NHS Choices College

Further education and skills inspection report

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Short inspection of NHS England (Choices College)

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 January 2025

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Outcome

NHS England (Choices College) continues to be a good provider.

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Information about this provider

NHS England (Choices College) provides a supported internship study programme for learners with high needs. All learners have education, health and care plans. The college refers to learners as interns. There are currently 207 interns in 22 delivery sites from 55 local authorities across the country, with a large number based in the north east. Interns attend the college four days per week to complete up to three substantial work placements over the academic year and attend one day a week to study English, mathematics and employability. Tutors employed by NHS England (Choices College) teach English and mathematics to most interns. The college currently works with a subcontractor to provide English and mathematics to a small number of interns in Manchester. Most learners are aged 19 years and over.

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

Interns value the interesting activities that tutors organise for them at college. They visit shops and cafes in the community. Interns choose what they want to eat and drink when going to cafes, and they travel there on public transport. They learn to manage money by paying for items in the cafe and when shopping. Interns make progress in developing their independence skills.

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

Interns thoroughly enjoy attending work placements which are well matched to their long-term career aspirations and personal interests. Leaders form highly effective partnerships with NHS healthcare employers and private businesses to secure these valuable work placements. Interns improve their confidence, develop resilience in the workplace and make a valuable contribution to the work placements they complete. They thoroughly enjoy going to work and view this as the highlight of their course.

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

Interns increase their knowledge of a comprehensive range of topics that are relevant to their personal lives. Tutors skilfully teach interns about important topics such as healthy relationships, consent and how to keep themselves physically and 22 and 23 January 2025

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mentally healthy. Interns develop useful knowledge, which helps them prepare for adult life.

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Interns appreciate the welcoming and friendly environment at college and the supportive staff, which makes them feel safe when attending training. They know they can ask for help when needed from tutors and support staff.

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better?

Highly qualified tutors use effective teaching methods to teach English and mathematics. They have introduced strategies such as embedding English and mathematics in business and enterprise projects through which interns further develop their skills in real-life situations. However, it is too soon to know if this will impact positively the proportion of interns who achieve functional skills English and mathematics qualifications, which has been too low in previous years.

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better?

Staff accurately identify what interns can and cannot do when they start at college. They use the information from education, health and care plans to set clear and appropriate targets for interns to help them develop the skills and knowledge they need to gain employment and live as independently as possible as adults. For example, interns learn about the importance of behaving professionally in the workplace, being on time at work, using a washing machine and managing their money.

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better?

Tutors use a range of assessment methods to check that interns understand what they have learned. For example, in English, they observe them completing punctuation tasks on the whiteboard. When interns do not complete these tasks successfully, tutors provide helpful feedback to help them improve.

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better?

Workplace mentors provide helpful coaching to interns during work placements. This helps interns to develop the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in their work roles. Interns have a sense of pride in the work that they complete and feel valued. Those working in hospitals take deliveries to wards and check that the goods they have delivered are correct.

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better?

Tutors carefully plan and teach the employability curriculum. They include important topics to prepare learners for work and provide helpful careers advice. Tutors support interns to write CVs, practise for job interviews and communicate in the workplace. They work with employers to amend the order in which they teach topics to meet the needs of employers and learners. As a result, interns are well prepared for their next steps and to progress to employment. Many interns progress to voluntary roles or further training. However, too few progress into paid employment.

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better?

Leaders and managers have effective oversight of the quality of the supported internships, including the education provided by the subcontractors. They hold frequent meetings where they review important information and data. Leaders and managers complete a range of activities effectively to check the quality of teaching 22 and 23 January 2025

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and assessment. They carry out observations of teaching, speak to interns and review interns’ work. Leaders and managers identify development areas for tutors and create an action plan with them which is monitored carefully.

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Leaders and managers make good use of feedback from peer reviews completed by managers from other providers. This enables them to benefit from shared good practice and identify what is working well and areas they need to improve. For example, leaders and managers responded to feedback about how to improve tutors’ teaching of English and mathematics.

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Leaders have reviewed their governance arrangements and have very recently introduced an advisory committee to formalise their approach to governance. The committee comprises members with appropriate expertise, including special educational needs and/or disabilities and employer representatives. Leaders have agreed terms of reference for the committee, and members will provide support, scrutiny and challenge to leaders moving forward.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Increase the proportion of interns who achieve their functional skills English and mathematics qualifications.  Increase the proportion of interns who gain paid employment.  Embed the new governance structure to provide effective support and challenge to leaders. 22 and 23 January 2025

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Provider details

Address The Grainger Suite Dobson House Regent Centre Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 3PF

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Website

www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/choices- college-supported-internships

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Website

Principal, CEO or equivalent Craig De Sousa

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Website

Provider type Independent specialist college

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Website

Date of previous inspection 10 to 12 December 2019

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Website

Main subcontractors Together Trust 22 and 23 January 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspection was the first short inspection carried out since NHS England (Choices College) was judged to be good in December 2019.

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the education quality assurance 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

Jacquie Brown, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Hayley Lomas His Majesty’s Inspector Mark Hillman His Majesty’s Inspector 22 and 23 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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