T2 Group (trading as Marr Corporation Limited)

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of T2 Group (Trading as Marr Corporation Limited)

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Inspection dates: 17 to 20 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 Adult learning programmes Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

T2 Group (Trading as Marr Corporation Limited) was established in 1996. It is one of England’s largest independent training providers, providing training to the health and social care industry.

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Information about this provider

T2 Group offers 11 apprenticeship standards to 5,569 apprentices across England. Almost all apprentices study health and social care at levels 2 to 5. The remaining apprentices study the team leader or supervisor at level 3, and the operations or departmental manager at level 5; around half of these are leaders in health and social care settings. Nearly all apprentices are aged 19 and over, and 141 are aged 16 to 18.

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Information about this provider

T2 Group offers adult learning courses in health and social care to 1,156 adults. Just over half of the adults study for a diploma in adult care at level 3.

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Information about this provider

Around 460 apprentices and adult learners have a special educational need and/or disability (SEND). Just over half have dyslexia. T2 Group works with 2,693 employers located across England. 17 to 20 September 2024

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

Apprentices and adults are punctual and have high rates of attendance at lessons. They behave well and are respectful towards each other and staff. For example, apprentices and adults keep their cameras on during online lessons and patiently take turns speaking. Apprentices and adults enjoy their studies. Most are motivated and study diligently. Apprentices and adults value the experience their personal development managers (PDMs) have working in health and social care and how PDMs share this knowledge to help them become resilient at work.

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

Apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need for their next steps. For example, apprentices and adults learn how to manage their emotions when a client dies and how to communicate sensitively with the clients’ family members.

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

Many apprentices and adults value the opportunity to study additional short courses to learn more about topics such as how to support families where there is substance abuse and the safe administering of medication. Apprentices studying the team leader at level 3 learn how environmental, social and economic factors impact their clients. Apprentices studying leadership at levels 3 and 5 learn about ethical practices, inspiring them to introduce fairtrade food and clothes recycling schemes into their workplace. A minority of adults improve their basic digital skills by taking part in additional classes that introduce them to the essential programs they will use at work and when studying.

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

PDMs support adults in maintaining their mental and physical health by organising their work schedules to include physical exercise, such as walking, in their lunch breaks. A few adults are not motivated and do not complete their coursework on time. Consequently, they are not making the progress they are capable of.

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

Although apprentices and adults are taught about the risks of extremism and radicalisation, a minority of adults do not remember or know how to apply this knowledge to their workplace and personal lives.

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

Adults and apprentices feel safe. They are well informed about workplace whistle- blowing, bullying and harassment policies. They know whom to speak to if they are worried about their own safety and well-being or if they have concerns about the clients they care for.

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better?

Leaders have excellent knowledge of the health and social care industry. They use this to plan appropriate curriculums that help to address job vacancies in the sector and provide apprentices with the skills employers need.

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better?

Governors provide leaders with robust challenges. They have been instrumental in introducing new quality improvement systems that provide leaders with real-time 17 to 20 September 2024

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information on the progress apprentices and adults make with their studies. Governors and leaders use this information well to evaluate the impact of their improvement actions. Interventions to support apprentices and adults in achieving their goals are timely and effective. This has resulted in more apprentices and adults completing their qualifications in the expected timescale.

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Almost all apprentices and adults who complete their programme achieve their qualifications. However, leaders recognise rightly that too many apprentices and adults leave their programme early and do not achieve their qualifications. Over half of apprentices and around one third of adults leave early. In most cases, this is a consequence of the high staff turnover within the health and social care industry; many apprentices and adults change their employers, leave for health reasons, or choose to work in a different industry. However, leaders are not accepting of this. They successfully support around one fifth of apprentices who have employer changes to continue their studies and achieve their apprenticeship. Leaders are tenacious in ensuring they know why apprentices and adults leave their studies early. They use this information to encourage apprentices and adults to return to training.

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Leaders ensure that apprentices who need to gain a functional English and/or mathematics qualification receive effective teaching. Nearly all apprentices and adults studying English and mathematics achieve the qualification, with over three quarters passing the examination on the first attempt.

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Leaders ensure that those adults and apprentices with special educational needs and/or difficulties (SEND) receive the support they need. For example, qualified British Sign Language staff support those with hearing impairments in participating fully in lessons and meetings to review their progress. PDMs use audiovisual aids effectively to support those adults who find listening and writing difficult. Apprentices and adults with SEND achieve their qualifications in line with their peers.

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Leaders ensure that PDMs receive the training and development they need to improve their teaching. For example, PDMs who join T2 Group without an assessor qualification can gain this qualification early in their employment. PDMs are provided tuition and study time to refresh and enhance their English and/or mathematics knowledge by taking examinations in these subjects.

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PDMs plan training well to align what apprentices are taught with their roles and responsibilities at work. For example, apprentices studying the team leader or supervisor at level 3 learn how to manage workplace relationships effectively before they apply the leadership techniques they have been taught. Apprentices involved in safeguarding in their workplace study an additional module to deepen their knowledge to help them carry out their responsibilities effectively.

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PDMs are knowledgeable about the subjects they teach. They use scenarios and case studies from their industry experiences effectively to bring topics to life for apprentices and adults. For example, PDMs use examples of caring for wounds so 17 to 20 September 2024

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that apprentices and adults know how to treat ulcers and bedsores for a range of clients. PDMs skilfully use high-quality audiovisual teaching resources in lessons to illustrate topics and check that apprentices and adults understand the content.

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PDMs provide most apprentices and adults with helpful verbal feedback on the quality of their work. However, a minority of adults do not receive feedback from PDMs so that they know what and how they need to improve. For example, they do not ensure that a small minority of adults correct spelling and grammar errors in their written work. Consequently, they do not improve their literacy skills. PDMs set apprentices and adults improvement targets which are too often focused on administrative tasks, such as meeting assignment deadlines, with insufficient focus on the knowledge and skills they need to develop.

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Most apprentices receive effective careers advice and guidance. PDMs ensure that apprentices complete career plans that include information on the various roles they can aspire to. However, adults studying care are not always supported by PDMs when devising career plans.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Increase the proportion of apprentices and adults who stay and achieve their qualifications.  Ensure that apprentices and adults receive feedback identifying what and how they need to improve, and develop their literacy skills.  Ensure that apprentices and adults understand what they have been taught about the risks of radicalisation and extremism, and know how to apply it in the workplace and personal lives. 17 to 20 September 2024

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Provider details

Address T2 Group, Fern House Unit 1, Links Court, Fortran Road St Mellons Cardiff CF3 0LT

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Anthony David

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Provider details

Provider type Independent Learning Provider

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Provider details

Dates of previous inspection 6 to 9 June 2017

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Provider details

Main subcontractors N/A 17 to 20 September 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the head of work-based learning (operations), 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 adults’ work, seeking the views of adults, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Cliff Shaw, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Paul James His Majesty’s Inspector Janine Archer Ofsted Inspector Vicky Wood Ofsted Inspector Kate Lou Ofsted Inspector Caroline Williams Ofsted Inspector Jo-Ann Henderson His Majesty’s Inspector Sara Woodward His Majesty’s Inspector 17 to 20 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 adults 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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