Change Board Holdings Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Change Board Holdings Limited

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Inspection dates: 10 to 12 September 2024

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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 Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Change Board Holding Limited operates as Future Talent Learning (FTL) and is an independent learning provider with its main office in London. FTL teaches apprenticeships in leadership and management nationally. At the time of inspection, there were about 170 apprentices on the level 3 team leader or supervisor standard, and 280 apprentices studying the level 5 operations or departmental manager standard. FTL does not work with any subcontractors. All apprentices are adults. 10 to 12 September 2024

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

Apprentices receive effective support from their coaches to develop their confidence and character. Expert coaches provide ongoing support to those apprentices who delay starting and completing tasks at work due to anxiety and fear of failure. Through good coaching sessions, apprentices develop strategies to confront and overcome these challenges. Apprentices gain self-assurance and resilience, leading to improved performance both in their studies and professional roles.

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

Apprentices benefit from calm, supportive, and structured lessons taught by their coaches. Coaches check on apprentices’ well-being, offer flexible deadlines where necessary and have a positive and professional rapport with apprentices. These strategies make apprentices feel valued and understood, and enable them to participate fully in, and make the most of, the learning opportunities provided.

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

Apprentices learn important new knowledge, skills and behaviours as they progress through their course. For example, those on the level 5 operations or departmental manager standard learn well how to apply theoretical models of change management and quality assure software applications, and how to manage conflicts in a working environment. Apprentices and their employers greatly value these new skills and knowledge as these make apprentices more confident and effective at their work.

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

Apprentices with additional learning needs receive appropriate support from staff. Staff review apprentices’ progress routinely, consult with them about strategies to support them, and work with an external support agency to provide specific support for dyslexia. Apprentices value the caring nature of coaches and the adaptations made to their studies. Apprentices who have additional learning needs achieve in line with their peers.

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better?

Leaders and managers have designed their curriculum with a clear intention to meet leadership skills shortages. Areas such as agile working, collaboration and entrepreneurship are included. They have structured the content and order of their curriculums logically. Level 5 apprentices learn about self-transformation using psychometric tools to understand their style of leadership, before moving on to learning how to transform their relationships with others. They then study more- complex content such as the principles of transformational leadership and organisational change. This logical order of the curriculum helps apprentices to develop and apply their knowledge and skills incrementally over time.

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better?

Staff have created a broad range of good, interactive resources that help apprentices understand their course content. These include podcasts, self-checking quizzes, reading extracts, webinars, written tasks and practical activities. For example, apprentices learn well about building strategic networks through reading useful texts accompanied by infographics and suggestions for further reading. By 10 to 12 September 2024

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appropriately using an artificial intelligence system, apprentices are easily able to find the resources that they need for any particular topic. Apprentices value the range and type of resources that staff provide as they help reinforce their knowledge and skills.

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Coaches prepare apprentices well for their final assessment. Coaches assess apprentices’ knowledge of the modules they complete through good questioning which replicates the final assessments. Coaches also give effective feedback on apprentices’ written work, which helps apprentices understand gaps in their knowledge. Most apprentices understand the grades they can attain and the requirements of their final assessment. They feel prepared for these assessments.

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Coaches and tutors are well qualified and have highly relevant vocational competency and expertise. They teach concepts such as team conflict effectively through interactive webinar sessions. They make good use of breakout rooms, with clear instructions on confidentiality and respect for the views of others, during online sessions to give apprentices opportunities to discuss lesson concepts in a safe space. They provide expert individual coaching to enable apprentices to learn and develop strategies to deal with issues such as managing teams. Apprentices benefit from good learning experiences that are directly relevant to their professional development and jobs.

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Apprentices are supported well by their employers to complete their course. Employers provide opportunities for apprentices routinely to apply their learning at work. For example, level 5 apprentices lead on projects that help them link theoretical concepts to their work. This helps apprentices to become more effective at their work through the application of what they learn on their course.

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Most apprentices demonstrate motivation and positive attitudes towards their studies. They are respectful in their relationships with peers and maintain a friendly, confident and professional approach at work and in training. Most apprentices participate well in their training sessions. Apprentices enjoy and value their collaborative and supportive learning environment. Apprentices feel safe and have not experienced bullying, harassment or discrimination at work and in training.

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Leaders provide staff with a wide range of effective professional development opportunities. These include specialist subject training as well as topics such as effective feedback, active listening, use of artificial intelligence and pedagogy. Newley appointed coaches also benefit from opportunities to shadow more experienced staff. Staff feel well supported and these developmental opportunities make them more effective at their work.

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Leaders and the board of governors are aware of the strengths and areas for development of their curriculum through their quality assurance processes. Governing board members have a wide range of relevant expertise and experience related to the further education sector. By using data, they monitor the important performance indicators such as retention and achievement of apprentices effectively. 10 to 12 September 2024

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They have put in place suitable actions to improve these performance measures when needed. Achievement rates are higher than in the previous academic year.

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Apprentices are not fully aware of the wider career and higher-level learning opportunities available to them. Coaches give apprentices good advice about their next steps towards the end of the apprenticeship and leaders have recently introduced a careers programme to provide targeted support and guidance to apprentices. It is too early to see the full impact of these interventions.

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Leaders have not ensured that all apprentices on the level 5 course are fully prepared and supported for the fast pace of training on this course. A minority of apprentices find the accelerated nature of the programme to be intense and overwhelming. These apprentices struggle to keep up with the large volume of reading they need to do and to complete their assessments on time.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Provide apprentices with effective and impartial careers guidance and advice, so they are fully aware of the wider career progression and higher-level learning available to them.  Review the pace of training and the support available to apprentices on the level 5 course to ensure they are not overwhelmed by the intensity of the programme. 10 to 12 September 2024

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Provider details

Address 201 Haverstock Hill London NW3 4QG

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Provider details

Website https://www.futuretalentlearning.com/

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Jim Carrick-Birtwell

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 10 to 12 September 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the chief learning 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

Ramin Narimani, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Andrea McMahon His Majesty’s Inspector Steve Lambert His Majesty’s Inspector Kate Lou Ofsted Inspector 10 to 12 September 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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