TLG Business Services Limited

TLG Business Services Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Jonny Wright, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 31 October and 1 November 2024

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Derwent Point Clasper Way Swalwell Newcastle upon Tyne NE16 3BE Monitoring visit: TLG Business Services Limited 31 October and 1 November 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

TLG Business Services Limited is an independent learning provider that began delivery of adult learning courses in 2023. It works with employers nationally to recruit employees to meet local skills needs and supports learners to develop their skills and find work in the aviation and contact centre operations industries. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 16 learners on level 2 conflict management and level 1 occupational studies courses. These learners were preparing for employment in security at airports. A further 24 learners were on a level 1 course in job search and employment potential and were preparing for employment in contact centre operations with a local employer. Courses provided are short in duration and delivered both face to face and online.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear intent to provide courses that support learners into work in employment sectors such as aviation and call centre operations. They use their experience of supporting unemployed people to find work when developing bespoke courses with employers that are recruiting high numbers of staff. For example, leaders have developed a course with contact centre employers whose employees work from home managing benefits applications. The curriculum contains elements such as cybersecurity, case management, effective communication and conflict management.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that learners are suitable for the courses on which they enrol. Staff provide helpful advice on the courses available and the requirements of the job roles to which employers are recruiting. When candidates are not eligible for courses due to prior experience, qualifications and skills, staff signpost them to apply for jobs directly with employers or to other support.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have effective oversight of the quality of the courses that they provide. They conduct appropriate quality assurance activities, such as observations of training and audits of learner work, and they collect feedback from Monitoring visit: TLG Business Services Limited 31 October and 1 November 2024 learners and employers. They use the information that they collect to make improvements to the quality of education that learners receive through the sharing of good practice and providing support and training for tutors where weaknesses are identified.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed a helpful system to track the destinations of learners who have not secured employment as a result of their training. However, many learners do not respond to messages or telephone calls so leaders are not able to confirm their employment status. Leaders have introduced an out-of-hours text system where tutors send a personal text message to learners to check their employment status. This system is starting to improve response rates.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have put in place a governance board that is beginning to make a positive contribution to enhancing learners’ experience at the provider. Board members have relevant experience in training and in the aviation and contact centre industries. They provide helpful support to leaders, which has recently included the development of safeguarding policies and procedures and in identifying effective methods for collecting learner and employer feedback.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use a range of effective teaching techniques to enable learners to develop their knowledge. They use videos, role play scenarios and group discussions to keep lessons interesting and engaging for learners. Learners on the contact centre course discuss and find solutions to problems such as miscommunication during a handover and explore how to deal with disagreements over adherence to set scripts. As a result, learners gain a good insight into what it is like to work in contact centres.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use effective methods to check learners’ understanding during training. Each day, learners complete a short piece of work that tutors assess quickly. Most tutors provide helpful feedback to help learners to improve their work. However, in a few instances tutors’ feedback does not identify how learners can improve their work. Tutors do not routinely identify the spelling and grammatical errors that learners make to help learners to develop their writing skills.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors set clear expectations for learners’ behaviour in online lessons. Learners know to keep their microphones muted and to raise their hand when they want to speak. They make good use of the chat facility to answer or ask questions. As a result, online lessons are calm and productive, and learners enjoy their learning.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors are considerate and approachable. They contact learners at the start of the course to check if they need any support. Tutors contact learners outside of lessons Monitoring visit: TLG Business Services Limited 31 October and 1 November 2024 to provide help with coursework. Learners appreciate their tutors’ expertise and helpful approach.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors ensure that learners are well prepared for their job interviews. Employers provide helpful information about specific job roles and what it is like to work with them. On the aviation course, learners have the opportunity to use helpful virtual reality headsets to familiarise themselves with parts of the airport and runway areas used by ground staff. At the end of the course, tutors conduct helpful mock interviews with learners to prepare them for their next steps.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have in place appropriate policies and procedures that they use to keep learners safe. Learners feel safe and know who to contact if they have any concerns.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers ensure that staff are suitable to work with adult learners by undertaking appropriate background checks. Staff carry out annual safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training to develop their awareness of the signs of abuse and radicalisation and any welfare concerns that learners may have.

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Reasonable progress

Designated safeguarding leads have relevant experience and are suitably trained for the role. They keep up to date with safeguarding and local risks through frequent liaison with local networks and with Department for Education regional ‘Prevent’ duty coordinators nationally. Monitoring visit: TLG Business Services Limited 31 October and 1 November 2024 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 tutor 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

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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