Umbrella Training And Employment Solutions Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Umbrella Training And Employment Solutions Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Umbrella Training and Employment Solutions Limited (Umbrella Training) provides apprenticeships in the hospitality and catering sector from level 2 to 5. It is based in Chatham, Kent. Apprentices are located across England, but most are in London, the south east and south west regions.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 266 apprentices participating in training. At level 2, there were 62 apprentices studying programmes such as commis chef and production chef. At level 3, there were 88 apprentices studying programmes such as hospitality supervisor and team leader or supervisor. At level 4, 73 apprentices were working towards programmes such as hospitality manager and, at level 5, 43 apprentices were studying programmes including operations or departmental manager.

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Information about this provider

Sixteen apprentices were aged 16 to 18 years old and the remainder were aged 19 years of age or older. Umbrella Training provides training online, at employers’ premises and at a training kitchen in London.

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Information about this provider

Leaders work with one subcontractor, Bespoke Professional Development and Training Ltd, to train level 5 HR consultant partner apprentices. 13 to 16 August 2024

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

Apprentices acquire the professional behaviours that are essential for success in the hospitality and catering industry quickly. They respond well to teaching staffs’ high expectations. Apprentices are rarely absent, arriving on time and ready to learn or work. They take great care with their personal presentation. They wear their work uniform with pride, recognising the important part they play in representing the prestigious employers they often work for. Employers appreciate the contribution apprentices make to upholding their values.

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

Apprentices appreciate the calm and purposeful learning environments that teaching staff create successfully. Most apprentices are respectful, well motivated and work hard while at work and in their lessons, including online. They share their ideas and experiences from the workplace readily, helping each other to learn and understand workplace practices. Level 2 commis chef apprentices discuss the environmental impact of using vegetable protein, such as soya, due to a lack of local suppliers. Most apprentices enjoy learning at Umbrella Training and develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to succeed in their job role.

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

Caring and supportive teaching staff know apprentices well. They encourage apprentices to complete the challenging learning and workplace activities they set for them successfully. Apprentices take pride in their work and become increasingly confident in their abilities. They value having their achievements recognised and celebrated such as at Umbrella’s Purple Umbrella awards ceremony. In this way, apprentices acquire the resilience and determination to succeed in the often- challenging hospitality and catering sector.

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

Most apprentices benefit from support to understand future career pathways. They complete useful personal development plans that help them to plan their next steps in employment. Most apprentices who complete their training successfully continue in employment, with many gaining promotion as a result of their studies.

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

Apprentices feel safe in their lessons, at work and online. They appreciate the welcoming, safe and supportive environments that leaders, employers and staff create. They know how to work safely in busy commercial kitchens, and how to identify, raise and report any concerns they may have. Apprentices benefit from working and learning in environments, where bullying and harassment are not tolerated.

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better?

Leaders have high aspirations for all apprentices at Umbrella Training, including those who face disadvantage. They use their detailed understanding of the hospitality and catering sector to provide programmes closely aligned to employers’ needs. Level 2 commis chef and level 2 production chef apprentices learn how to make fermented foods, such as sauerkraut and kimchi, as these commonly form part of the dishes they create at work. Hospitality manager apprentices learn about 13 to 16 August 2024

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sustainability, which is important to their employers. As a result, apprentices rapidly become valuable workplace team members.

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Teaching staff plan learning carefully so apprentices become increasingly knowledgeable, skilful and able to apply their training in their job roles. They ensure that chef apprentices learn to cook game when it is available and prepare hot puddings in winter months. Teaching staff help level 3 hospitality supervisor apprentices balance learning and work, by adapting training plans during the busy work periods of July and December. In this way, most apprentices make good progress from their individual starting points.

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Teaching staff use their industry expertise to explain topics clearly and provide a range of interesting learning activities. They blend online and in-person learning skilfully and use high-quality resources to help apprentices understand. Staff use examples from the workplace to help learners apply theory into practice. For instance, hospitality manager apprentices watch videos of managers to identify the important elements of successful project management. Staff also revisit previous teaching frequently and encourage apprentices to reflect on what they have learned. These practices contribute to apprentices remembering important information with confidence and ease.

