University of Chester

Further education and skills inspection report

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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 Requires improvement

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Information about this provider

The University of Chester provides apprenticeships across three sites in the city of Chester and at university centres in Birkenhead and Warrington. The university also provides a social worker apprenticeship in Telford.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 334 apprentices in learning. Most apprentices study at level 6, with the higher enrolments in police constable and social worker apprenticeships. Approximately 100 apprentices study at level 5 on the nursing associate apprenticeship. There are smaller numbers at level 7, with 40 apprentices on the senior leader and advanced clinical practitioner apprenticeships. Leaders have stopped recruitment to the level 6 science industry plant and process engineer apprenticeship due to low numbers of apprentices. Leaders have paused recruitment to the level 5 healthcare assistant practitioner, level 6 chartered manager and level 7 senior leader apprenticeships.

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Information about this provider

The university subcontracts to the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner, which co-deliver the level 6 police constable degree apprenticeship. 1 to 4 October 2024

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

Apprentices appreciate the welcoming, supportive, and friendly culture at the university. They receive encouraging feedback from lecturers, personal academic tutors and learning mentors that helps them to progress in their studies. Apprentices are well motivated, actively participate and enjoy their learning. They are grateful for the opportunity their degree apprenticeship provides them to further develop their professional careers.

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

Apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to move forwards in their roles. Police constable apprentices’ learning supports their work as operational police officers. They produce statements and compile policy files with increasing confidence and aptitude. Nursing associate apprentices learn how to deliver patient care across all ages and fields of nursing practice. Registered nurse degree apprentices develop new clinical skills, such as cannulation and venepuncture. Employers recognise the positive impact apprentices have on patients and service users.

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

Apprentices develop their resilience, confidence and wider professional skills during their apprenticeship. Social work apprentices acquire reflective practice skills, which they use when managing their own cases. For example, they adapt their communication style to meet the needs of different service users.

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

Apprentices know how to keep themselves and others safe. Apprentices complete mandatory safeguarding training at the university and follow stringent internal procedures in work.

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better?

Leaders have a clear vision to provide high-quality training for apprentices in advanced clinical practice, nursing, policing and social work. They work closely with local and regional employers, including NHS trusts and local authorities, to plan relevant curriculums and inclusive pathways into careers that apprentices may not otherwise access.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have made significant improvements to the quality of training that apprentices receive. They have implemented effective quality assurance processes and have taken swift action to halt recruitment to those apprenticeships where there were quality concerns. They have an accurate oversight of the provision and use effective quality improvement processes to tackle any remaining concerns.

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better?

Lecturers organise curriculums effectively. Apprentices begin by learning about the key foundation knowledge that they need. This gives them a solid grounding for their further studies. Nursing associate apprentices develop their key communication skills before applying these in more complex situations. They learn to communicate effectively with senior leaders and during conflict management. On the police 1 to 4 October 2024

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constable apprenticeship, lecturers work in collaboration with employers to plan and sequence the curriculum. Cheshire Constabulary staff teach apprentices the core policing skills. Apprentices are taught how to detain a suspect using handcuffs prior to starting their operational duties. This ensures that apprentices receive the knowledge and skills they need before they start working operationally.

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Leaders identify, diagnose and support a significant number of apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They devise an inclusion plan which is shared with university staff and employers through an assigned disability link tutor. Apprentices are effectively supported to ensure that they benefit from the full curriculum. Those apprentices who access support for SEND achieve very well.

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Lecturers are highly qualified and experienced. Leaders ensure that teaching staff and learner mentors benefit from well-planned staff development that helps them to improve their practice. Leaders effectively organise industry-related professional development and mandatory training for staff. They promote and reward engagement with research, scholarly activity and dual professionalism for lecturers. In nursing and social work, lecturers still work in hospitals and social work contexts. On the police constable apprenticeship, all lecturers have a background in policing or criminology. This means they add currency to their teaching.

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Lecturers teach apprentices effectively. In nursing, lecturers provide effective recaps to help apprentices to embed their learning. They check apprentices’ understanding of key topics, such as medication management, using videos and quizzes. Apprentices benefit from a variety of learning technologies. Recent investment in the simulation suite enables apprentiecs to practise clinical skills, such as cannulation.

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Lecturers accurately identify what apprentices know and can do at the start of their apprenticeship. Learning mentors review apprentices’ progress and set them challenging learning and development targets. Apprentices’ employers participate in their progress review meetings. They discuss apprentices’ development and ensure that apprentices can continue to develop their skills in the workplace.

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Most lecturers provide apprentices with constructive and developmental feedback. This supports apprentices in becoming increasingly competent in terms of their professional knowledge, skills and behaviours. Apprentices know what they have done well and what they need to improve on. However, apprentices on the registered nurse and advanced clinical practitioner do not benefit from a consistently high standard of feedback to help them to improve.

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Apprentices achieve very well on the nursing associate, registered nurse and social worker apprenticeship. Leaders recognise that too many chartered manager and senior leader apprentices left after receiving their degree and did not complete their apprenticeship. All apprentices who stay on their apprenticeship pass their final assessments and around a third achieve a high grade. To improve the teaching of functional skills, leaders have brought this in-house. The few apprentices who require functional skills English and mathematics qualifications receive effective individualised support to enable them to achieve in these subjects. 1 to 4 October 2024

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Leaders have created a well-planned and varied curriculum to support apprentices’ broader development and to support citizenship. University staff effectively develop apprentices’ understanding of fundamental British values and equality, diversity and inclusion. For example, lecturers provide apprentices with guidance on lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender matters and how to discuss these in the workplace with their colleagues.

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Leaders provide apprentices with valuable careers advice and guidance so that apprentices are aware of potential career routes and specialisms. Apprentices benefit from an online careers hub and specialist careers advisors. Police constable apprentices attend timetabled employability sessions and social work professionals come in to talk to social worker apprentices about the different roles available, such as working in youth offending.

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Leaders have improved governance arrangements at every level of the university. They provide governors with clear reports so that they have an accurate oversight of the quality of education. Those responsible for governance know the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. They support and challenge leaders effectively and hold them to account for the quality of training that apprentices receive.

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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 number of apprentices who remain on programme and achieve their apprenticeship.  Ensure advanced clinical practice and registered nurse apprentices benefit from a consistently high standard of feedback on their work so that they know how to continue to improve. 1 to 4 October 2024

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Provider details

Address Parkgate Road Chester Cheshire CH1 4BJ

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Provider details

Vice chancellor Professor Eunice Simmons

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Provider details

Provider type Higher education institution

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 17 to 20 May 2022

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Provider details

Main subcontractors Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner 1 to 4 October 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the chief operating officer and senior pro-vice- chancellor, 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

Helen Whelan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Alastair Mollon His Majesty’s Inspector Janine Archer Ofsted Inspector Liz Greenhalgh Ofsted Inspector Louise Povey Ofsted Inspector Ceri Evans Ofsted Inspector 1 to 4 October 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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