Peabody Trust

Name of lead inspector: Montserrat Pérez-Parent, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Address: 45–47 Westminster Bridge Road London SE1 7JB Monitoring visit: Peabody Trust, 8-9 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

Peabody Trust is a not-for-profit housing association with headquarters in the London Borough of Southwark. Leaders gained a contract to deliver apprenticeships to their employees in March 2023. They enrolled their first apprentice in level 3 business administration in October 2023.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of this monitoring visit, there were 40 apprentices enrolled across six apprenticeship standards, including four taking a break in learning. Twelve apprentices were studying the level 3 apprenticeship in housing and property management, 10 were on the level 5 operational/departmental manager apprenticeship and nine were studying the level 3 apprenticeship in business administration. The remaining apprentices were studying level 3 apprenticeships in team leader/supervisor, lead adult care worker and customer service specialist. Eight apprentices have completed their training and are preparing for final assessments scheduled between January and March 2025.

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Context and focus of visit

All apprentices are over 18. Seventeen apprentices need to achieve functional skills qualifications in mathematics as part of their apprenticeship, and 15 need to achieve qualifications in English.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers are passionate about creating a culture of lifelong learning. Through their apprenticeships, they equip their employees with the up-to-date knowledge and skills they need to provide Peabody residents with the high-quality service which leaders expect. They strive to professionalise and upskill their workforce, particularly those with no prior experience or training in the housing sector. Monitoring visit: Peabody Trust, 8-9 January 2025 Leaders and managers have planned a curriculum that considers well apprentices’ job roles and the requirements of their line managers. They communicate very effectively with line managers about apprentices’ training plans and the progress that apprentices make. Line managers feel supported and value being able to discuss concerns early when they arise. Line managers arrange suitable opportunities for apprentices to practise at work what they learn in training.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers ensure that apprentices understand the expectations of their final assessments early in their training. Skills trainers provide regular opportunities for apprentices to practise important aspects of the assessment, such as the professional discussion. Apprentices who are due to take their assessments are well prepared and do not feel daunted by the prospect of completing them.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers continually review their practice and consider feedback from apprentices and line managers to bring about swift improvements. After analysing the reasons why, a high proportion of their early cohort of apprentices left their training, leaders strengthened their recruitment and initial assessment processes. They now ensure that prospective apprentices and their line managers are fully aware of the time and workload requirements of an apprenticeship. Current apprentices make suitable progress, and a high proportion stay on the programme.

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Significant progress

Members of the board are experienced and knowledgeable. They use the data and reports they receive well to hold leaders to account and support them effectively.

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Significant progress

Apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills, and behaviours. As they learn about the legislation that underpins their work, they understand why processes are in place and the consequences of not following them. Apprentices see issues raised by residents in a different light and develop greater respect and empathy for them.

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Significant progress

Line managers value highly that apprentices develop the resilience and confidence to get involved in the work of their departments. Over time, apprentices contribute more meaningfully to team meetings and take on new tasks. For example, business administration apprentices learn how to write business letters for the first time. Apprentices who have secured new roles or promotion report that the knowledge and the confidence they gained through their apprenticeship greatly contributed to their success.

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Significant progress

In group lessons, well-qualified and experienced skills trainers take the time to ensure that apprentices understand the concepts they teach. They ask frequent questions and encourage apprentices to apply their knowledge to their job roles when they answer. For example, in functional skills mathematics, advice and well- Monitoring visit: Peabody Trust, 8-9 January 2025 being officers help apprentices to understand negative numbers by linking this knowledge to rent accounts and ambient temperature.

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Significant progress

Leaders, managers, and skills trainers support those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities extremely well. They adapt assessment methods so that apprentices can demonstrate what they have learned in the way that suits them best. Apprentices speak very highly of how apprenticeship staff go over and above to support them.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers make effective use of quality assurance processes to identify any weaknesses in their provision early and take quick action to resolve them. For example, they provide relevant training to help skills trainers improve aspects of their practice identified in lesson observations.

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Significant progress

Leaders have established an effective and proactive culture of safeguarding. Apprentices recall what they learned at induction because they discuss safeguarding topics frequently in lessons and meetings with their skills trainers. They know what to look out for to keep themselves and others safe in training, at work and online.

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Significant progress

Leaders handle safeguarding and welfare concerns swiftly and appropriately. They support and monitor apprentices sensitively to the point of resolution of any concerns. Leaders analyse their records of concerns raised to gain an understanding of the issues that affect apprentices and tailor the resources and support that they provide to best meet their apprentices’ needs. Monitoring visit: Peabody Trust, 8-9 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

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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