Canine Groom School Ltd

Canine Groom School Ltd Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector:

Alison Cameron Brandwood, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection dates: 8 and 9 January 2025

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Name of lead inspector:

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Howgill Farm Howgill Lane Rimington Clitheroe BB7 4EF Monitoring visit: Canine Groom School Ltd, 8 and 9 January 2025

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or the apprenticeship levy. 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

Canine Groom School Ltd (Canine Groom School) is an independent learning provider in Clitheroe, Lancashire. It specialises in training in the dog grooming industry. The first group of apprentices started in January 2024. At the time of the visit, there were 36 apprentices in learning, all of whom study the level 2 dog groomer apprenticeship. Two thirds of apprentices are aged over 19 years and a third are aged 16 to 18. Apprentices study with employers across six regions in England with around a half of employers located in the North West.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear vision to provide high-quality apprenticeships so that apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to be successful in the dog grooming industry. In collaboration with experts from the sector, leaders use their specialist knowledge to develop an ambitious curriculum. Apprentices benefit from studying aspects beyond the expectations of the apprenticeship, including a canine first-aid qualification and advanced grooming skills. They are confident in completing teddy cuts on breeds such as cockapoos and poodles.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders develop the apprenticeship to meet the growing demand for qualified dog groomers nationally. They recruit apprentices with integrity. All current apprentices are new to the industry. Leaders ensure that the employers they work with understand their roles and responsibilities in taking on an apprentice. Employers have the range of equipment and products needed, such as a finishing dryer and a blaster, so that apprentices can complete their apprenticeship. They ensure that apprentices have enough time off-the-job to complete their studies. At the time of the visit, all apprentices who started their programme remain on their apprenticeship. Monitoring visit: Canine Groom School Ltd, 8 and 9 January 2025 Leaders ensure that end-point assessment arrangements are in place and that apprentices understand what they need to do to be successful. At the time of the visit, no apprentices had reached the final stages of their apprenticeship.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders set up an advisory board in November 2024 to provide oversight and challenge of the quality of education that apprentices receive. Members of the board are suitably experienced in the further education and skills sector, including apprenticeships, to undertake their roles. Leaders and board members are clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the quality of education that apprentices receive. They identify the need to improve how well tutors develop apprentices’ English and mathematical skills. Board members recognise that it is too soon to see the impact of the support and challenge they provide as they have only held one meeting.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have developed the curriculum in a sensible order. Apprentices learn about the basics of dog grooming before moving on to more-complex topics such as dog behaviour and anatomical extremities. They learn the purpose of different tools, such as an undercoat rake, which they use instead of clippers on double-coated breeds. Employers support apprentices to develop their skills and behaviours at work. Leaders identify at the start of the apprenticeship what apprentices already know and can do. However, they have yet to put in place robust arrangements for monitoring the progress that apprentices make from their starting points.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors are well-qualified and experienced. They have completed a teaching qualification specifically for the canine and feline sectors. Tutors have very recently received training on providing feedback to apprentices. Leaders recognise that this has not yet resulted in improvements to tutors’ teaching practices. In too many instances, tutors do not provide feedback to apprentices that explains fully what they need to do to improve. Leaders identify that they need to further develop their quality processes. They have started to develop a more robust process to evaluate the quality of education that apprentices receive. This includes a formal process for checking and improving the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use question and answer effectively with apprentices to recap previous knowledge. Apprentices identify equipment such as a happy hoody to protect the dogs’ ears while drying. They correctly describe how to pick up dachshunds to protect their spine. Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours as a result of their training. They learn how to bathe dogs correctly such as using a jug or damp cloth around the faces of breeds that have shorter muzzles. Most apprentices make good progress. Tutors provide additional one-to-one sessions Monitoring visit: Canine Groom School Ltd, 8 and 9 January 2025 so that the few apprentices who are slightly behind, or require further skills development, catch up.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established appropriate safeguarding arrangements including checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work at Canine Groom School. The designated safeguarding lead undertakes training to carry out the role. They are a senior leader at the provider. Apprentices feel safe and know who to contact if they have any concerns. At the time of the visit, there had been no reported safeguarding cases.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from training to keep themselves safe while carrying out grooming. They use restraints for dogs that become aggressive. Leaders recognise that they need to provide further training for apprentices on aspects such as healthy relationships. Monitoring visit: Canine Groom School Ltd, 8 and 9 January 2025 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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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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