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Teaching staff check apprentices’ understanding and recall of information thoroughly. They use questioning to check and develop apprentices’ learning well. For example, when asked, production chef apprentices confidently provide examples of legislation in the food industry, such as the control of substances hazardous to health. Staff quickly correct any misconceptions and support apprentices to understand correctly. In this way, nearly all apprentices who complete their programme pass their final assessments well, many with distinction.

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Most staff provide constructive feedback that helps apprentices improve their future work, ensuring it is to the standard expected. Staff do not consistently identify and correct minor spelling and grammatical issues in apprentices’ work, limiting apprentices’ opportunity to improve their written English.

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Leaders rightly appreciate the challenges of being an apprentice in the hospitality and catering sector. They work closely with employers to review apprentices’ progress and ensure that they have time to complete their training. Despite this, too many apprentices leave their programme early. Often, this is because apprentices acquire sufficient knowledge and skills to secure a new job role, before completing their final assessments. Leaders are working with employers to address this, but it is too early to fully assess the impact of their actions.

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Teaching staff support apprentices to develop their use of English and mathematics successfully. Leaders have correctly identified that too many apprentices who need to pass a qualification in English and/or mathematics, do so after they were due to have completed their training. Leaders have consequently moved the teaching of functional skills to earlier in apprentices’ training. This is contributing to the 13 to 16 August 2024

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proportion of apprentices taking longer than planned to complete their apprenticeship declining rapidly.

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Leaders and managers previously worked with another organisation to provide apprenticeships in human resources (HR) and learning and development to staff in the prison sector. Because of changes in their workplaces, outside of the control of Umbrella Training, apprentices on these standards experienced significant delay and disruption to their training. As a result, many left their programme early or made slow progress. Leaders are supporting the remaining apprentices to complete their programme. Leaders no longer work with the other organisation and are no longer offering apprenticeships in HR and learning and development.

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Leaders enable a significant number of apprentices with English as an additional language to access learning and move into jobs which address skills shortages and meet community needs. However, too many of these apprentices do not get the specialist help they need to develop their understanding and use of English. This reduces apprentices’ ability to produce work to the required standard and slows their progress.

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Leaders provide apprentices with numerous opportunities to extend their learning beyond the content of their apprenticeship. Hospitality manager apprentices visit the Ritz for afternoon tea and have a behind-the-scenes tour. Culinary apprentices participate in masterclasses on cheese making and chocolate craft. This enables apprentices to explore areas of interest and develop their talents. Staff provide younger apprentices with useful information and advice about healthy relationships. Leaders have plans to extend this to provide age-appropriate guidance on positive relationships to all apprentices, but it is too early to assess its impact.

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Staff support apprentices to develop a deep appreciation of the benefits of celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion. Chef apprentices learn about religious and cultural food preparation. Operations and departmental manager apprentices recognise the importance of adapting work rotas to help colleagues practise their religious faith. This enables apprentices to contribute positively to their workplace culture and wider society.

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Leaders understand the quality of training well. They act quickly to resolve most weaknesses successfully. Through the Umbrella Colleague Academy, leaders provide development opportunities that maintain staff expertise very effectively. For example, they supported a member of staff to become a sommelier and so better support hospitality apprentices. Well-informed and knowledgeable non-executive directors contribute to the development of the business, supporting and challenging leaders effectively. For example, they challenged leaders regarding teaching staff caseloads to ensure they are manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 13 to 16 August 2024

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Continue to ensure that apprentices who need to pass functional skills in English and/or mathematics do so within the expected timescale.  Make sure that apprentices with English as an additional language receive the support that they need to make good progress and pass their apprenticeship.  Continue to reduce the proportion of apprentices who leave their apprenticeship early, before successful completion. 13 to 16 August 2024

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Provider details

Address Suite D First Floor Quayside House Chatham Maritime CHATHAM ME4 4QZ

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Adele Oxberry

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 26 to 28 November 2018

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Main subcontractors

Bespoke Professional Development and Training Ltd 13 to 16 August 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the commercial 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

Roland White, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Richard Kirkham His Majesty’s Inspector Emma Leavey His Majesty’s Inspector Viki Faulkner His Majesty’s Inspector Sam Hanmer Ofsted Inspector Claire Griffin Ofsted Inspector Errol Ince Ofsted Inspector 13 to 16 August 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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