so that learners can link learning to previous sessions. Learners understand the different categories of track and how the weight of a train determines the type of track on which it can travel.

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Most tutors use teaching strategies effectively to help learners to know more and remember more. They use recap activities to help learners to consolidate their learning. Learners on the trainee rail track operative Skills Bootcamp recall ballast formation and how it is used to bear the compression load of the railroad ties, rails and rolling stock. They identify components used in ground drainage to minimise the amount of water entering the track bed.

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Tutors’ feedback is inconsistent. Where feedback provided is effective, learners make corrections and improve their work. However, in some instances feedback is not detailed enough and it is not clear what learners need to do to improve.

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Tutors do not set challenging targets for learners. Targets set are qualification based and do not link to the knowledge and skills that learners need to develop. Where targets are identified, these are not reviewed during the course. This means that a few learners do not make the progress of which they are capable.

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Leaders provide learners with personalised support during and after their course. Learners that do not progress to positive destinations are referred to external agencies to provide additional support to help them into employment. If learners wish to change employers or sponsors, they are supported by Sysco’s aftercare team to find alternative roles.

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Leaders have rectified the areas for improvement from their previous inspection. They now have in place a comprehensive quality cycle that helps them to better monitor the quality of provision that learners receive, including subcontracted provision. Leaders use this information to bring about improvements. However, leaders do not use the outcomes from lesson observations to improve tutors’ teaching skills swiftly. 9 to 12 July 2024

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Trustees are ambitious and committed to maximising learners’ employability opportunities and workplace capabilities. They have a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement of the Skills Bootcamp provision.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Improve the quality and consistency of feedback that learners receive.  Use information on learners’ starting points to plan an individualised curriculum.  Ensure that tutors set and review robust targets so that all learners make the progress of which they are capable.  Use the outcomes from lesson observations to improve tutors’ teaching skills quickly. 9 to 12 July 2024

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Provider details

Address Threlfall Building Trueman Street Liverpool L3 2BA

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 11 and 12 September 2017

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Richmond Bright Limited 9 to 12 July 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the managing director, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements including visiting learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff, and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Zoe Ibbotson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Alison Humphreys His Majesty’s Inspector 9 to 12 July 2024

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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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