Quality of Care Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding 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

Quality of Care Limited is an independent learning provider based in Wolverhampton, West Midlands. It offers specialist training to the adult care sector. At the time of inspection, there were 46 apprentices in learning. Apprentices study level 2 adult care worker and level 3 lead adult care worker apprenticeships. Three apprentices are aged under 18. 14 to 16 January 2025

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

Apprentices work collaboratively with their peers, in a supportive and respectful learning environment. Assessors create a mature and responsible culture for apprentices, encouraging them to share their ideas and concerns and listen patiently to others. Apprentices learn to challenge any practice in the workplace that they have concerns about. They are committed to improving the standards of care for their service users.

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

Apprentices develop a wide range of knowledge, skills and behaviours, beyond the expectation of the apprenticeship. This includes conflict management, mental health awareness, stroke awareness and food hygiene certification. Employers value highly the additional skills that apprentices bring to the workplace.

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

Leaders and assessors promote equality of opportunity with apprentices. Apprentices learn about unconscious bias, protected characteristics, discrimination and human rights. Apprentices work in culturally diverse groups and enthusiastically discuss the impact of differing beliefs on adult care. They understand the importance of treating each other and their service users with dignity and respect.

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

Apprentices are highly motivated both in their work and their studies. They participate enthusiastically in classes and share how they have used their new knowledge at work. Where they are unable to attend a teaching session, apprentices work with employers to find time to catch up promptly. Apprentices are proud of their work and the high professional standards they demonstrate.

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

Assessors ensure that apprentices learn strategies for improving their well-being and mental health. Apprentices learn how to manage stress and anxiety, to develop resilience and ideas for self-care. Apprentices use these strategies both in the workplace and in their home lives to ensure they remain mentally healthy.

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better?

Leaders work with employers to develop apprenticeships that professionalise training in the adult care sector. They ensure that apprentices working in complex care homes have additional training to understand dementia care and how to identify the needs of service users who are unable to communicate verbally.

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better?

Assessors use a wide variety of teaching strategies to help apprentices know more and stretch their understanding. Assessors use case studies, real-world scenarios and practical activities to apply theory to the workplace. Apprentices watch interviews with those suffering from dementia to hear the personal perspective of service users. They develop their empathy as well as techniques for improving care and support.

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better?

Assessors individualise learning plans for apprentices with additional support needs, including those who have not yet received a formal diagnosis. They provide coloured 14 to 16 January 2025

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overlays, headphones and copies of teaching materials ahead of classes for apprentices. This ensures that apprentices feel supported and valued. Apprentices with additional support needs make the same progress as their peers.

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Leaders ensure that apprentices complete skills scans to determine vocational and English and mathematics starting points. However, this information is not used to individualise the curriculum or revisited to assess progress made during the course. Some apprentices repeat learning topics that they already know.

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In a few instances, apprentices’ written work is not of a consistently high standard. Although apprentices evidence their knowledge effectively through discussions, in a few cases written work is not presented well enough and errors in spelling and grammar are not corrected by assessors. A few apprentices do not know how to improve the quality of their written work. As a result, these apprentices are not sufficiently prepared to move on to further studies.

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Assessors ensure that apprentices understand the skills needed for the workplace, such as time management, communication skills and teamwork. They offer apprentices opportunities to discuss their career aspirations and signpost them to further resources. However, there is too little planned careers education, information, advice and guidance. Apprentices do not know the breadth of opportunities available to them following their studies. Too few apprentices know how to move on to further studies or how to achieve their career goals.

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More than half of apprentices who complete their studies achieve merit or distinction grades at end-point assessment. However, too few apprentices, particularly those studying towards the level 3 lead adult care worker, complete their studies and achieve their apprenticeship. Leaders have improved substantially the way in which they enrol apprentices to ensure that they are aware of the demands of an apprenticeship. This has improved the number of level 2 adult care worker apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship, but it is too soon to see the full impact for all apprenticeships.

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Leaders have created action plans following their previous monitoring visit to focus on improving the provision. However, they do not yet have clear processes in place to identify emerging issues in all aspects of the provision. Leaders do not analyse information in enough detail, and do not put actions in place rapidly, to resolve these issues.

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Leaders encourage assessors to continually develop both their industry skills and teaching practice. Assessors reflect on their teaching and share ideas for improvements with their team. They continue to work as carers, alongside apprentices, and complete the mandatory training needed as care professionals. Leaders support assessors to study mental health first aid, classroom management and advice and guidance courses, to better support apprentices.

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Leaders have recently recruited governors who have substantial experience in business management and in the care sector. Governors understand their role in 14 to 16 January 2025

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supporting leaders to continue to improve the quality of education apprentices receive. However, it is too soon to see the full impact of these roles.

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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 accurately emerging issues in the quality of provision and put actions in place to resolve them.  Use the vocational and English and mathematics starting points of apprentices to individualise the curriculum so that assessors can monitor apprentices’ progress.  Improve the feedback that tutors provide to apprentices on their written work to support them to develop their written English skills.  Provide appropriate careers education, information, advice and guidance to apprentices so that they understand their next steps. 14 to 16 January 2025

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Provider details

Address Perton Manor Wrottesley Park Road Perton Wolverhampton WV8 2HE

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Juliet Briggs

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 14 to 16 January 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the training centre 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

Helen Morgan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Deb Whiston Ofsted Inspector 14 to 16 January 2025

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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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