Forum For Sustainable New Venture

Forum For Sustainable New Venture 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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Type of provider: Independent learning provider Address: 2 Veridion Way Erith Bexley DA18 4AL Monitoring visit: Forum For Sustainable New Venture, 14 and 15 August 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Forum For Sustainable New Venture (FFSNV) was inspected in July 2023. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require 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

At the time of the visit, there were 32 apprentices on a level 4 business analyst standards-based apprenticeship. There were fewer than five apprentices on the level 3 assistant accountant and level 3 mortgage adviser standard. All apprentices are over the age of 18. FFSNV currently work with nine employers in locations throughout England. Training takes place online and many of the apprentices work from home.

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Significant progress

After the previous inspection, leaders and managers acted very effectively to make sure that apprentices develop their skills, abilities and interests beyond the apprenticeship standard. They encourage apprentices to take short courses on a wide range of topics, such as managing stress, mental health, time management, healthy relationships, and financial management. A high proportion of apprentices enjoy taking these courses. Apprentices say that these courses have a positive impact on their development and performance at work. For example, apprentices improve their time management and organisational skills and, consequently, are able to prioritise and manage their workload. Line managers identify that apprentices become motivated to achieve and make a valuable contribution at work. Leaders and managers have introduced online training for apprentices to help them understand the risks of radicalisation and extremism. Apprentices learn about hate

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Significant progress

crime and how to recognise the behaviours that might indicate that someone is being radicalised. As a result, apprentices become more aware of issues that affect their personal safety and the safety of their families.

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have taken a range of highly effective actions to improve the careers information, advice and guidance that apprentices receive. For example, a new careers champion delivers monthly sessions Monitoring visit: Forum For Sustainable New Venture, 14 and 15 August 2024 for apprentices on, for example, how they can best present their CVs and how to conduct themselves at an interview. Apprentices value these sessions that help them begin to consider their next steps early once they complete their training.

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Reasonable progress

Coaches assess effectively what skills, knowledge and behaviours apprentices have at the start of their training. Coaches use this information to create individual learning plans and a curriculum that is tailored to the individual needs of apprentices. However, coaches do not consistently use the results of English and mathematics assessments well enough to design apprentices’ learning plans. Subsequently, apprentices do not have specific targets or support to help them improve their English and mathematics. In English, for example, this means that apprentices make too many spelling, punctuation and grammar errors in their written work. Coaches work well with employers to review the progress that apprentices make. They use a scorecard against the apprenticeship standard to identify the progress that apprentices make and identify what they need to do to address any deficits. As a result, apprentices receive the support they need to make progress. Coaches and

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Reasonable progress

employers make sure that, at work, apprentices have the right opportunities to meet any gaps in their skills, knowledge and behaviours. Coaches organise helpful one-to-one sessions with apprentices to consolidate what they know and fill gaps in their learning. For example, where business analyst apprentices do not understand process mapping tools, coaches explain clearly what these are and how to use them. As a result, apprentices learn how to choose and apply the right approaches to manage projects in their organisations. Coaches understand apprentices well and adapt their teaching so that it meets apprentices’ individual needs. Coaches encourage more reticent apprentices to ask questions when they don’t understand topics. Apprentices become more confident to ask for help and subsequently gain a better understanding of what they are taught.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have organised frequent training events where coaches share and discuss their approaches to marking and feedback. Leaders and managers frequently review the feedback that coaches give apprentices on their written work. They meet with coaches and give them suitable guidance on how to provide constructive feedback to apprentices to help them improve their written work. Coaches value the support they receive to improve their feedback. Monitoring visit: Forum For Sustainable New Venture, 14 and 15 August 2024 Coaches give apprentices detailed feedback on their written assignments. They highlight when apprentices do not meet assessment criteria and provide resubmission opportunities and helpful guidance. Coaches pose useful questions and provide helpful comments and links to online resources that help apprentices to consolidate their learning. As a result, apprentices know the steps they need to take

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Reasonable progress

to further improve their written work and produce work of a suitable standard for their level of study. However, coaches do not consistently provide feedback on apprentices’ spelling, punctuation and grammar. On occasion, there are errors in coaches’ use of language in their feedback to apprentices. Apprentices do not consistently receive the support they need to improve the quality of their writing.

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Reasonable progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have increased expertise in the organisation to make sure that apprentices receive a better quality of education. They have increased capacity at governance, management and operational levels by bringing in individuals with suitable expertise and experience. Leaders and managers are further building capacity through linking with external organisations to, for example, make sure that apprentices with additional learning needs get the help they require. Leaders and managers complete a suitable range of quality assurance activities to evaluate the quality of provision. For example, they observe teaching sessions and give feedback to coaches on their strengths and areas for development. Managers identify common themes from observations that result in specific training for coaches. They support coaches to improve their teaching skills by taking appropriate external training courses. Leaders have frequent meetings with coaches and usefully

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Reasonable progress

focus on key areas for improvement in the organisation. Leaders and managers have completed a self-assessment of the provision. From this, they have taken a range of well-considered actions to make improvements. However, since the previous inspection, high staff turnover has meant that aspects of quality assurance processes are recently established and not fully effective, such as improving feedback on apprentices’ marked work and the quality of reviews of apprentices’ progress. Monitoring visit: Forum For Sustainable New Venture, 14 and 15 August 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

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Reasonable progress

and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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