London South Bank University

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of London South Bank University

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Inspection dates: 17 to 20 December 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

London South Bank University is a higher education provider in south London, with two sites in Southwark and Croydon. At the time of this inspection, approximately 3,200 apprentices were studying courses from level 4 to level 7 in nursing and allied professions such as radiography, as well as apprenticeships in construction and quantity surveying. There are also apprenticeships in academic practice for those new to teaching in higher education and business-related courses.

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Information about this provider

The university also offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses to approximately 17,000 students. These were not in scope for this inspection.

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Information about this provider

London South Bank University recruits most of its students and apprentices from London. Most apprentices attend the university for one day a week throughout their apprenticeship.

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Information about this provider

The university offers Skills Bootcamp courses in green skills, a priority sector area for the Greater London Authority. However, at the time of the inspection, these courses were not running. 17 to 20 December 2024

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

Apprentices swiftly develop the knowledge and skills they need to achieve their apprenticeship and become valued members of their team at work. University staff and apprentices’ line managers have an effective working relationship and ensure that the assessments apprentices complete are directly related to their workplace. Apprentices flourish in their jobs as they develop competency in their roles and take on additional responsibilities.

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

Apprentices quickly develop qualities such as confident communication and resilience, and they develop their knowledge and skills. They quickly become fluent in using the technical terminology of their subjects and have a secure grasp of the foundation knowledge and skills they need in the workplace. In construction engineering, lecturers ensure that apprentices have a good understanding of the properties of materials so they can extend the life of bridges on the rail network by calculating their load-bearing capabilities. Nurse associates develop their professional vigilance in looking for signs of bruising caused by domestic violence as part of their care for patients.

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

Apprentices find the training appropriately challenging and appreciate the support they receive from their lecturers and skills coaches, which encourages them to persevere and complete their apprenticeship. However, on a small number of apprenticeships, apprentices do not sustain their motivation to complete their apprenticeship and instead leave with only their degree.

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

Apprentices feel safe at university and know whom to contact if they have concerns.

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better?

Staff have worked effectively with employers to develop and teach a range of apprenticeships that help to provide jobs for local residents and meet local and regional skills needs. Leaders have ensured that the apprenticeships they offer build on the university’s links with other local providers to offer study and career pathways through higher-level training. They also make sure that the provision supports their vision, mission and history of providing work-related courses and supporting social mobility.

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better?

Lecturers plan their lessons so apprentices learn the knowledge and skills they need in a logical order before moving on to progressively more complex topics throughout their studies. In the nursing associate apprenticeship, lecturers teach apprentices about physiology before looking at abnormal physiologies in the second year of study. This helps apprentices quickly identify diseases and illnesses in the patients they see in clinical settings. In the building services apprenticeship, lecturers teach apprentices about trigonometry and differentiation, which apprentices then use to calculate heat loss accurately in buildings. 17 to 20 December 2024

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Lecturers use effective strategies and make good use of the university’s facilities and resources to teach apprentices the connection between the theory and practice of what they learn. In health-related apprenticeships, lecturers use simulation suites so that nurse associates and nursing apprentices can develop their practical skills in a safe environment. In business apprenticeships, lectures use live financial data to assess how much money companies spend on marketing compared to their sales revenue. This helps apprentices understand the correlation between different aspects of corporate finance.

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Lecturers routinely assess apprentices’ understanding of core concepts, written academic work and practical skills. They relate assessments effectively to apprentices’ workplace practice. In nursing, practice-based assessments form the basis of an ongoing demonstration of apprentices’ clinical skills, ensuring that apprentices deliver high-quality care to their patients. Apprentices studying digital marketing complete assessment tasks linked to their workplace so they can connect what they have learned at university to the requirements of their jobs.

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On most apprenticeships, the proportion who achieve their qualification is high. Leaders and managers have worked effectively to increase the proportion of apprentices who stay on their programmes. Managers have put in place dedicated gateway coaches to provide support for apprentices to help them prepare effectively for their final examinations. On town planning courses, managers have linked awarding apprentices’ degrees to sitting their end-point assessment. However, on the level 6 chartered surveyor apprenticeship, too few apprentices achieve due to the time required between completing their degree and being eligible to apply for their end-point assessment.

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Apprentices with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive high- quality support from staff. They receive additional one-to-one support and, where necessary, extra time for examinations and coursework. Staff provide feedback that takes account of the specific needs of apprentices with SEND. Apprentices experience an inclusive learning environment that helps to reduce barriers to learning. As a result of the good support they receive, apprentices with SEND achieve in line with the rest of the group.

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Staff at the university carefully plan and encourage apprentices to participate in a wide range of activities that help them flourish and develop as individuals. This has contributed to business apprentices winning a national award for their sustainably focused start-up project. Leaders and managers sponsored nursing apprentices to participate in a nursing conference. Apprentices learned from qualified nurses what it is like to be a Nigerian nurse working in the NHS. Through attending conferences and other activities, apprentices develop their communication and public speaking skills and are provided with valuable opportunities to establish professional networks.

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University and apprenticeship staff provide apprentices with very high-quality, relevant careers advice and guidance. Where appropriate, skills coaches discuss careers guidance with apprentices and their line managers during reviews. 17 to 20 December 2024

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Apprentices also use the careers service and library to book sessions on CV writing and interview preparation. University staff are well prepared to adapt their services to meet the specific needs of apprentices. Apprentices are all enrolled in the Association of Apprentices, which gives them a considerable network of valuable contacts.

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On most courses, apprentices benefit from frequent progress reviews with their skills coach and line manager. In areas where skills reviewers, employers and apprentices work closely together, they set and renew targets, discuss where apprentices can take on more responsibilities at work and identify what apprentices are learning at the university with their work activities. However, in a few instances, apprentices have experienced some discontinuity in their training due to changes in skills reviewers. Where this has happened, reviews have been less helpful.

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Two dedicated governors have a good overview of the quality of the apprenticeship provision. They challenge and hold senior leaders and managers to account effectively for the quality of the apprenticeships. This includes the impact of actions taken to improve the proportion of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship.

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The apprenticeship board oversees the operation of apprenticeships across the university effectively. At its fortnightly meetings, it ensures that staff are held to account for actions to improve the provision.

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Leaders and managers have a good overview of the quality of education. They frequently complete observations of teaching and use internal and external surveys to assess the apprentices’ experience. Observers identify areas that lecturers can develop further and provide a range of suitable continuous professional development to support them in improving their teaching.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Identify and implement actions to increase the proportion of level 6 chartered surveyor apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship.  Improve the quality of progress reviews to ensure that they are consistently high across all apprenticeships. 17 to 20 December 2024

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent David Phoenix

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Provider details

Provider type Higher education institution

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 12 to 14 February 2019

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 17 to 20 December 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the deputy 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

Steve Lambert, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Andrea McMahon His Majesty’s Inspector Akhil Amlani Ofsted Inspector Claudia Harrison His Majesty’s Inspector Ramita Tejpal Ofsted Inspector Christina Christou Ofsted Inspector Paul Breheny Ofsted Inspector Paul Manning His Majesty’s Inspector 17 to 20 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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