Empeiria Training

Empeiria Training Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Alastair Mollon, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Suite 20 The Technology Centre Inward Way Ellesmere Port CH65 3EN Monitoring visit: Empeiria Training, 30 and 31 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

Empeiria Training is an independent learning provider based in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. Empeiria Training began training its first group of Skills Bootcamp learners in September 2023. At the time of the new provider monitoring visit, the provider had 12 adult learners, in its third cohort, enrolled on the ‘upskilling to upskill’ Skills Bootcamp. Learners all work in care and support worker roles for a care provider.

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Context and focus of visit

Empeiria Training does not subcontract any of their Skills Bootcamp provision.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have carefully considered the development of their upskilling to upskill Skills Bootcamp. They work with care providers, employers and learners to develop the right curriculum to provide learners with the knowledge and skills that they need to make the transition from care and support work to a skills coaching role in the care sector.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers plan the curriculum content in close consultation with their employer partners to make sure that learners fill skills gaps in how to upskill and develop the independence of the people they support. Learners complete their Skills Bootcamps programmes, become skills coaches and ensure that their learning impacts positively on their service users.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that they have the appropriate human and physical resources to train learners effectively. They have appointed staff with extensive expertise in the care and training sectors. Trainers are well qualified and experienced. They benefit from regular bespoke training to continually enhance their vocational knowledge and to maintain their currency as practitioners. Leaders ensure that trainers new to teaching complete teaching and training qualifications to develop and enhance their teaching skills. Monitoring visit: Empeiria Training, 30 and 31 July 2024 Leaders and managers use a range of evolving quality assurance and improvement measures to ensure that learners benefit from high-quality training. They have an accurate oversight of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision and of the progress that learners make. Leaders use information from lesson visits and frequent learner and employer feedback to make improvements to the curriculum.

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Reasonable progress

Governance is in its infancy. Leaders have begun recruitment processes to appoint an external governor with an education background to ensure that senior leaders receive the support and challenge that they need to provide learners with high- quality training.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers teach the Skills Bootcamp curriculum in a logical order that builds learners’ knowledge and skills. Learners learn about the being meaningful and present in society (MAPS) toolkit. Learners work through the toolkit with service users to help them to be more involved in their own care and the development and maintenance of their independence. This enables learners to better help their service users to reach defined goals, such as keeping their bedroom tidy or making a cup of tea independently.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers create a calm and purposeful environment for learners. Learners take their training seriously and display professional behaviours. They are engaged and motivated and display positive attitudes to the learning activities and tasks. Learners display respect and tolerance towards each other. They listen carefully to their tutor and their peers. Learners discuss differences in opinion and work together to identify solutions to problems, such as when service users do not want to complete tasks and how tasks can be broken down into small chunks for completion, for example cleaning one room rather than their whole apartment.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers use effectively a variety of assessment methods, such as quizzes, question and answer worksheets and discussion, to identify gaps in learning and to inform teaching. They identify what learners know about forward, backward and total task chaining in order to complete tasks with service users. Learners can retain and recall their previous learning. They readily recall information on systematic learning and fading and use a range of technical terminology, such as ‘mastery’ and ‘learner autonomy’, accurately and confidently.

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Reasonable progress

Managers and trainers monitor closely the progress that learners make. They swiftly identify learners who are falling behind and put in place strategies, such as additional support sessions and online learning sessions, to help them to catch up. As a result, learners remain on the course, make their expected progress and complete their training. Monitoring visit: Empeiria Training, 30 and 31 July 2024

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding and welfare. Members of the safeguarding team have the appropriate training, skills and experience to carry out their roles effectively. Staff benefit from timely training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Leaders and managers follow safe recruitment practices when they employ staff.

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Reasonable progress

Learners develop a good understanding of safeguarding and health and safety at work. They understand how to keep their service users safe using risk assessments, travel training and encouraging safe and appropriate risk taking to develop independence. Learners confidently explain key concepts around mental capacity and the deprivation of liberty safeguard procedures relating to their role. Monitoring visit: Empeiria Training, 30 and 31 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

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Reasonable progress

children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Reasonable progress

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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