CTS Training

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection dates: 14 to 15 August and 29 to 30 August

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Good Education programmes for young people Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

CTS Training Limited provides education and training for learners aged between 16 and 18 and for older learners who have an education, health and care plan (ECHP). At the time of the inspection, there were 131 learners enrolled on an employability programme that aims to provide them with education, training and support to improve their potential for employment in a range of sectors. Learners work towards qualifications in subjects including health and social care, business administration, sport, travel and tourism, public services, English and mathematics. The provider subcontracts women’s hairdressing, nail technician and beauty therapy provision to another organisation. At the time of inspection, there were 22 learners on study programmes at the subcontractor. 14 to 30 August 2024

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

Learners acquire substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours as a result of their training. They improve their knowledge of vocational subjects and develop skills to enable them to succeed in education and at work. They also grow in confidence, which improves their opportunities for progression to employment and further education.

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

Most learners achieve their qualifications. On directly delivered vocational courses, all learners who complete their programme gain their qualifications, as do the vast majority on subcontracted provision. On functional skills and GCSE English and mathematics courses, most learners achieve, many at their first attempt.

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

Learners benefit from frequent and helpful guidance about their next steps. Staff take time to work individually and in lessons with learners who arrive without a clear goal to understand what may interest them. They then provide useful information and guidance about potential careers.

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

Learners enjoy their training. They are keen to learn and value the support offered by tutors and the opportunity to work in small classroom groups. Learners are courteous and respectful to staff and others. They are able to attend at times that suit their individual needs, including attending for half days rather than full days.

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

As a result of attending their courses, learners develop a range of positive attributes to enable them to access the world of work. These include understanding the importance of personal appearance and communication skills. Learners also gain an insight into the types of questions that they may be asked at interview.

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

Learners benefit from community projects that enable them to practise skills that are useful for work. For example, they collect, organise and distribute food for a local foodbank. These projects enable learners to develop their communication and organisation skills while gaining an understanding about the challenges that disadvantaged people in their community face.

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

Learners feel safe and know to whom they should report any concerns. Leaders keep appropriate records of safeguarding reports, which are used effectively to monitor support provided and the involvement of external agencies.

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better?

Leaders have an ambitious vision for what their learners can achieve. They provide relevant courses that are targeted towards learners who are disadvantaged or who have had a poor experience of education in the past. They base these around learners’ individual goals, the qualifications that they need to achieve and their career interests. Learners study an employability programme with English and mathematics up to GCSE level that provides them with a sound basis for their next steps to employment or further study. 14 to 30 August 2024

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Teachers plan and sequence the curriculum in a logical and relevant order to enable learners to develop key skills and knowledge progressively. For example, on the entry level functional skills English course, learners begin by learning the basics of spelling, punctuation, grammar and sentence structure. They then apply their new knowledge and skills through writing reports and informative articles. In personal development and employability lessons, teachers make the topic of health and safety relevant and interesting by ensuring that learners know how to locate first-aid kits, first-aider locations and fire exits in the building. Learners are then able to apply this knowledge in other locations.

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Leaders ensure that learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support. Teachers make good use of information in learners’ EHCPs to plan learning and ensure that appropriate support is in place. They provide clear verbal and written instructions for learners with visual impairments. Teachers provide learners with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism with many opportunities to repeat topics and consolidate learning through small group work and shorter tasks. As a result of the support that they receive, learners with SEND make good progress and achieve in line with their peers.

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Leaders recruit experienced and qualified teachers who have expertise in their subject. Teachers bring their knowledge into lessons to enhance learners’ experience and make learning interesting and engaging. For example, in sport, staff have managed gym and fitness businesses, and staff teaching health and social care have worked in a range of care settings.

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Most teachers use initial assessment to identify learners’ starting points accurately and plan learning that meets learners’ specific needs. This includes removing topics about which learners already have a secure understanding and increasing the level of difficulty for learners who are capable of extending their learning.

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Most teachers check learners’ understanding frequently, including asking probing questions. They ensure that learners have grasped concepts securely before moving on to more demanding or new topics. In a few instances, however, teachers do not check understanding thoroughly enough, asking questions to the whole group rather than individual learners and relying on only a few learners for contributions to discussion.

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Leaders and managers carry out effective quality assurance activities. These include formal observations and frequent moderation exercises and standardisation meetings. However, they do not provide sufficient support to ensure that teaching strategies are current, or that teachers who are delivering subjects outside of their specialism receive training to do this.

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Staff provide learners with a wide range of encounters with the workplace. These include guest speakers such as financial advisers and paramedics, and staff from the local authority and fire service. These speakers inform learners about the potential 14 to 30 August 2024

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career opportunities open to them. However, too many learners miss out on opportunities to attend work placements to enable them to further develop their skills and behaviours for work. Leaders rightly recognise this and have processes in place to improve this, but it is too soon to measure the impact of these.

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Many learners progress to positive destinations including further education, employment and apprenticeships. However, leaders rightly recognise that their recording of learners’ destinations does not give them enough information to enable them to make informed decisions to enhance their provision.

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Leaders ensure that subcontracted provision is of a high quality. They carry out relevant due diligence and monitor learners’ progress closely. As a result, learners on subcontracted provision receive a good standard of training in women’s hairdressing, barbering, beauty therapy and nail technology.

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Leaders and managers have in place an effective board of governors. Governors draw on their experience from education to support leaders and to ensure that they are providing a good standard of provision. They provide useful challenge to senior leaders at regular board meetings, using their sound grasp of the provision and its quality.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Ensure that learners benefit from a wide range of opportunities to explore their future options, including engaging in work experience.  Ensure that teaching staff benefit from effective professional development to improve their teaching craft, including targeted support for teachers who may be teaching outside of their specialism.  Ensure that leaders monitor learner destinations effectively in order to inform their curriculum decisions. 14 to 30 August 2024

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Provider details

Address High Court Chambers 24-26 High Court Sheffield S1 2EP

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Susannah Robb

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 15 to 18 January 2019

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Oracle Training Consultants Limited 14 to 30 August 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the chief executive officer, 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

Glenise Burrell, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Karen Anderson His Majesty’s Inspector Philippa Firth His Majesty’s Inspector Ian Frear His Majesty’s Inspector Sarah Lonsdale His Majesty’s Inspector Rachel Angus His Majesty’s Inspector 14 to 30 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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