University of Durham

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 Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Durham University has offered apprenticeships since June 2022. At the time of the inspection, 78 apprentices were enrolled on the level 7 senior leader apprenticeship. Apprentices are mainly based in the north east of England, with a small number in the north west, Yorkshire and Humber and the south east. The university provides training at the Durham University Business School.

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Information about this provider

The university subcontracts its functional skills training for fewer than five apprentices to East Durham College. 4 to 6 December 2024

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

Apprentices are highly motivated to attend. They frequently arrive early at the university for lectures, and use the time to network and to complete work using the university’s facilities.

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

Apprentices work together very well to offer each other support, including providing advice about how to gather evidence for their portfolios. They participate well in lectures and in English and mathematics sessions. Apprentices are respectful to each other and appreciate that they all have a range of different beliefs, religions and cultures.

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

Leaders and managers offer a programme that equips apprentices with a thorough, strategic understanding of the business environment and of how to transition from being a manager to becoming a leader. As a result, apprentices are given greater responsibilities at work. They lead on and manage major projects, with increased budgets and larger teams of staff.

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

Apprentices feel safe and know to whom they should report concerns. They benefit from safeguarding training during induction and have opportunities to build on their knowledge of how to keep themselves and others safe throughout the programme. Apprentices can relate safeguarding to their personal safety in the workplace. For example, they appreciate the importance of staff having to wear identification badges at work and the need for visitors to sign in.

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

Apprentices benefit from access to a comprehensive support service in the university. They access specialist mental health advisers, counsellors and psychological well-being advisers to support them with mental health and well-being issues. Staff run key initiatives to support apprentices to manage stress. For example, they help apprentices to manage the stress of planning and time management of projects and assignment deadlines.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a strategic goal to widen participation and offer education to people who would not typically apply to study in a higher education setting. They have designed a curriculum in direct response to requests from employers, mainly in the north east region, to provide the level 7 senior leader programme to upskill their managers. They work closely in partnership with several large employers to ensure that the curriculum provides the knowledge and skills to transform their managers into leaders of their businesses. As a result of the effectiveness of the curriculum, the number of managers whom companies enrol on to the programme has increased.

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better?

Lecturers are experts in the fields of business management and leadership. Most of them have experience of working in business and have responsibilities within the university to carry out academic research into their specialist areas. The group of 4 to 6 December 2024

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academic mentors who support apprentices combine practical knowledge of the business environment with a good understanding of the requirements of an apprenticeship. As a result, apprentices receive up-to-date knowledge on the latest opportunities and challenges in the world of business.

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Leaders and managers carry out rigorous checks on the prior experience and knowledge of apprentices before they recruit them on to the programme. Through initial guidance interviews, they gain a good understanding of the roles that managers have in their businesses and how the programme will enable them to develop substantial new knowledge and skills. Staff ensure that apprentices understand the demands and expectations of degree-level study.

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Initially, in the first cohort of apprentices enrolled, the proportion who completed their course was too low. The proportion of apprentices remaining on and completing the programme has since increased markedly. Leaders and managers recognise that apprentices had taken too long to pass their end-point assessments. They now guide apprentices towards compiling the evidence for their portfolios at the start of the programme, and check their progress against the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for the apprenticeship on a frequent basis.

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Leaders and managers ensure that employers engage well at all stages of the programme. Each employer identifies a workplace mentor, who supports the apprentice and liaises with the university’s academic mentors at quarterly progress reviews. Employers provide time at work for their apprentices to carry out their studies and provide opportunities for apprentices to work in all areas of their businesses. Apprentices make good progress in the development of their knowledge and skills, including understanding the difference between a leader and a manager.

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Lecturers use case studies very effectively in their lessons to teach abstract theoretical knowledge and more practical technical skills. For example, apprentices develop their financial analytical skills by analysing a range of financial information, including researching the complex balance sheets for well-known companies. As a result, they absorb the information more easily as they can compare it with their own businesses’ financial positions. English and mathematics tutors at the subcontractor use effective teaching methods to help apprentices learn.

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In most instances, lecturers provide useful feedback to apprentices on their written assignments. They encourage apprentices to submit outline drafts of their work so they can suggest improvements to the content and the style of the answers. However, on a few occasions, apprentices receive feedback which is not specific enough.

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Staff provide effective assistance to apprentices who require additional learning support. Specialist disability advisers create a plan that is agreed by apprentices and shared with the learning and teaching team so that they can put valuable support in place. For example, apprentices who require them receive extensions to assignment deadlines and frequent breaks throughout the day. 4 to 6 December 2024

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Apprentices can access careers support across the university. Leaders have in place a careers, professional skills development and engagement service to support apprentices to improve their career choices. This team helps apprentices improve their personal networking and negotiation skills. However, leaders do not provide apprentices with information on alternative options after they have completed the course, beyond recruitment on to the master’s degree course in business administration offered by the university. Leaders recognise this and are recruiting a careers officer to work with senior leader apprentices.

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Leaders and managers have in place effective governance arrangements for the apprenticeship department at the university. Board members have good knowledge of the strengths and areas for improvement in the apprenticeship programme. They play an active part in the provision, carrying out peer observations of teaching and learning and attending apprentice induction sessions at the start of programmes. As a result, they have a good oversight of the programme.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Give apprentices a thorough overview of the requirement of the apprenticeship before they enrol.  Provide apprentices with consistently helpful feedback to enable them to improve on the work produced.  Provide impartial careers information advice and guidance to apprentices on the opportunities available to them on completion. 4 to 6 December 2024

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Provider details

Address Durham University Palatine Building Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Professor Karen O’Brien

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Provider details

Provider type Higher education institution

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors East Durham College 4 to 6 December 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the senior apprenticeships manager, 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

Glenise Burrell, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Charles Searle Ofsted Inspector Jacquie Brown His Majesty’s Inspector 4 to 6 December 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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